Margaret is a mother of two children, ages eleven and six. She does any type of job that is available to earn money to support them - from washing to cleaning to farming. Margaret’s husband is a street salesman at their local bus stop. The couple spends almost all of their earnings on their youngest son, who has health problems of his own.
Margaret recently experienced a disk prolapse, a condition in which one disc in a her spinal column bulges out and often makes contact with nerves on the spine. This gives her severe back pain and numbness her legs. “I am used to working hard,” Margaret says, “but when the pain starts, I feel as though my back is breaking and I cannot do anything. I want to be well again and take care of my family.”
For $1500, we can give Margaret a hemilaminectomy. This surgery will help alleviate the symptoms of an impinged or irritated nerve root in the spine. The procedure will also create more space in the spinal canal and release Margaret’s nerve tissue from pressure. Doctors at our medical partner expect that after the surgery, Margaret will no longer be in pain and will be able to take care of her family.
