A Pain-free Future for Ronnie

My dear friend, Ronnie, is in desperate need of knee replacement surgery. He and his wife are like family to me and my son and loved by many in our close-knit community. They moved to Mexico for retirement in 2019, knowing that Ronnie needed knee replacement long before they arrived. They went to Mexico seeking a simple life. They make the absolute best of it every moment, loving life and thanking God for every day. 

However, Ronnie is in chronic pain, as anyone who has had knee or hip replacement can attest to - it is unbearable upon waking. Ronnie's knee problems began around 2009. Unlike most knee injuries that result in tearing and degrading of the meniscus, Ronnie's cartilage was calcifying, eventually becoming bone on bone and causing his knee joint to bend outward.

Ronnie and his wife live on a fixed income, so saving for the surgery has been a slow process. Despite their best efforts, the cost of the surgery is a significant financial burden. This is another reason for the move to Mexico – to seek the medical attention he has so desperately needed at very realistic cost given their retirement income.

Ronnie is unable return to the U.S to have the surgery done due. The process of finding a surgeon, getting approved for surgery, completing pre and post-operative testing, assessments and therapies would take several months, at best. In that time, the costs incurred in travel, accommodations and the other living expenses for he and his wife would be greater than the cost of the surgery in Mexico.

Ronnie's condition is unique; instead of the typical $1,675 (30,000 pesos) for a knee prosthesis, he requires a special unit costing approximately $6,700 (120,000 pesos). This raises the total cost of the surgery from $5,600.00 (110,000 pesos) to $13,900 (250,000 pesos). Moreover, he will need extensive pre-surgery testing, including blood tests, heart, lung and circulation assessments that have costs apart from the cost of the surgery. And finally, there will be post-operative costs for physical therapy and assessments. Okay. Here is the revised version:

My dear friend, Ronnie, is in desperate need of knee replacement surgery. He and his wife are like family to me and my son. They moved to Mexico for retirement in 2019, knowing that Ronnie needed knee replacement long before they arrived. They went to Mexico seeking a simple life. They make the absolute best of it every moment, loving life and thanking God for every day. 

However, Ronnie is in chronic pain, as anyone who has had knee or hip replacement can attest to - it is unbearable upon waking. Ronnie's knee problems began around 2009. Unlike most knee injuries that result in tearing and degrading of the meniscus, Ronnie's cartilage was calcifying, eventually becoming bone on bone and causing his knee joint to bend outward.

 Ronnie and his wife live on a fixed income, so saving for the surgery has been a slow process. Despite their best efforts, the cost of the surgery is a significant financial burden. This is another reason for the move to Mexico – to seek the medical attention he has so desperately needed at very realistic cost given their retirement income.

Ronnie is unable to return to the U.S. for the surgery. The arduous process of finding a surgeon, getting approved, and completing the essential pre and post-operative testing, assessments, and therapies would take several months, at best. During this time, the overwhelming costs of travel, accommodations, and other living expenses for both Ronnie and his wife would far exceed the cost of the surgery in Mexico. This situation leaves them in a heartbreaking dilemma, unable to afford the care he desperately needs.

Ronnie's condition is unique; instead of the typical $1,675 (30,000 pesos) for a knee prosthesis, he requires a special unit costing approximately $6,700 (120,000 pesos). This raises the total cost of the surgery from $5,600.00 (110,000 pesos) to $13,900 (250,000 pesos). Moreover, he will need extensive pre-surgery testing, including blood tests, heart, lung and circulation assessments that have costs apart from the cost of the surgery. And finally, there will be post-operative costs for physical therapy and assessments.

Thank you for reading and considering helping Ronnie get the surgery he needs to live a pain-free life. If you wish to make an offline donation, please let me know and I can provide you with the details.

Your support means the world to them.

Warm regards,

Danielle Stone