Mother of an autistic child with a 100% disablility disorder needs operation

Dear all,

I need your help. I have found myself in a very hard situation. I am a mother of a boy suffering from a severe autistic disorder. Being at the age of 13, with a hundred percent disability, he does not speak, has to wear diapers, is extremely inhibited in any kind of communication, incapable of taking care of fimself, not even able to pour juice into his glass, feed himself with a spoon but rather has to be fed. I live with my mother (83) who is an oncological patient and also has to wear diapers.

On 1 May this year I had an accident falling over at the entrance to our family house and was seriously injured. My legs were covered in haematomas, my nose was broken and my forearm bone was fractured and my elbow was crushed. I was taken to Varaždin Hospital where in an operation a plate was inserted into my forearm bone. The operating physician tried to synthesize the broken parts but after the operation it turned out to have fallen to pieces again. He said it was not possible to mend the elbow medically and said I should not expect too much, and made an appointment to see me in 40 days. After five weeks with no physical therapy, he did not tell me that my elbow was dislocated. I could not use my arm, therefore I decided to seek a second opinion in the Traumatological Hospital Zagreb where they told me that the elbow was dislocated and that another operation of the forearm was needed because the synthesis of elbow parts had been poorly executed. I was operated on 16 June. In the post operational course the elbow was dislocated again and the inserted wires were dislocated. On 26 June I was operated again and this time they tried to fix the elbow with external fixators, but in the end that was not successful, because when the first physical therapy sessions started the elbow was dislocated again. The only remaining possibility was elbow prosthesis, which would, if executed here in Croatia, have a consequence of a lasting disability, which means that I would never be able to lift a weight of more than 2 kg nor would I be able to lean on my arm, being the right arm, with a recovery period of 1-2 years, according to the doctor's words.

Behind me there are 19 days of hospitalisation, three unsuccessful operations within the period of six months, over five weeks with external fixators which make my movements very difficult, inability to get out of the house. I cannot comb my hair without someone's assistance, cannot wash myself or get dressed, I need to pay for these services because I have no relatives living within 50km. On top of that, I am in constant pain and I need to take strong painkillers.

The only solution for me now is an operation abroad which would enable me to avoid disability through quality operation. I found a university hospital in Munich, Germany, where I was examined on 26 October and agreed on an operation.

My only hope is that after the operation I could take care of myself and my disabled child. The operation in Munich, including x-rays and examinations, costs over 15.000EUR, on top of which come post-operational chekups abroad, which amounts to 20.000EUR in total. I do not have that money so I am forced to ask your help in order to save my right arm. The operation in Germany can provide me with no consequences of disability. It is an expensive one, I do not have that money, therefore I beg all good people to help me.

Details of the University Hospital:

Klinik für Allgemeine, Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, Klinikum der Universität München - Campus Innenstadt, Nußbaumstraße 20

OA Priv. Doz. Dr. med. Ben Ockert, Facharzt für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie

Spezielle Unfallchirurgie,Sportmedizin, Notfallmedizin,Zertifizierter

Schulter- und Ellenbogenchirurg – certified elbow physician specialised

MONEY CAN BE PAID INTO THE BANK ACCOUNT:

IBAN HRA023600003116365016 Diana Bobinec Mikek

A big 'thank you' to all donors.