Erin's torn ligament surgery

Hi everyone!

My name is Erin. Please help me get back to playing sports and competing by helping to fund my surgery!

It's not only about pursuing a sports career. I'm a very active person and my life feels like it’s on hold. At first I could hardly walk at all. Even after nine months, although it may look like I'm able to walk more "normally", I still struggle to get around easily and I have to be careful of every step I take.

Besides this campaign, I've also set up a special Foot Surgery Fund account with Siam Commercial Bank. If you prefer then please donate or transfer money directly using the QR code.

BACKGROUND

I started learning Muay Thai when I moved to Chiang Mai when I was 18 years old. In the beginning it was just a fun way to get fit, but as I got better, I was eventually convinced to fight and that was it, I was completely hooked!

I went on to start competing more and more frequently and even managed to win a couple of belts! However, I started getting pain behind my knee caused by tendonitis. I consulted with several physiotherapists who advised me to quit Muay Thai if I ever wanted to recover. I was heartbroken, as I felt I was really starting to advance.

It turned out that they were all wrong! I discovered a few years later that my condition was actually caused by a muscular imbalance, which was resolved by doing targeted strengthening! I felt that I had quit unnecessarily, wasting what could have been my best years of fighting.

Afraid that I was running out of time, I started training again about four years ago. I had to start from scratch. Even though mentally I knew what I needed to do, it was a very different story getting my body to do it.

In February this year, I was finally ready to start fighting competitively again. However, just two weeks before I was due to fight on Super Champ in Phuket, I broke my foot while sparring. I was absolutely devastated.

THE MEDICAL STORY

At the time the X-rays only showed a fractured toe, and I was told it would only take a month to recover, which at the time seemed like an eternity.

As time went on with no improvement, I was becoming more and more certain that something was not right, that the bone was out of place. I visited one hospital after another asking for second and third and fourth opinions, getting new X-rays each time and they all assured me that there was nothing to be worried about.

Everyone said I was overreacting. As much as I insisted something was not right, I had no proof to show anyone, and even had medical professionals telling me everything was fine. What could I know? I didn’t even know how to explain how it felt.

After much frustration and searching, I eventually found a specialist, Dr Tanawat, who suspected a torn ligament, but only an MRI could tell. After finally getting the money together to pay for one, it confirmed that I had torn a ligament in my Lisfranc joint, notorious for being missed and ending sports careers.

The damage at the time didn’t seem to be too bad, he said. He suggested I wait a while and see if it heals on its own. But if I wanted to return to sports quickly, surgery was the best option. I was eager to get it done as soon as possible, however the cost would be about 150,000 baht. As I (and my family) couldn’t afford this, I had no choice but to wait and see.

After a couple of months waiting with no improvement, I returned to Dr Tanawat for a check up. His first question to me was “Are you back running and playing sports again?”

I was shocked, as I still had trouble walking at this point. He seemed a little concerned but suggested now is a good time to begin therapy. So I did.

However, after six months with no improvements, he said that surgery was the only option left – but it should be done as soon as possible. And there is no way for him – or any other surgeon – to do it for less.

I visited several other specialists at hospitals in Bangkok, hoping that there would more affordable options. The prices I was quoted were a lot more. Even at the government hospitals, I was told the price would be about the same.

I’ve considered going back to the UK to be treated by the NHS.

But a GP advised me that sports injuries are not considered a priority and what with the backlog due to covid, I would have to wait for maybe a year or two. Besides, the costs of travel and living in England (and the recovery) would be much more than the cost of surgery in Thailand.

I did try one final option: to visit Dr Tanawat as a patient at Suan Dohk hospital, a government hospital in Chiang Mai. He explained to me that it might be a little cheaper to be treated there, but the waiting time is currently a year and a half.

If I wait too long then I also won’t be able to get what is called “tightrope” surgery, which offers the best chance of recovery in my case. The procedure would then revert to “fusion” surgery (permanently fusing the bones together), and that would mean I would not be able to run or play sports again.

There are likely to be additional costs, and I'm still waiting for a confirmation of these:

- MRI update: ฿12,000
- Recovery Boot: ฿12.000

- Physiotherapy: ฿20,000

- (possible general anasthesia: ฿30,000++?) 

A WORD ABOUT INSURANCE

The insurance I had will not cover this kind of injury at all. It turns out that none of the insurance policies cover this type of accident, nor do they cover the full cost of this kind of operation.

FUNDING FOR THE SURGERY

Sports is my life. I realize that I might not become a professional sportswoman. However, I feel I still could be an amateur champion in Muay Thai competing regularly on the various Thai sports channels.

Altogether, medical and travel expenses so far have cost about ฿40,000 baht already. There isn't any more money. I'm out of options and running out of time. I’ve also wasted so much time in trying to deal with this that I haven’t had time to earn much money either.

This is something that I hoped I wouldn't have to do, but if everyone I know just donates a small amount of money, I will be able to go ahead with the surgery.

I'm aware that it's a lot of money for some and that there are other people with more serious ailments who are more deserving.

But not only has this hugely impacted my life and what I love to do (training and playing sports), it also affects my mobility in my day-to-day life and can see no other alternative to getting this fixed.

For everyone who donates even a small amount, I will be eternally grateful, and do whatever I can to pay it back or forward. 

I will post details of the injury and treatment and progress - and copies of bills and receipts - on my FB page Erin's Foot Fund: facebook.com/erinfootsurgery.

If you want to pay directly to my Foot Fund Account (rather than via Weeboon), here are the details -
  Siam Commercial Bank

  Account Number: 8412278221

  Name: Erin Orman