"I would wake up every day wondering how much pain I'd have that day. Will I be able to walk?" – Liz G., donor, supported by the Red Cross Health Equipment Loan Program
She was in her mid-thirties when Liz started to feel stiffness in her hips. Simple tasks like going up the stairs, bending to feed her cats or tying a shoe were difficult and painful. Despite her extensive physical therapy, the pain grew worse. Eventually walking became challenging and she was losing sleep. "Driving my standard car was almost unbearable. The motion used between the brake and clutch made my hips ache so badly," says Liz.
On the recommendation of her physical therapist, Liz went to see a doctor. The X-ray showed she had hip dysplasia—a condition that prevents the hip joint from functioning properly, causing the joint to wear out faster than normal. The doctor told her she was too young for hip surgery. He prescribed acetaminophen and told her to come back when she was 60.
Her stiffness worsened. There were times when her hips would lock in bed and she wouldn't be able to move. Liz decided she needed a second opinion. Her new doctor scheduled her for surgery. That year she had both hips operated on, six months apart, followed by an aggressive rehabilitation program. The hospital provided a list of equipment and support items she would require for her recovery, such as crutches, a cane and a special toilet seat. "If I had to go through a pharmacy for those things it would have been so expensive for me," remembers Liz. "Luckily the hospital told me about the Red Cross. They loaned me all the equipment I needed, for no charge. It was just amazing to me."
Liz's mother, Therese, remembers what a relief and support it was to have the equipment loaned to her daughter. "I couldn't believe the Red Cross would lend her all that for nothing." To show her support and gratitude, Therese became a monthly donor.
"When I think of the Red Cross I think of emergencies, earthquakes, humanitarian crises. I never thought about how they help at a local level or the average person in need," says Liz. "Because of their help, I give to the Red Cross regularly."
The Health Equipment Loan Program is available in select provinces only.