Educator seeks assistance for hip replacement surgery
For almost 30 years, Sophia Haynes McCalla has been known as the vivacious and dedicated physical education teacher at Jonathan Grant High School in St Catherine. On April 26, 2017, her life drastically changed when, while on her way to Port Antonio for a physical education practical at Happy Grove High school in Portland, the vehicle in which she was travelling met in a head-on collision.
“I was in the back seat and when we reached on Marcus Garvey Drive, the one way was converted into a dual carriageway, and it was really early, so the place was still dark and both vehicles just went head-on. When I came out of the vehicle, I fell because my legs couldn’t support me. After that, a police vehicle took me to Kingston Public Hospital,” she said.
The teacher said she had to endure a series of tests and X-rays at the hospital, but was told that nothing was seriously wrong with her. She was then given one day’s sick leave. “All this time I got even more sick, I was in a lot of pain and was completely traumatized by the incident. I did two other X-rays at a different medical facility and still was misdiagnosed. It’s like the Devil was working. Three weeks later I could not walk. I eventually went to see another doctor six weeks after the accident and was told that I was going to need a hip replacement as everything was out of place,” she said.
The accident has placed not only a damper on her mobility, she now only can teach the theory part of her job. In order to bring back some normality in her life, McCalla now needs to do a hip-replacement surgery in New York, which costs around US$26,000.
“It’s like pain wants to be my companion. I try to block it out, but I can’t at times. I have come a long way, because I was depressed and frustrated at a point in time, but my family and students are who keep me going. I love my students and really have their best interest at heart and it bothers me, because I am not at the place where I want to be to fully teach them,” she said.
McCalla stated that seeking the public’s assistance was a last resort, but that she had no other choice after other treatments and medical procedures failed to correct the problem. So far, US$600 has been raised out of the US$26,000 target on her GoFundMe page that was created on October 12.
Currently, McCalla said she is unable to move without her crutches and is in constant, excruciating pain. One of her leg is now shorter than the other.
“I have a terrible limp and the therapy that I am doing now is just to try and ease the pain. I had came off the crutches after the seven months but had to go back on. So far, I have spent more than $400,000 on medical bills and I am on medication every day for pain management. I have tried to do this on my own for a while, but I have come to realise that I can’t do it alone, so that is why I am humbly seeking any assistance possible,” she said.
Persons wishing to assist Sophia Haynes McCalla may contact her at 876 886 7784.