Hi there, my name is Katie and my husband Dustin and I unfortunately must ask for some help.
In 2012, Dustin was in a serious car accident where he suffered injuries that were not properly cared for at the scene or after the accident, and never thoroughly evaluated for over 12 years after. Days, weeks, months and years went by mentioning chronic pain to friends, family and doctors with nothing pursued. It wasn't until Fall 2024 when he received advanced imaging for an ongoing GI problem that the radiologist discovered his spine and pelvis were fractured. He was given an ortho consult and officially diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis, an L5 Pars defect on both sides, and Degenerative Disc Disease. In simple terms, his spine was crumbling while sliding forward and off of his pelvis.
The referred surgeon in our area said that his only hope to not become paralyzed was to undergo a spinal fusion surgery. The doctor was adamant this was his only option and was willing to bypass any other options. Stressed about his future and fueled by his consistent lack of professional help despite paying exorbitant fees to hospitals and clinics, Dustin began reading testimonials from those online who had received the procedure and found they still had a greatly reduced quality of life. Some from the same people who trusted this surgeon recommended to Dustin. Because of this, Dustin began to look at any other alternatives.
Thanks to connections and long lasting friendships in Japan, the opportunity was given for Dustin to be treated by Spine Surgery Hospital located near Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. He traveled there under a tourist visa in September 2025. After a fully comprehensive consult that cost pennies compared to a single diagnostic performed in the US, they agreed that surgery would be on the horizon for him eventually given his injury.
However there were options to reverse some damage, and give back some mobility and comfort until surgery was absolutely needed. They adjusted his medications: switching him from the multiple pills he was taking, to a set of pain patches with the option of a rescue pain pill that was available over-the-counter. It was a better outlook than he was given in his home country, and better care overall from the staff despite some language barriers. The Doctor made a treatment plan for him to receive a series of injections. In addition to buying Dustin more time on his feet, they also served to curb the degenerative disc disease and hopefully reverse some of that damage.
After the first treatment, Dustin was walking without a cane and his GI issues substantially improved. His Degenerative Disc Disease showed dramatic improvement on newer scans. However, the lowest disc between L5-S1 re-inflated in a way that put new lower pressure on his spine, shifting in a way that made surgery a necessity. The worse news is that time is running out, surgery needs to happen no later than September-November 2026.
The hospital staff paused the disc injection treatment in March 2026 to make a final assessment of his current injury status, and allowed Dustin to return to the US. They estimated he has until November 2026 at the latest before his injury will worsen enough that the surgical options taking more serious turns. In order to move further with any more serious treatments and surgery, a medical visa will be required.
That is where we are today. We are currently undergoing the necessary medical visa process with the US/Japan Embassies. Part of that includes showing we can afford the medical treatment we are pursuing. The number is a fluid amount that depends on the situation. The Doctor estimated the low end cost of the procedure being around $20,000 so we are shooting for that number as our bare minimum goal. However if Dustin's Spondylolisthesis continues into Grade 3 or 4, Surgery may become more intensive, expensive, and the possibility of paralysis with or without the surgery grows higher.
"Yeah I'd like to keep walking" Says an exasperated Dustin
Thank you for reading, and Thank you again if you considered supporting the stream's production or Dustin's Surgery Fundraiser!
