Conquering Chiari For My Family

Why I am raising funds: To be able to afford a Cervical and Lumbar Fusion I need in order to fulfill my dream that my life will someday be able to return  to the way it was before I was diagnosed with “CHIARI MALFORMATION” So that way I can give as much of my time and energy to my family. Although the pain was debilitating before, I was able to have a certain quality of life. I was able to work fulltime in a physical industry and still work at home. Have enough energy to run my household and convey kids to and from soccer and netball. Just to be a normal mum. I’d love to be physically capable of working at least part time. Even the simple things we take for granted like going swimming with the kids, to not be in so much pain at the end of each day that I cry while I make dinner and count down the minutes until my kids go to bed so they dont have to see me in pain, when they hate seeing their mum like this. What the raised funds will pay for: It will pay for the two surgeries which are for are a neck and lumbar fusion to keep me stable and prevent paralysis and hopefully reduce my pain for about 5 to 10 years About me: My name is Casey Lewis and Im a 35 yr old mother of 2 gorgeous kids. Ive lived my entire life on large farms and don't like to do things slowly. I love baking and gardening. Early this year I was diagnosed with a condition called Chiari malformation. As a result of this diagnosis, others followed: Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Intracranial hypertension. Degenerative disc disease. Rheumatoid Arthritis and an as yet unknown autoimmune disorder... About Chiari Malformation:   Chiari malformation (kee-AH-ree mal-for-MAY-shun) is a condition in which brain tissue extends into your spinal canal. It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward. My Symptoms: •Migraine • Nausea •Gastroparesis • Spinal degeneration • Increased risk of stroke • Nerve damage • Tachycardia • Bowel dysfunction • Shoulder/neck spasms • Numbness/tingling • High Blood Pressure • Low Heart Rate • Chronic Pain In Conclusion: Ive already had brain surgery once. Unfortunately it hasnt helped, its actually made things worse. On top of this it has accelerated my spinal degeneration to the point where fusion is my only alternative to paralysis, and a lifetime of the sort of pain medication that may take away some pain, but also my ability to function. Currently my life is a series of eight hour blocks that I break into a day so im not intimidated by more time in pain ahead. By 1pm I’m incapacitated by physical pain despite multiple medications. I start dinner on the days I’m able to even cook a meal by 3pm so i can feed the kids by 7pm. I rarely sleep more than 2 or 3hrs in a stretch and haven't in months due to pain. I hesitated over whether it was right or ethical to start a Go Fund Me Page for months. In the end I decided to base the decision on having another ten months left before my surgeon cover kicks in and my kids dont deserve to lose 4 yrs of their mother based on any of the above information and without these procedures by an extremely competent neurosurgeon that looks to be the least of what they could lose. I personally Thankyou for taking the time to read about my situation and donating funds to help me be able to afford the surgery that will make life easier for not only myself but my family. Casey