Chiara Battle

Chiari malformation 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.    I have experienced very painful headaches since my teens. Later in life I started experiencing vertigo, numbness and burning sensations in my extremities, RLS, and much more. In 2012, I was diagnosed with Arnold Chiara Malformation. At that point the herniation of my brain was only 1mm. The doctors stated that at this point the treatment was just to manage symptoms with medications.  I have had a "headache" every day for many years now. The past few years the intensity of the headaches increased. On a good day I can rate the "headaches" at a 4. On bad days, I am throwing up, running a fever, and doing normal activities is a big challenge. It becomes hard to take care of my children or work a 12hr shift as a nurse. Due to the increased symptoms a CINE Mri was performed.  The "Chiara" worsened. My herniation is now at 9mm and there are 5 areas where the cerebrospinal fluid is being blocked and a developing "Syrinx". I was informed that surgery was needed after seeing a specialist two hours away and being put on medical leave. The surgery is called a "decompression" surgery. They remove a small section of bone in the back of your skull, relieving pressure by giving the brain more room. In many cases, the covering of the brain, called the dura mater, may be opened. Also, a patch may be sewn in place to enlarge the covering and provide more room for the brain. This patch may be an artificial material, or it could be tissue harvested from another part of your body. They may also remove a small portion of the spinal column to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and allow more space for the spinal cord.  As you know medical procedures are very costly especially when you have been taken off work and have no income to help cover the expenses of the surgery or to cover the 2hr trips. Not to mention the lack of work, when you are the sole income, makes it hard to provide for your family.  Any help offered would be immensely appreciated. I would also like to say thank you for your help and if you don't mind please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. This is a serious surgery and a very scary time for my children and I.