Corey's Migraine Surgery Fund
Donation protected
Corey is a young man that has been fighting migraine headaches for the last 8 years. The headaches have been brought on from an assault that Corey had received from an intoxicated uncle. A person he had trusted, a person he respected. It was his mothers brother. In a drunken rage Corey was attacked in his home. His uncle came to Corey and his mothers home rushed through the door and attacked Coreys mom. He did what any son would do, he attempted to protect his mother from the brutal attack of his uncle. To no avail was Corey able to stop the assault. His uncle beat him within inches of his life, he actually had broken an antique box style radio over Coreys head, leaving him unconscious.
I received a call from his distraught mother regarding the attack and Coreys whereabouts in the local ER. I went and saw Corey and it was horrifying to see the senseless beating this young man had taken. He was in and out of consciousness and didn’t ever remember seeing me that night at the hospital.
Now let me explain a bit of history and how Corey came to live with me and my family.
Lets wind back the clock 10 years. Coreys father Dan was one of my dearest friends. Dan had found out that he had an incurable type of small cell lung cancer and he knew it was only time that the good Lord would take him. He called me and asked me to come down for a visit with him, Corey and his wife Janet to Houston, TX. I came without even thinking about it, seeing Dan said it was very important. What he asked me was that when its his time to go that I be there for Corey and Janet. He knew it would be something that would crush Corey seeing his dad was his best friend, along with mine. And also that I would be there for Corey if anything ever happened to Janet. I said without a doubt and thats why being a Godfather really means just that. Taking over and protecting that child if anything ever happened to their parents. I take that title very very seriously.
Lets fast forward to Christmas 2014. That is a day that changed Coreys and my life forever.
Coreys mom Janet had a heart attack and didn’t survive. Leaving Corey, who by the way is an only child like myself with nowhere to turn and alone in Houston Texas. It was my time to step up and take care of this boy as my own. I traveled to Houston and assisted Corey in sorting out all of the necessary things. Funeral, bills, selling the house, packing up and moving to Indiana to start over with my family or should I say his new family.
I knew going into this it would be a life long commitment seeing Corey suffered from endless migraines. We needed to find new doctors and explain over and over his story and how his health had been a continuous problem. We’ve been working together for the past 2 years to get that answer so that he can move forward with a successful healthy life. Through many doctor visits and finding new and more advanced doctors we found Dr. Bijari who set us on the correct path. She has done wonders by making Corey and I both confident with working with a doctor who cares and tries and makes sense of everything she tries.
We have tried many medicines that have done little or no temporary relief along with botox and nerve blocks with very slight success.
In discussing moving forward with additional treatment, I had mentioned to Dr. Bijari that my youngest daughter had been seeing a migraine specialist in Michigan at MHNI ( the Michigan Headpain and Neurological Institute in Ann Arbor, MI )
I had been able to arrange for Corey to have an appointment with their staff to see if they could help. After meeting with them and reviewing Coreys records they decided that he would be a good candidate for their in hospital treatment. Corey had been taken under the care of Dr. Saper who is a world renowned head pain specialist. They take in recommended patients from Mayo Clinic when they are unsure of what to do. With that being known we felt we reached the right place. In close discussions with Dr. Saper and his team, we spoke about the migraines and where they start and how the pain travels. I explained to them about the assault and the horrific head trauma. Dr Saper discovered that the tri-geminal nerve at the super orbital area above Coreys right eye appeared to be the culprit. The pain wasn’t due to chemical balance as most migraines are associated with but it is from the physical injury to the super orbit nerve.
Through test and treatments it was found to be true. They tried a novocaine nerve injection and Corey had instant relief. The doctors said it would probably last maybe an hour if lucky. Well, it actually lasted 6 hours to their surprise. The next day they tried another block including a steroid that should last a few days. Well this worked about the same as the first one but none the less we were onto something positive. Dr Saper had said that Corey looked to be a great candidate for chryo-freezing of the nerve that would hopefully give Corey months if not a possible year of relief but no guarantees. He said we could probably find a surgeon closer to home to preform the out patient procedure.
When we returned home from the weeklong stay in Michigan we met with Dr. Bijari.( Coreys neurologist ) She immediately recommended Dr. Amin at the Rush Pain Center in Chicago.
It took quiet a while to see Dr. Amin but once we did he reviewed all of Coreys records and decided that the Chryo-freeze would make perfect sense and that we needed to schedule it right away. We did so without any insurance issues. The procedure was done and was relatively successful. Corey made great strides after the surgery. Such as, driving, getting a part time job, applying to college and even attending college. We thought, finally the puzzle has been solved. Well, guess again.
After about 5 months of relief the nerve woke up and the migraines came back with a vengeance. Corey had to withdraw from college and come home because the pain was blinding. He could not drive anymore. His life became controlled by the headache. It’s a living hell.
We made an appointment with Dr. Amin as quickly as possible. Once we came in to see him we explained how the pain came back. Also we explained that Corey had been back and forth to the ER to receive IV pain meds just so he could get a few hours of relief so that he could sleep through the night. Dr. Amin explained to us about the successes they are having with the installation of a nerve stimulator that lulls the nerve into a state of calm giving the patient possible years or even forever relief. Corey agreed and we got the ball rolling.
We spoke again to Dr. Bijari about the scheduled surgery and she agreed to keep up the localized pain meds to keep Corey from having to go to the ER every 3 days or so. Even with that being in place we still wind up at the ER from time to time when the pain meds can’t beat back the migraine. Its so hard for me to watch this young man suffer day after day. I feel helpless sometimes but I need to continually be his support, his cheerleader so to speak.
Anyway, the surgery had been scheduled for December 1st. ( which has come and gone unfortunately ) and no surgery. 5 trips to the ER yes…surgery no. Why you may ask?
Well, Coreys insurance company has said no. After all of the things this young man has been through that they are well aware about, seeing they had paid for previous treatments and endless amount of drugs that do no good. Still no.
We supplied them with all the info they required from the surgeons office along with a psyche evaluation that was required and still a flat out NO. Even the surgeon himself spoke to the insurance company staff and couldn’t get this accomplished. This young man is desperate and truly needs this procedure to be done. It’s what is giving him hope for a normal life.
He wants to start his life. He’s 29 at this point and has been in this battle that he never asked to be in for the last 8 years of his life. He just wants to be normal, or as normal as he can be with all of this trauma. We really need your help. Everyone who is associated with Corey, all of the doctors see that its needed. All of friends and family see its needed and the insurance company can’t see it. We hope you can help or this young man is destined to a life ( if thats what you call it ) of more pain and more senseless suffering.
God bless all of you and thank you in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.
Sincerely,
Steve
I received a call from his distraught mother regarding the attack and Coreys whereabouts in the local ER. I went and saw Corey and it was horrifying to see the senseless beating this young man had taken. He was in and out of consciousness and didn’t ever remember seeing me that night at the hospital.
Now let me explain a bit of history and how Corey came to live with me and my family.
Lets wind back the clock 10 years. Coreys father Dan was one of my dearest friends. Dan had found out that he had an incurable type of small cell lung cancer and he knew it was only time that the good Lord would take him. He called me and asked me to come down for a visit with him, Corey and his wife Janet to Houston, TX. I came without even thinking about it, seeing Dan said it was very important. What he asked me was that when its his time to go that I be there for Corey and Janet. He knew it would be something that would crush Corey seeing his dad was his best friend, along with mine. And also that I would be there for Corey if anything ever happened to Janet. I said without a doubt and thats why being a Godfather really means just that. Taking over and protecting that child if anything ever happened to their parents. I take that title very very seriously.
Lets fast forward to Christmas 2014. That is a day that changed Coreys and my life forever.
Coreys mom Janet had a heart attack and didn’t survive. Leaving Corey, who by the way is an only child like myself with nowhere to turn and alone in Houston Texas. It was my time to step up and take care of this boy as my own. I traveled to Houston and assisted Corey in sorting out all of the necessary things. Funeral, bills, selling the house, packing up and moving to Indiana to start over with my family or should I say his new family.
I knew going into this it would be a life long commitment seeing Corey suffered from endless migraines. We needed to find new doctors and explain over and over his story and how his health had been a continuous problem. We’ve been working together for the past 2 years to get that answer so that he can move forward with a successful healthy life. Through many doctor visits and finding new and more advanced doctors we found Dr. Bijari who set us on the correct path. She has done wonders by making Corey and I both confident with working with a doctor who cares and tries and makes sense of everything she tries.
We have tried many medicines that have done little or no temporary relief along with botox and nerve blocks with very slight success.
In discussing moving forward with additional treatment, I had mentioned to Dr. Bijari that my youngest daughter had been seeing a migraine specialist in Michigan at MHNI ( the Michigan Headpain and Neurological Institute in Ann Arbor, MI )
I had been able to arrange for Corey to have an appointment with their staff to see if they could help. After meeting with them and reviewing Coreys records they decided that he would be a good candidate for their in hospital treatment. Corey had been taken under the care of Dr. Saper who is a world renowned head pain specialist. They take in recommended patients from Mayo Clinic when they are unsure of what to do. With that being known we felt we reached the right place. In close discussions with Dr. Saper and his team, we spoke about the migraines and where they start and how the pain travels. I explained to them about the assault and the horrific head trauma. Dr Saper discovered that the tri-geminal nerve at the super orbital area above Coreys right eye appeared to be the culprit. The pain wasn’t due to chemical balance as most migraines are associated with but it is from the physical injury to the super orbit nerve.
Through test and treatments it was found to be true. They tried a novocaine nerve injection and Corey had instant relief. The doctors said it would probably last maybe an hour if lucky. Well, it actually lasted 6 hours to their surprise. The next day they tried another block including a steroid that should last a few days. Well this worked about the same as the first one but none the less we were onto something positive. Dr Saper had said that Corey looked to be a great candidate for chryo-freezing of the nerve that would hopefully give Corey months if not a possible year of relief but no guarantees. He said we could probably find a surgeon closer to home to preform the out patient procedure.
When we returned home from the weeklong stay in Michigan we met with Dr. Bijari.( Coreys neurologist ) She immediately recommended Dr. Amin at the Rush Pain Center in Chicago.
It took quiet a while to see Dr. Amin but once we did he reviewed all of Coreys records and decided that the Chryo-freeze would make perfect sense and that we needed to schedule it right away. We did so without any insurance issues. The procedure was done and was relatively successful. Corey made great strides after the surgery. Such as, driving, getting a part time job, applying to college and even attending college. We thought, finally the puzzle has been solved. Well, guess again.
After about 5 months of relief the nerve woke up and the migraines came back with a vengeance. Corey had to withdraw from college and come home because the pain was blinding. He could not drive anymore. His life became controlled by the headache. It’s a living hell.
We made an appointment with Dr. Amin as quickly as possible. Once we came in to see him we explained how the pain came back. Also we explained that Corey had been back and forth to the ER to receive IV pain meds just so he could get a few hours of relief so that he could sleep through the night. Dr. Amin explained to us about the successes they are having with the installation of a nerve stimulator that lulls the nerve into a state of calm giving the patient possible years or even forever relief. Corey agreed and we got the ball rolling.
We spoke again to Dr. Bijari about the scheduled surgery and she agreed to keep up the localized pain meds to keep Corey from having to go to the ER every 3 days or so. Even with that being in place we still wind up at the ER from time to time when the pain meds can’t beat back the migraine. Its so hard for me to watch this young man suffer day after day. I feel helpless sometimes but I need to continually be his support, his cheerleader so to speak.
Anyway, the surgery had been scheduled for December 1st. ( which has come and gone unfortunately ) and no surgery. 5 trips to the ER yes…surgery no. Why you may ask?
Well, Coreys insurance company has said no. After all of the things this young man has been through that they are well aware about, seeing they had paid for previous treatments and endless amount of drugs that do no good. Still no.
We supplied them with all the info they required from the surgeons office along with a psyche evaluation that was required and still a flat out NO. Even the surgeon himself spoke to the insurance company staff and couldn’t get this accomplished. This young man is desperate and truly needs this procedure to be done. It’s what is giving him hope for a normal life.
He wants to start his life. He’s 29 at this point and has been in this battle that he never asked to be in for the last 8 years of his life. He just wants to be normal, or as normal as he can be with all of this trauma. We really need your help. Everyone who is associated with Corey, all of the doctors see that its needed. All of friends and family see its needed and the insurance company can’t see it. We hope you can help or this young man is destined to a life ( if thats what you call it ) of more pain and more senseless suffering.
God bless all of you and thank you in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.
Sincerely,
Steve
Organizer and beneficiary
Steve Kalmar
Organizer
Saint John, IN
Corey Ristic
Beneficiary
