Long Road ahead for little Tayissa
Donation protected
Tayissa Howe was only eight days old when she had her first fit and stopped breathing.
In November last year the Mercury brought readers the heartbreaking story of Tayissa who has a rare form of infant epilepsy that causes her to fit and stop breathing.
Her parents, Amy and Nick, live with the fear every day that their little girl could stop breathing and possibly die at any time.
Today, her condition has taken a turn for the worst with Tayissa suffering regular bouts of chronic tonsilitis, a mobility problem and a what is believed to be a growth behind her right eye.
Tayissa and her family will make another trek to Westmead Children’s Hospital on Wednesday for further tests on her eye and to schedule her for the high risk surgery to remove her tonsils.
While a tonsilectomy is usually a routine procedure for most children, the surgery is particularly risky for Tayissa.
With small airways and the risk of haemorrhage both during and for seven days after surgery, Tayissa is at high risk of suffering a life threatening stroke or heart attack.
For her heartbroken parents Nick and Amy, the situation is terrifying.
“She is continuing to have fits, her walking has deteriorated and she falls over all the time and she keeps trying to poke out her right eye,” Amy said.
“She hits the side of her head and she is very sleepy and not interested in food.
“We’re just taking one day at a time. We’re getting there,” Amy said.
McKeachies Corner co-owner Georgina Grine started chatting casually to Amy in her cafe a few weeks ago, telling her she looked tired.
“She just told me the whole story about Tayissa and I asked her if anyone was helping her,” Georgina said.
Georgina knows only too well how tough it is to watch a sick relative deteriorate and to struggle with the stream of medical and pharmaceutical bills.
Her mother had a major stroke, that left her paralysed, and she and her 3 sisters cared her for 12 years until her death last year.
“We know what it is like to pay for medical bills,day to day living expenses and to care for someone who’s really ill,” she said.
As a result Mckeachies Corner Cafe owners Georgina Grine and Regina Harvey have teamed up with Justin Harris from the Bradford Hotel, to hold a community fundraiser night at The Bradford Hotel on April 2nd.
"We have only met Amy, Nick and her children as our lovely customers and want to help them.
We hope to get your support in any way you can help. You can either donate on here, or we will be accepting prizes to raffle on the night."
The night will include food, Raffles and you will be entertained by The Coconut Trio. Bookings are essential and can be made from March 1st.
This is such a sad situation and to happen to such a happy and lovely couple like Nick and Amy is tragic.
Please like our Facebook pages for updates on the event and progress of little Tayissa.
Mckeachies Corner
The Bradford Hotel
Thank you
In November last year the Mercury brought readers the heartbreaking story of Tayissa who has a rare form of infant epilepsy that causes her to fit and stop breathing.
Her parents, Amy and Nick, live with the fear every day that their little girl could stop breathing and possibly die at any time.
Today, her condition has taken a turn for the worst with Tayissa suffering regular bouts of chronic tonsilitis, a mobility problem and a what is believed to be a growth behind her right eye.
Tayissa and her family will make another trek to Westmead Children’s Hospital on Wednesday for further tests on her eye and to schedule her for the high risk surgery to remove her tonsils.
While a tonsilectomy is usually a routine procedure for most children, the surgery is particularly risky for Tayissa.
With small airways and the risk of haemorrhage both during and for seven days after surgery, Tayissa is at high risk of suffering a life threatening stroke or heart attack.
For her heartbroken parents Nick and Amy, the situation is terrifying.
“She is continuing to have fits, her walking has deteriorated and she falls over all the time and she keeps trying to poke out her right eye,” Amy said.
“She hits the side of her head and she is very sleepy and not interested in food.
“We’re just taking one day at a time. We’re getting there,” Amy said.
McKeachies Corner co-owner Georgina Grine started chatting casually to Amy in her cafe a few weeks ago, telling her she looked tired.
“She just told me the whole story about Tayissa and I asked her if anyone was helping her,” Georgina said.
Georgina knows only too well how tough it is to watch a sick relative deteriorate and to struggle with the stream of medical and pharmaceutical bills.
Her mother had a major stroke, that left her paralysed, and she and her 3 sisters cared her for 12 years until her death last year.
“We know what it is like to pay for medical bills,day to day living expenses and to care for someone who’s really ill,” she said.
As a result Mckeachies Corner Cafe owners Georgina Grine and Regina Harvey have teamed up with Justin Harris from the Bradford Hotel, to hold a community fundraiser night at The Bradford Hotel on April 2nd.
"We have only met Amy, Nick and her children as our lovely customers and want to help them.
We hope to get your support in any way you can help. You can either donate on here, or we will be accepting prizes to raffle on the night."
The night will include food, Raffles and you will be entertained by The Coconut Trio. Bookings are essential and can be made from March 1st.
This is such a sad situation and to happen to such a happy and lovely couple like Nick and Amy is tragic.
Please like our Facebook pages for updates on the event and progress of little Tayissa.
Mckeachies Corner
The Bradford Hotel
Thank you
Organizer
Georgina Grine
Organizer
Pokolbin, NSW