Courtney Hooper

Hi, my name is Courtney Hooper. I am a single mother to a beautiful miracle daughter who just turned 4-years-old in April. I do not receive any child support or assistance from the biological father who became physical not long after she was born. Fast forward to October 21, 2022 I received the results of my MRI that my PCP insisted I have due to the weird episodes I had been experiencing for about a year prior. The results were devastating. They found a blood clot the size of three raspberries in my left frontal lobe near the gyrus rectus. Needless to say it was so embedded that no EEG would pick up activity. I had started a new job in December and didn't have insurance for the first 3 months. On March 15, 2023, I was home that week due to the babysitter being on vacation for spring break. I woke up to blood on my pillowcase and all over my face and a giant hematoma the size of an egg on the right side of my forehead. I sent a picture to my Mom because I had no idea what was going on. She rushed home from work with Benadryl and stated I was sitting on the couch while my daughter was eating breakfast in the kitchen and I went into a full grand mal seizure, also known as tonic colonic seizures. I lost consciousness and control of my bladder and when I came out of it my Mom asked me what my daughter's name was. When I didn't respond she called 911. Unfortunately, she was unable to come with me because my daughter needed her since the babysitter was out of town. I was rushed to Methodist North where they discovered I was actively bleeding from the clot and hematoma. They then had to rush me to Methodist University where they were better equipped to help me. I don't remember much from the first few days except them asking me my name, what year is it, who is the president, etc. and I realized I didn't know the answers. On the 3rd or 4th day Dr. Khan with Semmes Murphy came in my room and said they had to do surgery to remove the clot and that my neurosurgeon was out of town, but he was able. I immediately felt calm when he entered the room, so I agreed. The type of clot is usually something you're born with, and most people never have symptoms but due to my car wreck 8 years ago we knew this clot formed sometime after the wreck. The entire neurosurgeon team had the hope that by removing the clot the seizure activity would stop. Unfornatley, it didn't. I had a left frontal lobe craniotomy with resection on March 20, 2023. After just being home a week, we got the news that my daughter's longtime babysitter was retiring for personal reasons. Therefore, my Mom had to retire slightly early to stay home and take care of my daughter and me. On June 22,2023 I was diagnosed with epilepsy. They still cannot figure out what type I have. On average I have a seizure once a week. No more tonic colonic ones just minor ones with convulsions sometimes and I am always aware they are happening. Along with that diagnoses' they informed me that through all the blood work they did in the hospital that I also had an auto immune disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis and that the osteoarthritis I had been diagnosed with not long after my wreck was getting worse and was quite noticeable in my neck when they did CT's and MRI's. By the grace of God, I am still able to function and take care of my daughter. She is my purpose and my greatest joy. I get to spend every day with her now due to being fired from my job on July 11, 2023, due to my seizures and "not being my normal self". After discussions with my neurosurgeon, PCP and neurologist it was clear that filing for disability was the best option. Disability however takes up to a year to get approval and get financial assistance along with insurance. Even with all that has happened I am immensely grateful to God because now my mother and I are able to raise to be at home and raise my daughter like her mother did with her. God bless everyone. If you are unable to donate, please share.