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Baby Brenna's Battle
On September 23, 2015, Brenna Reiva's family welcomed her into the world. Although Brenna appeared perfectly healthy and strong at birth, the family was devastated to discover that Brenna began experiencing multiple seizures throughout the night. Initially, doctors were unsure of the cause of the seizures, which like any medical mystery, led to a whirlwhind of blood sampling, physical exams, EEGs and an array of other tests that are far too invasive for a newborn. After weeks of additional testing and countless trips to the emergency room, Brenna was diagnosed with Hemimegalencephaly.
Hemimegalencephaly is a rare (and severe) congenital neurological condition, where one half of the brain (the right half in Brenna's case) is abnormally larger than the other half. Not only does this affect the development of the brain, but also the physical malformation causes a serious disruption in brain signaling. This problem leads to significant cognitive and functional disabilities, multiple seizures on a daily basis, as well as problems with her vision, muscle control, etc.
In the beginning, Brenna responded to her antiepileptic medication surprisingly well; however, in recent weeks, she has stopped responding. The seizures have become more frequent, as well as more aggressive to the point where they seem to be causing her pain. The doctors have concluded that the best option to maximize Brenna's quality of life is to perform an urgent Hemispherectomy, where the entire half of the brain will be "disconnected". The hope is that the abnormal half will continue to seize, eventually destroying itself; but, it will no longer be damaging to the "normal" half. If Brenna continues to experience seizures after the surgery, it is possible that she will have to undergo a second surgery to completely remove reminants of the disconnected half.
As a former coworker and friend, I am starting this GoFundMe account because the Reiva family has worked extremely hard to provide a happy and loving home for their children (Brenna has a five-year old brother). Unfortunately, finances have taken a tremendous toll on the family, adding even more stress. It breaks my heart to watch her mother, Marijke, struggle to keep up with her job, kids, living expenses, medical bills, and caring for other sickly family members.
The family would never ask for help from others, so I would like to ask on their behalf. At this point, they are unsure if their insurance will cover the procedure (not to mention the medications, rehab, follow-up visits, and additional surgeries that loom in the future). Her surgery is scheduled for Dec. 27, 2016. These are really great people that were dealt an incredibly difficult circumstance. I think it is important to remember that these types of situations could happen to anyone, and as always, a little help can go a long way!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about Brenna's story, and please take a minute to look at the adorable pictures posted (her glasses are to help strengthen the muscles of her eye to try and preserve her vision ). As you can probably tell, she is full of joy and spunk! :)
On September 23, 2015, Brenna Reiva's family welcomed her into the world. Although Brenna appeared perfectly healthy and strong at birth, the family was devastated to discover that Brenna began experiencing multiple seizures throughout the night. Initially, doctors were unsure of the cause of the seizures, which like any medical mystery, led to a whirlwhind of blood sampling, physical exams, EEGs and an array of other tests that are far too invasive for a newborn. After weeks of additional testing and countless trips to the emergency room, Brenna was diagnosed with Hemimegalencephaly.
Hemimegalencephaly is a rare (and severe) congenital neurological condition, where one half of the brain (the right half in Brenna's case) is abnormally larger than the other half. Not only does this affect the development of the brain, but also the physical malformation causes a serious disruption in brain signaling. This problem leads to significant cognitive and functional disabilities, multiple seizures on a daily basis, as well as problems with her vision, muscle control, etc.
In the beginning, Brenna responded to her antiepileptic medication surprisingly well; however, in recent weeks, she has stopped responding. The seizures have become more frequent, as well as more aggressive to the point where they seem to be causing her pain. The doctors have concluded that the best option to maximize Brenna's quality of life is to perform an urgent Hemispherectomy, where the entire half of the brain will be "disconnected". The hope is that the abnormal half will continue to seize, eventually destroying itself; but, it will no longer be damaging to the "normal" half. If Brenna continues to experience seizures after the surgery, it is possible that she will have to undergo a second surgery to completely remove reminants of the disconnected half.
As a former coworker and friend, I am starting this GoFundMe account because the Reiva family has worked extremely hard to provide a happy and loving home for their children (Brenna has a five-year old brother). Unfortunately, finances have taken a tremendous toll on the family, adding even more stress. It breaks my heart to watch her mother, Marijke, struggle to keep up with her job, kids, living expenses, medical bills, and caring for other sickly family members.
The family would never ask for help from others, so I would like to ask on their behalf. At this point, they are unsure if their insurance will cover the procedure (not to mention the medications, rehab, follow-up visits, and additional surgeries that loom in the future). Her surgery is scheduled for Dec. 27, 2016. These are really great people that were dealt an incredibly difficult circumstance. I think it is important to remember that these types of situations could happen to anyone, and as always, a little help can go a long way!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about Brenna's story, and please take a minute to look at the adorable pictures posted (her glasses are to help strengthen the muscles of her eye to try and preserve her vision ). As you can probably tell, she is full of joy and spunk! :)
Organizer and beneficiary
Marijke Reiva
Beneficiary