My name is Lisa. I‘m 47 and I’m fighting for my life.  I have had 13 brain surgeries and I
need one more.  The hardest thing for me to do is the most humbling thing to say, I need your help. “I’m exhausted from trying to be stronger then I feel”.

 

 MY STORY

I will begin my story by saying I have Pseudo Tumor Cerebri . I have had 13 brain surgeries; five revised VP shunts and 2 pace makers, because my body makes too much spinal fluid. During these 13 brain surgeries and five revised shunts there have been complications and challenges.

The first surgical complication I had “I Died”, more than once on the table. When they got me stabilized, a coma was induced until more specialists could arrive. Part of my heart muscle was so damaged that now I need a pace maker and you could imagine the conversation when I was well to understand these evasive procedures. Within the first 13 months I had 3 revisions of this shunt. During these revisions complications like; surgical infections, equilibrium instability, medication side effects (nausea, constipation, diarrhea, drowsiness, pain and skin reactions), mrsa, staph infection (staphylococcus aureus), meningitis, emergency gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) which delayed one of my brain surgeries. During these 13 months one shunt only lasted nine days.

 
In spite of the many leadership rolls I have some I am still in I was unaware that pride, false confidence, self-sufficiency and false humility had crept in.

I was teaching at that time at Harper’s Choice Middle School in the Alternative Education department. I also was at the same time a volunteer leader at Columbia Presbyterian Church – High School Ministry, Small Group Leader, Refereed and Coached with the Upwards Basketball and Praise and Worship team

I have worked and/or volunteered in various youth groups like;

1. Long Reach Church of God Youth Ministry (Mighty Saints – elementary through high school)

2. Chapelgate Presbyterian Church – (High School Ministry and Middle School Ministry)

    Praise and Worship Leader, Small Group Leader. Youth Choir Director

3. Heritage Church of God – (High School Ministry and Middle School Ministry, Outreach Ministry                                                                                 

4. Nav Youth – Praise and Worship Leader, Small Group Leader.

 

So feeling good about myself was not that hard, but little did I know that all these character defects had crept in and had camouflaged themselves as my calling, being blessed of God and I don’t need any help.

My character in Christ was so off center that I literally “Went Blind” and I refused to let anyone know and accept, or admit to myself.

It was not until my students wanted me to go and get new glasses with the coupon they gave me so they could get me married off, and the eye doctor took my car keys that finally would I admit what was really going on. The eye doctor discovered something that would change my entire life forever. I was hemorrhaging behind both eyes and had to be rushed to the hospital


“all I can see is like looking through two straws down a long tunnel.”

My ignorance to my pride was so strong that I could not believe that I was going to have surgery until I was sitting outside of the room of my surgery, “Blind” still telling everyone stop being so dramatic let’s just all go home, have some tea, take a bath. Only people on TV cut people’s head open, you have my attention, can we go home now!

 

A little small voice but mainly said to me “DO YOU BELIEVE I AM WHO I SAY I AM”

For a minute I did not know who was talking and who that person was talking to

Then it came again do you believe I am who I say I am. You sang about me, talked about me, but do you believe I am who I say I am. When I understood my heart broke, while swimming in my tears a warm feeling flooded my whole body.

I AM TIRED… AND EXHAUSTED FROM TRYING TO BE STRONGER THEN I FEEL!!!

  

The Doctor that did my brain surgeries at John Hopkins has left the country and moved to Saudi Arabia where he is the head surgeon for the whole country (Dr. Rigamonti), and some of the older doctors have migrated throughout the country with their skills. The newer doctors do not specialize in my case and after reading my records they are reluctant to take on my case.

 

Starting last September 2014 this shunt began to malfunction , as a result once again I am losing vision. I have been in and out of the hospital and Emergency Room over 51 times from January to August for this year 2015, from having seizures to just passing out. Waking up in the hospital having the doctors tell me that all this is caused by too much pressure in my head and until this shunt is revised the only relief they can give me besides medicine is a spinal puncture (which is very painful).

The reason I am writing is because my condition has become detrimental to my survival. I have gotten everything from medicine, lumbar punctures, and countless tests to completely ignored which leaves my condition getting worse.

One of my recent hospitalizations we found a neurosurgeon Doctor name Dr. Jamaris who is willing to help me, Dr. Richard Babkes and Duke University. This new team is working, as fast as they can, before something happens that cannot be reversed.



My appointment is on October 8, 2015 Dr. Jamaris  would like the surgery to be done here, but because all the health neglect and how meticulous this work would be, he’d rather not have a novice on his team, because it could last anywhere from 18 to 36 hours normally, if complications twice as long.

 

Due to all these complications and being turned down by countless neurosurgeons, my cry went throughout the land until it rested at Duke University in North Carolina. Upon contact and being instructed what to do to get my information to them, they called me and wanted me to come down immediately just provide my insurance information. They told me the surgery would cost $300,000 and the insurance we have will cover 80% and the 20% we will have to cover is $60,000 out of pocket they said that the hospital will help with 5% which leaves me with $57,000.


For the last 6 months I have been trying to pick up a secondary insurance at social service and online only to be sent back and forth without any success.

 

 

I CAN GIVE UP, GIVE IN, OR GIVE IT ALL I GOT

 

I am giving it all I got!!!

The reason I am writing is because I need help. I am asking everybody that knows me, who wants to help me to please…Please help with whatever you can.

 

I need $57,000 dollars for this surgery, money for lodging, food, transportation and other expenses that will come up. Yes, this could kill me, but having seizures and black outs once or twice a week and spinal punctures weekly before I turn into a vegetable is not living either, neither is being a prisoner in my own home, because dying in the street from one of these episodes knowing I am going to hit my head on the hard concrete is not a comforting thought.