Cassie Hewitt’s Medical Fund

Hi everyone. Our names are Roxanne & Chuck Hewitt, and we’re starting this fundraiser on behalf of our daughter, Cassie. If you’re lucky enough to know her, you know that she is an extremely strong, independent woman who would do anything for the ones she loves. She is an amazing mother of two boys, sister, daughter, and friend to many! The funds raised will go towards unexpected medical expenses, surgery, hospital stay, various bills, as well as loss of income due to missing work for many, many appointments and her recovery.

Here’s her story:

Early June 2022 • Cassie noticed a clear blister-like formation on the bottom front of her right eye. It was also very watery & felt as though she had something in it. She made an appointment with her optometrist since she was due for a checkup anyhow.

End of June 2022 • Her eye doctor noted that her right eye pressure is slightly elevated but nothing to worry about. He was unsure about the bump growing on her sclera. He prescribed a “cover-all” type of eye drop to try.

July 2022 • Cassie’s eye had good days & bad days. Sometimes very swollen, watery, painful, bump appears larger, very red, and other days it wasn’t as bothersome.

August 2022 • Cassie grows more concerned about the growing bump on her eye & increasing pain so she went to the ER. They ran a couple tests & also noted that her eye pressure is slightly elevated. Doctor suggests making an appointment with an ophthalmologist instead of optometrist. She made an appointment but couldn’t get in until December.

October 2022 • Cassie ended up being hospitalized for an unrelated illness. She mentioned her eye condition & doctors told her to keep her appointment with ophthalmologist. She spent a week in the hospital getting IV antibiotics for an infection.

November 2022 • Cassie can’t take the eye swelling and pain anymore so she called for an urgent visit with the ophthalmologist. She was able to get in later that week. At the clinic, the eye doctor said that her eye pressure is still high and that she needs to see an eye surgeon who will be able to fix her eye. In the meantime, he prescribed her some steroidal eye drops to use until she can meet with the eye surgeon.

December 2022 • Cassie met with the eye surgeon, & he had a plan to remove the bump and affected blood vessels around the area. But first, he wanted to make sure there were not any underlying medical issues causing the eye swelling. He ordered bloodwork to check her liver, kidneys, and thyroid which all came back normal. Then, he said the next step is to have an ocular MRI to make sure that there was nothing wrong behind the eye that he can’t see.

End of December • Cassie had the MRI done on the 27th, and her eye surgeon called her with results on the 29th. The MRI showed an AVM (arteriovenous malformation) behind her right eye, multiple flow voids in her right sinus & right temporal region, as well as multiple flow voids in her cerebral artery branches. They believe there are more AVMs or arteriovenous fistulas in those locations.

Regarding her eye, the doctor said that the AVM is causing all the inflammation & swollen blood vessels. He said doing the surgery on the front of the eye (like he originally thought) will not work & the mass and enflamed blood vessels would just come back. So, the next step is to see an oculoplastic surgeon whom deals with more complex eye surgeries.

Early January 2023 • Cassie met with the oculoplastic surgeon. The surgeon checked her eyes & thoroughly went over her MRI results. He confirmed that there is an AVM behind her right eye, and although the right eye is affected, it’s technically located in cerebral area. He wouldn’t be able to preform a surgery that would help the eye at this point. Therefore, she will need to meet with neurology. He did give Cassie a referral to have an MRV (magnetic resonance venography- kind of like a vein MRI) and an MRA (magnetic resonance angiography) to see exactly where the blood flow blockages are in the brain & which artery is causing the voids. The oculoplastic surgeon believes there are more AVMs or fistulas in her brain causing these problems. Once the MRV & MRA are complete, she’ll meet with a neurosurgeon to discuss results and surgery options.

Cassie is overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions since learning about her MRI results & the uncertainty revolving around all of this information. She puts on a strong front but is struggling inside. We’re confident that she’s been in the best hands in the industry, and we’re very thankful for modern medicine! We pray for her doctors and surgeons to be full of wisdom and knowledge to provide the best outcome for her. God is good & she deeply believes in complete healing. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love, prayers, support, and kind wishes for her on this long, difficult journey. We will update as we continue on this journey.