Courtney’s brain surgery expenses

Hi, I’m Tanya and I’m fundraising for Courtney Rennie and her beautiful family.

Courts surgery journey

Last year in June Courtney went to Saskatoon for a neurologist appointment because she was very ill. While admitted in the hospital, they discovered she had Serotonin Syndrome. Thry also discovered her Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) was getting really bad causing her to have to take too many medications prescribed by her doctors. They then planned for her to have a lumbar peritoneal shunt implanted in her abdomen to allow the excess spinal fluid in her head to drain into her stomach.

After that surgery court had turned around and was doing quite well. In April of 2022 Court started to have increasingly painful symptoms of high pressure in her head again. They did an Xray and discovered the tube that runs from the shunt to her spine had jarred loose. After waiting in the hospital for a week, on May 3rd she had another surgery to have a new shunt installed. Courtney came home and was healing from the surgery but not quite feeling right. At her 3 week check up another X-ray was done and it was discovered that the new shunt had also dislodged. Courtney's neurosurgeon was dumbfounded. He called all around the world an spoke with colleagues about how this could happen. After speaking to his colleagues the surgeon decided to try another technique where the shunt would be placed in the back instead of the abdomen. So on June 3rd while still healing from her second surgery, Courtney was going under for her third surgery, 2nd in one month. After a few days court came home again.

After 2 weeks court started to feel high pressure again, so we went up to saskatoon to get the shunt adjusted. While there, court asked for an X-Ray just to be sure it hadn't came out again. After two weeks they received the results, and low and behold the shunt had once again dislodged. With her surgeon absolutely dumbfounded it was decided that she can no longer have an LP shunt and she must get a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. This means they will implant the shunt In her skull and attach it directly to the ventricle in her brain. This surgery is much more complicated due to Courtney's Epilepsy as well as her undersized ventricle. Courtney now has to have a CT scan performed and within the next few weeks she will under go her 4th surgery, 3rd in 3 months and a much more complicated and scary brain surgery.

This will be Courtney's 30th trip to saskatoon in the last year. Each time, Chad has had to take her, having to take time off work, as well as paying for gas and hotels in Saskatoon. Courtney and Chad have two beautiful children that they have to be away from each time they go as well.

Please help this amazing family at this difficult time! Thank you!