On May 21, 2018, Monica awoke in the morning to find that she was unable to move the left side of her body and could not get out of bed.  That morning she was taken to the hospital where after a week of testing it was determined that she had suffered a series of strokes and her doctors diagnosed her with a condition called Moyamoya Disease.  This is a progressive disease in which the carotid arteries in the brain begin to narrow preventing proper blood flow.  This reduction in blood flow deprives the brain of the necessary oxygen it needs to function resulting in cognitive impairment, and a significant susceptibility to stroke, aneurysm and brain bleeding.  In Monica’s case, the right carotid artery had shrunk to 10% of its normal size and the left carotid artery to 20%.  This eventually triggered a series of mini-strokes which caused her debilitation and explained a number of cognitive issues that had been advancing over a number of years.

Thursday July 12, 2018, Monica will undergo cerebral bypass surgery to the left side of her brain.  This procedure will involve the removal of a portion of her skull ( craniotomy) so that her neurosurgeons can attach a new vessel taken from her scalp which they will attach to the carotid artery bypassing the constricted portion.   This vessel will then be laid over top the brain and over the course of a year will grow new capillaries restoring needed blood and oxygen to the brain.  The success of the operation will renew cognitive function to that side of the brain and her risk of further strokes will be reduced.  In all likelihood however, this will not be Monica’s only surgery.   After a full recovery, she will still have a stroke risk associated with the left side of the brain since the renewed blood flow to the right side will not necessarily compensate for the depletion suffered on the left nor correct the advanced shrinkage of the left carotid artery.  Until, Monica has made a complete recovery and further testing is done, there is no time table for when the same procedure will be performed on the left side of her brain.

Any financial assistance or words of encouragement that you can provide Monica in her great time of need is greatly appreciated.