Long Term Recovery and Home Care for Brent!!

I’m Anna Badis, my husband is Brent and we have a wonderful 10-year-old son named Alan. We live in Brunswick GA and have lived here for the past 6 years and love our community. I’ve currently worked for Fletc-Glynco, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center here in Brunswick GA and have done so for the past 3 years. My husband who is a Disabled Veteran who served his country the USA, in the Air Force for 6 years, has had a successful career as a Mechanical Drafter in Blackshear GA for the past 4 years. On Thanksgiving Day of 2022, (two days after his last VA appointment) we traveled to my Grandmother's house in Waycross, for the first time for a full gathering since my sister's murder in 2020. While there he told us he was having a horrible headache and pressure in his head, we all felt something was very wrong, so we were all keeping an eye on him. My husband, Brent then had a Grand Mal seizure at my Grandmother’s house, 911 was called and he was transferred to Satilla Memorial Hospital in Waycross, where he had a 2nd Grand Mal. An emergency CT scan was done, where it was discovered he had right temporal Vasogenic Edema (brain swelling) and there was something else there they couldn't see what it was. He was immediately transferred to Memorial Jax in Jacksonville where he could receive better treatment.

He was there for 12 days and many tests including 2 lumbar spinal taps and an emergency Craniotomy. The initial MRI upon his admittance to 7 days later when the 2nd MRI was done, it was obvious “whatever” was causing Brent to be severely ill, had progressed. His team of specialists of Neurosurgeons, Neurologists, and Infectious disease doctors, knew this was serious, but, had to await the culture from the brain biopsy. Surgery was done on December 1st and on December 5th he was discharged from the hospital awaiting the results of the brain biopsy. Shortly after returning home, we got a call from his team of specialists, Brent was diagnosed with a rare brain fungi infection, Cryptococcal Meningitis brought on by the fungi Cryptococcus which is a fungi spore! Most people who get this are severely immunocompromised or have diseases that make them susceptible to something like this, however, Brent has none of these. His doctors were shocked! This particular strain of Cryptococcus comes from Chicken poop! This strain is also only detectable via a spinal lumbar or brain biopsy which makes this brain fungi infection very rare. So rare that we have been told that he will be studied throughout all of this, not only because of this rare infection but because he should have never gotten this!

Brent’s current CT scan as of Jan. 11th was not as good as we hoped. There was a little bit of improvement, however, his team of specialists has stated that the infection is still very present and there is still some brain swelling. His team of specialists has stated we are by no means out of the woods and that Brent has a long road ahead of him. This was heartbreaking, however, we are still with the plan! Due to everything that has happened to Brent with the Craniotomy and the severity of the Cryptococcal infection, he can be cured, but this will take months of being on Keppra which is an anti-seizure medication and to save his life, he is on 2 rare Anti-Fungal medications that he will have to be on for months till he is cured from the Cryptococcal infection. These medications make him feel out of it at times and he is on lots of bed rest. Brent also can not drive for over 6 months due to the seizures he had, nor can he work at this time due to we don't know the extent of brain damage. It will also take up to a year for Brent’s skull to heal from his brain surgery, for which he now has 6 Titanium Clips, and a plate, holding the large piece of his skull in place. Unfortunately due to the last CT Scan, it is very evident that I will not be able to work due to Brent still having brain swelling and the infection. I’m the only one who can take him to his appointments (which are many) to and from Jacksonville Florida and the VA in Brunswick. As Brent continues to get better with time, he will require daily, and nightly, monitoring and care to help him regain strength and independence. Any funds raised here will go directly to help cover any medical bills (not covered by the VA) and other bills, groceries and needs as Brent and I are unable to work during this time of uncertainty. Thank you for your continued support during this time!

***Warning*** I have included pictures of Brent after his Craniotomy with his permission to show the extent of the surgery.