Hi, my name is Charity.

Everybody has a story and I wished I didn't have to tell mine. My profession in life, was a caregiver. I have a nursing degree and had to step away from that when I discovered I have a large and rare, Symptomatic Pineal Cyst in my brain and will need surgery to remove it. So now I have become the one that requires care.

This cyst is symptomatic and has resulted in several health struggles that have been life altering. From debilitating headaches, short term-memory loss, mental clarity issues, speech difficulty, vision disturbances, balance issues making it a challenge to walk and has resulted in fractures and contusions due to falls. The list goes on and on, and to me, seems endless. The majority of pineal cysts do not cause symptoms and are sometimes a common incidental finding in brain MRIs. Pineal cysts are usually small <5mm in size. Anything larger they say is rare and one that causes symptoms is more of a rarity. My pineal cyst is 17mm x 17mm. There is only a handful of Neurosurgeons in the United States who are experienced in this type of brain surgery to remove them. It is found that the majority of the patients who have undergone this surgery had complete symptom relief. For me, at this point, to have the opportunity to have some relief from the headaches, regain some normalcy, having the ability to function independently and to contribute to society again is well worth the risk of the surgery.

Going from having a job and helping with the bills to not being able to work has been a tough go for James and I. I haven't been able to return to work for 28 months now. I have lost all pride and am now at the mercy of others. I am ashamed and humiliated to put it lightly, coming to the point of asking the public for help but feel I owe it to my family who has supported me through this, and who has had to sacrifice so much in the process. I have traveled down to South Carolina a few months ago for the initial consultation. This was the first trip of what I believe will be 3 in total. My 2nd trip that I need to plan for, which is the actual surgery that has been scheduled for October 23rd 2023, with Dr. Sunil Patel at the Medical University of South Caroline (MUSC). This will require a 2-week stay In South Carolina. Two to three days will be spent in the hospital and then I will be released to recover for the next 7 plus but I will have to stay in local lodging accommodations until my first post-op eval at which time I should be given the okay to travel back home. Due to having Increased Intercranial Pressure we will once again be traveling by vehicle. There is another date in January, 2024 that has been scheduled that I may need to travel back to South Carolina for a post op follow-up.

Prayers and well wishes are needed for my family first, and foremost, and if you might say a little one for me, I thank you. I had set my initial goal at $3,000. This will help cover the cost of travel and lodging accommodations for the surgery. James will have to take FMLA for the surgery & for the few weeks following. I appreciate any help you can offer and hope that after surgery I can return to caring for others again soon. https://musc.bcst.md/news/uncovering-the-mystery-of-the-pineal-cyst https://www.ksat.com/health/2014/11/06/pineal-cysts-debilitating-pain