My name is Marc, and my wife, Fransheska, has been fighting a silent, invisible medical battle for years — one that escalated into a full medical crisis on Christmas Day 2025.
What began as unexplained pain, neurological symptoms, and progressive weakness has now left Fransheska completely bedridden. She cannot walk, sit upright, or lie flat without triggering severe neurological collapses, seizures, vision loss, and choking sensations in her neck.
If you know Fransheska, you know this is not who she was. She was an extremely active, wellness-conscious individual who dedicated over 12 years of her life to bodybuilding and powerlifting.
Movement was not just a hobby — it was her passion, her discipline, and part of her identity. Until her body could no longer hold her up.
For 11 days, Fransheska was hospitalized at Henry Ford Wyandotte, enduring unrelenting 10/10 pain every single day — pain that never dropped below a 9. Despite the severity of her condition, her pain and neurological instability were not adequately controlled, and the pain cycle was never broken. During this time, her condition continued to deteriorate.
While hospitalized, Fransheska experienced symptoms consistent with intracranial hypotension, body tremors, non-epileptic seizures, slurred speech, blurred vision, and severe autonomic crashes triggered by even slight movement or position changes.
It took eight days of uncontrolled pain and repeated neurological events before the process was finally initiated to transfer her to the main Henry Ford campus in Detroit to begin appropriate testing for a suspected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak — a condition that aligns with every one of her symptoms.
However, after those 11 days at Wyandotte, she was discharged with no clear plan. This discharge quickly led to another hospitalization for medically induced opioid withdrawal. Neurology stated that all further care would have to be handled on an outpatient basis. At that moment, we realized our state could not provide the level of care she needs.
She requires doctors who can fully address her complex conditions — which means going out of state. We have identified a few specialists and have begun the process of case review with one, but we need support to move this forward and cover the associated costs.
Her symptoms include severe orthostatic headaches, crushing neck pain described as her head feeling “too heavy,” bilateral occipital and trigeminal neuralgia, nausea, tinnitus, peripheral weakness, and pain that worsens dramatically when upright and improves only slightly at a shallow incline.
Complicating matters further, Fransheska has already been formally diagnosed with craniocervical instability (CCI) by out-of-state specialists — a rare and complex condition that is not widely recognized or treated locally.
The physicians and surgeons who specialize in CCI, spinal instability, CSF leaks, and complex neurovascular conditions are almost entirely out of network. This means evaluations, advanced imaging, and potential procedures are out of pocket.
At the same time, it is critical to rule out an active spinal CSF leak first. Proceeding with any CCI-related intervention without addressing a leak could be dangerous and may significantly worsen her condition. These overlapping conditions require highly specialized care that is simply not accessible locally and is not covered by standard insurance networks.
Without timely evaluation by physicians who truly specialize in these conditions, there is a very real risk of permanent neurological damage and irreversible loss of mobility.
At this point, Fransheska cannot safely fly, drive, walk, sit upright, or lie flat. Time is critical.
We urgently need access to out-of-state specialists with the expertise to properly diagnose and treat these rare and complex conditions before further, irreversible damage occurs.
I have taken unpaid time off work to be
at her side 24/7 — advocating for her, helping her communicate when she cannot, and ensuring her condition is not dismissed or overlooked. We currently have no income, and the costs of medical care, travel, lodging, diagnostic testing, and specialist consultations continue to grow.
This fundraiser is not about comfort. It is about survival — and giving Fransheska a chance at a future.
Funds raised will help cover:
Transportation and lodging for out-of-state specialist consultations
Out-of-pocket evaluations, imaging, and procedures related to CCI and CSF leak assessment
Uninsured gaps in diagnostic testing and medical care
Lost wages so I can continue caring for and advocating for her full-time
Basic living expenses while we fight for answers and treatment
We are committed to providing transparent updates as evaluations progress — including diagnostic findings, specialist recommendations, and how funds are being used.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to watch someone you love disappear into pain while the system stalls — this is it.
Please help us get Fransheska the care she desperately needs before it’s too late.
You can follow our journey on TikTok and Instagram: @rebuildwithsheska
Any amount helps. Any share truly matters.
With gratitude,
Marc & Fransheska