Garrison - TN Warrior
Donation protected
This gofundme is for a young boy name Garrison. Garrison has Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). TN is so rare in children that most pediatricians aren't even aware of it as a possible diagnosis. Garrison's mother, my sister, has detailed his story below. Garrison's family will incur significant medical and travel expenses to obtain proper treatment. Please read and share his story and consider donating to help this boy finally have relief.
____________________________________________________________
“My chin hurts.” That’s how it all started. Moms are good at minimizing all the random boo-boos of childhood, and for a couple of months that’s what I did. I just thought whatever it was would go away. After a little while though, with Garrison’s persistence, I started to take his complaint more seriously. Did you fall? Do you have a loose tooth, or a molar coming in?
Dr # 1: So we started at the dentist. My then six-year-old very confidently asserted to the dentist that his teeth didn’t hurt. And the dentist gave an all-clear report of perfect dental health and couldn’t surmise what was causing his pain.
Dr. #2: Next we moved on to the pediatrician. Garrison tells the Dr., “My chin hurts.” After 10 or 15 minutes of probing questions - we walk out with a prescription for...wait for it...Cingulair.
Dr. #3: Next he was seen by a pediatric neurologist. Four months of treatment, trying only one drug, and 2 MRIs later, the doctor said there was no medical explanation for his pain, and that Garrison should see a psychiatrist.
All the while of making his way through one doctor after the next Garrison’s pain continued to become more frequent, and more intense, and began to affect him emotionally. He started to have trouble sleeping, and kids at his school started teasing him for always being sad, and for needing to go to the nurse’s office all the time.
He was experiencing excruciating pain, and being bullied for crying. After countless hours of online research and finding, and connecting with other parents of children with the same symptoms, I learned the name of this terrible condition, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and the name of the neurosurgeon who could help Garrison.
Dr #4: The only problem was, we live in Texas, and Dr. Linskey practices in California. So I had all of Garrison’s charts and MRIs forwarded to Dr. Linskey’s office for a second opinion. I decided that I didn’t care how far I had to go, I was going to find relief for my boy.
I call him my angel boy… If you met him, you’d know… he’s just one of the most gentle, considerate, precious souls, like… ever; and yet still such a little fighter. So strong, and brave, and resilient. He’s a joyful light in this world.
Dr. Linskey reviewed the scans, and found vascular compressions on both sides of Garrison’s trigeminal nerve. Which means there’s a diagnosis. Which means there’s a treatment plan, and hope, and maybe even, a cure for the exhausting pain he’s been in for over three years now.
The treatment - brain surgery. Not just one, but two, separate procedures that will need to be done approximately six months apart. Each surgery will require us to stay in California for 15 days post-op for Garrison’s recovery, therapy, and to cautiously watch for any complications, and be accessible to immediate treatment if necessary.
The first surgery is scheduled for March, with a follow-up in June. The second surgery will be most likely be scheduled for September, with a follow-up in December. When I told Garrison that I got him on the OR calendar for March 8th, he cried tears of joy to know that relief is on the way. A nine-year-old… tearfully overjoyed about brain surgery. That says a lot about how desperate he is to feel better.
____________________________________________________________
Again, all funds raised here will go directly to Garrison's medical and related travel expenses. Airline miles are also a great way to help.
____________________________________________________________
“My chin hurts.” That’s how it all started. Moms are good at minimizing all the random boo-boos of childhood, and for a couple of months that’s what I did. I just thought whatever it was would go away. After a little while though, with Garrison’s persistence, I started to take his complaint more seriously. Did you fall? Do you have a loose tooth, or a molar coming in?
Dr # 1: So we started at the dentist. My then six-year-old very confidently asserted to the dentist that his teeth didn’t hurt. And the dentist gave an all-clear report of perfect dental health and couldn’t surmise what was causing his pain.
Dr. #2: Next we moved on to the pediatrician. Garrison tells the Dr., “My chin hurts.” After 10 or 15 minutes of probing questions - we walk out with a prescription for...wait for it...Cingulair.
Dr. #3: Next he was seen by a pediatric neurologist. Four months of treatment, trying only one drug, and 2 MRIs later, the doctor said there was no medical explanation for his pain, and that Garrison should see a psychiatrist.
All the while of making his way through one doctor after the next Garrison’s pain continued to become more frequent, and more intense, and began to affect him emotionally. He started to have trouble sleeping, and kids at his school started teasing him for always being sad, and for needing to go to the nurse’s office all the time.
He was experiencing excruciating pain, and being bullied for crying. After countless hours of online research and finding, and connecting with other parents of children with the same symptoms, I learned the name of this terrible condition, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and the name of the neurosurgeon who could help Garrison.
Dr #4: The only problem was, we live in Texas, and Dr. Linskey practices in California. So I had all of Garrison’s charts and MRIs forwarded to Dr. Linskey’s office for a second opinion. I decided that I didn’t care how far I had to go, I was going to find relief for my boy.
I call him my angel boy… If you met him, you’d know… he’s just one of the most gentle, considerate, precious souls, like… ever; and yet still such a little fighter. So strong, and brave, and resilient. He’s a joyful light in this world.
Dr. Linskey reviewed the scans, and found vascular compressions on both sides of Garrison’s trigeminal nerve. Which means there’s a diagnosis. Which means there’s a treatment plan, and hope, and maybe even, a cure for the exhausting pain he’s been in for over three years now.
The treatment - brain surgery. Not just one, but two, separate procedures that will need to be done approximately six months apart. Each surgery will require us to stay in California for 15 days post-op for Garrison’s recovery, therapy, and to cautiously watch for any complications, and be accessible to immediate treatment if necessary.
The first surgery is scheduled for March, with a follow-up in June. The second surgery will be most likely be scheduled for September, with a follow-up in December. When I told Garrison that I got him on the OR calendar for March 8th, he cried tears of joy to know that relief is on the way. A nine-year-old… tearfully overjoyed about brain surgery. That says a lot about how desperate he is to feel better.
____________________________________________________________
Again, all funds raised here will go directly to Garrison's medical and related travel expenses. Airline miles are also a great way to help.
Organizer and beneficiary
Roy Hall
Organizer
Spring, TX
Jessica Growden
Beneficiary
