Help Alex as She Fights Her Biggest Battle Yet

As most of you know, our niece Alex was admitted to the Neuro ICU at Rush with a spinal leak and a Subdural Hemorrhage in her brain on 3/15. It all started in mid-February when Alex went to the doctor with severe head and ear pain. The doctor said that her sinuses were inflamed and that she had fluid in her ears, gave her an antibiotic, and sent her on her way. Only she did not get any better and continued to get worse as the weeks passed. On 3/15, her wife Megan was at work and called our sister, Cyndi to pick Alex up and get her to Rush as soon as possible because something was very wrong. They did a CT after hours in the ER waiting room and immediately came rushing out because of the hemorrhage. As of now, we believe that being overprescribed thyroid medication by the fertility clinic is what caused this issue, as raised intracranial pressure is a rare side effect of severely low thyroid levels. Only it is not so rare for someone who is already predisposed to high intracranial pressure and as most of you know, Alex underwent brain surgery for that exact issue in 2021. It is believed that the medication caused a spike in her pressure that her body could not respond fast enough to, popping a hole somewhere in the spinal canal, in turn causing the brain to herniate and bleed. Before this unfortunate event, Alex and Megan were looking forward to starting their family and now are faced with an extended stay in the ICU, the potential for several surgeries, and trying to keep their business open.

Unfortunately, we have found out that spontaneous CSF leaks are not only extremely rare but are also like finding a needle in a haystack. The surgeons cannot address the hemorrhage until they are sure they located and sealed the leak in her spinal column. After weeks of testing, they were not able to pinpoint exactly where the leak is located, but Alex underwent her first major spinal surgery this week in the spot where they believe the leak was in her cervical spine. But as we have learned, many people in similar situations end up having several surgeries before the problem is officially fixed. As of now, she is finally home, but the surgeon will be monitoring the bleed and the attempted seal weekly as we wait to find out if the first surgery worked. The surgeon told us that sometimes in situations as severe as Alex’s, several tiny spinal leaks are not uncommon and may eventually need to be located and sealed. During this time they will also be monitoring the hemorrhage as well. If it continues to be stable, she will be able to stay home until we know if it will be reabsorbed into the tissue or if it will have to manually removed. As of now the surgeon believes they will have to surgically remove the bleed and the clots in the next 8 weeks, as Alex’s hemorrhage was so severe, and her brain has already started to atrophy. When this happens, membranes form around the blood clots and are unfortunately, unable to be reabsorbed. At this time we are also monitoring Alex’s speech as she is experiencing some delays.

I know my sister and niece do not usually like to ask for help, but we feel that now is the time they need it most. Due to the employment situation, Megan and Cyndi have often had to choose between their livelihood and keeping the restaurant running, or being there for Alex when she needs them the most. If Shipwreck is open, Megan must be there to run the kitchen and the restaurant. Our niece and her family have been through so much with the tragic loss of her dad and his business, the struggles of owning a business through a pandemic, and more importantly the unexpected health issues that have effected Alex in the last few years leaving them with loads of medical bills and a ton of stress. With so much unknown at this point, our family wants to ease some of the burden for them. Alex will likely need other surgeries and extensive therapy on her neck and her speech. We want to help both Cyndi and Megan to be able to be present for Alex and all her upcoming appointments and potential surgeries, even if that means closing the restaurant at times to make it happen. Alex has a long road ahead of her and we just want to ease their burden during this very difficult time. We appreciate any help, even if it is not monetary. Prayers, help at the restaurant, and positive vibes sent their way. We want to send a special thank you to everyone who has reached out and sent their love and support. You have no idea what that means for our family.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Dawn and Cheryl