Help fix Lara’s brain!

Hi, my name is Tessa and I am fundraising on behalf of my beautiful friend, Lara.

Lara needs a specialised surgery to help relieve pressure that is building in her brain.

Any support is much appreciated.

It’s a long complicated story… but Lara needs surgery to relieve Intracranial Hypertension related to Bilateral Styloidgenic Juglar Venous Compression at the level of the C1 vertebra.

The jugular vein is a major vein in the neck that carries deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart. Jugular vein compression causes the blood to run back towards the brain. In other words, blood and cerebral spinal fluid doesn’t drain properly and cause a range of symptoms, including intracranial pressure which is a medical emergency.

She will go to Sydney to have a styloidectomy, internal jugular vein facie release and transverse process C1 resection with the ENT and endovascular neurosurgeon.

This will be done over two surgeries, right side first then the left six months later all going well. Other further surgeries may be needed to address the stenosis of the veins if things don’t go to plan.

Donations will go towards covering:

- surgery and medical costs in Sydney

-travel and accommodation (unknown time length)

-specialist rehab and treatment afterwards

-supporting Charles and Lara, as Charles is unable to work for a period of time

Lara’s Journey:

I’ve been sick for a while. I have suffered debilitating continual headaches, intracranial pressure, tetanic seizures and convulsions, intense insomnia and vivid nightmares, pain, sensory sensitivities, lapses in short-term memory, and problems with balance, upright posture, extraordinary dizziness and stroke symptoms: left sided weakness, numbness and tingling, facial palsy and slurred speech. And many other symptoms.

The neurological symptoms started around 2014, I had a car accident with a bad whiplash injury. Constant headache started and some weird sensations in my left arm and face with disc damage. I had a lot of physical therapy and hoped it would get better.

In 2016, I got an infection. It led to a facial palsy, half of my left side went numb. I got a terrible headache and my voice disappeared for a year. I had to quit full time teaching because I could no longer project my voice. Many other awful symptoms too. I could no longer bend forward without turning grey and almost passing out.

No specialists could figure it out. I gave up searching for answers and accepted my new normal. I got sicker and sicker, but carried on. Because what else can you do? My strength and capacity got smaller. Life got smaller and smaller till running on survival.

In 2020, after my eighth (?) endometriosis surgery, I miraculously fell pregnant. I lost our baby and suffered from complications for a few months. During this time, I developed the most severe headache of my life. There was so much pressure in my head, it felt like it would shatter.

And one day, it did. I had my first seizure. And these seizures became the constant for me. I convulsed daily and sometimes continuously up to four hours. This damaged some discs in my spine.

No reason for this suffering could be found. Every doctor agreed there was a problem, but couldn’t find it.

But this time, I was not giving up. This time I needed answers and help.

With the help of God, family and some excellent medical professionals, we have unravelled the mystery.

2 benign brain tumours/masses causing partial obstruction to the cerebral aqueduct, Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis stroke, chronic CSF leak, disc damage, high intracranial pressure, tetanic seizures and convulsions.

But no doctor could find THE source of the problem.

This year, after a few weeks in hospital, Charles and I decided it was the end of the road for trying to get me better.

We were both ready to quit. To give up searching for hope and answers.

We agreed we would see the Neuro-Interventional Radiologist in Sydney. That was our last shot.

The Dr took one look at my MRV (Mri venography) and pinpointed this: My brain isn't draining. My jugular veins are severely obstructed. Cut off by the styloid process and C1. This has led to a mixed high and low CSF disorder.

We are worn down but not out!

There is now hope again.

A risky surgery for location and for me with a blood disorder. It’s our shot to get my life back and save my life.

I don't understand why so much has been stripped back and away. I don't know if I will ever understand. But God is good and faithful. If I told you our story... you would hear echoes of His love, grace, mercy and hope woven through it all.

We have had such love and support from our family and friends. Faithful and loyal people who have stood with us and walked with us through the valley. The valley of miracles. Thank you to Charles and everyone who has loved and cared for us. We couldn’t have done it without you.

https://youtu.be/UY7MpCjOTeU?feature=shared