Help Jessi with Double Spinal Surgery recovery
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Hi, thank you for reading our story. My daughters family had been living in a travel trailer, but it has become inaccessible for several reasons, and they are desperately trying to get accessible housing. Her entire family is disabled, her son who is nearly 12 has AuDHD. Her partner William has uncontrolled epilepsy even with 6 anticonvulsant medications he is taking. After having a 24-hour brain EEG while in ICU the ER said they found a spot in his brain that is causing the seizures and the neurologist told him he is a good candidate for surgery. This most recent ICU visit also diagnosed him with a heart block and said he'll more than likely need a pacemaker. They often resort to sleeping in their van and hotels when they are able.
As for Jessi, herself, she is severely disabled, with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which is highly affecting her spine, causing severe damage. She has an upcoming double spinal fusion on June 24th, 2025. It's both an Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) as well a revision of the Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF). They will have to go in through both her front AND back to complete this repair and new fusion. This is to repair a failed PLIF that was performed after 14 years of undiagnosed Spondylolisthesis which crushed her sciatic nerves and caused severe mobility issues and chronic pain.
Image of xray showing her broken facet, the facet is the piece of the spine that keeps it stable. This break increased the instability of her entire spine, it also allowed the vertebrae to slide around, causing the nerves to be crushed.
She is trying to secure permanent accessible housing or at minimum accessible housing during recovery. The Dr says she won't began to start to feel better until a minimum of 6 weeks and can't begin regular activities until 12 weeks after surgery.
Jessi also suffers severely from spinal segmental instability, uncovertebral joint hypertrophy, facet arthritis, 3 herniated cervical discs causing mild & moderate spinal stenosis. She has bilateral Veinous and Nerve Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Bilateral Keinbocks Disease affecting 5 wrist bones. Patella dysfunction, moderate asthma as well as hyperthyroidism that is looking like it's most likely plummer's disease (This is still under investigation but imaging and labs are pointing towards this). She is struggling severely from her health and needs our help.
All of this is medically documented (See images below). The hospital is scheduling two surgeons to operate on her simultaneously on June 24th, both a vascular and a neurosurgeon, which is not easy to do. She cannot move this date, so we really need your help getting her housed at least for recovery, if not permanently, thank you so much.
Thank you for reading their story. Please share with your friends and family and help her secure accessible housing.
Below are documentation of some Jessi's medical records. First explaining her surgery. The lucency as it says in the image, are proof of loosening screws. It shows the hole being larger than the screw, as documented all the screws show lucency.
Below is the documented request for the operating room to perform her surgery. Anterior means front and posterior means back, so as mentioned prior they'll be going in through both her stomach and back, they'll add new hardware through out to try to add better stronger stability.
The next few images are documentation of some of her other disabilities to show a better idea of how much she truly suffers over all and not sure the failed fusion. This shows her arthritis and root nerve compression in her neck, this is older documentation her spinal stenosis is now documented as moderate and is no longer mild as shown below. Spinal stenosis is compression of the spinal cord itself. More documentation below.
This is more details of the 3 discs that are herniating in her cervical spine (Her neck)
Even more details on the compression of her spinal cord.
More of her conditions: Please note 30 rows of current conditions.
Not all diagnosis are listed, she has this right of privacy but this is a long list she has shared. She has chosen to erase the Dr's names for privacy. Which is understandable. The Segmental and somatic dysfunction means her entire spine is dysfunctional. Her first spinal neurosurgeon informed her she will eventually need her entire spine fused. As well, her Orthopedic Dr whom diagnosed Ehlers Danlos Syndrome told her she will need to have all her major joints replaced. She is highly affected by her diseases and struggles daily on many levels.
Here is a website that talks about the ALIF, keep in mind their recovery time is for an ALIF only not a combined ALIF & PLIF surgery. As well the average is not the same for someone who suffers from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, etc.
Here are 2 more articles, one talking about the PLIF, which was her original fusion and also one specifically talks about a PLIF revision.
In this revision article they discuss it taking several months for recovery and this is ONLY talking about PLIF revision and not the ALIF aspect of Jessi's upcoming surgery.
Thank you again, for reading their story and helping however you are able. Your support and kindness is greatly appreciated.
above image from https://msgwords.com/thank-you-for-your-kindness-messages/
Organizer
Jayme Sturdivan
Organizer
Eugene, OR