Help Josie Recover from Brain Surgery

This is Nikki and Afaf and one of our greatest friends needs our help. Here's Josie's story in her words:

The Journey Begins

It all started on July 13th with a simple headache. By the next day, I was experiencing severe headaches and vomiting. Initially, I thought it was just a migraine, but the symptoms worsened. I told my husband that if it continued, we would need to see a doctor.

On the morning of July 15th, I woke up with the same severe headache, sharp pain on the right side of my head, and a strange chest pain. Realizing something was seriously wrong, I asked Gary to call the doctor. We got an appointment for 12:45 PM.

The First Steps

At the doctor's office, he ruled out migraines and cluster headaches and sent me to the ER to meet with a neurosurgeon. At the hospital, an emergency brain CT revealed a bleed in my brain. Unfortunately, the necessary surgery couldn't be performed in Curaçao, and I needed to be airlifted to Colombia urgently. The air ambulance couldn't pick us up that night, so we had to wait until the next evening. Every second felt crucial.

The Critical Moments

We left Curaçao around 9 PM the next night and arrived in Colombia at midnight. In the ICU, another CT scan led to an endovascular surgery to stop the bleed. During the procedure, they discovered I didn't have an aneurysm or embolism. However, the bleed persisted, and further tests revealed a cavernous malformation on the right side of my brain. This required open-head surgery, a terrifying thought.

The Surgery

On July 25th, I underwent the surgery, which was more successful than expected. Instead of spending two days in the ICU, I was moved to General Care for four days due to the successful outcome. On July 29th, I was discharged to my hotel to recover until my results were in and my stitches could be removed.

The Road to Recovery

Today, August 5th, marks three weeks since this journey began. We've been away from our little ones, and it's been incredibly tough without them. They miss us dearly and have had their meltdowns, as they've never been away from us for this long.

On August 5th, my head was relieved to have the stitches removed and the most amazing news was that the malformation was NOT CANCEROUS!

How You Can Help

Once back in Curaçao, I'll need 6-8 weeks of rest and recovery for my head to heal. I won't be able to lift anything or work, except on my recovery. It's a long road ahead, but I'm determined to get better for my kids and husband.

We deeply appreciate all the love, support, kind messages, and prayers we've received. Your help means the world to us. Thank you for being there during this challenging time.

This is where your help is needed and appreciated. Insurance will only cover so much and these medical bills and required accommodations are adding up. We are asking for any little way you can help. Any financial support you can offer will be greatly appreciated. Every little bit helps. We are eager to get back to our family and focus on recovery and getting back to our lives.