Help Michelle to Mayo

My niece Michelle Mackey got Covid on March 5, 2020, and has been bedridden for three years. She has severe positional pressure headaches and is disoriented when upright. She also has pressure and pain when lying down. There is no definitive diagnosis or treatment plan, and she can’t drive, work or be upright for more than ten minutes.

Last year, Michelle was referred and accepted for treatment at the Mayo Clinic however insurance denied her because there are specialists in Denver. After another year of seeking a diagnosis, Michelle is going to the Mayo Clinic on April 4, 2023. Michelle would appreciate any support you can give. The treatment at Mayo is not covered by insurance.

Michelle has dealt with pericarditis, cough, fevers, intestinal symptoms, and tachycardia. She has seen neuroradiologists, neurologists, cardiologists, and ENTs. She has had MRIs on her spine, neck and head, CT myelograms, a cerebral angiography, five blood patches and a fibrin glue patch in her spine for cerebral spinal fluid leaks. She had styloidectomy surgery to decompress her jugular vein and reduce pressure in her brain, but there was no improvement. She still has bills to pay from those procedures.

Michelle was displaced from her apartment in July 2022. She is staying with a friend and depends on others for rides to doctor appointments. It is difficult because she must lie down in a car and sometimes on the floor in the waiting room. As you can imagine, it has been depressing.

I will provide you with updates, and still hoping there may be relief from some treatment or procedure to help her be able to go back to work and drive. Help Michelle to Mayo!

Thank you.