Help Rikki defeat Brain Disease
Donation protected
“I want my Mom to be like before”- Zoe Flores
On August 17, 2022, my niece, Rikki Mariah Flores suffered a very agonizing, debilitating migraine. After multiple ER visits to Sunnyside, Prosser, Kadlec, and Harborview Medical Center, a team of doctors finally diagnosed Rikki on August 22 with a very aggressive rare brain disease; Psuedo Tumor Cerebri. In a short amount of time she has gone from being an active, full-time working wife and mother to being extremely limited in her ability to perform regular daily activities. Rikki has developed a severe amount of spinal fluid build up around the right side of her brain with a great amount of pressure which has caused constant, intense migraine, vision loss, speech difficulty, comprehension issues, and memory loss. This condition has taken away her ability to drive, to work, coach her daughter’s basketball team, and care for her family in the way she always has.
For those of you that know Rikki, you know that her main priority is her family and helping others.
For those of you that don’t know her, I will give you a little insight into who she is. Rikki is wife to her high school sweetheart, Kc Rey Flores. They are the very proud parents of two beautiful and active children, Zoe Aurora Flores age 7 and Kc “ Rey Rey” Flores II age 2.
Anyone that knows her can tell you that Rikki is the first to ask “how can I help” when she sees someone in need, but the last to ask for help for herself. She loves with her whole heart and finds joy in serving others. She has always been a hard worker, holding down multiple jobs at times and always with a smile. She is a small business owner that loves her community and uses part of her profits to give back to her community. She is genuine, caring, and will give with arms wide open, so it’s no surprise that she has made a career as a medical assistant. She instills these values in her children.
Her daughter Zoe has even started her own small business not just to earn money for things she wants, but to help children in need as well. Rikki is a protector to her family and those she loves and stands up for others when she sees injustice. She is definitely the kind of person you would want in your corner.
As you can imagine, treating this condition will take time and resources that are already taking a toll on the family. Rikki’s treatment plan will consist of having to travel every 4 weeks from her hometown of Grandview, WA to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle (about 6 hours round trip) to check her brain fluid. She will undergo lumbar puncture pressure checks with drainage (a painful spinal procedure), which can result in needing an Epidural Blood patch (another painful spinal procedure) 24-72 hours later. She will need repeat brain scans (MRI & CT SCANS), Eye Exams, & medication adjustments and changes. If spinal fluid build up increases or medications fail to improve her condition within 6 months to a year, Rikki will need to undergo a Brain Surgery.
Rikki is currently on trial medications and home bound for 3 weeks on unpaid leave, in addition to the weeks she has already been off work seeking answers to her source of pain. Thankfully she is blessed to have a great daily support system in her husband., her Aunt Janie, and her mother Liz Arriaga.
Of course in order to be home to care for Rikki and their children, Kc has had to either work reduced hours or sometimes take days off.
They never thought that they would find themselves in circumstances where they would ask for help, but with much prayer they are reaching out to family, friends, and the community to help in any way possible as they navigate this difficult journey. We are trusting in God and the power of prayer to weather this storm.
Our family heart fully thanks you in advance and appreciates your prayers and any donations to help fund Rikki’s treatment and travel expenses.
But most of all Rikki appreciates all positive thoughts and prayers to help get her through this difficult time.
May God richly bless you.
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am” Matthew 18:19-20
Organizer and beneficiary
Janie Cano
Organizer
Sunnyside, WA
Rikki Flores
Beneficiary