I got your back! An unusual medical spinal journey!

I GOT YOUR BACK!!!

A fundraiser to help cover medical and living expenses for Savanna Tate during her spinal treatment process.

A bit of backstory about me. Last year, I was diagnosed with multiple spinal disorders by a series of X-rays, MRIs, and lots of advocating for myself. Most of the doctors dismissed my symptoms as obesity and told me to simply lose weight because my blood work was normal, so they could not explain the migraines. However, these spinal conditions will not show up on basic bloodwork. There are no inflammation markers to decipher with my condition, and it is only diagnosed by MRI, CT, or some form of scanning.

The worst of the disorders I was diagnosed with is a fluid cyst on my cervical spine. The condition is called Syringomyelia or “syrinx.” Typically, there is surgery involved to drain the more severe cases, but this case is not that simple. A bulging and herniated disc are also in the same area of the syringomyelia, which complicates the process. The discs are constricting the thecal sac that holds the spinal cord in place. When this constriction occurs, it causes paralysis and debilitating pain in my torso. Sometimes, so severely, my only option to help is to lay down until the tension eases. This can take minutes or hours at a time and is random. I have little control over my body when it constricts.

One of the things that complicates this is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. A pair of floating ribs in my neck on the C-7 vertebrae. This causes nerve paralysis in the entire lower body below the cervical vertebrae. It also means I cannot feel pain until it is at debilitating levels. So, as we patiently wait to see a spinal anomaly neurosurgeon at UAMS in Little Rock, I am unable to work effectively during this time. Unfortunately, there is a longer wait than usual to see this doctor, and I will need financial help until I can get relief to work again.

I was working at an Asian restaurant in Farmington as a waitress until February 2025. At which point, my paralysis was causing me to become a liability at the restaurant. Dropping hot food on customers would not be ideal, and with my condition, it was becoming too frequent for me, losing control of my hands and arms. I was fortunate that most customers understood and would help me set their plates down. I have been able to keep myself afloat with various jobs, but I am limited on what I can safely and efficiently do at this time. I am stuck because trying to find a consistent income requires me to be consistently available, and I never know day to day when my spine wants to be cranky.

I have been through physical therapy, chiropractors, exercise therapy, and am currently on my 7th spinal professional. At this point, no one has been able to fully help with my condition. Dr. Bumpass at UAMS is the next point in my journey. I finally decided to ask for help because I am literally doing everything I can to help myself, and it’s not enough to keep me afloat financially. I have two children, one being a severe case of special needs, and a home to keep running. I am a single parent, and while their dad does help financially and physically where he can, he also has his own life and bills to pay. I have no other means of financial support that is significant enough to sustain me without working full time.

I hope that UAMS and Dr. Bumpass can help get me the relief needed so I can get back to my independence. Back to being able to work and hold items in my hands without fear of dropping everything. I never want to be a burden to anyone, but sometimes we need help, and right now I need help as the medical bills begin rolling in. I have insurance, but the copays and deductible still take money. Not knowing how long being off work will last is incredibly nerve-racking, and the stress exacerbates my condition, worsening it if I am not careful.