On may 9th we discovered my 16 mo old baby had a stroke that had been misdiagnosed nearly a week prior. We were immediately transported to Monroe Carrol Junior Children’s Hospital where they stabilized her and after a month there we were sent to The Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, VA. Isla had been improving up until her 6 month post stroke follow up MRI where it showed further narrowing in the blood vessel that Isla had her stroke, meaning we needed to find out why and try and stop it, slow it down, or reverse it. We were sent home with a 30 steroid dose as a clinical trial at Vandy to see if that made any changes. Today, December 16th, we learned there are no changes. It actually seems to be worse.

The 30-day steroid clinical trial did not stop or slow down the further narrowing blood vessel where Isla had her stroke. She either has FCA which is Focal Cerebral Arteriopathy or something called Moyamoya which essentially causes the brain to grow new brain stems everywhere in order to counteract the lack of supply it was getting before. With FCA, all we can do now is take a baby aspirin, fluids, and pray to GOD my baby doesn’t have another stroke. This is a 50/50 chance type scenario. She’s too young for a shunt, she’s too young for any procedure to increase blood flow if it’s FCA. If it’s moyamoya, good news is there’s a surgery they can do. Bad news is that’s my 2 year having brain surgery, and moyamoya is a disease of the brain that worsens overtime. There are 6 stages, if it’s moyamoya her doctor would level it stage 2. I’m being very to the point, because I cannot wrap my head around this. My sweet perfect curly headed girl. If you pray, we could use it now. More than ever. If you don’t, please please please tell Isla’s story and ask people to be thinking of us. And in your prayers please pray for me to find some peace both in the reality and also with myself. Grace with myself. Confidence in my ability to recognize a stroke should we be 5+ hours from her doctor and she start showing signs. I hate to even ask for prayers for me but I don’t know where else to turn or what else to do but try and get everybody to SAY HER NAME. We will be staying in Nashville until at least Thursday when all of the stroke specialists, pediatric neurologists, and everyone Dr. Jordan can get on the call to try and possibly come up with a plan of action. Im sharing our go fund me again. We have to be back in January for neuro opthalmology, we have to be back in February for another MRI, and who knows how long this stay is going to keep us or what our future holds depending on which they determine it is. I am begging you all to please share our go fund me. We are one income, if Andy is at Vanderbilt with me and Isla we are at no income. I need support here. Desperately. All I am asking for are prayers. If you feel called to help us out during this holiday season then I could never be more gracious. I have no idea how we are going to make this happen, but I’ll do anything I have to to ensure Isla gets the care from the doctors she needs. We love our community and believe in keeping you all informed and you’ve shown up time and time again and I have faith that we will be able to continue receiving care at Vanderbilt where she needs to be. Help us help our baby have the best of the best, please.