Alyssa Smith is my daughter. My wife and I are blessed with three amazing children, and Alyssa is our oldest daughter. It was a Saturday that didn’t seem much different than any other Saturday. Chance and Alyssa just got back from their honeymoon in England.

But what was unusual was the migraine Alyssa woke up with. She is prone to migraines, but this one was different, more severe. She decided that she needed to be seen, so Chance, her husband, took to the ER at the hospital. Here they did a variety of tests, including a CAT scan. There seemed to be something on her brain, but she needed an MRI to determine what it is. She was instructed to go home and on Monday call another doctor to schedule an MRI. In some area it takes weeks or even months to get into neurology to get a MRI and consult from whatever neurologist that was on duty. She mentioned all this to her friend, Mary, who happens to be an ER Dr at the same hospital. Mary advocated for Alyssa in the way only the most excellent doctors would. She instructed Alyssa to meet her at the hospital at the beginning of her shift Sunday. Here Alyssa had an MRI and they confirmed she had a tumor. Mary was not done advocating for Alyssa, calling a colleague, who is a world renowned neurosurgeon. He lectures, teaches and operates all over the world. But at this moment this Dr was home and agreed to look at Alyssa’s scans. There was something he didn’t like, and ordered another set of scans. Here he found two more tumors for a total of three. Alyssa will need two surgeries, a month apart. Her first surgery is set for today, October 14, when he will remove the bigger tumor at the bottom of her brain in back. Then a month later, she will have a second surgery, longer than the first, to go in from the top of her head to remove the other two. These tumors are benign and won’t metastasize to other parts of her body, but they must be removed! Alyssa will be off of work for quite a long time as she endures both surgeries, recovery, and rehab. We are asking her friends and family to be a part of her journey. Your contribution will help fill the gap in lost income, allowing her to pay her bills. There will other expenses, including travel for Chance as she has the surgeries and during her time of rehab. Alyssa is blessed with friends who could meet this entire goal on their own. But we woukd like everyone to be a part of this journey as she has these tumors removed!

FAQ:

1. What type of tumors does Alyssa have?

Alyssa has a class of tumor called “ependymoma.” These tumors do not metastasize to other organs, but must be removed since they just keep growing! Ironically, it is the same tumors I had in my spine both tines, although they are not considered hereditary!

2. What will the money raised be used for?

Many of you know that Alyssa’s passion is being a server at a restaurant named Does in Little Rock, AR. Although the restaurant has been very good to her in giving her the time she needs to heal, there is no short term or long term disability. This means Alyssa will be without a source of income until she is able to return to work but yet needs to pay her bills.

3. How long will Alyssa be out of work?

That is undetermined. She will need to begin healing from her first surgery and then have a second surgery to remove the other two tumors in the center of her brain.