Let's Get Deirdre Through Brain Surgery

Last week my only "child," Deirdre was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, a brain tumor on the nerve between her ear and her brain. It's pushing on her cerebellum, causing hearing loss, dizziness, memory issues, and headaches. For more than a decade, she shrugged off all those things as "stress" and clumsiness. One persistent doctor ordered and MRI and the MRI revealed something much scarier. She'll need brain surgery this summer to remove it, before it can do any more damage. We're hoping we can rally everyone to help create a financial cushion to get them through a summer of household bills, so they're not worrying about money during this stressful time.

Her dad and I will help as much as possible and she has an amazing partner, Tommy. But, with life comes bills and financial obligations. The most intense part of her recovery should last 4-8 weeks. A full recovery can take 6-12 months. It will include various doctor and therapy visits, plus many more headaches, sensitivies, and newer, more pronounced balance issues. It's a long road that will make it impossible for her to work (she's a writer) for at least a month. Possibly more.

Deirdre is quick to tell everyone that, in the long run, this tumor isn't cancerous and is much less worrisome than all the other reasons one might have brain surgery. She's remaining upbeat, referring to her left ear as "for aesthetics only" and trying to make the most of spring and early summer with her daughter, Mathilda. She's made a list of things she'll need post-opp based on tips from an AN support group and is toying with journaling her journey so she can help others. At the end of it all, she's still a mom about to embark on brain surgery. She afraid of complications, death and "looking like a pirate" with possible face paralysis. But, I know she's also worried about what taking the mandatory time off to recover will do to their family finances. As her parents, we'd love to be able to cover everything so she and Tommy don't have to worry about anything except supporting each other and Mathilda. That's just not possible without your help.

Note: The goal is more than they could possibly spend/use this summer. But, this will set them up to help with medical bills and hopefully anything else she might need for recovery.