Meghan's Emergency Back Surgery

Hi, my name is Caitlin & I am fundraising for my best friend Meghan and her family.

Meghan is one of the most incredible women I know. Not only is she strong but she is kind, and would give the shirt off her back for anyone she knows. And that is why I cannot think of another person more deserving of the assistance that her & her family most desperately need right now.

Meghan was diagnosed with a benign spinal tumor that is wrapped around her spinal cord and cannot be fully removed. She's had multiple surgeries on her back, 17 to be exact, and body, since she was a young girl, including an amputation of her right foot due to complications from back surgery, and was facing having to have surgery again, #18, on her back in February of 2024 due to a discovery of adhesive arachnoiditis which is a degenerative disease as well as herniated T3/T4 and a continuance of her lumbar spine curving despite multiple fusions. However, she received the news this week (11/29) that her surgery is being moved up until next week on December 7th. That's an entire 3 months difference in prep time that her family thought they would have to save money, set up child care, and buy the now necessary medical supplies to assist her with whatever outcome happens.

And I say whatever outcome happens, because this surgery could go several ways. The grim reality is that Meghan could come out in better condition than she is now, still in a wheelchair, but without the compressed discs in her back that would then be fused and hopefully no longer causing her debilitating pain and spasms and allow her to resume her life in her version of normal, or Meghan faces the reality of being paralyzed from her shoulder blades down where the fusion will need to happen.

I'm telling you all of this to help understand why we are asking for such a large amount and why the scale may adjust.

It is possible that her family will need to fundraise for a wheelchair accessible van if the latter happens - and her insurance does not cover a penny of that. Her husband, Asa, even joined the reserves, and his been sent on multiple duty tours, to help her get access to better medical insurance & care and there still isn't the help needed to provide this family with the medical needs to help Meghan be an active role in her family caretaking. You see, Meghan is so capable, but she needs these tools to be able to participate in life the way you & I would. Meghan & Asa have 2 amazing kids, Rebecca who is almost 7 and Owen who is 2. Due to these surgeries, and especially this upcoming one, Meghan will no longer be able to bend, lift or twist. Which is why Owen will need full time childcare and with Meghan unable to work, childcare will come at a large cost to this family who is doing quite literally all they can to make ends meet and meet their own needs.

If you'd like to follow along on updates you can follow Meghan on her Instagram at @meghan.n.johnston to see where your donations are helping and get to know her and her family more.