On the Long Road to Recovery
Donation protected
Greetings to my cherished family, friends, and those who may not have met my amazingly hard-fighting sister, Camille.
Camille is so many things to so many people, and that is why we love her! She is a full-time single mom raising four dynamic and astute children, all the while she has managed to acquire her BA in education and worked tirelessly helping teach 3rd Grade kids part time. Even with the pandemic, she has been able to ensure the lives of her children are enriched with love and life lessons, something she works hard to do each day.
The challenges of this hard work took a tremendous toll on her, both mentally and physically over the past couple years, which brought us to the day after her 48th birthday this past February. Camille experienced many painful symptoms of a wide-array of bodily and nervous system dysfunctions, none of which could be pinned down decisively. She battled constant fatigue, severe back and joint pain, and instances of nerve distress which doctors were unable to pinpoint until an emergency MRI was performed on March 1st.
Our fears were confirmed that something greater was at play, when on that night, the doctors declared Camille indeed had a tumor attached to her spine, near her cervical region C3-C4 This reveal was sobering, and the prognosis indicated that immediate surgery must be the next step. It was discovered that this tumor had been growing unchecked in her spinal cord fluid for approximately the past two years, and was not detected until 2021.
Extensive surgery came not long after the diagnosis, and it was invasive. The physicians caring for her explained that had we waited even a few weeks to have her admitted for the MRI, she could have passed away by April, as the tumor was destroying her basic nerve functions, one by one. The tumor would have compromised her breathing regulation centers, resulting in a possible death while asleep. This information hit all of us like a bludgeon, yet we were hopeful the surgery would be a success, while informed that a full recovery remains a distant possibility in constant flux.
The surgery began at 7AM on March 4th, lasting full a 7.5 hours. Once extracted, it was discovered that this tumor was classified as an exceedingly rare "Ependymoma Grade II" and that it would need to be sent to the National Institute of Health in DC for evaluation of its composition. The tumor remains under examination.
Camille was able to speak after three weeks, and was on a ventilator under intense medication and sedation. It was determined that the level of therapy Camille needs cannot be met even with the amazing medicine existing in Northern Virginia. After several candid conversations with my family, the doctors, and Camille, it was understood she would require transport, via air-ambulance, to a more intensive facility for specialized nerve rehabilitation. Camille's ability to move on her own was significantly diminished, and she will require the use of a wheelchair for an undetermined amount of time. Knowing these facts, she was flown to Atlanta, Georgia outside of Emory University for what was described to be at least 4-10 weeks of intensive therapy. My equally-amazing mother accompanied her on this trip, and will remain with her for the duration of her therapy, standing daily by her side. Camille currently resides there now, and began her therapy three weeks ago today.
Her fighting spirit has pushed her to make excellent progress, where she is re-training herself to walk, grasp, sit up, and move in basic ways we never think much about each day. Her prognosis remains good, however, major changes will need to be adopted in our family life for the sake of her comfort and mobility. Re-thinking daily routines, floorplan designs, and continued in-home care with an assistant are all on the horizon. She is weathering the ongoing emotional strain this has caused by virtue of being away from her children (and a beloved big-headed bulldog named Gus) for the duration of this shattering stage. ,We are grateful beyond these words that she is very much alive in her recovery process, thanks in part to the amazing health staff assisting her each day. There are multiple challenges we are prepared to take head-on as a family, as I play the role of "Super Uncle" ensuring the kids have their routines for work and play intact, along with the love and tireless support from my father. Regular FaceTime sessions with Camille and the kids keeps a lifeline open to her progress, where they share their gladness and griefs each day. They certainly miss their mom, and I miss my sister!
Camille gets stronger each day, and we are only reaching out to share her story because it is actually a very promising one. While donations certainly help to mitigate the costs from this unthinkable moment, it's also the positive reinforcement of your well-wishes and thoughtfulness that mean the most. We all want nothing more than to see Camille pain-free, able to move how she feels, which is all certainly possible, yet the road to that reality is long and murky. Your compassion and support is truly appreciated by our entire family, as we make our way to a brighter future for my sister and her many years to come.
More updates will be added as we make our way down this road. We love each and every one of you reading this, and thank you a million times over.
Sincerely - The Bolton & Blue Family
Camille is so many things to so many people, and that is why we love her! She is a full-time single mom raising four dynamic and astute children, all the while she has managed to acquire her BA in education and worked tirelessly helping teach 3rd Grade kids part time. Even with the pandemic, she has been able to ensure the lives of her children are enriched with love and life lessons, something she works hard to do each day.
The challenges of this hard work took a tremendous toll on her, both mentally and physically over the past couple years, which brought us to the day after her 48th birthday this past February. Camille experienced many painful symptoms of a wide-array of bodily and nervous system dysfunctions, none of which could be pinned down decisively. She battled constant fatigue, severe back and joint pain, and instances of nerve distress which doctors were unable to pinpoint until an emergency MRI was performed on March 1st.
Our fears were confirmed that something greater was at play, when on that night, the doctors declared Camille indeed had a tumor attached to her spine, near her cervical region C3-C4 This reveal was sobering, and the prognosis indicated that immediate surgery must be the next step. It was discovered that this tumor had been growing unchecked in her spinal cord fluid for approximately the past two years, and was not detected until 2021.
Extensive surgery came not long after the diagnosis, and it was invasive. The physicians caring for her explained that had we waited even a few weeks to have her admitted for the MRI, she could have passed away by April, as the tumor was destroying her basic nerve functions, one by one. The tumor would have compromised her breathing regulation centers, resulting in a possible death while asleep. This information hit all of us like a bludgeon, yet we were hopeful the surgery would be a success, while informed that a full recovery remains a distant possibility in constant flux.
The surgery began at 7AM on March 4th, lasting full a 7.5 hours. Once extracted, it was discovered that this tumor was classified as an exceedingly rare "Ependymoma Grade II" and that it would need to be sent to the National Institute of Health in DC for evaluation of its composition. The tumor remains under examination.
Camille was able to speak after three weeks, and was on a ventilator under intense medication and sedation. It was determined that the level of therapy Camille needs cannot be met even with the amazing medicine existing in Northern Virginia. After several candid conversations with my family, the doctors, and Camille, it was understood she would require transport, via air-ambulance, to a more intensive facility for specialized nerve rehabilitation. Camille's ability to move on her own was significantly diminished, and she will require the use of a wheelchair for an undetermined amount of time. Knowing these facts, she was flown to Atlanta, Georgia outside of Emory University for what was described to be at least 4-10 weeks of intensive therapy. My equally-amazing mother accompanied her on this trip, and will remain with her for the duration of her therapy, standing daily by her side. Camille currently resides there now, and began her therapy three weeks ago today.
Her fighting spirit has pushed her to make excellent progress, where she is re-training herself to walk, grasp, sit up, and move in basic ways we never think much about each day. Her prognosis remains good, however, major changes will need to be adopted in our family life for the sake of her comfort and mobility. Re-thinking daily routines, floorplan designs, and continued in-home care with an assistant are all on the horizon. She is weathering the ongoing emotional strain this has caused by virtue of being away from her children (and a beloved big-headed bulldog named Gus) for the duration of this shattering stage. ,We are grateful beyond these words that she is very much alive in her recovery process, thanks in part to the amazing health staff assisting her each day. There are multiple challenges we are prepared to take head-on as a family, as I play the role of "Super Uncle" ensuring the kids have their routines for work and play intact, along with the love and tireless support from my father. Regular FaceTime sessions with Camille and the kids keeps a lifeline open to her progress, where they share their gladness and griefs each day. They certainly miss their mom, and I miss my sister!
Camille gets stronger each day, and we are only reaching out to share her story because it is actually a very promising one. While donations certainly help to mitigate the costs from this unthinkable moment, it's also the positive reinforcement of your well-wishes and thoughtfulness that mean the most. We all want nothing more than to see Camille pain-free, able to move how she feels, which is all certainly possible, yet the road to that reality is long and murky. Your compassion and support is truly appreciated by our entire family, as we make our way to a brighter future for my sister and her many years to come.
More updates will be added as we make our way down this road. We love each and every one of you reading this, and thank you a million times over.
Sincerely - The Bolton & Blue Family
Organizer
Joel Edward Bolton
Organizer
Leesburg, VA