Prayers and Donations for Christine Dowell

Friends and Community, I write to you at this time asking for your help on behalf of the Dowell Family who are deeply in need of your prayers, shares, and donations.

Last Sunday night, a perfectly healthy, full of life mother, grandmother, and friend to many, Christine Dowell began having minor headaches. Upon arriving to work late that Tuesday, her coworkers became very worried as she seemed disoriented with facial drooping. Paramedics were called and she was taken to the hospital under the impression of a possible stroke. A CT was done where they found a mass on her brain and this theory turned to cancer.

She was transferred to DePaul hospital Neuro unit where the family was given nothing but bad news. However, Chris was talking but declining. Sadly at some point in the night, she slipped into a coma, for how long is unknown as proper hourly neuro checks were not performed nor was she treated for stroke at that time. An MRI was ordered, but this was sadly not performed.

Wednesday morning, she was found unresponsive and was rushed into emergency surgery to have a craniotomy and biopsies. She was transferred to Barnes Jewish in St. Louis.

After some time there, the doctors, not convinced this is cancer requested to take her to emergency exploratory surgery to do cultures and more biopsies as well as take out the “mass”. Results are still pending.

The words, cancer stroke, and infection have all been tossed around with no answers.

What we do know is significant damage was done from the extensive swelling. Christine is now breathing on her own, which is a good sign. She has not woken up yet but there is hope. When it comes to the brain things can change in the blink of an eye. So pray for healing and strength for her, her family, and the medical team.

This was very unexpected for her 3 children and family as she was completely healthy and her decline moved rapidly. On top of the medical bills for all three hospitals, transportation, fees, infectious disease team, oncology consult, Neuro team, emergency surgeries, labs, and imaging. Her family is taking shifts missing work to be there with her in the city. As well as trying to pay for home, car & bills that are already coming in. It is unknown if she will need care in the future or what it holds as they still have no answers yet.

If you could find it in your heart to donate to this family to help them during this horribly unexpected time in their life it would forever be appreciated. Your small donation, a share, and all the prayers make a huge impact for this family as they move forward in this tragedy.

“For every mountain there is a miracle “