Hi! My name is Alysha. I’m a 27-year-old girl, and outside this situation, I’m a very average person. Over the last ten years, I’ve experienced a range of symptoms that have only worsened in the last 6 months. What started as a persistent migraine turned into multiple CT,MRI scans, hospital visits and eventually a diagnosis. My neurosurgeon noted a 3.2cm mass on my pineal gland, putting pressure on my brain stem, tectal plate, and cerebellum, causing a buildup of CSF in and around my brain—called hydrocephalus along with a multitude of other symptoms.This is affecting my daily life and ability to have normalcy. I have surgery scheduled on July 23 (rescheduled due to appointment conflicts with my two surgeons) to address the excess CSF and hopefully resolve the issues the mass is creating. With finding a diagnosis and surgery incoming, costs are high. Even with insurance, I’m facing building medical bills and daily expenses outside my medical care while I’ll be out of work recovering. I’m not one to ask for help, but this has been an ongoing struggle for me to cope with. Any bit helps or sharing means the world to me. Thank you.