Support Angela McDonald's Critical Brain Surgery

Hello my name is Angela McDonald and I am 54 years old. I am the mom of six kids- 5 boys and a girl- and the grandmother of four sweet little girls and one precious grandson. In addition, I have been called to youth ministry and have been a youth minister for 35 years. This has given me hundreds of other kids and grandkids that are additionally “mine”. God’s calling on my life is the most important thing to me and helping kids, young adults, adults, and older adults know their worth and how loved they are by me and God.

After a blessed life pretty good health, I was preparing to take 60 kids to church camp. I was walking into Walmart to get stuff for our bake sale to raise money for the kids to go. All of the sudden my right toe started dragging. It got increasingly worse over the next several hours. I decided I needed to go to the hospital the next morning. I had three strokes. I was also told that my carotid artery was over 90 percent blocked and could not be surgically fixed. For the past three years I have been told I needed to prepare my children for the fact I am going to die, that I have MS, and that no one knows what I have.

In October, I was accepted to go to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. They confirmed I do not have MS and they can help me. I have a very rare disease called Moyamoya. One in one million get this disease and mine is crossed with another disease that is one in a hundred million who get it. My condition is considered critical. I cannot have treatment that involves stenting. It would kill me. The only treatment I can have is a brain bypass surgery. My doctor at Mayo are the top in the world and the one who has performed this most. In order to have this surgery, me and two off my kids have to go to Rochester, Minnesota from Oklahoma. We have to pay for the discounted neuro- hospitality house $92 per night. Approx. $500 gas both ways. Food. $2000 medical copays, medication, and other expenses. I have always been a person who tries to help others kids, families , elderly. It is so hard to ask for help, but I don’t know what else to do. I have had friends say that I should let God work through others and not rob others of a blessing. I guess I am learning to be more humble through all of this. I don’t feel like God is finished with me yet. Thank you for your consideration!! God bless you!!