Complications post Caitlin's Battle Against Epidermoid Tumor

Updated 05/14/25:

Caitlin had surgery on April 16th and everything seemed to go perfect. She exceeded all goals and got to go home just two days after surgery.

After she made it home, she continued to have bouts of nausea, not as severe as prior to surgery so we thought it was from pain medication and not eating so we weren’t concerned.

She had a follow up with her neurosurgeon on Monday May 5th, she was nauseous that day but since she was telling him it was a different kind of sick then before surgery he like me shook it off but did say he was going to order a few test. He was ordering scans and a spinal tap. On Thursday we still hadn’t heard from them so when we called they informed us that they were fighting with her insurance to get them approved. Tuesday May 6th she was throwing up majorly so that evening I took her to the hospital in Scottsboro because she had been throwing up at that point for 48+ hours. Scottsboro contacted her Neuro team who said to start an IV with steroids, nausea medication and a cocktail for migraines. It worked like a champ for a few days.

Friday she slept all day and I literally would have to yell at her to wake up and make her talk to me. Saturday she was throwing up again but nothing alarming. Sunday was a different story, she was extremely sick and often. Her brother and sister in law, who is an RN had stopped to visit and asked to see her scar. At that time her sister in law, suggested the scar didn’t look good to her, when I looked it was protruding majorly. I called the emergency number for neuro and got a return call immediately to get her to Huntsville ER. Once there they discovered lots of fluid and infection on the brain. She was admitted back into Neuro ICU. Since they have discovered that she is fighting bacterial meningitis and her body is producing too much spinal fluid. On Monday they done a spinal tap and biopsy, the fluid removed from the spinal tap made her feel so much better. She was asking for food, smiling, laughing and was the closest we had seen to our Caitlin in weeks. Tuesday morning was a different story, she was very nauseated, very tired and pain back up to an 8 out of 10.

Tuesday evening neuro came in and said she would go on Wednesday to have a lumbar drain replaced. After that news I went home to shower and pack more clothes. During that time she became extremely sick, throwing up green sludge as the nurse referenced it. They called her Neuro team again who ordered more test and they also started administering more meds for several things.

While she was gone for testing they came and sat down with me and explained that Caitlin is extremely sick and we are here for the long haul with an extended stay in NICU and that I needed to make arrangements for long term housing for myself and other family that would be staying. We have one step forward and it seems like 100 backwards. I have faith that HE will restore her body completely & always on time. I just struggle to remember that HIS timing and mine aren’t the same. The hospital stay, missing work, travel expense and food expense for this extended amount of time was definitely something we weren’t prepared for.

Thank you all for your support,

Catina

In 2015, Caitlin was having terrible headaches and nausea. She went to her family doctor who ordered an MRI. They found a small tumor and thankfully able to treat the symptoms with medication. In September 2024, she started having issues with severe nausea. She ended up in the ER getting three bags of fluids. In a couple days she was completely better. Then within two weeks it hit again and has become a vicious cycle in her life. She has lost a job due to missing from being sick, which ultimately turned out to a huge blessing because she got her current job in a doctor’s office. They were able to see first hand how quick everything hits and how sick she gets and knew something wasn’t right. After multiple medications for her stomach and test they found that her tumor has doubled in size since her scan two years ago.

She finally got an appointment with an amazing neurosurgeon, Dr. Ostergard, new to the Huntsville area. He came in introduced himself and got right down to business. She has an Epidermoid tumor. This tumor is full of a sticky substance that leaks, when it leaks that substance is mixing in with her spinal fluid causing non bacterial meningitis. Since December Caitlin has lost 30 pounds from being so sick from this. With this type of tumor, it’s benign. Chemotherapy and radiation only anger those tumors, so our only option is surgery. Caitlin will have surgery in April and will be in the hospital at least 7 days. He said the surgery is tough but recovery is going to be even tougher. Please consider donating to help Caitlin and her family in this difficult time!