Support Dani in His Neurosurgery Journey
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Rafael and I'm writing this on behalf of my childhood best friend George Daniel Kennis, known to everyone as simply "Dani". Dani is 57, and his family need all the love and support they can get as his life is coming to a crossroad when he will undergo a Neurosurgical procedure known as DREZ (Dorsal Root Entry Zone) ablation, on July 15th. He has been living with excruciating nerve pain caused by an auto accident when he was 24 years old. The surgery consists of disconnecting overactive nerve cells by passing through the outer layer of the spinal cord into the inner layer called the dorsal root near the brain stem.
The surgery is being performed by doctors at the Stanford University Medical Center, which although encouraging, because of their expertise in the field of Neurology, does not lessen the risks associated with the procedure. If successful, the overwhelming pain Dani has been experiencing for the past three decades will be significantly reduced. However, the risks of death, infection, paralysis or loss of limbs is very real due to the longevity of his condition and the location of the nerves in the medulla.
This surgery is the only way to improve Dani's quality of life at this point and although most of the costs associated with the hospital stay and surgery itself are accounted for, I have created this Gofundme campaign on his behalf for what will come afterwards. He will not be able to work for at least 3 to 6 months and will undergo extensive rehabilitation. Needless to say his family are in need of financial support at this time. There is only so much I can do other than spread the word since I am in the Northeast while Dani and his family reside near San Francisco.
To be thorough, I will explain how Dani came to be in this condition and then provide some verbiage from the Doctors report as well as links that better explain the DREZ surgery details.
100% of Donations go straight into Dani's medical account and all Funds will be used for:
Post Operative medical, rehabilitation and living expenses
If you can't donate, any words of encouragement and prayers are always welcome!
Dani's story leading up to this moment
Dani and I lived around the corner from each other and had very much in common besides the fact that I was born on November 1st and he was born exactly a week later on the 8th of the same year. Since around the 1st grade, we spent lots of time playing outside and growing up together along with other kids in our neighborhood. We were very lucky to have so many kids our age within close proximity.
Eventually I went off to college but we kept in touch consistently and hung out with our friends when I came home for holidays.
In 1990, Dani was in an automobile that flipped several times at high speed and left him in a coma for 5 days. He suffered serious injury to the left side of his body, mainly the entire left arm and hand. After 2 years of rehab, he was able to regain some movement in his left hand, but the nerve damage to the entire arm was permanent. Dani can’t really lift or use his arm except for holding small objects.
Although living with a disabled arm can be manageable, living with nerve pain is not. The progressively worsening pain has only increased over time. Initially he felt a burning sensation in a few fingers, but as the years have passed the frequency and intensity of the pain has increased and progressively moved up his arm. Fast forward 34 years and the bouts of pain have become intolerable to the point that oftentimes paramedics are called to the home. Needless to say, it also takes a toll on Dani's wife Anna, and their children Joaquin and Avril who are in high school.
Dani is a very hard worker and a dedicated father. Although he had a career in the insurance industry at one point, it was short lived mainly due to the difficulty of managing his random bouts of nerve pain with maintaining a client facing schedule. Dani has since held multiple freelance type jobs at a time in order to make ends meet and has done so with little complaints. At this point in his life, agreeing to having the DREZ surgery says a lot about the amount of pain he has endured. There is quite a bit of risk involved.
From the Doctor's evaluation report:
George Daniel Kennis is a 57 Year-old with neuropathic left arm pain from brachial plexus injury in 1990.
Neuropathic left arm pain following brachial plexus avulsion in 1990. He sustained this after a high speed car crash when his car hit a wall. After the car crash he was in a coma for 5 days. He sustained a left brachial plexus avulsion and his entire arm was weak. At that time the weakness also included the hand but after 2 years of rehabilitation he regained her movement.
He has had ongoing problems with neuropathic pain in the left arm since the accident. This is gradually worsened over the years. Sometimes pain-free spells which can last as long as 2 months. However he nowadays usually has a constant cramping pain which he rates as 3-4 or 5 out of 10. This then frequently exacerbates up to 15 out of 10. He describes the pain as an intense electric shock like sensation.
The location of the pain in the left arm can vary. Today it was in his left thumb and index finger. This is C6 dermatome. He experienced several severe exacerbations during the consultation. I observed that during these times he would hunch over go red and clearly be very distressed. He reported that cold weather makes the pain worse. He also described tactile allodynia. He reports that he can feel light touch but not pain or temperature in much of his arm. This is highly suggestive of damage to spinothalamic fibers.
He reports that the pain can also occur at the lateral aspect of his elbow, his left shoulder and up into his neck on the left and behind his head. Morphine does not really help his pain although with high doses it can somewhat relieve it. Sleep helps. He is married. He has 2 children. He is a small business owner which she runs with his wife. They are involved in grocery deliveries from farmers markets. He has seen many specialists over the years. He previously saw a neurosurgeon in Peru who counseled him about dorsal root entry zone ablation but warned that the risks were prohibitively high.
He reports that since his accident his left phrenic nerve has been paralyzed and his left hemidiaphragm is raised.
PLAN: Schedule for DREZ ablation left C3 to C6.
Specific location of the pain: Various locations left arm from C2 down to C6
We discussed three different surgical options. First dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) ablation. Second, deep brain stimulation. Third, spinal cord stimulator insertion. DREZ lesions are seen is the gold standard for this type of pain. We quoted about a 70% chance that this could bring about a significant improvement in the patient's pain. There is however a 5% chance of a potentially serious side effect in the event such which could include weakness of his left hand or weakness of his left leg.
The risks, benefits, and alternative treatments were discussed. The risks included, but were not limited to the general operative risks of death, bleeding, and infection. In addition the patient was advised that surgical procedures involving this segment of the spine could also result in paralysis, loss of bowel and bladder function, loss of sexual function, and changes in sensation in the extremities that could include pain, numbness, tingling, and burning that could be temporary or permanent. There is a possibility of a spinal fluid leak that could require additional intervention. He wishes to move forward with the procedure. He will return for a pre-op visit.
If you want to learn more about the DREZ surgery, below are some links:
I will also be posting updates on the page when available. Thank you in advance!
Organizer and beneficiary
Rafael Paredes
Organizer
Navesink, NJ
George Kennis
Beneficiary