Support for Eleanor’s Recovery

On May 1st, our daughter Eleanor woke up in a lot of pain. As the day went on, she began showing symptoms consistent with meningitis, so we took her to the ER. She was diagnosed with viral meningitis and sent home.

In the days that followed, we started noticing signs of developmental regression—she was no longer rolling over, couldn’t lift her head, and wasn’t supporting herself like she had before. We brought this up during follow-up visits with her doctor, but we were told to keep waiting and allow more time for recovery.

After 24 days of seeing no improvement, we brought Eleanor to OHSU. There, she underwent an MRI, CT scan, and spinal tap. That’s when we learned the actual cause of her condition—she had an infection in her C1 and C2 vertebrae. This explained both her pain and the regression we had been seeing.

She’s now receiving IV antibiotics and will be in a cervical spine brace for several months. She’ll also need physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and weekly visits to specialists in Portland.

With the level of care Eleanor now requires, we’re unable to work full time. We’re doing everything we can to support her recovery, but without a steady income, we’re facing difficulty with bills and living expenses.

Any help—whether financial or by sharing this—would mean a lot to us and would directly support Eleanor’s care during this time.

Michael & Maria