Hello! My name is Tina and I’m setting this up for my niece Jazinda. (Tucker’s Cousin).

She has been diagnosed with intracranial hypertension due to bilateral narrowing of the transverse and sigmoid sinuses in her brain, which also means she has poor blood circulation in her brain. Cerebrospinal fluid is backing up in her brain and around her optic nerves. This condition is also known as Pseudotumor Cerebri because it often mimics a brain tumor.

It has caused debilitating headaches, severe tinnitus and hearing loss, vision issues and blind spots. She has nearly passed out many times and is unable to drive, work, or clean her home. She experiences constant pressure around her head, weakness in her left arm, a droopy eyelid, and now issues with high blood pressure and heart rate.

She recently learned that she may have permanently lost most of the peripheral vision in her right eye and some in her left. The damage may continue until the pressure is relieved, and it will not be known whether the damage is permanent until treatment is received.

She has been warned of possible risks such as seizures and blood clots if the condition is not treated urgently.

She has been referred to both a neurologist and a neurosurgeon, and there is a possibility she may need surgery to place a shunt to drain the excess fluid. She is currently taking medication four times a day to help reduce cerebrospinal fluid production. She recently underwent an MRI and a lumbar puncture, which provided immediate relief by temporarily reducing the spinal fluid pressure while she waits to be seen by the neurosurgeon.

Update 12/17: It is now looking like she will be able to see the neurosurgeon in mid to late January. While the lumbar puncture brought immediate relief, she experienced complications that required her to return for a blood patch epidural. Abnormal results came back in her cerebrospinal fluid, but the significance of those findings will not be known until she meets with neurology.

Her doctor estimates that she will not be able to return to a normal routine or live independently until early March, depending on the timing of surgery and her individual recovery. Connor is able to take paid time off to care for her, but because she works as a private in-home caregiver, she does not qualify for state-provided financial assistance.

Funds raised on her behalf will go directly to her family to help cover essential expenses, including household bills, groceries, travel to and from medical appointments, and other day-to-day needs while she is unable to work. These funds will also help ensure that Connor can remain at home to care for her during this time.

Thank you for the continued prayers.