It’s always difficult when someone is dealing with health complications, but it is especially difficult during the holidays.

 

On November 15, Chaz was admitted to the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Cedars Sinai after a CT scan revealed a mass in his brain.

 

Doctors in the Neuro ICU did additional scans that determined that the mass's specific location was blocking the natural flow and drainage of the cerebral spinal fluid in Chaz’s brain. This blockage and build-up of fluid were applying dangerous pressure levels on his brain, which resulted in immense amounts of pain, nausea, disorientation, and cognitive impairment. It was clear that this dangerous build-up could cause irreversible damage and even be life-threatening if doctors did nothing to relieve the pressure. Therefore, it was decided he would undergo emergency surgery to drain the fluid build-up externally from his head.

Chaz’s condition began to stabilize once doctors had drained enough excess fluid. A biopsy of the mass in his brain determined a bacterial infection collected and formed an abscess. Chaz immediately began aggressive antibiotic treatment. Two additional surgeries were done to successfully internally divert cerebral spinal fluid flow around the abscess blockage in the brain. Released from the ICU to the general Neurology floor, Chaz continues the antibiotic treatment and will soon be transferred to an intensive rehabilitation facility once doctors have cleared him as medically stable. He will begin physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation therapy to strengthen the cognitive and physical abilities affected by this infection.

 

We are grateful to hear that his medical team expects that he will be able to make a full recovery with continued antibiotic treatment and extensive rehabilitation therapy.

 

To help Chaz and his family with the medical costs that have and continue to incur we thank thank you for any support to provide a little less stress to their family at this time.

Pictured here with Chaz, his brother, Cody Miyashiro-Carvalho and his mother Corinne Silva, celebrating his transition out of the hospital and on to physical and cognitive rehabilitation therapy