- P
- B
In April 2013, I had brain surgery to remove a tumor (gangliocytoma) on my left temporal lobe. The surgery was successful as they removed most of the tumor but could not get it all because of the location of the tumor, which is very close to the hippocampus which controls my language and memory. Not only do I have a tumor, I also have epilepsy due to the irritation that the tumor causes in my brain. The seizures improved for about six months after the surgery but they became more frequent even after several changes in medication.
On April 20, 2015, I went into Johns Hopkins Epilepsy Monitoring Unit where they hooked 50 electrodes on my head so an EEG machine to monitor my brain activity for 24 hours per day. They were able to capture a seizure which will provide the doctor's with more information so they can develop a specific plan to get the seizures under control. As of now, I will definitely need more testing to determine what kind of surgery I will need to get the seizures under control.
I have experienced setbacks and have had to put many things on hold due to my medical issues. A year ago, I began to work on my Master's in Education but I have had to put my education on hold until the seizures are controlled. Another financial set back was while in the hospital during the monitoring, my wife was informed she would not be getting paid for her approved leave to be with me and was also being let go due to the uncertainty of my situation. My wife's job was working with kids who have mental and behavioral health issues to help them function and improve performance in school. Due to the company being under 50 employees and since she was not there for a year, there is not much she can do as far as FMLA is concerned.
Our main goal is to be able to pay for the testing, the operation, and any other expenses incurred during this time in our lives. All of the testing and procedures will be performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD which is about 3 hours from our home in Hampton, VA.
We appreciate everyone's thoughts, prayers, and donations during this time. The support of our family and friends has helped make this difficult process easier. Please feel free to pray for us and to share our story on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Thank you so much in advance.
Cody and Dezaray
On April 20, 2015, I went into Johns Hopkins Epilepsy Monitoring Unit where they hooked 50 electrodes on my head so an EEG machine to monitor my brain activity for 24 hours per day. They were able to capture a seizure which will provide the doctor's with more information so they can develop a specific plan to get the seizures under control. As of now, I will definitely need more testing to determine what kind of surgery I will need to get the seizures under control.
I have experienced setbacks and have had to put many things on hold due to my medical issues. A year ago, I began to work on my Master's in Education but I have had to put my education on hold until the seizures are controlled. Another financial set back was while in the hospital during the monitoring, my wife was informed she would not be getting paid for her approved leave to be with me and was also being let go due to the uncertainty of my situation. My wife's job was working with kids who have mental and behavioral health issues to help them function and improve performance in school. Due to the company being under 50 employees and since she was not there for a year, there is not much she can do as far as FMLA is concerned.
Our main goal is to be able to pay for the testing, the operation, and any other expenses incurred during this time in our lives. All of the testing and procedures will be performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD which is about 3 hours from our home in Hampton, VA.
We appreciate everyone's thoughts, prayers, and donations during this time. The support of our family and friends has helped make this difficult process easier. Please feel free to pray for us and to share our story on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Thank you so much in advance.
Cody and Dezaray