Walking By Faith, Not By Sight-Help Jessica Rebuild Her Life

Fighting for My Health, My Vision, and My Life

Hi, my name is Jessica. I’ve been battling health issues since birth—hospitalizations for pulmonary problems were part of my childhood, but I believed they’d eventually settle down. For a while, they did… until 2015.

That year, everything changed. I began blacking out, experiencing neuropathy, and suffering from the most debilitating headaches of my life. After being hospitalized for over a month and a half, I was finally diagnosed with Pseudotumor Cerebri (also known as Intracranial Hypertension), worsened by complex migraines, cervicogenic headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches.

What is Pseudotumor Cerebri?

Pseudotumor Cerebri literally means “false brain tumor.” It’s a condition where excess pressure builds up inside the skull, mimicking the symptoms of a brain tumor—even though there isn’t one. That pressure is caused by too much cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord.

This condition can cause:

• Severe, debilitating headaches

• Visual disturbances, including blurriness, light sensitivity, double vision, or complete blindness due to damage to the optic nerve

• Ringing in the ears (especially in sync with heartbeat)

• Neuropathy, dizziness, or difficulty walking

• Blackouts or fainting

• Cognitive issues like memory problems or confusion

Left untreated, it can lead to permanent vision loss, neurological complications, and in some cases, stroke-like events.

My Pseudotumor is compounded by complex migraines, cervicogenic and cluster headaches, and other complications that make daily life an uphill battle.

At the time of my diagnosis, the only options were multiple spinal taps and pain management or brain surgery to place a shunt to relieve the pressure on my brain. I was scared—so I endured the pain, managing it as best I could.

A Medical Crisis: 2019–2025

In 2019, while hospitalized with pneumonia and the flu, I suddenly woke up completely blind. My condition had progressed, and emergency brain surgery was the only way to relieve the pressure on my brain and possibly restore any vision. A VP shunt was placed to drain the fluid. Slowly, I regained a small window of sight and eventually recovered most of my vision, except peripheral.

Then in 2020, I suffered a mini stroke (TIA)—a reminder that this disease can still affect my brain and body in sudden and frightening ways.

Since then, I’ve lived in survival mode. Any illness can trigger headaches, visual loss, neurological symptoms, and long hospital stays. This disease doesn’t go away—it only becomes more complicated.

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2025: The Hardest Year Yet

In February 2025, after months of unrelenting headaches, I was hospitalized again. I suffered what doctors believe was a seizure caused by a thunderclap headache, and I coded—my body shut down and I was unresponsive in a coma for several hours in the ICU.

From February to May, I was hospitalized nearly 10 times for complications including bladder and kidney issues, and severe esophageal bleeding. During one stay, they discovered multiple ulcers and internal bleeding and recommended emergency lap band removal.

On May 16, I had the surgery. Just two days later, I woke up completely blind again.

This time was different. I spent two weeks in the hospital with uncontrolled pain, drop foot, severe neuropathy, and I could barely walk—but was discharged with no relief or answers as to what happened during or after surgery to cause the vision loss and other issues.

I sought a second opinion which lead to another week and a half hospitalization with another provider. After my shunt was recalibrated, I regained only a very minimal amount of vision.

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What I See Now

Today, I live with just 2% vision. I describe it as Swiss cheese vision—small scattered patches of light and shadow. I have no peripheral vision, nothing above or below my focal point, and everything is blurry, distorted, or dark. What I can see takes immense concentration and strain. I can no longer drive, work on a computer, or function independently the way I used to.

I had to quit my job. I’ve applied for disability, but federal rules require you to be disabled for 5 full months before receiving assistance. Meanwhile, I have no employer insurance and must pay about $600/month for coverage—and that’s at a subsidized amount down from $1,000 a month due to having to quit my job. And sadly that doesn’t cover eyes so many of the doctor’s appointments and any procedures needed to be done by ophthalmology are not covered.  

We won’t know the extent of the damage to the optic nerves until I see the nuero ophthalmologist end of July. There have been no changes or improvement since the shunt was recalibrated mid-June. We do know there will be some level of permanent vision loss just unsure of the extent. But life will never be as it was before and I will need constant monitoring by neurology, neurosurgery and nuero ophthalmology for the rest of my life and some level of assistance awhile, if not for the rest of my life, due to psuedotumor having no cure. 

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A Service Dog Could Change My Life

One of the only things that could restore some independence and safety is a service dog trained specifically for my condition. This dog would:

• Guide me safely through unfamiliar environments

• Retrieve items I can’t see or safely reach

• Respond to episodes of medical distress

• Provide a calming presence during pain flares, headaches, or seizures

However, the cost for a fully trained medical service dog is between $15,000 and $25,000, and it’s not covered by insurance. This is a dream I can’t reach on my own—but one that would change everything.

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Why I’m Asking for Help

While I am blessed with an amazing mom and support system, the responsibility financially is hard for just one person to carry as it is extensive.

This fundraiser will help cover:

• Health insurance premiums while I wait for disability or improvement

• Out-of-pocket medical bills, procedures, and therapies

• Vision aids, adaptive tools, and assistive technology

• The cost of a service dog and training

• Basic living expenses during this time of forced unemployment

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My Anchor Through It All

Through brain surgery, blindness, mini strokes, and everything I’ve faced, I’ve held tightly to one verse:

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” —Psalm 73:26

That verse has carried me. I’m not just fighting to survive—I’m fighting to live with purpose, dignity, and hope. And I believe God sends help through people.

If you feel led to give, thank you. If you can’t give, your prayers, encouragement, and shares mean just as much.

From the depths of my heart, thank you for walking with me.

With love and faith,

Jessica