OUR FIGHT AGAINST CHIARI

Hello, my name is Roni McCauley and my daughter Megan has Chiari Malformation Type 1. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a condition in which brain tissue (cerebral tonsils) extends into your spinal canal. It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward often blocking the flow of spinal fluid. Her symptoms include having migraines everyday that vary in intensity, dizziness, nausea, neck and back pain, ringing in her ears, lightheadedness, poor vision, trouble breathing, sleep apnea, sharp pains in the legs, loss of feeling in her arms, legs, hands, and feet when sitting too long, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, and often poor coordination. As a 19 year-old college student, she has trouble getting out of bed on days she has school and when she has the day off, it is mostly spent in bed in dark spaces. She tries to enjoy life but her pain always gets in the way. We recently met with a neurosurgeon who presented us with the option of surgery. This is the first time a doctor has ever offered what we hope is a long term solution. In the years after she was diagnosed we believed Megan's brain tissue extended 5 mm into her spinal canal, but after meeting with the neurosurgeon we found out that her previous neurologist was wrong and it is not 5 mm but 9mm. After discussing with the Doctor and our family, Megan decided that the surgery is her best option if she wants any hope of living a somewhat normal life.  As the sole provider in our household, my income is not enough to cover the co-pay for the surgery and other medical expenses. Although we are trying to save money, a lot of it will be going towards her upcoming doctor’s appointments. Having this type of surgery will be costly in so many other ways, loss of work, travel, etc., there are just a lot of expenses that we can not cover. Lots of odds and ends stuff. That is why we need your help. All the money donated by you will be used towards paying the co-pay, any physical therapy, and other expenses that might arise. With having surgery, there is a lot of minor and major expenses for all kinds of misc. stuff that Megan might need before or after. With your donation you are giving my daughter a chance at normal, pain free life. Megan's hope is that after recovery she can enjoy life and college without having to worry about her pain. We know that now more than ever money can be tight but even the smallest amount will help tremendously. And whether or not you are able to make a donation, just knowing we have your support means the absolute world. So from myself, Megan, and the rest of our family, thank you for anything you can provide. We truly appreciate you and your support.