Cassandra DiMeo

Hello, and thank you so much for taking the time to read our story. My husband Christopher has been out of work for over a year due to a back injury. On August 20th, 2025, he underwent a posterior lumbar spine discectomy at L4-5, including a micro-laminectomy, far right foraminotomy, and microdiscectomy. Initially, everything seemed to be moving in the right direction, and we were hopeful he would be returning to work within a few months. By September 2025, however, something clearly wasn’t right. Christopher began experiencing concerning symptoms, and I repeatedly asked his care team whether this could be a CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) leak. Each time, we were told no—confidently and repeatedly—that it wasn’t possible. Despite feeling unheard, we continued following medical guidance and started physical therapy until Chris began passing out randomly, making it unsafe for him to continue. Since October 12th, 2025, my 34-year-old husband had experienced: • 15 falls (2 with head strikes requiring 911 calls) • 8 ER visits, often discharged with diagnoses of “syncope” or “dehydration” • Constant nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting blood • Seizure-like episodes often resulting in incontinence • Daily headaches that only improved when lying down • Feeling on the verge of passing out every time he stood The list goes on. Determined to find answers, we went through extensive testing to rule out other causes—MRIs, CT scans, EEGs, EKGs, heart monitoring, bloodwork, endoscopy—everything came back normal except a back MRI performed on November 30th, 2025, which showed fluid buildup at the base of his spine. Once again, we were told it was a seroma and that it would go away over time. When we asked about a CSF leak, we were shut down because Chris didn’t have “textbook symptoms.” By January 6th, 2026, his symptoms had not improved. Finally, his surgeon agreed to test the buildup of fluid via IR aspiration—something I had been requesting for five months. On January 29th, 2026, we received confirmation that the fluid tested positive for beta-2 transferrin, definitively diagnosing a spinal fluid leak. For nearly five months, my husband has been living with a CSF leak. Chris is now scheduled for dural tear repair surgery on February 18th, 2026, which will include an inpatient hospital stay for close monitoring. After a long and difficult decision, I’ve taken a leave of absence for a minimum of 8 weeks from work to care for him. My last day will be February 16th. This leave will be unpaid, while Chris continues receiving only 60% of his income. For over a year, I’ve been carrying our household—working full time, managing all appointments, driving, caring for our home and animals, and supporting Chris through every step while he’s been unable to do so himself. I am exhausted, but I am committed to being there for him through this surgery and recovery. We live paycheck to paycheck. With reduced income and my unpaid leave, we need help covering: • Basic living expenses • Medical costs and insurance • Transportation to weekly appointments • Household necessities during recovery Asking for help is incredibly hard, but we truly need it. If you’re able to donate, we are deeply grateful. If not, sharing our story means just as much. If you’d prefer not to donate through GoFundMe, I do have Venmo and Apple Pay - just send me a message. Thank you to everyone who has checked in, offered help, cared for Mica, given rides, sent prayers, or simply listened. We will never forget the love and kindness shown to us during this incredibly difficult time. With love and gratitude, The DiMeo's