Amanda to receive Atlantoaxial Fixation Surgery

On March 2, 2016, my life was forever altered in one instantaneous moment.

I was heading home in the Fastlane on Highway 1 Eastbound, when traffic came to a complete stop. Unfortunately for me, the car behind me did not stop and ended up rear-ending my vehicle.

An event that has unfolded for me a challenging and excruciating six years.

Since the day of the accident, I have suffered chronic neck and back pain (upper and lower) and endured ongoing concussion-like symptoms.

It has been a 6-year journey of consulting more than 20 different doctors/specialists and completing endless, numerous prescribed treatments, medications, physiotherapies, and rehabilitation programs, with minimal improvement or results.

It has been a 6-year journey of job post accommodations, trial and erroring positions with limitations and restrictions, and taking leave of absences when symptoms flared up or treatments were required. Finally, in May of 2021, adhering to the advice of my care team; being put on Long-Term Disability leave.

Until more recently, the diagnosis of my sustained injuries remained incomplete. My prognosis was very poor.

Thankfully, I was referred to a private Whiplash Clinic that had the technology to provide a Video/Motion X-ray (aka Dynamic Motion Imaging). An x-ray conducted while the desired body joint is moving (Dynamic), as opposed to Static (Not moving). The Motion x-ray evidence indicated that I have eight distinct injured areas in my cervical spine. There is permanent ligament damage and impairment.

Following an MRI on my cervical spine, it was also revealed that I have 3 herniated discs indenting onto my spinal cord.

In addition, an MRI on my lumbar spine demonstrated injury to my L4-5 and L5 to SI, where there is narrowing to my neural foramina (where the nerve in your spine becomes compressed).

Due to the proximity of the instability in my C1-2 to the brain stem, many of the neurological symptoms I have been experiencing daily (varying each day), including but not limited to: migraines/headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, hypersensitivity to lights and noise, numbness down my arms or legs, ringing in my ears, sleeplessness, chronic fatigue, balance issues, jaw/face issues, concentration/memory issues, constipation/diarrhea, inability to control my body temperature (hot flashes/cold shivers), episodes of vertigo, were FINALLY understood to both myself and Mike.

As you can imagine, six years of experiencing these health problems and often unbearable symptoms caused by the car accident have also gravely impacted my mental health. I have significantly struggled with severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, social withdrawal and suicidal ideation.

Mike and the girls alongside me on this journey, to the point of even attending psychologist appointments for their own processing and understanding of my chronic pain and physical/mental limitations and what that looks like for our family.

They are the three reasons that I have continued pushing forward. They are the reason my feet hit the ground every morning. They are why I fight to find answers, treatments and natural alternatives to help stabilize and reduce the pain and impairment.

I (Mike) cannot say enough about how mentally and physically strong Amanda is. However, she endures more pain and suffering in a week than some people take in a lifetime. I have watched her struggle, fight, suffer and endure for years. Amanda was a proud and successful Correctional Officer in a men's maximum-security prison. Since she could no longer physically respond to potential prison incidents, she had to take various accommodative Correctional Officer posts throughout the years. Eventually, Amanda could no longer be accommodated in a Correctional Officer position and ended up accepting an administrative-type position as a Victim Services Officer. Again, Amanda excelled in her new role; however, her pain, suffering and symptoms did not subside within this position. The physical job requirements were too much for her to endure. A typical day for Amanda would be: go to work, come home, nap (from exhaustion and concussion-like symptoms), have dinner and a short visit with her family, then lay in bed for the rest of the evening/night, get limited sleep (from pain/suffering), get up and repeat, in addition to attending 3 to 4 medical appointments a week throughout the Lower Mainland. There was no quality of life for her. On weekends she would rest/recover or catch up on chores and housework that could not be accomplished during the week because of her exhaustion. The battle with pain, concussion-like symptoms, medical appointments and work was slowly killing her. While it was a tough decision for Amanda to accept, she had to stop work to focus on her treatments and try to live a life with some/little enjoyment.

Mike and I have been in consultation with several Neurosurgeons over this past year and are ecstatic to share the news of finding the right fit for surgery! A light at the end of the tunnel. An answer to many years of prayer.

Here in Canada, the waitlist for the surgery offered to me is approximately another 2.5 years long and would only address the mid to lower cervical spine injuries I have sustained from the car accident. Unfortunately, this will not address the upper cervical spine injury where I most need surgery to protect my brain stem.

Alternatively, through my specialist, and a community of post-surgical patients, I have been introduced to Dr. Goel, a renowned surgeon from Mumbai, India, who will perform the Atlantoaxial Fixation that I require in October 2022. A surgery procedure that is not currently available in Canada.

This procedure comes with a cost of approximately $90,000 CAD, not including the cost of travel, accommodations (for three weeks duration), or food expenses.

Together, Mike and I are reaching out to our family and friends, humbly seeking assistance in raising funds to pay for this very beneficial, life-giving surgery.

If you can contribute financially, in any amount, this would truly help ease our financial costs and be more than greatly appreciated.

If, at this time, you are unable to support us financially, we seek your support in both sharing with others who may be able to contribute to our cause, and also through prayer.

It has been a long, hard road of suffering and enduring, often with no end in sight.

We cannot express our gratitude to those who have stood alongside us and continue to as we move forward into what will be the healing part of this journey.

Thank you.

Amanda and Mike.