Help with long recovery from brain tumor surgery

Lifelong caregiver with brain tumor and brain artery anomaly now desperately needs help…facing two brain surgeries. My immediate surgery must be for the brain tumor. The brain anomaly is on a watch and wait mode but could require intervention at any moment. The brain tumor surgery happened on 10/26/23.

My name is Mimi and I need urgent help. I am 60yrs old, single, living and often struggling with TBI-related brain issues from aneurysm surgery at 45, PEs, strokes, TIAs and chronic illness (Blood clot disorder, POTS, MCAS) and a brain tumor (meningioma). I have other ongoing issues that require medical care so I relocated 5 months ago to be near my family and medical care.

Within the last 4 weeks was I was not only diagnosed another brain artery anomaly but in addition the brain tumor has doubled in size and is now pressing on part of my brain. Both require intervention. I will have to have cyberknife knife (radiation) surgery for the brain tumor and brain surgery to the aneurysm.

I am the mother and key support of an adult child who has, since birth, learning disabilities, and multiple health issues and now, at age 30, has serious health issues, having 3 strokes since late 2021 and needs heart surgery to close two holes in her heart. My mom is 80 and I help her too. During the last 3yrs, starting with the pandemic, and after my child had their first stroke and they became unemployed, it has taken a great toll on us mentally, physically and financially. Combined with relocation costs, I have used up my reserves and have zero regrets. Why, because I have always been that person who would share her last to make sure my children, grandchild and mother didn’t go without, especially these last three years. But now I am in a place where my last is no more, my reserves are empty and I am struggling right now.

The CyberKnife radiation surgery to prevent the brain tumor from growing comes with challenges and will require extended recovery. The brain surgery also come with challenges and will require another extensive recovery. I’m facing months of not being able to work because of all of my pre existing health issues that make recovery complicated. Even if all goes well and even longer if I have complications and I don’t have enough leave time at work to cover my costs.

This lifelong caregiver needs immediate help and financial assistance to stabilize my finances so I can continue to work as hard as I can with the challenges I have to face and prepare for the challenges that both brain aneurysm and brain tumor surgeries will bring with additional consultations and testing before the surgeries can take place.

I need to raise funds to cover four to months of living expenses, rent, bills, copayments, food, medications and post operative recovery. I have medical insurance but the severity and complexity of my care will be beyond what I could have ever planned for and I need to plan for all outcomes. I have all the responsible arrangements and affairs in order if I don’t survive but it’s the plan needed for living that I need help with.

I trust, have faith and believe I will eventually recover and be able to resume working to support myself. 

It’s not easy and very uncomfortable with being transparent like this but this is bigger than my pride. My father used to say that "there is no harm in asking...what is the worst that could happen..you get a no...but if you never ask you will never know if you would have gotten a yes."

With humility, leaving no stone unturned, I truly appreciate and thank you for reading this and for, if you can, any contribution that would help. If you can't, perhaps pass this along to someone who can. Prayers and positive thoughts are always welcome. It is my sincere wish that one day, I am in a position to pay it forward.

Sincerely, Mimi

See my video diary where I talk about my medical journey and how I got to my current crisis https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8FVMR82/

Just posted Brain Tumor update- https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT82k2Y8X/