Brain Scans, Testing & Treatment
This is our daughter, Rebecca Joy, when she was barely 3 years old in 2003. She was was taken by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, IN, for a 2 cm abscess in her brain. They gave her a 15% chance of surviving.
When they took her in for her first brain surgery, they removed the abscess after drilling a nickel-sized hole in her skull. Sadly, they found another abscess deeper which could not be removed. The neurosurgeon explained to us as well, that the infection could not be identified. Even after infectious disease experts reviewed the tissue, the cause was still a mystery and remains that way today.
Rebecca was treated in the hospital for 11 days, and then sent home with a central line and at home nursing care. For a month they tried to combat the deeper abscess with antibiotics and other medications, but it would not go away. She had a CT scan every 2 weeks to measure the size of the abscess. Unfortunately, it was not decreasing in size and her brain continued to be swollen. The neurosurgeon finally recommended that part of her brain be removed.
Thanks be to God, we decided to have a prayer meeting for her before making that decision. On a Saturday night, August 2003, men came for an intense prayer meeting for Rebecca's healing. Even though we believed, we were still amazed that she indeed was healed. The scan the following week showed the deeper abscess had disappeared, and the midline of her brain was perfectly centered. No more swelling!
That was excellent news of course, but what we were not prepared for was the lasting effects of this trauma to her brain. The doctors had told us there was no way to know the effect this may have on her in the future. We soon found out it was quite serious.
Rebecca is now 19 years old, and has struggled for many years with vision problems, disassociation, panic attacks and depression. She has been hospitalized 6 times for mental health treatment, each time to be told a different diagnosis, or an additional diagnosis like border line personality disorder.
Rebecca said to us, "I feel like my brain is broken, and it will always be broken. The only way I know how to not feel it's brokeness is to be numb with medications." Sadly, she has even attempted to take her life to escape the broken brain feeling.
We have found a clinic in Chicago, IL, that indeed treats broken brains! The Amen Clinic, founded by Dr. Daniel Amen, https://www.amenclinics.com/ , doesn't just treat the symptoms, but they actually use several imaging tests to see how the brain reacts at rest and at concentration, as well as other tests. Becca would finally be able to see if her brain trauma has indeed affected her mental health, and what she can do to transform her own brain!
After we get the test results during that same 3 days visit, she will get a plan of action from the doctors, and be on her way to a healthy mental state for the rest of her life. This is vital for her. It's our only hope, and we believe it's a long awaited answer from God as to what we can do to help her!
We had to put $500 down to make her appointment, which is March 4, 5 & 6, 2020. The estimated cost for all the testing, and diagnosis, is $4000 plus follow up appointments. We cannot calculate the follow up costs until the diagnosis is given.
Our insurance will reimburse us for 70% of the medical costs. We will be traveling 200 miles one way, and staying 3 nights in a nearby hotel. Our total need is estimated at $2500.
We are asking for any help from you to make this trip possible, and give Rebecca the chance to experience a healthy brain that she can use for God's glory! She has struggled with mental illness for so long. Our prayer is that she will be able to live without fear, and the feeling of having a "broken brain".