Brennan's journey with Chiari

November 2014 we took our then 4 year old son, Brennan to the doctor due to some ongoing issues with headaches, speech and hearing issues. Due to the severity of the headaches he was having, our pediatrician ordered an MRI. December 4, 2014 we recieved the diangosis of Chiari Malformation. What is Chiari Malformation? Chiari or Arnold–Chiari malformation, is a condition affecting the brain. It consists of a downward displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum (the opening at the base of the skull), sometimes causing non-communicating hydrocephalus as a result of obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) outflow.The cerebrospinal fluid outflow is caused by phase difference in outflow and influx of blood in the vasculature of the brain. It can cause headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, impaired coordination, and, in severe cases, paralysis. On January 23, 2015, Brennan underwent brain surgery to help with the pressure in his head. This surgery is called a posterior fossa decompression. A posterior fossa decompression is a surgical procedure performed to remove the bone at the back of the skull and spine. The dura overlying the tonsils is opened and a patch is sewn to expand the space. The goals of surgery are to stop or control the progression of symptoms caused by tonsillar herniation, to relieve compression of the brainstem and spinal cord, and to restore the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
As of today, Brennan still experiences headaches but not as severe as they were. He also has other pains throughout his body. With Chiari, there are other underlying conditions that can follow. One of them is called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which from a thorough physical examination, he is showing signs of. We were recommended to get further testing for the other underlying conditions. April 22 we are set to start the genetic testing to get definite answers about the other underlying conditions. July 21 he is scheduled for an MRI. They will compare his MRI's to make sure everything is good from surgery. As of today, there is no cure for Chiari or with some of the underlying conditions. With the help of go fund me, we hope to help raise money to help offset some of his medical bills that we have received and future medical bills and help raise awareness of Chiari Malformation.