Cassie Needs Brain Surgery

Hello, I am trying to raise money for Cassie Boze. Cassie is 36 years old, she has 5 kids, and works as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Room at Central Peninsula Hospital. Very recently and unexpectedly Cassie was diagnosed with a meningioma. A meningioma is a tumor in the membranes that line the skull and enclose the spinal cord. The tumor is pushing her brain against her vestibular and facial nerves causing her sever and debilitating symptoms. She is unable to work or drive and is having extreme difficulties with hearing, facial twitches, sleeping, walking, thinking and talking. She is suffering from sever dizziness and vertigo. Her quality of life was quickly and violently degraded by the sudden onset of these symptoms. She will be having surgery very soon to treat her symptoms. If gone untreated her condition is life threatening.

She lives in Alaska but her surgery will be in California. Her husband Shane Boze and sister Anna Beaudry (also a nurse) will both be taking time off work to join and assist her. She will be in San Diego, having brain surgery at The Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health on April 5th but will need to remain close to her doctor and hospital for up to 2 weeks before she is cleared to come home to Alaska. There are risks of complications, one being she is at risk of losing her hearing in one or both ears and may also need cochlear implants. 

I am asking for any sized donation for Cassie and her family to help with this sudden and overwhelming expense. I hope to raise enough money to help lessen the stress and financial burden of this unexpected and shocking series of events. There will be fees for medical procedures, airfare, lodging, food and transportation all while she has student loan bills, rent, car payments and other general costs of living. She and her husband and sister will be missing work and their income will be compromised. 

Cassie is a determined and courageous individual. Time after time she amazes us with the results of her hard work. Her personality is one of a kind. There is no one else like her and she is a true individual. Cassie has a great sense of empathy and compassion, she is very supportive to those she loves, especially her kids. Shane and her are very generous and caring people to both humans and animals. Cassie loves her job and I suspect she is a great asset to the doctors and patients she works with. She is eager to return to work, continue her career path and pay off her student loan debt. She is determined to begin her path of healing and enable herself to return to life as she knows it. working again towards her life goals and aspirations. She looks forward to returning to adventuring with her family, playing soft ball, caring and providing for her family, traveling and carrying on with her fitness goals. Thank you so much for any sized donation, taking the time to read this story about Cassie and supporting her with any prayers, thoughts, affirmations etc. I will continue with updates on her condition and progress. Have a fantastic day!

Update:
It’s story time, I’m your host Cassie. 
Today’s topic meningiomas located in the CPA. I have attached informative literature if you would like some light reading while on the toilet.

Since my last update things have progressed. For something that is supposedly “ slow growing” the symptoms are changing daily. I wish I could say that maybe I’m hyper aware because we know what’s causing it, and maybe it’s all in my head. I doubted for months before I finally tapped out. But now I have a funky facial tick that comes on randomly and exacerbated by stress and noise ( the sound of my clothes on my sheets, rubbing my hair, and a phones ringer all trigger me)

By the way, the Tumor has a name. He is Arnold. So to keep it positive we will call it that from now on. I’m aware naming it may sound dumb but it brings a sense of comfort. I mean I like almost everyone, but Arnold is an ass.

Sunday shane and I drove to anchorage because of the progression of the symptoms. My scans and reports were given to a neurosurgeon and he wanted me in his office this week. Tuesday, my Bfff Melody drove me to anchorage and my sister and I met with a neurosurgeon. He said that radiation at my age was contraindicated because of the amount of radiation Arnold would need to be killed. Surgery is best because of the nerves involved. I’m so lucky to have my sister Anna Beaudry. She is an icu RN at ANMC. She asked all the questions I forgot to ask and pushed me around in a Wheel chair and never let me fall. The surgeon said he used to do the type of surgery I needed when he lived outside ok AK. He’s been in Alaska for 14 years. When I asked about the number of this surgeries he has done since coming to Alaska he said “not many because we just don’t have the volume of patients. Added the phrase “ it’s like riding a bike”. Not my bike! I may have started 1000 IVs but I get rusty if I haven’t done it in awhile. Since Arnold lives in a precarious place we want some who does this frequently.

UCSD acoustic neuroma program located in San Diego reviewed my medical record/ images. I spoke with the surgeon directly. He confirmed the diagnosis of meningioma , confirmed “ no radiation” stayed tat surgery was the only way. And after that phone to UCSD magically we have an appointment April 4 for preop and April 5 Arnold finds a new home in a glass jar. Surgery!

This is what I know: the surgeon will use a middle fossa approach ( google it if you aren’t squeamish) 
He said there is a 60% chance I will keep my hearing on affected side (very good odds considering!) The approach may differ once I get down there.

We are now waiting for insurance approval while we research more and make arrangements.

I miss you all and can’t wait to be able to be upright on two feet again!

-Cassie