Crystal’s Castle of Hope

(This campaign was started by Crystal Jackson, RN, from Stockton, California, sister to Carlie Jackson - Crystal Castle’s partner of 7 years. Thank you for helping! The money raised for Crystal will go to medical expenses, including an air ambulance from Idaho Falls to Oakland. Crystal’s Mom, Michelle Castle, will be withdrawing any funds as the beneficiary of Crystal’s campaign. )


Crystal, a healthy active 32 year old, suffered a major stroke Friday morning, May 18th, roughly 15 minutes after she arrived to work in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Any earlier she would of been driving or she could of been home where I wouldn’t of found her for hours.

She was immediately taken via ambulance to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center and after a 4.5 hour emergency surgery to attempt to remove a monster clot at the base of her left brain, they were unsuccessful. She was also put on a “clot buster” medicine to help break it down. We were finally able to see her hours later. She was able to lift and lower her left arm on command , squeeze our hand and tried to open her eyes. We had nothing but to believe she could hear us, feel us and that this would all be fine. Later on that evening around 1030pm her pupils changed to different sizes. They rushed her to get a CAT scan and noticed severe brain swelling that was compressing her spinal cord. At this point the neurologist recommended a craniectomy to remove the left side of her skull to relieve pressure. This would give her a chance to live with an unknown outcome of what would happen next. The doctors now believe the clot affected 90 percent of her left brain.

So here we are, 5 days later. She’s now surrounded by family with more on the way. A lot of ups and downs. A lot of positives. A lot of negatives. A million unknowns. Every case is different. Every patient is different. Every outcome is different. And for those of us who know Crystal, she’s different. Strong. Stubborn. The feisty twin. And if anyone can fight, she will. I will say today wasn’t as scary as yesterday. But tomorrow has no promise.

Crystal needs some help - we are asking for help! Any help. She is going to have unknown medical expenses along with a possible uninsured medical flight to get her back to CA to a hospital where we know she will get the absolute best of care. She more than likely never work again and will need years of physical and speech therapy.

We moved here from Central California about 15 months ago when she accepted a new job. It’s just us out here. Shawna, her twin sister, is in Boise 4 hours away. All of our other friends and family and the biggest part of her support system are back in California and that’s our goal of where to get her.

With that said, thanks for the help. It all helps. And not just the money, but the vibes, the well wishes, the prayers. We spent yesterday with some of her coworkers in ICU, reminiscing about the short time they knew her, talking about who she is, how she’s always right, how she always takes charge, how she never fails and how she isn’t going to fail this. We know she was listening to every bit of it.