Bmore Teacher needs rare surgery

Originally from New Jersey I've been in Baltimore, MD for the past 8 years teaching. I have 2 dogs (my furbabies ❤️) and some amazingly supportive family and friends. I've always led a very active life. I have never been a person who will sit still for very long in the same place until the day my life changed forever.

January 3, 2013 I was assaulted by a child  while working as a 3rd grade Baltimore City teacher. This particular third grader was having a really rough day, all day long. I love my career. I love my kids and I love the city that has been my home for the past 8 years. Our city's children face obstacles every single day that children should not have to experience. The following is a description of what happened that day and what the last 3 years of my life have been while I was fighting for a diagnosis and treatment of the pain stemming from the back injury that I received that day.

I was immediately taken to Johns Hopkins emergency room by a BCFD ambulance. I could not move. I layed on the concrete/ tile floor surrounded by coworkers trying to keep students away from the area where the incident occurred inside the school building. At the emergency room they did a CT and an MRI. I was discharged 12 hours later with an incomplete diagnosis.

The excruciating pain was constant. I was sent to the city employee clinic where injured city workers are sent for numerous visits over the next 6 weeks. Due to the incredible pain without sucessful healing, I insisted on seeing a spine specialist. After being under the care of an orthopedic surgeon and spine specialist for 4 months I was given an option to have my tailbone removed. After speaking to my primary care doctor, I decided against the tailbone removal surgery. Aqua physical therapy was ordered and I continued to go to land therapy. I was sent back to work on "light duty" by the city clinic in mid-March. I tried my best to do my duties and teach my 26 students. The pain was incredible and I could not function as a teacher. There is no "light duty" teaching. It had been 5 months since the date of my injury and the constant pain was only getting worse. In May 2013, the city finally responded to my Americans with Disabilities Act paperwork that I had submitted prior to returning to work “light duty”; the decision stated that city schools "cannot meet my required accommodations" and was told in a letter to remain home and not to return to work. My doctors agreed.

My first visit with the new pain management doctor was 3 weeks later. The doctor examined me and looked at my MRI images and was perplexed. There was a huge mass of fluid at the base of my spine. That mass contained cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and was compressing my nerves. The mass starts at L5 in my lower back and goes down past S5, past my tailbone. 

The mass of fluid at the base of my spine is a rare spinal cyst called a Tarlov cyst. That cyst became symptomatic due to the incident at work by the child 6 months prior. I was referred to a retired neurosurgeon that has experience with symptomatic Tarlov cysts. Since I was hurt at work, I had to go before the Maryland State Workman's Compensation board to see every doctor that I was referred to. This began my struggle to receive treatment for my on-the-job injury. Since it is such a rare disease there are very few neurosurgeons that even have knowledge of this condition.

The doctors I was referred to agreed that my symptoms were caused by the fall at work. There are only 8 neurosurgeons in the WORLD that surgically treat Tarlov cysts that I was  diagnosed with. I went back and forth with the commission for over a year, repeatedly seeking treatment. Every hearing ended with a decision in my favor. Something changed at my last hearing and in June of 2015 it was decided that the city is not responsible for my injury and I had to proceed with treatment on my own.

Over the last almost 3 years, I have seen a dozen doctors. It was decided over a year ago that all treatment options have been exhausted. I have received numerous injections in my spine, multiple rounds of Aqua and land physical therapy, Accupuncture, a TENS unit, Reiki, and heat therapy. The next, and only treatment option is major back surgery to treat the collection of cerebral spinal fluid that has gathered at the base of my spine causing multiple nerves to be crushed. After reviewing MRI studies, neurosurgeons are in awe that I can still walk. Every day that I wait for surgery more nerves are being damaged and the hope of the already crushed nerves going back to normal diminishes.

I need my life back. Every single thing that I am able to do daily is governed by my pain and range of motion for that day. Some days are better than others but for the most part I am home bound.  I have no prior indication as to what the next day or hour will bring. 

The financial obligation of even scheduling the surgery is astronomical. Every time I look at the numbers, I become more overwhelmed. I have had no steady income since June 2015, and before that it was sporadic. My household bills are piling up. My parents and sisters do their best to help out but they have bills and expenses of their own and cannot continue supporting another household. The entire situation is extremely depressing.  I need my life back!! I want to go back to work.

The only light at the end of the tunnel is major back surgery with a neurosurgeon in Texas that specializes in this type of surgery. I will have to be in Texas for a week or 2 and will continue recovering at my parents' house until I can function on my own again. Recovery from surgery and possibly having my life back can take up to 2 years or longer. I am in dire need of tremendous financial support. I have worked on every avenue of attaining what is needed to restore my livelihood. Any amount that you can give is appreciated and will go directly to the neurosurgeon and medical/house bills that have accumulated over this disparaging time in the life of a dedicated educator.

Thank you in advance for you prayers and positive thoughts. 

Jennifer Jones