Khadji's Brain Surgery Journey
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Support Khadji’s Journey and upcoming surgery. Left frontal lobe brain resection, to help relieve debilitating, life threatening seizures.
Asking for donations to help Khadji recover and heal from upcoming brain resection surgery, scheduled March 20,2020. This will be the last of 3 surgeries performed at Mayo Clinic hospital in Scottsdale Az. All proceeds will go towards Khadji’s 3-6 months of inpatient /outpatient rehabilitation, speech therapy and medical expenses including in home care after surgery.
BACKSTORY
At 8 years old Khadji had a very bad seizure and was diagnosed with a left frontal hemangioma (a golf ball size tumor of blood) that was discovered on his left frontal lobe. He had surgery to remove the tumor at Rady Children’s San Diego in 2004. For 7 years khadji was fine with no major side effects from that surgery, no meds and no seizures.
At 14 Khadji had a horrible seizure and was injured. We rushed him to the hospital and were told he had developed scar tissue from the initial surgery that was starting to cause epilepsy. We were told that surgery to stop these new seizures was not likely to help and very risky. At that age Khadji loved basketball and was very athletic, so as a family we decided not to go further.
Over the years his seizures have gotten worse. Khadji can have up to 10 or so seizures a day that can vary from simple to complex to grand mal. He has periods of not being able to speak for hours, issues with falling and injuring himself, and the overall trauma on the brain after each seizure is irreversible.
Khadji’s overall quality of life has been affected. For 8 years khadji has battled through it all, trying to live a normal life, but we’re at a place now where we don’t have a choice but to fight to save his life. Mayo Clinic neurologist have explained to us that if he continues on in this manner his chances of passing from a seizure are very likely.
After doing very extensive testing, Mayo has given us hope. We have new information, and what we thought was scar tissue is actually blood stain and iron sediment that has collected over the years as his brain absorbed the old blood from his initial surgery. Mayo feels Khadji is a candidate for surgery to help relieve but hopefully cure his condition.
Khadji has elected to go through a resection surgery to remove the area of the brain that is causing the seizures. He knows all the risks but wants one last shot at a normal life. The risks for surgery are loss of speech and strength on his right side. This will require 3-6 months of inpatient / outpatient therapy and more. As a family we support khadji 100 percent and know that it’s in Gods hands. Please support him on this journey. Surgery is set for March 20, 2020 No donation is too great or too small to help.
Thank you all in advance for your love and support!
With much abundance and gratitude,
Dr. Orilewa Sinmidele Arnold Balewa and Sister Oyinile Osunola Balewa
Asking for donations to help Khadji recover and heal from upcoming brain resection surgery, scheduled March 20,2020. This will be the last of 3 surgeries performed at Mayo Clinic hospital in Scottsdale Az. All proceeds will go towards Khadji’s 3-6 months of inpatient /outpatient rehabilitation, speech therapy and medical expenses including in home care after surgery.
BACKSTORY
At 8 years old Khadji had a very bad seizure and was diagnosed with a left frontal hemangioma (a golf ball size tumor of blood) that was discovered on his left frontal lobe. He had surgery to remove the tumor at Rady Children’s San Diego in 2004. For 7 years khadji was fine with no major side effects from that surgery, no meds and no seizures.
At 14 Khadji had a horrible seizure and was injured. We rushed him to the hospital and were told he had developed scar tissue from the initial surgery that was starting to cause epilepsy. We were told that surgery to stop these new seizures was not likely to help and very risky. At that age Khadji loved basketball and was very athletic, so as a family we decided not to go further.
Over the years his seizures have gotten worse. Khadji can have up to 10 or so seizures a day that can vary from simple to complex to grand mal. He has periods of not being able to speak for hours, issues with falling and injuring himself, and the overall trauma on the brain after each seizure is irreversible.
Khadji’s overall quality of life has been affected. For 8 years khadji has battled through it all, trying to live a normal life, but we’re at a place now where we don’t have a choice but to fight to save his life. Mayo Clinic neurologist have explained to us that if he continues on in this manner his chances of passing from a seizure are very likely.
After doing very extensive testing, Mayo has given us hope. We have new information, and what we thought was scar tissue is actually blood stain and iron sediment that has collected over the years as his brain absorbed the old blood from his initial surgery. Mayo feels Khadji is a candidate for surgery to help relieve but hopefully cure his condition.
Khadji has elected to go through a resection surgery to remove the area of the brain that is causing the seizures. He knows all the risks but wants one last shot at a normal life. The risks for surgery are loss of speech and strength on his right side. This will require 3-6 months of inpatient / outpatient therapy and more. As a family we support khadji 100 percent and know that it’s in Gods hands. Please support him on this journey. Surgery is set for March 20, 2020 No donation is too great or too small to help.
Thank you all in advance for your love and support!
With much abundance and gratitude,
Dr. Orilewa Sinmidele Arnold Balewa and Sister Oyinile Osunola Balewa
Organizer and beneficiary
Dr. Orilewa Sinmidele Arnold
Organizer
Oakland, CA
Oyinile Balewa
Beneficiary