Shawna Ivey Stroke Recovery

Hey - first, thank you for taking a moment to click this far. My name is Corey, and I’d like to introduce you to my partner-in-crime from before I could even walk or talk - my cousin, Shawna. This perhaps is a bit lengthy as there are many parts to this evolving story, but I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me.

On the evening of December 3, Shawna was rushed to the hospital with a severely debilitating headache and sudden loss of motor control. It was quickly determined that she was having a stroke, and by the morning, the swelling in her brain had rapidly worsened. She’d lost the ability to communicate, and her pupil reactivity was poor. In an attempt to save her life, a craniectomy was performed, removing a large portion of her skull to relieve the pressure on her brain. Thankfully, the quick actions of her medial team had a positive outcome, and Shawna woke up two days later and was responsive to simple commands. As we found out the next day, her memory and ability to speak were fortunately intact, but she was left with limited motor control and numbness on her left side (and if you know Shawna, she’s a lefty!) and partial blindness, most notably affecting her peripheral vision and balance.

She spent the next two and a half weeks in the ICU as the swelling in her brain continued to slowly decrease.

As side note - I was with her the day they asked her what she wanted to do with the rest of her hair (because they’d shaved the side where they cut open her head but left the other side long/untouched), and without hesitating, she said, “just shave the rest.” She wasn’t afraid to debut (what she affectionately calls) her Bride of Frankenstein look, in true Shawna fashion.

Three days before Christmas, she was finally discharged and allowed to go home under the care of her parents. Because of the nature of her condition - having a large portion of her brain unprotected by bone - she has to be supervised at all times and requires assistance when walking or even doing basic tasks.

However, on December 28, Shawna was readmitted to the hospital due to fluid leaking from her sutures where the craniectomy was performed. While the initial concern was excessive swelling, a CT revealed a possible mass in her brain in the same area where the stroke occurred that will require further investigation. With her condition stabilized for the moment, she was discharged again on December 30.

While she’s made incredible progress, she has a long road of recovery ahead. Shawna requires extensive physical therapy just to regain her independence (which she started on January 3!) but must also undergo another surgery in another month or so to replace the portion of her skull that was removed once the swelling in her brain has completely diminished (they’ll 3D print a piece custom made for her!). Coupled with this, she also has a decade-old pacemaker that is not compatible with most MRI machines, which has added another layer of complication. It was highly advised by her medical team to replace her pacemaker with an updated version so that she may undergo something as simple as an MRI to investigate the area in her brain where the mass is suspected.

Ok, great, let’s do it! Let’s get a new pacemaker, do the MRI, then get a new bone flap put in to cover the exposed brain tissue, and go through the necessary physical therapy to make a full recovery. Except, like so many, Shawna doesn’t have health insurance, and will be unable to return to her job as a massage therapist for quite some time. She literally cannot afford the care she needs and is now in a situation where she is completely dependent on her parents for most day-to-day tasks. All it takes is one catastrophe to upend a life, and well, here we are.

Through all of this though, Shawna has taken it in stride. In a situation where it’s easy to be scared and hide, Shawna has faced every challenge with a smile and a laugh. (Including being a good sport when she received bibs for her birthday a few days ago because, well, she’s a little messier when she eats now.) Every time I see her, she’s glowing, eager to share the progress she’s making and determined to get her life back.

Shawna has a wonderful support system of family and close friends who are dedicated to helping her through this process and recovery any way they can. Several people have reached out and asked how they can help - a prayer, offering words of support, or even stopping by for a visit are huge for Shawna.

But also, this situation is an unimaginable catastrophe, especially for someone so young. Shawna’s medical bills to date have reached an astronomical level. One hundred percent of the donations received will go toward Shawna’s medical debts. If you’re able, any amount is appreciated, and if you’re unable to donate, a prayer or word of encouragement is just as appreciated.

If you’ve stuck this out to the end, thank you - thank you for even taking the time to donate or to keep her in your prayers. Most of all, thank you for allowing me to share her story.

(and here’s us as kids for tax - i was finally the taller one!)