Support Amanda's Critical Brain Surgery and Medical Journey

For many years I was blessed to spend countless hours helping organize/hosting events and fundraisers for families, schools, and homeless, helping raise donations, build homes,beautify schools, & much more. It was a calling, something I was suppose to do and loved. That's why I never would have imagined I would be the one needing help.

Hi my name is Amanda Martinez and I'm reaching out to you today for help as me and my family prepare for my upcoming Brain Surgery (medical bills, medications, travel expenses, time off work for spouse, etc) and other surgeries/procedures to follow. I'm a 46 yrs. old married (Ronee) mother of 5 kids, 3 of which still live at home (Austin 16, Hunter 14, Addyson 7). From October 2010 until May 2021 I was a very, very active Children's and Family Pastor in North Phoenix. From May 2021 to March of 2023 I was a cosmetologist, and had the honor of working for a wonderful franchise of GreatClips in Surprise AZ. March 21, 2023 is when my life changed forever! But, I’m sure if you're still reading this it's because you want to know more so lets rewind just a little...... I've had a basically normal life, aside from being in and out of doctors' offices since a young age. I was always referred to as the "hypochondriac" of the family. But for me, I just knew I didn't feel "right”. Aside from that, my conditions hadn't yet been identified and weren't affecting me to the debilitating degree that they have grown to become.

My entire adult life I have gone from doctor to doctor due to unexplain pains and illnesses. I always felt as tho I was brushed off. I would tell the doctors my symptoms and they would just send me to another doctor to run more tests. Eventually I would give up and do the best to just "deal" with my issues. At this point I still was living, enjoying being outdoors, hanging with friends, being active, and working hard. With the support (and a real good nudge) of my wonderful spouse, Ronee, I went back to school and got my cosmetology license. I was working at GreatClips and working towards be assistant manager. I was making moves for our families future. I would have never imagined that soon everything I had in life, my happiness, my health and even my will to live would be ripped quickly from me, almost overnight. Leaving me feeling like I no longer had purpose. On march 21, 2023 I was on my way to work (GreatClips), and started to feel off. By the time I made the 20 minute drive, I really did not feel right. My boss/good friend convinced me to go to the ER. I ended up getting admitted to the hospital with what was mistaken as a stroke. A week later (4 days spents in ICU), we had no answers as to why my body simulated a stroke so I was discharged with orders to follow up with my neurologist. My body was deteriorating quickly, and the pain throughout was keeping me from living, I was just surviving. My whole life I've been seen for migraine headaches and headaches in the back of my head they come on when I cough, drive over bumps in the road to fast, bend over or clear my throat to hard. I've had pain generating down into my neck as well however the last 2 years they have gotten much worse, becoming constant and unbearable. I woke up one morning with the most blistering head pain I have ever experienced which lasted an entire week. The pain was so intense at one point I passed out and fell down our two flights of stairs. Thankfully, after a trip to the ER, I only damaged the soft tissues on the back of my neck. That headache eventually went away but returned one month later, and never left, which stays with me 24 hrs a day, along with constant neck pain. Shortly after that it seemed like everything else started to fall apart, my hips, knees, and all my other joints began hurting.

I knew something wasn't right. Little did I know, I would soon go for an MRI which would start a downward sprial with my health. I would soon be diagnosed with a progressive brain condition called "Chiari Malformation" which is where the cerebellum (bottom part of the brain) descends into the spinal canal blocking Cerebral Spinal Fluid from flowing freely to the spine and putting pressure on my brainstem, brain, and spinal cord causing an array of other medical issues. I searched high and low for doctors who knew about my condition. I found many who didn't, and very very few who did.

From that single MRI, many other MRI's of my brain, cervial, thoracic and lumbar spine were done along with many labs, X-rays, CT scsns, EMG's, Ultrasounds, Fluoroscopic Swallow test, trips to GI, Cardiac, Neuro-ophthalmology, and Neurology. We now know I have Rheumatoid arthritis in my shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips(bilateral), SI joint(bilateral) knees and ankles. I have Osteoarthritis in my neck and lumbar. My neck was so bad, my body had fused itself so April 10, 2024 I went in ACDF C5, C6 and C7 surgery. I have degenerative disk disease all throughout my cervical and lumbar spine. I have pretty servere Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both wrist which I did have Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery on June 12, 2024 to try to relieve some of the pain and pressure I was still feeling in my right wrist. I have Ankylosing Spondylitis as well which makes it very hard to do simple task each morning, like getting myself out if bed. Most days of the week I am unable to move so Ronee has to take a break from work just to come get me out of bed. It takes hours after being up for me to be able to move independently and even then it can still be a struggle.

Everyday my pain grew greater and my ability to be independent became less and less. I felt like I was fighting a loosing battle and, I'll be honest, at this point I was 99.9% done. I was just a shell of a person. This once young, vibrant woman had no will to go on anymore. I lost all hope for any sort of life I could possibly have. I lost so many friends because they don't understand and I don't blame them. I found myself feeling like nothing but a burden to my family and that killed me. I WAS LOST! Thankfully my Neurologist and Ronee kept pushing me forward and we found a Neurosurgeon who specializes in Chiari. My first appointment was not what we thought it would be. Upon reviewing my last CINE MRI, the results were much worse than we were originally told. I have almost total blockage of CSF in the back side of my brain on the right that NEEDS to be taken care of to relieve some of the pressure. Unfortunately Chiari is not curable, however there is a surgery that can help lessen symptoms and tries to stops some of irreversible changes on the brain and spinal cord. Without this surgery the pressure will just keep building in my brain increasing my risk of brain damage or even death. August 8, 2024 @ 7am I will be undergoing Brain Surgery (suboccipital craniotomy with a C1 laminectomy with a para-carnival duraplasty surgery). I am more than hopefull that this surgery will not only reduce my pressure but relieve some of my most debilitating symptoms/pain and start me on the road to get back to me.

It's like a wise person once said (Ronee), my body is like a big puzzle right now that we are slowly piecing back together. This last 2 years has taken me down a dark path with my health but with the love and support of my spouse and kids, and my awesome Neurologist who refused to give up until she found answers and the best doctors to treat me......we are finally finding the pieces and seeing what we need to do to put them back in place. Unfortunately, my hips and SI joint are going to need to be addressed sooner than later as well but for now we are working on one piece at a time.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for considering supporting me on my path to healing. Your donation, no matter how big or small, will make a tangible difference to me and my family now and in the upcoming months.