Support Needed During Loss of Ability to Work

One day, 6 weeks ago, I got an overwhelming headache and had to lay down. I have hardly been able to get up since. The pain in my head is absolutely unbearable when I sit or stand, but bearable when I lay down. I have found that thankfully, prednisone helps me to be able to get up to do minimal care for myself for a handful of hours. I had to close my therapy business, and although my husband has a good job, we are certainly a two-income family.

I've been to the hospital 3 times. I finally got in to see a neurologist who sent me to a neurosurgeon, who wouldn't see me, and sent me to a pain management doctor, who wouldn't treat me. I'm having to travel out of state to meet with a doctor who can see me before November. I've been told I need to go to Mayo or Duke, but their waiting list is 6 to 8 months long.

The doctors think I have a very rare spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak. But more testing needs to be done to solidify that diagnosis, as well as to determine cause, location, and treatment. Nothing happens fast in the medical world. We don't know when we will have a solid diagnosis or treatment plan. In the meantime, I cannot work as I have to stay on my back the majority of the day.

We are reaching out to get some financial assistance to make up for my not being able to work, and to help with medical costs. Some of you may know I was unexpectedly out of work for months last year after complications from a knee surgery. I was just getting over that and back on my feet when this started. Once I am well (God willing), it will take some time to get my body strength back before I can get back to work. Thank you so much for considering to help us.

**9/21 update: Saw neurologist in Atlanta yesterday. We liked him well enough. We will send the results of the tests (lumbar puncture and CT myelogram) on the 25th to him and a neurosurgeon in Atlanta - and he is going to already work to get me scheduled to get a blood patch done in Atlanta. My pituitary readings are all off but they say that is because of being on prednisone for over a month now (it's the only thing that helps my pain). Definitely thinks it is a spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak. Please pray that the myelogram shows where the leak is coming from and that the blood patch fixes it.