Tim's AVF Surgeries

This is Kate Gada, Tim's cousin, and I would like to share the story of what he and his little family are going through right now and why they could use a little extra support.

On Aug 2nd after years of headaches and blurry vision, Tim went for an eye exam and they found he had pressure pushing on his eyes in addition to nystagmus (shaking of the eyes.) He was urgently referred to the neuro-ophthalmologist at UConn who got him in on Aug 14. After a thorough exam, the doctor suspected that there might be a mass in his brain causing the nystagmus and headaches in addition to the pressure that Tim was experiencing on his eyes. On Aug 20th Tim went in for an MRI, and after driving over an hour home we were called with the findings and told we needed to come back to Farmington to be admitted into the emergency department to be seen by the neurosurgeon and his team. There was, in fact, a mass in his brain. It is an arteriovenous malformation meaning that there is an abnormal connection of veins and arteries all bunched together causing this mass. After 17 hours in the hospital and undergoing more tests, scans and blood work he was sent home under strict instructions to do nothing strenuous with an appointment to have a diagnostic angiogram schedule for Aug 30th. On the 30th Tim underwent his angiogram where the surgeon told us that his situation is very complex and was told he can no longer drive and he cannot lift anything over 10lbs. On Sept 19 at his follow up we were told that not only did he have a malformation of his blood vessels and arteries but the blood vessels have already began to bulge developing a fistula. We were given two options: to leave it alone and monitor it but eventually it would rupture and ultimately be life threatening or option 2 would be multiple stages. Stage 1 would be going in through his femoral artery again up to his brain and to try to stop blood flow to the fistula that way. We were told he may also eventually need to have another surgery where they open the skull and treat it that way. The surgery does come with risks like swelling in other areas of the brain, loss of some neurological function, stroke or even death. After talking it over with the nuerosurgeon, Tim has decided to go ahead with the surgery which is scheduled for Oct 18. During all of this Tim has missed weeks of work and being that he is self employed he does not have any medical leave or paid time off to cover it. His wife Danielle has been working full time in addition to driving him to and from Farmington over an hour away, multiple times a week while also caring for both Tim and their 4 year old son Oakley. Thankfully Danielle has good health insurance through her employer but it does not cover everything and the medical bills are already starting to pile up. Tim is a carpenter by trade and limited due to his diagnosis as to what he can do for work during this time. He also has been relying on family for rides to and from work on the days he doesn't have doctor's appointments.

Any support you can provide to Tim, Danielle and Oakley is so incredibly appreciated!