Stacy Kay: September 2008

Thursday, September 25, 2008

New stuff

Stacy now has an aide coming to the house every weekday for 2 hours to help her do stuff around the house. She has made an amazing transformation and even cleans and does laundry now without me directing her. She and the aides have really done a great job cleaning. I am so pleased with what is happening. We could never get this kind of help before because we couldn't qualify for Medicaid. Now Indiana has a program for those that have TBI's but don't qualify. I'm not much for social programs but obviously, this one works.

Only 2 seizures yet this year, and over a full year so things are good.

Stacy Ritenour's History

Stacy was admitted to our local hospital 12/2003 with headaches. While during a CT scan, she became unresponsive. The CT showed a brain tumor. That evening the neurosurgeon drilled a hole in her head to reduce extreme fluid pressure (hydrocephalus, once called water on the brain). Then she woke up and was doing very well. The neurosurgeon said that a cyst was blocking her 3rd ventricle which drains Cerebrospinal fluid from the brain into the spine.

The next day the neurosurgeon removed the cyst and we thought that she would be home in a week. Unfortunately that less than 1% chance of complications got us and she got bacterial spinal meningitis from the surgery. This can cause anything from no problems to death. Stacy ended up with a limited short-term memory, seizures, tremors, and because of her seizure medication, extreme tiredness.

She spent 7 months in a Rehab facility in southern Illinois, but when returning home, would just stay in bed unless told otherwise. My income does not allow us to hire anyone to help her but is too high to receive government help.

With full-blown seizures continuing for the last 4 years, I decided to look for something better for her and found Dr. Ebersole at the University of Chicago. He is highly trained in epilepsy and has worked at the National Institute of Health and the Yale Epilepsy clinic before starting the Epilepsy clinic at the University of Chicago. Her neurosurgeon also has worked for the NIH and has specialties in surgery for epilepsy and Parkinsons disease.

Stacy and I have 4 children from 9-17 and Anthony, our 17 year old had brain cancer at 8 years old. His tumor (one of the worst cancers) was removed at the local hospital and then we followed up with Chemo and radiation at the University of Michigan. After almost dying from pneumonia, they stopped the chemo and decided to see what happens from then. He is now 8.5 years in remission and will be considered cured in 1 more year. He is currently in good health although because of the radiation and chemo, has stopped growing at 5 foot tall. However we are just glad he is alive as survival rates from his cancer is only 30% at best.

Stacy Kay

Thursday, September 25, 2008

New stuff

My Mom - Click picture for an amazing blog

Jeff Bowman - Ryan's previous brother-in-law

Stacy Ritenour's History

Blog Archive