We've had some people ask why Mandy didn't just get the decompression brain surgery as originally prescribed back in 2019.. initially her surgery was cancelled due to Covid.. then as she did more research she wasnt so sure she wanted to risk the potential side affects of such an invasive procedure.. with her being an adult and having a pretty severe case of it there were no guarantees that the surgery would even be successful. Many Chiari patients with such a severe herniation go on to have additional decompression surgeries. Her neurosurgeon gave her the option of trying to live with the symptoms or seeking to reschedule the procedure. She chose to try and live with it and trust the Lord for guidance, healing or just the strength to live with the condition.
Fast forward to 2022 and further testing we found out it's been a spinal issue all along, pulling her brain stem down into her spinal column causing the Chiari Malformation. .. Her filum cord was too tight & thick- essentially the size of a 3 year olds, presenting similarly to a tethered cord, pulling down on her spine and brain, not allowing for natural growth and progression. Her spine barely has any curvature because of the restriction and of course it's caused many other symptoms and issues throughout the years. By severing the filum cord with this surgery it has released the pressure and may allow her brain stem to recede (to what extent we do not know yet..) as well as allow her to go on to develop and physically improve. She will need physical & occupational therapy to build up her previously constricted muscles that have have been under used.. it may take a while to regain her strength but honestly she has a very good chance of living with minimal symptoms from the filum disease.. At this time the Institut Chiari & Siringomielia & Escoliosis de Barcelona is the only specilaized neurosurgical center who offers this fairly non invasive procedure. The brain surgery may have relieved some pressure temporarily but this procedure has corrected the cause of why she had the brain condition to begin with. We are so grateful for a fellow Chiari survivor who introduced Mandy to the medical research about the filum surgery & for introducing her to the surgeons in Barcelona who were able to review her numerous MRIs and determine that she would be a perfect candidate for the procedure. More information can be found Here
Thank you so much for your prayers & support!
Love you all ♡
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