Team Danica: One little heartbeat at a time

Sunday, May 13, 2012

One little heartbeat at a time

Today I am reminded every second I pour into these girls matters. My heart is full, but I am too weary to write so I thought I would share this little video I made when Laney was little and Danica was just a baby. LOVE.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

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About Danica and Monica's Chiari and related conditions

Our little Danica has a Chiari malformation in her brain. What this means in simple terms is she has a gap where most people's skulls are closed so some of her brain is sticking out into her spinal column. She had brain surgery in November, 2009, which brought her some relief, but her brain became herniated again, and we were told she needed another more involved brain decompression. In addition to her Chiari, Danica was diagnosed with atlas assimilation, a congenital formation of her skull fused to her neck vertebrae. She needed spinal fusion to help make her stable. Both surgeries were at Cincinnati Children's Hospital on October 5th, 2010. She braved 5 months in a Minerva brace and wheelchair and another 8 months in an Aspen collar. On October 25th, 2011 her scan showed complete fusion. Danica's brain and spinal cord MRI on February 22nd, 2012 showed a true miracle. Except for her obvious fusion hardware and cerebellar sling her scan looked completely normal. Praise! We continue to deal with a recurring infection and travel for her follow up scans to check on her bones as she grows. She is doing well with very little pain or symptoms.

For over a decade I have suffered from wide spread pain and other neurological symptoms. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2001. Through Danica's journey I finally put the pieces together. Over the last five months of 2011 my health declined to include constant suboccipital pain and disability. I saw Dr. Fraser Henderson in Maryland on October 19th and scans showed what we really already knew. I too had craniocervical instability, atlantoaxial instability, Chiari malformation, cervicomedullary syndrome and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I have had nine surgeries since August 2010. I suffer from daily pain and a progressive "invisible" illness.

This blog is our story. We live in hope.

Team Danica

Sunday, May 13, 2012

One little heartbeat at a time

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Dan, Monica, Laney and Danica

About Danica and Monica's Chiari and related conditions

Information on Chiari and related disorders

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