In 2021 Maisie slipped and injured her neck. At first Maisie seemed ok but soon after she started to feel very unwell. Her neck and forehead lost sensation, and she started experiencing tinnitus in her ears.

 

Her GP referred her to various consultants but they couldn't understand why her symptoms were so severe as the neck injury at first only seemed minor. 

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Maisie tried her best to manage her new normal and get on with her life, and in 2023 we welcomed our daughter into the world. Having a newborn was tough but Maisie pushed through all her symptoms and focused on our little girl. We loved going to the park, to the farm, and to soft play as a family.​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

At the end of 2024, Maisie lost what little ability she had left. She developed a whole host of new symptoms; her head felt like it was too big for her body, she got vertigo and started struggling with her coordination and speech. She rarely left her bed and slept for most of the day.

 

This sudden worsening of symptoms and lack of help through the NHS forced us to take matters into our own hands. We researched her symptoms and came across a condition called CCI (Craniocervical Instability) and that was when everything started to make sense.

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We quickly learned that there was no treatment available for her on the NHS. We would have to go to a specialist centre overseas either in Spain or the US. 

 

We found a neurosurgeon based in Barcelona who treated CCI so we saved up to go and see him. The surgeon issued upright and rotational MRI scans which confirmed a diagnosis of CCI, AAI and jugular vein compression. This had not been identified on a traditional MRI scan as her neck instability and jugular vein compression was only evident when upright.

 

Maisie's neck was so far gone that conservative treatment like physio, or regenerative therapies such as stem cell or PRP injections would be of no help. Maisie's only option now was fusion surgery to prevent the condition from progressing and to hopefully reclaim some of her health and independence again. 

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Fast forward to the present day and Maisie is not doing so good. She is now in bed almost 24/7 and wears a neck brace to hold her head up. She cannot work, and struggles to take care of our little girl. Without surgery things will only continue to get worse. Maisie's future will be spent suffering in bed, missing out on her family and life. She doesn't want to live like this and doesn't need to. There is treatment. We just need your help.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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