Spinal Leak Patient Finds Care, Thanks to Volunteer Pilots

February 1, 2024

Spinal leak patient after receiving care at Duke University

Spinal Leak Struggles

Kathleen suffered from chronic headaches and dizziness. She also dealt with pain and pressure in her ears, along with tinnitus. Doctors couldn't figure out what was causing these problems. After three years of these problems - which got so bad that she couldn't get out of bed - Kathleen visited a doctor who had an answer. The doctor diagnosed her with a spinal leak, also known as a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak.

Spinal leaks occur when the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord end up in other parts of the body. In most cases, they are caused by injury or a medical procedure. Kathleen, on the other hand, was dealing with a spontaneous leak. Spontaneous leaks are very rare, affecting 5 out of 100,000 individuals.

Waiting for Care

Kathleen wasn't one to give up. She made it her mission to find somewhere - anywhere - that could help her with the spinal leak. There were only two dedicated spinal leak centers on the East Coast. The closest one was at Duke University in North Carolina. She applied, only to find out there was a long waiting list.

"It took six months to get this appointment," said Kathleen. Over those six months, her quality of life continued to deteriorate.

Help Needed...

Finally, the long wait was over. Kathleen was ready to find answers and healing. There was just one problem - a problem she hadn't realized until it was almost time for her appointment.

"Traveling by car or commercial airline would be difficult," said Kathleen. "I'm on a fixed income and can't afford a round-trip ticket, let alone gas."

Kathleen needed help and she needed it soon. If she couldn't get to her appointment on time, her suffering would continue even longer. How would she access the care she needed?

...And Received

That was when Kathleen found out about Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic, the volunteer pilot program of Mercy Medical Angels. She applied for assistance and heard back almost immediately. Her application was approved, and she was ready to fly.

When she got to the airport, she only had to walk a few steps to the private plane. This accommodation made all the difference with her limited mobility.

"The scenery from above during the two-hour flight was so amazing," said Kathleen. "I almost forgot about my disability."

"Kind and Amazing"

Kathleen's battle isn't over yet. She needs to return to Duke University for further testing and treatment. But now she doesn't have to struggle alone. Mercy Medical Angels' volunteer pilots will help her to fight through flight. Her quality of life has already improved, and she is on the journey to healing.

"If it weren't for Mercy Medical Angels and the volunteer pilots," said Kathleen, "I wouldn't have been able to receive the care I needed."

"You are all kind and amazing. Thank you for all you do!"

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