Surgery Will Remove Half Of Alex's Brain
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Alexandria K. Moody is 6-1/2 years old. She is described by her family as a wonderful child with a great personality.
On Dec. 9, the little girl, simply called "Alex" by her family, will undergo a hemispherectomy at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Doctors will remove the left side of her brain.
Alex has seizures with cerebral palsy. She had abnormal growth of brain cells since birth. The problem was only found recently.
A few weeks ago, her lips turned blue and she suffered from heart seizures. She was transported to South Bend. After a brain scan, doctors believed she had an aneurysm. She was flown to Johns Hopkins.
"They don't receive a lot of out-of-state fly-ins," said Trish Evans, Alex's mother.
Dr. Robert M. Shuman, M.D., neurologist with Child Neurology Inc., wrote an open letter recently explaining Moody's story. In the letter, Shuman writes:
"Alexandria K. Moody is a patient of ours who recently has had a worsening of her epilepsy. It was thought that she may have a brian tumor, so she was immediately taken to Johns Hopkins for evaluation. Thankfully, she does not have a brain tumor, but she does have some abnormal brain tissue from which the seizures are arising ... The team of experts at Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital have decided the best treatment plan for Alex is to remove the left side of her brain, called a hemispherectomy. This should stop her seizures."
The seizures can no longer be controlled by medications or other options. Doctors at Johns Hopkins said it will only get worse if it goes untreated. The operation alone will cost $75,000.
"We just don't have that kind of money," Evans said. They are hoping the community will donate some funds to help with expenses.
Trish's husband, Jon, works for the Warsaw Fire Department. Both Jon and Trish have taken time off work to be with Alex. Jon used all his vacation days. Trish wants to go back to work, but trying to find child care for Alex "has been a really bad ordeal," she said.
Jon's insurance through the city of Warsaw will pay between 60 to 80 percent of the hospital bills.
"That doesn't cover time off work. The recovery for this could be anywhere from five days to five months," Trish said. And currently Jon is the family's sole source of income. Money that would have been used to pay bills is being used to drive to Maryland and for food to feed the family.
Trish said, "We don't want to lose our home. We just bought this home. But if worse comes to worse, we would for Alex."
If the surgery goes well, everything the family gives up now will be well worth it, she said.
"They're telling us she's going to be able to run after the surgery," Trish said. "She's going to be able to talk after the surgery." Alex may end up losing the use of her right hand and arm because the left side of the brain controls them, but Trish said Alex doesn't have much use of them now.
Alex has a 9-year-old sister named Kayla and a six-month-old brother named Reed.
Trish said American Airlines may help them by providing transportation to Baltimore for the surgery. And St. Joseph Regional Medical Center is sponsoring the family for Christmas. She said the center didn't want the family, especially the children, to go without a Christmas.
"They didn't have to do that. We're not even from their community," Trish said, almost in tears.
Alex's story has got the attention of ABC. The network is working on a television special about Johns Hopkins. Alex will be one of the patients spotlighted in the special.
At one point, doctors discussed putting Alex's surgery off until the first of the new year. Then they decided to try to fit it in their schedule for Dec. 9.
"I don't know if they found something more serious or what," Evans said.
Contributions for Alex may be made to the Kosciusko County Foundation, 117 W. Center St., Suite B, Warsaw 46580. Donations should be clearly marked as going to The Good Samaritan Fund to benefit Alexandria Moody.
But the family isn't just seeking money from the community.
"We want prayers. Any prayers," Trish added. "We believe that prayers will save her." [[In-content Ad]]
Alexandria K. Moody is 6-1/2 years old. She is described by her family as a wonderful child with a great personality.
On Dec. 9, the little girl, simply called "Alex" by her family, will undergo a hemispherectomy at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Doctors will remove the left side of her brain.
Alex has seizures with cerebral palsy. She had abnormal growth of brain cells since birth. The problem was only found recently.
A few weeks ago, her lips turned blue and she suffered from heart seizures. She was transported to South Bend. After a brain scan, doctors believed she had an aneurysm. She was flown to Johns Hopkins.
"They don't receive a lot of out-of-state fly-ins," said Trish Evans, Alex's mother.
Dr. Robert M. Shuman, M.D., neurologist with Child Neurology Inc., wrote an open letter recently explaining Moody's story. In the letter, Shuman writes:
"Alexandria K. Moody is a patient of ours who recently has had a worsening of her epilepsy. It was thought that she may have a brian tumor, so she was immediately taken to Johns Hopkins for evaluation. Thankfully, she does not have a brain tumor, but she does have some abnormal brain tissue from which the seizures are arising ... The team of experts at Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital have decided the best treatment plan for Alex is to remove the left side of her brain, called a hemispherectomy. This should stop her seizures."
The seizures can no longer be controlled by medications or other options. Doctors at Johns Hopkins said it will only get worse if it goes untreated. The operation alone will cost $75,000.
"We just don't have that kind of money," Evans said. They are hoping the community will donate some funds to help with expenses.
Trish's husband, Jon, works for the Warsaw Fire Department. Both Jon and Trish have taken time off work to be with Alex. Jon used all his vacation days. Trish wants to go back to work, but trying to find child care for Alex "has been a really bad ordeal," she said.
Jon's insurance through the city of Warsaw will pay between 60 to 80 percent of the hospital bills.
"That doesn't cover time off work. The recovery for this could be anywhere from five days to five months," Trish said. And currently Jon is the family's sole source of income. Money that would have been used to pay bills is being used to drive to Maryland and for food to feed the family.
Trish said, "We don't want to lose our home. We just bought this home. But if worse comes to worse, we would for Alex."
If the surgery goes well, everything the family gives up now will be well worth it, she said.
"They're telling us she's going to be able to run after the surgery," Trish said. "She's going to be able to talk after the surgery." Alex may end up losing the use of her right hand and arm because the left side of the brain controls them, but Trish said Alex doesn't have much use of them now.
Alex has a 9-year-old sister named Kayla and a six-month-old brother named Reed.
Trish said American Airlines may help them by providing transportation to Baltimore for the surgery. And St. Joseph Regional Medical Center is sponsoring the family for Christmas. She said the center didn't want the family, especially the children, to go without a Christmas.
"They didn't have to do that. We're not even from their community," Trish said, almost in tears.
Alex's story has got the attention of ABC. The network is working on a television special about Johns Hopkins. Alex will be one of the patients spotlighted in the special.
At one point, doctors discussed putting Alex's surgery off until the first of the new year. Then they decided to try to fit it in their schedule for Dec. 9.
"I don't know if they found something more serious or what," Evans said.
Contributions for Alex may be made to the Kosciusko County Foundation, 117 W. Center St., Suite B, Warsaw 46580. Donations should be clearly marked as going to The Good Samaritan Fund to benefit Alexandria Moody.
But the family isn't just seeking money from the community.
"We want prayers. Any prayers," Trish added. "We believe that prayers will save her." [[In-content Ad]]