Audrey was an active 3.5 year old with an incredible spirt when her symptoms began. She had started daycare and was sick often,  which was normal. However, what wasn't normal was the sudden severe neck pain that would stop her in her tracks. It only lasted 10 to 15 seconds but was excruciating. It always became worse when she was congested so her mother, Becky, thought it had to be her sinuses. After a month with this mysterious, sudden symptom her primary care doctor ordered an x-ray which came back normal. The thought was that it was a muscular injury from coughing so much and the family tried PT to no avail. Unfortunately, it was not that simple. Fast forward 1.5 years and Audrey was still experiencing this vague symptom at varying intervals screaming "my neck, my neck"! She had also begun vomiting with increased frequency which her parents thought was the return of her severe reflux. Finally, at another sick visit with her primary care physician, it was decided that an MRI was necessary. Audrey was referred to a neurosurgeon who considered that she may have a Chiari Malformation. On 4/25/24 the family's world was rocked to the core. The MRI revealed something much worse: a brain tumor in Audrey's brain stem. It was in a dangerous area in her medulla and partially down into her spinal column. The family was given grim news  in SC, and her mother had to fight insurance to get her to a world renowned  pediatric neurosurgeon in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite the complexity and location of her tumor, Dr. Paul Klimo and Dr. Randi Barnett (along with their incredible team) were able to achieve a full resection. It truly was a miracle. Biopsy confirmed a Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma with BRAF KIAA 1549 Fusion. She was accepted into St. Jude and is now getting all of her follow-up care there. Her recovery has been nothing short of miraculous.

Becky shares updates on Audrey's fb and Instagram pages if you would like to follow her journey. https://www.facebook.com/audreysarmy2024?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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