Second ‘miracle’ needed by local woman

By Patti Jares, Staff Writer

Cheryl Bailey

Cheryl Bailey is praying for another miracle.

Twelve years after the historic “Hypothermic Cardiac Standstill” surgery in 1995 that repaired an aneurysm in her brain, she is again in desperate need of surgery. When doctors compared a 2005 MRI with a recent test, they found the aneurysm had grown, causing cerebral fluid to press against her brain stem.

An aneurysm is a weakening, or “bubble” in an artery wall. Cheryl’s aneurysm is located in her basilar artery, a very delicate area at the base of the brain where many nerves that effect motor skills are present.

The pressure caused by the aneurysm has caused recent “mini-strokes” and slight neurological damage. Cheryl’s life depends on a procedure so new that it is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and not performed in the United States.

There are several countries that are using the procedure, and doctors at Barrows Neurological Institute are urging her to have the surgery done in Argentina. There the surgery is approved and successfully performed by a surgeon so expert in the procedure that he has trained Barrows surgeons; but unfortunately, her insurance probably will not pay for medical care outside of the United States.

“If the insurance doesn’t pay for this, I still have to get it done, and the doctors are saying the sooner the better,” said Cheryl. “I’m trying to trust God, but it’s very difficult - the situation is overwhelming.”

Cheryl received national attention in 2005 when she underwent a cardiac standstill. The rare procedure had been performed 42 times previously at Barrows, but never on a pregnant woman, and Cheryl was 10 weeks pregnant.

During the procedure, doctors had to remove her blood, cool it and pump it back in. They had to lower her body temperature to the point that her heart would stop beating for 25 minutes while they repaired the damaged artery.

With no precedence, doctors told Cheryl and her former husband that the fetus growing inside her would probably not survive, and even offered her an abortion.

The couple declined, and doctors were stunned when the baby’s heart continued to beat throughout the surgery.

Adam is 13 years old and is a healthy, normal boy, youngest brother to Cheryl’s older children, Michal and Nathan.

“Adam’s scared and nervous for me,” said Cheryl, “but he has such a faith in God. He tells me ‘God will take care of you, Mom - he didn’t bring you all this way not to do it again.’ All my kids have faith that God will take care of me. Michal would like to come with me to Argentina if I can go, but I don’t know - there are so many unknowns right now.”

Because of the pressure against her brain stem, Cheryl is experiencing neurological problems, including uncontrollable emotions. Because of this, she stepped down from her job in marketing for Remuda Ranch three months ago, and transferred to the Remuda Ranch Cornerstone Bookstore.

“I’m making half of what I made before,” said Cheryl. “I took a huge pay cut, but I was falling apart; I just couldn’t take the stress.”

To worsen the situation, the Cornerstone Bookstore is closing in December, and Cheryl will not have a job.

Cheryl and her husband Dominic, a merchant marine, are feeling helpless. A surgery in a foreign country will cost more money than they have.

“Right now [doctors] are trying to determine how fast it’s growing,” said Cheryl. “If I don’t have the surgery, the aneurysm will continue to grow, and who’s to say when it will rupture. It will rupture at some point.”

To help Cheryl pay for this life-saving surgery, an account has been opened at Chase Bank, under the Cheryl Bailey Fund.

For more information, call Cheryl’s mother Sarah Bergman at 684-7313 or 928-231-0319.

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