A 6-year-old girl from California had half of her brain disconnected in a ‘life-changing’ procedure after she was diagnosed with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis.
Brianna Bodley underwent a 10-hour surgery to treat the inflammatory disease after she experienced paralysis, seizures, and learning disabilities.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Aaron Robison explained that the disease previously caused brain shrinkage.
“Brianna will still be the same person, even after disconnecting half her brain,” Dr. Robison said.
The young girl’s mother, Crystal Bodley, said that her daughter had the left side of her body ‘turned off’ after the procedure.
Her doctors and loved ones believe Brianna will be able to get most of her normal life back through physical therapy.
“Our baby girl is starting to walk with support,” Crystal said. “She is still sleep majority of the day but, not wasting any time she is awake.
“Who needs Inpatient rehab when she has mommy.”
She added: “Happy her brain has already starting to make the connection that she has a left side of her body to be controlled with the left brain.”
Speaking of the surgery, Dr. Robison said: “Just disconnecting it is enough to stop the disease completely and essentially, potentially cure it.”
Her family said they are excited to see Brianna get to experience her childhood again after experiencing health problems for a year.
Grandmother Chris Breheim said: “I just want to see her little Brianna running around doing her artwork and having the fun she always had.”
Crystal as setup a GoFundMe page for her daughter, which has raised $5,070 of its $20,000 goal.
She wrote on the fundraising page: “Brianna will be doing intense inpatient rehab till she can walk and move her arm again. At the moment her entire left side is turned off due to disconnecting half of her brain.
“2 things Brianna will never get back is her fine motor skills in her left hand and her peripheral view in her left eye.”
She concluded her post: “She has a very long road of recovery but, she is a strong and determined little girl. I know she will do great things and overcome all of this.”
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