My story

If I should describe myself in only a few words, taking into consideration what my friends say about me, I’d say: full of life, sensitive, big heart, funny, ambitious… well, I’m not that perfect because if I was, I would’ve been Up there, among the Angels… so I’m also stubborn, too stubborn according to some of them…

 

I am 30 years old and I was born in Curtea de Arges, charming little town in North of Bucharest. My mother is the most wonderful in the world because she raised by her own two children and because she managed to bring us where we are now, having the most important thing in the world, our own families. I’m the youngest of two sisters and I just got married a one year ago.

 

I graduated the University of Psychology in Bucharest because I wanted to help others and I did that as psychologist in the Child Protection Direction and then in a Non-Governmental Organization for kids that have been diagnosed with autism in Baia Mare. I moved to this small town up in the North of Romania as I wanted to be close to the man that I loved, the man that was to become my husband, the man that always offers me his support and understands me better than anybody else.

 

Afterwards I moved back to Bucharest because at 25 years old it’s quite difficult to build a support group for the parents of autistic children… I thought that was the most difficult year of my life… until now…

 

Then I worked for the Romanian Red Cross, within its HQ in Bucharest, on some projects for developing the poor areas. For almost 3 years I work at the Commercial Branch Dacia Renault Nissan in Romania, as Training Officer, my mission being to help my colleagues to develop professionally. My next professional project would’ve been to obtain the accreditation of psychotherapist. Unfortunately I had to stop that because of this terrible illness that troubles me for more then a month now.

 

The first symptom that I had was the dizziness and I thought that would bring me joy. So immediately did a pregnancy test… but it didn’t give me any good news…

 

During the 2^nd half of September 2009 I was diagnosed with cerebral cavernoma in a medusa form. It’s quite a big tumor (of 2,6 cm) of a blood vein placed between the big brain, the small brain and the pituitary gland. The things get even more complicated in my case as the blood vein grows permanently and presses on the pituitary gland and on the nervous centers. This doesn’t permit my brain to function normally.

 

By the end of October I celebrated one year of my marriage with Dan, my husband, with whom I’ve been for 10 years now. Unfortunately we had to celebrate it in the hospital. The next step that I wanted so badly in my marriage and would’ve fulfilled us was to have a baby.

 

My situation gets worth every day, I’m practically stranded in bed as I have a lot of dizziness and awful nauseas, that keep me away from any kind of food, I barely move my right hand and my right foot.

 

After exchanges of opinions between the neurosurgery specialists of the Emergency Floreasca Hospital and those of Bagdasar Hospital in Bucharest, they’ve come to the conclusion that I cannot be operated in Romania. As a matter of fact, I cannot be operated in many other countries. The only doctors that could do that are:

 

-          Prof. Dr. Helmut Bertalamffy, Director of the University Hospital from Zurich

 

-          Prof. Dr. Samii and Prof. Dr. Fahlbusch from the International Institute of Neurosurgery of Hanover.

 

After almost one month of staying in the hospital, I was discharged in a doubtful situation, but with recommendations of much rest, sleep, no emotions what so ever, and recovery exercises. But by the end of October my situation worsened all of a sudden and the surgery became an emergency for me.

 

Only the cost of the surgery intervention is 52.000 €, and my family doesn’t have this amount. We don’t have any house to mortgage as we live in a rented apartment. This days my husband will try to obtain a credit form the banks, but we don’t hope for more than 20.000 € as this is the maximum limit imposed by the National Bank of Romania. Unfortunately the surgery cannot be nor scheduled or done until the money have been paid… They told me they’ll “throw me” away if I arrive without the money…

 

 

Both the company I work for and the one my husband works for stick close to us and give us their support. All our colleagues and friends have also mobilized to help us, each of them according to their possibilities, in order to raise the 52.000 €.

I am used to help others. I am not used to ask for help and especially for financial help. But I am in a desperate situation.

I know that we’re all living now difficult times, but especially in a moment like this we cherish more than ever LIFE and that made you discover your hearts and show that you are HUMANS.

You helped me to raise the necessary amount for surgery. Thank you from all my heart to those who made possible to pay and schedule the surgery. Thank you for staying beside me with your good thoughts! Thank you for your effort of saving me!

I’m only a 30 years old girl who LOVES LIFE. Welcome into my life! I hope to meet you soon!

Yours sincerely,

Steluta