MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE . . . HOSPITAL BED?

St. Patrick, a Roman British teenager, suffered kidnapping, later returning to Ireland as a religious leader.

Celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day all year, every day, by reading the remarkable story of Bonnie Gagnon and helping her fight to overcome obstacles like St. Patrick.

These are challenges that would put most of us underground. 

MAY 31, 2021, COULD YOU STOMACH HER CHALLENGE?

Bonnie enjoyed a wonderful day on her bike, pedaling on a trail in South Dakota. Nothing unusual, having biked for years as a natural release from her work as an analyst. (1)

She raced the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in 2016, 2017, and 2019, a 2745-mile course kicking off in Banff, Canada, to the Mexican border at Antelope Wells, New Mexico, along with other long-distance treks over time. (1) Highly experienced, well-known in the sport, vivacious in her drive, summarizes her commitment to health, exercise . . . and adventure.

Concluding her ride on May 31, 2021, a Memorial Day Monday, she loads the bike in the rear of her car. An accident occurs while opening the hatchback’s overhead door and sliding the bike in: the deck lid suddenly fails and hits directly on her skull.

Bonnie explains, “I was misdiagnosed while in the ER and again by my primary care doctor, and then again by a neurologist. I explained my head felt like it was going to burst from too much pressure and that I needed to lie down to relieve one aspect of the pain.

Yet simultaneously, any effort at all – such as walking slowly – caused my head pressure to increase even more, bringing crippling pain. 

I was told I had a simple migraine, even though I was in excruciating pain and immediately bedridden. I was given various migraine medications that increased the pressure to unbearable levels and had zero effect on relieving pain.

I expressed this multiple times to my doctor and the neurologist, asking if I had swelling in my head because I had been struck on the head, but I was denied being treated or even looked at for a possible concussion.”

HELP BONNIE BE-BOP: 

Send an Outdoors Action Photo (biking, running, snowshoeing, jumping, weight-lifting, etc.) to her FB Messenger or FB Page.

Bonnie loves that you love the outdoors and would enjoy seeing photos of your adventures. Please share yours with her.

She’ll be right beside you in her mind and your photograph.

Any activity outside? Send her a photo. Please!

UNNECESSARY MEDICATIONS    

“The neurologist offered to prescribe drugs to mask the pain so that I could stay on the migraine drugs that were continuing to increase my head pressure.

I knew something was terribly wrong and that this was the opposite path from the one I should’ve been on, so I refused them. One night, while taking some of the unnecessary medications, I started leaking clear fluid out of my right ear, nostril, and eye. 

The next day, I had an extremely salty taste in my mouth for hours. I called my doctor, and she said to ignore it and that I probably had new allergies.

I now (nearly three years later) understand that I had a concussion resulting in extremely high intracranial pressure, as well as a spinal fluid leak. The migraine medication pushed the level so high that it caused a cranial CSF leak, which is commonly manifested by clear liquid escaping through the nose, ear, and sometimes the eyes.” 

 THE ASSOCIATION OF MIGRAINE DISORDERS 

“Cerebrospinal fluid CSF leaks mean the escape of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It occurs when there is a tear or hole in the dura mater, the meninges’ outermost layer that protects the central nervous system, communicating the subarachnoid space and other spaces via meningeal disruption.” (2)

Bonnie’s horrific medical journey continued. “A few weeks later, while leaking fluid out of my nose and ear and still 95% bedridden, I was urged and essentially scared into having a spinal tap by a neurologist. He said I probably had meningitis, which could be fatal.

I repeatedly told him I felt the procedure was unnecessary because I did not have any of the classic signs of meningitis – I could touch my chin to my chest, had virtually no neck pain, and did not have a rash. He said the spinal tap was perfectly safe and had never caused any problems, still insisting it was necessary.

He had me lay on a table in an office that was typically used for botox shots, eyeballed my spine, and then inserted a needle blindly a few times until he extracted the amount of fluid he wanted. He sent it to a lab for diagnosis, then called me and said I didn’t have meningitis. 

I later learned from the lab that he had not placed the order correctly, and the fluid wasn’t tested for meningitis. After the puncture, I began to have increased, very distinguished symptoms of a severe spinal fluid leak.

A month later, my spine was punctured again – another failed and unnecessary procedure – and my symptoms became overwhelming. From that point forward, I could only get up to use the restroom.”

TUSCOBIA WINTER ULTRAS 01/08-10/2016

The Tuscobia Run Bike and Ski Winter Ultras changed in 2011 when new owners Helen and Chris Scotch came on board. Growth in numbers racing the various distances and events surged to where the races sold out.

Finishing the long-distance races qualifies one to earn the prestigious The Order of the Hrimthurs. One must complete two additional winter ultras, Arrowhead 135 and Actif Epica, all equally difficult.

At times, Bonnie led the 150-mile Female Bike race on the Tuscobia snowcovered trails in frigid temperatures (-25 degrees F), finishing second in the class. About 1/3 of the bikes did not finish. 

In the 150-mile run, only four of 23 entrants (total Females/Males) crossed the finish.

The 2024 Tuscobia Winter Ultras may begin registration on August 1, like in 2023. The races generally start and end between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

 PATCH PROCEDURE NO. 16

Bonnie endured another process to close the spinal leak, this one number sixteen, on February 16, 2024. Bonnie relayed that it was a 360-degree blood patch at L4-L5. This surgeon’s strategy is to patch low and move up about every five weeks, approximately ten more days before patching No. 17. 

BONNIE GAGNON: GOFUNDME

How: Help Bonnie Get Life-Saving Patches

YOU CAN HELP!

Certainly, prayers are with Bonnie at every step of this challenging hunt-and-peck surgery. These surgeries now appear to be a solution so Bonnie can resume her life out in the woods enjoying life. Donate any size, small or large, in her GoFundMe account. When? Now is preferred. 

Go to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/life-is-more-than-a-finish-line

(1 ) Josie’s BikeLife “Women on Bikes Series: Bonnie Gagnon” 02/04/2019

(2) Migraine disorders.org  03/06/2023