Kendra Jackson, at the time, was a 46-year-old divorced mother who worked at a bank. She was well-liked in her neighborhood and was known for her outgoing and kind personality. She always had a runny nose and a severe headache after getting into an accident. But what doctors later discovered was that her brain was actually leaking.
Doctors discovered that Kendra Jackson had a leaky brain for five years. She suffered from a runny nose and headaches for years after an accident in 2013. Through her nose, she lost half a pint of cerebral fluid per day without even noticing.
What Was The Backstory Behind The Shocking Condition?
Kendra Jackson was one of those people who always kept a tissue handy. She would often keep it against her face.
I always carried a box of Puffs crammed in my pocket everywhere I went.
Kendra Jackson to KETV in Omaha, Nebraska
Her nose was continually dripping. She would often be coughing and sneezing. She has been this way for several years. This was also accompanied by a headache that she would need to deal with everyday.
It was like a constant stream, and it would flow to the back of my throat.
Kendra Jackson to KETV in Omaha, Nebraska
What made things worse was that the drip kept her awake at night. She went on to say that she felt like she was a zombie.
So she went to the doctor, stating that the symptoms began a few years after a catastrophic 2013 car accident in which she remembered hitting her skull against the dashboard. Doctors listened, and most of them said the same thing, she just had allergies.
But Jackson knew that there was more to it. She confirmed her suspicion after seeing an ear, nose, and throat expert at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. Jackson was diagnosed with a cerebrospinal fluid leak, which meant that brain fluid flowed into her nose through a hole in her skull. This happened every day, all day, for the past three years. (Source: NPR)
How Did the Doctors Go About Resolving and Treating Kendra Jackson’s Problem?
Doctors informed her she was losing almost half a pint of the fluid that is supposed to surround her brain and spinal cord every day. If the leak had gone unchecked, severe medical concerns such as meningitis, visual problems, and hearing loss might have resulted in extreme conditions.
There was a time when brain surgery was the only way to halt a leak like this, but Nebraska Medicine rhinologist Christie Barnes told KETV that there are now less invasive options that start with a camera up a patient’s nose.
Some of Jackson’s own adipose tissue was used to seal up the leak source – a tiny hole between her skull and nostrils.
Christie Barnes, Rhinologist, Nebraska Medicine
It’s been almost a week since Jackson underwent the treatment, and she says it’s made a significant difference in her life. She laughed and made a joke about how she didn’t need to constantly carry at tissue anymore. (Source: NPR)