Patient Testimonials 

Lily’s Story

 Age 7

Craniotomy for Ossifying Fibroma

In 2017, we noticed some changes in Lily’s facial appearance. Her right eye would slightly wander.  Upon visiting an eye doctor, Lily was prescribed glasses to try to correct her weakened eye.  However, as time passed along with the wandering eye we noticed her eye also started to bulge out.  Concerned and after seeking several more eye doctors, we were referred for a MRI. The MRI revealed a large mass behind her eye at the base of her skull.  A biopsy was performed and Lily was formally diagnosed with a rare benign ossifying fibroma that would require removal.  

Dr. Thompson performed a craniotomy with reconstruction on Lily’s tumor. Throughout this scary ordeal, Dr. Thompson and his team were amazing.  He walked us through the procedure and risks and made sure to answer any of our questions. During the long 12 hour surgery we were kept updated on an hourly basis which eased our anxiety greatly. He made sure to communicate what we should expect after surgery, which definitely helped as Lily recovered in the first few days after surgery.

Our stay in the PICU was terrifying and heart breaking at times, however we could not be happier with how our Lily progressed with each passing day.  She recovered and started to return to the Lily we all know and it was just a miracle. Lily was able to start school year with no issues. We have had two follow-up appointments for MRI scans and to see Dr. Thompson and the scans show no signs of tumor. Dr. Thompson has been pleased with her recovery and we are so very thankful for the excellent care received not just by him but from his entire team.

David’s Story

Age 11

Craniotomy for Brain Tumor

My story started towards the end my 5th grade in April of 2008.  My aunt noticed that I had in irregular gate, similar to that of a  stroke patient. I had also been suffering from other issues such as terrible migraines. My auntie suggested that we visit the doctor. I was referred to a physical therapist who referred us to a neurologist. I remember having my 1st MRI and the neurologist introduced me to Dr. Thompson (the coolest awesomest  Pediatric neurosurgeon I have ever known).  Dr. Thompson came into the hospital room & very calmly and gave me the news that I had a spot on my brain and that I would need to have surgery in a couple of days. As I heard these words I nodded pretended I was okay, reassuring everyone that I was fine. But on the inside I felt my world was tearing apart. The MRI showed a tumor the size of a tennis ball on the upper right side of my brain.  At the age of 11 when you hear the word tumor you don't exactly think of rose petals and daisies. In my mind all I could think of was the worst.  In that moment I felt so alone, unloved and betrayed by God.  My father is a Pastor and my mother always said, “Jesus loves you, God loves you”, but in that moment my heart was bitter. I hated everything and everyone. I didn’t want to talk.  I begged for it to all go away. It felt like a nightmare. What hurt was seeing my mother cry more than me. You feel so powerless in moments like this. Still I am so blessed to have a mother who has an unshakable type of faith. After we'd run out of tears to cry she would whisper in my ear, “your father and I named you David for a reason”. In The Bible you learn about David and how he used stones and took down a giant with a single shot.  This reminded me of my favorite verse 2 Corinthians 5:7 — We are to live by faith and not by sight.

In that week alone I had more than a 100 visitors visit my hospital room I didn't feel nearly as alone as I did before. The day of the surgery came & there was a moment when I said goodbye to my parents as they wheeled me away I bawled my eyes out thinking this could be the last time I would ever see my parents, family, and friends. All of the people I love. But then I remember hearing a voice say, "child I will never leave you nor forsake you."

 I was diagnosed with stage 3 anaplastic ependymoma. 5 weeks after the first craniotomy the cancer grew back and I had to undergo a round of proton radiation in Jacksonville & 4 months of chemotherapy at Memorial. I underwent another surgery to remove the recurring tumor. There was another recurrence after my second brain surgery and I did another round of proton radiation. I remember being able to play a grand piano in the waiting area of the Proton center. I thank God for giving me the piano as a way to escape and drift off into the music. 

In total I've had four craniotomies the last was to remove radiation necrosis, from two rounds of radiation and four months of chemotherapy. I also suffered from epilepsy and paralysis.

I was eleven when this all started and I am currently 21, preparing for college. I am able to drive and live a life I could not be more thankful for. I intend to keep on, moving forward with patience, love, and, gratitude in all things big and little. I could not be more grateful for this life and the amazing people like Dr. Thompson who have cared for me through it all and continue to impact my life in ways I cannot describe

Micah’s Story

Age 2 weeks

Hydrocephalus & Chiari Malformation

Micah is a 12 year old who has a medical history of hydrocephalus and acquired chiari malformation. Micah was a premie, born at 27 weeks. At two weeks old he had a grade 3 intraventricular hemorrhage which required surgery. He had a reservoir placed shortly after his weight increased. After a 3 month stay in the NICU, he ended up needing a ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed . Over the years Micah has had multiple shunt revisions and even infections. He had a Staph infection due to appendicitis and peritonitis with pseudomonas is his spinal fluid which resulted in a 3 month stay. At the end of that stay we decided to try something different— Micah had a 3rd ventriculostomy and has thankfully been shunt-free since. Most recently Micah had Chiari decompression (boney only) and has recovered well. This was his 14th surgery (including appendectomy and corrective eye surgery). Micah has been through so much and has never been by-the-books medically (I am sure everyone involved can vouch for that). One thing for sure, we think of Dr.Thompson as family and not as Micah’s Doctor. Dr. Thompson has laughed, cried, and made the hardest decisions with us. We are forever thankful for him and the multiple times he has saved Micah’s life. 

Gage's Story

Age 4 

Chiari Malformation

Dr. Thompson and his staff are one of the biggest blessings in our life. Gage struggled with severe migraines multiple times a week. He experienced these migraines during activity (and he is a very active, outgoing, and happy 4 year old boy). Dr. Thompson didn’t skip a beat. He scheduled a MRI and reviewed the results with us that same day. These results were not something we could have anticipated. "Chiari Malformation" was a term and words we had never heard before. Naturally we had a lot of questions. Throughout our discussion in the office Dr. Thompson was reassuring and went into great detail of our treatment options. After surgery the recovery process was a roller coaster of ups and downs but Gage is stronger than we could have ever imagined. I am so thankful we went ahead with the Duraplasty. Just a few weeks after surgery and our little boy is healed and requires minimal monitoring. Chiari Malformation, you lost.

Joslynn's Story

Age 17 days

Hydrocephalus

Memorial Day 2014, Joslynn came into this world at 25 weeks and 6 days gestation weighing only 1 pound 10 ounces and measuring at 12 ¼ inches long. She was born at Memorial Hospital and was rushed to the NICU after delivery. Life was very overwhelming at that time, looking at our sweet and helpless child through an incubator while her life was seemingly holding on by a thread.

At a week old, Joslynn was diagnosed with a grade 4 bilateral brain bleed and at 2 weeks old we met with a pediatric neurosurgeon by the name of Dr. Willard Thompson. I remember the complete heartbreak of hearing that my frail child, whom should still be in my body, would need to have brain surgery the next morning but we (my husband and I) also felt an immense sense of calm knowing that she had such a wonderful neuro team caring for her. Joslynn’s first brain surgery was to treat hydrocephalus, which was caused by her brain bleed. At 17 days old, Dr Thompson placed a ventricular reservoir which allowed he and his team to relieve spinal fluid which built up as Joslynn grew in the NICU. At the time, Joslynn was much to tiny for shunt tubing. Over Joslynn’s 95-day NICU stay, her reservoir was tapped over 30 times and over that time, our respect and love for Dr. Thompson and his team grew immensely. Joslynn came home from the NICU at 95 days old and she was shunt free!

At four months old, we brought Joslynn to the emergency room knowing that something wasn’t right. It was heartbreaking all over again, as I knew in my heart that it was from her hydrocephalus and unfortunately, I was right. Brain surgery #2 was to be scheduled, and after talking with Dr. Thompson and receiving all the risks, we decided on an Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (also known as an ETV) instead of a shunt system. Surgery went great and Joslynn continued to grow and thrive.

At 9 months old, we had to make the same decision again as Joslynn’s ETV hole had closed. My husband and I both knew that we would chose an ETV over a shunt if Dr. Thompson felt it best, as our goal was to keep her shunt free if possible. Surgery went well, and Dr. Thompson was able to re-open her ETV hole without issue.

Our family truly feels like God blessed us with such an amazing neurosurgeon for Joslynn and it is an absolutely amazing feeling to be able to trust in a surgeon and his team. Joslynn is a smart, fun loving, sassy, and spirited little girl who is able to dance around and make everyone around her smile just by looking their way. Her soul is purely beautiful. If it wasn’t for Dr. Thompson and his amazing team… well I would never want to imagine that life. We thank God for him.

Parks' Story

 Age 11

Chiari I Malformation with syrinx

January 12, 2016, our 11 yr old son Parks’s legs collapsed at school after coming in from recess. He could feel his legs, he just couldn't walk. After a battery of tests at Memorial Hospital, the doctors explained that he had a Chiari Malformation and that a pediatric neurosurgeon had been called in, because he needed brain surgery. We were terrified but Dr. Thompson had a presence about him from the moment we met that put our minds at ease. He was thorough about options, risks, and realistic about the road ahead. 

After 4 hours of surgery Parks was in the recovery room with lots of monitors. I became faint. I wanted to talk with him to make sure he knew I was there. He was breathing, and moaning. I almost passed out. Dr. Thompson came in and reassured me without saying a word. Literally, before my eyes, Parks rallied. As he awoke, he became surly - Dr. Thompson asked him to squeeze his hands and move his legs. Parks resisted but was able to do it. Dr. Thompson was pleased, which was reassuring in my moment of sheer panic.

The next 2-3 days in the Pediatric ICU were tough. We brought in music and played lots of Miles Davis - specifically "Kind of Blue".  Music helped a lot. Parks got up and walked the day of his surgery. His nurses were essential to his recovery; we learned from them and trusted them. One of the nurses told me a big part of the reason he was doing so well was "because of y'all". It was a huge relief to hear those words when I felt so helpless.

I wasn't prepared for how difficult the ride home would be. Parks had a hard time holding his head up and became very nauseated. Once we got home, he immediately laid on the kitchen floor. He had the spins, and was in pain. The first night home, he slept on the bathroom floor because it was the only place he felt ok. I sat on the edge of the tub all night. The next night he was able to sleep in his bed - but I slept next to him, for 2 weeks or more. 

We took him to his 1st appointment at Dr. Thompson's office 2 weeks after surgery. By then he was feeling better and started physical therapy to address his balance and motor skills, which improved quickly. He started back to school in May. His first day back he took the prescheduled standardized math and reading tests. Even though he missed ½ of 5th grade – he did better than ever. Memorial Day weekend he went on a canoeing and camping trip in Florida with the Boy Scouts. 

Over the last 2 years Parks has done several long bike rides, hiked part of the Appalachian Trail, went white water rafting, and worked on multiple Eagle Scout projects including serious physical labor.