Cari Giglio Cari Mohler Giglio

In 2012, an MRI revealed a cavernous hemangioma in the pons of Cari's brainstem. Though it remained stable, she continued to have migraines thereafter, until July 2018, when she suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, and was hospitalized for about a week.

Since then, she has suffered hemiplegic migraines which produce serious stroke-like symptoms and rapidly deteriorating neurological issues. Being told this was a “ticking time bomb” that could go off any time, she began immediately consulting with multiple vascular neurosurgeons concerning removal of the hemangioma.

Due to the peculiarity of the malformation’s position on the brain stem, few had the level of expertise and experience required for this surgery—none so much as Dr. Michael Lawton at Barrow Brain and Spine in Phoenix, Arizona. Cari’s case was sent to Barrow for board review, ultimately accepted in mid-September and scheduled for surgery on October 30th.