South King Media Blogger (and Mt. Rainier High School student) Cassidy Huff will be undergoing her 42nd surgery this Wednesday, and we’re asking all our Readers to please send her prayers and healing thoughts! Cassidy is scheduled to perform at a special fundraiser for Children’s Hospital at Benaroya Hall on Nov. 10, so it is necessary that Wednesday’s procedure goes well. Aside from writing for our blogs, Cass of course is known as the City of Burien’s 2016 “Citizen of the Year,” which she earned by showing her service to special needs students while at Sylvester Middle School (Cass raised money to purchase iPads for the students – read more here). Cassidy was born with a rare genetic condition called Conradi-Hunermann Syndrome, which affects her spine so she has scoliosis and kyphosis for which she had two VEPTR’s (titanium ribs) to help keep her spine straighter. Now she has two permanent rods and 19 screws fused into place. These were placed in May, 2016 after 6 weeks in halo traction. She has limb length issues. Her right side is shorter and she wears foot on foot prosthesis. Her vision has now been corrected in her right eye. She had a very severe cataract in that eye that has now been replaced with a lens. We call it the bionic eye! She also has some patchy alopecia (otherwise known as bald spots). Cassidy also has some hearing loss in her left ear. This has been corrected with a hearing aid that she wears most days (it even has bluetooth in it!).  She has had 40 surgeries and hopefully we are finished. If you are interested in reading our journal on our other page please feel free to do so. You can find it at; www.caringbrige.org/wa/cassidyhuff Here’s an update from Caring Bridge that Cass’ Mom, Shannon Reynolds posted Monday night, Oct. 30:

Hi Everyone, This is an update that I don’t want to post. Cassidy will be going to Seattle Children’s on Wednesday November 1st to have her 42nd surgery. She has another hole in her back. Yes again, Yes we know how it happened. Yes I am hoping with everything this is the last surgery she will need. Last week Cass had a hole open in her back. Right now it is about the size of a quarter and you can see metal. After her dad and I got back from Louisiana last week I took her to the hospital to get checked out. Her surgeon says that removing hardware is necessary at this point. The good news is she is fused and he feels very confident that this will be pretty straightforward. Cass does have a concert at Benaroya Hall on November 10th. We are hopeful that she is recovered enough to go sing. She wrote the song and is excited about being able to perform. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She is doing well and spirits are good. We check in first thing Wednesday morning at 7am with surgery planned to start at 8:30. Should only be about an hour and a half. If people can help giving Ella rides back and forth that would be really helpful. Wednesday is taken care of but after that Thursday and Friday would be nice to see her. I will post updates as I can as always. Thankful for an amazing surgeon that takes my emails and an incredible care team that backs him to make this all a bit easier. Much love, Shannon
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