Donate to Mikayla’s Brain Cancer Journey, organized by Matt Kunerth

Product Description

Life offers countless joys and challenges. The blessings God gives are His to reign over, and Mikayla and I have been fortunate to share many of them together. From two young 20-somethings celebrating monthly anniversaries, to last week’s milestone of 3 years of marriage, we are most richly blessed. This life we’ve known together has been officially uprooted in a major way. What started as some unusual symptoms in Mikayla in mid-July (headaches, nausea, confusion, and even partial facial paralysis), quickly escalated into something far more serious. We were told it was a double ear infection and then a negative response to a medication change, however we visited the ER 3 times in a week due to worsening symptoms. Eventually, on August 8th after a CT scan in Brookings, it was revealed Mikayla has a mass in her head. She was flown to Sioux Falls, where an emergency procedure relieved the pressure in her brain. This relieved the hydrocephalus but revealed the root of the issues; a 4 cm tumor deep in her brain. A few days later, August 13th, surgeons removed as much of the tumor as possible without damaging sensitive brain tissue. The tumor was sent off to determine the grade and specific makeup is expected to be revealed between August 27th – Sept 10th. Preliminary pathology has identified it as a grade 4 tumor on the brain stem—a rare and aggressive form of cancer for which there is, currently, no known cure. We are awaiting the final pathology report, expected any day, to confirm the full diagnosis and treatment options. Mikayla remains on the rehab floor of Sanford where the entire staff has been nothing short of exceptional. She is regaining independence and meeting important recovery milestones. Once her incision heals and staples are removed this week, she will undergo another MRI, and then begin six weeks of radiation treatment Monday-Friday in Sioux Falls starting in early September. Chemotherapy may not be effective, but the coming weeks will guide that decision. In the midst of all this, we have found incredible comfort in the kindness and support of those around us. We are fortunate to be wrapped in a cloak of care. Each positive message, word of prayer, or act of love has led to a tearful comment from Mikayla how “everyone is so kind”. Although the joy we find is now shared with tears, it is joy nonetheless. What we ask most is for your prayers. The power of prayer cannot be understated in life. Even in the midst of struggle, we see signs of God at work. We still have a long road ahead of us, but knowing we’re not alone gives us the strength to face the journey ahead. In an environment where our time together will once again be measured in months, not years, it is our goal to make the best of a bad situation. If you feel compelled to give, we have create this account. Please reach out to Matt Kunerth directly if you’d like to make a donation outside of this app. Lastly, we have created a CaringBridge page where updates will continue to be shared moving forward. What exactly the frequency looks like will be known once our days become more routine. https://www.caringbridge.org/site/875aea7f-822e-11f0-95ad-67c90844bb9b?utm_source=website_share&utm_medium=share_button&utm_term=&utm_content=link_share_button&utm_campaign=private_home_page Thank you for being with us.

Donate to Mikayla's Brain Cancer Journey, organized by Matt Kunerth

Donate to Mikayla's Brain Cancer Journey, organized by Matt Kunerth

Price Valid Until: 1970-01-01