It’s been 9 years since we brought Emmy to the hospital, hoping to understand why she kept waking up in the middle of the night with headaches. She would hold her head and repeatedly say “owe.” At 4.5 years old, she didn’t even know what a “headache” was, but when she refused to go to preschool—a place she loved more than anything—we knew something was wrong. I turned to Google (PS: Never Google your symptoms). The results said the worst, that it could be a brain tumor. But I reassured myself: not Emmy. Maybe it was a migraine or another type of headache. We’d just need some medicine.

But once we arrived at the ER, I quickly realized this wasn’t going to be simple.

 

After a few questions, the nurse suggested maybe her ponytail was too tight. I knew right then that we weren’t leaving without an answer. After some persistence, the ER doctor agreed to a CT scan. I will never forget the moment he returned, fumbling with his password as I anxiously asked if everything was okay. Finally, he said, “You need to sit down. There’s a mass in her brain. It’s cancer. We need to transfer her to Minneapolis Children’s right away.” My world spun. How was I going to tell Kyle, who was 4 hours away on a business trip?

 

Fast forward a few hours, and Emmy’s Auntie Kaycee, a nurse at Gillette Children’s, was notified and worked quickly to get Emmy transferred to Gillette Children’s Hospital. There, we were introduced to the best neurosurgeon we could ask for, Dr. Graupman. After a 3-hour MRI, the first piece of good news was that the tumor was intact and hadn’t spread—what a relief!

 

However, because the tumor was pressing on her 4th ventricle, it prevented her spinal fluid from draining properly, which led to a dangerous buildup of fluid in her brain, causing the headaches. Emmy had a brain drain placed for 24 hours before surgery could take place.

 

On Friday, April 8th, 2016, Emmy underwent a 6-hour surgery to remove the tumor. We said our prayers, and they were answered when Dr. Graupman successfully removed the entire tumor. After waiting anxiously (darn weekends!), we received the best news: the tumor was benign. No cancer. We were truly blessed.

 

Emmy spent 18 days in the hospital recovering. She had to relearn how to walk and talk, which is hard to believe now, knowing how strong and resilient she was throughout it all. Despite the intense therapy and doctor appointments that followed, she never once complained.

 

We are incredibly thankful for the research, the donations, and the support that helped get us to where we are today. Because of this, we feel compelled to give back. We want to help those who will follow in our footsteps, hoping they can experience the same positive outcome that Emmy did. This is why we’re excited to participate in the MN Brain Tumor 5K. Every penny raised goes directly to brain tumor research.

 

Please help us by sponsoring Emmy today! If it weren’t for the donations and research that came before us, there’s no doubt that Emmy wouldn’t have had the amazing results she did. Let’s work together to make a difference for others! XOXO