02/23/2024
What a difference a 10 years makes!
February 23, 2014, started with Carolina waking Tabitha and I up around 2:30 a.m., with a very bad headache and vomiting. By 6:30 a.m. we were at the ER to hopefully find out what was wrong.
After a few tests came back normal, the Dr. was going to send us home. Carolina continued to vomit, so they decided to admit her into Wolfson Children's Hospital to run a few more tests. After Carolina's blood work came back normal, the Dr. again was thinking of sending us home with some medicine to help with Carolina's "stomach bug." I am so thankful for Dr. Adkison stepping up and making the decision for Carolina to have a MRI.
A little after 8:30 p.m., Tabitha and I were given the most devastating news. "The MRI shows a mass in the back of her head. The surgeon has been called, and he will be here to discuss the details with you in about an hour. Carolina's surgery is scheduled for 8 a.m. tomorrow morning. I am so sorry." Tabitha began to cry, and my body went numb. This could not be happening. It felt like a bad dream that I could not wake up from. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't.
As Tabitha's parents wrapped their arms around her, I had to go for a walk. I could not breathe in that little room. I immediately called family and close friends to ask for prayer. I was not fearful of my God's ability to heal Carolina, but I was fearful of if He would choose to heal Carolina. Even then, as my world was crashing down, a peace, that I will never be able to explain, came over me. I could almost hear my God say, "Kris, I got this! Trust me."
I returned to Carolina's room just to be near her. She was becoming unresponsive. She was completely worn out. Vomiting 17 times in 1 day will do that. The Dr. wanted to move her to ICU, so she could be observed more closely throughout the night, until her surgery the next morning. We convinced Tabitha to go home and get some rest, because Carolina would need her after surgery. My sister-in-law, Amy Player, volunteered to stay with me throughout the night in the ICU room.
I was exhausted. I drifted off to sleep a little after 11 p.m. I have no idea how, but at 11:45 p.m., I heard Carolina moan. I jumped off the couch just as she sat up in bed. I held a pan in front of her. She dry heaved once, and fell back in the bed. Then Carolina quit breathing. I yelled for help and nurses came from everywhere. Amy and I were sent to the waiting room for the next hour and a half while they worked to stabilize her. I thought she was gone!
The tumor had sealed off the ventricle that allows fluid to go down the spinal cord, and pressure had built up on her brain. Carolina needed emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain. The emergency surgery was a success, and Carolina was on schedule to have brain surgery later that morning.
10 Years!!! Sometimes it feels like yesterday, and sometimes it feels like an eternity.
Thank you for walking this journey with us!
Thank you for your many prayers and support! Please continue to pray for Carolina as she deals with many side effects from her treatments.
My God is a BIG God, and He does BIG things!
BELIEVE!!!
