Hello everyone...it has been quite a bit. I am an oldie from mingle, some of you might know me well, others may not. I am asking that you read this, they are the words of a mother in need. Please, pray for my family. I do not care what faith you are, pray to your God for help.

Thank you

Meghan












About Madalynne Kersting
Madalynne's Story



Madalynne Mae celebrated her 1st birthday on September 4, 2009. Unfortunately, it was not the kind of birthday we had expected. We knew she was not herself, but would never have expected the most devistating news of our lives. It all began in mid August. Mady became irritable, unconsolable, loss of appetite and was tilting her head to the right all the time. Jimi and I brushed it off as tantrums and a possible head cold. Her symptoms progressed and on September 3rd we took to the St. Alexis ER. They just said it was a virus and a strained muscle in her neck and sent us home. My mother's intuition said 'No, there has to be more, this is not my baby, not my Mady Mae.' That Sunday, September 6, 2009 we celebrated Mady's 1st birthday with a pool party in Grandma and Grandpa Rambert's back yard. We all had a blast!!! Mady was still not herself, but seemed to enjoy the day, especially her smash cake :) Baked with love by Daddy! We then enjoyed Labor Day, anticipating Mady's next appointment with her pediatrician on Tuesday, September 8. At 9am on Tuesday morning Grandma Rambert helped me to bring both Lilli and Mady to the doc office. One look by Dr. Voight and she knew something was up. She did not like the fact that Mady was so irritable and that the circumference of her head had increased from the 50% percent tile at 9 months to the 90% percent tile at 12 months. She ordered a catscan and we were back at St. Alexis by 11:45am. There we waited until 3pm when we received a call from Dr. Voight explaining that they located a 'mass' at the back of Madalynne's head. We were being relocated to Lutheren General Hospital and to meet with Dr. Ruge, neurosergeon, to further understand this 'mass.' By 5pm we were in the PICU and swarms of nurses were all over trying to explain everything that they could. It was a brain tumor, she would undergo surgery on Wednesday morning, she needed an MRI tonight. All this information was overwhelming but yet Mady's spirit was high. Laughing, talking, smiling. She was wheeled down to the MRI at 8:45pm on Tuesday night and was not brought back to the room until 1:45am Wednesday morning. Then we slept. I woke with Mady at 6am and held her until Dr. Ruge came in at 6:30am and wanted to show Jimi and I the results of the MRI. So one by one we saw the devistating damage that had run rampant in our little girls brain. All I could focus on was the images in front of me and the words: Massive brain tumor, biggest the neurosurgeon had ever seen in a child her age. The tumor itself started in the back right side of Mady's head and traveled down to the base of the spinal cord and up to the brain stem. The tumor was completely wrapped around the spinal cord causing cerebralspinal fluid to pool in her brain. This was causing immense pressure that if left untreated would rupture. Dr. Ruge was most concerned about removing that portion of the tumor, and was unsure if it would even be possible. He was also concerned about the part that was wrapped around the brain stem and one of the main arteries. He said the slightest touch of the artery could cause a massive stroke during surgery. Words could not even describe the sorrow we felt. Jimi and I were able to spend the next 30min with our darling daughter, wondering how such a sweet little girl with such high spirits could be in that much pain. They wisked her away from us at 7:30am Wednesday morning. We were told it would be at least 4 hours for the surgery. Finally, 7 hours later she was out and doing well. She had a breathing tube in, a drain tube as well as many, many more IV's all over her body. Dr. Ruge had performed a miracle!!! 90% of the tumor was completely resectioned including the portion around the spinal cord. He was able to remove two of Madalynne's vertebraes, resection the tumor and then reattach the vertebraes!!! I did not know that was even possible. God Bless him :) He was able to resection some of the tumor around the brain stem, but knew that he had to leave some behind. The next few hours were critical. They need to make sure that she was responsive, and quickly found out that she was when they woke her up and she went straight for her blanket and tried to remove the breathing tube!! What a fighter :) She slept the rest of the day and night. On Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 8:30am they took Mady for another MRI and she was back in the room by 10:30am. Not nearly as long as last time. By 2:30pm we had the results, Great news, Dr. Ruge was very pleased with the post-op images. Still some of the tumor remains, but not as much as anticipated. What a relief!! If the surgeon is happy, that makes us happy ;) The tumor was sent out for a pathology report to determine what type of cancer it is, but the preliminary report says Ependymoma. We should have the results back next week. Once we have the name of the cancer than the type of treatment; chemo, radiation or both, will be determined. Our goal for now is to let Madalynne heal from surgery and get her home!
Lillianne has been a wonderful big sister through this all. She understands that MaeMae is sick and has a booboo on her head, but probably does not understand the extent of the illness. Jimi and I are trying our best to keep her world as normal as possible.
Thank you all for your continued support and prayers for Madalynne Mae. Please keep it up as it seems to be working :) It is so nice to know that so many friends and family love Mady as much as we do. Thank you.

Here is a link...to her cause on facebook, for those of you who have it, please join.

http://media.causes.com/584424?p_id=61278201

Continued Prayers & healing sent to Maddy & family!

Thank you soo much! Please pass the word around. I am spreading this story through each and every avenue I can get my hands on!

PRAYERS ARE SENT!!!

Strength to the ill fallen.

Thanks Rare...I appreciate it!

I hope she will get better as time goes by. She is my thoughts and blessings.

Prayer's and lotz of LOVE to lil Mady

Thank you all soo much!

Prayers to you all for this little sweetheart.
Is this the same Maddy from the other thread?

Hoping for the best, send my hopes along.

Hoping the best for the family,and babygirl

What other thread may I ask, I am not sure?

I don't think so.It is amazing how her name is the same as my little Maddy.I do have a thread out on our Maddy.

It's a beautiful name...Both will get extra prayers now..

Thanks a bunch.

Love and prayers to both baby Girls