Friends and Family

On September 29, my niece Carina and her husband Jared welcomed a beautiful baby boy. Just ten days after his birth, Carina began experiencing numbness and tingling in her hands and feet, slowed speech, headaches, and nausea. While awaiting a doctor’s appointment, and only fifteen days postpartum, she was hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms.

Within two days of admission, her condition worsened: severely slurred speech, lateral and vertical nystagmus, double vision, intense headaches, nausea, weakness on the right side of her body, and eventually the need for intubation and a ventilator due to difficulty swallowing. An MRI, spinal tap, and other tests revealed significant inflammation and lesions in her brain and cervical spine.

After extensive consultation with specialists and institutions, Carina was diagnosed with Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)—a rare autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation and demyelination in the central nervous system. ADEM is most often seen in children and is extremely rare in adults, particularly postpartum women. In Carina’s case, her immune system became confused and began attacking her brain and spinal cord. Unfortunately, there is very little information available about this disorder in adults.

Treatment and Current Status

Carina’s treatment has included:

• High-dose steroid therapy to reduce inflammation

• Plasmapheresis transfusions to remove harmful white cells and replace them with healthy ones

• IVIG therapy to provide antibodies that help regulate immune responses

• Rituximab, a powerful monoclonal antibody used to treat certain cancers and autoimmune diseases

These treatments were administered over seven weeks at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. While they have helped control the ADEM, Carina remains immunocompromised as her bone marrow works to rebuild her immune system.

Currently, Carina has a tracheostomy to assist with breathing and a PEG feeding tube to ensure proper nutrition. She has recently been transferred to Mary Freebed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, where she is undergoing intensive therapy to rebuild strength in her lungs, neck, arms, and legs—working toward breathing independently, swallowing, speaking, walking, and regaining self-care abilities. We are incredibly proud of the progress she has made, though her road to recovery remains long.

Family Support

Throughout this journey, Carina’s family has been unwavering in their dedication. Her husband Jared, my sister Lynne and her husband Brian, and her mother-in-law Becky have taken turns staying by her side around the clock since her hospitalization. They have rearranged work schedules, provided continuous care for baby Banks, and moved into a rental home in Grand Rapids to remain close to Carina. This move has allowed Banks to visit his mother frequently and eliminated the daily one-hour commute from Kalamazoo.

Community and Call for Help

We never imagined we would face this situation or need to ask for help. Over the past seven weeks, the outpouring of support has been extraordinary—meals, prayers, words of encouragement, diapers, formula, gift cards, and countless acts of kindness. The family is deeply humbled by the generosity and compassion shown by friends, neighbors, and even strangers.

Many have asked how they can continue to support Carina and her family during this rehabilitation phase. Given the length of her hospitalization and the extended recovery ahead, the greatest need now is financial support to help cover mounting medical bills and the cost of the rental home.

If you are in a position to contribute financially, your generosity will be gratefully accepted. If not, please know that your continued prayers, encouragement, positive thoughts, and love mean just as much.

Thank you for standing with Carina and her family during this difficult time.