Help Kaylee fight brain cancer
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Kaylee Jeter. I was born in Tallahassee, Florida, and moved to Jacksonville, Alabama, in the summer of 2015.
My story begins in December 2015 when my step-sister and I were sitting in her bedroom watching Netflix and I suddenly felt a weird sensation in my left arm. She told me it was okay but I knew something was wrong. I remember not being able to speak and my hand feeling wet. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital. The doctors told me that I had a couple seizures, very strong, called Tonic Clonic. After being hospitalized for three days and undergoing many tests, the doctors found a small tumor in my brain. They called it a Glioma and said it could remain unchanged for many years and that it wasn’t cancer. I was put on medication to control my seizures and was home by Christmas.
The next step was to make sure the seizures were being caused by the Glioma and that there was no other source in the brain causing them. In January 2016, I was admitted into Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham to undergo brain monitoring. After four days it was determined that the seizures were being generated by the Glioma.
I was once again sent home with seizure medication. My neurosurgeon decided to remove the Glioma instead of doing a biopsy because of its location close to the surface of the brain. It was explained to me that there wasn’t a rush to remove the small glioma because of the benign tendencies and my surgery would probably be at the end of my school year.
I went back to life as a Junior at Jacksonville High School. In March things started going downhill. My left arm became practically useless and numb. The left side of my mouth drooped but the worst thing was the headaches. I missed plenty of school days because I couldn’t handle the pain. I was determined to go to my first prom on April 2nd with a half paralyzed face but I still tried to smile. The doctors increased my seizure medication but it didn’t help. The headaches were unbearable and I spent most of my time in pain with a physically sick stomach.
On April 25 the doctors decided to do another MRI due to my worsening symptoms. On April 26 I was admitted into Children’s Hospital. The tumor had more than tripled in size, my brain was swollen and bleeding. A Craniotomy was performed on me the next morning. I couldn’t wait to get that monster out of my head. The operation took a mere two hours and the whole tumor was removed. I woke up in ICU happy and not sick! I was still "out of it" but knew I was going to be okay.
On May 4 my life changed forever. The tumor biopsy results came back. I was eating pizza with my family at a restaurant when my mom got the call. She got up and walked outside. I was on the edge of my seat. She came back in with tears rolling down her face. I knew it was bad. She said it was a Grade 4 Astrocytoma which meant I have a very aggressive brain cancer called Glioblastoma or GBM. It was the worst possible diagnosis. I was in shock. I didn’t run or cry. The first thing I thought was “God’s Got Me.”
Within days I met my new Oncologist at Children’s Hospital. I had a spinal tap and an MRI on my spine. Thankfully, I had good news this time. The cancer had not spread.
The following week I met my Radiation Oncologist at the UAB Cancer Center. I had a CT Scan and a mask was molded to fit my face that would be used for radiation. On June 1st I started radiation and chemotherapy every day for six weeks. These treatments took the majority of my hair but definitely NOT my strength.
I was given a four week break from treatments but still had several platelet transfusions and was on lock down at home because my white blood cells were too low to fight bacteria and infection.
I started my senior year at Jacksonville High School a day late because the first day of school I was at the hospital having another MRI, which thankfully showed no new tumor growth! I have started my next round of chemotherapy treatment which will last at least nine months. I have to continue on chemotherapy because the treatments only go after and kill fast dividing cells. All of the cancer cells in my brain right now are not dividing fast. Some are laying dormant and will wake up and start dividing. The hope is that the chemo will kill them when this happens.
In closing, being diagnosed with GBM was like being given a death sentence. It is a terminal cancer that kills quickly and effectively. However, I stand before you today determined to beat the odds! With my age, and my strength, and my faith in God, I know I can beat this!!! Children’s Hospital in Birmingham is conducting research that gives me hope. Hope that there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day!
I will fight and be an inspiration to others who have been diagnosed with cancer. I encourage everyone to “Shine”-- “Shine for me, Kaylee.” And, if you are able, please make a donation to my medical fund. It pains me to see my family struggle to make ends meet while trying to pay for all of my rapidly increasing bills from hospitalizations and treatments. Your donation would help more than you can imagine. It would take one burden off their backs so they can be there to help keep my strong…….. #bekaystrong
Whether you are able to donate or not, I thank each and every one of you for taking your time to read my story; from the bottom of my heart.
With love,
Kaylee
P.S. Please keep the prayers coming! God is so good!
For updates from my mom and me, follow our facebook page bekaystrong: http://bit.ly/2b8YcSd
My story begins in December 2015 when my step-sister and I were sitting in her bedroom watching Netflix and I suddenly felt a weird sensation in my left arm. She told me it was okay but I knew something was wrong. I remember not being able to speak and my hand feeling wet. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital. The doctors told me that I had a couple seizures, very strong, called Tonic Clonic. After being hospitalized for three days and undergoing many tests, the doctors found a small tumor in my brain. They called it a Glioma and said it could remain unchanged for many years and that it wasn’t cancer. I was put on medication to control my seizures and was home by Christmas.
The next step was to make sure the seizures were being caused by the Glioma and that there was no other source in the brain causing them. In January 2016, I was admitted into Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham to undergo brain monitoring. After four days it was determined that the seizures were being generated by the Glioma.
I was once again sent home with seizure medication. My neurosurgeon decided to remove the Glioma instead of doing a biopsy because of its location close to the surface of the brain. It was explained to me that there wasn’t a rush to remove the small glioma because of the benign tendencies and my surgery would probably be at the end of my school year.
I went back to life as a Junior at Jacksonville High School. In March things started going downhill. My left arm became practically useless and numb. The left side of my mouth drooped but the worst thing was the headaches. I missed plenty of school days because I couldn’t handle the pain. I was determined to go to my first prom on April 2nd with a half paralyzed face but I still tried to smile. The doctors increased my seizure medication but it didn’t help. The headaches were unbearable and I spent most of my time in pain with a physically sick stomach.
On April 25 the doctors decided to do another MRI due to my worsening symptoms. On April 26 I was admitted into Children’s Hospital. The tumor had more than tripled in size, my brain was swollen and bleeding. A Craniotomy was performed on me the next morning. I couldn’t wait to get that monster out of my head. The operation took a mere two hours and the whole tumor was removed. I woke up in ICU happy and not sick! I was still "out of it" but knew I was going to be okay.
On May 4 my life changed forever. The tumor biopsy results came back. I was eating pizza with my family at a restaurant when my mom got the call. She got up and walked outside. I was on the edge of my seat. She came back in with tears rolling down her face. I knew it was bad. She said it was a Grade 4 Astrocytoma which meant I have a very aggressive brain cancer called Glioblastoma or GBM. It was the worst possible diagnosis. I was in shock. I didn’t run or cry. The first thing I thought was “God’s Got Me.”
Within days I met my new Oncologist at Children’s Hospital. I had a spinal tap and an MRI on my spine. Thankfully, I had good news this time. The cancer had not spread.
The following week I met my Radiation Oncologist at the UAB Cancer Center. I had a CT Scan and a mask was molded to fit my face that would be used for radiation. On June 1st I started radiation and chemotherapy every day for six weeks. These treatments took the majority of my hair but definitely NOT my strength.
I was given a four week break from treatments but still had several platelet transfusions and was on lock down at home because my white blood cells were too low to fight bacteria and infection.
I started my senior year at Jacksonville High School a day late because the first day of school I was at the hospital having another MRI, which thankfully showed no new tumor growth! I have started my next round of chemotherapy treatment which will last at least nine months. I have to continue on chemotherapy because the treatments only go after and kill fast dividing cells. All of the cancer cells in my brain right now are not dividing fast. Some are laying dormant and will wake up and start dividing. The hope is that the chemo will kill them when this happens.
In closing, being diagnosed with GBM was like being given a death sentence. It is a terminal cancer that kills quickly and effectively. However, I stand before you today determined to beat the odds! With my age, and my strength, and my faith in God, I know I can beat this!!! Children’s Hospital in Birmingham is conducting research that gives me hope. Hope that there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day!
I will fight and be an inspiration to others who have been diagnosed with cancer. I encourage everyone to “Shine”-- “Shine for me, Kaylee.” And, if you are able, please make a donation to my medical fund. It pains me to see my family struggle to make ends meet while trying to pay for all of my rapidly increasing bills from hospitalizations and treatments. Your donation would help more than you can imagine. It would take one burden off their backs so they can be there to help keep my strong…….. #bekaystrong
Whether you are able to donate or not, I thank each and every one of you for taking your time to read my story; from the bottom of my heart.
With love,
Kaylee
P.S. Please keep the prayers coming! God is so good!
For updates from my mom and me, follow our facebook page bekaystrong: http://bit.ly/2b8YcSd
Organizer
has not reviewed or approved this fundraiser.
Kaylee Jeter
Organizer
Jacksonville, AL