Cancer hospitalization general expenses help fund

Hi, my name is Tanya and I am raising funds to help our friends/PHS classmates Thad Nitschke and Rhonda Kading, as Thad is hospitalized due to a tumor in his neck and stage 4 thyroid cancer.

A backstory for those of you who may not know. Earlier this year, Thad and Rhonda‘s life long friendship escalated to something more serious, as they both realized that they had deeper feelings for one another, and began officially dating. At that time, Thad was still living in North Dakota and they maintained a long-distance relationship, traveling back and forth between ND and MN. As summer was coming to an end and Thad wrapped up his farming season, they made the mutual decision to combine households and for Thad and his two youngest kids to move back to his hometown so that his teens could start of the new school year in Perham. The plan was to get settled and for Thad to find a new job locally. They were excited, thinking ahead to a quick engagement and wedding plans to follow. Unfortunately, just a couple of weeks after arriving, Thad began having severe neck pain and migraines. Several chiropractor treatments later, along with wisdom teeth removal (that was thought to be causing some of the pain,) the headaches and neck pain continued to escalate. More doctor visits and scans would eventually reveal a tumor in Thad’s neck. Thad was admitted to the hospital at Essentia Health in Fargo where they put him on blood thinners to try and dissolve the clot, and they also took a biopsy of his thyroid. He spent a week there before being sent home with some medication to help with pain. Even on meds, the pain was so severe, that sleep was very hard to come by and Thad was unable to eat or take his medication because swallowing hurt so badly. Eventually he ended up back in the emergency room, this time with Sanford Health in Fargo, where Thad remains today. Because of his inability to swallow, they had to put in a feeding tube, and most recently a PICC line to help with medications. Thad will have to remain in the hospital until his scheduled surgery, which is presently set for January 6th. Thankfully the cancer is contained to the thyroid and two of his lymph nodes, and at this time has not spread. They believe they should be able to get all of the cancer when they remove his thyroid and the two lymph nodes. Please pray that it remains contained and does not spread.

As you can imagine, this has put an extreme amount of stress on their financial situation, not to mention, mentally and emotionally. Rhonda is their only source of income and has had to take unpaid leave from work, and as a single parent herself, her income was already stretched before Thad got sick. Savings are quickly depleted and everyday expenses have escalated, including gas for travels to Fargo and back, and food and expenses for their three teenagers between them, at home. The kids are all settled into Rhonda’s home and doing well, and they all get along great. They have truly already become a family, and Rhonda loves Thad’s kids dearly. Likewise, Thad’s feelings are mutual towards Rhonda’s sons. My hope is that during this season of giving, we can all come together and give what we are able to help them through this very hard time in their lives. My heart just breaks for all of them. It is uncertain what lies ahead for Thad right now, but we are hopeful that the surgery will get all of the cancer, and that they can then move forward with their “happily ever after.” If you are unable to contribute financially right now, maybe you can bring by a meal to help the family, or share this link with other friends and family that might be able to help them out during this difficult season. And more than anything, please keep them all in your prayers. This is no way for their family to spend their first Christmas together, with Thad in the hospital awaiting surgery. Pray that God will sustain them all, especially Thad, and guide the hands of the surgeons and care teams as he recovers after his surgery. In the meantime, please pray for good care in the hospital as he awaits surgery and good pain control, and that the cancer does not spread, in Jesus name. Thank you all and God’s blessings to each of you in the New Year!