Caring for Karsyn
Donation protected
My name is Stephanie Milfeld and I need your help to aid one of my dearest friends from college, Kendra Dunkley and her family with medical bills for their sweet baby girl. Jamie is a farmer and Kendra is a second grade teacher. They are the most amazing people you will ever meet and really need some help with a neurosurgery that is coming up for their daughter.
On January 13, 2015 my dear friend Kendra and her husband Jamie gave birth to their first born daughter Karsyn Wren. She is a blessing to the entire family and filled with joy. Kendra and Jamie noticed at Karsyn's regular check up doctor appointments that her head was measuring large. They kept an eye on it but everything else looked great and no need to worry. Kendra was noticing that Karsyn was not using her right arm as much as she was her left arm. Although some thought she might just be left handed Kendra, being an educator and any mother with concern, could see there was some delays and began to worry. So everyday Kendra would pick up Karsyn from the day care bring her home to wrap her left arm in an ace bandage to her body and force her to use her right arm more. Through her own tears and Karsyn's she pressed forward because she was seeing improvement and wanted to do all she could to help her baby girl.
Karsyn had a cold around 8 months. When they went to the doctor appointment they did not see the actual doctor and were told to just keep working with her and ask the doctor when they come back for the 9-month appointment. Kendra continued to come home after a long day of teaching to work with her daughter and try her best to assist her in using her right arm more.
At her 9 month appointment Kendra expressed her concerns about Karsyn not being able to pass toys back and forth between her hands, not pushing her right arm through her clothes, not crawling or walking and when given a toy in her right hand she would take it out with her left hand like she was unable to use it. Karsyn's head was measuring large again. The doctor re-measured the nurse’s measurements and got the same number. She was concerned. When Karsyn had come just a month before her head was measuring on track but now a month later is was off again. They decided to schedule an MRI to see further into the issue before making a diagnosis. Until the MRI Karsyn would begin going to a physical therapist twice a week to work on using her right arm and leg.
On top of these concerns Karysn was having a hard time focusing on objects at a distance and one or both of her eyes would wander. In the midst of her regular doctor appointments she was seeing a vision specialist who said that Karsyn now needed to wear an eye patch for an hour on one eye every day (switching right one day then left eye the next) until January 2016 to see if there was improvement. If they do not see improvement they will have surgery in February. When I talked to Kendra at this point she was sad and worried and felt like she had done something wrong and what she could have done different so that this wouldn't have happened. She was worried that Karsyn would get picked on later in life at school and just had all the worries any mother would have running through their mind. My heart was breaking for her but was so proud of her for forcing herself after a long day at work and just wanting to come home and snuggle with her baby girl to help Karsyn no matter how hard Karsyn fought back or cried not wanting to wear her patch or use her right arm Kendra was there to push her to her potential.
The medical bills are beginning to add up and the Dunkley family has STILL not met their deductible and it is almost the end of the year.
While waiting for their MRI appointment Karysn was going to her physical therapy appointments twice a week. They decided that in addition to physical therapy Karysn would need occupational therapy twice a week as well. I spoke with Kendra leading up to her MRI. She was so level headed and said she knew she had to do whatever she needed for Karsyn and that she WILL do everything every other kid can do but maybe at a slower pace. I was so proud of her for being so strong in such a stressful situation. She is a rock star mom and Jamie just as amazing there supporting her and Karsyn the entire way.
They went to her MRI on a Thursday. It took an hour and a half and Karsyn did well but got sick afterwards but was fine. Doctors told them they may have an answer Friday but it might be Monday. They got a phone call Friday to come in to discuss the MRI results. Of course this is the scariest feeling in the world.
The MRI showed fluid on Karsyn's brain that will need surgery and a shunt that will be there her whole life. MRI also showed some dead brain cells caused by lack of oxygen during the pregnancy or delivery, which is causing developmental delays on the right side, that therapy is fixing. They go to see a neurosurgeon next week to get further details about the surgery.
She and Jamie are doing ok and feel relieved to have some answers but they are going to need a LOT of help with medical bills and I would LOVE to surprise them with some monetary love from friends, family, professors, strangers, colleagues, classmates, etc to assist them in this time of need.
Every dollar will help them get Karsyn the help that she needs. She hasn't even had her first birthday yet and my goal is to be there at her first birthday with a large sum of money from all of us to help them. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE even if its $1, $5, $10 or more it will ALL help.
Thank you so much I cant wait to see the tears of joy from Kendra and Jamie when they see all of us come together to help them in their time of need.
On January 13, 2015 my dear friend Kendra and her husband Jamie gave birth to their first born daughter Karsyn Wren. She is a blessing to the entire family and filled with joy. Kendra and Jamie noticed at Karsyn's regular check up doctor appointments that her head was measuring large. They kept an eye on it but everything else looked great and no need to worry. Kendra was noticing that Karsyn was not using her right arm as much as she was her left arm. Although some thought she might just be left handed Kendra, being an educator and any mother with concern, could see there was some delays and began to worry. So everyday Kendra would pick up Karsyn from the day care bring her home to wrap her left arm in an ace bandage to her body and force her to use her right arm more. Through her own tears and Karsyn's she pressed forward because she was seeing improvement and wanted to do all she could to help her baby girl.
Karsyn had a cold around 8 months. When they went to the doctor appointment they did not see the actual doctor and were told to just keep working with her and ask the doctor when they come back for the 9-month appointment. Kendra continued to come home after a long day of teaching to work with her daughter and try her best to assist her in using her right arm more.
At her 9 month appointment Kendra expressed her concerns about Karsyn not being able to pass toys back and forth between her hands, not pushing her right arm through her clothes, not crawling or walking and when given a toy in her right hand she would take it out with her left hand like she was unable to use it. Karsyn's head was measuring large again. The doctor re-measured the nurse’s measurements and got the same number. She was concerned. When Karsyn had come just a month before her head was measuring on track but now a month later is was off again. They decided to schedule an MRI to see further into the issue before making a diagnosis. Until the MRI Karsyn would begin going to a physical therapist twice a week to work on using her right arm and leg.
On top of these concerns Karysn was having a hard time focusing on objects at a distance and one or both of her eyes would wander. In the midst of her regular doctor appointments she was seeing a vision specialist who said that Karsyn now needed to wear an eye patch for an hour on one eye every day (switching right one day then left eye the next) until January 2016 to see if there was improvement. If they do not see improvement they will have surgery in February. When I talked to Kendra at this point she was sad and worried and felt like she had done something wrong and what she could have done different so that this wouldn't have happened. She was worried that Karsyn would get picked on later in life at school and just had all the worries any mother would have running through their mind. My heart was breaking for her but was so proud of her for forcing herself after a long day at work and just wanting to come home and snuggle with her baby girl to help Karsyn no matter how hard Karsyn fought back or cried not wanting to wear her patch or use her right arm Kendra was there to push her to her potential.
The medical bills are beginning to add up and the Dunkley family has STILL not met their deductible and it is almost the end of the year.
While waiting for their MRI appointment Karysn was going to her physical therapy appointments twice a week. They decided that in addition to physical therapy Karysn would need occupational therapy twice a week as well. I spoke with Kendra leading up to her MRI. She was so level headed and said she knew she had to do whatever she needed for Karsyn and that she WILL do everything every other kid can do but maybe at a slower pace. I was so proud of her for being so strong in such a stressful situation. She is a rock star mom and Jamie just as amazing there supporting her and Karsyn the entire way.
They went to her MRI on a Thursday. It took an hour and a half and Karsyn did well but got sick afterwards but was fine. Doctors told them they may have an answer Friday but it might be Monday. They got a phone call Friday to come in to discuss the MRI results. Of course this is the scariest feeling in the world.
The MRI showed fluid on Karsyn's brain that will need surgery and a shunt that will be there her whole life. MRI also showed some dead brain cells caused by lack of oxygen during the pregnancy or delivery, which is causing developmental delays on the right side, that therapy is fixing. They go to see a neurosurgeon next week to get further details about the surgery.
She and Jamie are doing ok and feel relieved to have some answers but they are going to need a LOT of help with medical bills and I would LOVE to surprise them with some monetary love from friends, family, professors, strangers, colleagues, classmates, etc to assist them in this time of need.
Every dollar will help them get Karsyn the help that she needs. She hasn't even had her first birthday yet and my goal is to be there at her first birthday with a large sum of money from all of us to help them. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE even if its $1, $5, $10 or more it will ALL help.
Thank you so much I cant wait to see the tears of joy from Kendra and Jamie when they see all of us come together to help them in their time of need.
Organiser
Stephanie Lauren Milfeld
Organiser
Saint Cloud, FL