Tera’s Road to Recovery

Tera Runyen is a giver, a daughter, a sister, a mother, a grandmother, and most of all a fighter. 

Many know of my mothers battle with 2 brain tumors, in which she won the fight. Over time, she slipped into kidney failure, leading to dialysis 3 times a week. Never have I heard her once ask, “Why me?” Everyday she put on her smile to keep us happy, and she went. 

My mothers most recent fight is scheduled against Leukemia. On February 19th, my mother, father, sister and I rode with my mom to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis. She came to be diagnosed with Leukemia, and start Chemotherapy. While here, Tera slipped into a state of constant seizures. She was placed on a ventilator, and in a medically induced coma. Over two weeks later, my mother woke up, aware of surroundings and after a few days was able to squeeze, follow commands, move all extremities, and even speak some words. After coming out of the coma, outof ICU, and in the regular hospital for a few days, she started chemo. After a week, she slipped back into the seizures and was placed back on the ventilator, and back in a coma. 

All sedation medicine has been stopped, and Tera is initiating breaths on her own. Because of being in kidney failure, it takes longer for the medicine to exit her system, so it’s just another waiting game of when she will wake up. Until then, we have her iPad playing her favorite songs from the 80’s. 

I’m making this because I feel helpless in this situation. I cannot do anything other than be there for my mom. We have beenstaying in a hotel a few miles from the hospital. ICU rules are that nobody can stayovernight, so we have needed the hotel. As you can expect, hotel costs, fuel for back and forth, food all add up quickly. We have been blessed throughout life with great family and friends. 

I write this from my mothers bedside, thankful for all of you. 

God Bless.