Kasey Bailey

Hello, my name is Kasey and I have created this GoFundMe for my Mom, Denise Miller. Many of you may know my mom from years spent in the UP, whether she was serving you up margaritas at Ferdinand's, or maybe from The Gate bowling center in Big Rapids. Wherever you know my mom from, you know that she was the life of the party. She was loud, spunky, and a little naughty at times. But beyond the fun woman was a compassionate, giant heart, and a love for everyone who crossed her path. In November of 2025, I took my Mom to the walk-in clinic for abdominal pain. She does have a hernia that is protruding through her stomach. The walk-in told us that they didn't have imaging available and sent us on our way to the emergency room. From there, everything has downspiraled. Denise was at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids from November 14, 2025, to November 22, 2025. She was diagnosed with a rare form of Gallbladder Cancer. After speaking with palliative care and the oncology team, the best form of treatment for her stage 3 gallbladder cancer was both radiation and chemo, Monday-Friday for 6 weeks. Chemo and Radiation both started on Monday, January 23rd. Treatments Monday-Wednesday went fine. I brought my Mom to her radiation appointment on Thursday, January 29, and immediately as she got her blood pressure and her pulse taken by the nurses, they told her she needed to get across the street to Reed City Emergency Department. After a few hours at the ER, my Mom was then transferred to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids once again. It has been 7 days and she is currently still there, fighting for her life at this point. They placed a stent to help drain her biliary obstruction due to cancer. She has undergone multiple blood infusions, she now has acute kidney injury and stage 3b chronic kidney disease, anemia, amongst other things. They are also putting an order in, if my Mom is strong enough, for a biopsy of her liver because imaging shows that the cancer has started to invade her liver. If it is confirmed, the stage 3 will turn into a stage 4. After speaking to palliative care this morning, I broke down in tears. I know my Mom is a strong, VERY STUBBORN woman, and I know she will fight as long and as hard as she can, especially for her Grandchildren, Hunter and Odin, but the doctor was very straightforward with me this morning- which is all that I've wanted all along. He does not think that my Mom is strong enough to fight this anymore. He does not think she can bounce back. And that terrifies me and destroys me. I just lost my Dad 10 months ago, and I am not ready to lose my Mom. Any funds acquired from this fundraiser will first and foremost help to cover any medical bills that are starting to build up. Anything left over will go directly to a funeral fund for my Mom. We have recently discussed on one of our trips to radiation, what my Mom's plans are for the afterlife and I would love nothing more than to honor those wishes for her. I will continue to update as I can. I am linked up to my Mom's MyChart on my phone, and the doctors and nurses have kept in great contact with me. Thank you for all of your continuing support and prayers. Keep praying.