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Becca’s Story

Site created on October 29, 2018

Welcome to Becca's CaringBridge website. (Thanks, Dawn, for suggesting it!) We all feel so overwhelmingly blessed by the outpouring of love shown to us by everyone. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. We feel so enveloped in prayers, love, and support. As much as we would like to text or respond to everyone individually, there is just not enough time. We want to give Becca our full attention.

To give some background as concisely as I can, Becca has been having headaches for the past 5 months which have increased in severity the past two. Initially, we chalked them up to the stress of having to memorize scores of dance combinations for her high school dance team during the summer, later, to adjusting to high school and being in school full-time. Mark and I get stress headaches, so we weren't overly concerned. In September they increased in frequency and severity and one day caused her to throw up.

I made her an appointment with Dr. Mark Mekhail at Cleveland Clinic Solon because her PCP wasn't available. He began treating her for migraines after hearing her history and doing various neurological tests that she passed with flying colors. Over this month, she has been on three migraine meds that didn't work. He has been thorough and had responded quickly to my emails and calls. The past few weeks, she missed school or had to come home from school as the vomiting became more frequent and unpredictable. She had three visits with our caring friend and chiropractor, Allen Hoover. These provided temporary relief. My sister, Laurie Eckard, a licensed massage therapist, who also had suffered migraines, gave her an hour massage because that's what relieved her migraine. Again, it provided temporary relief.

Friday and Saturday, October 26-27, everything got worse. Becca couldn't keep anything down so we took her to the pediatric ER at Hillcrest Hospital at the recommendation of the nurse-on-call for fear of dehydration. She was pale and felt dizzy whenever she stood. In the ER they gave her IV meds called a migraine cocktail, did the same neurological tests(checked her eyes, equal strength of both sides of her body, asked her questions-name, date, location, who was with her to her left...), and later took her down for a CT scan. The doctors came in to tell us that the scan showed a mass at the right side of the base of her cerebellum that was blocking the ventricles of her brain from draining the fluid that surrounds the brain and goes down the spinal cord. The fluid build-up caused the pressure that was giving her headaches. Because she's a dancer, they said, she has incredible strength and balance and that's why she passed all the neurological tests! They transported her to Cleveland Clinic main campus pediatric ICU (PICU). She was put on IV meds for pain, decreasing the swelling, and slowing the production of the fluid.

Yesterday afternoon, she had an MRI. The doctors said it didn't show anything new. The neurological team is meeting today to discuss the plans for removing the mass, doing a biopsy, and draining the fluid. We know there will be no surgery today. I will update this blog as often as we receive any new news.

Becca's 15th birthday is tomorrow, October 30th. It will be a birthday we won't soon forget. But we know the Lord is faithful and good. He gave me the verse, "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul." Psalm 94:14 And a sister in Christ reminded me of Isaiah 41:13, "For I am the LORD your God Who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you.'"

Newest Update

Journal entry by Sharie Rengers — Nov 29, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving!
We have much for which to thank the Lord this Thanksgiving! On November 14, Becca had her fourth follow-up MRI and appointment with Dr. Recinos. Everything looks great and she is clear to not have another MRI and appointment for six months! Thank the Lord!

The whole month of October, but particularly the last week and the first week of November were very contemplative for Becca and me. I purposed to read through all the Caring Bridge posts we'd written and all the comments left by many of you. I thanked the Lord for each of you and asked His blessing on your lives. Yes, I cried a lot recalling the outpouring of love and prayers shown to our family during Becca's whole ordeal. We are so humbly grateful for that time and now for how the Lord sustained us, carried us, encouraged us, and provided for us.
Wishing you the blessings of grateful hearts!

Read More of the journal titled "Thanksgiving 2019"

Nov. 14 in the waiting room before her MRI

Wearing her birthday present, her new varsity jacket, posing with dear Dr. Recinos

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