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Lana’s Story

Site created on July 26, 2022

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Let me start by telling you a little about Lana. Have you ever just met someone and suddenly you feel better about life…about yourself? That’s the kind of power this girl has. She is kindness and generosity; she is happiness and light. Lana is a top student and varsity basketball and softball player at Kennedy High School in Chicago. She is a proud member of the 16U Nationals Premier softball team. more importantly than all of that…she just makes everything better everywhere she goes.

The story starts way back in July of 2021 on the red dirt softball fields of Northern Georgia, where Lana had her first onset of symptoms but had absolutely no idea. As a catcher for her Nationals softball team, they rely on her to be steady, strong and balanced under pressure. It was at this tournament that Lana started to feel anything but reliable. Little did she know this was the start of a long and frustrating journey. Lana's main symptoms at the time were blinding headaches, pressure behind her eyes and in her ears, dizziness, lack of balance, visual disturbances, muscle weakness, and overwhelming fatigue.

Lana and her family began the exhausting process of figuring out what was ruining her quality of life. After MANY visits with her primary care doctor and every conceivable blood test being run, they were sent for an MRI of the brain. They were relieved to find the MRI was normal, except for a growth on her Pineal Gland. Lana was told not to be concerned as these growths are asymptomatic...and cause no symptoms. Once again, Lana was left with no answers, and she was scheduled to see a Neurologist.

Although Lana worked hard to continue to live her normal life, all of that came to a halt at the end of October. While in Arizona playing the game that she loves, she lost the ability to track a softball pop up behind the plate...her eyes could not track anything upwards. This was her bread and butter. The play she lived to make. Lana came off the field completely devastated as she began to realize her dream of playing softball at a high level was about to take a huge turn. After Lana and her mom returned home she experienced her first seizure following the plane ride. It was at this point that her family made the decision she would need to step away from the game until we had answers. Unfortunately, due to a lack of knowledge about symptomatic pineal gland growths, Lana did not have any luck with local Neurologists. In fact, a Neurologist at Lurie hospital suggested that she seek counseling because her symptoms were a manifestation of anxiety.

Devastated and infuriated Lana and her mom left that office on a damn mission. Annie, one of my closest friends, refused to allow her daughter to merely exist as a shell of herself. Her daughter’s light was slowly diminishing, and this world could not afford to lose the light of one of its most beautiful souls. So, they plowed on through the more than 20 symptoms that would randomly appear. They saw a Cardiologist, Rheumatologist, Endocrinologist…literally every “ologist” they could think of or be recommended to by Lana’s primary care doctor. They even got a second opinion, and a second MRI of the brain, which left them with zero answers and more frustration. Until…Annie went with her gut. Both Lana and Annie wanted to know how something in Lana’s brain, that doesn’t belong there, could possibly just be explained away as not being the issue?

So, with nowhere to turn, and a daughter sinking into a miserable depression with physical symptoms crippling her by the day, Annie turned to what every rational parent turns to…Facebook support groups. It was there that she discovered hundreds of people with so many symptoms identical to Lana’s that it was just unnerving. Then began the process of finding medical professionals ANYWHERE in the world that had expertise and understanding of the pineal gland. Enter Dr. Libby Infinger from MUSC located in Charleston, South Carolina. Although they had to jump through a bunch of hoops to get a virtual appointment with this wonderful woman, Annie would have jumped through hoops of fire in the sky if it meant there was even the smallest chance that someone could help her Lana.

It took one appointment for Lana and her mom to FINALLY feel heard, to FINALLY see the MRI of her brain, and to FINALLY hear that yes…this growth is absolutely causing all of Lana’s issues. Lana and Annie couldn’t hold back their tears. Lana felt heard and seen. The next logical question anyone would ask is, “What do we do to fix this?” I don’t think they were ready to hear, brain surgery.

Updates (3)

Newest Update

Journal entry by Annie Dahl — Oct 25, 2022

Hello Everyone!

It's been awhile since we posted an update but things have been moving so quickly around here and each of us has just been deeply focused on healing Lana...and each other after this last year.
Lana is doing well physically but as anticipated there has been a few mental struggles. Often after brain surgery patients deal with depression amd we're definitely there. Yesterday Lana and I spent some time buying and planting new plants and she cleaned out her room...this helped create some positive energy in her space.
We talked about how she's so happy for her friends and teammates as they commit to their schools for softball...but how difficult it is to realize what she's lost out on this past year. Lana is a fierce competitor, but she's been hesitant to get back to softball. We set a date for November 1st where she will begin getting her body back to softball shape. December 1st she will be able to wear a helmet and begin training once again. I think this will help Lana's mental health immensely.
We are blessed and excited that both Lana and Teagan will be able to play their preferred sport at Oakton College in the fall. They are excited to be together, live at home, and pursue their college dreams.
Thank you again for all of the live and support. We are so very grateful. Keep an eye on this comeback journey!

Annie 💜

Read More of the journal titled "October 25, 2022"

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