Mikah’s Story

Site created on September 15, 2018


October 2022 Update...

Hello Friends, family and prayer warriors. This was the page that was set up for Mikah in his first battle starting in 2018.  I will update as often as possible so that you can pray specifically for what is going on.  I have updated the "Ways to Help" links for those who feel led to give or to purchase specific items from an Amazon wish list. We can't thank you enough for coming a long side us in this battle. We can not do this alone. We know and trust that God is with us and with Mikah. He is using you all to remind us of His goodness and faithfulness. Please pray for our precious son.

Thank you,

Michael and Sarah Carney





2018:
Friends and family...welcome to Mikah's CaringBridge website.  We (the TEAM) have decided to set this site up for Michael and Sarah. Please know they have not asked for any of this, however, it is necessary.   We are gratefully overwhelmed by the amount of people who would like to help and our goal is to have ONE location that you can do just that! We are using this site to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement.  On this site, you will find many ways to help, and a place to get some updates as well as a place for you to send encouraging words! We love and appreciate all of our family and friends for your willingness to help and your love for our family.
On this site, you will also find the link to the MealTrain here (https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/9mdkdl), the link to the donation site here (https://www.bumblebeefoundation.org/relapsed-leukemia-bees/), Venmo (@SarahEvelina), as well as a link to a sign up for other items that may be a blessing to Michael and Sarah and the kids here (https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3AYQZP04EC7BZ?ref_=wl_share) or please click on the hand and heart icon that says "Ways to Help". Thank you for visiting.

Dear Family, Church Family, Fire Family and Friends,

On Friday, September 14th, 2018 we received the most devastating news of our lives. We learned that Mikah, our brave and Batman loving four-year old has B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It is still hard to think about all that has happened in these last few days. He was first admitted into Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center on Thursday afternoon the 13th because of Michael’s intuition that something wasn’t right. At Pomona Valley Hospital they confirmed that his Red and White blood cells, along with his Platelets were low but they would need to send him to a children’s specialist to give an exact diagnosis. Michael asked the doctors if Mikah could go to Loma Linda University Medical Center. At first they told us that it is very difficult to get into Loma Linda. Loma Linda University told Pomona they didn’t have a bed open for Mikah on the children’s floor but that they would find a spot. They opened up a spot on another floor until a bed was available in the children’s hospital. After a team of specialist did the bone marrow biopsy, it was confirmed that 91% of Mikah’s bone marrow was full of leukemia and that he would be starting a very aggressive 28 day regiment of chemotherapy the following day. The goal is to reduce the leukemia cells to 0.1% in the first 28 days. We know Mikah is in the very best hands at LLUMC and are so thankful for all the talented Staff and Doctors here. 

Now we begin this journey that we never imagined that we would be on. It is heartbreaking to watching your sweet and lively four year old become sad and somber. We think about our three other children and how life is going to shift so quickly for them also. They are also worried about their brother and just want him home. We know we cannot walk this cancer journey without the love and support from you, our family and friends. We are trusting that the God who blessed us with our children will also be along side us every step of the way in this season of life. We appreciate and are so thankful of the overwhelming amount of Love and Support we have already received. We can’t thank you enough for loving our little Mikah. 

Love,

The Carney Family 

 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16:19


                           




Newest Update

Praying for a year of healing

Journal entry by Sarah Carney —

I’ve been a bit silent on this platform because the expression “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” comes to mind. Sometimes things feel so heavy that I feel like by sharing our feelings and pain I am bringing others down into that pit with us and then I just feel bad. I know that is the enemy also because he doesn’t like when brothers and sisters pray for one another so maybe shame on me for not letting that guard down. 


Since Mikah finished the radiation and chemotherapy cycle at the end of November it has been a slow recovery. We are just now seeing Mikah regain some of the strength he lost during that time. He asked to ride his bike last week and to go to baseball practice so I know he is feeling stronger but looking at him you can see he is weak. The thing I am most happy about is seeing the sparkle in his eyes return. For so long he was just a shadow of his normal happy and cheerful self. His hair has yet to start growing again and he feels self conscience about it but around his family he is more comfortable.

I just don’t think we had any idea that this phase was going to be so rough. We’ve watched him go from “healthy kid” to cancer looking kid too many times now and I’m praying this is the last time he has to endure this kind of transformation. 

Sometimes I feel like I explain this a lot so forgive me if I sound like a broken record but I do get a lot of questions about it. Mikah is not scheduled to be complete with chemotherapy and treatment until September 2025. Yes, almost two more years. Between now and then he will still take daily chemo pills at home, weekly chemo pills at home, monthly IV chemo at the hospital and every three months he will get an LP (lumbar puncture) with IV chemo to the spine and they send off the spinal fluid for testing to be sure the cancer cells haven’t returned. This is the maintenance phase of treatment. 

By September 2025 Mikah will have completed over 2,220 days+ of chemotherapy and treatment for B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since being diagnosed at the age of 4 (not including the 10 months we thought he was cancer free). This is long suffering but we remain streadfast in our trust and hope in Jesus. The days are hard but we must believe that God is working. That is where our hearts must remain.

Thank you for your steadfast love and continued prayers for Mikah and our family. Here’s to growing stronger and healthier in 2024.

 

Sarah 

Read More of the journal titled "Praying for a year of healing"
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