When mother-of-five Carrie DeKlyen started waking up with bad headaches in March, she thought she may be experiencing the symptoms of migraines. But as the pain intensified and the pounding in her head induced vomiting, she thought she should probably get the condition checked out.
To her and her husband Nick’s shock, Carrie’s first brain scan revealed their worst nightmare: cancer.
Initially, doctors thought the mass in her brain was a treatable form of lymphoma, but a later pathology exam offered much more foreboding news. Carrie had an aggressive form of cancer called glioblastoma.
They warned the 37-year-old Michigan mom that she’d be lucky to live five years at best.
Carrie had the tumor surgically removed shortly after, but the following month threw yet another sharp curveball at the DeKlyens. Not only was the tumor back, but she was two months pregnant with their sixth child.
The two options she was given led this brave mother to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Cure 4 Carrie
She had the choice to undergo chemotherapy to extend her life at the cost of ending her pregnancy, or go through with the pregnancy knowing she would die before ever meeting her baby.
For the DeKlyens, who cling tightly to their Christian faith, choosing the latter was a no-brainer.
“That’s what she wanted,” said Nick, adding that “We love the Lord. We’re pro-life. We believe that God gave us this baby.”
After a second removal, the brain mass came back larger than ever in June. It was officially inoperable, and all doctors could do was remove fluid around Carrie’s brain to alleviate the pain.
In mid-July, violent convulsions and excruciating pain landed Carrie in the University of Michigan hospital. She had suffered a stroke at 19 weeks pregnant.
That was the last moment Nick ever saw his wife conscious.
The hospital informed him that Carrie would not wake up again, and if she did, her memory would be gone. However, they’d still do all they could to keep her baby healthy and growing.
Though it meant having his wife and unborn child on a breathing machine and feeding tube for weeks, Nick knew God was taking care of the little miracle growing inside Carrie.
But the 22-week mark revealed devastating news, as their 378-gram baby was far too small to survive outside the womb, and she simply wasn’t gaining weight.