The courage to carry on

NAPPANEE – It was just a simple headache.
“She was complaining and we took her to the eye doctor because we thought she might need glasses,” said Tonya Rohr of her daughter Keri’s headaches. “He saw some trouble with the optic nerves and sent us to a neurologist. That’s when he found it.”
What the neurologist found was a malignant brain tumor. Nine year old Keri Rohr’s life had drastically changed.
“She was healthy for the most part so she was a little angry with us for making her go through this, for taking her life away really,” said Tonya. “She can’t go to school, she isn’t with her friends. It’s hard.”
With a diagnosis on January 2, Keri was in surgery three days later and then underwent six weeks of radiation treatment in Bloomington. She and her mother had to relocate to southern Indiana for that period of time.
Now she’s back in Nappanee, but undergoing heavy chemotherapy which leaves her with good days and bad days.
“Sometimes when I wake up I don’t feel good and no food really sounds good to me,” said Keri. “They say my taste buds are changing because nothing really tastes good. I’ve kind of lost my appetite.”
“We’re watching her waste away. We try to keep calories in her but it’s hard,” said Tonya.
The illness has affected the whole family. Tonya had to give up her job, and while husband Don has his job at J & N Stone in Wakarusa, the economy has hit them too. In it all the family still has a lot to be thankful for.
“Our church family has really helped us get through all this,” said Tonya. “They’ve helped us through all the emotional stuff that goes with it. While we were down there they had somebody with us every single day just to find out if we needed anything or any other way to help. I really don’t know how they managed that but they did.”
Along with the members of Nappanee Missionary Church, Keri has had some other helpers.
“I’ve met some very good people,” she said. “I miss my friends but I’ve made some new friends too and that’s made me feel better. They help me out because they know what it feels like.”
Family members have rallied too, with a golf scramble at Sprig-O-Mint Golf Course in Bremen scheduled for June 6. The money raised will go to offset the expenses incurred by the family. Interested parties can call Sprig-O-Mint at 574-546-2640 or Carol Lanning at 574-209-1817.
Meanwhile Keri will keep fighting. She has written about her experience on a website www.caringbridge.org/visit/kerirohr.
“I think I’m going to get well,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about people who had it at 15 and now they’re 60 and nothing has happened.”