Battle for Kyle Case

Kyle Case is my 28 year old nephew. His parents are Doug and Lisa Case. Kyle is an orchestra teacher at Omaha Norris Middle School.

On July 20, 2022, Kyle went in for an eye exam, intending to get lasik eye surgery. During what should have been a routine visit, the optometrist noticed he had an immense amount of pressure behind his optic nerve. Kyle was sent to get an MRI.

On July 27, 2022 the MRI showed that Kyle had a brain tumor on his brain stem and he was sent to the ER. Of course, this was incredibly shocking. Kyle has always been the fun, outgoing, comic relief to our family and to all who know him. This news didn’t seem real.

On July 29, Kyle had a high risk surgery to remove the tumor from his brainstem. It turned out to be a rare, cancerous Glioma.

The surgeon also said Kyle had so much fluid built up in his brain, he was lucky to be alive.

Kyle spent 3 weeks in the ICU at Nebraska Medicine. Because of the location of the tumor, he suffered significant brain damage during the surgery. His large motor, fine motor, and mobility skills were all affected.

Once stable and out of the ICU, Kyle left Nebraska Medicine and spent the next 6 weeks at the Madonna Center Hospital for healing and re-learning his motor and mobility skills. From swallowing, walking, talking, and even moving, he has had to basically begin from scratch.

All the little things we do in our day to day lives that we take for granted, like brushing our teeth, eating a meal, having a conversation, answering our phone, Kyle is working to re-learn. Fortunately, his mind is sharp and he is very aware of the situation.

Kyle has been a true fighter throughout his battle. He is incredibly appreciative of any amount of help he gets, and has managed to keep his wit, spirit and occasional sass that we all know and love. Kyle has made great progress but he still has a very long road ahead of him with a lot of unknowns.

Now, there is yet another battle Kyle will be enduring. Starting on October 19, 2022, Kyle will spend 6-7 weeks at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He will receive 30 intensive radiation treatments along with ongoing physical therapy.

His Mom and Dad have been with Kyle every step of the way, never leaving his side.

Every free moment they have had has been devoted to tending to Kyle since day 1; he is so blessed to have parents like them.

Lisa has taken a leave of absence from her job so she can take care of Kyle, who will continue to require 24 hour care. Doug will continue as the sole provider.

Doug and Lisa would never ask for help. They have worked hard all their lives. Our family would like to show them, and Kyle, a little love and to let them know just how much support they have.

Kyle’s medical expenses will be massive and he will not be able to return to work for the foreseeable future. He is in a wheelchair and not able to walk or easily communicate on his own. In addition to radiation treatments, he will still need a lot of occupational therapy and speech therapy.

We are asking for thoughts and prayers. Please also consider making monetary donations. Any money raised will go towards travel and living expenses while at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, as well as rapidly accruing medical bills. Any donation, no matter how small, and continued prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.