Support Jenna's Medical Journey

Please help us raise money for Jenna as she gets ready for her first of likely two brain surgeries; the first scheduled for the end of April.

Jenna started having some word recall and spelling issues at the beginning of October. She wasn’t too worried about it, but decided to check in with her neurologist in Marshfield anyways. Thankfully, there is not a new brain tumor, but her Marshfield neurologist is worried about what these symptoms could mean and/or turn into. He then transferred Jenna’s case to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Since October, Jenna has already had an MRI, PET scan, and a week long EMU stay. She is scheduled for a CT with biopsy and has other tests before the end of April. Needless to say, Jenna has made to 3.5 hour one way trek out to Mayo many times already. She has used up all her sick time and hasn’t had her surgery yet.

All of the tests she’s had are pointing towards damaged tissue, irregular spikes in brain activity, and lessening in brain metabolism in the left temporal lobe. The neurology team is concerned about Jenna’s case. The surgery done in April will be preformed by one of Mayo’s best who will implant 12-15 long, highly sensitive electrodes through the skull, to the center of the brain. These electrodes will ideally locate exactly where the center of the epileptic damage sight is. Hopefully, after 2 weeks at Mayo the doctor will remove the electrodes, review the data, and start to plan for the second surgery. The second surgery will possibly be a craniotomy with resection, laser ablation, or some type of grid or brain implantation device.

Thankfully, Jenna has not been back to tonic clonic seizures this time around but, ideally these surgeries could stop damage to the brain, reduce or eliminate seizure meds, and eliminate any and all type of seizures permanently.

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers though this difficult time. Thank you for taking the time to hear her story!