Supporting Saige Walther & Family
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Saige Walther’s Story
A few weeks before the first Illinois POA show, Saige began complaining about a headache. The headache was not constant. It would be there one day and then disappear for several days before it would begin again. Unfortunately for Saige, these headaches were not out of the ordinary. She suffers from sinus issues that cause her to develop headaches. Jodi and Billy treated the headaches and they seemed to subside. In true POA family fashion, the Walther family prepared for their first POA show of the season. Saige rode her leadline classes on Saturday, and she did a great job!
On Sunday, May 23, Billy and Jodi noticed that when they changed her clothes she was losing her balance to the left. Later in the day, she seemed to drag her left foot. Since Saige is prone to ear infections, Jodi thought she might have an inner ear infection that was causing her issues with her balance. Just to be on the safe side, Billy and Jodi scratched her out of the game classes on the second day.
Monday after the horse show, Jodi took Saige to the babysitters and then called the pediatrician and scheduled an appointment. Jodi’s mother Gayle picked up Saige from the babysitter’s, and she noticed that she was struggling to complete certain tasks with her left side. At the doctor’s appointment, they learned that Saige had neither a sinus infection nor an ear infection. Thankfully, their pediatrician ordered an MRI for the next morning at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. When the MRI was completed, the results came back with news that turned their world upside down. The doctors reported to Billy and Jodi that there was a three-centimeter mass located in the pons of the brain stem. To make matters worse, it is inoperable. This area of the brain is located above the medulla, and it regulates and controls a number of vital functions. It not only acts as a control center but also contains nuclei of some important cranial nerves. As you can see, a mass located in this area can be extremely problematic. Once the team at St. John’s Hospital learned the location of the mass, they knew that they needed to get Saige moved to a hospital whose doctors had more experience dealing with this section of the brain. Therefore, the doctors in Springfield called Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Children’s Hospital is known for being one of the top ten hospitals for pediatric neurology. The decision was made to go to St. Louis. Children’s Hospital in St. Louis sent an ambulance along with a nurse to Springfield, Illinois, to transport Saige and Jodi. Billy followed the ambulance in the family car.
Once Saige arrived in St. Louis, another MRI was scheduled. This time, the surgeons were looking at the placement of the mass and trying to see where they could perform the biopsy to retrieve the best possible samples of the tissue. The biopsy was scheduled for Friday morning, May 28. Before the biopsy, Jodi and Billy were told by the neurosurgeon that in order for the biopsy to be 100% successful, they had to be within a millionth of a millimeter of accuracy to retrieve the sample. In simplest of terms, Jodi and Billy were told that there was NO room for error, and everything had to be perfect. In order to achieve this accuracy, Saige’s tiny head was placed in a device to ensure that it remained completely still. She also had to have things inserted on her skull to show the neurosurgeon every facet of her brain as they performed the procedure. As a result, Saige came out of the biopsy with seven small holes in her head. This does not include the incision site for the biopsy. The biopsy lasted for five and a half hours. The doctors retrieved samples from the mass in Saige’s brain and made sure that they were usable samples before they closed the biopsy location.
After the biopsy was over, Jodi and Billy asked if I could come to the hospital and help Jodi while Billy went home to check on things and see Darby. I was more than willing to help. Thankfully, on Sunday, May 30, Saige was allowed to go home. The neurosurgeon told Jodi that when the biopsy came back with results, they would formulate a plan for Saige. So now, they wait. They wait for answers, they wait for a plan, and we all pray for God to guide them through this process.
The terror of not knowing the outcome must be beyond overwhelming. I can assure you that the feeling of helplessness reoccurs several times a day as you listen to a child cry out in pain as their IV gets flushed for the sixth time that day, or they beg to go outside and you have to deny them of their simple request. Then there are the times that they politely ask to go home to see their sissy, daddy, grammy, or dogs. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning for the Walther family. Thankfully, Saige is a very brave child, but being cooped up in the hospital when you are an outside, pony-loving little girl is extremely difficult. After my experience at the hospital with Jodi and Saige, I knew that I needed to do something to help, and I also knew that so many of you wanted to help as well. After my brief hospital stay, I realized that I could not take away Saige’s pain, her fear, or ease her simple requests. I also know that I can’t do anything to help Billy and Jodi navigate and deal with what they will soon face. We can’t help with the medical side, but I do know that there are things we can all do to help. We can help them financially so that Billy and Jodi can take off of work to be with Saige. The last thing Billy and Jodi should be worried about is paying bills. We can ease their mind so that they can focus on Saige. Also, we can shower them with prayers and love knowing that we are all thinking of them during this difficult time.
May God bless and keep you all safe,
Tricia Hemberger
A few weeks before the first Illinois POA show, Saige began complaining about a headache. The headache was not constant. It would be there one day and then disappear for several days before it would begin again. Unfortunately for Saige, these headaches were not out of the ordinary. She suffers from sinus issues that cause her to develop headaches. Jodi and Billy treated the headaches and they seemed to subside. In true POA family fashion, the Walther family prepared for their first POA show of the season. Saige rode her leadline classes on Saturday, and she did a great job!
On Sunday, May 23, Billy and Jodi noticed that when they changed her clothes she was losing her balance to the left. Later in the day, she seemed to drag her left foot. Since Saige is prone to ear infections, Jodi thought she might have an inner ear infection that was causing her issues with her balance. Just to be on the safe side, Billy and Jodi scratched her out of the game classes on the second day.
Monday after the horse show, Jodi took Saige to the babysitters and then called the pediatrician and scheduled an appointment. Jodi’s mother Gayle picked up Saige from the babysitter’s, and she noticed that she was struggling to complete certain tasks with her left side. At the doctor’s appointment, they learned that Saige had neither a sinus infection nor an ear infection. Thankfully, their pediatrician ordered an MRI for the next morning at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. When the MRI was completed, the results came back with news that turned their world upside down. The doctors reported to Billy and Jodi that there was a three-centimeter mass located in the pons of the brain stem. To make matters worse, it is inoperable. This area of the brain is located above the medulla, and it regulates and controls a number of vital functions. It not only acts as a control center but also contains nuclei of some important cranial nerves. As you can see, a mass located in this area can be extremely problematic. Once the team at St. John’s Hospital learned the location of the mass, they knew that they needed to get Saige moved to a hospital whose doctors had more experience dealing with this section of the brain. Therefore, the doctors in Springfield called Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Children’s Hospital is known for being one of the top ten hospitals for pediatric neurology. The decision was made to go to St. Louis. Children’s Hospital in St. Louis sent an ambulance along with a nurse to Springfield, Illinois, to transport Saige and Jodi. Billy followed the ambulance in the family car.
Once Saige arrived in St. Louis, another MRI was scheduled. This time, the surgeons were looking at the placement of the mass and trying to see where they could perform the biopsy to retrieve the best possible samples of the tissue. The biopsy was scheduled for Friday morning, May 28. Before the biopsy, Jodi and Billy were told by the neurosurgeon that in order for the biopsy to be 100% successful, they had to be within a millionth of a millimeter of accuracy to retrieve the sample. In simplest of terms, Jodi and Billy were told that there was NO room for error, and everything had to be perfect. In order to achieve this accuracy, Saige’s tiny head was placed in a device to ensure that it remained completely still. She also had to have things inserted on her skull to show the neurosurgeon every facet of her brain as they performed the procedure. As a result, Saige came out of the biopsy with seven small holes in her head. This does not include the incision site for the biopsy. The biopsy lasted for five and a half hours. The doctors retrieved samples from the mass in Saige’s brain and made sure that they were usable samples before they closed the biopsy location.
After the biopsy was over, Jodi and Billy asked if I could come to the hospital and help Jodi while Billy went home to check on things and see Darby. I was more than willing to help. Thankfully, on Sunday, May 30, Saige was allowed to go home. The neurosurgeon told Jodi that when the biopsy came back with results, they would formulate a plan for Saige. So now, they wait. They wait for answers, they wait for a plan, and we all pray for God to guide them through this process.
The terror of not knowing the outcome must be beyond overwhelming. I can assure you that the feeling of helplessness reoccurs several times a day as you listen to a child cry out in pain as their IV gets flushed for the sixth time that day, or they beg to go outside and you have to deny them of their simple request. Then there are the times that they politely ask to go home to see their sissy, daddy, grammy, or dogs. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning for the Walther family. Thankfully, Saige is a very brave child, but being cooped up in the hospital when you are an outside, pony-loving little girl is extremely difficult. After my experience at the hospital with Jodi and Saige, I knew that I needed to do something to help, and I also knew that so many of you wanted to help as well. After my brief hospital stay, I realized that I could not take away Saige’s pain, her fear, or ease her simple requests. I also know that I can’t do anything to help Billy and Jodi navigate and deal with what they will soon face. We can’t help with the medical side, but I do know that there are things we can all do to help. We can help them financially so that Billy and Jodi can take off of work to be with Saige. The last thing Billy and Jodi should be worried about is paying bills. We can ease their mind so that they can focus on Saige. Also, we can shower them with prayers and love knowing that we are all thinking of them during this difficult time.
May God bless and keep you all safe,
Tricia Hemberger
Organizer and beneficiary
Tricia Hemberger
Organizer
Auburn, IL
Jodi Walther
Beneficiary