"A girl who never gives up…"
Meet our 2008 Children's Miracle Network Champion
Tanya and Keith Knudsvig would have given anything for a sign of life from Cora. Their 5-year-old daughter, whose big love was dancing, lay in a hospital bed, unresponsive in critical condition and dangerously near death. At her side every moment, they took turns reading aloud her favorite books, playing her favorite music, talking to her and holding her hand. They decorated the ceiling with enlarged photos of the family and her beloved dog. Hours of watching, hoping, praying - then days. "One doctor told us that this would be a marathon and we needed to pace ourselves for a long road to recovery," says Tanya. "Whatever it took, we would do. We just wanted our sweet little girl back again."
"If anyone can do it, Cora can. She's strong, has a positive attitude and always, always tries. She's a girl who never gives up."
Tanya Knudsvig
The "marathon" began Dec. 30, 2005, when Cora complained of a bad headache while at home near Clifford, N.D., where the family lived at that time. Troubling symptoms followed: limpness in her left side, vomiting, unresponsiveness. An ambulance rushed Cora to MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, where doctors determined a large brain tumor had hemorrhaged, causing extensive damage to the right side of Cora's brain and partial damage to the left. "It was completely unexpected and just devastating to hear," says Tanya. "You never think something like this could happen to your family."
Surviving surgery
Cora's first challenge was surviving intricate surgery to remove the non-cancerous tumor. Performed by Dr. Alex Mendez, neurosurgeon at MeritCare, the difficult five-hour surgery took place Dec. 31. "The surgery saved her life, but there was still so much we didn't know," says Tanya. "Would she ever wake up? Be able to see? Hear? Recognize us? Not knowing was the hardest part."
The next three weeks proved critical, including two more surgeries and the highly specialized care of MeritCare Children's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). A respirator helped her breathe, a feeding tube kept her nourished, advanced monitors constantly tracked her condition and a doctor-led pediatric critical care team kept a close watch. "And the nurses - they were awesome," says Tanya. "They were there 24/7. They cried with us, prayed with us and loved Cora as if she was their own."
A glimmer of hope
The only children's hospital in North Dakota affiliated with the National Association of Children's Hospitals, MeritCare Children's had the depth and breadth of care Cora needed, including extensive physical, occupational and speech therapy. Susan Wendelbo, Children's speech language pathologist, recalls an early milestone: "Cora showed slight tracking with her eyes - that alone was so exciting. Based on the severity of Cora's illness, even the slightest change was progress."
For Tanya and Keith, another hopeful sign was a facial expression during Cora's last couple days in the PICU before transferring to general pediatrics. "She had a slight smile on her face," says Tanya. "That was very cool and definitely one of our best days." Progress continued, including her first words, "I love you," in mid-February. By March 24, Cora was strong enough to leave the hospital. "She could smile, laugh, hold our hands, sing the ABCs, and even talk pretty well," says Tanya. "Her left side still had very little movement and she was in a wheelchair, but we had our little girl again."
Hardworking and happy
For several months, Cora continued extensive outpatient therapy at MeritCare Children's. She made great gains including learning to swallow again so she wouldn't need a feeding tube and learning to walk with assistance. "She's a hard worker and a happy, fun little girl who's always smiling," says Susan. "Her parents are amazing, too - very supportive and willing to do whatever it takes to help Cora." Her therapy now continues through her local school system.
Today, Cora is a recent first-grade graduate who loves math, board games and movies. And dancing? "We don't believe for a second that it's out of the realm of possibility," says Tanya. If anyone can do it, Cora can. She's strong, has a positive attitude and always, always tries. She's a girl who never gives up."
To learn more about the expert care available at MeritCare Children's Hospital, please call (701) 234-2000 or (800) 437-4010 or visit children.meritcare.com.
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