Radtke family gets heartbreaking diagnosis

Using her finger on the computer's touch pad, Taylor Radtke scrolled through a dizzying array of black-and-white photographs of her brain.

In many of the pictures, she could see the white mass clearly - the tumor that is spreading through her head, pushing her brain tissue to one side and impairing her vision and hearing.

Unless a miracle happens soon, that white mass will stay in Taylor's head and grow quickly, ending all hope of recovery.

Doctors told Taylor's family that even after two surgeries in two years to remove the growth from Taylor's brain, the tumor was likely to return.

But Taylor's parents weren't prepared for the sobering diagnosis when it did: If doctors operate yet again, the tumor will return with a vengeance and likely progress so quickly that Taylor hardly will have any time before the tumor claims her life.

"This last blow was the hardest one," said Taylor's mom, Laurie Radtke. "There's nothing that anyone can do anymore."

Radtke and her husband, Jeff, a Lake Zurich fire captain, have fought to get Taylor the medical care she has needed since she required open-heart surgery as a newborn. Since her 2007 diagnosis, Taylor's story has prompted suburban residents to host fundraisers, donate trips, recommend doctors and send get-well cards.

When doctors told the Johnsburg parents there was no more they could do for Taylor, Laurie didn't take no for an answer.

"I'm still in fight mode," Radtke said. "As a mom, I can't give up."

Taylor has fibrous dysplasia, a disease that spreads from a patient's bones. In Taylor's case, the tumor expands from her clivus bone, which supports the brain. If doctors could remove or replace the bone, Laurie thought, maybe they could stop the tumor from coming back.

Laurie, who carries around two bulging binders chronicling her daughter's medical history, contacted doctors across the country and a couple of specialists in France and Germany.

She even called Kevin Carroll, a prosthetic specialist who designed the legs that propelled South African runner Oscar Pistorius to Paralympics glory.

The Minnesota-based physician called Radtke back within 20 minutes.

"He told me we could be in the Space Age and that bone could never be replaced," Radtke said. "If nobody replaces that bone, there's nothing that will stop the tumor from coming back."

Doctors haven't told the Radtkes how long their daughter has, and Laurie isn't sure she wants to know. Physicians are treating Taylor's pain and symptoms, while Taylor's parents struggle to pay a mountain of bills.

Although Jeff Radtke has taken a second job, Laurie worries it may not be enough to cover more than $500 in monthly medical costs.

"We're either going to have to claim bankruptcy or sell the house," she said. "We were hoping to stay here forever and give it to the kids."

Despite her failing health and her parents' financial woes, Taylor has a reason to celebrate. The 9-year-old's competitive pompom squad, the Johnsburg J-Hawks, placed first at Sunday's state championships in DeKalb.

Taylor, who is staying home from school now, spends most of her time sleeping and "beating up my brother," 7-year-old Blake. Taylor said she's looking forward to Christmas, when she hopes to get a cell phone and a stroller for her new puppy, Bailey.

"I like sitting around here doing a whole lot of nothing," Taylor said Monday.

While Taylor sits around, her parents are trying to figure out how to pay the bills and how to cope with the reality that their daughter may not be around much longer.

"I don't know what to do now," Laurie said. "I wish somebody could tell us."

Donations to help defray Taylor's medical expenses can be made to the Taylor Radtke Medical Benefit account at First Midwest Bank in Johnsburg, 3805 N. Johnsburg Road, 60051; or McHenry, 1308 North Route 31, 60050.