Page 57 - Journey of Hope by Raymond Moldenhauer

DAY107

ANOTHER SHOCKWAVE

The shock of this latest event is still settling in. At dinner, we
were discussing her homecoming. Jim, Heidi, and Kathie were
trained on the Apnea monitor and in infant CPR this morning.
Alyssa was fitted by the Physical Therapist for her car seat.
Everything was in a preparation mode for going home.

However, as you know from my earlier e-mail at 6:45 this
evening, the Radiologist inadvertently discovered a mass on
Alyssa’s adrenal gland while he was doing an ultrasound of the
abdomen to check out Alyssa’s liver. So after I sent out yet
another urgent prayer request, Kathie and I drove to Dupont to
wait with Jim and Heidi for the results of the emergency CT Scan.
Our son, Keven, also drove to Wilmington to offer his support to
his sister.

The Radiologist and Doctor had just finished explaining the
situation to them when we walked into the NICU Waiting Room.
The CT Scan showed that the mass was, in fact, a
“neuroblastoma” on her adrenal gland. Neuroblastoma is a form
of cancer that occurs in infants and young children. The cells of
this cancer usually resemble very primitive developing nerve
cells found in an embryo or fetus. (The term neuro indicates
"nerves," while blastoma refers to a cancer that affects
immature or developing cells). Treatment at this stage of
development is via surgical removal and has a very high success
rate.

We are meeting with an Oncologist at the hospital on Saturday
morning to find out more about this rare (1 in 10,000 babies get
this) form of cancer and the surgery that she will most likely We place our hope in You O Lord. We pray that this setback is only another
have on Monday. Please continue to pray for Alyssa. way to show Your glory to the world.