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May 2003
05/24/2003 - Letter from Jackie
 Many of you do not know me but maybe you have heard of me. I am a friend of Terry and Cindi's. Many of you also know that Hannah has been having some tummy trouble for a while now. Well now we finally know the cause and Cindi has asked me to write to tell you all about it so here goes....

After Hannah's kindegarten graduation and t-ball game Wednesday, Terry noticed that one leg was swollen almost double of the other one and was turning black, blue and purple. They took her to the doctor who then sent them to the emergency room. As the doctor was doing an ultrasound on her leg to check for a blood clot when he reached her upper thigh he saw something else and stopped. They called in another doctor to take over. Well x-rays showed a mass near Hannah's bladder the size of a grapefruit. Preliminary tests showed it was likely cancer of some sort. On Thursday things went downhill some as her leg continued to swell and a low grade fever started as well as blood pressure issues and some kidney trouble. Given the kidney situation they didn't want to do a catscan on her and elected for an MRI. After keeping her well sedated most of the day, she had the MRI late in the afternoon. This showed that most of her pelvic and stomach area was full of this mass. To our knowledge now it has not pentrated any organs but it is squeezing the artery to her left leg cutting off circulation, hence the swelling. It is also pushing organs out of whack and "pinching them" The tumor is taking all the available space in her tummy and now they compare it to the size of a volleyball! She had surgery on Friday morning. They did a biopsy of the tumor and they did a bone marrow test and put a shunt or a port in her chest for the upcoming chemo treatments. Hannah's a real trooper and taking it all pretty much in stride - she's such a fighter. She had a tad of trouble in surgery as the nurse said the tumor was very fragile and crumbly and would bleed. There was so much there that they couldn't dig to find where the source of it started from and they didn't want to take chances with the bleeding. The course of action that I am aware of at this time is to get her healed a bit from surgery today, and start the chemo possibly as early as Sunday or Monday. They will try to shrink the tumor down to the point of being able to have surgery to remove it. Hannah is at Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis - Room 416. I don't have the number at my fingertips - it's in the car but I am sure you can get it easily by calling information or the phone book. They do have their cell phones with them but Cindi said the daytime minutes are getting used pretty quick so please keep that in mind if you call. The type of cancer that she has is called Rhabdomyosarcoma and they are thinking it's the Embryonal version but they won't know that for sure until sometime Tuesday when all the lab work is complete. She will be in the hospital for at least a week or longer we don't know yet. I will try to give as accurate information as I can. Cindi has asked me to keep updating you all. Feel free to write back to ask questions or to call them at the hospital. As their friend, personally I know they appreciate all the prayers and cards and calls, but I know that they will be dealing with a sick little girl and may not have lots of time for talking on the phone. You all know they didn't get much rest 2 years ago and I doubt they will get much this time around either. I will write as I get more information.... I have included two websites that I found that has some good information on it. They answered some of my questions about what to expect. The second one shows some pictures of what the cancer looks like. Some other good points we received too was that a fast gowing cancer is usually a fast dying one also and her doctor said that this type cancer - if it is what they think - is the type cancer that responds best to chemo sooooooooo - get those hands folded and prayers flowing! Thanks.

http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/info/cancer/diagnose/rhabdomyosarcoma.htm
http://caseofweek.labmed.umn.edu/year2001-q1/2-27-2001/diagnosis.htm
05/24/2003 - Note from Grandpa Fred
 Hannah has more problems! That lousy tumor, has stopped her ability to urinate .They are going thru her back, with something so she can pee. She will have this done today. Hopefully this will work. If not she may have to have Dialysis along with this surgery. The good news is the Dr. says children are 47% stronger than adults, with this kind of thing. Also she will be moved to I.C.U. Less chance of infection. He also wants less visitors for now, especially if visitors are sick or have any kind of germs or virus'. They may start the chemo within 12 hours if all goes well. So, again I ask for your prayers, for her and the family. God Bess You and Yours. Love, Grandpa
05/24/2003 - Update on Hannah
 Terry called and the surgery went well. He said they ended up doing the surgery at Cardinal Glennon. She is in intensive care on the second floor at Cardinal Glennon and should be there for a few days. He also said that so far she has went about one ounce of urine since the procedure - which was good. Hopefully, she will continue to improve overnight. Her blood pressure went back down after this procedure also. If she doesn't urinate enough overnight though - they will have to give her a dialysis treatment on Sunday. Terry said there was a lot of visitors today. Please continue to forward along this information to others that you think may wish to be informed. Prayers do get answered so keep on sending them up!!