Any experience with pediatric brain tumors?

[barbk]

Best wishes Spazactaz. Hope you make it to Nationals. I'll be cheering for you!

Me too!!!

[victoriajh]

Best wishes Spazactaz. Hope you make it to Nationals. I'll be cheering for you!

Me three!!!!

[Holley Calmes]

Anna's tumor was a pineal blastoma. Rare but aggressive. 50% survival rate in older kids. Recurrance general in 2 years or so. We'll hope she's among the 50%.

[tarotx]

((Anna))

I hate "rare" cancer cause it means it gets little funding and you have to rely on doctors trying to find a cocktail that kind of works but has a good chance to kill you it's self.

Unfortunately most Childhood cancer is labeled rare even if it's not really.

And Spazactaz I hope your Cancer is so slow growing that you only have to worry about nose bleeds for 50+ years. You deserve the chance to feel mostly healthy for a traditional life span.

[Really]

Good luck, Spaz!

[Garden Kitty]

Sending good thoughts and prayers for Spaz and Anna.

[Holley Calmes]

They are trying to slowly shut down the shunt that's draining the fluid in her brain, and it's not going well this morning. We're directly our thoughts and prayers to this procedure. They will decide in the morning whether she will have to have a permanent shunt, which is not at all what we want!

Hugs to spaz!!!!!

[skatesindreams]

Keeping Anna, and those treating her, in my prayers.

[cholla]

Anna's tumor was a pineal blastoma. Rare but aggressive. 50% survival rate in older kids. Recurrance general in 2 years or so. We'll hope she's among the 50%.

If you haven't already visited these sites, you can find very useful information HERE and HERE. All my best wishes and hope to young Anna from the bottom of my heart.

[Holley Calmes]

I am trying to send rep to many of you, and I can't because I need to spread some around! But thank you to everyone. xoxoxoxoxo.

Just got this message from Anna's mother on Facebook. I like to share good news.

So, again, you guys prayed and God answered! A lot of stuff happened so fast, I haven't had time to update. Anna Mott took a way long nap. When she woke up, she was unbelievably better! Back to the level we had accomplished! Speech showed up, she did well. Then pt and ot came in right after and got her in a chair!!!!!!!
YOUR PRAYERS WORKED. I wish you were all here to see the change. THANK YOU, WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!♥♥♥

[Really]

Glad to read the good news!

[skatesindreams]

I'll be praying for more good news to follow.

[ChelleC]

((((Spazactaz)))) Will keep you in my prayers, and best of luck with your skating!

Holley, I will keep Anna in my prayers as well.

[skatemommy]

Prayers rising (and praise!) for Anna & Spaz.

[cholla]

Any new Holley Calmes ?

[Holley Calmes]

Yes, Anna was doing extremely well Sunday and yesterday. They had her sitting up in a chair. She's eating well. Her vision is still very affected. They took the shunt out.

Then this morning I read that the pressure had started building up in her brain again, so a permanent shunt is having to be put in, which was not what we wanted.

It's a roller coaster. But she's still here, she knows everyone and speaks to them. One day at a time. She'll start chemo and radiation next week.

Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts. We need them. She has a huge support system with all the other dancers she's grown up with. It's tough on them too-they range in age from about 12 to 17. Most have never faced this type of thing. It's very sobering to them, but they are of an age where they believe if they support her enough, she'll be fine. Sigh. I am praying she will be fine or at least survive and live a fairly normal life. I can happen! I've read the web sites, and it is possible.

[barbk]

Holley -- I'm so glad her community of dancers and their families are there for Anna and her family. I hope the shunt placement does the trick for her.

Spaz -- Wishing you the very best at getting the jumps back, but even what you've accomplished so far is amazing after what you've been through.

[Holley Calmes]

Update on Anna. She has been in the hospital one month as of today.

She has an infection. They did a procedure to clean out her stitches and the infected area, but the fever is still coming back. Nothing further can be done until the infection is gone, so we are all praying for that to clear up. She really needs to start radiation before the 5% of the tumor left starts growing again.

She's had good and bad times. Like I said before, it's a roller coaster. The family seems to be holding up well. Inch by inch....

[skipaway]

I am praying for Ana. So hope that things get better very soon.