The Start of Wendy's Health Adventure

Written Sunday 11/14    

Wendy has had some excitement this weekend and it will unfortunately continue into the next weeks. On Friday she had an MRI because of her short stature and chronic headaches.  That afternoon I received a phone call from her pediatrician asking me if I was sitting down.  She then informed me that Wendy has a tumor in her brain near her pituitary gland.  She had spoken with a Neurosurgeon, Dr Ackerman, and they determined that the best course would be to admit her into the hospital and do more tests to figure out what direction we needed to go.  

The past couple of days in the hospital have been hard on Wendy.  She wants to be home and wants to be normal.  That is not an option so we are working on finding the positive, the many blessings we have. 

So far we have learned that Wendy's veins are very secretive she has had to be poked 6 times with only two IV's actually working and one of those really didn't.  I think the IV and drawing blood is the hardest medical thing for Wendy.  The emotional storm is also hard. She is trying to figure out how to deal with the confusion, outpouring of love, anger, disappointment, and worry of the unknown.  She has shown great courage.

Prognosis wise we have determined that the tumor is about 1.5 cm in diameter and is affecting her optic nerves and her pituitary gland.  The optic end are at least partially a cause of her headaches.  The pituitary gland directs all the hormones so some of hers are not being directed properly.  We know her Thyroid is low and are doing continued tests of her Cortisol levels.  We will need to remove the tumor, but the doctors (Neurosurgeons, Endocrinologists, Oncologists, and Ophthalmologists) have yet to make a set plan, that is suppose to happen tomorrow (Monday 11/15)  

Our view from our hospital window.  It snowed for the first time this season and we think it makes the roof tops look a Harry Potterish.

 

Update: Writtten 12/4

The doctors are pretty confident it is a Craniopharyngioma which is a benign slow growing sticky tumor.  The plan is to surgically go in through her nose and sinuses and take a biopsy and decompress the cystic parts.  Wendy would then have 6 weeks of radiation to get rid of the tumor.

We are getting a second opinion at the beginning of January and another MRI.  The surgery will most likely be the end of January.