Please Pray!!

Okay everyone I am posting this so that all of you who will, can cover this little boy and family in your prayers!!  One of the ladies I have worked out with consistently this year, Andrea, has 3 children Alex, Lincoln, and Anika.  She also attends the same church as our family.  Andrea and Erik adopted Alex from Russia (after many years of trying to have children) and then were blessed with her pregnancies and deliveries of Lincoln and Anika.  Alex had fetal alcohol syndrome and is autistic.  He is the sweetest little guy.  Andrea is great with him and has done so much to help him be in social settings and he even started Kindergarten this year.  Andrea is one of those moms I have learned from and enjoy being around....she doesn't hide the hard moments but she stays so positive and is always smiling!  I know I am rambling but I wanted to give you a little glimpse of who I am about to tell you about.....

Tonight we arrived in FL for the week of Thanksgiving and I checked my e-mail to find the following update from Andrea. (she updated on Lincoln and Anika and then posted the following)

Well, this is a big year for Alex - he has started Kindergarten, and he is sharing a full time aide with another child in his class. Luckily, that child's parents are a part of the "Spring Hill Autism Support Group", so I know them from there, and I really like them and feel comfortable that we can talk about how things are going in the classroom. He has a great teacher this year, and she is a great mix for him - compassionate, yet strict and wants him to become independent just as we do... The teacher says he has been doing really well, and he is keeping up wonderfully academically. The assistants and kids seem to really love him and take care of him.


Well, all of the above was written a few weeks ago for me to finish later (hard to do with all of the little ones), and now things have happened as of yesterday (Friday), and I have an urgent prayer request for all of you. Please see below for our update on Alex:

Yesterday (Friday), I finally got fed up with Alex having a low grade fever for weeks (since September), falling asleep at school while sitting up, exhausted at home, and in the last couple of days, telling us his tummy hurt (he NEVER tells us anything hurts - with the autism, it is hard for him to communicate when he is in pain). He had a regular doctor appt yesteerday afternoon to get measured again because he wanted to send him to an endicrinologist (?sp?) because of his size, and I was going to get him to do some bloodwork. However, I decided they would once again tell me it was just a stomach bug, virus, or something, so I decided I was taking him to VUMC Children's Hospital ER to find out what was wrong once and for all!!!

Well, after they heard his symptoms, they did bloodwork, and they were fearing mono or possibly leukemia, but the blood tests came back good (WBC and all), and we were ecstatic!! However, because of his stomach issues, the doctor wanted an ultrasound to rule out any other issues.

I went with him for the stomach ultrasound, and it took quite a while. After the tech did it, the radiologist came in to tell me he wanted to take a "live" look because he saw something. He proceeded to tell me that he saw a mass near his kidney, and it could either be really bad or not so bad based on how it looked in a CAT scan and where it actually was.

They then sent us up for a Cat Scan. A couple of hours later, two oncologists came to see us, and unfortunately, it was the "really bad" mass. They say that he has Neuroblastoma that is around his adrenal gland/kidney. They said that typically it is a very aggressive form of cancer, and that it often can't be removed because it is tied around the blood vessels, etc. (we don't understand everything about it yet).

We got home last night from the hospital, and we are in total shock at the moment. He is going to have surgery Monday morning so they can biopsy it, they will also take bone marrow from both hips, and most likely put in a semi-permanent IV in his chest. We will probably be in the hospital until Wednesday for about 4 more tests including a bone scan to see if it has spread to his bones. His oncologist said that they are going to try and get him out to come home for Thanksgiving to be with family.

They are not sure if or how much it has spread yet. This will be determined from the battery of tests next week. The oncologist said that she feels from what she saw that it will require very aggressive treatment that will probably go on for at least 18 months. She is hoping to start chemo the week after Thanksgiving. From talking to her, he will be in the hospital around 6-7 days every 3 weeks (so basically one week out of every 3 weeks) for chemo.

She said that there would also be radiation, most likely blood marrow transplant (probably his own), and other trials that they are doing. They currently have 7 patients with this particular cancer at VUMC Children's Hospital. The one good thing she said is that survival rates have gone up in the last couple of years from around 30-50% for the more aggressive one that she thinks he has.

Like I said, we are still in shock and devestated, but I just wanted to send out this prayer request so that maybe some miracle can happen when we go in Monday for surgery. If not, please pray that he can be one of those that can survive this aggressive cancer. My poor baby has been through so much since he was born, and my heart hurts for him so terribly. I just wish I could switch places with him. And please pray that our other two little ones won't get lost in the mix as we go through all of the hospital visits and trials. I want them to know how very much they are loved also!

Please pray to give me strength through this because my heart is completely broken right now. I don't know what I would do if I lost him, and I just hope and pray that won't be an option!!! I am devestated and sad right now, but I will become his "Mother Warrior" (as Jenny McCarthy says in one of her books on mothers of autistic kids), and I will fight for him with every once of strength in my body!!!

Please pray that he will be strong through this and that he will keep his wonderful happy spirit. We have a long journey ahead of us, but I know that if anyone can handle it, my little Alex can!!! Again, thank you all for your prayers. I've attached a few recent pics of the kids for you to see how much they are growing! We love you all!

Andrea and the gang

 I tell you my heart is breaking for her and her family.  I cannot imagine facing the road she is about to face.  However, I do know that through prayer MIGHTY things can happen!  This reminds me of last weeks sermon at church and he spoke on storms in our life.  He said it is not a matter of "if" storms are coming but "when" storms are coming.  He said they come suddenly, violently, and unexpectedly.....man is this true.
Two scripture references he used were Psalm 62: 5-8 "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my slavation;he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighy rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." 
Another verse is Hebrews 11:1 " Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Please lift them up and pass this on to anyone else you know who would pray for them.  I will try and keep you posted as I hear anything.