Great News!

Dr. Sekhar came out of surgery at 6pm and told us that he was able to get 70%-80% of Zoe's tumor out! That was more than he thought he would be able to get going into this. We knew that he would be aggressive, but we didn't dream that he would get this much! We are ecstatic! He feels that she may not even need the third surgery. Just minutes before we got this news, Zoe's pediatrician in Portland called to tell me that all the oncologists at Emanuel met today to specifically discuss Zoe's case.

She has become a very popular little girl in the NW medical community. I figure there's no such thing as bad publicity, and it's very positive that so many doctors are putting their heads together to try to help her. They met to discuss radiation options for what's left of her tumor. The type of radiation that they feel would work for her is the proton therapy radiation. Henry and I read about this online, and had already brought it up to Dr. Sekhar, so it's great news to us that this is now coming up again. This particular kind of radiation is very successful at attacking tumors that are located in high risk parts of the body like Zoe's. It is able to specifically target higher doses of radiation at tumors without radiating healthy surrounding tissue. It would be some time before radiation is an option, but I'm so happy that it's already being discussed. We haven't seen her yet...right now the doctors are putting her into a halo device to support her neck and spine. With the damage done to her spine it was actually the tumor supporting her neck and head. Hopefully the halo will be able to come off during her next surgery when they do the spinal fusion. That should be in about a week. She will have another MRI tonight to show Dr. Sekhar exactly how much he got out, and then hopefully we can see her. We've been told that she will remain tubed and sedated for tonight, and possibly able to wake up tomorrow. I feel like I'm in so much shock right now that I can't really express what I'm feeling. I'm nervous and excited to see her. I know it will be hard to see all the equipment attached to her, but I just can't wait to tell her how proud I am of her! I promised to read her some of her favorite Junie B. Jones books tonight, and that is what I'll do, while she sleeps. Maybe she will hear me. I just want her to know that I'm here. Henry can barely contain his excitement...jumping up and down happy.


Want to wake and know where I'm going.
Say I'm ready. Say I'm ready.
Want to go where the rivers are overflowing.
I'll be ready. I'll be ready.
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me.
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me.
I'm ready. I'm ready.
-Tracy Chapman

I'm ready for what's next God, thank You for this day.

-Colleen