We head to NIH this afternoon for a scheduled MRI on Wednesday. Ella will have labs and an exam tomorrow and then the MRI at 9am on Wednesday. She is scheduled to have a PET scan on Thursday, but our prayer is that the MRI results are so great that we will get to leave on Wednesday and get Ella home in time for her 1st grade end of the year party, which is Thursday afternoon.
We ask that you specifically thank God for Ella's great health and pray that the MRI will show that the spots are scar tissue or nothing, that the tumor is stable or better, that there is less enhancement, and that we get home, full of joy, in time for the party.
In addition to our sweet girl, please keep the following DIPG kids and their families in your prayers: Alexis (www.caringbridge.org/visit/teamalexis), Grace (www.caringbridge.org/visit/gracemcgrath), Kayla (www.caringbridge.org/visit/kaylalucius) and Meg (www.caringbridge.org/visit/megwasley).
We would also love prayers for Mark's cousin Monica who is battling cancer, as well as our friend Stefan's sisters Fran who is battling cancer and Gwen who was recently in a bad bicycle accident. Additionally, please keep Ella's buddy Hampton and his family in your prayers (www.caringbridge.org/visit/hamptonvandyke). Hampton is Ella's friend and classmate. He has a rare cancer-like disease that causes his body to make too many white blood cells, which then turn on his body and latch onto bone and eat it. He had a tumor removed at the end of March and has been on chemo and steroids for the last month or so. He will continue the treatment for a year, which will hopefully put him in remission.
As always, we thank God for all of you who support us with your love, prayers, kind words and thoughts. Having you beside us is a huge blessing.
Love & Blessings,
The Newmillers
