First, I want to thank you all so much for your caring emails! And those of you that have sent/are sending cards...THANK YOU sooo much!!! I am so deeply touched by the love and concern you have shown us!! We have just recently returned from Seattle and are so grateful to be home! I apologize for not returning all of your emails yet...I am working on it though! Many of you have asked if I am o.k. as it is not "like me" to not post for so long. Again, I can't tell you how amazing you all are...thank you so much for your concern! I have to tell you...my DH is absolutely AMAZED that people we haven't even met have shown so much support and care...I just keep telling him that stampers really are just wonderful people!!!
A couple of weeks ago, Alison's (our 12 year old daughter) pediatrician found a mass in her brain that they first believed to be a tumor. We were sent to Seattle Children's hospital where a team of Neurosurgeons (they call them the Pediatric Tumor Team) ran more tests and determined that the mass they saw was blood. After even more tests (what they call "brain mapping"), they were able to rule out some of the really dangerous stuff...but weren't able to see what was behind/caused the blood. They believe that there is either a small, slow-growing tumor or a cluster of abnormal blood vessels that is cause of all of this, but cannot be sure until the swelling/blood goes down. We were able to come home for a while...and will go back in January for more tests. There is still a chance that she could hemorrhage again...but the risks of immediate surgery were greater than the risk of her bleeding again. Although it is a bit nerve wracking being so far away from the doctors, we are grateful to be able to spend the Holidays at home!
We believe so strongly in the power of prayer, and have experienced God's loving hand upon us. Thank you all SO much for your prayers, love, and concern!
I will be taking pictures of the beautiful cards we have received, and posting some each day (and I will even probably have something that I made to share with you as well...because there isn't any better therapy than stampin!!).
Hugs, Laurie
