Surgery Completed and Recovery Beginning

  We are overjoyed to be updating everyone on Amy's progress today! The amazing drawing below is of the tumor that has been giving us so much trouble this past year. Her surgeon drew it for us to help explain what was done during the last 4 hours. First off we would like to say "Thank You" to everyone who was praying for Amy and our family today! God's hand was on her and the surgeon and we could not have asked for a better outcome.

Abstract Surgeon Art 

   The tumor was in four parts. It had projections into the muscle in her back ( the halfmoon to the left of the drawing), between her ribs( the funny rooster cone on the right), directly into her spine ( the little circles down the middle) and along the side of her spine( the banana/oval in the middle).  The general area is vascular and Amy did lose a fair amount of blood but not because of the vascularity of the actual tumor.  She did not need a transfusion but her blood counts will be monitored over the next week. We believe that the chemo may have reduced the blood flow inside the tumor making surgery a better option than before treatment. A chest tube was placed to drain any excess fluid buildup but will be removed before we are discharged. The surgeon reported that he did not have to go through the diaphragm, the nerves in the area were not damaged in any way, and that he was able to remove at least 90% of the tumor only leaving what was directly in the spine.
   We will be here in the hospital until next Monday or Tuesday. Thankfully, we will be going into a regular room and she does not need to go to the ICU. Amy is still sleeping right now but they will be getting her up tomorrow to walk. The surgeon said she should make a full recovery with only minor repercussions. She may have numbness along her left side where incisions were made. She may also have weakness in the left side of her stomach and some irregularities in the muscles around the stomach. Her surgeon and team believe, from analyzing what was removed, that the chemo did it's job and the cancer was destroyed. They have sent it to the lab and we should be receiving a pathology report in the next five to seven days. Her surgeon seemed confident that it would be benign but wanted to have testing done to confirm.
   Everyone here has been quite taken with our young conversationalist. She asked to be awake before going in and discussed openly with the doctors on what was going to happen. We did have a few trying times during the last few weeks and today's anxiety level was high. It is in these moments that we find peace in prayer and the knowledge that God has a plan for Amy. Please continue to keep our brave girl in your prayers. We are deeply grateful and overjoyed with all God has done in Amy's life and through our family reached others with a message of faith and hope. We will continue with updates as we have information to share.