Pray for Anna

Monday is the big day. On Monday, Anna will go into surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan (NYC). Her surgeon will be Dr. Michael LaQuaglia, a pretty big deal in the neuroblastoma community and a guy with a good success rate in terms of getting the whole tumor removed. This surgery will not "cure" Anna, even if successful. This surgery is aimed at removing the large soft-tissue tumor on the left side of her abdomen and chest. If it is not possible to remove this tumor, it will have to be "killed" with radiation, meaning large doses of radition will need to be applied to her core, with known dangers and high risks. This surgery will not obviate the need for radiation completely, she has some bone growth which will need to be dealt with, but that would be significantly less damaging than trying to radiate her soft tissue. This is as major as surgery gets. The surgery will be attempting to remove a tumor that encases her aorta and the blood supply to most major organs in her body, including the liver, spleen and her one remaining kidney.

We need prayer. We need prayer on Monday. We need prayer on all the days that follow the surgery. We need prayer for Anna, prayer for Dr. LaQuaglia, prayer for Lisa and Nate, prayer for the nurses, anesthesists and other doctors involved in the surgery and recovery. We need prayer.

The family is staying at the Ronald McDonald house nearby, and it is not the best accomodations. Please pray for that situation as well. It is unknown at this time how long they will stay in New York. It is possible that two surgeries would be needed and that this could result in a prolonged stay in New York, which complicates things for the family since Nate works in Minneapolis. Please pray that everyone has the wisdom they need to make the right decisions in every way.

Also, pray that Nate, Lisa, Anna and Zach find a way to be comfortable and comforted in this situation. Pray that people rise up to meet the needs they have, and that those of us trying to meet their needs do so effectively. Kurt has written a one-page "flyer" on Anna and the surgeon that you should feel free to print out and hand out if you have a prayer group, or just at church, etc. (Please let us know if you have trouble with this document). We believe that prayer has had a profound effect on Anna's past treatment and that God will answer prayer again for her.