Several weeks ago I started a thread requesting prayers for my daughter. She had a lymph node in her neck that had been swollen for an extended period of time. The Dr. finally decided to excise and biopsy the mass to see what was up.
We found out on Tuesday morning that what was up was a squamous cell carcinoma of indeterminate origin. (Fairly common in 65+ year old smokers and drinkers, unheard of till now in a healthy 6 year old.) Basically that means that there is most likely a cancerous lesion somewhere between her nose, mouth, and where the nose meets the back of throat. Tuesday we took her to Children's Hospital in Cincinnati where they did a CT and MRI, which found nothing other than lymph nodes surrounding the original offending lymph node. The primary tumor was missing.
Today, they did a PET scan from her eyes down. The only cancerous growths they could find were again those surrounding the original lymph node. Again, no primary tumor. This was good and bad. Bad because they still don't know where the primary is, good because as of today her lungs, liver, et al.. is clear. Today I learned that I am an optimist....
On Friday she is scheduled to have her entire ENT area scoped to try to find the primary, but the chances are fairly small that they will find anything visually that a PET scan missed. The 3 current
medical theories are that
1. The original cancerous cell or two broke off in their entirety and landed in the lymph node, where it has spread to the surrounding lymph nodes.
2. There were some vestigial squamous cells in her lymph that turned cancerous.
3. They just can't find the primary mass.
An alternate theory that I hold near and dear to my heart is that the primary tumor was taken care of by God, but for what ever reason this trial is still laid at our feet.
I would like to request prayers for my daughter, Mia Seren Rask, and her Doctors and their teams. Dr. Robin Cotton is her primary ENT surgeon, and Dr. James Geller is the primary oncologist. Also for my X, who despite our difference and divorce, has always been a loving mother and is at heart a kind and sensitive woman. At some point Mia is likely to be admitted into he hospital for an extended period of testing and/or treatment. If that happens I will post the information for those of you who would like to send her your prayers and maybe a get well card. (Please no money, we're fine there, but it would probably brighten a little girl's day to get a card.
)
Thank you for your support,
Erik Rask (WylieKy)
