Jill's Journey!!!!!!

FLOWER GIRL picture taken July 2009
Jill was diagnosed on 1/8/04 with a malignant rhabdoid tumor (a sarcoma type of cancer) which was wrapped around her spine. On 1/15/04, Jill was air lifted to Memphis, TN. Jill had three rounds of chemo to shrink the tumor at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. On 3/30/04 Jill had a ten hour surgery at LeBonhuer Children's Hospital in Memphis to resect 100% of the tumor. After surgery, Jill had another five rounds of chemo and five weeks of radiation at St. Judes. On 9/21/04, Jill returned home to Columbia, MO to resume life as an active toddler. Her parents are Joe and Joyce Zulovich. Thirteen year old Jennifer is her older sister!

Jill returns to Memphis in January 2010 for a check up in the After Completion of Therapy Clinic (ACT). Please keep our family in your prayers during this time.


Thanks for following Jill's Journey! Please sign Jill's guest book to let her know you're visiting her web page.

The hardware in Jill's back needs to be repaired. Surgery is scheduled for October 2009.

Journal

Monday, August 24, 2009 8:13 PM CDT

Things change quickly! School started on 8/19/09.

Thursday evening when Jill looked in the mirror, she noticed something different about the "bump" on her back. Thankfully she showed the changed "bump" to mom and dad.

Sure enough the hardware in Jill's back was about to poke thru her skin. During the night, the bump oozed.

Friday morning mom made several quick phone calls to doctors to determine how we should proceed. In July, Dr. Warner in Memphis told us that if the "bump" burst or got infected we needed to get to Memphis ASAP.

Thankfully Dr. Dan H. at University Hospital was able to squeeze her in to look at the "bump". Dr. Dan determined that surgery could wait until this week but NOT much longer.

Jill is on a grape flavored antibiotic so the oozing, bleeding nasty looking bump doesn't get infected prior to surgery. It is covered with guaze.

Dr. Warner will operate on Jill's back at LeBonheur Children's Hospital first thing on Tuesday morning.

Jill handled the blood draw like a champ. On ONE stick, they were able to get five test tubes of blood.

Jill was very impressed with the Child Life Specialist's grand tour of the orthopedic floor where she will be recovering for 3 to 4 days post surgery. She HAS to walk to the toy room and to the art room.

We will try to update this website periodically on Tuesday.

Thanks for your prayers.

JZx4

Hospital Information:

Patient Room: 30

Ronald McDonald House
535 Alabama Ave. Room 30
Memphis, TN 38105

Links:

E-mail Author: stjudemom@tranquility.net

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