Amelia Manetta

 

 

Michael and Casie Manetta and their family live in Catskill, NY.  They are a young couple with three beautiful little girls, Amelia, age 6, Hayden, age 4, and Kimber, age 2.

Early August of this year, their oldest, Amelia started to complain her upper arm hurt (only at night before bed).  Michael & Casie never thought anything of it since she was always looking for some reason to stay up just a little bit longer.  A short time into the complaints, Casie took the girls to their pediatrician for their physicals (school was to start soon).  Casie brought Amelia’s complaint to her attention.  The Dr. looked at the arm, moved it around, asked Amelia if it hurt (which at the time it

didn’t), so no need to look further.  A short time later, Casie was getting the the girls up and ready for the day and saw a bump on Amelia’s arm, right in the area where she had been complaining of the pain.  Casie immediately called Michael and after a short conversation she took the girls to their local Urgent Care.  The Urgent Care sent them to the local Emergency Room where the Dr. diagnosed her having a fracture . He referred them to The Bone & Joint Center in Malta, NY for further treatment.  It didn’t make sense.   She hadn’t had any accidents. She plays with her sisters and friends with no complaints of being hurt or in pain.  The following week Casie took the girls up for the appointment.  She wasn’t ready for this appointment.  The Dr. told her Amelia didn’t have a fracture, she has a mass growing in her bone.  She will have to have a biopsy of the bone.  That night in the Manetta house, everything stood still while everything raced on high speed.  On August 23, 2021, Michael & Casie took Amelia up to Albany Medical Center to meet the Dr. that would be doing the biopsy and have an MRI.  Two days later they performed the biopsy.  The Dr. told Michael & Casie it could be a couple of things, but they had to wait for the results before discussing treatment.  August 31, 2021, the diagnosis was Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer).  She would need 48 weeks of Chemo then surgery.  On September 9th, 2021, she had per port installed and her first round of Chemo treatment (inpatient).  She has had 4 treatments so far (lasting 4-5 days at a time).  Amelia has been handling her treatments as good as any active 6 year old can.  She is usually so active, playing outside, riding her bike, and she should be in school right now in first grade, which she is not able to attend, neither can her sister Hayden that would have started Pre-K this year.  They cannot afford anyone in the household to come in contact with anyone who is sick, therefore keeping the immediate circle very small and they have decreased their outings to a minimal.  Michael & Casie take turns with the girls when Amelia is having her treatments.  When Casie is at the hospital with Amelia, Michael will be home with the other two girls and vise versa or they have Miss Rachel and Trinity who have been a great help.   They are trying so hard to keep their lives as normal as can be, making sure that they always have either Mom, Dad or a close member of their family.  Michael & Casie have so many wonderful family members and friends they want to be able to keep everyone as informed as possible with updates and events that are going on, however individual contact right now is not realistic.  Hopefully this journal, that they can update periodically, will help keep everyone close to them as informed as possible.