Nora Sabella

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Nora was sent to Akron Children's Hospital on Wednesday, January 24.  She had been having mild viral type symptoms for 5 days and had shown she had low hemoglobin at her wellness check on January 12.  Her abdomen became distended and firm and Nora was just not "herself".

We drove her to Akron and started in Emergency Department.  She was quickly assessed and started getting some tests done. (Chest and abdominal x-rays and an abdominal ultrasound.  Her lab work showed many low and off values.  We were told she had a large mass in her right abdomen and would be admitted to the Hematology /Oncology Unit.  At this point, they confirmed that Nora had cancer but did not know what type and where exactly it was located.  On Thursday morning, Nora had a CT scan under sedation and also bilateral bone marrow biopsies.  Friday morning was a whirlwind of doctors, tests, labs, and surgery.  She had a medi-port placed to administer her chemotherapy. 

We had a relatively quiet weekend.  Nina got to come for a visit both Saturday and Sunday.  Nora probably walked 10 miles around the unit pushing her baby in a stroller and collecting stickers and trading cards from the Doggie Brigade.  The girls played and laughed. Hard to believe that this beautiful, full of life 4 year old has cancer!

Monday comes and our "Team Captain" comes in and tells us they have news. We will meet and go over the diagnosis and treatment plans. 
So we met them in the same exact room that our girls had played in the day before and they drop the bomb.  Nora has STAGE 4 HIGH-RISK NEUROBLASTOMA.  She has a large tumor on her adrenal gland that has spread to other areas in her belly, her lymph nodes and is in her bone marrow. 

WAIT....WHAT?  This kid looks fine!  Acts fine!  Plays! Laughs!  Runs! Goes to school!  How does she have cancer taking over her body and have no symptoms until her belly got distended?????

Ok. 
Process.
Cry.
Process some more.
Now we need a plan to FIGHT and WIN.

They go over the treatment plan.  6 cycles of extensive chemotherapy.  During the cycle, she will have stem cells harvested for future bone marrow transplants and surgery to remove the tumor.  We sat and listened to how all of these medications will be administered, in what order, and what the risks are.  Our beautiful baby will be pumped full of poison to kill the cancer which will also kill healthy cells. 
After the chemotherapy, we will do the transplants. After that comes radiation.  She is 4. She just turned 4.  She will turn 5 before this is over.

Nora started Chemo on Monday January 29 at 6:15 PM.  I am documenting that because that is the moment that she started to FIGHT and TEAM NORA was formed.  We will fight.  We will punch, scratch, kick and do everything we can to see our girl through this. 

Prayer Warriors get your praying on....