My niece Sarah

Sarah is my youngest niece and lives in Rock Valley, Iowa half of the time and in Sanford's Castle of Care for the other half.  Sarah was born with a number of health complications due to a syndrome called VACTERL.  Each letter represents something that was formed incorrectly in her development

Vertebrae - extra tissue at the bottom of her spine which was removed and ongoing supervision of potential scoliosis.
Anus - her anus was relocated to prevent further urinary tract infections and constipation
Cardiac - three holes in her heart were repaired and a stint inserted
Trachea - was fused with her esophagus
Esophagus - fused with the trachea, was not connected in the middle and had to be stretched and then reattached, and a hole at the top near the larynx
Renal - ongoing observation of the kidneys
Limbs - one leg is longer than another so she wears inserts

Last October, on top of all of these corrective measures and invasive surgeries, doctors discovered a malignant tumour on the base of her spine resembling a  bunny tail.  The tumour was given a cancer number of 80, 000 indicating the severity and size of the cancer.  Sarah was treated with four rounds of 5 days of chemo treatments followed by about a week of recovery at the hospital and home.

We have been waiting for Sarah to feel well enough to have an MRI to determine when surgery could take place, but today we got news that Sarah took a turn for the worse.  Sarah contracted pneumonia, but with her immune system deficient and her lungs weakened, it became increasingly difficult for her to intake enough oxygen.  In fact, as of this morning, Sarah was so weak that she wouldn't have been able to breathe on her own had she not been given a mask.  This afternoon, Sarah was intubated successfully but it will take a day or two to determine how successful and a full week to discover other results.

I know that Sarah's journey has been long and those of you who are reading this have upheld her in your prayers before and maybe already do on a daily basis, but I hope you will continue to lift her and her family up in your daily prayers.  This girl and her family are very special to me and to her family and to her whole community.  I've included a few pictures of little Princess Sarah.

I love popsicles in the summer

Aunt Karen painting my toes.

I'm so cool!

Mmm ... pancakes!

Wow!  Look at all these hats!  Most of them were given to other patients in the oncology ward in the Castle.

 This one was taken with Photo Booth :)

Surprise!  We're clowns! :)

Watching everyone open their gifts on Christmas with Uncle Nick

Doing Aunt Megan's hair

Finger painting in the Castle

Sanford's Castle of Care - Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

"Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.  I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings."  Psalm 61:1-4