Please join us in helping the Wiese Family with travel & meal expenses as well as helping to cover unpaid time away from work as they spend time in Iowa City at the University of Iowa Stead Family Hospital for Cassidy’s upcoming surgery on October 18th.

 

For those not quite familiar with Cassidy's story -

 

On August 4, 2020 we were in Iowa City reviewing genetic testing trying to understand a brain abnormality Cassidy was born with. After getting labs that day we learned they are textbook for leukmia. She was admitted that day. Thankfully a bone marrow biopsy showed no cancer in her blood cells.

 

We went to Iowa City last week to discuss a G-tube placement but got to talk about a splenectomy too!

 

We are so incredibly thankful for Cassidy's doctors at University of Iowa Stead Family Hospital because they listen. Cassidy's spleen is FIVE times the size it should be and even though the new chemotherapy medication she is on might decrease her high white cell count, removing her spleen is what needs to happen.

 

Cassidy's hematologist thinks her spleen is enlarged because it's producing white cells while the bone marrow is too. Apparently, a baby's spleen produces white blood cells while in the womb, but it stops when babies are born. They believe Cassidy's never stopped.

 

Her weight doesn't increase like it should from month to month and she doesn't maintain her weight when she gets sick. Her stomach is literally squished so she never wants to eat. We also have concerns on speech development. We learned Cassidy's diaphragm is pushed up in two of her ribs which we believe is the cause of slight delays we already recognize in her speech. We are so happy we taught Cassi to sign! While she doesn't have typical gross motor skills for her age, Childserve does believe Cassidy compensates very nicely and has grown quite a bit the last 4 months in areas of cognitive development, social-emotional development, and receptive language. Childserve is confident she's on track as a 19 month old and does not need any added therapy services besides PT which we've been doing! We will closely watch her speech and everything, especially after surgery to continue her momentum!

 

Monday, October 18 is the day Cassidy's spleen will be removed and she'll get a G-tube. They are also repeating her bone marrow biopsy to make sure nothing has changed.

 

We are nervous but eager. We want Cassidy to thrive and we truly believe this will make it happen! Until then, we will continue pushing night feedings through the NG so she can gain as much weight and strength as possible before surgery.

 

THANK YOU for your continued support and prayers!!!

 

Now please pray Cassi will stay healthy so this procedure is seen through and that it'll help her grow and mature into the little girl she deserves to be!