Love for Tessa Johnston
Donation protected
Hey friends of Jeremy, Sara their sweet girl Tessa! Let's alleviate them of all financial burdens as they walk through this heart wrenching season.
What's going on: In May this year, just after her third birthday, Tessa was sick with an ear infection. Sara took her in to the doctor and she was put on Amoxicillin. Shortly after, Tessa started complaining of a tummy ache and Sara brought her in again. The doctors said it's likely constipation, a normal side effect of the antibiotics and recommended a daily dose of Miralax. It seemed like the Miralax was hit and miss for months, sometimes helping, sometimes not. Fast forward to Thursday, August 30th. Tessa had been awake the night before a couple times complaining of a tummy ache again. The next morning Sara met up with a friend at a neighborhood park with all three of her kids. Tessa seemed okay at first, then after going down a slide on her tummy she became overwhelmed with pain. There was no distracting her with snacks or playing, she just kept patting her tummy saying how much it hurts.
After leaving the park, Sara tried putting Tessa down for a nap. Tessa barely slept and that's when Sara realized she needed to take Tessa in for another doctor's visit.
At the doctor's appointment they quickly ruled out appendicitis and chalked it up to a mysterious tummy ache that is common in children. The best recommendation was to cut out dairy.
Back at home Tessa's pain worsened, she barely slept that night. Sara decided to wait till the morning and bring her back to the doctor's first thing. This time the doctor decided it was time to send Tessa in for an ultrasound. Sara said she didn't exactly feel concerned during the ultrasound, but did notice it was taking longer than she anticipated.
The ultrasound tech finished up and then said she was going to go speak with the radiologist. After an unusually long wait, the radiologist returned. That was when their world was turned upside down. They were told there is in fact a large tumor in Tessa's abdomen and that it was most likely cancerous. They were told they needed to head to Seattle's Children's Hospital that day.
Once at Children's, Tessa was taken in for a CT scan and other tests. The results are not final until they have a biopsy, but at this point they suspect it to be a Neuroblastoma. Because of its size, it has wrappped around arteries and is touching multiple organs. Sara said from her view it appeared to encompass 1/3 of Tessa's entire abdomen and appeared to be a solid tumor. They are looking to test her bone marrow to see if it has spread to her bones. Please pray that it has not. They cannot surgically remove it at this point, they have to focus on shrinking it first.
There are still many more tests ahead, they are inserting a port into her chest. There will be chemo in her near future. The nurse told them they should expect 18 months to 2 years of treatments ahead. There is so much for Jeremy and Sara to navigate right now from grief to the practical. Let's not let finances be one of their burdens.
Thank you friends for lifting them up in prayers and your generous donations.
A verse to claim for Sara and Jeremy
Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand."
What's going on: In May this year, just after her third birthday, Tessa was sick with an ear infection. Sara took her in to the doctor and she was put on Amoxicillin. Shortly after, Tessa started complaining of a tummy ache and Sara brought her in again. The doctors said it's likely constipation, a normal side effect of the antibiotics and recommended a daily dose of Miralax. It seemed like the Miralax was hit and miss for months, sometimes helping, sometimes not. Fast forward to Thursday, August 30th. Tessa had been awake the night before a couple times complaining of a tummy ache again. The next morning Sara met up with a friend at a neighborhood park with all three of her kids. Tessa seemed okay at first, then after going down a slide on her tummy she became overwhelmed with pain. There was no distracting her with snacks or playing, she just kept patting her tummy saying how much it hurts.
After leaving the park, Sara tried putting Tessa down for a nap. Tessa barely slept and that's when Sara realized she needed to take Tessa in for another doctor's visit.
At the doctor's appointment they quickly ruled out appendicitis and chalked it up to a mysterious tummy ache that is common in children. The best recommendation was to cut out dairy.
Back at home Tessa's pain worsened, she barely slept that night. Sara decided to wait till the morning and bring her back to the doctor's first thing. This time the doctor decided it was time to send Tessa in for an ultrasound. Sara said she didn't exactly feel concerned during the ultrasound, but did notice it was taking longer than she anticipated.
The ultrasound tech finished up and then said she was going to go speak with the radiologist. After an unusually long wait, the radiologist returned. That was when their world was turned upside down. They were told there is in fact a large tumor in Tessa's abdomen and that it was most likely cancerous. They were told they needed to head to Seattle's Children's Hospital that day.
Once at Children's, Tessa was taken in for a CT scan and other tests. The results are not final until they have a biopsy, but at this point they suspect it to be a Neuroblastoma. Because of its size, it has wrappped around arteries and is touching multiple organs. Sara said from her view it appeared to encompass 1/3 of Tessa's entire abdomen and appeared to be a solid tumor. They are looking to test her bone marrow to see if it has spread to her bones. Please pray that it has not. They cannot surgically remove it at this point, they have to focus on shrinking it first.
There are still many more tests ahead, they are inserting a port into her chest. There will be chemo in her near future. The nurse told them they should expect 18 months to 2 years of treatments ahead. There is so much for Jeremy and Sara to navigate right now from grief to the practical. Let's not let finances be one of their burdens.
Thank you friends for lifting them up in prayers and your generous donations.
A verse to claim for Sara and Jeremy
Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand."
Organizer and beneficiary
Kristen Rafferty
Organizer
Ferndale, WA
Jeremy Johnston
Beneficiary
