Thursday 00/29/2011

There is guarded optimism! Of all the bad things it could be, the dr thinks it is a hemangio endothelioma. The sent tissue to another path lab for verification and if they concur she can go home in about 3 to 5 days! From there she will need a specialist to evaluate the situation. This could resolve on it's own. I will keep you all posted. Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart for thoughts and prayers.

Wednesday 09/28/2011

Well another day of waiting for biopsy results.  Should be in any day and by Friday at the latest.  Meghan was able to hold Elaina for the first time since the biopsy surgery.  I am sure this has been very hard on her and my heart goes out to her.  The nursing staff removed the belly line and that is what allowed Meg to be able to hold and feed Elaina.  Elaina's billi rubin was below 10 today another good sign.  Keep the thoughts and prayers coming!

Tuesday 09/27/2011

Well today looks so good.  The breathing tube from the operation yesterday was taken out late in the day on Tuesday which was sooner than expected.  Mom and Dad cannot hold baby yet because of the incision but may be able to later today or tomorrow.  Meghan sent me a picture which is below.  She has her eyes open and she looking like hey that is no big deal!  Her billi rubin is down to 11 and she still needs the UV lights.  We are all hoping for results by tomorrow and really hoping that the DR was correct in his belief that the tumor is benign.  Keep you informed day by day and I am hoping that I can see her tomorrow during the day and get to hold her for the second time.  This should never happen to a baby!

Follow up on Monday

Elaina has had her biopsy.  They did an incision instead of a needle biopsy.  The MD that did the procedure stated that the tumor looked benign to him.  Please let the good thoughts and prayers continue.  She will still have a long journey ahead of her either way but if it is benign the outlook is so much brighter.  That is a little good news to share and I hope this trend continues.  I will try to visit tomorrow and obtain some photos to post.

Monday 09/26/2011 8:30 A.M.

Elaina is having a biopsy today.  It was originally scheduled for 7:30 A.M. but has been moved back to 9:00 A.M.  I will post when she is back in the NICU and recovering

Introducing Elaina Mae Hampel

I want to write to all about Elaina Hampel, born on Wednesday September 21, 2011.  Her parents are Meghan and Frank Hampel.  I am Bob Lehet the maternal grandfather to Elaina.  Elaina was born with what the Doctors thought was a mass of blood vessels on or near the liver.  This mass was discovered in-utero during a routine ultrasound.  After ultrasounds, CT scans and finally an MRI, it was determined that the mass was actually a tumor on the liver and the tumor was potentially cancerous.

I want to detail in coming days the story of Elaina, what is happening to her, the medical diagnosis, the prognosis and how the family both nuclear and extended are fairing.  As this is being written, she is in the NICU and has a pick line and feeding tube that were inserted today.  She will have a biopsy performed tomorrow morning and the results will be known by Friday.  Treatment options will hopefully be available on Friday as well.  I will try to do daily blogs for all to follow.

Meghan and Frank have 3 sons Ethan, Eli and Evan.  We are assisting in the care of the boys with our daughter Lauren.