Hi Everyone!

Thank you for checking-out and, possibly, following our blog about Emma's "Osteo Adventure."  While we are certain that when we look back, this experience will just be a blip on the screen of life, it's a significant enough blip that we wanted to come up with some way to record and share our experiences.  Hopefully, this blog will serve as a way to keep all of you wonderful friends and family posted on recent developments, a way to create a journal that Emma can save forever, and provide a means for those who want to reach out and post notes to Emma.

Just in case you are wondering what's up with the mountains in the background… they represent the mountain Emma is climbing to get through this experience AND our goal - to get back to hiking as soon as possible.  We look forward to hiking a mountain this summer - maybe we will start with something smaller than the mountain in this picture, like Cadillac Mountain.

So, to catch-up on what got us to this point… it seems like one minute Emma was playing basketball (January 28)

and the next she was in great pain, couldn't walk and needed crutches to get around.

After x-rays at the emergency room we learned that Emma had an osteochondromatosis extosis  (bone tumor) on her talus that had grown so large it was obstructing the ankle joint.  It got crushed by the joint and some pieces broke off and went through the joint to the back of the foot.  Hence the sudden pain!

With this unusual (to us) diagnosis, we sought out the best care for her.  We were thrilled to get an appointment with the bone tumor specialist at Children's Hospital Boston within a day of calling.  We are so lucky to live so close to Boston and have access to such expertise.

Emma, Fred and I met with Dr. Mark Gebhardt on January 31.  We also met Dr. Samantha Spencer who is a lower extremity specialist.  These two orthopedic surgeons confirmed the diagnosis and we learned that Emma would need surgery to remove the tumor.  The doctors were very detailed in their description of the surgery - right in front of Emma.  After the appointment, Emma recounted that, "It was not a very comforting image when the doctor said he would remove the tumor with an electric saw!!'  I agree!!!

We miraculously got an appointment for the MRI on the same day.  One more thing Emma can check off on her list of experiences.

Here she is waiting to go in for the MRI.  Below, here she is with her Daddy who went with her to keep her company.

After immediate attention and care, we then had to wait… and wait… and wait.  The two surgeons on Emma's case were at a conference for over a week, so we were in the dark for a while.  It was agonizing!

On February 17, after 8 (seemed like a million) calls, 7 voice mail messages, 6 e-mails, 5 nervous breakdowns, 4 weeping calls to friends, 3 pounds of chocolate, 2 (thousand) hairs falling out, and continual amazement at the patience and grace of 1 lovely Emma… we finally had a definite date for her surgery!!  The surgery was scheduled for March 2.  Drs. Gebhardt and Spencer will do the surgery together.

On February 20, Emma, Maya, Fred and I went down to Boston to stay overnight before Emma's pro-op appointments on the 21st.  We tried to enjoy an evening in the city before needing to arrive at the hospital at 6:45am.  Other than enjoying the views of Boston, our "fun" consisted of nachos for dinner and a five minute dip in the pool for Maya (we all had to leave the pool area promptly after poor Emma fell when her crutch slipped on the wet floor - yes, we felt terribly for her and ridiculous for not thinking about the wet floor!).  And poor Maya was a trooper.  She couldn't possibly be a better little sister.

Our pre-op appointments were very informative.  We met with a surgical nurse, the anesthesiologist, a physical therapist, Dr. Gebhardt's surgical team and finally Dr. Gebhardt.  We also spent a lot of time at the Au Bon Pain in the hospital lobby and enjoyed the nice gift shop!  :)

Here she is working with the physical therapist.  Finally, "learning" how to properly use her crutches after having used them for almost four weeks!

We do not, however, have many definitive answers to our questions.  Emma could be in the hospital for 2 to 4 days depending upon their ability to manage her pain without the IV.  As far as the recovery process, that also can vary.  It will, hopefully, be a three month recovery, but they have warned Emma that it could take up to six months.

Emma, Fred and I will be heading down to Boston on Thursday evening so we are ready to go on Friday and won't have the stress of a commute in the morning.  Because nothing can be simple, the forecast is for a big snowstorm on Thursday - the day my parents are supposed to drive up from NY to take care of Maya and Mugi.  Of course it is!!!  Oh well - we'll figure it out.

Emma is such a strong girl.  We are very proud of her.  Throughout this whole process, she has never lost her cool - although she certainly has been entitled to!  While she is strong, she is still a little girl and has been feeling anxious and fearful as we get closer to Friday.

We really appreciate all of your love and support.  Our family, Emma's friends, our friends, Maya's friends, and everyone at Sea Road School (especially Mrs. McCarthy and all of the kids who have been carrying her backpack and clarinet for her) have been so lovely.  Thank you!