Prayer Updates for Buntheep

Buntheep Performing The Blessing Dance		Buntheep Playing Molly in Annie

Dear CCAM Partners and Friends,

Praise the Lord for answering our prayers! Buntheep's tumor is shrinking!

Yesterday the MRI showed the tumor to be only 2.2 x 1.8 cm. Compare this with the following:

Oct 10, 2007	4 x 3 cm
Nov 3, 2007	4.2 x 4 cm
Nov 14, 2007	5 x 6 cm upon arrival in Jacksonville
Nov 2007 - Jan 2008	[surgeries + complications]
Jan 11, 2008	[discharge from hospital]
February	3 nodules growing back
Mar 31, 2008	3 join into one - 4.8 x 3.7 cm
[5 weeks of radiation therapy]
Apr 10, 2008	shrink 25%
Apr 23, 2008	no change
May 13, 2008	no change
May 23, 2008	[Calcitonin Therapy]
June 3, 2008	no change
July 1, 2008	slight shrinkage
Aug 28, 2008	2.2 x 1.8 cm

Since our last update, Buntheep has continued to experience many ups and downs physically, but overall there has been progress. The muscles in her legs are slowly getting stronger, therefore she no longer has to wear a knee brace. Today Buntheep attended a morning fieldtrip with her classmates to visit the royal palace. It was beastly hot and she had to do a lot of walking. Perhaps because of the heat and fatigue, she had another nosebleed, the first in many days. Then in the afternoon, the electricity went out at school, so there were no fans to give comfort from the heat. Therefore, Buntheep had a second nosebleed.

Dr. Andres suspects that the tumor itself keeps bleeding, because what is left of it is located right behind her nose toward the left side, continuing to touch the optic nerve of Buntheep's only sighted eye. Please pray that the bleeding will stop, that the tumor will continue to shrink, and that God will keep setting the boundary for this tumor so that it cannot trespass any further upon her left eye.

Dr. Andres was finally able to locate the Vitamin K and give her an injection, which should help her blood clot better. We have been encouraged that subsequent blood and urine tests show progress toward normal limits. However, please pray that Buntheep's menstrual periods will be regular, because she has missed the past two months.

The photos we promised you are now posted on Buntheep's webpage, so please go to take a peek.

In His Hands,
Gioia and Buntheep