Two-year old Anna Rogotzke complained about tummy aches for about seven to 10 days. She was running a fever on and off.
A CT scan discovered she has a sizable tumor in her abdomen, along with other smaller masses. She was airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis on Saturday, March 21, 2009.
Anna had surgery to remove the largest tumors from her abdomen, but hundreds of tiny tumors remain.
Many scans and tests led to a diagnosis of Stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a highly-malignant, fast-growing cancer that usually strikes children.
An aggressive 54 week plan that includes chemotherapy and radiation began on April 3. Anna must be admitted to the hospital for treatment approximately every other week for 4-5 days at a time.
The latest news from Anna’s Caring-bridge.org journal has her set for more medical procedures.
"Another week’s chemo is just about finished, and Anna is doing well," the journal reads. "It does not look like Anna will be coming home by Thursday, though, as we had hoped.
“We have decided to go with Anna’s doctor’s recommendation and have the feeding tube put into Anna’s abdomen. This will require a short surgery, which at this point looks as though will take place sometime on Thursday.
“After that, Anna will likely need to be kept at the hospital for a couple more days. There are no guarantees that this option will be without problems, but hopefully they will be fewer than the issues we were having with the nasal tube."
A fundraiser will be held at the Rope-N-Spur in Sanborn on July 11, from 4 p.m to 8 p.m.
There will also be a silent auction going on from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Items on the auction range from signed sports memorabilia, to Twins tickets, and tickets to the Chanhassen Dinner Theater and Ordway Theater, plus gift baskets and gift certificates.
Donations may be sent to Deb Gode, PO Box 282, Sanborn, MN 56083, or to Nikki Neperman, PO Box 322, Sanborn, MN 56083.
Sanborn, Minn. —
