Dear Family & Aidan’s Angels

Aidan is going in for his PET/CT scan tomorrow at 7:00 am at Children’s and the procedure will take about 2 hours.  No one is available to read the scan until Wednesday so we will not have any results until then.  I want to ask all of you to please pray that we have a healing in progress and what the doctor’s have been seeing is healing with necrosis and not tumor progression. Please ask your friends, your neighbors and your families to storm heaven with prayers for his

healing between 7:00 am and 9:00 am pacific time Tuesday, June 24. Then again later for peace and calmness during the reading of his scan for his family on Wednesday. I want to thank-you from the bottom of our hearts for doing this for him.

I have not posted in a long time and I am home waiting out the test/results while the rest of Zaugg family and Papa are in Seattle, this gives me an opportunity to let you know how the family and Aidan are doing In 10 short days since we were told that Aidan’s tumor was back on June 13th.  He has deteriorated swiftly, he is very unstable as he walks, tires easily – but fights sleep, his speech is quite slurred in the morning but somewhat understandable, by midday he is so frustrated with us because we can not understand him as his speech become increasingly slurred as the day progresses. He has double vision; but it comes and goes throughout the day.   He is having trouble swallowing and the saliva builds up and he drools as he tires.  He has trouble eating/choking and his diet is mostly oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, and small diced fruit bowls. We have bought Thick-It to thicken water and juice for him.  His head seems to be getting heavier for him to hold up as he gets tired.

Now enough about of Aidan’s symptoms; let talk about Progression verses Necrosis
 
Necrosis is the name given to unnatural death of cells and living tissue. It begins with cell swelling, chromatin digestion, and disruption of the plasma membrane and organelle membranes. What does this really mean? The easiest way to explain it is by imagining that a rattle snake or brown recluse spider bites you; the tissues will eat away as the venom attacks it, leaving behind dead tissue. That is what is happening to Aidan’s brain stem. He has a 25% chance that the tumor may rupture - what they call a bleed-out (like a brain aneurysm). We know Aidan is having Necrosis but do not know if it is with Progression or the process of his tumor just dying.

Progression or Regrowth is the name given to the cancer cells (tumor) that suddenly awake and begin to multiply at a rapid speed. The tumor finishes what it started. In some cases a new chemo may slow the process down or stop the progression. Loss of physical abilities --- starts with loss of muscle control on one side of body, i.e. arm and leg and then progresses into both sides, trunk and head/neck/face until they can no longer walk, stand, sit without support, use their arms, maintain head in upright position, eat, drink, talk and eventually breathe. Usually a new chemo therapy is initiated, stronger drugs, or alternative options.

Neither option is the most ideal but if we have to choose which monster we want to fight it would be Necrosis even if Aidan has some brain damage we can over come that, But deep in our hearts we pray for a complete healing, so that is what we are asking for “Necrosis” as the storm before the calm of Healing. The path that leads us to complete healing of his tumor site, and for him to grow up and have his first kiss, proms, sports, college, family and old age.
 
NOVENA -- May The Sacred Heart Of Jesus Be Adored, Glorified, Loved & Preserved Throughout The World Now And Forever. Oh Sacred Heart Of Jesus, Pray For Us, St. Jude Workers Of Miracles, Pray For Us, St. Jude Helper Of The Helpless, Pray For Us.
 
May Aidan Zaugg’s Tumor Be Destroyed And All His Cancer Cells Become Weak And Are Killed By Your Loving Hand. Thank-You Jesus, Praise You King Of Kings, My God Almighty. Hosanna.

Please Lay Your Loving Hands Upon All The Children Fighting Brain Cancer And Give Them Hope, Healing And Peace. Please Dear Lord Guide The Hands Of The Person Who Is Researching A Cure For This Ugly Disease That Aidan Has, Brain Stem Glioma, And Let It Be In Time To Save Aidan With Your Glorified Guidance.
 
LET US ALL STORM HEAVEN TOMORROW BETWEEN 7 AND 9 FOR AIDAN’S HEALING!

Love Cath
Nanni to Aidan