Viola's Hemangioma

To all the blog readers: I found out a few days ago that we have passed a milestone with the blog. We have had 100 000 hits!!! It is really incredible to me that so many people want to read what is happening in my apartment (I am sure there are many repeat readers amongst that number). You might not know this but I was not even the one who started the blog. I was writing some newsletters to friends when one of the ladies Anne, started the blog for me and posted all the things I had written. So I basically got kicked into writing a blog. What a blessing it has turned out to be!! There are times when people quote part of what I write and there are some people who know all the babies by name. Not only do we get about 165 hits on the blog on an average day, but there is also a newsletter that is sent to more than 1,000 people. There are many people who would be happy if I could write something everyday!!

I am back in Xian and I will be staying here for a while. I am so glad to be home. I have missed the babies so much and they have missed me. I got such a rousing welcome. I have basically been gone for more than two months but we have had Emily's teratoma surgery completed and Breanna has had her heart repaired and now Viola has seen the hemangioma doctor, who is Emily's doctor too. Hemangiomas are abnormally large blood vessels that make a strawberry mark on the skin. Viola has a large amount of the on her face with three big spots on her lip, her eye and her nose and then some smaller spots all over her forehead into her hair line and around her eye.

I want to thank the anonymous donor who has provided the funds for Viola. You were very generous and I appreciate providing the funds to help her clear her face. I found Dr Hong Li while I was in SCMC with Emily. She has a three step plan for Viola. After looking at the contrast CT scan, she gave her some steroid injections in her lip and on the side of her nose. (You can see from the sleeping picture how swollen her lips is) There could be some oral steroids in the future and Dr Hong also has contacts with a good laser surgery doctor. I have to take Viola back every month. At the same time I also took a baby out of the orphanage who has a hemangioma the size of an adult hand under her arm. She will be taking oral steroids for that everyday hoping that it will shrink. Luckily it is not visible.

My thanks to the Butters family with whom I stayed this trip. We took a funny face picture with the kids and yes there are 6 of them. They have one hopping-with-activity home. The older kids played so well with Viola, especially Edison who made her laugh out loud.

One of the kids at church asked his mom if Viola had a big auwie (SP?) on her face. He was so concerned and I thought it so cute.

This week will see the end of Kay time at Starfish. She is leaving On June 19th for the US, but more about that in the next letter.

Life, Love and Laughter,

Amanda
Starfish Foster Home
http://chinesestarfish.blogspot.com
www.chinesestarfish.org
1348.812.4847