Ella D. - Quilt Finished in 2008

Born: October 6, 2006

Illness: Rhabdomyosarcoma

Ella D.'s Story

Written by Ella's mom in March 2008

Ella Rosina DePew was born on October 6, 2006 and instantly became our princess.  When Ella was 7 1/2 months old I (mom) found a bump in her right calf while massaging her after a bath.  The next day we took her to her pediatrician and they told us to go to Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh to get x-rays.  The doctor at the ER came in and told us it was a leg fracture and as Ella's mom and, by the will of our LORD, I wanted a 2nd opinion.  The 2nd Dr. came in and said he was admitting us because Ella had a tumor like mass. 

Six days later, after a biopsy, it was concluded that Ella had a very rare and aggressive cancer that typically did not occur in infants...Rhabdomyosarcoma stage 3.  After a lymph node biopsy, bone marrow biopsy and a central line placement Ella began round 1 of 14 rounds of chemo.  She has also endured 20 rounds of radiation.  On September 6th we got the phone call that the tumor was sitting up against a vascular bundle and they would have to amputate Ella's leg from the knee down.  On Sept. 21st we got our miracle when the OR nurse called us in the waiting room and told us that Ella's tumor was removed and her leg was saved. So here we are with 2 rounds of chemo left and we just praise our LORD for such an amazing journey.