Isabelle's Treasures For Charity Is Coming Soon.................

Isabelle Marian Hanson was born May 8, 2002. Beautiful red head with her daddy’s nose. What are some key words I would use to describe Isabelle in her infant days? Stubborn. Direct. Attentive. Dramatic. Impatient. Loving. As she grew, she was shy, sensitive, loving and very attached to Mom but still stubborn, attentive and impatient. Issy remained a dramatic, emotional child who loved her family, singing, and showering attention on her little brother.  So life went on until the ripe old age of 6½ years when life took an abrupt and frightening turn. Headaches began, stomach aches started to accompany the headaches. Then, her vision began to blur. One CT scan later and the diagnosis of a tangerine sized tumor in her brain was handed down to Isabelle. Three days later she underwent a grueling 8 hour surgery to remove what turned out to be an aggressive, malignant tumor. The official diagnosis was glioblastoma multiforme. The surgery left her with many   functional limitations, both cognitive and physical. She couldn’t talk or   swallow for days, her right side was mostly paralyzed except for her big toe   and her right eye. Her ability to verbalize her thoughts was devastated.    It was a painful and frightening time for her. She made it home just two days   before Christmas and she still calls that Christmas her “best Christmas ever!“ Three months of radiation at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital followed which took so much energy out of her. She lost her hair and her spirits were low: She desperately missed home, her brothers and her classmates. But through it all she managed to smile and laugh almost every day, and gave gifts as a ‘Secret Friend’ to another boy who was having an even harder time adjusting. Everyday was full of progress on her road to recovering many of the abilities she lost after surgery. She learned to walk again while at St. Jude, and formed her first complete sentences since the surgery while there as well. After returning home she began the work of healing her body. Her hair started to grow again and she started the long process of learning how to read all over again. We learned what foods helped and what foods hurt her, she began herbal treatments to help her healing, which they did!! We were excited to be reminded that nature holds so many healing powers; that all life on earth is supported so greatly by the flora and fauna that inhabit our earthly home. So Isabelle Marian Hanson, now 9½ yrs old, has lived her first life of 6½ years, and is on the 3rd year of her new life, one that is so much wiser and so full of beauty and possibilities! Each day is exciting for her, every event is eagerly anticipated,. All things are considered and weighed carefully by her and often she has many questions as she tries to understand her new world. She still struggles to use her right arm, is still battling to regain what she lost cognitively and is acutely aware of the presence of cancer in her world. The fight is not over, she cannot rest because the cancer that invaded her body does not give up easily. We stand and fight alongside a warrior who is sweet, loving, careful, stubborn, silly, emotional, and no longer shy. Beauty lives in Isabelle’s world. She sees it, embraces it, and lets it infuse her with strength and hope. Life has truly just begun for her and what an amazing start it is!