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Tanner Christine Lusk
November 12, 1998 - September 19, 2007
Tanner was here with us for such a little time. But it was spoke of in Tanner's funeral, that it does not matter the day you were born or the date of your death but how you lived your life between the two. Tanner lived her life and touched so many along the way. Tanner had an amazing fight for life and that will live on with us forever.
Happy Mother's Day! Hug and kiss them for all the moms who no longer can!! Tanner's Journey: Tanner is an 8 year-old little girl that was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma of her skull on May 19, 2003. She had a full tumor resection and removal of the left front section of her skull. She had surgery and completed 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 4 weeks of daily radiation at UCLA, Mattel Childrens Hospital in California. In November 2004, after 7 months in remission, Tanner relapsed with 6 lesions to the brain. UCLA gave us very little hope and stated that the tumors were out of reach surgically. We were told Tanner had five months to live. Through the internet we had met another strong child fighting Ewings Sarcoma in his skull, Jake Beresh www.caringbridge.org/ne/jakieboy . With the help from his wonderful family and the determination to never give up we drove to Omaha, Nebraska to seek treatment for Tanner. November 26, 2004, Tanner met with the doctors at Children's Hospital in Nebraska. December 17, 2004 Tanner had a biopsy of one of the tumors and a cranioplasty (to reshape her skull from the previous surgery). She also had 3 rounds of multiple chemotherapy to reduce the tumors in size. April of 2005, Tanner had Gamma Knife Radiation to all 6 lesions. Then on June 1, 2005 Tanner had a stem cell rescue at Univ. Of Nebraska Medical Center. After the stem cell rescue it was recommended that she have full brain and spine radiation to wipe out any remaining cancer cells. So in August of 2005 we went to Loma Linda Hospital in California, for Proton Radiation where Tanner had full brain and spine radiation daily for 3 1/2 weeks. After being cancer free for almost a year we moved to North Carolina to be closer to our family. On a routine scan in August 2006 another tumor was found around the 7th and 8th nerves (hearing and facial nerves). We knew that we needed to go back to Omaha, Nebraska and have Dr. Puccoini perform the surgery. Tanner had both hearing and facial nerves removed and was to start radiation therapy to the tumor bed that was right next to the brain stem. With a lot of problems getting radiation scheduled 2 months later another tumor grew at the tumor site. Tanner underwent her fourth brain surgery to remove the tumor and was out of the hospital within three days. Radiation started within a week from her surgery at the Nebraska Medical Center, to the tumor bed. Due to the radiation Tanner has had in the past this was high risk, she also started oral chemo at home. Shortly into her radiation treatment Tanner started to have some problems with her left eye, after a MRI was ordered a very small tumor was found on her optic tract on the left side of her brain. Radiation was than started to that tumor site as well and both sites were radiated everyday for 6 weeks. Tanner has completed her radiation on January 8th 2007 and she had a brain MRI and chest CT on January 22, 2007 and ALL scans were CLEAR!! Tanner continues her oral chemo and she has started some alternative meds. Protocel and Paw Paw. Tanner had brain and spine MRI on March 5th 2007 and no sign of cancer in Tanner's body. Tanner continued to do well and had no pain, but on a routine scan in May 2007, new tumors were found in the brain and the spine. Tanner did spot radiation to the tumor sites and had a couple of weeks of chemo. The tumors were not responding to the chemo and at that point the doctors felt that there was nothing more we could do for Tanner. Tanner has continued to do spot radiation to minimize her pain and symtoms of cancer. Tanner's cancer responds very well to radiation and we wanted to give her the opportunity to be pain free as long as we could. Tanner is no longer fighting cancer, Tanner passed away on September 19th 2007. We are now trying to deal with the loss of our little girl who fought so hard and so long. Please read below for current updates! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!
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Current updates: