Isabella was diagnosed with Stage 4S neuroblastoma at 4 weeks old. However, they found a tumor on her adrenal gland when I was 36 weeks pregnant. I was immediately sent to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to get fetal testing done. At the conclusion of all the tests, the doctors informed my husband and I that the tumor was isolated and they felt it could regress over time or that they would simply remove it. They wanted to see her 2 weeks after she was born for an ultrasound. Isabella ended up coming 10 days early, which we look at as a true blessing for what was about to happen to her. Isabella was home for 2 weeks and appeared to be a very normal and healthy newborn. We started to notice her stomach was getting slightly larger and harder. My husband and I knew she was due for her ultrasound so we figured we would get some answers then. So, the day came for the ultrasound and we were nervous and scared. The news we heard that day will never be forgotten. The doctors saw that Isabella’s liver was enlarged and it was very important for them to find out why. As they described the possibilities of what could be happening inside our daughter’s body, our hearts sank and the nightmare began.
 
In order to find out why her liver was enlarged they needed to do a variety of tests. In a matter of days, our daughter’s body transformed and she needed emergency chemotherapy and radiation. She fell into respiratory distress and needed to be intubated to help her breathe. We were in the NICU where we received the absolute best care in the world. They made all the right decisions that saved our daughter’s life. We needed to do 2 days of low dose radiation because the cancer spread to her liver and her liver was overtaking her entire stomach. They needed the tumors to stop growing but chemotherapy would take too long, so radiation was an immediate course of action. This was a very scary time for my husband and I, we almost lost our precious princess. As we watched her the following days, we noticed Isabella’s condition stabilized, which is what the doctors wanted to happen.
 
Isabella’s appearance drastically changed and she developed what they called edema. She went from a 7lb baby to a 13lb baby. For weeks we couldn’t even hold Isabella because of how fragile and delicate she was. Our days were long and painful as we watched Isabella fight this disease. Our daughter’s inner strength and courage shined through every second of every day. She truly amazed us and the doctors. Since the chemotherapy knocked out her immune system, she was at a high risk of developing infections. Well Isabella did more than that; she actually developed 3 different infections all at the same time. Thankfully Isabella got through these infections and started her road to recovery. She needed countless blood and platelet transfusions. As the weeks passed, Isabella started to lose all her fluid weight, she started to tolerate food again through her NG tube, and her counts started to rebound. She was beginning to show signs of improvement. The doctors suggested having a follow up MRI & MIBG scan. They said if the cancer shrunk 50% then we wouldn’t do another round of chemo. The scans were completed and it showed the tumors were regressing and had shrunk by 50%...YAY!
 
Isabella’s journey didn’t end there, unfortunately she encountered other medical issues as a result of her fight with cancer. Currently Isabella is in remission and doing very well. To learn more about Isabella and her incredible story please read http://www.carepages.com/isabellamariegonzalez (You will need to register or log in to the site. In the search section type: isabellamariegonzalez and it will direct you to Isabella’s care page)
 
Isabella is a true testament of strength and courage. She has been through more than any child should ever have to go through. I am sharing her story because it is one that should be told. As parents we felt so alone and scared. I became a hero ambassador for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. I was truly touched and wanted to be a part of Alex’s dream of helping find a cure for pediatric cancer.
 
Written by Alisa Gonzalez, Isabella’s Mom
Updated: April 2014