A baby diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor underwent a surgery and survived it, defying the survival odds that the doctors initially predicted.
Before Abigail Jones was born to her parents, Erika and Stephen, on Aug. 6, doctors said that her chance of survival is basically nonexistent. Aside from brain tumor, Abigail was also diagnosed with Down Syndrome.
Although the family decided to keep Abigail until her mother reached full term of pregnancy, they started planning for the funeral.
The Jones were told that that the risks of surgery would outweigh its benefits. So, with a heavy heart, the family decided to take Abigail out of hospice care and bring her home. The said action was also recommended to them so that they could comfort their child while waiting for what was initially believed as inevitable: her death.
Life looked as if it was put on pause as the Jones spent every moment they could with Abigail. "We would spend all day just looking at her in amazement, but also with the gut-wrenching pain that it could be the last day you had with her," said Stephen.
During the journey, the thing that struck the parents was the fact that Abigail improved despite her diagnoses. Erika said that their baby ate, gained weight and looked great. This prompted them to seek a second opinion at Boston Children's Hospital, thanks to social media, where a mother who had the same experience recommended the hospital.
So the parents contacted the hospital, which asked them for the MRI results. Erika was able to talk with Dr. Alan R. Cohen, chief of neuro surgery at the hospital, who told her to bring the child to their facility.
The family traveled to Boston for re-assessment of Abigail's condition. After several more scans, Cohen thought that surgery may be performed and that the tumor might not be malignant. So the operation continued and it was a success. Initial biopsy results revealed that the tumor was possibly benign.
"She's doing great and eating like a horse," said Cohen. "She's a tough kid."
Stephen said that the people to whom they told the news to could not believe it.
"When he said we got it all, it was like she was born again," said Erika. "She had a new life now."
