An update on Anna and Ellen Drysdale and Family
We first featured Anna and Ellen in July and were able to update you in September. As you will remember Anna and her family went to the USA, to New York for immunotherapy treatment. Her sister, Ellen, also had her spinal operation at the Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Dallas to help cure her of her scoliosis.
Then, just when we thought the family were at last starting to bounce back from all the stresses and strains which they had had to face in recent months, Anna was unlucky to break her arm badly after a swimming physiotherapy session. Anna’s surgery at the SRCH was tricky as the blood supply to part of her bone graft has failed due to the break and she was in danger that the doctors would need to take away some bone and possibly make her arm shorter! Also, the worry was that the family might have to stay in Dallas until the end of the year!
Bro Ian, Anna’s father, was able to report “Anna’s all done and out of theatre and the surgery was much easier and quicker than the surgeon was expecting. He took some bone away from her arm, took marrow and chips from her hip to put in her arm, all held together with a plate. The bone was reconstructed at Scottish Rite and although it will still take months to heal, her surgeon Dr Oishi and his amazing team are happy with her progress for her to come home.” Great news! Ian could also report that Ellen had recovered well from her operation so that was doubly good news, although Anna’s arm bone still needed screws and plates to hold it together.
The family arrived home in early November in time for Christmas and immediately, of course, had to go into isolation with their other daughter Sarah (and Murphy the dog who came back with them!)
Ian writes: “We have arrived back in the UK with Anna completing her Immunotherapy Cancer Treat in the United States after 10 months. Her follow-up care is planned for the next 5 years with surveillance scans and tests that we hope to be mostly completed in Britain.
Anna was half-way though treatment when Covid hit New York, but there were no delays and we were amazed by her resilience.
We are incredibly grateful to so many people who helped get involved and supported the fundraising for Anna and we thank each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Whether it is Anna or Ellen or even Ian and Keeley (mother), the whole family has exhibited phenomenal resilience and strength of character!
Wishing the whole Drysdale Family a very Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year from all Oxfordshire Freemasons and their families.