The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Owner/Publisher
Since December
31st, Nancy and Mike Rankin have enjoyed having their family home together.
On New Year's eve, three-year-old Angela was released from her doctors care
in Iowa City, Iowa and joined sister Kristen, 8 and her parents at their
Raritan home..
On February 26, 2001, Angie at 2, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.
In May, Raritan friends and many from neighboring communities around the county had rallied together and held a benefit that raised over $25,700. It was way over the $15,000 goal organizers had set. $8,000 was raised by auctioning items and $17,500 was raised by raffles, food sales, and donations.
Angie has been in Iowa City University Hospital a lot and the Ronald McDonald House, but since the end of 2001, she was finally able to be home.
Last year, Angie went through a stem cell transplant (not the same as the controversial ones in the news). Angie's stem cells were gathered from her own blood supply. Her blood was filtered twice to get enough.
The transplant started in August and completed by mid-October. Three different times she went through a week's stay of lethal chemotherapy. The family was able to return home for a month but then returned to the hospital in mid November around her 3rd birthday (Nov. 17). Angie had 30 days of radiation which could only be given Monday through Friday for six weeks.
"They even worked New Year's Eve which was Angie's 30th day, so she was able to come home," her father said.
There have been a lot of things to rejoice about throughout the ordeal even though it is devastating to find after partially removing the brain tumor it had metastasized into her spinal column and was inoperable. The latest joy, Angie's father said, was medical conditions have improved enough doctors discontinued the nasal/throat feeding tube last week.
Tuesday, Mike was celebrating having his daughters home together in a more normal life-style. He and Nancy had purchased twin beds and he was busy putting them together for the girls.
Angie, Nancy and her mother, Eleanor Willson of New London, Iowa, was again traveling the 2-hour trip Tuesday back to the University of Iowa Hospital.
She will be having a 3-month base-line MRI Wednesday which is given after completion of radiation. They should have the results by evening.
After three more months they will return again and Iowa City doctors will do a "follow-up MRI and compare results," Mike said.
"She's been doing really well. Progress has been for the better overall." Mike said. ÔIt certainly has not been a bad year.... I would like to show you the facility. I wish you could just go up to see all the things they do. One trip would only scratch the surface. It's amazing."
Mike also had lots of praise for the Iowa City Ronald McDonald House. Doctors required them to have Angie within an hour's drive during many procedures and they liked to have her isolated due to her suppressed immune system.
Mike continues to work at Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe Railroads in Galesburg and travels back and forth to Iowa City from Raritan with Kristen.
"It is nice to be able to stay in a family suite and have a home-like environment such as the Ronald McDonald House provides..... You throw your change in the collection house at McDonald's but you don't ever dream you are going to be that person needing it," he said. "The house has had something like 28,000 families there since it opened in 1984." I
Located just 3 blocks from the University of Iowa Health Care, the house includes a playground, playhouse, large furnished deck, basketball court, fitness area, gazebo, 27 guestrooms and 5 family suites. Each has private bathroom and private phone and common areas of kitchen, laundry, library, recreation room, lounges and family access to computers, printers, copiers and fax and offers a shuttle van service throughout the day.
The house is dependent upon many personal and business donations and many volunteers. The Ronald McDonald House ask $10-$15 per night but the actual cost to provide a room is $54 per night. Approximately 54% of the families pay no fee.
The Rankins had spent Christmas there and said, Santa Claus even found them. The home has made a tough situation easier for the Rankins. In getting through the turmoil Mike said, "You just do what you have to do. That's all you can do."
The family has nothing but praise for the many who have helped them. They have made a generous and needed donation to the Ronald McDonald House, a fully stocked Craftsman tool cabinet, in honor of their daughter, which was a feature along with their story in the Ronald McDonald House fall newsletter.
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Three year old Angie Rankin, is helping do her part at the Iowa City Ronald McDonald House suite, to help keep it clean. She was dismissed from the University Of Iowa Health Care on New Year's Eve after finishing a stem cell transplant, lethal chemotherapy and finally radiation treatment for her inoperable cancer. At they wait for reports of this week's MRI and have further MRIs, your continued prayers would be appreciated. |