I’m on “Team Madelynn!”

Bringing home a newborn to an older sibling is hard. But when this older sibling is diagnosed with cancer, it is a completely different kind of hard. This has been the reality of Irmo resident Amanda Jo Nelson since the beginning of December.

Amanda’s daughter, Madelynn, suffered from high fevers on and off for about six weeks. Since Madelynn had always been a happy baby who was a great sleeper and napper, her family became alarmed. Upon the urging of Amanda’s mother, a NICU nurse, the Nelsons decided to seek the advice of another pediatrician. This pediatrician, Josh Cone of Carolina Pediatrics, saw Madelynn and sent the family to Palmetto Health. In addition to the intermittent high fevers,  Madelynn was also experiencing high blood pressure, which needed to be controlled. They went home and waited for the results, not really expecting anything was wrong.

A few days later, Amanda and her husband traveled to Myrtle Beach to celebrate their wedding anniversary which was right around the corner. In addition, their second baby (another girl) was due in a few weeks. The couple wanted to enjoy one last getaway before the new member of their family arrived. They were shopping when Amanda received the phone call she will never forget. Abnormalities were found in the tests performed on Madelynn. “We were in Myrtle Beach at noon and were back in Columbia by 2:15,” Amanda recalls. “That was the only time throughout all of this I’ve broken down.”

The doctors initially thought Madelynn was suffering from Wilms’ tumor, a cancer of the kidneys which typically occurs in children. Surgery was scheduled to remove the tumor and kidney, but midway through the procedure the doctors realized Wilms’ tumor wasn’t what they were dealing with. Instead, a neuroblastoma was discovered. This rare children’s cancer occurs when immature nerve cells (called neurons) form irregularly and become cancer cells rather than mature nerve cells. The new diagnosis changed their treatment plan a bit, and Madelynn began chemotherapy to shrink the tumor (and still undergoes treatment today). Currently, Madelynn is preparing for a stem cell transplant in the coming weeks.

So how does a mom of two deal with all of this? By attempting to function as normal as possible, because after all, this is their new “normal”. When they receive a good report about Madelynn’s blood count, the family celebrates by going to Riverbanks Zoo or eating out at restaurants that serve noodles, which are Madelynn’s favorite food. Rob and Amanda have joined a gym, where they take turns having a little bit of time to themselves. To save money, the family moved in with Rob’s parents.

“In a terrible situation, we are in the best possible situation,” Amanda explains. Baby Lucy, who was born on December 8, is a newborn, so she’s portable. When Madelynn checks into the Children’s Hospital at Palmetto Health for her chemotherapy treatments, the whole family spends the night in the hospital with her. Amanda and Rob sleep in the uncomfortable hospital furniture and Lucy sleeps in her pack and play. The hospital staff does everything in their power to make their stay pleasant.

Amanda hasn’t returned to work since Lucy’s birth. Instead she spends her time as a devoted mom to the two girls. “Madelynn is a great big sister, even at two and a half. The other night I was cooking dinner, and Madelynn and Lucy were in the living room watching Doc McStuffins (one of Madelynn’s favorites). I came in to check on them and Madelynn is trying to make Lucy’s bouncy seat move. She just adores her little sister.”

“I’m just focusing on the day to day. It’s amazing that so many people are praying for Madelynn,” she says. The family took an excursion to Target the other day and they were stopped by no fewer than 3 people wishing them well. Their church, St. Paul’s Lutheran in downtown Columbia, has been very supportive of the family, and held a bone marrow drive in Madelynn’s honor. Amanda sings in the church choir when she is able, and has worked with the Children’s Choir.

Although the future is uncertain, one thing is definitely certain, the Nelson family is keeping it together. “This is our normal. If you ask me on a different day, I might have a different answer. We are making the best of it and Madelynn’s joy makes it possible.”

Want to learn more? Follow Madelynn’s journey on Facebook. Interesting in helping out? Financial contributions towards Madelynn’s medical expenses can be made at any Wells Fargo location under the account Miles for Madelynn.