What could have easily been blown off as indigestion in a newbornbaby in Seattle, Washington was actually a huge, three-pound tumor. Eight-week-old Leighton Sanders is now fighting for her life at Seattle Children's Hospital after her mother, KeenanSanders, said she noticed something was wrong about two weeks ago. Leighton's stomach appeared distended, but instead of being just baby belly chub, Sanders worried that it actually looked "swollen" and "puffy." In turn, she thought to herself that it had to be more than gas that her little one was grappling with.
After taking Leighton to the doctor, an X-ray found the tumor, which was growing so rapidly that surgery had to be expedited. By the time of the operation, the tumor had grown from the size of a softball to the size of a cantaloupe, according to Sanders.
Leighton's 12-hour operation required removal of her gallbladder, intestine, and parts of her stomach and pancreas, which had been damaged by the tumor. Now, she's surrounded by loved ones left hoping the little girl will gain back weight and strength.
This is most definitely a testament to the power of a mother's intuition. All too often, moms of newborns feel uncertain, overly cautious, and as though they're worrying too much or jumping the gun on every little potential worry or woe. It's easy to feel like you're questioning everything.
But Leighton's story is proof that sometimes that questioning is completely called for. Sanders must be extremely thankful that she tuned into the situation and trusted her intuition on this. Women who find themselves feeling like they're in her shoes should feel freer to take similar action. In the end, it doesn't make you as much of a worrywart as it does your child's best advocate.
If you're interested in further updates and helping the Sanders family cover Leighton's hospital costs, you can visit their online fundraising site.
What was an instance when you trusted your own intuition about your child's health?
Image via GoFundMe