Acerca de

• Friday, April 15 - At bedtime, Ian complained to dad that he was seeing two clocks.  With no headaches or any other symptoms Ian went to bed without any other abnormalities.

• Sunday, April 17 - After Resurrection Sunday worship with our Bible Study group in Logroño, Spain, we noticed Ian's speech began to slur. 

• Monday, April 18 - After Ian woke up from bedtime we noticed Ian was unstable when he walked to the kitchen. We also saw a progression of his other two symptoms, slurred/slowed speech and double vision (which now included Ian's right eye going crossed). Ian shared at the breakfast table that he remembered that on Thursday a boy(by name) kicked a soccer ball very hard and that it hit him in the side of head. We assumed a head trauma and immediately took action.​

• Monday, April 18 - We dropped the girls off with the Burdetts and took Ian immediately to the Emergency Room at the Los Manzanos Clinic.

  • The on-call pediatrician ordered a CT scan of Ian's brain and there was no bleeding in the brain and her findings were negative. (Easter Monday was a holiday in Spain and no other doctors where at the clinic)

    • Ian had a scheduled appointment the next day to see an ophthalmologist because of the evidence of his right eye that had gone crossed.

    •  We were suggested to consult with a child neurologist to review the other symptoms.

  • We were sent home that Monday and made Ian rest.  That evening at supper time Ian choked on a banana and after performing the Heimlich maneuver and back thrusts the Lord allowed him to spit up the lodged banana.​ Ian went to bed the first time with a headache.

• Tuesday, April 19 - Ian woke up normal (with no headache) but all three symptoms showed further signs of progression and Jonathan and Hannah took Ian to the Emergency Room at St. Peter´s hospital for immediate assistance.​

  • The on-call pediatrician ordered an MRI and the doctor discovered a tumor on the brain stem which was very serious issue that Jonathan and Hannah were immediately warned by the Pediatrician.

  • Ian's blood analysis was negative for any infection or bacteria.

  • Upon the advisement of the pediatrician and discharge order, Jonathan personally transported Ian to the private Hospital in Pamplona, Spain. 

  • Ian was admitted to the Clinica Universidad of Navarra late Tuesday morning.

  • Upon recommendations by a neurologist in Spain and nurses in the U.S. Jonathan began working on plans to have Ian transferred to a hospital in America, with hopes by a medical evacuation flight through their insurance company or with backup plans to transport him commercially out of Madrid.  

  • Tuesday evening, upon seeing further progression of symptoms the Pediatrician began administering Ian a heavy dosage of steroids with hopes to decrease the swelling associated with the known tumor. The steroids wouldn't take full affect until after 48 hrs.

  • Ian began a 24 hour fast Tuesday after supper to be prepared for a Biopsy on the tumor in his brain Wednesday evening. (Medical advisement was given to us that Ian could be grounded (unable to fly) for up to 30 days, depending on the surgeons orders.  With this known information there was urgency to find arrangements for Ian to be flown back to the U.S., prior to having a biopsy.

• Wednesday, April 20 - After initial review by the Oncologist in the morning, Jonathan & Hannah were informed that morning that Ian had a brain tumor inside his brain stem.

  • After a radiological exam was completed by a radiologist, in the early afternoon Ian was diagnosed with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) which a is rare and very aggressive brain tumor that is located in the center of his brain stem. The removal of the tumor is impossible and time was critical to continue with the next order of possible treatment. 

  • Early afternoon Jonathan receives a confirmation that our insurance will work on getting Ian transported to a hospital in the U.S. by a medical evacuation flight.

• Saturday, April 23 - After receiving medical care in Pamplona, Spain Ian & Jonathan were medically evacuated by air to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital. Ian arrived to Emergency Room at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital and then was admitted to the Oncology ward. Hannah, Addaline and Mina met Jonathan and Ian as they arrived earlier the same afternoon by commercial flight. 

• Friday, April 29 - Ian is discharged and joins the family who is staying at the Ronald McDonald House in ​​

• Tuesday, May 3 - Ian was readmitted into the hospital and doctors performed a biopsy on his tumor in the brain. The pathology report showed DMG, H3 K27 altered WHO grade IV, which is a very bad prognosis.

  • After recovering from his biopsy, Ian began physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy with plans to continue until departure from Cincinnati, OH. ​

• Thursday, May 5 - Ian is finally discharged from in-patient care and we were all moved into the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati with plans to remain there until July 2.  ​

• Friday, May 13 - Ian began photon radiation treatment at the Barrett Center with the aim to shrink the tumor.  Ian is continuing in physical, occupational and speech therapy throughout the duration of his radiation treatment.

• June 12 - Ian was baptized by immersion at The Oaks church in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

• June 23 - Finalization of radiation treatment.

• July 2 - 13 - Visit with Hannah's Brother and his family, along with Hannah's parents, in Silver City, Iowa

• July 13-19 - Visit with Jonathan´s family in Springfield, MO and Bolivar, MO

• July 19 - 28 - Our own family camping trip at Prizer Point, Kentucky.

• July 28 - Aug 3 - Return to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital followup appointments including an MRI scan to better understand the current status of Ian's brain tumor.

• Aug 3 - Aug 6 - Visit with a family near Princeton, West Virginia

• Aug 7 - Travel to Orlando, FL

• Aug 8-10 - Family visit to Legoland in Florida.  We received the gift of a one day pass for the family that was provided by Merlin's Magic Wand foundation.

• Aug 10-15 - Visiting with Mingonet, Sanford and Johnson family in Eustis, FL

• Aug 15-20 - Family trip to Daytona Beach

• Aug 21-27 - Make-a-Wish foundation funded trip to Hawaii.  This was Ian´s wish and the two activities he was able to experience was to interact and swim with a dolphin and go on a fishing trip on the coast of Oahu.

• Aug 28 - Return trip to Orlando

• Aug 29 - Travel to Surry County, NC where our family we reside indefinitely.

• Sep 6 - Begin of Hospice care for Ian

• Sep 12 - Ian has transferred from Cincinnati Children´s Hospital to Duke Medical center in Durham, NC. There is no further treatment available for Ian.

• Oct 26 - Our family relocated from Lowgap, NC to Clemmons, NC 

• Nov. 21 - MRI followup to evaluate the progress of the tumor

  • The MRI revealed less swelling and fluid around  Ian´s tumor

  • This would validate 3-5% increase of strength in Ian´s left hand. A slight improvement in speech. His stamina has increased and he is able to more energy throughout the day.

• Dec. 12-16 - The Romaine family travelled to Springfield, Missouri to mourn the loss of Ian´s uncle, Jonathan´s brother, John.

• Jan.17-Feb. 1, 2023 - Ian and the Romaine family make a special trip back to Logroño, Spain.  Becuase of Ian´s reduced swelling around his tumor he has gained sufficient strength for travelling. Ian has constantly expressed his desire to return to Spain to visit with his friends and soccer teammates.

• Feb. 1 - We began to see signs of tumor progression and after Ian recovered from being sick we realized that the effects of the tumor growth began to block more and more of his body function.

• Feb. 23 - March 2 - The Romaine family joined Ian on a special hunting adventure provided by the "Hunt of a Lifetime" foundation.

• March 4 - Ian Charles Romaine left his earthly body to live forevermore in the presence of his greatest hero, his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Ian passed away after an 11-month battle with one of the most aggressive terminal brain cancers that afflict children today, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). However, cancer did not for one second define his identity. He was first and foremost a child of God and a follower of Jesus, having placed his personal faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ when he was 6 years old and he declared it before the church and unto the world through his public baptism when he was 7.

​

Please see Ian's Obituary and Celebration of life