NEWBORN GIRL FOUND WITH A RARE TUMOR ON HER LEG UNDERGOES SURGERY WHILE HER TWIN SISTER GOES HOME

Alex Armstrong thought her experience as a neonatal intensive care nurse had prepared her for the unexpected challenges of welcoming another baby.

Already a mother to a toddler, she was delighted to learn she was expecting twin girls, Hannah and Sophie.

Her pregnancy had been healthy, and prenatal examinations had not identified any major concerns.

But immediately after delivery, doctors noticed something unusual on Hannah’s leg.

Within days, the family would face a situation Alex had witnessed countless times at work — only now, the newborn needing specialized care was her own daughter.

A Tumor No One Had Expected

Shortly after Hannah was born, medical staff discovered a mass on her leg.

A surgical specialist from Boston Children’s Hospital examined the newborn and raised the possibility that the growth was a tumor.

Hannah was diagnosed with infantile myofibroma, a rare, noncancerous tumor that can develop in the skin, muscles or bones of infants and young children.

Although the tumor was benign, Hannah needed specialist assessment and treatment.

For Alex, hearing that her daughter had a tumor was an emotional shock, despite her years of experience caring for critically ill newborns.

Two Twins, Two Different Hospital Journeys

Hannah was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Her twin sister Sophie remained with Alex at the hospital where the girls had been delivered.

While Alex was recovering from childbirth and caring for Sophie, she also had to confront the reality that Hannah was receiving treatment somewhere else.

The separation made an already difficult situation even more emotional.

Her Twin Went Home While Hannah Underwent Surgery

On the day Alex and Sophie were discharged, Hannah underwent an operation to remove the tumor.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Steven Fishman and specialists from Boston Children’s Vascular Anomalies team.

Alex faced the painful experience of returning home with one newborn while her other daughter was undergoing surgery.

She depended on her colleagues to care for Hannah and keep her informed during the recovery.

A Week in Intensive Care

Hannah spent approximately one week at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Following her operation, she was able to return home to her family.

Her care did not end with surgery. Because doctors needed to monitor for possible new tumor growth, Hannah continued receiving follow-up care through the Pediatric Cancer Genetic Risk Program at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s.

Her mother was grateful not only for the medical treatment, but also for the support she received from the nurses and specialists caring for her daughter.

When a NICU Nurse Became a NICU Mother

In February 2023, Alex shared Hannah’s experience through Boston Children’s Hospital.

By then, the hospital described Hannah as a happy, healthy baby.

Alex explained that becoming the parent of a hospitalized newborn had changed the way she understood the families she cared for professionally.

She knew how to look after vulnerable babies, but her own recovery from childbirth and the needs of her other children meant she could not be beside Hannah every moment.

Her experience became a reminder that parents of hospitalized infants need support and compassion, too.

For Hannah’s family, the journey began with an unexpected mass discovered at birth and a frightening separation between twin sisters. It continued with successful surgery, careful follow-up and the relief of finally having their babies together at home.

Source: Boston Children’s Hospital, “I’ve Been There, Too: What My Baby’s Tumor Taught Me as a NICU Nurse,” February 22, 2023.