My Story

Tynan @ age 3.

Tynan was only 3 years old when his leukemia was found. A routine CBC would indicate low platelets and send us to the hospital.  For months, Tynan had been getting sick.  Each time, the doctor would say, "it's viral."  On September 28, 2009, the nurse practioner would come in to our room and say, "I need you to go to the ER at Texas Childrens Hospital(TCH).  His platelets are very low and if I send you home, and he cuts himself, he will not stop bleeding." After arriving at TCH, within about 4 hours, we were ushered to a room and told that without a dooubt, Tynan had leukemia. 

Treatment begin immediatley the next day.  There were lots of long hard days. Lots of doctor's visits. Lots of worries, and lots of tests of faith.  With so many ups and downs along the way, Tynan did exceptionally well and made great progress.

For almost 2 years, Tynan's progress was simply amazing.  Then on May 20, 2011, as I waited to hear what his "numbers" were; a doctor that I'd never spoken to, begins to walk towards me and along side her was our social worker. I remember looking away just long enough to realize there is no one else here in the waiting room, but us. She sits beside me, and puts her hand on my knee and says, "....the leukemia is back...."

The next four months they tried to put Tynan in remission, but failed to do so; however his only chance was a bone marrow transplant.  So, with his leukemia still at 30% cancer cells, they gave him 2 rounds of pre radiation conditioning chemo treatments. The hope was that they would get rid of all the blood. So that when they gave him his new marrow there would be no bad cells present.

We made it through transplant with chances of less than 10% .  We were so happy when we finally made it home.  With every visit back to clinic we were more confident that the bone marrow transplant was a success.  While talking to other moms at clinic; their kids had to have transfusions, and more meds for the kidneys, or more meds because of the liver, or just having really bad days, or fever that made them come back to the hospital, and we had been so lucky; that I didn't even want to talk about how well Tynan was doing. 

Then in the first week of January his blood work would indicate that he needed his first transfussion in four months.  Two weeks later a bone marrow biopsy would confirm that his leukemia had come back yet again.  We are now faced with decisions that no parent should have to make.  There are no proven treatments for a patient that has relapsed after a transplant.  So now the answer is..."do another transplant." BUT the question is, how do we get there cancer free? 

With one failed attempt, our only options at this point are Phase I studies.  However, a Phase I study is never intended to cure, and is strickly for research.  However, there is that very small chance that it could work, and that we would have that chance for a second transplant with no cancer present. But that chance isn't even as good as you getting struck by lightning.

We continue to rely on faith regardless of what the doctors say.  And we may be accepting of what our God wills for our family, but we do NOT give up hope that God will grant us one last and final miracle.