Keep driving.
“Brady’s leukemia is basically laughing at everything we have tried to do.”
Those words came from his leading oncologist as she talked through the steps ahead.
Brady’s cancer is not responsive to chemo. Like, not at all.
As the team has learned more about the leukemia cells that are now present, we have also learned that his cancer has laughed at the daily immunotherapy that he has taken for over year, the blina backpack he wore for 28 days, the intense radiation he received, and the perfectly matched bone marrow transplant he had.
A couple times one of the doctors has been described his leukemia as being a ______ (insert a choice word here) because it has continued to allude everything we have tried.
But we knew this.
We knew the battle was going to be hard. When we found out last June the rarity of his mutation and the success rate of the other 64 cases in the world, we knew this was going to be a battle that was going to require strength and perseverance.
The fact that Brady is still here fighting is actually a miracle in and of itself.
But we aren’t done.
This journey, this unbelievably hard battle, often feels like we are driving blindly, in the dark of night, with pouring down rain, through the mountains of West Virginia.
The path may seem winding and some roads may be closed, but we refuse to be lost in these mountains.
Chemo is pretty much off the table. His doctor doesn’t see the need in pumping him full of toxins that his cancer is going to continue to laugh at. We wholeheartedly agree.
We turn the wheel around that road block and keep driving…
Thankfully there have been so many incredible strides made in the scientific field of medicine. So many people have been blessed with absolutely amazing wisdom and refuse to stop fighting to find a cure for this ravaging disease.
It is because of their dedication to this field and their incredible intelligence that boys like Brady even have a chance to keep fighting.
Moving forward Brady’s treatment will consist almost exclusively of new targeted therapies.
One of these targeted therapies is what Brady just received for the first time on Friday.
This first therapy feels like a tunnel getting us through the first peak of the mountain range.
Today, after just over 48 hours, we learned that all the leukemia blasts in Brady’s peripheral blood are gone!
Gone.
Praising God for the unbelievable wisdom and intelligence it took to develop such an amazing medicine!
Does this mean Brady is already cured?
Unfortunately no. Not even close. But what it does mean is that for the first time in weeks our sweet boy has found relief from the pain in his feet and all the exhaustion and sickness he has been feeling.
It means for today we have a glimmer of hope.
We know the road is still so so long, but today, well today we felt like we were driving on a freshly paved road.
His ornery personality was back in full force and he was smiling from ear to ear and beaming with joy after a super surprise visit from one of his baseball coaches and being able to FaceTime with so many that he loves.
I’ve learned something through this battle, the mountain range doesn’t go on forever. Eventually, if you have the perseverance to keep driving, you will reach the straight path on the other side.
But you can’t stop.
You have to keep driving.
So drive friends. Even when there are potholes or roadblocks that don’t make sense. Even when there are detours or broken bridges that seem unfair. Or unfinished roads or downed trees that devastate our hearts deep down.
Stop when you need to take a break, refuel, catch your breath, or cry out to God pleading for understanding, but don’t quit. Don’t ever quit driving to the other side.
Smoother roads lie just through the mountains.
Shields up.
Swords out.
Believing in a cancer free victory,
Kristin
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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