Ian was first diagnosed on June 8th, 2020. About 2-3 months before Ian was diagnosed, he would often complain that his legs and feet hurt. About a month before he was diagnosed, a dry cough started that would not go away. It was a cough with no fever or other symptoms. So we thought it was a random cough that would go away. Two weeks after the cough started, a fever started, a headache, a tonsils infection, and he was tired all the time and just wanted to rest. His medical insurance had been canceled by the provider for some unexplained reason. We didn’t have enough money to take him to a pediatrician and they wouldn’t see him without insurance.
Since we live 2 hours away from the USA-Mexico border we decided to take him to a pediatrician in Tijuana, Mexico because it is very affordable there. After bloodwork was done and the result came out, we got the sad news. The pediatrician had a quick interview with us regarding our current financial status and needs. He is very knowledgeable of many children’s hospitals and gave us specific directions on what to do and where to go. Finally back in the USA, at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California the diagnosis was confirmed. It was and it has been the most heartbreaking news. Ian was diagnosed with C-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on June 9th, 2020.
Ian is very cooperative. He’s a celestial warrior. When he was diagnosed, he was hospitalized and received a 28-day cycle treatment. After that, results came out with no more cancer cells in his blood or brain fluid. He still receives chemotherapy once a week. Chemotherapy sessions will decrease as time passes by, but he still has more than 2 medical treatment years.
Ian is a celestial warrior. Not only he defeated leukemia but covid19 as well. On July 22, 2020 he was hospitalized for covid19 and discharged on July 26, 2020. Out of his own, when he receives chemotherapy he says, “God is with me, and I will always be strong for my family.”
Zaydynn is a very rambunctious little boy! He LOVES cars, trucks, motorbikes, four-wheelers, basically anything you can drive.
He was diagnosed with Leukemia in the spring of this year. Zaydynn is in the first stage of his intensive chemotherapy. He has had two bone marrow tests, two spinal chemotherapy’s under anesthesia, a port placed into his chest, and several different medications.
Zaydynn not only had to face cancer at the age of 2 but he also had to do it with only a small piece of his support team due to the COVID restrictions at St Jude’s Hosptial. Zaydynn has a very big supportive family!
Maryssa loves pranking people. She loves Harry Potter and has recently discovered that she loves musicals and is obsessed with The Greatest Showman.
In the winter of 2017, she had what we thought was strep and antibiotics were not helping. Her tonsil was very swollen and a lymph node in her neck become very swollen. After being hospitalized, a biopsy was preformed and her cancer was diagnosed. This began her long journey.
Maryssa completed 2 years and 4 months of chemotherapy, blood thinner shots, multiple surgeries to replace ports. It was a long road but thankfully she finished up on April 19, 2020!
This has certainly changed our family life! We are closer than we have ever been and we all try to embrace every day we are given. We used to go through life merely existing, now we try to make sure we are truly living.
Maryssa is one of the bravest people I’ve ever known! She has handled this journey with a smile on her face through most of it.
Landon is an energetic 5-year-old boy who loves to play outside and be with his Papa. Landon started having a rash on his body so I took him to the doctor. They did bloodwork and well Landon was diagnosed with T cell childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It’s curable but going to be a rough and long road and recovery please all pray for my baby boy to get better!
Gabriel is the MOST JOYFUL child on the planet! We used to just say random words to him and he would laugh until he couldn’t breathe. He loves being outdoors, reading, snuggles, tickle fights, and all food!
He was diagnosed with ALL on July 14, 2019, after experiencing fatigue, a pale complexion, leg pain, and fevers. He is in active treatment and has received chemo.
We are taking this journey one day at a time. We are finishing up the hardest part of treatment and I want to celebrate how far we have come.
Eiry was diagnosed with ALL on labor day of 2019. She had three weeks of a fever that responded well to Tylenol. Her fever spiked so we went to urgent care and she had weird blood count results so we were sent to Children’s Hospital. It took a few days for them to figure out it was leukemia.
She has had lots of lumbar punctures, chemo and bone marrow aspirations. The hardest struggle is the drive time/cost from our house to the hospital. It takes about 1.25 to 1.5 hours each way. Plus we have three other kids so they are slightly neglected.
Eiry is amazingly brave and strong, but I think she still has a bit of fear in her thoughts. We are proud of her and doubt we adults would be able to handle everything as well as she has. One of our hardest parts of this journey is keeping her siblings knowing that they are still important and we love them the same but Eiry is a priority right now. Especially her twin sister.
