Praying for a Miracle

Today I am abundantly thankful for the health of my children.  I take it for granted most days, but not today.  Today my friend Stephanie is possibly going to have to make a decision to suspend life saving measures on her 2 1/2 year old son, Tyler.  Just typing that brings tears to my eyes and gives me instant anxiety.  If I feel that way, imagine how she feels?

I "met" Stephanie on an online pregnancy forum when I was first pregnant with Hayden - 5 years ago now almost exactly.  She had her son Dawson a few weeks before Hayden was born.  We were always good friends on the board, and it was exciting when she found out she was expecting her 2nd son Tyler just weeks before I was due with Pierce.  However, as I was snuggling my healthy newborn, and celebrating his first milestones, she was learning that her son was ill with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  At four months old.  After a rough road through chemotherapy, he was in remission a few months later, and things were looking bright.  Stephanie found out she was pregnant with her third child, this time due mere weeks after Ruthie.  Unfortunately, about the time that her son Gabriel was born, she learned that Tyler had relapsed.  Miraculously, Gabriel was a bone marrow match for Tyler, and they prepared for a bone marrow transplant, which took place 40 days ago.

I don't know the details of the procedure, or what a recovery from the transplant is supposed to be like, but the bottom line is that this family has watched their son suffer each and every day since the transplant.  They have maintained a level of optimism that is truly inspirational, and they have NEVER given up hope that their little boy would fight through this, and become a success story.  But every day the battle gets harder.

Today she shared that the doctors have warned them that he is reaching the maximum threshold in terms of medication he can take to correct some of things that are going wrong in his little body, and after that, there really is nothing they can do without doing irreparable harm to his organs.  In other words, in the absence of a miracle, they are going to have to make a decision to stop life saving measures.  On their 2 1/2 year old.  I cannot even hold it together to type this.  This poor family, and this poor child.

I just want a miracle for this family and this little boy.  I want Tyler to get well and be able to play with his brothers, like Pierce gets to play with his siblings.  I want Stephanie to be able to spend a day outside of the hospital, enjoying pumpkin patches. I want her to be able to hug her son, without a million wires and tubes getting in the way.  Just to hold him on her lap and giggle and laugh with him.  I want him to be free from pain and suffering.

I don't even know why I am writing this post.  I guess I am hoping that everyone who might read this will say an extra prayer for Tyler tonight.  And maybe all of these prayers will make him well.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tylerburdick