We have some progress!!!!

It's been one week since Bryson had his stem cell treatment and he is still doing great! His energy level is still through the roof and he was a little character in church yesterday. He wanted candy the whole service! He is still sleeping really good and has one heck of an appetite! A new change, that even Bryson noticed, happened a couple of days ago. Let me start by saying, he has always had tons of movement in his left foot and toes. He was watching cartoons and was holding his right foot and said, "Mommy, look my toes are wiggling on this foot now!" and he pointed to his right foot! I looked down and he was absolutely right, his toes on his right foot were wiggling! Woohoo, we have some progress! Praise the Lord and thank you Jesus for your continued healing in my little boy! Bryson goes to physical therapy for the first time today since he got his stem cell treatment and I can't wait to see if she notices any other changes in him! Stay tuned...........

A detailed report of Bryson's 1st stem cell treatment!

We are all back home and nice and settled in now and things have been going great! Bryson did so fantastic the entire trip. It was his first airplane ride and he was super excited. We had screaming kids and babies all around us go the San Diego and my little man was a perfect angel the whole 4 hour flight. He was equally as good on the way home too. I feel so very blessed right now! I mean, who am I? I'm nobody, but my son got to get his first stem cell treatment, and that's not something that just happens every day. God has blessed us so much that I don't even know where to begin to thank Him. Like I said, I'm just a nobody, but I'm so glad God thinks I'm a somebody! So, this is how it all went down...... Day one- We flew into San Diego, CA. We arrived at the hotel that evening and contacted our patient rep, Grace Pena, and she gave me the low-down on what to expect, what time she would arrive to pick us up, etc. We decided to order in and just relax that night. We had Chinese food delivered to our room and the pictures on the menu looked so yummy, but the actual food was the absolute worst Chinese food I've ever put in my mouth! Couldn't even eat it, and you all know by looking at me that I can eat just about anything! Lol! We were so messed up by the time change that we ended up going to bed at 8:30 that night, but it was 10:30 Texas time, so we didn't care! Day two- We go out for breakfast and Bryson has his last meal early that morning. They didn't want him eating much because of the sedation. Bryson had pancakes and we should've had pancakes too, because what Nana and I had sucked! At this point, I'm beginning to think the food in San Diego is just the crappiest food I've ever eaten! Grace and Abel pick us up at our hotel at around 11:30, after a long 3 hr drive they had to make from L.A. This is just a little foreshadowing of what great people they are. We all pile in the Expedition and make our journey into the border of Tijuana, Mexico. By the way, Tijuana is not what you would expect at all. It is very nice and very clean and is very Americanized! We get all checked into the hospital and get to a room, where Dr. Selva, the lead hematologist and president of hematology of all of Mexico comes in to tel us how the whole procedure is going to go down. Very nice, caring man! The nurses, who speak rather good English, come in and tell me Bryson has to take this medicine that will make him calm so he won't feel the IV stick when they get into the operating room. Well, being the little tootie that he is, Bryson refused to take it, so I forced a little bit in his mouth and he immediately started gagging and said he was no taking it! I put a little on my finger to taste how bad it was and OMGosh, it was like putting kerosine in your mouth! I told the nurses he was not going to take it and they said he had to so the nurse grabbed him from me and sat down on a chair and tilted him back and made him take that medicine and he didn't even cry or try to push he away or anything, he just took it like a big boy! He wanted me to hold him and he started crying and proceeded to throw up all over me! That was the only small meltdown he had the whole day. He was so big and brave! After about 30 minutes they say they are ready for him, so I got to carry him to the operating room door, where a nurse took him from there. Bryson just reached out and went right to her. Not even 30 minutes goes by and they are telling me he is back in the room and is asking for his mommy. Nana and I went in and he said, "Mommy, I went to that nice lady, but when I got in that room I was crying for you just a little!" Then he said, "You came back for me just like you said you would!" I told him of course I came back for him! They gave blood from one umbilical cord in the operating room, by injection into his lower lumbar spine and then they injected the blood from one more cord through an IV back in the room after about an hour of observation to see if he was going to throw up or have any reactions. We then proceeded to wait for another four hrs before we could make our trek back across the border back into San Diego. Bryson got to eat some food and drink some water. Nana and I ate the best Mexican food! Grace and Abel were checking in on us periodically throughout the course of the day, then we all got in the car to go back to the hotel. It took us 2 hrs of waiting in line to get back across the border! UGH! Bryson was wound for sound the whole time we were in line! The stem cells definitely had given him a ton of energy! He was all over his Nana and was pinching, pulling, slapping, biting, and talking up a blue streak for over an hour. He finally just stopped and passed out in my arms! It was like 0-60 in 2 seconds and then 60-0 in another 2 seconds! After Grace and Abel dropped us off at the hotel, those poor guys had a 3 hr drive back to L.A. We, on the other hand, crashed the minute we got in the room! Day three- We got up early and had breakfast, where this time we all ordered pancakes! Lol! Bryson was excited to be going home was excited about getting to fly again. We all board the plane and get settled in for our long flight home and Bryson, once again, was the best boy all the way home. PawPaw Phil was waiting for us at the airport when we got there and we all were glad to be on our way home where we could sleep in our own beds and be with our families. So, that's how our three fast and furious days went! I must say, it was the best experience! Grace and Abel and all the doctors and nurses were so caring and made us feel comfortable the whole time. There was not one time where I felt nervous or anxious or reluctant while we were there getting Bryson's treatment. Bryson was the calmest I've ever seen him! God lead us the whole way and we are so blessed! I want to thank, first and foremost, my gracious, Heavenly Father for answering our prayers, and second I want to thank each and every person who donated to Bryson so this trip could be made possible! All of you played a part in making a difference in my son's life and I am so grateful and so thankful! Abel told us Bryson needed to come back in about 8 mos and would need three treatments, so there will definitely be more fundraising in our future. We've already noticed some small changes in Bryson, such as more energy, more restful sleep, increased appetite and some potty issues seem to be better! More substantial changes will take a little time and we were told to not be discouraged if it takes about 2 mos to notice any major changes. So, God bless and stay tuned..............

The Time Has Come!!!!

I can't believe it! The day we've been waiting for, praying so hard for, and raising so much money for is FINALLY here! This is really happening! We leave bright and early tomorrow morning to catch a plane to San Diego, then the next day Bryson gets his first stem cell treatment! I am a bundle of emotions. I am super excited, super nervous, and super anxious. I know God will be there with us every step of the way. My family and I have been so blessed to be able to do this for Bryson. Getting something as major as stem cell treatment is not something that happens for everyone on a daily basis, you know what I mean? We are so very grateful to everyone who contributed to Bryson's fund so this trip could be made possible for him. My next posts will be filled with great progress reports and will be filled with all the great things Bryson is doing and all the obstacles he is overcoming and I can't wait! Glory be to God for His favor and blessings he has poured out over me, my family and Bryson. I give HIM 100% of the credit for making all this happen and I will give HIM 100% credit for all the things that are to come with Bryson after stem cells. We've still got a long way to go, and a lot more hard work to do, and more money to raise for future treatments and therapies, but the first step of my little man's journey is beginning at 10am tomorrow morning! I will post all about our trip and our experience first thing when we get back in town, so stay tuned!!!!