Rural TV Feature on Bryson and Donation Information!

Well, the night we have all been waiting for has finally arrived! My little man got his 5 minutes of fame on Rural TV (RFDTV) which is a farm and ranch channel on Dish Network. They featured his recent barrel race event (Barrels 4 Bryson) on the last five minutes of the show. This event was held to raise money for Bryson's next sem cell treatment and will be an annual event. They put the segment together very quickly, so there was no interview and not a lot of information was given about Bryson, but they did show pictures of him and they showed a couple of runs from the race. I wish they had told Bryson's story, but they did at least give the web address to this blog spot, so maybe a few people will read his story and find out a little more about this special little boy we all love and adore! I want to thank Dr. Wes Williams, Merck, Adequan and Platinum Performance for sponsoring this event! We raised a ton of money for Bryson's next stem cell treatment and we appreciate it so much. We can't wait to get back to Nova Cells Institute in Mexico to get his second treatment because he is doing so well from the first one. Bryson has made HUGE improvements since he had stem cell treatment! His balance is better, his core strength is better, his appetite and eating habits are better and he's gained weight and grown a mile, he is moving toes, feet and legs now, his bladder and bowel issues are getting better and he is not having to take so many medications, he is crawling on his hands and knees, and he is walking with braces and a walker now! These are all things that are truly amazing and we thank God first and foremost for His healing and placing those stem cells where they need to be and we thank Nova Cells for providing those cells to our little guy so he can have his dream of walking become a reality. Bryson will go back to Mexico in February or March of next year for his second treatment. I will be looking for an intensive physical therapy program for him to get enrolled in before we go back for the second treatment. These programs are so very expensive, so our fundraising days aren't over yet! A two week to four week program costs anywhere from $7,000 to $13,000. Yikes! We also need a very expensive ($26,500) piece of therapy equipment for our home that we are still trying to raise money for. We are just having faith and knowing that God will provide! If anyone wants to donate to Bryson's fund, I have information on how you can donate right here to the right side of this blog. Anyone can donate by making a check payable to Warrior Families Beating Spina Bifida Foundation for Bryson Chailer. This foundation is a non-profit foundation that was founded by myself and another mom and every donation is tax deductible. Our foundation will be helping others with spina bifida by granting money for alternative therapies and therapy programs, equipment, stem cell treatment, etc. Check out our website at www.warriorfamiliesbeatingspinabifida.org. If anyone would like to sponsor an event for Bryson or for the foundation, you can contact me at 903-268-2998 or you can email me at karaunderwood@msn.com God is doing a might work in Bryson and this little boy is such a testimony! He is such a joy and he truly touches the lives and hearts of everyone he meets. I am so proud of him and I am so blessed to be his mom. He has come so far in his battle with spina bifida! I want to say thank you to God and to every single person who has ever donated to his fund in any way. You all have made a profound difference in the life of a little boy of wants to walk so badly. We still have a long road ahead of us, so please keep spreading the word so we can keep the donations coming in! We will forever live by the word of God that says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" BRYSON WILL WALK!!!!!!!!

Progress Report and Event Coming Soon!

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted any news! Sorry about that! Seems like all I do is run the roads with Bryson these days, taking him to appointment after appointment. Bryson continues to show progress from the stem cell treatment he had almost 3 mos ago. He is actually getting on his hands and knees now, in a crawling position, and is crawling a few steps at a time. He used to only be able to army crawl, pulling himself with his arms, with his little legs dragging behind him. I was standing there in total shock and disbelief when he was doing it! Very exciting to see! He is still going poop with no medications whatsoever and he is going like clockwork every night at 6pm when I sit him on the potty. This is great news for a kid with spina bifida, because the bladder and bowel has such issues due to damaged nerves. He still doesn't feel the "urge" to go, but he goes and it's a giant step forward! We're still not sure about what effects the stem cell treatment is having on his bladder because he still has the vesicostomy in place, but I am confident that when he has a urodynamics test done in August, to test the bladder function, it will show great results and we can have the vesicostomy reversed. Bryson is continuing the get stronger and has more endurance while walking in his RGO braces, with his walker and he is also gaining muscle mass and is growing taller. A big barrel race event is coming up on July 20th and will be the 2nd barrel race event to raise money for Bryson's next stem cell treatment. It's gonna be phenomenal! My parents' vet, Dr. Wes Williams, is putting it on and it is going to be top-notch, to say the least. It's going to be a 3 day event, with wonderful prizes, such as hand-crafted saddles, buckles, IPads, and $15,000 in cash money! Way bigger than the one we had last year! Even more amazing is, the tv show RFDTV is going to do a 15 min segment that will be televised on a show called Horse Talk. RFDTV is a farm and ranch show on cable and has about 3-4 million viewers! As soon as I find out the air date, I will let everyone know so they can watch it because and Bryson and I will be interviewed! God is working in a big way in this little boy and in our family right now. I am continually praising Him for all His blessings and favor that are being poured out over us and Bryson. I posted Bryson's progress after stem cell treatment on a spina bifida facebook page and I am getting an overwhelming amount of moms wanting information on stem cell treatment and I am honored to be able to help those moms by telling them of our experience with stem cell treatment and by helping their children get the help they need to give them better quality of life through stem cells. Nova Cell Institute, and the treatment they do, has been such a blessing in our life and I am so happy to share everything with these moms! I truly feel God is using Bryson in a big way to help others. Thank you Jesus for your healing!

Still Improving Every Day!

Bryson continues to improve every day since he had his first stem cell treatment! The doctors that did the procedure are just amazed at how quickly we started seeing results. The acupuncturist told me at his appointment on Friday that there was so much more going on than before! She usually does acupuncture on him with a probe that has these wet q-tips on the end of it that uses electrical currents, but this time she used traditional Chinese acupuncture with the needles. She said she felt so many things she had never felt before and that his legs and feet jumped and responded in ways they had not before his stem cell treatment. After a couple of minutes with the needles in, he actually started sweating and got a little flushed and he got a really strange look on his face and hid his eyes and almost started to cry. She took the needles out and said it was because for the first time he was having a bit of sensory overload, which means he was feeling things he had never felt before and was not able to express what he was feeling. She said sometimes it feels like you are about to faint and children his age can't express what that feels like so he teared up. Bryson's balance continues to get better and better. He doesn't prop with his hands as much when he is sitting and he uses both hands out front for way longer than he used to and can even put his arms over his head and not immediately fall. He is getting on his knees and holding that position for much longer now than he did before. Before he would get on his knees and within a couple of seconds his legs would collapse under him. He can now sit on his knees for quite some time and while he's on them he swings his hips back and forth. We thank God on a daily basis for Bryson's healing and for putting those stem cells right where they need to be and we thank Him for the day that our little boy walks for the first time!!!!!

More Progress from God and Stem Cells!

Great news!!!! My mom and I were at a store in Emory called Alco with Bryson the other day, (she was getting him a toy, and yes, he is spoiled rotten like that, but that's neither here nor there) and we both noticed while he was in the shopping cart that he was extending his left leg a the knee! We both looked at one another and just giggled and I pushed his little leg back down and he straightened it out again, and again, and again! Well, Bryson had therapy today and his therapist confirmed that he definitely has firing of his quad and hamstring in his left leg and that he was moving it by using those muscles! Woohoo! Praise God! Also, she said he has some firing in his right hip as well! Woot,woot and praise God again! God is putting those stem cells right where they need to be and He's doing it quicker than we ever imagined! So, now Bryson has movement in his foot and toes on the left foot, slight movement in his right foot and toes, firing in his left quad and hamstring, and firing in his right hip! Glory be to the most awesome, amazing, powerful God I serve! At this rate, Bryson will not only be walking, but running in the next couple of months! Stay tuned for more to come.........

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!!!!

Such Progress!!!

Bryson has had a lot going on in the past couple months, so thought I would catch you up! He had a wonderful Christmas and a super 3rd birthday just a month after that. He continues to feel great every day and I am so thankful for that, considering he felt so bad for so long. He has recently started acupuncture sessions. I think it's really helping his bladder and bowel. He also started having rolfing sessions. Rolfing is wear the connective tissue and muscle is manipulated around the bone by a certified rolfer. This is helping with his short and tight heel cords and hips cords, due to only being able to sit instead of stand and bear weight. It's kind of like a really deep tissue massage on steroids and it really stretches those tight cords out. It seems to be helping a lot. Bryson continues to walk every week in physical therapy. He is still in a harness,but he is making great strides...literally! In February, we will have an appointment with the ortho about fitting him for his RGO braces and he will get to start walking with just a walker, without the harnessing! So excited for that to happen! We are getting some last minute things done before we go to Mexico for his stem cell treatments. All we lack is getting our passports renewed, then we can book a date and start making hotel and flight arrangements. I'm thinking we should be ready to go by early March. I absolutely cannot wait until I can start reporting his progress after he gets the stem cell treatment!

On a personal note, my family has been praying a looking for a new church home and I think we finally found it! We have gone to a couple of services at The Way Bible Church in Sulphur Springs and it has really made an impact on us. We plan on attending and getting involved with this church and possibly becoming an official member if things continue to go this good. God has really spoken to me in those two services and it's such a great feeling. Our family has been praying together, I have been reading my bible, and we are trying to teach Bryson all we can about Jesus! It's been an awesome renewing of the mind and spirit!

The Year of New Beginnings!

Wow, 2011 is gone! Another year just flew by! We received many blessings in the year 2011, but I can tell you that this new year, 2012, is gonna be quite awesome! The good Lord willing, Bryson will be getting stem cell treatments in March. It will be the beginning of many great things to come for him. I learned so much last year and I have grown by leaps and bounds spiritually. I know from personal experience that God answers prayers and blesses those who follow Him. I still have much to learn and I am very eager to know more about an amazing God I serve and His son Jesus Christ. I hope this will be the year that my family finds a permanent church home that we so desperately want and need in our lives. We are still fundraising for Bryson, so if you know of anyone who would like to donate, please tell them about this blog and the chip in button where donations can be made securely through paypal. We have enough to get his first treatment, but still need funds for his home therapy equipment and for a physical therapy program after his treatment. Then, we will need to raise enough money for a second treatment. God has provided for our needs so far and I have faith the rest will come.

My little man turns 3 yrs old on January 21st! I can't believe it! Next thing you know I'm gonna wake up and he will be turning 21! I can't even think about it! I am savoring every single minute I have with him while he's little and I am soaking in every sweet, cute moment, every funny thing he said, every amazing thing he did and accomplished. Bryson truly is the most amazing gift and blessing God has ever given me. This child made me the person I am today. I was lost, trying to find my way, when God gave him to me. Because of Bryson, I have grown spiritually by leaps and bounds. He gave me a new spirit and a new heart for God that I had been longing for, for quite some time. Everyone in my family used to joke and say I would never have kids! Heck, I didn't even like them most of the time! I thought I would make a terrible mother because I was so selfish. I'm so glad God knew differently and had faith in me. God knew that this sweet little boy would bring back the fire and passion in my life. God knew that Bryson would make me seek Him. God knew that I would leave the life I was living behind and put all my efforts into this beautiful child, who would teach me so much about life and God that I never knew. My faith in God is the strongest it's ever been because of Bryson and I am thankful for that every single day.

2012, bring it on!!!! I'm ready to get this thing started!!!!