From Gabe's CaringBridge site.
After running fever for 2 weeks with no other symptoms Gabe was diagnosed with Lymphoma on September 18, 2009, at the age of 15. The only thing "off" in his blood work was his SED rate, which is a marker for inflammation in the body. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph system and he has a mass in his chest, between his lungs. After a biopsy of a lymph node, a bone marrow aspiration and a PET/CT scan he was officially diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, stage 2B. These procedures (including putting in a port) were done in Baton Rouge at OLOL Hospital. Then we headed to St. Jude in Memphis to meet with the doctors there and receive a protocol for treatment. The treatment consisted of chemotherapy and radiation. Most of the chemotherapy was done in Baton Rouge and then radiation was done in Memphis at St. Jude.
Gabe received clear scans and got the word that he was cancer free in February of 2010 (5 months after diagnosis). Then only 5 months later on July 30, 2010 (now 16 years old) it was determined that he had relapsed. Again, we found the cancer due to a low grade fever.
We are now back at St. Jude for more chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and radiation. The first diagnosis was hard but the relapse was devastating. With the treatment having to be done here in Memphis, our family has had to be split for about 3 months. It is hard on all of us and we hate that our child is having to go through this a second time (especially so close to the first).
Gabe is the oldest of four children and is loved by many! The support and love shown by all our friends and family has truly been overwhelming. We KNOW God is bigger than this and WILL be glorified through it. We just ask for prayers to have faith in that knowledge, for the doctors to see the correct course, for strength for our family, and most importantly for Gabe- his faith, his health, his peace.
Jennie and Jeff
