We are officially one week post stem cell transfer, and so much has happened over the last two weeks.

First and foremost — thank you.
We are beyond thankful for the love, support, donations, prayers, and encouragement that made this appointment possible. We truly could not have done this without our believers!

Benny did really well during the transfer and has continued to do well since. While we were in Arizona, the doctor spent hours with us reviewing everything — every medication Benny is on, how they’re affecting his body, and even what his white and red blood cells were doing once the harvest was complete, when he was able to view under a microscope.

After reviewing everything under the microscope, the doctor spent a lot of time talking with us about Benny’s GI medications as well. As many of you know, GI issues have been one of our biggest ongoing struggles — vomiting, difficulty tolerating feeds, and inconsistent weight gain with lots of ups and downs.

He asked if we would be willing to try a supplement and stop lactulose for a two-week trial. Lactulose is used to help Benny stool daily (essentially a laxative), but even on a fairly high dose for his age and weight, he was only going every 2–3 days — and at times we were having to use suppositories. To be completely transparent, the three stools Benny had prior to traveling to Arizona were all from suppositories on top of the daily medication. 

We agreed to try the supplement and pause the lactulose to see if we noticed any changes, since what we were doing clearly wasn’t working. And after just four days, Benny has already stooled three days in a row on his own — which feels like a huge win. We’re hopeful and praying this progress continues.

The doctor also performed an ultrasound on Benny’s hips and walked us through the exact positioning. Benny’s left hip is slightly displaced from the socket, and his right hip is displaced and behind the socket. Because of this, he compounded a dystonia cream specifically for Benny, with the hope that relaxing those muscles may help in combination with the medications he’s currently on, without adding more to his plate. 

Looking ahead, we’ll be returning to Arizona on March 18 for PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy, which helps “wake up” and support stem cells that may have gone dormant — giving them another boost to do their work. One huge blessing is that this treatment is already included in what we’ve paid, so our only cost will be travel. We’re also incredibly thankful we were able to stay with family in Phoenix, which saved us significantly.

The doctor strongly recommended intensive therapy between weeks 6–8 post transfer, as that window is often when the most gains are seen. So we’re taking that advice seriously.

• One week intensive in Indiana at the end of January with Beelievability
• Two additional weeks of intensive therapy with our home team
• Continuing HBOT and daily chiropractic care at home with Dr. Ethan

That 6–8 week window will be full — but very intentional. We want to give Benny every possible opportunity to benefit from these cells! 

As we move into the next few weeks, we’re also choosing to slow down and be present. We’re looking forward to soaking in this season, loving on our kiddos, making holiday memories, and continuing to trust God with every step ahead.

On a side note- we’ve been working with a Kansas state representative to amend and rewrite a bill! It’s in the works an if it passes in January we can have a law for Benny in Kansas! Making punishment for child endangerment and child neglect/abuse a much more severe penalty! This does not benefit us, but by golly it will the next family that should never walk this road! I personally feel this is part of my god driven mission and purpose in this whole story! 

Thank you for walking this road with us.
We feel your prayers — every single one!!🤍🐝