Fighting for Douglas

In early June, our 14-year old son started summer Strength & Conditioning in preparation for high school athletics. That first week he complained of a strained hip flexor muscle. Our pediatrician cleared him to play baseball - as pain permitted - and referred him to Physcial Therapy. He was able to play in one more tournament, but not beyond. After five weeks of PT, the therapist told us he was not seeing sufficient improvement and recommended we go back to the pediatrician and ask for imaging.

Over the summer Douglas had developed a significant limp and was taking ibuprofen every morning and evening. On Labor Day weekend, Douglas experienced such profound pain overnight that we took him to a local ER. The x-ray report read "suspicious for osteosarcoma." By the end of the week, we finally visited with a specialist who reviewed the imaging and said this was very serious. So on Saturday morning, Sept 12, we arrived at Texas Children's Hospital Emergency Room. After initial X-rays we were admitted and began the process of collecting imaging and a biopsy.

The biopsy confirmed Stage 4 Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma in the left hip bone. It requires 8-9 months of treatment: 10 weeks of chemo, leading to a major surgery in December, and followed with 18 more weeks of chemo.

It is a big mountain to climb. It is a long trek.

Any funds raised will help our family with medical bills and related expenses associated with Douglas' treatment that go beyond insurance and other resources, including hospital parking fees, medications, equipment, and other expenses that will arise during treatment. We don't know exactly what that's going to look like for this next year. Every donation, prayer, message, and act of kindness means more to our family than we can adequately express. Thank you for standing with us during this difficult season.

Your prayers are also welcome. Please know that we pray for each of you in return.

Mark 11:22-23: "Jesus said to them in reply, "Have faith in God. Amen I say to you, whoever says to this mountian, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours."