Hope for Baby Bennett: 2025/06

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Learning a new language

So the last couple of days have been a crash course in Biology, Immunology and platelet development and consumption. To be honest, I’m still not sure I completely understand it.

Wednesday night, Bodie’s platelets were at 7,000.

He was given a platelet transfusion and they dropped to 6,000.

By Thursday morning, they had dropped to 4,000.

Late Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, he was given a 12 hour IVIG infusion coupled with steroids. By Saturday morning, his platelets had risen to 10,000! We were so excited that at least they weren’t free falling anymore and were hopeful we were onto a solution.

But by yesterday afternoon, they had dropped to 8,000.

So this afternoon, we did a second platelet transfusion, this one specifically selected to not only match Bodie’s blood type, but also to not conflict with any of his known antibodies.

After that transfusion, his platelets rose to 15,000.

We were happy they rose, because that clearly meant something we’re doing is working. However, it was not the robust reaction the hematologist was looking for, leading him to solidify his diagnosis of ITP, very likely caused by his underlying antibodies.

Did you follow all of that? I know, it’s confusing.

If you’re a visual learner, like me, here’s a handy little chart.

(As an aside, one of my favorite quotes is by Olaf in Frozen 2, when he describes a game they’re playing by saying “We’re calling this ‘controlling what you can when things feel out of control.'” I’m pretty sure that’s what charts are for me – a way to control something, anything, when things feel out of control!)

In any case, the Hematologist talked to our team at Stanford today. Because Bodie did show a small response to the first dose of IVIG, they’ve decided a second course is a good idea. So they just started a second course of IVIG.

We’ve been relatively lucky in that Bodie hasn’t had bad reactions with IVIG as long as it’s been paired with the steroid. But he’s also never had 2 IVIG treatments back to back. IVIG definitely has the potential to cause some pretty bad side effects, especially when given so quickly after a previous treatment. It’s a lot on his body.

Please pray Bodie’s body responds positively to this IVIG treatment – that his platelets increase significantly, and that he has no side effects!!!

Our hope is that this will be enough to get Bodie over the hump to a more acceptable platelet level, so that we can get discharged and treat his ITP outpatient. A lot of hurdles to cross to get that to happen, but we have a lot riding on this week:

(Bodie hard at work on his finals study guides yesterday.)

FINALS: Bodie has all of his finals this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and Bodie has worked SO HARD to try to get caught up in school and we’d hate for that hard work to be in vain if he can’t take his finals. Because of all of his absences, this has been an extraordinarily challenging year for Bodie academically and he’s been tempted so many times to just give up. (OK, maybe he did give up more than once, but luckily Dusk and I were there to keep pushing/carrying him Ha). But we just want him to end the year on a positive note and recognize his hard work has paid off! Please pray that he’ll be discharged in time to take his finals in person, or that the school will work with us to ensure he can complete his finals on time. The kids’ school has gone above and beyond up until now in working with us to ensure he succeeds academically, so we have no reason to think it will be different this time – but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m worried about it.
GRADUATION: Sierra graduates from high school this Thursday! This week should be a week of fun and excitement and all about our girl! It’s hard for that to happen when her brother is in the hospital. We have friends and family coming to town to celebrate her. Please pray Bodie and I can get out of the hospital in time to enjoy all the fun and show her how proud we are of her!

I’ll keep you appraised as we know more. Thank you, as always, for your prayers and financial support – we couldn’t do it without all of you!!!!

The Chosen Mothers by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with life threatening illnesses are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecilia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint Gerard."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and says, "Give her a child with cancer." The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy." "Exactly" smiles God, "Could I give a child with cancer a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But, does she have patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she will handle it." "I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she believes in you." No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps -"Selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take anything her child does for granted. She will never consider a single step ordinary. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them." She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side." "And what about her patron Saint?" asks the angel. His pen poised in mid-air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."