17-month-old Jamie wasn’t sleeping or eating normally. His pediatrician wasn’t too concerned until Jamie’s parents noticed pinprick bruises, known as petechiae. These bruises were a red flag that prompted his pediatrician to order bloodwork, which would reveal the diagnosis: Leukemia.
Jamie’s parents rushed him to the emergency room. His condition was severe, requiring ICU care, several days on a ventilator, and intensive chemotherapy. Finally, his cancer went into remission, but he was diagnosed with a rare condition called sinusoidal obstructive syndrome (SOS). Eventually, his cancer relapsed.
The family made the challenging decision to relocate from Albuquerque to Colorado for specialized care.
Through it all, his parents grappled with the fear, grief, and anger that accompany such a devastating diagnosis. Treatment after treatment had failed or been less effective than necessary—they felt hopeless.
That’s when they found Brent’s Place.
At Brent’s Place, they found a source of comfort in all the chaos. Their new apartment had plenty of room for everyone in the family, including their six-year-old daughter, and came with a stocked pantry so they didn’t have to worry about groceries right away.
Jamie’s mom, Meredith, said that music therapy was a highlight of their time at Brent’s Place. With so much attention being devoted to Jamie’s care, Meredith was so happy that her daughter had a place to go where she could work through her feelings and be the center of attention for a little while.
“After half an hour of music therapy, she was a different person,” Meredith shared. “And I got to have a minute alone, which is so hard to get when you’re a caregiver. It was so important for both of us.”
Meredith also appreciated all the holiday and birthday celebrations, which meant her kids could still enjoy the holidays without adding any extra stress to her plate.
Jamie is currently recovering from a bone marrow transplant. While the family still has a little while to go before they can return home, Jamie is doing well and the future looks bright.
“It’s so reassuring to know that, if something else ever happens, we can always come back to Brent’s Place,” Meredith said.
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