They Were Always There to Help
Jayce’s joints were hurting. His fingers, hands, knees started swelling. Several doctors and an initial diagnosis of juvenile arthritis brought him to a fateful day when the family made a trip to the ER to find out why Jayce wasn’t getting better. Why he couldn’t even get out of bed. It started a process that ultimately took six days before he was diagnosed with Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a very, very rare form of leukemia.
Finally, the family knew what they were dealing with. But that brought a new fear. Jayce’s mom, Alisha, said that she worried that no one around here had ever seen this type of cancer. “There was a fear of fighting something that hadn’t been seen before,” she shared.
Jayce’s doctor, Tina Elliott, MD, assured the family that Jayce could get the treatment needed right here in Kalamazoo. “Dr. Elliott assured us that the treatment for this cancer would be the same regardless of where Jayce went.” In fact, Dr. Elliott regularly interacts with colleagues from across the country, essentially providing Jayce with a countrywide team supporting his fight.
“Dr. Elliott was a superstar,” added Alisha. “We were so concerned that we would need to take Jayce out of state for care. It was so comforting to know we could stay here in Kalamazoo with our village, our support system.”
One example of that support came every Sunday. Jayce’s family had a long-held tradition of Sunday dinners together. Even when Jayce needed to be in the hospital, the family would come together, in their favorite room in the hospital, and share dinner together.
Moments like this turned out to be important not only to Jayce, but to the whole family. “Any split second that helps distract you from the realities of what Jayce was facing are invaluable,” shared Alisha. “If we had to go out of state for care, our family would have been apart and wouldn’t have been able to support each other in the same way.”
It has been a long eleven months of treatment and hospital stays. Most of the hospital stays averaged around a week to ten days. The longest stay was 21 days. Jayce completed his 5 stages of chemotherapy in May and is getting ready to start his second dose of chemo for maintenance.
“In the beginning, there is no light,” recalled Alisha. “They tell you it will be bad, but you don’t know how bad.” She remembered the really rough days when Bronson staff would come into Jayce’s room hold her hand and comfort her. Alisha marvels at the amazing team that helped her and the family survive their darkest times. “They take such great care of you. They have been a lifeline through all of this,” she shared. “They are like our second family.”
Jayce remembers never really wanting for anything. “They were always there to help,” he said. “I really like all the nurses. The peds floor provided really great care.” He recalls playing his xbox and the Nintendo Switch that the hospital had on hand. The scavenger hunts, hospital room service and the Christmas lights strung in his room were also highlights that he remembered from his stay. “I was actually one of the least worried ones of the whole family,” he added.
For Alisha’s part, she remembers that every terrible side effect from treatment that could be had, Jayce had it. “As an adult, I don’t think I would have had half the strength that Jayce had,” she added. “I am so happy to now see Jayce out of bed and bits and pieces of him coming back.”
In fact, Jayce shared that he now wants to give back to those who are facing the fight with cancer. He’s thinking about organizations where he could volunteer and help kids get through their own individual battles. Dr. Elliott has noticed the change as well. “Jayce is so forthright, very expressive. I have watched him grow more articulate, more comfortable with himself through this process. I have really enjoyed working with him,” she shared.
You can learn more about the Dr. Elliott and the Bronson Children’s Hospital at bronsonhealth.com
