Brayden’s Battle

Today was a great day!!!!!!

We started making breakfast as a family which is always an adventure because Brayden is the head chef, and designates himself the master egg cracker We had a nice breakfast on the patio and sipped coffee while playing basketball of course.  Then Brayden listened to me preach; which lasted for about 1o min. pretty good on one hand and yet only a quarter of my sermon (on the other) so we will have to see how tomorrow morning goes

Then came this video (teeth brushing) The sound is very quiet on this video so turn it up all the way… but in case you cant hear.  Mommy and Brayden were brushing their teeth this morning and he was not very interested.  So instead he just fell asleep at her feet sweet boy.  We havent felt like this chemo has been taking out his energy (which the next videos will testify to) but this one obviously argues as if it has.  He continues to do great, and as you can tell still has all his hair thanks for the prayers.

After he woke up from his nap he went to the bathroom all by himself and got another STICKER…Before all the chemo started we were using a sticker chart for Brayden with his potty training which was going really well.  He would fill up a chart and get to go to Chuck E Cheese or Disneyland and even sometimes get a little prize if he was lucky.  Now with the addition of chemo meds (and continuation of potty training) he gets to fill out a few charts and gets a MEGA Prize (since all those places are off limits for the most part :()  So here is his first prize since we’ve been home… [SPOILER ALERT--its a pool]

Last video for the day was just us hanging out in the pool and being boys together--it was a blast.  Then he helped me BBQ and we watched a movie--and now we are off to bed, or at least I am, he is still up :)  Have a great night

The Sodestroms

Lots of updates since the last post…

The MRD came back NEGATIVE, which is GREAT NEWS.  Means that there are not little residual cancer cells in his body and that there is a relatively small chance that the cancer will return The doc simply said that this is the BEST CASE SCENARIO and that he is doing the best possible.

Friday he started the next phase of Chemo (Consolidation) and will be doing this chemo for the next month.  This chemo is definitely hitting him harder than the last.  Ironic, since it was intensive during chemo and really hard to see.  He has nausea [doc describes as morning sickness] is almost all morning, and has swung from eating a ton to eating a little… and then vomiting in the am when he does eat.  I say this simply to ask you to continue to pray for the little man.  He is doing well, and other than the nausea and slight headaches is just as rambunctious as always.  So please pray for those symptoms as well as his continual desire for food (although he has lost almost all the steroid weight from the last phase ).

Sunday Brayden got to go to church with mommy for Mothers day.  It was a special treat and something Jen could have only dreamed of back in April, so very special for it to happen on her day.  There was also a special video tribute to moms at church and the close of the video was a clip from Jen and Brayden in the hospital–we couldn’t help but tear up.  He only made it through the first 20 min. of the service but it was so great to have him there.

As for this week… Brayden continues oral chemo every day from home, which he is taking fabulously with the help of chocolate then more back chemo on Friday.  He has fewer meds this phase which is another great blessing.

Overall we could not be more thrilled as a family with his progress.  The trial continues… meds, lack of sleep, vomiting etc.  But the price is WELL WORTH it, and we are so encouraged with the great news which continues to come in.  We also continued to be encouraged by you all, our family, friends, and the body of Christ which extends across the nation and many time zones throughout the world.

God continues to meet us right where we are at and take care of every need: physical, emotional and spiritual as we continue to rely on Him (and thanks to so many of you who He is using to meet those needs)

I have lots of pics to post, but it is time to try to put him down, so until tomorrow,

Drew, Jen and Brayden

Brayden is loving learning all about football, and especially loves playing Quarterback--BUT every once in a while he lets me throw to him. And more often than not he makes the catch

Just got off the phone with our Doctor and the bone marrow results came back: and showed Brayden Isaiah Sodestrom is in clinical remission

Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!

Our boy is being healed, I sit and tear up as I type.  We know God is in control in spite of circumstances and in good news and bad news–but we are THRILLED to report this GREAT news.  Treatment continues on.  The next phase of chemo starts on Friday so his numbers will drop down (infection wise etc.) so lots more prayers are needed as we continue this journey, but this is a HUGE benchmark in the process.

We still do not have the MRD test results back, hopefully in the next day or two; but early sign point towards Negative (which means it is unlikely for the cancer to return).  If this is the case then we will report Brayden is a “Rapid Early Responder” sounds pretty sweet huh?!?!?!?!

Can you tell we are excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for the prayers, please keep them coming–per many of your requests more pics to come (especially cause He is losing some weight we took him off the steroids, knew that the Man was coming by for ‘random drug testing’)

Love you all

Drew, Jen and BRAYDEN

a new video

Brayden got to go out in the real world and chose to come visit me at WORK!!!  It was a lots of fun.

We still dont have any results from the test on Friday, we hope to have results from the bone marrow part tomorrow.  So check back then… thanks for all the prayers and support.  I look forward to reporting GREAT NEWS tomorrow.