Help us support the Bloss/VanLue family as their son is receiving treatment at St. Jude’s!

Here is Barrett’s story below from his mama!

Leukemia…that’s something you never want to hear from a doctor, especially when it’s about your son. Barrett was diagnosed with Leukemia this week and it’s been a whirlwind of emotions, unknowns, prayers, and what’s the future look like now.

We started noticing a few weeks ago that his legs were covered in bruises, deep bruises that no one had any idea what caused them. I started wondering if maybe he was anemic, but his tongue (with his venous malformation) started to bleed more than normal…a lot more than normal. To the point where he’d call asking to come home from school because it was so much. I finally decided to ask Aunt Jordan to order some labs and get a hold of his team at MU to figure out what it going on because this was not normal. We got lab work done Wednesday and the waiting began. It was a rough waiting time for Barrett and I, deep down we both knew something wasn’t right. Thursday as I was picking him up to get his foot x-rayed, it’s fractured btw, the Dr called and said we needed to come in. Everything I was thinking and feeling was confirmed in that moment, had no idea what it was but I knew it was bad. I called Nate and he turned around on his way to meet a customer in north east Mo. Barrett wanted to call Nate on our way to see Aunt Jordan and the Dr so I texted Nate, “you have to do the best acting you’ve ever done in your life because if you break he’s gonna break”. So we both just tried to make it as normal as possible on the car ride there talking about anything and everything other than what was about to come.

We get there, get back to the room and Aunt Jordan doesn’t come in but the Dr, it was just another confirmation this is bad. To summarize what was said, Barrett has leukemia not sure what type,how bad it really is but we need to get started on treatment right now. Holding your son, trying to hold it together for him while his world falls apart…I don’t wish that for anyone. Barrett wanted Aunt Jordan while I called Nate and not being alone in that moment was the biggest blessing we could get while I had to tell Nate our worst fears are now our reality.

Everything after that sucked..easiest way to put it. Having to call mom and dad, nate calling his family, waiting for Nate to get back and just being overwhelmed. Thankfully Jordan left with us (drove) to meet Nate at the Joplin stock yards and Uncle Jake met us there. They went to the house to pack us a bag while we waited for Nate and everyone else in the family come say goodbye. Mom thankfully had Brooks, went and got the boys from school so we could tell. Thankfully Pops (Nate Dad), Aunt Beth, and Uncle Jade arrived just minutes before mom did with the boys so Id have some help when the brothers got there. Having to tell the boys their brother has cancer was again the worst, having to be strong so they could break is the worst ever.

After that everyone showed up, Dad and the guys, Uncle Curtis, Nan and Aunt Elaine with the kids, Uncle Bob and the kids, Uncle Jake and Aunt Jordan and finally Nate. The beginning of our village had stopped everything and came running for our boy. After hugs and tears we all gathered around Barrett and prayed. Prayed for healing, for the Drs and nurses, and Barrett to be brave most importantly.

Another hard blow was leaving Drake, Maverick, Vince and Brooks. Not being there to help them through this is heartbreaking.

We headed to Springfield to the St Jude’s wing there to start the process. The original plan was KC but God used church family to point us to St. Jude’s bc that’s where their son went when he had leukemia and in our hearts we knew that’s where God wanted us to go. On the drive up there was again one of the hardest moments so far, having to tell the parents of Barrett’s friends, to let them know so they could tell their boys that their friend, teammate, cousin has cancer. The heartbreak we felt was the worst.

During all this Barrett is just amazing. After the first tears, he was ready, God made him ready. He was is normal self ready to take on what was/is to come. Definitely being stronger than mom and dad! We made to Springfield around 3:30 (i think time was a blur right then), got checked in to the ER and waiting for St. Jude’s to get everything ready for us in Memphis. While we were waiting Tivis and Lauren Boothe and Levi and Ronnie Henry came up to be with us. That was again a blessing and much needed distraction for us. Barrett got a Nintendo switch set up from the nurses so he could play games while we waited and there was definitely a lot of trash talk and laughing in some intense Mariokart races, basketball and street fighting games going on between Barrett, Tivis and Levi! The nurses thought it was hilarious. We finally got to head to Memphis around 11:30pm, Nate rode in the ambulance with Barrett and I rode with Tivis and Levi as they drove Nate’s truck for us so I wouldn’t have to make that drive alone. We got to St. Jude’s around 4am Friday. Tivis and Levi ended up driving Nate’s truck home bc the car rentals would only rent for local travel, not going Missouri.

Friday was again a whirlwind, x-rays, blood work, waiting and trying to hold it together while we waited on the Drs to confirm and tell us exactly what’s going on and how we start treating it.

Around 6 or 7 the Drs come in and tell us he has Leukemia B Cell ALL, which is the one we want to have if we had to choose a cancer. It’s less aggressive and highly treatable, it just takes a long time frame to treat. 2-3 years to give us an idea.

Monday he will have a port put in his chest so he wont have to have IVs and be poked all the time. They will start him an a steriod that will start attacking the cancer cells then too. Later in the week they are going to do a spinal tap to make sure that the leukemia isnt in his spinal fluid and give a dose of chemo there to try and prevent it from showing up there later also.

This first week starting Monday is about the pregame, preparing for the game plan on treatments for the next 2-3 months that he will be here at St.Judes. Alot of the treatments will be based on how he response to them. The team here is very confident that he will beat this, it won’t be easy but we have a peace that only God can give.

Most importantly Barrett has a peace and is ready to fight. His personality hasn’t changed, hes already charmed the Drs, nurses and staff here! He’s ready to go!

For everyone that has already messaged or called us and has started praying thank you. Thank you isn’t enough and we can’t put into words how much we appreciate you. Our God has given us a village that we love and appreciate with all our hearts. Many people have already asked how can they help us. Prayers, loving on our boys while our family is apart right now. If you want to do more reach out to our families they know the best ways to help right now. I know I haven’t gone into great detail on everything happening here at St. Jude’s but I’ll posting more on that it the next few days. We just wanted to let everyone know what’s going on because many have heard but not all the details to go with it.

Most importantly God has this, no matter what happens in our future Gods in control and we will continue to love and serve Him. We don’t question why this has happened to Barrett, we see it as a way to bring others to Jesus and for Barrett to be the warrior that God has called him to be. Our God doesn’t make mistakes and He has chosen Barrett to show the world what Bravery looks like when you trust God and choose to serve Him even in the hardest of times.