Our 12-year-old son, Dustin, has always been a healthy, active kid. He loves playing sports and spending time outside with his friends. Until recently, he had never had any medical issues.

Over the last month, Dustin started getting sick and just wasn’t getting better. We took him to urgent care twice and were told it was likely just a cold and sent home. But on Wednesday, February 25th, things took a scary turn. Dustin was in extreme pain, incredibly tired, and very pale, so I took him to the ER.

At the hospital we learned Dustin had severe anemia. His hemoglobin level was 5.7 (normal is around 12) and his white blood cell count was 0.9 (normal is around 5). He was immediately admitted so doctors could begin running tests to figure out what was going on.

As of Thursday, March 5th, we are still waiting for answers. Doctors quickly ruled out leukemia with a bone marrow biopsy, and they said his cells appear to be regenerating well, which is encouraging. However, his levels are still not improving as expected. They have run numerous tests and labs, and we are currently waiting for more results before they can determine the next steps.

Through this entire unexpected and stressful experience, Dustin has continued to amaze us. He keeps a smile on his face, cracks jokes, and keeps us laughing even during the hardest moments. He definitely knows he’s a little spoiled right now — even if that means Mom making a 10pm run to the gas station for a hot dog. I couldn’t be more proud of how strong and positive he has been through all of this. His attitude makes the day-by-day waiting a little easier.

This past week has also been difficult for our family. My husband had to return to work because he doesn’t have much time off available. He already took three unpaid days so he could be here with Dustin, which is one of the reasons we decided to create this GoFundMe in case he needs to take more time off depending on what we learn.

We also have other children at home who have been staying with family while we are at the hospital. I still make sure to pick them up every morning to get them ready for school and bring them home afterward before taking them back. Between the hospital, caring for our other kids, gas, and meals, expenses have started adding up quickly.

The hospital has helped with some food vouchers and access to Ronald McDonald House, and we are incredibly grateful for that support, but it only goes so far. We are doing everything we can to make sure all of our kids are cared for and have what they need during this time.

Any support you are able to give would help lift some of the financial stress from our shoulders so we can focus on Dustin and finding answers. Most of all, we ask for your thoughts and prayers as we continue waiting and hoping for good news.

Thank you so much for your love and support.