September 8, 2017

Happy Fall!!

Another school year has started, all the summer fun has winded down, and we are ready to start a period of new beginnings.  I hope this update finds all of you doing well and enjoying this exciting time of the year.  

The last update I sent was on February 18th.  At that time, Nathan had a scan where the tumor was appearing to be metabolically active and we were not sure what the next six months would bring. We chose to hold off on treating the tumor and let Nathan’s body naturally do the work.  Nathan had another scan on April 28th and we were pleasantly surprised to see that the tumor had remained stable!  It was such a blessing because on May 16th we welcomed Sean Cooper to our family.  We have all been able to enjoy a healthy summer with our new baby boy!  Nathan and Samuel absolutely adore him and want to be with him every second.  I am one lucky mom!

On June  2, 2012 Nathan had his first MRI and our lives were forever changed. Since then, he has gone under general anesthesia anywhere from every 6 weeks to every 3 months for MRI’s to monitor his tumor. There has not been one time when we don’t wake up on those days with worry and fear for how the results of the day will change our lives again. You have all walked his journey with us through these updates and your responses of love and support. His large team of doctors, therapists, and ourselves have monitored Nathan with great vigilance for almost 6 years.  I have monitored Nathan’s symptoms to watch for small changes, we have gone to therapy 2-4 times a week, and we have pushed hard to help give Nathan every tool necessary to make it through his day with success.  When the neurologist walked in to examine Nathan on Wednesday she asked how he was doing.  I summed it up by saying, “I left my computer in the car and have not charted Nathan’s symptoms in 4 months.” She looked up, smiled, and said, “Well that is amazing!” When his oncologist walked in and got the report from her she said, “Beth did not bring her computer and has not charted Nathan’s symptoms since we saw him last. That is all you need to know!”

Well…I think I can finally say it out loud.  It is time for a few deep breaths, tears of joy, and feelings of peace for the space we have been granted.  Nathan’s scan last week was again stable and all of his doctors are pleased with is progress.  We came home from Boston last night with all good news!  We will for the first time hold off on any tests for 6 months.  In addition, he has learned to coordinate his swallow well enough to take everything by mouth.  At the end of the month, he will have his g-tube removed from his belly.  This is a milestone that we never thought would be possible with the location of his tumor.   Although he has been doing well, there is always a fear that the tumor would effect his swallow first or his oral aversions would limit his ability to have it removed.  Every time we see Nathan’s tubie it is a reminder of what is going on in his brain.  As a parent, you never get used to seeing a tube in your son’s belly. Years of therapy and diligent work at home have brought us to a safe place.  When we left to go to his MRI last week it was the first time he said, “Why do I have to do this? Why do the other kids get to go to school and I have to go to the hospital?” We are so grateful the days of having to answer that question are becoming less and less. 

The time has come to truly trust Nathan and take a significant risk.  As I write this tears are rolling down my face because he has come to a place we have dreamed of and was never a guarantee.  Nathan walked into his first day of Kindergarten this year happy, healthy, and medication free.  My dear friend Lissa asked me how I felt about Nathan going to Kindergarten a few weeks ago. My response was that this is what every family we have met from the hospital wants for their child.  It is not a sad time or a time to worry, it is a celebration of life.  It is a celebration that he is alive and healthy enough to go to Kindergarten.  When he walked into Wexford Elementary school with a smile from ear to ear and a bounce in his step, I knew it was time for tubie to come out, get another stable scan, and realize how far we have come. When you ask him why he likes school his immediate response is, “I love to learn mom.” Nathan has learned more about hospitals and procedures than any mom wants for her child, but it has made him who he is and I would never change a thing.  The doctors appointments and therapies will not change because Nathan has to always do a little extra to keep up with the demands of his day, but we will do it with confidence that it’s working. When I saw him with his Boston cousins at the pool on labor day, I knew it was working.  He kept right up with the kids and laughed his way through the day right with them. It was awesome!

Today we wake up after another exhausting two weeks of appointments and travel, but our hearts are dancing and our minds are not cluttered.  We are just thankful!  It’s time to get ready to go to Kindergarten…because he can!

Thank you for walking with us every step of the way!

Love,

Mike, Beth, Nathan, Samuel, and Sean!

P.S.  He just said to me as I finish typing this, “Mom, I think it is time I start using an adult plate.” I guess he heard my thoughts that it is time to move forward!

First Day of Kindergarten at Wexford Elementary School

First Day of Riding the Bus! 

MRI day with baby Sean

Brother love in Boston

Flying home to Pittsburgh with all good reports

February 18, 2017

Hello family and friends!

We truly hope this email finds you all doing well.  In Pittsburgh, it was 60 degrees today with a bright sunny sky.  It was a perfect way to end a long two weeks of several doctors appointments and long days of travel.  Although we are tired, our hearts are full of sunshine and hope because of the wonderful news we have received. 

The last update I sent was on August 31st.  At that time we had just received news that Nathan’s MRI was stable.  It was 5 months since his last chemo treatment.  On February 8th, we went into Nathan’s MRI with great apprehension and concern based on the December scan and several other signs that were concerning.  When we received the initial results in Pittsburgh, they told us the three spots we have been monitoring have grown.  Our appointments with Nathan’s doctors in Boston were not until the 15th.  The week between the MRI and the appointment seemed like an eternity, but we remained hopeful Dr. Kieran would have a positive response to the scan. 

When we got to Nathan’s appointments at Dana Farber, Nathan’s neurologist immediately said, “The scan’s look good.  We have no concerns.” In that moment we were quickly reminded that every ounce of time, energy, and money that goes into traveling to Boston every 2-3 months is worth it.  It was by far the best decision we have ever made for Nathan’s care over the past 5 1/2 years.  Nathan’s oncologist and neurologist proceeded to thoroughly examine Nathan and watch his every move.  When they took him in the hallway to watch him run, he said, “Look what I can do.  I learned how to skip.”  He skipped up and down the hallway with such pride.  His neurologist looked at the oncologist and said, “That is all I need to see.  That is how we know we do not need to treat Nathan’s tumor.” It may seem like a very natural task for a 5 year old to skip, but for Nathan we know how many things have to be working well for him to coordinate this type of gross motor movement.  His doctors then discussed with us that although we are seeing waxing and waning inside the tumor, we will continue to wait and watch until we see his symptoms regress or the actual size of the tumor starts to grow. We are walking a very fine line because we know the tumor is metabolically active.  It is not as stable as we, his parents, want to see, but this is where being under the care of one of the best pediatric neuro oncologists in the country allows us to sleep peacefully. There is no greater feeling than having such amazing minds committed to Nathan’s case.  It is not grey to them.  They have seen it all and know when it is time to push and pull. 

Following the MRI on February 8th, Nathan was taken into the operating room and several diagnostic tests were performed by his ENT doctor who manages his breathing and swallowing.  Nathan was diagnosed with a left vocal cord paralysis as a result of the tumor location.  Over the past 2 years, we have aggressively worked with therapist and physicians to rehabilitate this area of his voice box.  There is no proven data on best practices for this kind of diagnosis, so we have had to trust ourselves and his great therapists that we were doing what was best for Nathan.  He has been a trooper to go through 2 days a week of intense vocal therapy and facial stimulation that is not an easy thing for a child to tolerate. He also has to deal with a mommy who is a voice teacher and thinks that pitch glides and breathing exercises are fun to do several times a day.  We received amazing news on the 8th, that Nathan is now receiving complete closure of the right and left vocal cords.  His brain has figured out how to retrain the surrounding muscles to do the heavy lifting for an area that has such great weaknesses.  His ENT doctor, who is one of the brightest minds we have met, said that he knows what this is, has studied it throughout his career, but has rarely seen it happen.  He said, “Nathan Leckey is one of the reasons why he loves medicine and makes him go back to work every day.  He has done something no one would ever imagine based on the picture of the scope and MRI.  Based on the picture, he should not be able to swallow, drink, sing, or breath the way he does.  He is one amazing little boy and I love working with him. We just never know what Nathan is going to do next.”  

On December 17th, we saw that he was doing well and decided to stop using his feeding tube.  Nathan typically only drank 1-2oz of water per day on his own and the rest was given through his feeding tube.  Once again, our little guy met and exceeded our expectations and did what we did not think was possible with his deficiencies.  He has successfully gone from 1-2oz a day to 20oz a day in two months and stopped using his feeding tube for the first time since June 15, 2012.  This is one of the greatest milestones in Nathan’s life.  The location of Nathan’s tumor controls all of his vital functions and somehow he is figuring out how to overcome the impact on the nerves and function just like every other 5 year old. 

Little by little, Nathan’s body is starting to recover from 4 straight years of toxic chemotherapies.  Although we are seeing miraculous recovery, there are still many things that Nathan has to work through to make up for what his body has gone through.  His level of fatigue and sensitivity to day to day tasks makes for challenging days, but we will continue to trust that his body will not stop fighting and recover with each passing day.

Mike and I have been given a challenge  to make sure Nathan has the best chance for not only a cure, but the ability to live life just like every other child.  We make difficult decisions every day on how hard is too hard to push him.  Believe me, it is so hard to not hand him life in the easiest way possible.  During these amazing 9 months of being off treatment we have made the decision as parents to help Nathan fight harder than ever because this is when recovery is possible.  We saw the clear road and went for it.  Nathan never resists when he has to work hard for his health.  He tells the anesthesiologist what color needle to use, how to place the IV, tells his mommy to stop talking so he can breath through it, tells me he doesn’t need his tubie any more he can do it himself, and makes us watch his new tricks of skipping and jumping.  I know the “boo boo” inside Nathan’s brain is still there and active, but we all refuse to let it stand in the way of allowing Nathan to be a strong little boy who can accomplish whatever he wants.   Nathan and Mike were practicing t-ball on the driveway today.  At one point, I heard Mike scream with such pride, “You did it Nathan…you did it all by yourself.”  He really is figuring out this life that seemed so questionable 5 years ago all by himself. 

In my last update, I talked about the necessity as parents to believe that Nathan’s journey means something.  I do believe his story is a perfect manual for life.  Whether it is a medical, personal, professional, or spiritual challenge, Nathan has taught us never to settle.  Always be the person you are proud of and NEVER give up on something you think is possible.  Trust me, no one knows better than Mike and I that life is not always equal or fair.  We have been blindsided with countless horrible reports and set backs.  We always choose to move forward with a positive attitude and figure out how to gain the necessary knowledge to make tomorrow better.  All of your love and our strong faith in God is the reason.  Thank you for riding the waves with us.  We don’t know when the next major challenge will come, but we know you will be there with us every step of the way.  The night of Nathan’s MRI he asked me in such an innocent voice, “Mommy, when is my boo boo going away?” The tears rolled down my face, but I told him the truth.  It may never go away, but it will never stand in YOUR way either Nathan.  I have to believe that is true. 

Thank you for celebrating these moments of sunshine and hope with us.  We could not be more grateful for each day God gives us with Nathan, Samuel, and our baby boy on the way.  Things may get a little crazy in the Leckey house with three little boys running around, but we can not wait to share our laughter and love with another little brother. 

Love to all of you!

Beth, Mike, Nathan, Samuel, and baby

Nathan and Samuel sitting in the Ambulance wagons that were made by his friend Tony the Paramedic!

Nathan at Dana Farber Cancer Institute after getting a great report from his doctors!

Nathan and Samuel enjoying time with their cousins at Learning Express in Lexington, MA.

Nathan LOVING the 18 inches of snow that were waiting for us in Boston.