Meet Jase Rock – 4-Years Old and Battling Leukemia – A Children’s Miracle Network Miracle
If you have been a Mix fan over the years then you know that for me, this is my favorite time of year. It's time for the Children's Miracle Network Celebration Radiothon. It will be Thursday and Friday, May 30th and 31st. So, in gearing up for this two day event I would like to introduce you to Jase.
Jase is a 4-year old adorable little boy who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.
Jase had been sick for about two months. His pediatrician Dr. Medford had been treating him. Once they diagnosed him with one ailment something else popped up and he was diagnosed with something else. First it was strep, then it was the flu, later it was a sinus infection. When they finally had gotten past all the sickness and he wasn't getting better and he tested negative for everything, Dr. Medford determined that it must be viral.
"He went two months without walking, he was lethargic. He didn't play anymore. He had no energy." - Angie Jase's Mom.
The family ended up having some labs done after he had a fever and cough on a
Thursday. By the time they made it home the doctor contacted them and needed to see them the next morning. The labs were consistent with a viral infection. They didn't get alarmed, that they just assumed it was just an appointment where they take him in, here's what he has, and here's the medicine.
Angie, Jase's Mom, went ahead and took him into the appointment. Jase's dad, Jeremy stayed home.
Looking back had I known.... - Jase's Dad Jeremy
Angie and Jase walked into the doctors office and checked in. The nurse came and got them immediately and said "I don't want you guys sitting out here with all the sick kids". They went back to the room and Dr. Medford noticed he was anemic and then the nurse came and got the doctor and she stepped out to take the phone call.
In my mind, I thought were were going to have to do some food diet that he is totally going to hate. - Angie
The doctor came back in and said that was another doctor that she needed to talk to, and to confirm what she was thinking. The doctor, started going over the labs, "we are not concerned with the types of numbers any more, we are concerned with the types of cells we found in the test called the blood smear."
I finally asked her, I need to know what you are trying to tell me. - Angie
We are pretty sure that Jase is going to have leukemia.
I broke down for about 5 minutes and the doctor had to take him. -Angie
The doctor told Angie that they needed to do some testing immediately and that they needed to go to the hospital.
I had to call my husband which was a hard thing to do over the phone
- Angie
So Angie called Jeremy to deliver the news.
I can remember that I was standing on the front porch of my neighbor's house waiting to ask for a tool....I got a phone call it was Angie. She just came out and said they think that Jase has childhood leukemia.
Getting off the phone, I felt like I couldn't move or walk. It's like your whole world is jerked out from underneath you
- Jeremy
The family got to the hospital and shed a few tears. They ran more tests.
A lot of it was a blur that day. -Jeremy
From the Prayers for Jase facebook:
As of his diagnosis on November 16, 2012 Jase has been a trooper. He had the surgery to have his port placed on November 19, which has made things so much easier on him...no more pokes!! He also had a lumbar puncture done to check for cancer cells around his brain and that was clear, which means no radiation – just chemo! He also received his first 2 rounds of chemo that same day, and tolerated both well. He feels and gets a bit sick when they push his saline through, but overall has done an amazingly great job! He is one tough kiddo!! He got to go home on November 22 (Thanksgiving Day) after his chemo! He did great with that treatment...no fever, he was eating & drinking ok and learned to swallow pills and he takes them with a little coaxing!!
On November 25, Jase got a “fever blister” on his bottom lip which grew pretty quickly and he started running fever again. Back to the hospital we went, where they told us that he had a viral infection. His counts & hemoglobin were all low, so they readmitted him and gave him more blood & platelets.
She said (the doctor) he's septic. They think he had gotten a blood infection. Short of the prayers we have been receiving, the doctor could not explain why he was not on a ventilator. That any other kid in that situation with the same ailments should have been on a machine. Yet, he was sitting up talking to her and she couldn't explain why.
-Jeremy
Jase was in pain, severe pain. At one point they had to put him on his own pain drip. He couldn't lay in the bed he was miserable. Jase at 4-year olds had a pain drip with his own button regulating his own meds.
As a dad one of the hardest things for me was, you couldn't sit on the bed, you couldn't move the bed, you couldn't do anything because it hurt.
You would take one step, two steps, he would put his hands up in the air and tell you "Please don't hurt me daddy." He knew as soon as you would pick him up it would hurt.
-Jeremy
So how do you explain to a 4-year old he has leukemia.
Dr. Turner actually explained to him, he just told him that his blood was sick and that he had to take all this medicine and come to the clinic and the hospital to make him better.
Jase grasps it as much as he needs to and knows that his blood is sick and knows that it will take 3 1/2 years to get over it.
What can you tell a 4-year old? The only thing you can tell him is never give up, and mom and dad will always be here to help you fight. So just keep fighting.
-Jeremy
Jase continues to fight! He is still doing his treatments. He has his good days and his bad days.
You can keep up with Jase's Story here: