05/06/2025
🚧🚧🚧LONG POST ALERT. 🚧🚧🚧
In December, I applied for a clinical study for Gunner at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The next day, we got a phone call from them. At that time, the study was still in the works. We worked for months with a lady named Jean from the hospital and she kept us very informed.
One night while laying in bed with Gunner, he asked me to email the lady at St. Jude’s to see what number he was. My heart sank. The poor baby thought it was a number system. He didn’t quite understand that you are accepted into these things and there is a chance that they can say no. I emailed Jean that next morning telling her about Gunner’s question. Y’all. Jean. I canNOT say enough things about this sweet hearted soul. Her response was “tell him he’s number 1 on my list!” 🥺
Fast forward to the beginning of March. I’m at work, my phone rings, and St. Jude’s is on the caller id. It was Jean and IT WAS GO TIME! Gunner was accepted into the study!! I cried. Cris cried. It was such an exciting time.
Things moved pretty quick after that. Transportation called and set up flights and our stay was booked. Now we just had to wait until April 27!
This trip was a big one. Lots of firsts. Gunner’s first plane ride, our first time to Memphis and our first time to St. Jude’s! And we made it. Cris and I can’t explain the overwhelming emotions and gratitude we have for St. Jude’s but more importantly the people who made this possible and the people we met while we were there.
We arrived Sunday in Memphis and we were so excited. We got everything settled an took and Uber to The Peabody Memphis to watch the Famous Duck March. I won’t use this post to explain it but all I can say is God was there. A sweet girl gave Gunner a tour of the hotel and showed him the history of it. She saved him “the best seat on the red carpet” for him to watch the ducks march to the elevators. Then, the Duck Master Kenon Walker started the march. I will post the videos but not only did he make Gunner’s night, he filled our hearts with so much hope and fight that may have slowly been taken from us. He asked Gunner to help him march the ducks back to the rooftop to their $200k duck house!!! I sobbed, well because I’m a boohooer. In the videos, his words to Gunner were so inspirational. And we all knew he was talking about more than just the march. Mr. Duck Master…you sir were put in our life for a reason. I don’t think you understand the defeat we feel sometimes on a daily basis. The words you said to not only Gunner but we heard them too…you gave us more fight in our journey!!!
Monday morning, we woke up super excited. It was clinical trial day. Now I was super excited for it BUT I was a little more excited to FINALLY hug the woman whose phone call changed our life!
One thing Cris and I have come to realize is that taking Gunner to the doctor isn’t going to give us answers that we want to hear. Taking him to the doctor is more of marking the decline in Gunner’s FA. It’s a harsh reality to face. BUT this study could help someone else with FA but better yet possibly a cure!
St. Jude’s is the G.O.A.T! Everyone you met, treated you like you were the most important person there…more Gunner than us but we all felt so loved. To all who were there with us along the way…THANK YOU ISNT ENOUGH. ❤️
