The last couple of weeks have been fairly routine for us. I had planned to write earlier this week, but we got a phone call Sunday that has made everyone in our community sort of hold their collective breath.
Ethan is one of Ben’s very best friends. He is three months younger than Ben, and they’ve known each other as long as they can remember. Their family started coming to our church shortly after both boys were born. The boys also went to Mother’s Day Out together and are in the same grade at school. They’ve always invited each other to their birthday parties, played together, etc.
Ben and Ethan haven’t seen as much of each other since Christmas because Ethan’s family moved to Cookeville so his father could work toward a degree at Tennessee Tech, but Ethan’s family still comes home some weekends to visit family and friends. The boys have also talked on the phone a time or two.
Sunday we got a phone call telling us Ethan had been taken to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. He had been sick and developed severe headaches. The hospital found a brain tumor. Ethan spent most of Tuesday having surgery. A surgical team from St. Jude’s traveled to Vanderbilt to operate on Ethan. The tumor was successfully removed, but they discovered numerous other smaller masses in his brain that are inoperable. The tumor is malignant, and further testing shows the cancer has spread to his spinal cord.
So far, Ethan is doing well considering what he’s been through. When he woke up from surgery he asked for his mom and than told the doctor he might need a note to be excused from gym class. They are giving Ethan a little time to recover, but he will begin aggressive chemotherapy and radiation very soon.
Please pray for Ethan and his family.
Joe
