Sometimes life presents people with severe tests, before they generously bestow. What happened to 18-year-old hero of this story. At your young age Bailey Johnson from South lake Tahoe, NV, has managed to not only earn a high school diploma, but to become assistant coach of the football team Wolf Pack. He’s happy, doing business of their dreams.
source: twitter
But 17 years ago Ron and Kelly Johnson couldn’t even imagine what kind of success they will achieve their son. The only thing wanted the boy’s parents to rescue him from the clutches of death. Contrary to forecasts of doctors, they succeeded.
At nine months of age Bailey was diagnosed with cancer stage IV. The doctors did not believe he would survive until morning. But he celebrated his first birthday, before having to move 8 cycles of chemotherapy.
The disease at the time retreated, but returned to Bailey 4 more times and 4 times he won it. The boy knows what is bone marrow transplantation and external beam radiation therapy, and in his back implanted 2 titanium rod and screw 22.
In 5 years Bailey finally said goodbye to the cancer — the disease was nothing left but to retreat before the insistence of his parents and his own zest for life. The doctors are surprised shrug and call it a miracle.
Terrible news
In 1999, Ron and Kelly were looking forward to Christmas because it was their first joint celebration with the first-born Bailey. The kid almost did not hurt, grew up smiling and cheerful. The only thing that alarmed, it’s a bruise on his right eye, but my parents are not very worried about this — they thought that the child accidentally hit his toy.
That all changed on the morning of 24 December, when Bailey started to feel sick. Persistent vomiting scared mother, and she decided to take the baby to the emergency room. The doctor diagnosed him with constipation and was prescribed a medication and sent home.
On Monday, two days later, nothing has changed — Kelly again sought medical help. The primary diagnosis was confirmed and was advised to wait another day.
On Tuesday Bailey was no better, and his parents went to the doctor together. «Either help my child or send to someone who can do it» — demanded the mother.
Radiological examination at the regional medical center Carson Tahoe revealed in a child’s body a variety of tumors in the head, the left part of the tibia, over the right eye — that’s where that bruise. The fourth tumor was wrapped around the spine, while the fifth hit the liver.
Diagnosis terrify — neuroblastoma stage IV. The doctor said that Bailey is unlikely to survive until the morning and advised parents to take the child home to spend the last hours with him, and if he wakes up the next day to try chemotherapy.
Ron didn’t agree. «Why waste precious time we want to start chemotherapy right now,» said the father.
A desperate struggle for life
If not for measures taken in time, Bailey could paralyze from swelling around the spine. Then he really wouldn’t last long.
But Johnson Jr. survived that night — he spent it in the medical center at the University of California in San Francisco, where he underwent the first course of chemotherapy. It was followed by another 7 in combination with several operations. In the end, no tumors left — to the delight of parents and to the great surprise of doctors, the boy celebrated his first birthday.
As it turned out, the cancer retreated for a short time only — when Bailey was about a year and a half, it started to grow new tumors.
Ron and Kelly would have done anything to overcome the illness of their son, so the next course of treatment was more extreme. To chemotherapy added bone marrow transplantation and stem cells, and then fixed effect with external beam radiotherapy. It was the last hope.
«I heard that if the brain transplant fails, the more chances there,» recalls Ron.
It turned out that it is not so, and soon the Johnson family had to see this…
Efforts again brought short-term results, and soon the tumor began to seize the body of Bailey. The boy and his parents did not give up — followed regular courses of chemotherapy and surgery. During one of them in the back of the little patient put metal implants.
In total the boy has survived three recurrences. At the age of five he has fully conquered the disease, and it is considered a medical phenomenon.
Dream
Over the years of his illness, Bailey was not discouraged and lost interest in life. He had two strong incentive to heal: supporting parents and the love of the sport.
His very first passion was hockey, which he learned from his father. Once, during one of the courses of treatment, he’s wearing sneakers on wheels with a picture of Sponge Bob, grabbed the mini-stick and started to ride around the hospital building. Bailey imagined that he was on the ice, and it helped him to escape from the severe pain.
Even going to the surgery, he took the stick. The surgeon was very surprised — he had seen near the operating table a lot of Teddy bears, toy angels, and unicorns, but the stick never. Creative doctor treated with attention to the hobby a little patient and took care to postoperative dressings was cut in the shape of the main instrument players.
Bailey realized that after all moved procedures his desire to become a professional athlete — nothing more than a beautiful dream, but it still warmed his heart.
An incredible coincidence
source: twitter
After retirement grandma Bailey of Reno was doing volunteer work in the pediatric Oncology Fund of Northern Nevada. Realizing that the Foundation’s activities involves collaboration with many people and organizations, Bailey turned back to the question of whether volunteers have any connection with the sport.
The boy, who has just finished graduating class from high school, did not lose hope, somehow become closer to their passion.
Just a few days, there was a wonderful coincidence. In the Oncology hospital, where he had just been to visit grandma Bailey, said the coach of the football team of the University of Nevada Wolf Pack Matt MAMME. He asked if there was kids wanting to be his helper-volunteer.
«My wife can’t become parents,» explained the MAMME, which found an outlet in helping children with cancer.
«This is truly the case when the stars stood in a row,» thought the grandmother of a young hockey enthusiast, having heard the proposal of the MAMME.
It would seem a pipe dream Bailey has become a reality — by a happy coincidence, he had the opportunity to get where he always wanted to be.
On weekdays, a teenager living in Reno with his grandfather and helps to coach the team, and on weekends visiting his parents. He is happy and feels great.
After learning that the newly minted assistant coach four overcame a deadly illness, the players gave him a standing ovation. But Bailey does not consider himself special. «Everyone suffered in this life is your test,» he said.
