We have detected that JavaScript is currently disabled. CaringBridge is best viewed with JavaScript enabled.

Liam’s Story

Site created on November 10, 2005

Welcome to our CaringBridge site. It has been created to keep you all up to date on Liam's care.

Be sure to read the latest in the journal, view the photo gallery, and drop us a line in the guestbook. Thanks for stopping by!!!

From before Liam was even born, he has been active!!! He seemed to like being inside me so much though, we had to fight hard to get him out, including an emergency c-section late on 12/18/01. Just one week before Christmas.

When Liam was little he developed RSV that required him to be hospitalized. He was only 5 weeks old and it was the scariest thing! Then he developed severe reflux, which lasted for the next 18 months. I thought it would never end!!! But he managed to smile his way through all of it!

We have often joked that he doesn't have any nerve endings in his body! He is covered head to toe in bruises, but never says OW when he runs into thing! When I would take the boys in for shots, Liam would laught through them, while the others were crying!

In early October of 2005, something just was off with him. He wasn't eating, was sleeping a lot (REALLY not like him) and he had strange red marks on his leg. First we were sure that it was ringworm. However, it dissappeared over 2 days, so we thought it was just some random thing. Then, it became dots all over his legs. I thought it could be chicken pox, even though he had been vaccinated so I called the doctor's office. They didn't think he needed to be seen. I really felt something was weird, so I added that his throat appeared swollen, perhaps it was sore. Ok, I didn't mention that his throat has ALWAYS been swollen. But, it got us into the doctor.

Dr. Halbur is not our regular pediatrician, but she was on that night, and we have dealt with her before and I really like her. She looked him over and said it was some virus. She kept staring at his bruises and I was afraid that she thought we abused him. She smiled and said, no, they would look different. She asked permission for a blood test to be sure all was well. I had no problem with that. I assumed she was looking for hemophilia, which I knew he didn't have. It would have shown up earlier.

When she came back into our room after the blood came back she looked shaken. She had tears in her eyes as she told us she had bad news, Liam had leukemia. I was in total shock. Leukemia is cancer, my little boy didn't have CANCER, he was just a little sick. How could that be??? She said she would pray for us and that we could call her at home with any questions. That really scared me, when a medical professional puts aside medicine and goes straight to religion, I get worried!

The next day, Liam, Jeremy, Mom, Dad, and I met up at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines to meet with the department of Hematology/Oncology. It was scary. (Not the clinic, just the fact that we needed to be there) Then the doctor seemed shocked that we had been told leukemia. He said it was most likely just a random virus that hit him harder. They did a bone marrow test, but I was told it was just to prove to us that he didn't have it. It came back great and we were sent home elated.

Two weeks later, the phone rang. It was the same doctor, but this time was different. He said he had very bad news. Liam has monosomy 7 (missing one of his 7th chromosomes) and MDS. I asked if it was survivable, and he responded "Not Very"

Since that day, our world has been spinning off course! His blasts quadrupled in 4 weeks, so we graduated on to another hospital and have choosen St. Jude's. We were told to expect a bone marrow transplant and we know that we will need an unrelated donor, as we all tested as not matches.

And so our new journey through life begins...

Newest Update

Journal entry by Regina Reinier — Feb 16, 2022

Day 5832

It just hit me, you may not even know what I am counting. Those are days since transplant. In a couple of weeks, I could shorten it to say 16 years instead.

Liam moved back to southern Illinois on Friday. That is 8 hours away. He had done routine labs that week before leaving. Monday I received a call from his doctor that they're concerned his thyroid cancer has returned. They wanted to do an ultrasound tomorrow, but he isn't able to get back in time. I am communicating with St Jude also, but I'm not sure if he'll be going there because he is 20 now.

The good news is that thyroid cancer is typically just a pain to deal with instead of life-threatening. But man, it is a pain.

I doubt I'll have much news for a little bit.

Read More of the journal titled "February 16, 2022"

Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.

Help Liam Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Liam's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?

Comments Hide comments

Read More Journal Entries

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

Personal Fundraiser

Support Links

Helpful Requests

Go to Ways to Help