Having to bury your parents is hard, but it’s understandably normal.
But being the one to bury your daughter is unacceptably heartbreaking and just isn’t the normal course of events. Furthermore, if those aren’t sad enough, how about burying both within the same year? That would be simply unfathomable.
Ally Parker’s dad, Sean Peterson, has ALS and doctors say he doesn’t have much time.
ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It was named after the famous baseball player who was first known has it. It’s the most common motor neuron disease that causes dysfunction in nerves that control muscle movement. In later stages, it affects the nerves which control breathing and is proven to be fatal.
Ally could only admire the strength of his dad being able to keep fighting the disease for years. But he would just come second to her 5-year old daughter Braylynn.
Braylynn has DIPG and doctors say she even has lesser time left than her granddad.
DIPG or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Giloma is one of the most aggressive and highly deadly forms of brain cancer. It’s a brain tumor found in the brain stem, which is the base and center of the brain. It is the part that controls the vital functions of the body such as breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Ally could just never be in deeper grief even before losing one of them. She just couldn’t understand how things got her and her family into so much pain.
“We all thought that they would outlive the rest of us…and we certainly never thought that my precious little Braylynn would be the first to go…Both my heroes, gone, within the same year,” Parker posted on Facebook.
Since the doctors say Braylynns case was hopeless, the family immediately raised money for an experimental treatment in Mexico. Unfortunately, that plan was put to halt last January 7. They were told to say their final goodbye to Braylynn.
As the family gathered around her precious angel in this agonizing last hour, a picture of her dad crying out in anguish beside her granddaughter was captured. Despite the terminal case of his own, Sean Peterson could not bear seeing his granddaughter pass away ahead of him. Apparently, not even ALS can stop him from expressing his emotions.
“Nurses say she may not make it through the next hour, but miracles can still happen.” Ally posted.
And it did. In the midst of the agony, despair, and sorrow, a glimmer of light shone upon them. Braylynn surpassed her expectancy. It has been 6 hours, and she was still with them.
In an update shared by Parker last January 10, she said they would be meeting with a doctor who believes the young girl has a chance. Yes, Braylynn is still with us.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Braylynn, she’s always been a tough kid, but I severely underestimated her strength. I will never make the same mistake again.” Ally declared.
According to childrenshospital.org, new research led by Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Hospital may provide the key to improved treatment options of DIPG.
Treatment may be a long shot for Braylynn, but holding on to hope is the least we could do. Let us hope and pray they receive another miracle, not only to give more time for Sean and Braylynn but for the family to have the courage to accept with a peaceful heart what unlikely event the future may have in store for them.
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