Michael’s Story
Michael Elliott LeBlanc is the miracle baby we prayed for for 10 years. After years of surgeries, IUIs, and IVF transfers, we never thought we could have a baby. But, we miraculously got pregnant a couple of months after finally stopping all fertility treatments. But, when he was born, our miracle baby came out “spotted.” He had blue spots all over his face and body. Some were flat some were raised. No one knew what was going on. They rushed him to the NICU. After testing, they diagnosed him with AML and referred us to St. Jude in Memphis where he admitted on day 9 of his life. Upon even further testing, the experts told us no one in the oncology realm nor in the scientific literature has ever seen his subtype, “KAT-2B.” However, they have seen another subtype, “KAT-2A” that has been known to result in spontaneous remission.
So, in hopes that his subtype would act like its “cousin,” they sent us back home and just watched him. He had bloodwork done weekly and then bi-monthly, and for many weeks, everything looked great. No blasts. Nothing. Then suddenly, Michael started having congestion, which led to a complete inability to breathe through his nose. What the hospitalists diagnosed as “bronchiolitis,” was actually his cancer rapidly spreading. Long story short, his AML began multiplying in his nasal passages, top of his skull, his jaw, and other locations internally. He had breathing issues during his BMA and was intubated which is when they did the CT that showed leukemia nodules everywhere.
Our local hospital flew us to St. Jude on Sept 31st and we’ve been here since he was 3 months old. He is now 6 months old. Since re-admitting to St. Jude, he has been extubated and undergone 2 rounds of chemotherapy, in which all of his spots and “chloromas” (bumps) went away and he went into remission after his first round. He remained MRD negative after his second chemotherapy round as well. Since the doctors are unfamiliar with his AML subtype and because he has congenital AML - he is at high risk for relapse. So bone marrow transplant was the option. He got a stem cell transplant from his daddy on December 28, 2022. His Christmas miracle, Lord willing. We are almost halfway through our +100 days in Memphis and we will hopefully be able to return to Baton Rouge, LA if all tests remain clear.
