Gary & Tristen Benefit

01/14/2026

Today it has been 5 years since Tristen was diagnosed with CML in Blast crises, one of the rarest cancer for kids! Once they knew that diagnose and as soon as they could get him into remission he was going to have to have a Bone Marrow Transplant! One of the worst things you can hear as a parent is that your child has cancer, then after they explain thing to you, you have to deal with it and face it head on, but once his true diagnosis was done they said there is nothing we can do but have a BMT. That was even scary which I didn’t think it was possible, you start hearing % and all the things can happen with it, this is why it’s ALWAYS the last resort! I am beyond greatful to our Lord and Savior to help him and our family get through that terrible time, and pray he keeps helping Tristen with all the side effects that are starting to show! He is the strongest kiddo I know with being diagnosed with Type 1 at 6 and then age 14 Cancer, and all these things that are happening now! He has his bad days, but this December the 21st of 2026 it will be 5 years,
and this is what the doctors call a Cure!🎉🎉🎉 🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇
Now he will never be done getting blood work and all the tests every year to see how his body is doing with all the treatment, unfortunately that will be for the rest of his life always being scared of the blood work called BCR-ABL, but I pray he is cured for LIFE!
We appreciate everyone for kepping him in your prayers! TristenStrong💛🧡💙💚

12/22/2025

4 years ago today, we got up at 4:30 in the Am I was in Tristen room, and Jeremy Trayden, and my mother was staying at the Ronald McDonald house. Trayden had to be checked in for the Bone Marrow transplant at 5am. We were completely scared of the unknown, all the terrible things that can go wrong that they had to go over with us before, and both of our babies were in the doctors hands! By 1130 Trayden was out of recovery and in his own room down the hall from his brother! That evening around 5 o’clock they came back from OSU labs and there were 2 nurse and a doctor who stayed with us throughout the process. One of the nurse named Denise ordered Tristen El Vaquero Mexican for dinner her treat. So now for the past 3 years we go there on this day to celebrate his new Birthday or as we call it his BMT Birthday!
It has been a journey and I am so thankful to all those who have stand beside us, and have kept us in their prayers Happy 4th BMT Birthday Tristen! Trayden is our Hero! Brotherbond💚

12/19/2025

Tristen had his BMT appointment yesterday, this year has been a lot of ups and downs but he has been doing really good here lately! He has digestion issues no surprise with all the mucositis and graph versus host disease he had in his G.I. during an after transplant. And his bone density is still very low. He’s gained some weight which he’s starting to look good but no muscle hardly at all so we have to go talk to her Nephrologist to see about doing some treatments for his bones. He also has alot of short term memory loss, and we talked to neurological doctor, back in June she did some test just small things and said if it didnt get any better or got worse they would do Cognitive Screenings like the MoCA or MMSE, they are ready to start working on that now! Sunday it will be 4 years since his Bone Marrow Transplant! 💚 This time 4 years ago we had just finished a week of driving to Ohio State WEX center so they could do Brain radiation therapy. Then we went in a week early which this time then We would already be at the hospital starting his very scary long hard jernory, he had to go to OSU twice a day for that week to get full body radiation therapy, along with the harshes chemo to kill all of his immune system! it’s been a journey and he is so strong even with all the breakdowns the panic attacks and alot of side effects rearing their ugly head, sometimes it’s a lot for him and it might take a few lectures from the doctors and me, but he is just so tired of not feeling what a Teen should be feeling like and I get it, but he usually turns it around and works on what needs to be done! He realize how serious working on his bones are now and is ready to start on getting them as halthy as for what he needs to do!
Our family appreciate everyone for keeping Tristen in your prayers, we are thankful to be celebrating 4 years post transplant 1 more year to go to hit that 5 years and he can ring that bell! 🔔 TristenStrong🧡💛💙💚💚

11/12/2025

November is not only Diabetes awareness month 💙 for our house but it’s also Bone Marrow awareness month💚
My boys have went through alot together, they are so close they were a perfect 10/10 match! Trayden would call me at the hospital everyday to ask me if I had heard from the docotrs if he was his brother’s match he prayed for it at 12 years old, because he knew he had a better chance for it to graph! On December 21st it will be 4 years since Transplant, one more year to go, and I pray he keeps getting healthier each day! The reason the bone marrow transplant is the last option because of all the things that can come with it, a lot of very bad things, so many that the list they gave I couldn’t get through it! God has blessed us! I pray he keeps blessing us!
For those kiddos and adults who are not as lucky as a family match, please get tested and be put in the data base, be someone’s savior! 
TristenStrong💙💛🧡BrotherStrong💚

09/23/2025

🎗️💛🎗️💛

08/04/2025

Yesterday Tristen and I were both baptized, I am so thankful for this day! As much as our family has been through and the rough roads that has been thrown at us, I can’t tell you how amazing it is, for my son to have this relationship with Jesus.
He still has his bad days, but he says “there is nothing he can’t get through with Jesus in his heart❤️”

03/02/2025

Today is Tristen 19th Birthday!!! I can’t believe it! We are so thankful for this day, along with each and everyday! God has blessed us with this amazing strong young man! He has been through so much and is still going through a lot, but he tries so hard to keep his sense of humor❤️ I hope my kiddo has a Birthday! We love you more than you will ever know!❤️🧡💛💙💚❤️

01/09/2025

Tristen had his BMT appointment along with a bone scan! Praying his bones are healed and he doesn’t have to start of high dosage of infusion medication! Prayers the labs come back all test are great!🙏🏻🧡💛💙💚TristenStrong!!

12/22/2024

Today we celebrate Tristen 3rd Birthday/BMTTransplant! He has been doing great! It has become a tradition to eat at the restaurant that a sweet nurse who was by our side during the transplant ordered for him that night! 
We are truly thankful we can celebrate with him on his now 2nd Birthdate!

12/13/2024

Tristen has been through so much in his young life, and he has found a place where and with whom he feels like he is part of the family! He loves giving back and helping those sweet babies who need love and a home! He talks about these animals as if they are his own. He tells us all the good and sad stories and what they go through. I tell you I couldn’t be prouder of this kid and everything he is still going through, but he doesn’t let that stop him! So many people have told me he is destine for greatness and i know that is true!
TristenStrong🧡💛💙💚

🎉 Congratulations to Animal Care Technician Tristen for completing his certification in the Fear Free Shelters program! 🌟

This training provides shelter professionals with valuable skills to support a pet’s physical and emotional wellbeing, creating a more comfortable and stress-free environment for animals in shelters. We're so proud of Tristen for his dedication to giving our animals the compassionate care they deserve.

08/01/2024

3 years, 6 months and 1 week ago, this was Gary right before he was taken back to have his central line and port placed and his PICC line removed. Please keep him in your prayers this morning. In a few hours he will go to surgery and his port and central line are coming out! We’ve had a love/hate relationship with the port. It was a necessary evil sometimes. I can’t tell you the amount of chemotherapies, antibiotics, immunotherapies and other medications that have been pushed through that line over these past 3 years to save his life. It was also a source of infection and infiltration and knowing he would have to have his port accessed attributed to a lot of Gary’s anxiety. (To be honest, if someone was coming at my chest with a needle to insert while I was awake, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be too happy about it either and he became a pro at it). Port removal is sort of the final step at the end of active treatment. Gary is still considered T Cell ALL in remission and is done with active treatment. Once we hit January of 2026 he will be considered cured. He continues his monthly labs and check ups for the first year and then will go to every other month. He is still fighting histoplasmosis and on the daily antifungal itraconazole until at least September or whenever infectious disease believes it is safe to stop. We appreciate your love and prayers over these past few years and hope you’ll continue to pray for him. 🧡 If this mama disappears for a few days, I’m being hit with about a million emotions I’m trying to figure out how to process myself. 💕

06/27/2024

Gary is 12!!!! Happy Happy Birthday, sweet boy! Three years ago turning 12 seemed like such a long way away. I remember one night Gary and I were wide awake after he had a horrible nausea and vomiting spell and he asked me how old he would be when he was done with all of this. He was 8 at the time. When I told him he would be turning 12, I remember him crying out, “12?!?!” and then starting to cry. Guess what, buddy….you’re 12 today and such a blessing to so many. You did it! Your strength is unmatched. You are smart, funny and have such a bright future ahead. I can’t wait to celebrate with you!!! I love you so much!!