I just joined your page and pray wholeheartedly as I know the pain and gut wrenching horror of hearing the news your child is very very sick. He looks so sweet in this picture and I know at such a young age he has no clue of his severity. He needs to live life to the fullest and why stricken him with something he probably wont understand anyway. I pray he will beat all odds and come out fighting and winning. Our son, Robbie Betterton, lost his battle on Feb. 17th, a day we will never forget. Robbie was diagnosed in may of 2012 of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a rare blood cancer for someone as young as him. Robbie was 20 when diagnosed and the week before being diagnosed was going to college full time finishing up his exams for his Associates degree in Business Administration along with working at Subway. He worked, studied and took exams that entire week all while fighting flu like symptoms and being to the dr 3 times until worsening on sat and Sunday. Even though on Admittance we were told he was critical and in danger and was air lifted to UVA, we held tight to hope, faith and prayer all the way. Robbie was so positive and so adamant this was a simple bump in the road that would not take him down. After arrival at UVA and his daddy, sisters and I taking a big breath of laughter to see him sitting up in the bed asking what took us so long to get there. He, not realizing that driving took a lot longer than a helicopter lol. After days and days of trying to get his blood count down to a normal range in order to start chemo we then were told his leukemia was very aggressive and not curable by chemo alone, he would require a stem cell transplant for any hope of survival. We again were just devastated. How could this happen to such a loving smart wonderful kid who abides by every rule he was ever given???? We were totally mad, angry and why him???? We prayed all the time though for God to forgive us for our anger. We knew he would. Robbie was admitted to UNC Chapel, NC on Nov. 28th for a stem cell transplant in which we had to live there for three months or more in order to go through it, Christmas at UNC BLAH BLAH. Robbie was upset but told his family to please continue on with tradition and when done to come visit him. He did not want to cheat his nieces and nephews of any special Santa excitement. We were discharged on Mar. 12th and he was doing great all but one thing...his body was not accepting the stem cells...they were not rejecting them but his donor cell numbers within his blood were not staying elevated. They then had to inject more donor cells three times and the third caused a disease common with transplant called graph vs host disease. We were admitted Dec. 8th, Christmas at UNC once again blah blah ...he was told he would be there for several weeks because he had the worst case their was. Again devastated and brought to our knees. He could not eat or drink at all and his request to his family was to please continue on without him but when he came home he wanted the biggest feast ever and Santa could come to see him then...yes he still got Santa because as long as out kids lived at home..Santa would come haha. Robbie and I had the most loving special mother/son relationship and his nurses would come in and see me laying beside him watching Big Bang theory and laugh but his reply was...yes, I am a mamas boy lol, his daddy was his hero, they did everything together, hunted, played golf everywhere and watched every football game, hunting channel and any gross swamp story they could together :) Robbie was overcome as hard as he fighted by the GVHD. We feel lost and cry every day. His grave is my safe haven, my place to go talk to him, decorate his resting place with all his loves and play his favorite country music while driving his truck. We have two of the most beautiful daughters that help us get through and try to grieve without us knowing. Anyway sweetie, I pray for you and as a mom that loved her child too I know what it feels like to be going through the daily routine of dr visits good and bad news and heart ache. I would love to send your precious lil boy a lil something to brighten his day as so many did to Robbie. Robbie would want me to that for him He loved all the kids going through what he was and would always tell me mama, how can they go through what I am ...at times he would get me to go our and buy them gifts ❤️ he was such a special young man and now the sweetest of angels God Bless your entire family and if I can help in any way please let me know :) Lots of love and prayers, Tammy Betterton If you get bored on some of those many hospital stays I still continue my page set up for Robbie throughout his sickness and will until i just cannot write any longer..his page is Prayers for Robbie Betterton ❤️
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 03:35:09 +0000