When Jennifer and Kevin got married in June 2015, they knew the next step in their life was to start a family. They struggled with fertility and sought treatment. They were able to get pregnant after one round of treatment. When they found out it was a boy, they were even more elated. They wanted to have a boy and were excited to watch him grow and learn how to play hockey and ride motorcycles like his dad!
Throughout Jennifer’s pregnancy, they were monitoring the baby’s kidneys as one of them was enlarged. At her week 30 ultrasound, his kidney’s looked fine and the doctor said she didn’t need another ultrasound but scheduled one for week 34 anyway. At her 34 week ultrasound, Friday, November 11th, the kidneys were fine but they found fluid on the baby’s brain. From there they ordered a MRI. They took their time scheduling it but thankfully Jennifer knows people (Jane) who know people (Ali) and were able to schedule the MRI for Thursday November 17, 2016. That is when they found that the fluid on his brain was blood. Jennifer got a call that evening from Dr. Mack saying that they wanted her to check into labor and delivery the next morning at 8am. Jennifer just knew that she was going to have a baby the next day somehow!
On Friday, November 18, Jennifer checked into the hospital at 8am. They brought her to a prep room where a radiologist came in and advised her, Kevin and Cheryl (Jennifer’s mom) that they thought Logan had a deadly platelet disorder called NAIT (Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia). Jennifer just knew that at 40 years old with her first baby that God was not going to take him away. The doctors let Jennifer and her family know that they would be prepping her for a C-section, soon, and that if Logan did have this platelet disorder, there was no cure for it. Jennifer kept saying that she knew it wasn’t that, and that her boy was just ready to come out.
Jennifer and Kevin got prepped for surgery, as their family and loved ones anxiously awaited any news. Logan Daniel was born at 2:39PM, weighing in at a whopping 6 lbs 13 oz…with no platelet disorder. They tested him for any and all blood disorders and everything came back negative or normal. He was perfectly fine! Jennifer said, “See? My boy was just ready to come out!” He was then known as the “Miracle Baby” at the hospital….a mother just knows!
The doctors decided to just monitor his condition and a month later (December 2016) the hemorrhage appeared to be dissipating on its own. Logan was also assigned two pediatricians, a pediatric neurologist, a neurosurgeon, a hematologist and a urologist along with physical therapy. On Wednesday, March 8th, 2017, Jen and Kevin brought the love of their lives to get another MRI, just to be certain that everything was still on the same path as before. When the doctor walked in the room, they instantly knew something was wrong. There was something found in the MRI. It was a tumor, and it was aggressive. They had seen no sign of this in the previous MRI’s, the last one being in December. Dr. Adamo, Logan’s neurosurgeon, wanted him admitted immediately, and wanted to biopsy the tumor. Jen and Kevin’s world was just turned completely upside down, and inside out. Everything they thought they knew, had just changed into a world of uncertainty.
The next day, the tumor, which was 1/3 of the size of Logan’s skull, was biopsied, and this was the first brain surgery he would have. Dr. Adamo and his team let Jen, Kevin, and their family know that it would be 4-5 days before they knew any real answers. While waiting for answers, however, Dr. Adamo did know that he wanted to put shunts in the back of Logan’s head, to assist with any swelling of the brain. These would be in for life, making him even more of the little Iron Man than he already was!
Family, friends, and loved ones surrounded Jen, Kevin, and Logan with love and prayers. On Monday, March 13th, 2017, Logan was baptized in the hospital, with family and the godparents surrounding him. It was this day that they all awaited, anxiously, the news about the pathology.
In the early afternoon, Jen, Kevin, their immediate family, and 2 close friends, were called into a meeting room to hear the results. It was not what they were hoping for. Dr. Weintraub, another neuro doctor, and 3 of her staff, let Jennifer and Kevin know that it looked like this tumor was a grade 4 Glioblastoma. These are very difficult to treat, but what Logan had going for him was that he came in much healthier than most kids with this disease. Dr. Weintraub let Jen and Kevin know that she would send his slides off to Boston Children’s Hospital for a second opinion. There were plans for chemotherapy, but the plans were uncertain until Boston weighed in with their opinion.
Jen, Kevin, the family, and friends cried, but did not give up hope. They knew that Logan fought before, and he would do it again. With the faith and hope came a glimmer of light in the sign of a doctor saying she was “cautiously optimistic.” This is because they found the tumor to be a Congenital Gliobastoma, totally different from a Glioblastoma. There is a doctor in Atlanta (Children’s Cancer Center of Atlanta, owned by Aflac who Jennifer works for) who has treated this kind of tumor before, and who has seen positive results. This sounded much better than the original news!
This is where they are today. Awaiting more answers, praying, hoping, and knowing that their love for Logan couldn’t possibly be stronger. Jen and Kevin are overwhelmed by the love and support they’ve been shown, and continue to be surprised by this, daily.
We will continue to keep you updated on Logan’s progress, and we ask for your continued prayers, as they seem to be helping, thus far! We thank you, on behalf of Jen and Kevin, for your love and support. Each of you that has taken the time to come here, to read Logan’s story, holds a very special place in Jen and Kevin’s hearts.
God bless you all and sending Love, Strength and Prayers to your beautiful family!
XOXO
Sending love and light to you all. #Loganstrong
My love and prayers are being to sent to you. I can even begin to imagine what you are going through and feeling. He has a lot of people in his corner. You are all strong and will pull through this.
Thoughts and prayers are with this family. Love to Jen, her husband and Logan. With God behind him, anything is possible.
I will keep Logan in my prayers everyday. Please God I beg you to heal Logan. Please watch over him. Amen.
We are with you Jen and Kevin every step of the way! #loganstrong
Praying for baby Logan ❤ stay strong little warrior!
Prayers and positive thoughts are with you. #Loganstrong
Praying for you baby Logan
Push forward little Miracle Baby. You are surrounded by love and prayers!
Thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Praying and send tons of love and hope you way!
#loganstrong …….praying for Logan, Jen and Kevin!
We were blessed with our two healthy children who grew into adulthood and have blessed us with all that we could have imagined. Our thoughts and prayers are for you all everyday. No Parents should have to go through this but some do but some do. The medical people can do a lot and with God’s help even miracles. We pray for one with Logan. You’ve come a long way with an even longer road to follow. Stay the path and one day this will be behind you.
Continued positive thoughts and prayers!!
We will continue to pray for baby Logan! Sending love and support to your family and your amazing Miracle Baby #loganstrong
#Loganstrong Love you guys ❤️#powerofprayersandpositivity
###Loganstrong### with all the love, sup port and resources I am optimistic and the prayers for you, Jennifer, Kevin and lil logan will be endless from my entire family to yours. I love you all. xoxoxo
Jen, It has been a long time since we saw you. You were just a child. Connie has told me about Logan and you and family are in our prayers for your beautiful boy. We send you, Kevin and Logan much love.
Praying for Logan and his family. Be strong, and you can win.
Sending love and prayers to you all! ❤ #loganstrong
Praising God for what He has done and all that He has yet to accomplish in Logans precious life! Praying for you all as the docotr’s begin chemo treatments today…may God give you the strength, courage, and patience to trust in Him to heal little Logan. May He provide comfort and quick and complete healing for Logan.
With Love,
~Logan’s Family Prayer Pal
Prayers for Logan and the family. #loganstrong
My thoughts and prayers are with you
My thoughts and prayers are with you all ❤️
Keeping Logan and the family in my thoughts and prayers. He’s been a remarkably strong little guy so far and he will continue to fight and surprise us. Stay positive. #logansrong
#loganstrong
thoughts prayers and hugs coming your way from Scotia..hang in thier little one
My thoughts and prayers are with Logan and your family. I’ve personally met Dr. Adamo and many of the staff in the Albany Medical Center Neurology Group while they cared for my father – they are a fantastic group. You are in excellent hands and it sounds like they are consulting with all of the other experts. I’m sending you all the hope in the world. Logan will fight his way through this – he sounds like such a very special little boy <3
We will be praying for Logan, and for the strength of his parents
Hello Jen and Kevin. Glioblastoma took my husband and father of my son almost four years ago. Logan’s youth is an advantage. Have you heard of tumor treating fields? I don’t know if they use them with infants yet, but it would be worth asking. Bless all of your hearts, especially Logan.
All of my heart thoughts and prayers go out to all of you Jen I know your baby boy was born with your strength and determination. I will continue to keep him in my daily prayers may God give you all the strength and faith during this time. I pray and hope for a miracle Love peace and prayers #LoganStrong ❤️️
Jen and Kevin…I will be praying for Logan with all that I have. Stay strong and positive.
Support and prayers from Colorado