Keegan

Please, if you are a reader of this blog, take a moment to say a prayer for our sweet neighbor, Keegan, and his parents, Gray and Maddie. Keegan has had a rough time lately. Many of you know his story, but I invite you to stay updated through Maddie's blog. To put it very bluntly, Maddie, Gray, and Keegan are stuck in a seemingly endless cycle. It goes like this: home, ER, hospital, home, ER, hospital. It reminds me of the scene in the movie European Vacation where Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is stuck in a traffic circle and keeps repeating, with each loop, "Hey, look kids. There's Big Ben. And Parliament." I feel like Keegan and his parents are stuck in a traffic circle. A crazy, heart-wrenching, horrific traffic circle, where they are unable to turn left, and where each "Big Ben" and each "Parliament" is a kick in the gut. Literally. My eyes tear up at the mere thought of Keegan these days. Keegan was one of Lainey's first friends, and we miss seeing him. We miss his family.

Keegan is a true fighter. He has shown us that from the beginning. Maddie and Gray are fighters, too, always supporting their son and putting his needs ahead of their own. Fighting for the right treatment and care. Spending hours speaking with professionals, trying to decide the best course of action for this boy with so many conflicting issues. Keegan's spirit is strong, thank the good Lord. However, his body is rebelling - screaming with every infection, bleed, poke, scan, test, biopsy, sample, culture. It's hard to explain exactly what is going on, but basically, if you had a top hat filled with a bunch of different health-related issues written on pieces of paper (from the flu to renal failure to rejection of his transplanted heart) and just drew one slip of paper out at random...chances are, Keegan's had it.

I know that a "normal" life for Maddie and Gray feels about a million steps away. Family dinners, relaxed conversation, playdates with friends. Trips to the movies, playing in the pool, going to the grocery store. Toddler tantrums inside Toys 'R' Us. A simple runny nose. McDonald's and Chick-fil-A lunch breaks. My prayer is that Keegan will be able to experience these things, sooner rather than later. I pray that God heals and strengthens his little body and allows him to turn left, veering from that darn traffic circle.

Please keep this family close to your hearts and lift them up in prayer. They need you. Keegan needs you. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Maddie, Gray, and Keegan, we love you and pray for you daily. We are here for you!