9-year-old Layton Busby of Ridgeland, South Carolina became a hero for his family when he saved his 16-year-old sister's life by undergoing a bone marrow transplant in October.
Alexus “Lexi” Busby was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in July, a rare disease that occurs when the body stops producing enough new blood cells because the bone marrow is damaged.
Anna Busby, their mother, noticed something was wrong with her daughter when she began sleeping more than usual and had bruises over her body.
Lexi had her blood drawn on July 13 by her mother, who then had it tested St. Joseph’s/Candler in Bluffton, where she works as a medical oncology office assistant. The results showed she had critically low white blood cells, hemoglobin and platelets, and she was rushed to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
She underwent multiple blood and platelet transfusions from July to October as doctor's tried to find a bone marrow match. Since siblings have the highest probability of being a match, Layton and their 17-year-old brother LJ were tested. Layton's results came back as a match.
Lexi started a high dose of chemotherapy when she was admitted to MUSC on Oct. 18, and then received the transplant from her brother on Oct. 25. Layton gave her a kiss on the forehead before his operation.
“When I picked Layton up from school, I remember telling him, ‘You’re a real life superhero, and you’re going to save your sister’s life,’” Anna Busby said. “He just smiled and said, ‘I am?’ I think he felt very good about it.”
Despite all the nerves, Anna Busby and her husband, Lamar, found strength to get their family through the surgeries.
“It was very overwhelming,” Anna Busby said. “I had to put it in God’s hands and know this is what needs to happen in order for my daughter to live and move on from this nightmare.”
Hospital staff wrote "sister saver" and "bone marrow hero" with hearts on Layton's bandages, after he had 1,850 millimeters of bone marrow removed.
The family is hoping for Lexi to come home to Ridgeland in February, as she's been required to stay within a half-hour of MUSC for the first 100 days after the transplant. They are taking turns staying with her at a nearby hotel, and trying to deal with all of the hospital bills.
“It’s worked out, and my baby boy is a real life superhero,” Anna Busby said.
Related
Related
