In one sobering moment reality hit us and removed any sense of well-being. Tests now revealed that the black substance in Brandon's urine was in fact blood. At least that confirmed the problem but it did nothing to alleviate our anxiety. Being passed from doctor to doctor, without any real improvement, helped us learn to take ownership of Brandon's medical problems. Taking ownership meant understanding everyone's roles: the doctors', ours, and Brandon's. We wanted Brandon to be a success in life despite anything he endured. We knew God had plans for Brandon, and we wanted to prepare him for those plans. Working our way up to the bottom seemed like an impossible journey, but thankfully God provided an Army of tireless angels who kept pulling us out of our bottomless pit.

“What a heart-wrenching story! God must have a special plan for Brandon and it's obvious his family has a very strong faith to get them through these tough times. All parents and teenagers need to read this story to appreciate how precious life is and all medical and insurance personnel need to read this story to see the struggles many families go through in dealing with the healthcare and insurance systems.”

Mary Beach

About the Author:

Donna Stone is a native Carolinian and freelance writer since 2000. Published mainly in local magazines and online, Donna's first non-fiction book, Tough as Stone - Brandon's Story, is based on her son's lifelong battle with urinary tract disorders and chronic kidney stones. Her freelance credits include business profiles, movie summaries, research material, short stories, and web-content. Donna received her BSBA from Southern Wesleyan University.                                                         

Photo: Stone family Eric, Josh, Brandon and Donna by Elizabeth M. Moore www.moorephotographysc.com