Margaret: My guest today is Stephanie Abney of Mesa Arizona. She is a fourth grade school teacher at the American Leadership Academy. She is married to Jim, her husband of forty years. They are the parents of five children – four living. They have seventeen grandchildren. Their oldest child is their daughter Shannon, next is a son Matt, and then daughters Mandy and Kaci. (Their ages range from 27 – 37) Brian James Abney (BJ) passed away shortly after his sixteenth birthday. I met Stephanie when I joined ANWA (The American Night Writer’s Association.) She is an amazing woman. Stephanie, will you please tell us about BJ?
Stephanie: BJ, Brian James Abney was born Sept, 5, 1984. He was a beautiful blonde blue-eyed boy. He was always my healthiest child until he was diagnosed with cancer. He was lots of fun and had a great sense of humor. He was an incredible athlete – he wanted to play pro baseball and probably could have. He loved people and everyone was always drawn to him. BJ was known on campus as a gentleman, always holding the doors open for the girls, always encouraging everyone. He was charmer. He loved to work with his hands. He was very creative and innovative, always “improving” things. BJ loved woodworking and he was quite good at it. He loved music, nature, especially birds and reptiles, and his family. He loved the Lord.
Margaret: When was BJ diagnosed with cancer?
Stephanie: In 1995, at the age of 10½, BJ suddenly became feverish, clammy and threw up (he had just returned from a fishing trip with the neighbors and we thought he had heat exhaustion). After three days with no improvement, we went to the doctor who took one look at him (totally pale & weak), felt his spleen, did blood work and immediately sent us to the hospital.
Margaret: What was the diagnosis?
Stephanie: A.L.L.: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Margaret: How long did it take from the first time something different/odd/or wrong was noticed until you received the diagnosis?
Stephanie: BJ had what was referred to as “rapid onset” – one day he was healthy and playing baseball, the next he was sick. He complained of not feeling well on a Sunday, I cared for him at home for three days, called the doctor, went in the next day (Thurs) and went straight to the hospital – they gave him immediate blood transfusions (which saved his life) and ran tests and gave us the A.L.L. diagnosis on Friday – so in less than a week our lives were forever changed.
