The best person to tell Max's story is his mother Amy,

Written by Amy Mendez,

I can't say I'm prepared to make this post, but I know there will never be a perfect time.

4 weeks ago during one of Max's routine Lumbar Punctures, the results of his spinal fluid testing were remarkably off. The doctors believed at that time that it was d ue to a "traumatic tap". Where there was difficulty advancing the nee! dle into his spinal fluid, causing the leaking of red blood cells in, and altering the test results . It was decided to redo the test 3 weeks later (he had just received chemo and we needed to wait or the new results would also be incorrect). Longest 3 weeks of our life!

September 5th, his first day of school, Max had another LP and this time a bone marrow biopsy. We received the news that afternoon that Max did indeed relapse. He's been diagnosed with an Isolated Relapse of his Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in his central nervous system.

What this means is the treatment in which he had been receiving is no longer working, and the blast cells (Leukemia cells) have returned in his spinal fluid. The good news (if there is any) is that his bone marrow is clear right now! Will it show there at some point, they believe it is likely. (Please get on the bone marrow registry if you're eligible! You never know, you may be a match for Max!)

To morrow we will be readmitted to Boston Children's Hospital where Max will start a new treatment....

He starts all over again. 2 years of aggressive chemo and now radiation therapy. This relapse is considered very rare, less than 5% of patients who relapse, do so with this type. So rare that the oncologists were shocked at the results themselves. We will most likely remain in Boston for the next month while Max undergoes treatment.

Yes our Wish Trip has been postponed, but that's ok, don't know if you saw, but there's a pretty nasty hurricane slamming Florida!!

We have thoroughly enjoyed our last weekend at home. Eating out, go carts and mini golf, and Canobie Lake Park! Max has even been to school twice and has enjoyed playing on the playground and making new friends!

We now go back to our motto of "One Day at a Time..."

Thank you all for your continued love and support over this last year. Please keep Max in your prayers as we battle this demon head on again.

MightyMax! ❤️❤️

P. S. I'm sure many will want to send me info on the new gene therapy the FDA approved. Max is not yet a candidate but the oncologists feel he may be in the future!