For Tara and Bryan Polston, their lives were upended when their eight-month-old son, Krew, was diagnosed with leukemia on October 26.
Polston, a native of Kilmichael, said Krew had a bump on its head which concerned them. Tara took Krew to the doctor, and his blood tests appeared normal. Doctors initially thought Krew had cellulitis, a skin infection.
However, a week later, Tara took Krew to Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson and tests revealed a highly-elevated white blood count.
“His white blood cell count was high. It was 189,000. They thought it was a mistake,” Polston said. “When they tested him again, his white blood cell count was 239,000.”
A normal white blood count is between 8,000 and 12,000.
Polston, a Montgomery County native, said he was working in Alabama at the time when his wife Tara called him with the news. Krew was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).
“I immediately left my job and came home,” Polston said. “I kept thinking [Tara] was going to call me back and tell me it was okay, but it was actually worse. It was cancer.”
Soon after the diagnosis, Krew was taken to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Polston said his brother researched the treatment availability at St. Jude, and the research hospital had a program for children under one-year-old with ALL.
So far, Krew has responded well to the treatment protocol.
“He’s been doing really well,” Polston said. “The doctors are amazed at his progress.”
Krew is on day 13 of a 42-day in-patient treatment.
“That’s just the first phase,” Polston said.
He said Krew will have to endure intense chemotherapy with 42 days in-patient, 56 days out-patient, and 36 days back in-patient.
“It’ll be about six months,” Polston said.
Polston said Krew’s energy is still high, although he may have days where fatigue will set in.
“He’s the infamous Krew here [at St. Jude],” Polston said. “He is the only one bouncing around, and he’s a ladies’ man with the nurses.”
Polston with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been hard on the family. Right now, Tara and Brian are staying at the Target House, a Memphis non-profit that houses families with children receiving treatment at St. Jude and Le Bonheur. He said no one other than him and Tara, and Krew when he begins out-patient treatment, are allowed in Target House, and only one parent can be in the room at a time with Krew.
He said even harder is being away from their younger children, Tynleigh, 4 and Bryson, 2 ½. The two are currently staying with their grandparents. Polston said daughter, Kelsey, 18, is a student at Northwest Community College in Southaven and has been a great help in getting items he and Tara need while they are in Memphis.
“It’s hard, I can’t even tell you how hard it’s been for me,” he said.
Polston said he works away from home doing construction, but since the diagnosis, he has had to quit his job to be with Krew in Memphis. He said although St. Jude covers the expense of the medical treatment, everyday expenses and household bills build up. However, family and friends have embraced the family.
Since Krew’s diagnosis, the outpouring of love, support, and prayers have “been very overwhelming,” Polston said.
In fact, a blood drive in honor of Krew is scheduled for today from noon to 6 p.m. in front of Dollar General in Winona.
“He really needs it, but it’s not just for Krew, it’s for all of the patients. No matter what your blood type is, they want you to come on and give blood,” he said.
Polston said another blood drive is planned for this weekend in Kilmichael. He said there will be blood drives in Lucedale and Madison where they have family also. If someone can’t make it to the blood drive and still want to donate, they can go to any Mississippi Blood Services location and donate in honor of Krew.
“His code is DZ83 and it’s with Mississippi Blood Services,” he said.
There’s also a bank account set up at Bank of Kilmichael under Krew Polston Benefit, where people in the community can make donations to the family.
Polston said Tara also does daily updates on their Facebook page, Krew’s Crew.
“We can’t always get to the phone so it helps us get information out,” he said.
Polston said a donation page is also linked to the Facebook page, and there’s a gun raffle being held locally by a friend which will continue until Dec. 19.
“My friend Steven Mann is doing a gun raffle. He told me a lot of the people donating can go buy their own gun, but they’re not doing it for the gun,” he said.
Polston said they appreciate everything everyone has done for their family.
“It’s overwhelming. It’s been extremely overwhelming,” he said. “Everyone keep praying for us. That is what is getting us through right now.”
