GAGE STRONG "GOD'S STRONGER"

From Rhonda: Gage Terrell, The grandson of Johnny & Rhonda Roper, was born at 25 wks, weighing 1'9" . Was in the nicu at UAB for 1 month! He came home at almost 4 lbs! Gage met every milestone with full term babies and walked at 10 months! My daughter got on drugs, and dhr got involved and brought me all 4 children, Adam, Ava, Leon and Gage! Adam & ava were my step grandchildren and went to live with bio mom after some time. The four of them suffered mental, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by their father and my daughter, all of the abuse but sexual. This was in nov, 2018. After months of court and the bio parents not complying with requirements, on August 15, 2019, we were given full custody with no contact orders from my daughter or their father! We were told to wait on paperwork n file for adoption! On August 19th, Gage woke in intense pain, couldn't walk or stand. Pain in his back n hips! Rush him to a pediatrician, and she felt something in his stomach. Went us to children's with a list of tests, and her thoughts were confirmed that day! Neuroblastoma stage 4. Gage was given that day a 50% chance of survival. Over the next 2 days, it dropped to 30%. They told us all the options the first day. We chose treatments because they said the 1st dose would stop his pain. We started his treatments that day, and just 1 hour into the treatment, he was pain-free with no pain meds. We walked back into his room, and he was laughing and flirting with 4 nurses having his 2nd bag of chips. We chose that day to live like Gage, one day at a time! They removed a mass on his adrenal gland, and the mibg scan glowed everywhere his Skelton was glowing like a Halloween costume! The cancer was everywhere! He underwent 8 rounds of chemo, 2 stem cell transplants, and 15 rounds of chemo. With the 7th round of chemo and all the rest of his treatments being during lockdown due to covid out break! In march of 21, Gage was showing no evidence of disease. The treatment had taken half his eye sight n hearing! On March 23, Gage had been on oral chemo treatments for 2 years, and they said he was in remission! No more chemo pills! In August, Gage woke up and said I think I fell off the bed! I got a bump on my head! When testing was done, his neuroblastoma was back. A brain tumor, High risk, Terminal! They wanted to admit him n start treatments not to cure him, but in hopes that the cancer might respond to the chemo and slow down its pace, they wanted to remove the tumor, but couldn't guarantee that the surgery wouldn't make it spread! We told the doctor's right now he has 1 tumor n if you iterate he could have tumors popping up everywhere, and with the chemo the doctor's said maybe it would buy him some more time. You can't beg, steal, or borrow time from God! So we left with a promise from the doctor's to be there for all his meds and hospice to help us give Gage the best quality of life! The quantity is God's will! So up till the end of February of 24 Gage was in school. Gage has played with his brothers and others, had school trips, killed a 29 point buck, went deep sea fishing and caught a 400lb gatholic grouper, been in church Christmas play, school Christmas play , parades, honorary fire fighter for West Chilton fire department, and honorary fire fighter of the year with the fire association! He is being prayed for daily by many, many people! He was able to join in on the rodeo crawfish boil at the "4th Annual 3R & Deep South Crawfish Festival Rodeo" at Ray's Arena.

He won mutton busting on the 1st night, rode the mechanical bull both nights, and was presented need with a bike from biks4kids! These last couple of days have been ruff, Gage would sleep all night and all day till around 5 and would get up and go do the rodeo! There is no stopping him! Sunday, he was give out, and I tried to talk him in to resting n staying home from church! No I can rest at church and that's what he did, slept in church and back to sleep when we got home and then at 5:30 pm woke up and wanted his bike out n rode it around. I think Gage is a walking testimony to God's grace, mercy, comfort n peace! Gage only cares about today! And God is giving him quality of life, the quality is getting shorter, and thank God he is letting him rest for the quality of life for is giving! Gage strong!!!! God's Stronger!!!!

Gage may have cancer, but cancer will never kill Gage! Gage will leave this world only when his life's journey is done here on earth, and God calls him home! Gage may or may not have cancer in his body! Gages testimony is live one day, one hour, one minute or second at the time! But I love the life you have to the fullest and trust God with all the tomorrow! God has a plan for us all! And Gage is to show people that in all there is with a terminal cancer that there is still God's life's journey for you to live!!! Trust God, pray to God, and have faith in God! It shows gratitude to God for each blessing, and when you think you have none, count other people's blessings! God is super busy And your blessings are coming! They may pause every now and then ,but always remember God has the perfect plan, and he is always on time!

Parent's of Gage

Rhonda Roper & Johnny Roper

Address for gifts or cards:

125 county road 124

Jemison,al 35085