How it's done: Son shows Boozer how to recover
The 22-month-old hugs the ball to his chest as he bounces around the room before his dad sweeps him up for a father-son grin and giggle.
Carlos Boozer has had to recover from a host of injuries that come with being a power forward in the NBA, yet he can only imagine what his son has endured in the last year.
Carmani has had chemotherapy, made countless trips to the doctor and spent weeks in the hospital before and after a bone-marrow transplant that his parents hope wiped out his sickle cell anemia.
Six months later, Carmani is still free of the blood disorder, but Boozer and his wife, CeCe, have another six months of angst before knowing whether the procedure was a success.
"We're just looking forward to that day when he's clear completely," Boozer said.
They just aren't sure when or if that day will come. If it does, the Boozers will know that they made the right call in a series of difficult choices that ultimately led to deciding on a transplant and a search for the right donor. They found one by producing their own through in-vitro fertilization.
Two of the healthy embryos they created were implanted and CeCe Boozer had twin boys last July. After Carmani had chemotherapy to attack his sickle-cell producing bone marrow, he was injected with stem cells from one twin's umbilical cord to stimulate the growth of new bone marrow in the hope it will produce healthy blood cells.
The abnormal red blood cells — shaped like a sickle or crescent — and have difficulty moving through the blood stream. Complications can include intense pain, stroke, organ damage and death.
Bone-marrow transplants have been successful in curing the disease, but it is a risky procedure because the chemotherapy wipes out the immune system.
In infants, the risks are even greater.
"We decided we would rather do it now while he is still healthy and the disease hasn't affected him that much, rather than wait five or 10 years down the road when he's already had kidney failure or a stroke," CeCe Boozer said.
The Boozers have been encouraged by Carmani's recovery so far. Six months ago, the chemotherapy had left his skin discolored and blemished and caused his hair to fall out. He spent almost six weeks in the hospital, getting scrubbed down twice daily to eradicate germs.
It was miserable for Carmani and even more difficult for his parents.
"It was just a hard process to watch him. You just wish it could be you," his mother said.
Recent comments
I can remember when this condition was fatal. To think what the miracles...
NCJazzFan | April 20, 2008 at 6:55 p.m.
I just hope & pray that Carmani overcomes this dreaded disease!!!...
Steve | April 19, 2008 at 10:54 p.m.
