BLUE MOUND The stress of leukemia treatment weighs heavily not only on Brynn Stearns, but also on her two children.

Before Stearns had a stem cell transplant at Loyola University in Chicago on June 11, her doctors warned of what was likely to happen to her body over the next four months.

She received massive doses of chemotherapy drugs for several days before the transplant to effectively kill her immune system. She is experiencing nausea, diarrhea, mouth sores and hair loss. Medications to reduce those side-effects have their own side-effects such as anxiety, drowsiness, muscle tightness and shakiness.

Im just nervous of the outcome, Stearns said. The chemo and how youre going to be sick.

Now, as the family waits, the effect on Kaydence, 6, and Kolby, 5, is apparent. When the topic turns to their mothers future, the two otherwise active children become quiet and stare blankly.

It plays on the kids, Stearns mother Nancy Piper said. When we talk about it, theyre quiet.

As a single mother, the first concern for Stearns is her children. Theyre the whole reason why Im doing this, she said.

Stearns and her family began her medical journey almost three years ago. In 2010, doctors diagnosed Stearns, then 24, with leukemia during routine gallbladder surgery. Although otherwise healthy, Stearns was required to take chemotherapy pills to put her body into remission. For two years, the pills did their job.

During a routine visit two years later, the doctors found her blood counts had changed. She was no longer in remission. After more blood work and a bone marrow biopsy, Stearns was told she would need a stem cell transplant.

But first a bone marrow donor was needed. Fortunately, a donor was found quickly. Although they will not be allowed to meet the donor for two years, the family learned the donor is a male from the West Coast. Stearns and the family gave his stem cells a name, Milo.

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Stearns family waits for outcome of stem cell transplant