Update on Brian's Health

Kristy Jeansonne
Jul 27
4 min read

Update on Brian's Health

"I'm not dead yet!" -Brian Jeansonne

June 2026

Hi friends,

Many of you have been checking in, so I wanted to send a quick update on Brian.

Earlier this week, we had a bit of a scare. It started with an itchy rash on Monday night. Then on Tuesday, while heading to a routine bladder Botox appointment, Brian developed a fever. After the procedure, he wasn't feeling great, so he got in bed around 3:30.

By that evening, his body was covered in red splotches, his abdomen had swollen, and his fingers looked like sausages. Our caregiver, Alex and the kids helped me throw some clothes on him and get him to the ER. Brian hates going to the hospital, so this was not his favorite plan.

With all the symptoms plus having had a procedure earlier, there was concern that he could become septic. I remember telling him, "We have not come this far for you to die from going septic!"

Thankfully, after a long night in the ER and four days in the hospital, we got good news. Brian was not septic. He did have pneumonia and another infection that the doctors were treating, but it wasn't the worst-case scenario we had feared.

As Brian posted from his hospital bed: "I'm not dead yet."

Honestly, that about sums it up. This hospital stay felt very different from the one we experienced in 2022. Back then, Brian was fighting for his life. We spent 28 days in the hospital. It was terrifying, exhausting, and heartbreaking. This time, there was still fear, but there was also a lot of gratitude. We spent time reminiscing And Brian kept reminding everyone that one of the perks of being in the hospital is that we actually get time alone together, which never happens at home.

When he was finally discharged after four days, we celebrated the way our family celebrates: We went to the movies, Toy Story 5!

While sitting in Brian's hospital room this week, I realized something. I was sitting in the EXACT same room and on the EXACT same sofa where I designed the very first LOVE shirt in October of 2022.

I didn't make that shirt to start a business.
I didn't make it to build a brand.
I made it as a surprise for Brian when he came home, hoping he would come home.

What started as one shirt designed in a hospital room has grown into what we now call the Legacy Collection.

Every shirt, every book, every item we create is connected to this story.

A story of resilience.

A story of community.

A story of choosing love again and again when life gets hard.

Sitting in that hospital room also brought back another memory.

A few years ago, Brian and I were doing a read-through of Onward. Forward. together before it was published. When we got to the chapter about his breathing crisis that eventually led to his tracheostomy, he wrote something that completely caught me off guard.

He talked about leaving for the hospital and not knowing if he was seeing our house, our kids, or me for the last time. I had never heard him say that before. Honestly, I had never even thought about it. At the time, I was in full problem-solving mode. We had a crisis on our hands, and I was focused on the next decision, the next doctor, the next step. Survival mode doesn't leave a lot of room for reflection.

But hearing those words years later hit me like a wave. I absolutely lost it. My heart hurt so badly for him. Not just because he had those thoughts, but because he carried them alone. It felt like I had to grieve that day all over again.

One of the strange things about living with ALS is that grief doesn't always arrive on schedule. Sometimes it sneaks up years later while reading a manuscript, sitting in a hospital room, or remembering a conversation.

And sometimes it arrives right alongside gratitude.

Gratitude that he came home.

Gratitude that he's still here.

Gratitude that we still get more time.

A few days ago, our son Nate wrote something that brought me to tears. He shared how grateful he is that Brian wrote Onward. Forward. because one day he'll still be able to learn from his dad through those pages.

That is what legacy means to me.

Brian spent eight months writing that book with his eyes. Six to eight hours a day. One word at a time. The book. The Porch. The Legacy Collection. They're all part of the same thing. They are ways that Brian's voice, wisdom, humor, and love continue reaching people. And every purchase helps support his care while making that possible.

So, if you've been looking for a way to support our family, I'd love for you to check out the Legacy Shirt. It feels especially meaningful this week because it all started in a hospital room just like this one.

You can find the shirt, Brian's book, and everything else at: thejeansonne7.com

Thank you for the messages, texts, comments, purchases, meals, encouragement, and love.

Kristy