Delayed Intensification Begins

We found out late Friday we continue on to the next phase of Chemo. This is the last 2-month block of chemo Brayden will have before moving into the 3-year Maintenance regimen of chemo meds. The good news is his EKG and Echo-cardiogram were 'good' and his counts were high enough to allow us to go to Little Rock bright and early tomorrow morning again for treatment. We're so glad Daddy gets to go with us. It's the first time in 3 months he's been able to go too. We'll do everything in Clinic and should be able to return home later in the afternoon. So tomorrow, Brayden will have another spinal sedation (LP) with chemo for his spinal fluid. Of course, he's excited to again have the 'dizzy medicine.' He'll have several meds he hasn't had since the first couple weeks of treatment. We're praying for protection for his heart and his other major organs during this chemo's vigorous attempt to not allow the Leukemia blasts to return. We're certainly praying for protection for his counts to stay high. We heard we are to all have flu shots tomorrow, so we're praying no adverse effects from that either. We're praying during the spinal fluid draw, the results will be clear of Leukemia.

We had a nice weekend celebrating Daddy's big birthday with family that came in. Our anniversary was this weekend. It's certainly reaffirmed for me how thankful I am for our firm foundation. The last 5 1/2 months haven't been easy at all. We know we have to stick together to get through this long journey and come through the other side as a stronger family.

My heart is heavy tonight. I'm reading about 2 lovely little girls whose lives have been changed by Childhood Cancer. Please continue to pray for Kate. Please also pray for Hannah. She's from our area and also was diagnosed with ALL. She's the little girl we mentioned hearing about the last time we were at ACH. She is going through so much right now and has been transferred to the PICU. I can't imagine the ALL diagnosis ON TOP OF all the other things that have come about for this little girl and her family. Please don't take anything for granted. Love your children and be so thankful for their health...for their ability to smile and eat without a tube. For being able to run and play without interference from iv's and nerve damage from the effects of chemo...for being able to go to Chick-Fil-A and play without worry of germs...for being able to go to a toy store without worry or play with a friend outside or go to school. On the days you are tired and dragging and interrupted with another question or need from those sweet children, stop and think of these other little children who don't have that opportunity to interrupt. Smile and be grateful for the interruption and I pray your heart be filled with love, joy, rejuvenation, and exhilaration at the gratefulness of a healthy child. Realize these are things to treasure and take joy in the interruption. I know many parents dream of those days, long for those days that used to be normal and how quickly we would react differently now that we know how it is to long for the interruption once again.