We Made It!

After more than six months of intense frontline treatment, we have officially made it to the Long Term Maintenance phase of  treatment.  The LTM phase is the last phase (Lord willing) and will last the next 2+ years.   We had a bit of confusion concerning our treatment roadmap, but everything has been cleared up and we're on our way.  Instead of weekly clinic visits, we're transitioning through bi-weekly to once a month clinic visits.  Whew!

Visiting with the Funnyatrics clowns to relax Donald before treatment.

We made it just in time.  I'm VERY weary from 3 hr trips to Dallas, and that's just the driving. Almost all of our clinic visits start at 7:30am and last about 5 hours.  Donald has been very brave, but in the last month or so, he has hit an emotional wall where he frets quite a bit about going to the clinic.  He used to submit to treatment quietly, but now he is pretty vocal to the nurses and doctors about the fact that he does not like being poked and prodded. 

This is what happens when you tell a knock-knock joke that makes the clowns laugh.

We're not on easy street by any stretch of the imagination - the treatment dosages have to be continually evaluated and adjusted,  we also still have to be vigilant about side-effects and anything that can cause infection.  Donald's bone marrow is "tired" from the frontline treatment and we have to work hard within the chemotherapy protocols to keep his body as strong as possible. Some children sail through frontline treatment only to have major problems during LTM.  Only the Lord knows what lies ahead for us during these next 2+ years.

I'm thankful.  That Donald is still in remission and that we have made it this far. God is Faithful.