February 2, 2015

This will likely rank as the most exciting entry we will ever post on this blog. To begin with, Friday before last (January 23) SD had his final chemo treatment at clinic! Tara "the art lady" made SD a sign for the occasion, and we snapped a couple shots of SD with some of the wonderful oncology team who have led us through treatment. Thank you, Michele and Dr. Cornelius for faithfully travelling to Traverse City every couple weeks so that northern families like us don't have to travel so far for clinic every month! Thanks also to our local nurse Sandy!

Top: Nurse Sandy Coil and Dr. Cornelius.

Bottom: Nurse Michele Van Soelen.

Apart from the fact that it was the last clinic of its kind, this clinic was like any other. Everything went smoothly, and his counts were on the higher side, for him, so for the final dosages of all his remaining oral chemo he was able to finish strong with full strength of everything. We had fun doing the final countdown over the past week or so:

January 23: Final vincristine!

January 28: Final steroid!

January 29: Final methotrexate!

February 2: Final mercaptopurine = FINAL CHEMO PILL!!!

We have anticipated this day for 3 years, 2 months, and 5 days. It is with some disbelief that we look at our son tonight and try to realize over and over that he is DONE with his chemotherapy. ("Also steroids," he chimes in every time we say it. Because we can't stop saying it.) He has lived well over half his life undergoing this treatment; the days before it all began are in the distant past in our minds, and don't even exist in his memory. It will be interesting to watch this amazing little person develop without the influence of strong drugs on his system. If what we've seen recently is any indication, he is going to flourish!

Along with the end of treatment comes a somewhat surprising mixture of emotions. Not all are positive, but the uppermost feelings certainly are! To mark this momentous occasion I took SD and Emma out for an afternoon focused on him. First we filled our bellies at Bob Evans where the kiddos received a free cookie. Celebration day cookies! :)

Then we went to the barbershop: a new look for a new phase in life!

Before:

AFTER!

He still has enough hair to ward off a little of the winter chill. :) There was also a chihuahua there which the children enjoyed.

After a trip to the mall we stopped by the library to get SD his own library card! I forgot to pick up a wallet to keep it safe in while we were at the mall, but that will come soon.

SD thoroughly enjoyed his day, but this was the most exciting part for his parents:

SD's LAST CHEMO PILL, about to disappear...

...and it's gone.

I mean, it's GONE!!!!! I'm still in disbelief. Goodness, that picture is making me tear up.

I'm feeling a little too much for many words right now, so I'll keep this simple. We could not have made it this far without the help of many wonderful people and I won't even begin to name any names because I would surely leave some out (except for Mom Cleary - I cannot even begin to imagine what this journey might have been without her incredible devotion to our family). Whether you helped us out in any physical or supportive way or were a prayer warrior on our behalf (those prayers were felt, believe me), thank you. THANK YOU!! Unless you've been in a difficult situation like this, you do not know what the most seemingly insignificant gesture means to a family going through a struggle.

And now I must ask that you keep on praying for SD. He is not necessarily in the clear yet, and will be closely monitored for the next year for relapse. We will meet with his oncologist later this month for his end-of-treatment interview, and in March his port will be removed. In all honesty, the many "pokes" he will be receiving without that port in might prove harder on him emotionally than much of the treatment he has already undergone, but at least we know that he will be getting stronger all the time and I trust he will manfully bear the burden. :)

With that said, you may have guessed that this blog will not be put to rest quite yet. Thank you for reading and for your encouragement along the way! We hope you'll stay tuned as SD begins yet another "new normal."