Saturday, June 25, 2011

Last Treatment

It is so hard to believe, but we are here. Her last outpatient treatment. She finished it on June 15th and took her last steroid pills on the 19th. Her very last chemotherapy pill will be taken on June 30th. It is earlier than we expected. And the beautiful irony is that the 30th is Scott's birthday and the last day of our Cobra insurance. We could not have timed it better if we had tried. I no longer believe in coincidence, rather, blessings.
Amanda went into her treatment with great hesitation. As I said before, she is not ready to have it end because she is comfortable with what is familiar. But the staff at Primary's made such a big deal and celebrated with her to the point that she quickly forgot about her concerns. She was showered with gifts and praise. It made her day. The quilt she received is just beautiful. So much effort went into making it. I wish the seamstress could have seen the joy it brought her. It made this last treatment round much easier than the others. I am so relieved to be done with roid rage. I eagerly got rid of the piles of medical equipment at my home and bid farewell to home health and IV pumps. We go in on the 27th to have her port removed. It really hasn't set in yet. I find myself reserving my excitement until we are really done and I can see my daughter return to her energetic self again. It will take time. Her immune system is really low right now. It will take anywhere from 6 to 12 months for her immune system to return to normal. We still have to seek immediate medical attention if she runs a fever. And she has follow-up appointments every month for the first year. It is all still so overwhelming to take in, but for the first time, it's a good overwhelming.

Credit must be given where credit is due. Congrats to Nessie the dinosaur for enduring over two years of chemo treatments, ID badges, and excessive loving. notice all the "love spots" (as Amanda refers to them as) where her fur has rubbed off. Nessie has been by Amanda's side exclusively throughout treatment. The staff knew this little animal by name and treated her like a patient. During Amanda's toughest recoveries we made up stories about Nessie and wrote them down in a book. I'm sure it is something she will cherish someday. It's funny, but Nessie kind of has a spirit of her own. She's part of the family. I'm so grateful for the comfort she provided my daughter.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Leukemia Treatment

Have you ever jumped into a cold pool before? There is that initial shock and discomfort. But slowly, the cold water feels warmer and more comfortable. You adjust. And before you know it, it's time to get out. It doesn't take long to realize that getting out will be cold and uncomfortable just like getting in was. Which is strange because being outside the pool used to once be warm and familiar. Amanda goes in for her last chemotherapy treatment today. She is reluctant to leave the pool. She's been in for a long time now.