Big Day Tomorrow

We are near the end of the first phase of treatment (induction), and tomorrow is a big day. We are going into the office for a bone marrow biopsy, a lumbar puncture, and a dose of chemo in Elliot's spinal fluid. The results from tomorrow's tests will help determine the course of treatment for the next phase called "consolidation". We probably won't get the results for a week. We are praying that everything looks good and that the leukemia is in remission (no detectable leukemia cells).

Elliot has been miserable for the past week. He doesn't walk, stand or play. He is wiped out--wanting to be held (by Mommy if she is anywhere in sight!) and taking frequent naps. He is hungry but tends to eat only a bite or two and then asks for something different (like, what he has doesn't taste good to him). He does like riding in the stroller and going for walks so we do that frequently. His hair is also starting to fall out. Today is the last day of his steroid therapy (for now), and we are hoping this will help him feel a little better.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18

The above picture is Elliot helping give his chemo during the last hospitalization (on 5/9). He is bloated from the steriods.

UPDATE: His procedures went well. The hardest part was not letting him eat or drink anything before (they didn't start the procedures until 10:00). They had trouble getting blood for his labs when we got there, so eventually had to get them from his port after it was accessed. Thankfully, he was put to sleep for the lumbar puncture and the bone marrow biopsy because the bone marrow biopsy looks painful. We should get the results next week. Thanks for the prayers.