We have been in Maintenance for about 4 months now and are
in the 2nd cycle. Each cycle of Maintenance is 12 weeks long,
and consists of daily oral chemotherapy, monthly IV chemotherapy, monthly
steroids (for 5 days) and two lumbar punctures with intrathecal chemo (chemo in
spinal fluid—given during the LP). We still visit the cancer center weekly for
lab work and once a month he gets his port accessed. This course gets repeated
for a total of two years.
Elliot has generally been feeling good. We are thankful that
he hasn’t been in the hospital since April! His counts have generally been
high, so we can take him places and do normal things. We’ve done a few trips to
the beach and traveled to Delaware and Pennsylvania to
visit family this summer. His hair has grown back and his appetite is good. He
has been active in playing with his sister, and recently learned to ride his
“Thomas” trike. He still vomits occasionally (he asks for his Zofran every
morning), and tells us he feels bad occasionally. The roughest part is the 5
days of steroids each month. These make him irritable and sleepless. Overall
though, this has been much better and easier than the first year of treatment.
Two weeks ago his counts were the lowest they have been in
Maintenance with an ANC of 341. Thankfully he didn’t catch any infection or
spike a fever. We held on giving him any of his chemo drugs for 6 days, and now
his counts are coming back up. We are thankful for God’s protection over our
boy!
 |
| Family trip to Myrtle beach at end of May |
 |
| Celebrating Elliot's 3rd birthday |
 |
| Riding his Thomas Trike |
 |
| Trip to Hilton Head in August with sister Addie and cousin, Riley |
