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!
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| Family trip to Myrtle beach at end of May |
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| Celebrating Elliot's 3rd birthday |
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| Riding his Thomas Trike |
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| Trip to Hilton Head in August with sister Addie and cousin, Riley |
So glad he's been feeling better and been able to go different places! Still praying for you all!
ReplyDeleteAwww, this is SO great! Elliot looks SO grown up in the last picture!!! :) Glad to hear y'all have been able to go some places!!! :) Thanks for the update!!! :)
ReplyDeleteMelissa, love these pictures! He looks great! So wonderful that you have been able to share some fun/normal times together as a family this summer!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine all that you've been going through these months (and now years), but I pray for you guys and thank God for His hand on Elliot's life! Will continue praying!
That's so great! we are really happy for you and can't wait until we can spend some time with you all. It's amazing how much better he looks already and how much Addie looks like her mama. We will keep you all in our prayers and let us know if there is anything at all we can do for you!
ReplyDelete-Alicia and Brandon
Glad to hear Elliot is doing well with treatment. Love the t-shirt in first beach picture! Would love to have you guys participate in Man & Woman again if possible or perhaps another area.
ReplyDeletePaul Jeter