11 is the number of times that my son has been under sedation and received chemo into his spine. 26 is the number of times my son has had his port accessed. 34 more times he will have his port accessed until end of treatment (approx). 12 more times he will receive chemo IV and in his spine until the end of treatment. Approx. 924 times he will take chemo at home until end of treatment.
May 2015 (as long as all goes smoothly) is when Titus treatment should end. I have spent the last hour figuring out how many times he’s been poked, and how many more we have to go. 924 more days (approx). I hope and pray it isn’t more than that, and that we have a healthy 7 year old boy when it is all over. He will be 7 years old when he finishes treatment, I can’t imagine my little guy at 7!
He was randomized yesterday in the clinical trail that he is participating in. To read about the clinical trial that Titus is apart of visit this website. He is in “Arm C” and is Average Risk.
We begin Long Term Maintenance tomorrow, November 2, 2012 with a lumbar puncture with methotrexate, vincristine IV, dexamethasone for 5 days (the steroid from hell), and 6-MP. He will have labs every four weeks now, instead of weekly, and I am going to miss our weekly assurance that he is still in remission. However scary this is, and believe me, I am scared, and will always be scared for my son, I am trusting that God will continue to provide healing and take care of our Titus.
In the last month I have been reminded by different individuals how blessed we are that Titus has the “easy” or “most treat-able” form of leukemia. His cure rate is 90-95%. However much I realize how “blessed” we are to have the “easy” cancer, it does not negate the fact that my son has cancer. He is not guaranteed to survive this. On top of that, the chemo that is helping to “cure” him, puts him at high risk for developing secondary cancers later in life. He is at risk for liver and kidney problems from chemo treatments. Possible cognitive and learning delays due to the chemo, especially the intrathecal chemo.
My thoughts: everyone’s cancer journey is different, some longer, some shorter, some more intense than others. Some have wonderful outcomes, some kids have lifelong issues due to treatment, some kids don’t make it through. Any chance, no matter how small, to lose your child to this disease is too much. I don’t wish it on anyone, it is a complete game changer, a complete heart breaker. Cancer is cancer.
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
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