We are one week from the end of frontline therapy. Leukemia treatment works like this: 6-8 months of frontline (intense) chemotherapy followed by 3 years of maintenance chemotherapy. Frontline therapy consists of a lot of IV and spinal chemo: anywhere from 1 to 5 days a week, every week. Maintenance chemo consists of spinal chemo once every three months, IV chemo once a month and oral chemo given daily at home.
So basically for the next three years 90% of the responsibility for maintaining my sons remission falls to me. No pressure. I will be relieved to get our clinic visits down to once per month. But if I’m being honest I’m weary of chemo. So much chemo for so long. I feel like three years is stretching before me like the giant dead marshes in The Lord of the Rings. I can just barely, barely see my destination on the other side.
Despite my exhaustion, Ethan remains strong. His body is fighting right through to the end of frontline therapy like a champ. He lost his hair for the second time in August and it’s already growing back. Nearly no nausea through a pretty intense two months of chemo. We are blessed.
Recent Comments