"Progress, Perseverance and Personal Victory"

This week's entry is the "three p's" and pretty good news all around. Here's the scoop ...

Progress ...

Yes, you guessed it - Dane's neutrophils were high enough on Tuesday to start the last two weeks of Delayed Intensification. We had a nine hour day at the Clinic but that was a better alternative to him being hospitalized overnight (this happened the other two times he received this particular medicine). He fared really well, but that's likely due to the fact all the rules get broken on days like Tuesday such as eating potato chips at 10:30 am and watching 4 hours of the Simpsons and SpongeBob Square Pants videos. We were back at Children's Hospital yesterday for a spinal tap procedure and at the clinic this morning and again tomorrow for leg needles. We get a three day reprieve from hospital visits and then he goes Tues - Fri next week for leg needles every day. He doesn't particularly like these (I can't imagine why), however the magic cream that freezes his leg really does the trick and he barely feels a thing. He's also taking pills at home for 14 days and will finish these August 24. That will mark the official end of DI and the intense phase of his treatment. It's onto Maintenance after that and what we hope will be a much more regular life for everyone.

Perseverance and Personal Victory ...

These two headings go hand-in-hand and the story is short and sweet. Upon our return from GF last weekend, Dane felt great and decided that he would attempt his four laps of the pool last Sunday when we went for a quick family swim. I swam beside him and he passed with flying colors. That meant he could go ANYWHERE in the pool on his own for the first time this summer. He was up for the challenge again on Monday and pulled it off. This was an extra special personal victory because all his friends were there and he got to be "normal" just like them. He spent two hours in the deep end swimming and diving in - it was a real treat to watch. Attempting the laps was truly a test of his perseverance and I told him that even if he never has the energy to do them again this summer, he can say "I did it - not just once, but twice!!!"

We head to the lake again tomorrow night and we are hoping the weekend forecast of rain is wrong. Ashley has been there since Wednesday hanging out with her Grandpa and we are thankful the two of them have enjoyed the great weather these past few days. Oh well, if it rains, a blueberry picking trip will be a good weekend activity.

I'll post some new photos of the kids next week. Dane and I took some great ones of Clare today to mark her hitting the three month milestone.

Take care everyone ... Janie and Dirk