Maintenance!

On behalf of all of us at the Carlson household - let me be the first to say - we have made it to maintenance! I don't just want to say it - I want to scream it, yell it, sky write it and shout it from the mountain tops.

Jake's counts came back today with very positive results, a huge jump in numbers (800's) indicating that he is producing blood. Wonderful, healthy, life giving blood!

Red blood cells - check!
White blood cells - check!
Platelets - check!

We have completed the first 4 phases of chemotherapy during the last six months and God has been faithful and present EVERY minute and EVERY step during the last six months. When we heard the word cancer there was no way we could fathom all that was coming our direction. Neither could we have imagined how the good would far out reach and out weigh any of the down side. I know that it sounds like a very trite cliche - but cancer has brought about so many blessing in our lives. Some of the greatest we have yet to see but are looking forward to them being lived out in our lives.

You - are friends and family - are some of the riches of these blessings. Thank you so much for your love, prayers, encouragement and every other wonderful act of kindness you have poured out on us.

Tomorrow morning Jacob and I will be heading into the clinic to start the first treatment of the maintenance phase. We will be in this phase for the next two and a half years and it is this stage of treatment that transitions us from remission - to cure. Jacob will be taking oral chem0 on a daily basis and having clinic visits once a month. These visits will consist of IV chemotherapy and every 3rd month a spinal tap with intrathecal chemotherapy.

During maintenance most kids are able to live a normal life. School (which Jake is very anxious to return to) church, playing and being fully active and on the go. We will need to continue exercising good judgment and limit exposure to sickness and disease but no more lock down!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!