A Change in Seasons

Wow!  Is it really the end of March already?!?  The recent change in seasons brought me to a realization--our journey has entered a new season as well.  Paige has now been back in school a little over two months and is well into the second cycle of maintenance.  I returned to work just over a month ago--adding that into the mix has been quite the adventure.  

Though we visit clinic less often in maintenance than in frontline treatment, Paige still takes chemo meds every day.  Here's the rundown: nightly chemo pills, weekly chemo pills, weekly antibiotic, monthly steroid pulse, monthly chemo through her port, and lumbar puncture with chemo every three months.  Got all that?  ;)

Monthly chemo infusions hit a little harder than in previous phases since they are now spaced further apart.  Thankfully, Paige is usually back to her sassy self within a couple of days.  The chemo pills she takes at home--both the nightly and weekly ones--have been increased over the last couple of clinic visits so her body can better metabolize and more effectively 'use' the medications.  Dosing is count-dependent, so we get lab work done every two weeks right now.  Paige just loves hearing she 'gets' to take more pills.  Her doctors have learned to stay on the other side of the room when telling her--ha!

Paige has now completed two steroid pulses in maintenance.  The first one caused ankle and knee pain we were able to manage.  Thankfully, the second one has been uneventful thus far.  Paige experienced a fibular fracture last year as a result of steroid-weakened bones.  We continue to pray specifically for her body to handle the 5-day steroid pulses each month with no issues.

Medical stuff aside, Paige enjoys being back in school.  She's continuing half-day instruction for another few weeks and will hopefully return to full days for the rest of the school year.  It's been a long time coming, and getting to that point will be cause for another celebration!

Our family is slowly adjusting to this new season.  We apparently had more of a routine down than I'd realized--but that's okay.  We just keep on taking everything one day at a time.  Thanking God for the healing He has done and the healing yet to come.  He is so very good.  Paige is getting healthier and stronger every day.  I couldn't ask for anything more.