one - year - countdown!

Jax finished DEX for this month yesterday. This morning, moments after eating a huge bowl of Mr. Noodles, he came to tell me he was still hungry. 
I listed off some options, to which he replied 'no' for each. Then I suggested 
a grilled cheese sandwich. He paused ... "No. But you almost got me with that one Mom!" After another pause ... "Actually, you did get me with that one. Yes please!"

Perfectly timed with the start of our one-year countdown until the anticipated end of treatment date (June 11, 2017!), our boy was honoured by his baseball coach with this ...

He thoroughly enjoyed playing ball once again 

and is eager for next season to start!

I took this screenshot of my countdown on June 11. 

We have completed 2 years and 2 months of treatment/recovery 

from A.L L. Now less than 1 year remaining!

It's an odd feeling. Many oncology parents agree that the official end of treatment is a time of very mixed emotions. For many, the end of treatment marks the start of increased anxiety, worry, and fear. As long as Jax is receiving chemo, we have a significant level of assurance that the Leukemia will stay in remission. Once we stop the oral, IV and spinal chemo regime ... The "safety net" is gone. It's the end of treatment but the beginning of questions like "Did he get enough?", "Did it work?", "Will it come back?".  At this point I don't tend to dwell on those thoughts. They are questions with no answers. Like my Mom said when Jax was first diagnosed ... It is in situations where I understand the least that when the sovereignty of God matters the most. We trust that He will carry us safe to shore - however that may play out. 

Even at his monthly IV chemo appointment last week, in the words of a fellow oncology mom ... "Leukemia didn't bother us much!" We are so very grateful that the most intense parts of his treatment are over, and that he is responding well to treatment. We have daily reminders that this is not always the case. 

Here is our beloved Anne doing her thing. 

These two bros got plenty of screen time to pass the hours while we waited for bloodwork to be processed, meds to arrive, meds to be checked, meds to be administered and monitored. 

Anne was the designated chemo giver that day since these two ladies ...

... are not allowed! 

This was the last day we'd see both of them before their maternity leaves begin. Steph, on the right, was working her last shift. Sarah hopes to work a few more weeks before her baby comes but we'll be in Vancouver for our next chemo appointment so we won't see her. 

So much love for these ladies for their roles in our small but mighty pediatric oncology clinic in Victoria. ⭐️💕🎗

July 19 will mark DAY 1 (of 85) of CYCLE 8 (of 11) of Long-Term Maintenance. We travel to BCCH twice a year to check in with our top docs. That was supposed to happen in June but we extended it by a month to coincide with our summer holiday plans. More on that in another post.