Round 4

Yesterday's trip to the hospital was less eventful than the last several (not that I am complaining about that)! Her blood counts are looking very good and she even handled the pokes without any tears. On Wednesday night I inadvertently eavesdropped as Jackson talked to her about his strategies for handling his shots and not crying. I teared up as she was getting her pokes yesterday all the while heeding his advice on closing her eyes and counting. She is trying hard to be a brave little girl...it humbles me.
Mostly this week, the doctor prepared us for the upcoming 2 weeks. Next Thursday Kate will have another bone marrow aspiration and spinal tap with intrathecal methotrexate. Then she has a week of no medications, yea! (except antibiotics) while they do the flow studies and look for the minimal residual leukemia. So in 2 weeks we'll have her "road map" of therapy for the next 26 months and we'll know if she is a standard-standard risk or a standard-low risk patient. We're crossing our fingers for standard-low which does carry a better overall prognosis. (In short, those children have a better overall probability of not relapsing after the completion of chemo).
I can't believe how well she is handling all of this. The doctors are right, when the children are this young, it is the parents that have a harder time watching everything unfold. Her sunny disposition and positive outlook on things are helping to keep me in check, that's for sure.