Raining Confetti

Hip, Hip... Hurray!!!! Last Wednesday we went to the hospital, as we have every Wednesday for the last six months, and Rohan's counts were good enough to begin Long Term Maintenance. For this visit it didn't mean anything particularly different - he was put under while they gave him a spinal tap; he had additional medication given to him through his port; he got to pick a toy out of the treasure chest. However, when the nurse took us through the treatment schedule for this phase, she told we were not due to be back in the hospital until March 3! WHAT?!? Would we not be able to rattle off his blood counts- hemoglobin, white blood cells, platelets, ANC- on a weekly basis? This made me uncomfortable, and so she told me I could bring him in for bloodwork in two weeks. I am sure I am not the first parent to have symptoms of withdrawal.

Here I would like to pause for a beat, a breath, a moment.....................................................
Rohan made it. We made it. Yes it's still another three years, but these six months were critical, difficult and restrictive and let's not forget the emotional upheaval. When we left the hospital, I felt like we should have been transported to something akin to an auto dealership commercial: confetti and balloons falling from the sky; a big band playing in the background; and a loud, obnoxious sounding guy yelling into a microphone, "CONGRATULATIONS!! You have made it back from the other side of the looking glass. Your life can be like it used to be. Rohan, go play with your friends, go swimming, go play tennis. Arya go meet other toddlers. Mom and Dad, the door to the Waiting Place is open, so step through"! Hell, it seemed there should have been a full blown ticker tape parade!

Even though we are not at the end of this long road, we have passed a significant milestone and want to spend at least a little time being appreciative of that.