Tate’s appointment on Tuesday went very well. His ANC is 1537! That’s the best it has been in a long, long time. If it’s still this high or climbing at his next appointment, the doctors will likely increase the dose of his at-home chemo. For proper treatment of Leukemia,...

Tate’s doctor recommended braces to help with his foot drop. His doctor gave us a prescription for them a while ago, but after Tate broke his foot, caught a cold, and had a frighteningly low ANC for a few weeks, getting the braces fell out of focus. Suddenly we...

Tate’s physical and occupational therapy appointments are going really well. It’s clear he’s working very hard during his sessions; he’s exhausted when he leaves and sleeps in an extra hour or two the following morning. He has 1-2 appointments per week with each therapist scheduled through the end of...

Tate’s last at-home occupational therapy appointment with Jen was Tuesday, and his last at-home physical therapy appointment with Janet was today. I cannot say enough how much these two have done for him. Tate has been their patient since August 2018 when his neuropathy and pain were so severe...

Our house doesn’t seem to care we have been busy with Tate’s many appointments for the last year. It’s doing what all houses do, which is need attention when its people are focused elsewhere. Now that Tate’s ANC is at a safer level, we’ve had a little energy for...

Steroid weeks are bad. There’s no other way to describe it. After the first two doses, Tate’s body starts to weaken. It seems like the mobility and strength he gained in the three previous non-steroid weeks are gone instantly. His muscles and bones ache, and it’s more difficult for...

And just like that graduation celebrations are over and Tate is back in the clinic for an exam and chemotherapy. Tate’s ANC is only 670, with a goal range of 750-1500, which was unexpected since he is only taking a half-dose of the daily at-home chemo. If his ANC...

...

One year ago today we found out that our Tate had Leukemia. It stunned us, broke our hearts, and pulled us closer together. I will never forget my dad’s voice, thick with emotion, when I called him from the hospital, my sister’s whisper-roar “No!” when I told her, or...

Yesterday started like any other other Monday. I woke up and did all my normal Monday morning stuff: groaned, talked to the dogs, scolded myself for leaving unfolded laundry on the table and dishes in the sink. I poured out tea from the day before and refilled my mug...