On Monday March 7th Tillie started her fourth phase of treatment, Delayed Intensification. Being aptly named, this phase includes multiple kinds of chemo as well as a return to steroids. Yesterday alone she received 3 different types of chemo & goes back on Friday for another kind, in addition to 7 days on, 7 days off of steroids. It's tough to have our girl go back onto intense chemo during which she will have more side affects, but we realize it's temporary & necessary to ensuring her body is leukemia free.
We learned that after this there will be one more interim maintenance phase before heading into the 2-year maintenance. The final phase begins in May & is 8 weeks long -- every other week Tillie will be in the hospital for at least 3 days for high doses of methotrexate followed by a rescue to flush it out of her system (we're learning all kinds of new words & terms over here). This will be a particularly trying time because of the multiple-day hospital stays -- we will need help with funds so that Ray Bug can be in daycare allowing Emily to give Tillie her full care & attention. Anybody want to help me organize a fundraiser? I already have use of the Fremont Abby Arts Center for an event & possibly also the donated time of some talented artists! I know we could pull off a fun event & raise some much-needed money for the Maiers, but I need help.
The final blow of intensity came just this morning when Emily headed out to the car with the kids to visit their Mom's Group -- the car had been stolen right out of their apartment parking lot, in it all of the kids' car seats & strollers. Obviously, a new car is needed ASAP in order to get Tillie to & from her weekly treatments, not to mention grocery shopping & other errands. Tomorrow we will have a little outing to buy new car seats for the kids & I'm hopeful that the Komo4 Problem Solvers will help the Maiers get a new car (I just sent a letter to them today).
Stay tuned for photos & updates from our outing tomorrow.
In the meantime, no more intensity for the Maiers! We'd like things to be calm & boring please.
Tillie is a happy & rambunctious little girl, never still & always on the go, earning her nickname Tornado Tillie. On September 4th, two days after her fourth birthday, Tillie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). That same day she started chemotherapy, the beginning of a long journey to recovery that will include weeks in the hospital & years of on-going monitoring. Tillie's doctors are confident that with her strength & energy & a complete chemo treatment, she will make a full recovery. Thank you for your love, prayers & support.
About ALL
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