So April 11 is our one year mark off treatment but Jonathan had another doctor's appointment today that showed no evidence of cancer so I'm going to go ahead and claim the 1 year remission title! They did an ultrasound of his belly where all the tumors were in his lymph nodes and they were completely clear. He will have a quick check-up at the end of April and then another ultrasound and battery of tests in August and will be considered "cured" at that point. We'll continue to get scans every 6 months for the next 3 years but it feels amazing to be almost closing the door on this incredibly difficult time in our lives. We give God all the credit and all the glory for sustaining us through this ordeal.
I think everyone touched by cancer wants to find a way to help others through their experiences. I've found myself being able to encourage and help people who have lost parents to cancer (my dad has been gone for 7 years now). We haven't found our outlet yet to help with pediatric cancer patients. Both Jonathan's cancer and my dad's cancer fall into the blood cancer category and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a great organization to raise awareness and funding for research. My older sister has participated in many races and triathalons with Team in Training which is a fundraising branch of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. There's a fundraising walk in Denver that we've decided to participate in this fall. It's called Light the Night. Our whole family will walk. Jonathan will carry a white lantern as a survivor and I will carry a gold lantern in honor of my father who lost his battle. Supporters carry red lanterns. If you want to support our "team" and give a donation, here's our donation page: http://pages.lightthenight.org/rm/DenverL17/BeatBurkitts No pressure at all to donate, but if you'd like to support this great cause, here's a way to do it. Thanks again for everyone who has followed our journey. We're incredibly grateful to have a child who has recovered so beautifully. If you didn't know he'd been through it, you'd never guess he'd been sick by watching him play and interact with friends. He talks often about his cancer and most often talks about all the great toys he got in the hospital and how many people were praying for him. I asked him the other day if he remembers the "yucky" parts of it....of feeling sick, of spending time in ICU and not even having the strength to walk. He says he doesn't. One of my prayers during the darkest days was that his little spirit would come out unscathed...that this would not be a traumatizing experience that left him with emotional scars. I'm so pleased that God has answered that prayer. Jonathan is a fairly sensitive child yet has come out the other side a joyful child with no fear of the hospital he spent so much time in. To God be the glory!
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AuthorOur family has been through non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with our 4 year old and throughout it all we felt God's presence. My life verse is Romans 8:28. "God works all things together for good..." Archives
February 2017
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