June 27, 2006

We are enjoying another week of summer here at home. I admit we are becoming a bit lazy-definitely later bedtimes, which means getting up a lot later, too. Tonight we took the girls golfing. They enjoyed riding in the cart and want to go back. Leah even claims she wants clubs so she can play. This has been several more days of "normal" life. Leah seems to feel good, aside from needing an afternoon nap (with an 11 PM bedtime I would expect this, though, so it is hard to decide what is fatigue from chemotherapy and what is fatigue from staying up late). Leah has started some beading project that she seems to enjoy. Chloe likes helping, which means we have beads everywhere. I have read a few more books, all of which are total chick lit/trash/mindless fluff, but nowhere near the amount I used to read.

On Thursday we head back to Iowa City. I will admit that this is something that I am worried about. First of all, Leah will be having a CT scan and echocardiogram under general anesthesia. She is never pleasant to deal with when she comes out of anesthesia, so that is traumatic. I am sure there will be an AFP reading that is taken as well. It has been rather easy to ignore this visit coming up, yet it is always in the back of our minds. We are not used to getting good news in Iowa City (or that is what it feels like). So, once more, please pray for an even lower AFP than last time, and a CT scan that shows no abnormalities along with an echocardiogram that is normal as well.

We continue to be pleased with Leah's AFP from last time and have had many people ask if Leah is in remission or is cured. Iowa City does not seem to use words like remission anymore, and cure is never guaranteed. Leah will be needing prayers for a long, long time on her road to being cured. Our last AFP reading was encouraging, but we know that it could begin to rise and that would signal cancer once again being active in her body. So, any relief we thought that we might feel has not really happened for us. Others who have traveled this same road have made similar comments that even though you receive news that should be good and make you happy, there is no end in sight to the worry and looking over your shoulder that now exists. It is good for us that Leah is four and does not spend any time worrying about AFP readings or other aspects of he treatment that are not in her immediate future. We certainly take more time to enjoy every single moment with both girls and all the cute (and sometimes annoying :)) things they do.

Last night as we were getting ready for bed, Leah looks at me and says, "You know what song is running through my head?" Of course I did not. "Loveshack, baby," she responds. Apparently the CDs that some of her nurses made for her are sinking in.

I will post news of our visit on Thursday after we return home. Her clinic appointment is not until 11:30, and by the time we do the CT scan and the echo., I anticipate we will not leave until late afternoon. We will take any and every prayer we can get for some good news in Iowa City.