Round 19/Round 4
Hi strangers. It's been a minute. We have spent the past few weeks being present with one another. We've gone on brief strolls down our street, built Lego, played dominoes, watched the Seahawks win a Super Bowl, laughed, cried, and watched movies.
Scan results were a mixed bag, but we are choosing to focus on the positives: Charlotte's lungs remain stable and there was no new growth. Additionally, Dr. Brittany is pleased with how radiation worked. The two other bony sites that we've been watching (left humerus and right fibula) did appear brighter on the PET scan.
These results gave us options. Continue with current chemo regimen, do more radiation, or switch chemo courses. While options are great, they are overwhelming! We obviously want to do what is medically advisable, but also want to consider Charlotte's quality of life, as all of this time in the hospital is lame. (Stupid, hard, frustrating... choose your own adjective.)
Connor stepped up big time and had a telehealth appointment with Dr. Brittany and Kristin to get more guidance on our path forward. While I had every intention of joining, I found myself too anxious to participate. He has been a partner in every sense of the word and I am proud of how we've navigated this journey. Side-by-side, but also giving each other the space to process.
Dr. Brittany recommended staying the course with ifosfamide & etoposide (I/E), as it is medically the most effective chemo of the options we were given. We will also be undergoing more radiation on the other bony sites. Charlotte's left humerus, given its specific location, poses more of a fracture risk, so it is in our best interest to get that radiation taken care of sooner rather than later. Radiation is set to take place at the beginning of March and should be only five days. And then we'll do this whole scan-and-wait game again.
We checked into Hotel SCH yesterday afternoon to proceed with I/E before radiation begins. While it's only been a day, it is already a much more positive admission compared to the last one. Charlotte arrived and was immediately peppered with questions from nurses and doctors about the all-school spelling bee, which our team adjusted check-in around. She was thrilled to share that she finished in 3rd place! She tied for the top speller in 5th grade and was the final girl in the field. The staff at Children's are top notch hype people - they were so proud of Charlotte, as were we!
Another reason to be proud? Charlotte's art is currently on display in the hospital! Every few months, the art therapists curate a gallery along the 7th floor skybridge connecting the Forest and Ocean buildings. The theme is "Moodscapes" and our personal Picasso was happy to field questions from an art connoisseur, aka CNA Hannah.
We'll be holding down the fort at Hotel SCH until Tuesday and then radiation prep will be under way. March will seem busy but the goal is that a trip can take place post-radiation and another round of chemo. Fingers crossed!