summerofsilence

HuCART Day +119: 2.7% b-cell return

An update. Beau had clinic on Tuesday. Unfortunately, his labs showed a b-cell return of 2.7%. This may indicate his t-cells are fading, but it is not considered an “official return” until b-cells return at >3%. B-cells levels have been known, in rare cases, to fluctuate and go back down so we are going toContinue reading “HuCART Day +119: 2.7% b-cell return”

HuCART: Month 3 results.

It’s all clear. All good. All what we want. No leukemia in his spinal fluid. No leukemia in his bone marrow. No b-cells in either. No leukemia in the MRD (minimal residual disease). Next Gen Sequence is still outstanding but we have no reason to think it will reveal anything. It never has, even afterContinue reading “HuCART: Month 3 results.”

HuCART: Month 3 trip to Philadelphia

Tomorrow Beaudin and I will travel to Philadelphia for his Month 3 tests. This will include a bunch of blood work that includes, but is not limited to, checking for b-cells in his peripheral blood, a bone marrow biopsy to check for b-cells and/or cancer in his marrow, and a lumber puncture to, again, checkContinue reading “HuCART: Month 3 trip to Philadelphia”

The dentist and the ram.

I hadn’t expected to cry while cooking up lunch yesterday. I guess if I am honest the feeling, the hot tears, are always only a couple of thoughts away. Like the other day at Ozo when I heard the gentleman tell the mom of two young kids, “I know it’s cliche, but it really doesContinue reading “The dentist and the ram.”

A supportive kitchen floor and a shopping spree.

After posting my dark room post a dear cancer mama friend asked how I was doing with the one year anniversary of Beau’s relapse coming up. At the moment, fresh off a productive writing session and post publication, I was feeling fine. But the audible pause before I answered her led me to wonder howContinue reading “A supportive kitchen floor and a shopping spree.”

Seasonal Jammies & Month 2 Results

Thanks for indulging my creative side with my last post. Such different content than the cancer side of things, so different in fact that I felt immediate shame about creating and posting it. What business do I have being carefree enough to build-out a holiday gift guide? I pushed through and posted it anyway andContinue reading “Seasonal Jammies & Month 2 Results”

These are a few of my favorite things…

In continuing with my amazingly boring, mundane experience I have been cleaning out my kids rooms. After a full summer, then a full Philadelphia, I haven’t been alone in my house since May. And for any moms out there- you know the gold of being alone in your own house. For me, it’s the cleaningContinue reading “These are a few of my favorite things…”

Currently: October

Please enjoy this break in dreary cancer content while I review the most *basic* fall month on record. Praise be that I have almost nothing to report, except my out of proportion joy at the simple things we have been occupying ourselves with lately. To begin with, my front porch. Can you even? I amContinue reading “Currently: October”

Canaries in September.

Each September the info graphics start flooding my Facebook feed. As though they finally have an excuse to scream these statistics at the top of their lungs, all my cancer mom friends fill their pages with data on childhood cancer that everyone needs to know. I’m looking at you Jess McKearney, you have brought someContinue reading “Canaries in September.”

HuCART Day +28 results

On Day 28, Beau had a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture. These tests yield 4 test results: 1.) Review of cells in spinal fluid. 2.) Review of cells in bone marrow. a. Reviewed by pathologist under a microscope. b. Measured for minimal residual disease (MRD). 3.) Check for B-cell aplasia in the boneContinue reading “HuCART Day +28 results”