Day 28

     Today was a great day!  We reached our first milestone, day 28, the end of the Induction Phase.  The end of daily steroids!!! (She will go on steroids again, but never again for this long).  It will take several days to a week for the steroids to wear off, but we are told when they do, we will get Katie "back".   Hopefully after this week she will not longer pick her lips or fingers until they bleed, no more multiple middle of the night snacks.  No more fits, screaming, insomnia!!! Maybe she will even let us kiss her again! 
     Today was a day of mini miracles.  Beginning with the fact that Katie and I actually got some sleep last night/this morning.  After her tests were run, we were told her neutrophil levels are way way up.  So for the first time in over a month, Katie could leave the house (and go somewhere other than the hospital or clinic)!  This isn't permanent, but we will celebrate it while it lasts!  We took her to buy some new pretty dresses (I still had her wear her mask as a precaution) and then we went out to dinner as a family.  It was so great to get out!!  My mom even went!  Like I said, today was a day of miracles. 
     Tomorrow Katie goes in at 7:15 a.m. for another spinal tap and bone marrow scrape.  Tomorrow, day 29, the beginning of the Consolidation Phase, is monumental.  The bone marrow and spinal fluid collected tomorrow will be sent off for a special test, MRD.  We will get the results back in a week.  The results of this test will tell us if Katie is a rapid responder or not.  If so, she will be considered "low risk" rather than "standard risk".  If she is low risk this will improve her prognosis from 80-85% survival rate to a 90-95% survival rate.  This will also determine the course of her treatment for the next 2 years.  No matter what, she will go through 2 more years of treatments, but the amount of chemo will be less if she is low risk.  So far, all indications are that she will be low risk, so we are hopeful.  Please keep Katie in your prayers tomorrow, as it is a BIG day!  The other great news is that other than her procedures tomorrow, Katie gets the week off.  No medications for the week!  This will give her a chance to get her strength back.  Katie has still not been walking and has been extremely lethargic.  The doctor said once the steroids wears off and with no chemo this week, Katie should be able to start walking a little.  That will be so amazingly great! 
     The scripture that kept coming to my mind today was Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God".  I acknowledge His hand in all things.  Today I am glad for Katie's great neutrophil levels, and to be able to once again take my daughter out.  A couple of weeks ago my husband "kicked" me out of the house and I went to Walmart.  I saw other mothers shopping with their healthy children and it tore at my heart.  Do you know how many times I had previously gone to Walmart and thought I was miserable because I had two rambuctious children with me?  How blessed I felt today to be able to shop with one rambunctious child and one not so rambunctious child, but still both were with me.  How gratetul I am Katie is still here!!  How blessed we are.  Thank you for your prayers in her/our behalf.