Remission Continues
It has been 15 months since Logan’s discharge from the hospital, and he is still in remission. For the first year after discharge, on the first Wednesday of each month, Logan was brought to Children’s Dallas for a blood draw. After 12 months, his blood draw cadence changed to every other month, and blood tests continue for 5 years after discharge. Logan has been in remission since the first round of chemotherapy in October of 2021, and each month of remission is a blessing.
But those blood tests…
That said, the day or two leading to each blood draw creates anxiety in the family. The unspoken concern is “What if the leukemia returns?” I go to bed worried about the test and praying for continued remission. The day of the test I usually receive a FaceTime call from AJ in the hopes of distracting Logan and keeping him occupied during the brief wait for the results. I am at work for those FaceTimes, and I take the call – my co-workers are supportive and patient with this grandpa. Most importantly, the family waits for the text telling us “good results.” And there is a collective exhale of relief, each time.
Growing and Developing
Looking at Logan now, you wouldn’t know the hell that he and his parents endured during his treatment. During that time, I did not think that he looked all that bad. But seeing some of those pictures versus seeing him now, well, he was one sick little boy. Perhaps the changes were so slight over time that we did not see the physical toll. But, no doubt, Logan was absolutely hammered by the chemotherapy.
And demonstrating the resilience of many who experience trauma, Logan is now thriving. Just these past two weeks Logan’s vocabulary and verbal ability have skyrocketed. Speech has ‘clicked’ and he is eager to learn and say words and sentences. Logan will repeat whatever you ask him to say, and he slowly and deliberately does so. It is wonderful, and amazingly cute. But “Love you, Big” is beyond wonderful and cute. Last week A.J. asked Logan to say goodbye to me with those words, he did, and it melted my heart – just as those words did when Griffin said them to me last year. Thinking back on the sores in Logan’s mouth and all of the other terrible side effects during chemotherapy, it is truly a miracle of science and prayer that Logan is in a position to be learning like he is.
Sleepovers and Cousins
And things are becoming, dare I say it, boring. Regular, non-chemotherapy, boring stuff is happening. Donna and I look forward to sleepover nights when Logan or his cousin Griffin come to hang out with us. And earlier this year, Amanda and AJ took a well-deserved one-week vacation and Logan stayed with us for most of that week. Coming to Mimi and Big John’s for fun is sure different than staying between rounds of chemotherapy.
Watching Logan and his cousin Griffin develop a friendship as they grow – see the picture in the pool above – is a joy to behold. That is, as you referee who has what toy, when! And do you know the name that Logan first repeated? Logan’s other cousin, and Griffin’s little sister, Harper’s. He clearly said “Baby Harper” months ago while Donna’s name was still “Titi” and I was “Tig.” Thankfully, we are now Mimi and Big John – and the world is right again. Boring, ya know? Praying that it stays that way.