Home At Last

April 30th

Today was the last day we were in Boston…phew!  We are so excited to come home but we know Isaac got the best care possible while we were in the New England area.  Our last stop today was to meet with the Cancer/Oncology department and discuss Isaac’s treatment options as we head back to Iowa.

The doctor we met with confirmed that Isaac’s tumor is a low grade tumor; slow growing and can be treated in a number of ways.  After just finishing up reviewing Isaac’s case with the Tumor Board, the doctor recommended chemotherapy as we expected.  The reason why chemo is recommended is due a large success rate of either shrinking the tumor or keeping it from getting larger.  Our doctor made it very clear that STABLE (no tumor growth) was good.  He guestimated that 1/3 of patients that receive the form of chemotherapy Isaac will be getting the tumor stabilizes, 1/3 the tumor shrinks marginally, and 1/3 the tumor shrinks significantly.  In rare cases the tumor may not respond to this form of chemotherapy, but there are other options that could be used if that happens. Overall, we were pleased with how effective this treatment can be and are hoping that Isaac will respond well to it.

In short, the chemotherapy treatment that Isaac will be given will last 60 weeks.  The induction phase, which is 12 weeks long, will be 10 weeks of consecutive treatment (going in once a week) and two weeks off.  After that Isaac will enter the maintenance phase.  The maintenance phase is six weeks long and will have four weeks of chemotherapy with two weeks off.  That is one cycle.  Isaac will need six cycles.  The chemotherapy will involve two drugs, both through an I.V.  They both are considered very low risk forms of chemotherapy that should not affect his long term health much, but the doctor said it was the “Gold Standard” of treatment at this time. 

What’s Next? I am literally writing this entry 20,000 feet in the air (not actually sure on the altitude) as we fly back to the Quad-Cities.  All of Isaac’s chemotherapy will be administered at the University of Iowa.  We are going to know this place pretty well to say the least.  Sometime next week we are going to meet with an Oncology doctor at Iowa and talk through the recommended plan that Boston provided us.  After that meeting, we should have more solidified details on when Isaac will start chemotherapy.

Thank you all for coming on this journey with us to Boston and encouraging us along the way!  We have been so blessed by how well the entire team at Boston Children’s Hospital treated Isaac and even us during our stay there.  They have given us hope for Isaac’s future and encouragement for the days ahead, but God is the one that has been in the details all along.  So thankful He has watched over Isaac and allowed this kid to be so strong and resilient. 

We are glad to be home!