What it Means

I will admit that I didn't dance the proper jig upon getting the news that Emma is cancer free. It seems that a person who doesn't have cancer should not have 2 1/2 years of cancer treatment in her future.

What I know about cancer is pretty limited. What I know about childhood leukemia as really not very much. I'm learning, though, and will continue to learn. Today we found out what's next in a little more detail.

Emma is in a normal risk category. Her symptoms at diagnosis were common. Her reactions have been similar to textbook. She has so far presented a typical case.

They expect to effectively eliminate the cancer in the first 28 days. They did that. There have been enough kids with ALL over the past 60 years to do a lot of research and define the drugs and protocols that work best. They are still tweaking and fine-tuning; but they have a pretty good idea that "no cancer" isn't the final word. They must destroy every single last cancer cell, or it will come back with gusto.

The next phase is consolidation. 28 days of oral chemotherapy as well as weekly clinic visits for intrathecal chemotherapy (chemo given through a lumbar puncture into her spinal fluid.)

After that is 8 weeks of interim maintenance, then 4 weeks of delayed intensification, and then 8 more weeks of interim maintenance. Count that up and you'll get roughly 6 months.

If all goes well, then early summer will find Emma in maintenance, which runs for 2 years... according to the textbooks, anyway.

I have information that truly makes me feel hopeful; but Emma has a long way yet to go. I'm so glad that she is feeling better. Each day is a bit better. She still tires pretty easily. She still limps. She is happier, though, and clearly feels so much better than she has.