That day

On May 16, 2012, two years ago today, Luis was emergency lifted to London. I still remember the details of the day like it was yesterday. From the time I saw the x-ray in Windsor, to the drive to London I took with my mom and baby Julien while Luis was air-lifted with his dad, to the two popsicles he had in London because he didn't like the first one, to my whole family driving up to London as well as Luis' dad and his parents, to Luis and his cousin running the halls before he was told to stop, to the doctor saying we know it's either lymphoma or leukemia. That day changed our lives forever.

That day started a week of procedures. Luis was in and out of alertness. He was heavily drugged and hooked to many machines to monitor his vitals and keep him hydrated. He began chemo that first week and received many pokes. It was agonizing for anyone who had to be in the room while the nurses held him down and dug for a vein. Within a few days, he was up and about and finding the strength in his legs. By the second week, he was released to the Ronald McDonald House where we stayed for two more weeks. For the first eight months or so, we made weekly trips to London for chemo. With time, the agony and fear of getting a needle seemed to dissipate.

The first year was a roller coaster of emotions for all of us. Luis' health was up and down. Even when we got to the "Maintenance Phase" where his chemo was less intense, we struggled to find the right dose that Luis' body could tolerate. We wanted him to have as much of the chemo as his protocol required without bottoming out his immunity. It seemed to be a very fine line.

Now two years later, I see the end is in sight. September 2014 will be our relief. Luis' treatment protocol will be complete and the chemo will end. It will never really be the end though. He will continue to have regular pokes to make sure he continues to do well. He will always be under the watchful eye of the oncology team. Today, he is doing amazing. He is tolerating the full dose of his daily and weekly chemo that I give orally. He has been going to school, playing T-ball and just being a normal kid. As hard as this time of our lives has been, it seems to be flying by. Life goes on. And so it should.

--Mommy

PS - We also lost our Pepe one year ago today. We miss you.