Happy Leap Day! Ryan’s second cycle of chemotherapy started today. Each cycle lasts four weeks, and he will have at least six cycles in total before we can determine if he’s in remission.
The best thing about chemo cycles is the last 13 days of each cycle, which include zero IV drips. While Ryan still home-medicates during those days, his energy levels and overall well being become increasingly more like normal with each passing hour. In the past week, we enjoyed visiting the Cirque d’Hiver and the Paris Aquarium, and Ryan spent lots of time with his friends, Ethan, Dano, and Álvaro.
He also received two boxes of Girl Scout cookies in the mail last week, which was awesome, thanks to Ronnie and Francie (and their beautiful mother, who has - sometimes reluctantly - held the title of The Bestie since second grade). And so many other friends in the USA have sent him cards and notes. Thank you to everyone for your words of encouragement!
This week, Ryan returns to Institut Curie every day for IV drips, today’s drip being the longest (7 hours) and including the entire disease-fighting cocktail.
It’s weird how being here at I.C. has become one of the most normal and dependable aspects of our lives since Ryan was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma five weeks ago. The pediatric oncology team at Institut Curie includes kind, intelligent, professional, empathetic, well-educated people who genuinely care about curing every child here. And while it can be rather boring sitting around watching paint dry (or, watching The Red Devil drip - drip - drip - drip -drip), our days are made happier by smiling faces, art lessons and Parent Association volunteers, and a self-serve espresso machine that has instantly improved my mood on many occasions.
There are lots of great kids here at Institut Curie, too, and while the language barrier creates a certain shyness at first, we’ve warmed up and are making some friends. Ryan spent this afternoon drawing with two very cool teenaged French girls. When one of them introduced the other to Ryan, she said in her best fake American accent, “Ryan is American. If you want to talk to him, you’ll have to practice your English.” Everyone laughed (I’m still laughing), and I think that was the last English she spoke today :)
We’ll be back at I.C. again tomorrow for another IV drip and also for a follow-up Ultrasound of the blood clot near Ryan’s catheter. If the clot has improved, he can hopefully stop stabbing himself with Heparin every day, so keep your fingers crossed for good results there!
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