Ryan finished a Big Week of chemotherapy last Friday, followed by a dose of The Vinc this past Monday afternoon, and is gobbling down his home meds in the comfort of his Malakoff Man Cave until this Monday, when he goes back to Institut Curie for another Big Day chemo cocktail. Sound confusing? I can’t put together a logical sentence these days, thanks to the beautiful (le cough) French language. Réfléchi pronoms avec negative passé composé? My head hurts.
For those who want to understand Ryan’s chemo regimen better, here’s the drip schedule:
Week 1 Big Week
Monday through Friday - 5 days of IV drip at Institut Curie, lasting anywhere from 4 - 7 hours per drip
(Monday is a Big Day, 7 hours)
Week 2
Monday only - Injection of Vincristine aka The Vinc, total hospital time under 3 hours
Week 3
Monday only - Big Day, 7 hours
Week 4
Rest
Ryan will have 6 consecutive cycles of chemotherapy. Each cycle also includes daily steroids and antibiotics, which are self administered pills. His blood is tested every Monday and Thursday.
He will have another PET scan and CT scan at the end of this cycle (He’s now in Cycle 2) to evaluate the efficacy of the regimen. We expect these results to be on fleek, and he’ll continue the regimen for another 4 months. Then the tests will be given again. We expect Ryan will be in remission at the end of these 6 months. If he isn’t in remission yet, radiation therapy follows. That’s a long time from now, and since we’re expecting only the best outcome, this is the last time I’ll spell that out, so bookmark it or whatever. We’re moving on.
Here’s the really awesome news. Ryan had an ultrasound last Tuesday that confirmed the blood clot near his catheter is now gone! That means he no longer stabs himself with Heparin every day, and the black-n-blue marks on his thighs are fast disappearing.
Thank you, friends, for your emails and text messages. Everyone is wondering how Ryan feels. Well, during our medical consultation on Monday morning, I actually heard myself ask Ryan’s oncology team if they were giving him placebos. Aside from intermittent joint pain, occasional acid reflux, and bothersome stomach cramps, he’s laughing in the face of side effects. We’re fortunate to have doctors who know exactly how to manage Ryan’s pain, and while that means he takes a whole buncha pills, it also means he feels generally awesome.
Having said that, I don’t want to minimize it. When Ryan does experience pain, it’s excruciating. The worst time for Ryan is immediately after he wakes up in the morning, when he feels like he was hit by a train while sleeping. As a result, he missed school two days this week. On the flip side, he hung out with his buddy Ethan on Sunday afternoon, went to school on Monday before chemo (He was so happy to see his friends!), and is responsibly keeping up with his homework and projects.
One thing Ryan loves is interactive gaming. Not only is it a distraction, but it also allows him to stay in contact with his classmates, even when he can’t see them every day. He is able to talk live (while gaming) with his buds in Paris, the USA, and all around the world - current, old, and new friends included and simultaneously. Currently, his favorite games are Agario (online) and FIFA 16 for the Xbox One.
Friday is my last morning of French classes for at least a few months, and we’re happily awaiting the arrival of Blaise, Uncle Dan, and Aunt Kait for Easter Break. Hopefully, all of this will correspond with nicer weather in Paris (Let’s admit it, rain is depressing). Ryan is really looking forward to seeing his two favorite fishing partners. Maybe, with Uncle Dan’s help, we will finally catch something in La Seine!
Again, I want to give major shout-outs to our many friends - here in Paris and afar in the USA - who are supporting Ryan in extraordinary ways. Ryan’s favorite surprise last week was a package from America containing an official Little League World Series baseball autographed by every kid on the Central Pennsylvania Championship Team. That was super cool and unexpected! Thank you to my Sorority Little Sister. I'm awfully glad you became a teacher ;) Our Paris friends continue to help us with meals and transportation, and we feel the love coming from every corner of the earth… Merci Beaucoup!
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