What Happens After Chemotherapy Ends?

It’s been such a huge part of our lives for the past six months.  Now that chemo is over, we’re kinda like… hm.

Last Tuesday was Ryan’s final IV drip, and tomorrow is his last day of taking steroids.  So officially, as of midnight tomorrow, he is no longer medicated.  That means, either those nasty little Hodge cells have vacated the premises, or maybe some are still hanging around because they haven’t received the eviction notice.  Either way, our rain forest chemical weapons supply has been depleted.

The weekend before his last drip, Steve and I took Ryan and Blaise to Granville in Normandy to watch the opening leg of the Tour de France.  Getting out of Paris and being next to the ocean was so incredible… good for the soul, and the food ain’t bad either!

When Ryan and I returned to the hospital last Tuesday for his final IV drip, it was a strangely bittersweet time.  Look, we’ll be back and forth to Institut Curie PLENTY more times over the next few weeks, BUT.. to know this was his last day of chemotherapy… well, it’s an introspective experience.  I’m not sure it can be clearly expressed to anyone who hasn't lived cancer first hand, so let’s just say it was a victorious day!

Before we left the hospital, Ryan personally thanked his extraordinary team of pediatric oncology nurses, and from me - À tous les incroyables personnes sur le cinquième étage, vous êtes des héros… Benjamin and Sidonie… life savers.

What do you do after you walk out of the hospital on your last day of chemotherapy?  Act like a normal person, sit in a café on rue Mouffetard, devour a plate of Confit de Canard with french fries, and then ride the Metro home.  Because, you can.

After Ryan’s last IV drip, he did suffer the usual side effects for about 5 days - back, bone, joint and muscle pain, as well as excruciating stomach cramps.  This past weekend, he started to feel somewhat normal again, although the steroids can cause discomfort too, which will stick around for the next few days.  On Friday, Blaise and I dragged Ryan out for some fishing, at which time Ryan randomly discovered the joy of Pokémon GO, which is apparently not available in France.  Mysteriously, Blaise and Ryan have been making many new friends since then, who have also been lured out of their apartments to throw pokéballs at imaginary objects throughout Paris.  Somehow this seems illegal, and they missed the first 90 minutes of last night’s EUFA Euro 2016 championship soccer game (featuring FRANCE!) to spelunk through the woods in the Bois de Boulogne.  Should I be worried?

VS.

So, tomorrow Blaise flies home to the USA, which is a total bummer.  He is excited to go to the beach, and to spend time with his friends.  But he’s also sad to leave his brother’s side, as he has been a ROCK for Ryan during the past month.  We’ll be sad to say goodbye, but we know we’ll see Blaise again very soon.  And the NEXT time we see him, Ryan’s going to be, like, golden.

Ryan’s PET scan is scheduled for July 20 (nine days from now), and we have a consultation with his lead doc on July 21.  Please continue to keep him in your prayers over the next couple of weeks, and send lots of positive vibes in his direction.  Also, THANK YOU for supporting him over these past 6 months.  It’s hard to believe we are almost - finally! - on the other side of cancer.

Ryan's art teacher at Institut Curie handed me this before we left the hospital on his last day of chemotherapy...