Recovery

For Lucas’ recovery, we made the move to AKA University City, a beautiful high-rise apartment very close to CHOP that is giving us a generous rate.

Erin made it home, Dylan had not seen her for over a month and Jack had not seen her since early January.

Lucas is in recovery, and although we are incredibly grateful and blessed with his numbers, the chemo, radiation and transplant were really hard on his body. Watching him learn what he likes to eat again because his taste buds changed, seeing his memory still retain its sharpness, getting to cuddle on the couch and watch The Flash, all of these things are fragile and priceless and remind me that nothing else matters.

Today Lucas agreed to get out of the house, so we went on a little road trip to Wissahickon Valley Park, which is a beautiful park with a waterfall only around 25 minutes outside of Philly. I know we look like we are in paramilitary training gear, but I swear we aren’t .

Lucas does not like having his picture taken, but it was so sweet getting to see him watch the geese and ducks, listening to the water trickle by and smell the rain that drizzled down upon us in this amazing earth we live on. Lucas kept putting his hands in his pockets because he didn’t want them to get wet, and I kept pretending I wasn’t watching him like a hawk, making sure he didn’t fall and wasn’t too tired to continue. He walked for 30 minutes, which is 6 times as long as he has walked in 54 days.

Bone marrow transplant recovery for some are easier, since they have not had the same regimen, radiation, and the previous 5 rounds of chemo. Each kid responds differently. Going to PT, meeting with nutritionists, nurse practitioners, nurses, doctors, etc. That all happens every Tuesday. We still have to flush the lines that go into his heart and he is on meds to stimulate his appetite, keep his gut moving, prevent seizure, maintain magnesium and support engraftment.

Erin has had a great trip so far at home and has run into a few Team Lucas supporters, and all I can tell you is that there is nothing like a hug, she has had the vaccine :)

God Speed to you all, please pray for Lucas to recover, to gain weight back and for his body to rebound from the past 8 months.