Ethan quickly progressed to being steroid dependent again, which means his body can't function without the prednisone. As time goes by, the body stops responding to the prednisone at higher and higher doses till it stops responding to it altogether. In April we were dealt with another complication when Ethan fell in gym class and broke his arm. We were told that he had quite a severe break, one not typically seen in Children his age. We would soon find out that due to all the prednisone he has had over the years his bones had weakened. He had a bone scan at Children's Hospital in July which revealed that he has Osteopenia, low bone density. Healing of his arm took 12 very long weeks. During these 12 weeks, Ethan and I became regulars at the Cast Clinic at our local Hospital, with visits and X rays one to two times a week to make sure it was healing correctly. Prednisone slows and impairs healing which is also why it took so long to heal. We were so happy when we finally began to get good reports from the Doctor that his arm had finally begun to move into the right place and the threat of surgery to repair it had officially passed. Ethan finally was able to get his cast off at the beginning of July right before our big trip to Europe.
We backpacked around Europe for 2.5 weeks with my parents in July. We did a lot of walking and saw so many great sights and monuments. It truly was a trip of a lifetime and we have great memories of all the places we went. Jeff and the boys favourite place was Switzerland and mine was Paris, with Italy coming a close second! We were so thankful that even with all of the travel and the exposure to great crowds of people that we all managed to stay healthy. Even Ethan with a compromised immune system, God was surely looking out for us.
September brought about Ethan's 18 relapse, just as he was starting Grade 7 and Adam Gr.9. Treatment lasts 10 weeks but this time Ethan once again started to relapse at the lower doses of prednisone and officially relapsed for the 19th time in the middle of November. We had officially had 4 relapses in one year. 4 is the number of relapses he is allowed in one year before they will consider adding on another medication to help get him off prednisone.
So our next step is to meet with his Nephrologist on January 7, 2014 to discuss adding on another chemotherapy drug. Ethan is to the point where he just wants to get off prednisone and he is oddly okay with having to go on another chemotherapy drug. I don't know much of the details yet, but I do know that treatment will likely last a year this time. I am not too excited about that, but at this point getting him off prednisone is something that NEEDS to happen. Never did I think that by the time my Son was 12, he would have to face chemotherapy twice and he doesn't even have cancer! Thankfully the dosage is much lower than cancer patients get, but it is still chemo, it will further suppress his immune system and has long term side effects that are devastating if I let myself "go there".
September also saw us bring a new addition to our family, our beloved little fur baby, Lily. A sweet and lovable Maltese Shitzu puppy. She came into our lives at just the right time, we were ready, the boys were ready and she has been such a joyful addition to our family. She has been a great distraction for Ethan when he hasn't been feeling well. She has also been so good for me as I have struggled with feelings of depression again. She gets me outside when I don't want to go anywhere or do anything. I am amazed at the Beauty all around me if I simply just look UP! I have seen the most amazing sunrises, sunsets, cloud formations, rainbows! It is hard some days to see the Beauty but it is there. We know we are not on this journey alone, we are so thankful to God for being with us ALWAYS. For our family and friends who provide such amazing support and for all the prayers. They truly do make a difference. Here's to 2014!
“But one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward to what lies ahead…
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
~Phil. 3:13-14
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