Parrish's Place: Falling into a Rhythm

With Labor Day behind us, the start of football and Ivey's first day of 4K, I can feel fall (even if temperatures are at record highs). I have always loved fall, and in Alabama, fall might just be the most wonderful time of the year (Roll Tide). But this year, I am really looking forward to fall. I need a new season and even more so, need to put the last few seasons far behind us.

On the health front, Parrish continues to improve, and the BMT folks say that he is ahead of schedule as far as recovery goes. (He is such a little cancer over-achiever!) His counts continue to go up with each clinic visit, and he is slowly gaining weight and strength back. Of course, this isn't to say that he is 100%. Parrish appears to be pretty highly functioning, but he still gets tired easily, especially when hanging out with the boys or in larger groups. He just doesn't have a lot of stamina. He still can't do what he used to. Recovery after a bone marrow transplant is a process, though...it doesn't happen overnight. Really, it takes 6 months to a year to completely recover. So, things are continuing to move in the right direction, but slowly. And, I think Parrish is fully starting to realize just how sick he was and just how long of a process this is. I showed him a picture taken of him last weekend, and he was shocked. "When did I start to look like such a cancer patient?" he asked. And, it is sort of true. He looks (and feels) more like a cancer patient now than he ever did with "regular" chemo treatments.

There is also the continued risk of infection. As we head into fall...and cold and flu season...the risk of infection only increases. Six months after transplant, Parrish will be able to get his flu shot (at a year out, he will get completely re-vaccinated...all those baby shots revisited). Until January though, we will have to be really careful regarding the flu. The boys and I will have flu shots early on (not the mist, since Parrish can't be around those who have had a live-virus vaccine). One way others can help with the flu risk is to get vaccinated...and get vaccinated early. Please, if you think you will be around Parrish at all this fall and winter, please get a flu shot. (Okay, stepping off of my flu shot soap box now.)

Yesterday, Parrish had a PET scan. The scan looked good, with the exception of a spot on his right lung. The spot doesn't appear to contain cancer cells (as described before, cancer cells "glow" on a PET scan, and this did not). But, it is a spot that was not on previous PET scans. There are a couple possible explanations. It could be scar tissue that has just recently developed from where the chest tube was placed back in February. It also could be an infection that has developed in the lung at the exit site of the chest tube. To be cautious, the BMT team has decided to put Parrish on some strong oral antibiotics for two weeks. At the end of the antibiotics course, Parrish will have a CT scan to see if the spot has gone away, gotten larger or stayed the same. At that point, we can determine next steps.

Needless to say, it was not exactly the news we wanted from the PET scan. We wanted an all-clear message, a never-looked-better message. This sort of news just leaves us feeling unsettled. No cancer...but something they're unsure about. I like doctors to be sure. One way or the other. I don't like to throw medicine at something hoping it will work. I'm prayerful that two weeks on medicine and some additional analysis of the scans will provide more clarity and more peace of mind.

Until then, we will continue to ease back into a normal routine, which in the fall includes, among other things, work, school, football (Roll Tide), family gatherings, and catching up with friends. For us, this season will also include creating a family rhythm that puts the fear, pain and worry of the last seven months behind us, without losing the perspective these past months have brought us.

Much love and happy weekend,

Molly

***And, for those who want them, a few recent pictures...