Tired/Elated

I was with Elle yesterday when she had to go to the clinic for her Vincristine push. The real downside to this med is that she gets tired. And sure enough, later in the day she was cranky and sleepy. But that passed (somewhat) and she was able to fall asleep rather sweetly and zonked the whole night.

The really good news is that the initial rounds of chemo are doing their job. Her doctor said that the mass on her lung had "noticeably shrunk" from the chemo we have done so far. That doesn't mean it's almost gone. What it means is that the shrinking of the tumor is visible from just looking at it. I couldn't tell you how much or anything like that. But the doctor said he would measure it and let me know next time.

The other really good news is that there has been no spread of her cancer outside of the initial area. As before, this means the chemo drugs are working and the decision to add the Vincristine/Irinotecan combo to the treatment schedule was the right one. In a very real sense, Elle is breaking new ground here. PPB is so rare that there is no set protocol for its treatment. It's really scary...hell, it's terrifying knowing that your little girl has a form of cancer that doctors still don't know a lot about. And yet it's inspiring as well, knowing that Elle's fight and eventual success could lay the groundwork for another child beating PPB.

In so many, many ways, she is a unique and special girl. And I am just so damn proud and humbled at the same time (if that is possible) that I am lucky enough to be her dad. And the way that Davey has treated his sister and has been there for her...we're twice-blessed.