The start of week 3

Our day begins with the journey into the city for radiation.  10:30 every morning, Monday-Friday.

 This week when Friday rolled around we felt the tired feeling that we know well these days. Ethan has finished two weeks of radiation and this week the side effect that has been felt is fatigue. He gets tired quickly and needs to sleep.

 Ethan is also experiencing his eyebrows and eyelashes falling out which is another side effect. Between weeks 3 and 4 Ethan will be experience a sunburn around his head and all this can last for 4 to 6 weeks after he is finished with his radiation treatment.
Some other side effects will be his hair will not grow back very quickly where the radiation is being pointed at on his head, so Dr. Velez gave Ethan some advice on growing his hair long on top so that it will cover the other spots. We had a good laugh!

 Every Thursday and Friday, we check in with both doctors and on Fridays we get labs done. This week Ethan's numbers were good. We still need to be prepared if his hemoglobin drops below 10 we will need another blood transfusion, but again very grateful that this was not needed this week.

We were visiting with Dr. Velez and she started to talk to Ethan about the next few months 4 more weeks of radiation, then 4 to 6 weeks recovery then we will do an MRI and if all looks good than Ethan will be scheduled to get his port out. Time frame for this looks like the end of June.

I found myself holding my breath as it was a surreal moment that we were talking about the end or should I say the end of this part of Ethan's journey.

 Drew and I have been talking about what the end could look like for Ethan and that it will be an adjustment for all of us yet again to find another new normal because this cancer journey has changed us all we will never be the same. I echo Tabi's statements of not wanting a ticket out, but oh how I long for no more suffering and no more pain and yet these two human feelings make me run into my Savior's arms every day. I am grateful to be carried by my Savior at the same time having the strength when I have needed it to care, encourage, and love each other throughout these past few months.
The love and encouragement from so many of you has been humbling and honestly hard to take sometimes. We are thankful for you all and thank you for all the love and support!