Intermaintenance 2 Phase - March 14

Levi's counts were high enough to begin IM2! We were excited to close out Delayed Intensification and now we're just one phase away from Maintenance. IM2 will last 57 days, with no chemo after Day 41 until he begins Maintenance. Once in Maintenance, we will begin monthly visits to clinic versus weekly; however Levi will take an oral chemo daily at home (in addition to some other meds). If you are familiar with this treatment, we all get excited to make it to Maintenance. That's when we are told we'll get some normalcy back in our lives....a new normal of course. Levi will be able to start back to school in Maintenance too! As much as he LOVES spending time with Nana and Maw Maw, I am sure he misses his friends and structure in his day. I am so excited --- temps are warming up, days are getting longer, flowers are blooming ---- it feels like a fresh start in some ways.

• WBC: 1.7
• RBC: 3.5
• HGB: 9.2
• Platelet: 134
• ANC: just over 1,000

Shortly after Levi's diagnosis back in August, his left eye started turning in a little - especially when he concentrates. We thought it may be caused from all the stress his body is going through but after a visit with the eye doctor, it sounds like it would happen regardless (we probably just notice it more because of this treatment and the stress his little body is under). Levi has to wear an eye patch for an hour/day which so far...he's willing to do (just like a Pirate)! Drew wore one with him Day 1 --- Drew is such a good Daddy...he walked around the house for an hour with a patch over his eye too. Anyways --- he also has to get glasses which he'll wear daily. If the glasses don't help, he'll likely need surgery on his eye which the doctor won't do until Levi's through treatment in October 2018. I wasn't shocked this happened to Levi because I had the same issue when I was a little girl (and had surgery too)...and it's a common thing in small kids. But with Levi, it's "one more thing" he has to go through. Sometimes I was to just scream "WHY!?" "Give him a break" "Why now?!?!" ---- but I have to remind myself that we're blessed with good insurance, access to great doctors, medicine, etc. Some children don't have that. We will get Levi through all of this, that's all that matters.

Everything else is going well. Levi and Ellie are playing together more and more as Ellie gets older. They love riding their Gator that Pop Pop got them awhile back. Levi started tennis lessons this week which he is loving! Drew and I are managing work and home life thanks to the support of our families. We have no complaints --- we really are blessed.

Thanks for continuing to follow Levi's story and praying for him and our entire family. It takes a village, that's for sure. 

(Maw Maw & Nana --- as always, a HUGE thank you for everything that you do for us. There are no words to describe what you mean to us and to Levi.)

At the eye doctor being a total wiggle worm in the chair ;)

Their favorite thing to do together :)