2nd MRI

As we walked the halls of the radiology department today, I was flooded with memories of the week that Anya was diagnosed.  The last time we were there was our second day at Children's hospital.  With so many days there under our belts now, it feels like that was a different life.  The primary reason for her MRI today was the same as it was six months ago - looking for tumors in her brain.  Some children that have bilateral retinoblastoma also have tumors in the pineal gland, or "third eye" in the brain.  Back in May we celebrated a clear MRI and we did the same today.  Thank goodness.

Anya also had blood work done today that showed mostly normal results.  They don't expect her immune system to be completely back to normal until she is three months off chemotherapy.  In practice, though, her immune system seems to be working pretty well, as she is the only one fighting off this cold that is wearing down everyone else in her family.  She has always been stoic when it comes to getting sick; she rarely complains that she doesn't feel well even when her droopy eyes and runny nose betray her.

Before we left the hospital today, Anya was presented with a cake and a number of doctors and nurses singing, "Happy end of therapy day"  to the tune of happy birthday.  Indeed, we are all thrilled that she is done with chemotherapy, but Anya wasn't up to celebrating today, at least not in that way.  The part that had her most excited was picking out a special bead for her Beads of Courage necklace.  This is the necklace that she has earned a bead for each thing she has had to endure ranging from finger pokes, to infusions, to surgeries.  Today she earned a purple heart marking the end of chemotherapy.  There was a tray full of handblown glass purple heart beads, each one unique and each one beautiful.  I am sure Anya wanted to take them all home, but she did an excellent job picking up each one, admiring it, and setting it down.  In the end, she picked the perfect one and was thrilled to add it to her necklace when we returned home.