We received the results from Blake's latest bone marrow biopsy and we have wonderful news! There are absolutely NO cancerous cells left in Blake's Bone marrow!!!! Praise God!!!! We wish that this meant that Blake was now good to go and could live a normal life from here on out, but unfortunately treatment of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is not so simple.
The clean bone marrow means that we are done with the Induction portion of chemotherapy and are now moving on to the Consolidation phase. Consolidation makes sure that the cancer does not come back, now that it is gone. Blake is still considered high risk, but he will be on the lowest dosage of the high risk therapy. He is considered a rapid early responder, which is very good!
Blake's treatment will last a total of 3 years, at the end of the 3 year period, as long as everything goes well he will remain cancer free for the rest of his life. Once the 3 years of chemotherapy are over Blake will have to go to monthly appointments for 1 year to make sure the cancer does not return. The second year after treatment, Blake will go to 1 appointment every 3 months. The third year he will go to 1 appointment every 6 months. Every year after that Blake will have one appointment just to make sure he is still cancer free.
We are still not sure what the long term side effects of the chemo treatments that Blake will receive over the next 3 years, but whatever they are, I'm sure they are much better than the alternative.
We are so thankful to God and to all of our friends and family! We hope that each and every one of our friends and family realize how much we appreciate everything, the cards, the gifts for Blake, the prayers, the letters of encouragement, the people who have brought frozen and hot meals for our family. It means so much to us.
God Bless,
The Parracks
Blake you're my hero!
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