Another Good Report!

Christopher had another 3 month Chest CT in August and got the good new that again, there has been very little change to those "suspicious" areas on his lungs. The oncologist and radiologist are still watching 2 areas  but the fact that the spots remain stable is a very good thing.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, it is better to wait and watch than go in and remove or biopsy what is there. The areas are very small and the surgery too invasive to take that risk.
Though Christopher is not technically in remission, he is off treatment, feeling very good and his blood work indicates that his internal organs are also on the mend after having been beat up by all the chemo he had in the past.
When I asked if I could assume we are out of the woods, the nurse kindly reminded me that until he has been cancer free for 5 years I cannot take a full breath ):
Christopher had his relapse in September of 2010 so in 2015 we will be in a safety zone, and then after 10 years she said we could assume he is home free!
I truly believe Christopher's amazing  attitude and positive outlook on life (along with the many prayers from people all over the Country!) has gotten him to this point.
He has a true zest for life and his perseverance continues to bring him good health and keep him in good spirits. He is confident that he has beaten this disease and looks forward to all that lies ahead.

The picture I posted is from a recent trip to Chicago sponsored by Dana Farber and the Jimmy Fund.
Next weekend I am a doing the Boston Marathon walk to support the Jimmy Fund. They have provided a lot of great opportunities for the kids at Boston Children's that are dealing with a life threatening illness. I am very grateful for all they have done for Chris and what they do on a daily basis to bring happiness into the lives of so many.
I have included a link to the Walk below, if you feel so inclined to donate to the Jimmy Fund simply enter my last name in the "walker's search" and it will take you directly to my page.

www.jimmyfundwalk.org

Thank you for your continued support, encouragement and prayers.
Much peace and gratitude to you all.
Patty

The Journey Continues

The "Incredible Journey" comes to mind.
It was one of my favorite childhood classics and I can't help but think of Christopher and his battle ("journey") with cancer. The fact that he has beaten the odds to this point AND is also doing an amazing job moving on with his life while excelling in school is nothing short of Incredible.
Next month he has his three month chest CT scan in Boston. Physically he has been feeling great and is not worried about any complications.  He was able to enjoy a trip in June with Dana Farber/Boston Children's to Chicago where he saw the Red Sox play at Wrigley Field and also was able to spend a couple weeks in California visiting his family out there.
He has some pretty big plans for his future and seems to use this intense focus to enjoy living his life, today,  as a healthy active (and very mature!) teenager while keeping the faith in a healthy tomorrow.
Because of Christopher's positive attitude and ability to manage life with a prosthetic limb, his oncologist at  Dana Farber has asked him to speak with a young girl that will be having the same surgery as he did three years ago. I am very proud that he is willing to share his experience with someone else that will need a lot
of support and encouragement. I know he has more to offer than he realizes.

I am including some pictures from his trip to FL for the Red Sox Spring Training game sponsored by the Jimmy Fund. Once again my heartfelt appreciation to the special people at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston for bringing some joy and fun into the lives of many deserving teens.
We have not yet received pictures from the Chicago trip but I will be sure to post them when I get copies.
I do have some wonderful pictures from Chris' trip to CA but my Editor in Chief has pulled the plug on posting those! :D


Thank you all for your continued prayers and support as we continue to take and appreciate this Incredible Journey.

Much peace, Patty

Chris at Jet Blue Stadium, the new Red Sox Spring training Park in Ft. Myers.

Schmoozin' with some of the team...lucky!

Christopher hitting the links in FL...Looks like a natural!

The following pictures are from this past January when Christopher got his new prosthesis.
A big thank you to Jason and company from "Next Step" in Manchester, NH for their time and talent!

Life in New England

It's been about 6 months since Christopher and I made the Journey to NH. Hard to believe we not only made it up here but actually made it through (a relatively mild) winter...well for NH anyway!

I have not been very good about updates I am sorry to say...mostly because medically there has not been much to report...which is a good thing!

I mentioned in the last blog that we were to meet with his oncologist and one of the surgeons from Children's Hospital after his Chest CT was reviewed at a local surgery conference.

As has been the case for the last 6 months there has been no significant change to his scans therefore they do not wish to do another invasive lung surgery . The way the surgeon explained it to us is getting to the spots on his lungs (which are mainly centered in the chest) is like a chip shot. Unless he has a direct shot he feels that because the lesions are so small a.) Once they go in surgically and are relying on palpating the lungs they may miss the spots they saw on the scans and in attempting to remove the disease they take out unnecessary tissue and b.) it is better to leave well enough alone at this point and given his health and the risks involved with doing an open thoracotomy.

Chris is scanned every 3 months and is due for his next Chest CT the first week of May.

He is definitely feeling much better off the chemo and aside from fatigue and some shortness of breath he has been in good shape. He did experience the effects of his weakened Heart muscle (caused by heavy doses of one of the chemo drugs) when he ventured back into snowboarding this past winter.

Other than than that he goes to school regularly and even made honor roll despite the amount of school he had missed!! (A very proud mother notes!)

He has been adjusting very well to the New Hampshire lifestyle. He was hoping for more snow and the chance to do more snowboarding, try sledding and snowmobiling and get a real taste for a new England winter but I am happy to say we did not get enough snow this year. Whew.

He was very fortunate to get to go to FL with the Dana Farber crew -Thanks to the Red Sox and Jimmy Fund- and had a most excellent time. A truly wonderful opportunity for a very special and courageous group of teenagers.

In the next blog...as this one is getting quite lengthy I will put up some pictures of the new leg!

I will also attempt to be more timely with the results of his next set of scans and keep you updated on what Christopher is up to in general... as always there is never a dull moment!

I am thankful that we made it through the winter and look forward to more good health and adventures in the spring.

Thank you for taking an interest in Christopher's ongoing battle with cancer. The kind thoughts and prayers are priceless.

Much peace to all, Patty

The following are a few of the photos from the past few months:

The photo below was found in Twitter by Uncle Mike. It is from a trip with the teens from Dana Farber to Ft. Myers, FL where they had the opportunity to see a game at the new spring training park and meet some of the players.

Chris did an awesome job hitting the slopes on his snowboard for the first time since his amputation.
Here he was able to hike about 3 miles...again thanks to the new leg being much more forgiving than the old prosthesis.
Though he didn't get to see as much snowfall as he would have liked, he did get to experience winter in New England.
Shoveling is not as easy as it looks!