Last clinic visit:  8/20/2010 Counts: ANC below 1,000 but ok to resume chemo at home and start school

One year ago today, Oliver was diagnosed with ALL.  It is so hard to believe how drastically our lives have changed in that year.  In the last year, Oliver has undergone surgeries, several very harsh treatments, been hospitalized at various times, lost and regrown his hair, swollen up like a balloon from steroids to extremely tiny and fragile and has fought very hard for his life.  Larry and I are both now well versed in various prescription drugs, side effects, etc - we have had to learn so much.  The cancer did not take over our lives, but we have certainly had to make a lot of changes.  And the fight is not over, Oliver still has a little less than three years of treatment left, although we hope that the worst is over.  

Oliver started kindergarten this week and we are so happy that he can actually feel like a "normal" kid.  So many things we take for granted on a daily basis until faced with something like this.  Life truly is a gift.  Childhood is a gift.  Oliver has remained consistently strong and happy throughout it all.  Thank you to everyone for your support over the last year.  We appreciate it and know we couldn't have gotten through this without it.