Julia had a clinic visit this Monday. Her counts were good and it appears that everything is stable. Listening to her lungs, there doesn’t seem to be any change, so clinically, everything appears the same. We are so thankful for this and hope the Temodar continues to slow the growth of Julia’s tumor.
Julia is going to the Ronald McDonald Camp on August 11. She went last year and had such a wonderful time. Julia is so excited and is counting the days until she gets back to camp to meet new friends and see her old friends from last year. It is such a wonderful time for her – just being a kid and forgetting about having cancer for one week. No one staring at her hair, or lack of it, and wondering what is wrong. No one seeing the scar from her chemo port while she is swimming and asking what it is. Just being able to play and explore at camp with other kids that understand what it is like to have more doctor visits and hospitals stays than school trips and vacations. It is a priceless experience.
The next two weeks will be busy getting ready for camp. This year’s theme is “Super Heroes” and Julia has already decided on her costume for her alter ego, “Star Girl”. We will have to shop for a few things to complete the look, along with supplies needed from the packing list. Julia has started to make some “friendship” bracelets with her new rainbow loom to bring with her. She is also practicing for the talent show, hoping to sing for everyone again this year.
Next Saturday, we get to check off another goal– go to another Phillies game. Julia loves her Phillies and watching baseball at the stadium. Dressing up in her Phillies red and cheering from the stands, eating a hot dog and singing at the 7th inning stretch – another thing to make her smile.
Julia will have another clinic visit on August 5, just prior to camp and starting Temodar again that evening. The plan is to take a chest x-ray before the exam to compare it to the previous one and get a view of things before leaving for camp. Julia will also have the usual blood tests and exam. It is a tense time, knowing we are going to get a little closer look, praying that nothing has changed. Until then, we will get the baseball glove ready and find just the right “star” earrings to wear to camp.