Katelyn had her monthly check up this afternoon.  Her counts were all within the normal range:

WBC- 7

Hemoglobin- 12.5

Platelets- 246,000

AGC- 3269

Height- 35 ½ inches (47th percentile on growth chart)

Weight- 29 lbs. (57th percentile on growth chart)

We are, as always, thrilled with the great news.  This month marks Katelyn being off-treatment for one year.  The risk of relapse decreases significantly at this point.  We were told that the risk is somewhere between 10-20%.  It’s still there, but in this particular type of cancer, most relapses happen while the child is still on chemo, or shortly after finishing treatment.  It’s a highly aggressive cancer and as the doctor today put it, it is very encouraging that Katelyn has reached this point. 

However, he told me that we still need to remain vigilant and somewhat paranoid.  I’ve got the paranoid part down pat, so I think we’re good!  Basically, signs of relapse could also be the same symptoms that a child gets with a common illness, so when she is sick, we need to take it seriously.  Her check-ups will now be every other month instead of every month, so we will not have our regular blood draws to catch a relapse that way.  He even suggested that if she were to get sick in between appointments, we get her blood drawn at the pediatrician’s just to be sure. 

So, this is all good news!  As good as can be considering we’re even having this conversation, I suppose.

CaringBridge now has the option of purchasing a CaringBook, which is basically this website, printed into a book.  We plan on keeping this website open, so that we can continue to update everyone on how Katelyn is doing.  But, we do want to get this book printed.  We think with Katelyn reaching the first anniversary of being off of treatment, this is a great time to print the book.  So, with that said, if you would like your comment to be forever printed in Katelyn’s book, please sign the guestbook within the next couple of weeks. 

We will be adding pictures from the beginning of her journey through the present so that the book will include them all.  This will almost be her baby book in a way, since she had all but a normal beginning of life. 

Words cannot express how proud of our little girl that we are.  We watch her in amazement every day.  To see how far she has come, it truly is incredible.  And, to all of you who read her site, thank you.  You have no idea how, in our times of greatest sorrow and fear, we would come to this site and your words of encouragement truly got us through.  Many days, it was the only thing that we had to look forward to.  We have always treasured your words.  Thank you.