⭐️Big week this week! ⭐️ We met a new team and did our last chemo shot for this series. We celebrated today that Arthur doesn’t have to go back to clinic until a week from Friday!! 🎉

1.  We met with the Radiation Oncologist Monday for the first time for a consultation. Arthur will do 10 sessions of radiation during a 2-week period sometime over the summer.

2.  Today, we got some questions answered and we got to learn a little bit about the process. The next time we meet, Arthur will have a play session in the radiation room to learn even more about the process and see if he can do it without a med nap. If he needs to do med naps, no big deal.  👍🏼 Regardless, he’s interested in learning about the process. Our clinic child life friend will also walk him through it as a familiar voice.  💚 He sometimes asks her questions he doesn’t ask the doctors, so that will be a good gage on his comfort level.

3.  We also learned a little more about maintenance. This is the next and final phase of active treatment that will start in about 6 weeks. 🎉He will cycle through the same 3-months of chemo until November 30, 2025 during this phase. Clinic visits will move to monthly (mostly) with the exception of radiation which will be daily for 2 weeks. He will start each 3 month cycle with port chemo, a 5-day round of steroids, and an LP with a direct hit of chemo. During the whole maintenance phase he takes a couple different types of oral chemo. So, still lots of chemo, just hopefully less visits to the clinic and more time for fun!⭐️🎉👍🏼💚

4.  Arthur will also still be immune compromised. His ANC will not fully recover until after his treatment is complete, so we are still on fever protocol (need to be on IV antibiotics in the ER within an hour of spiking a fever). This also means he will be in and out of school for 1st grade based on the general health of his classmates. 📝

5.  In the next couple weeks, we will send in a cheek swab of Arthur’s to run genetics looking for over 160 genes that are known to be pre-dispositions for cancer. We should get results for this towards the end of May.

6.  We have a solid break before heading back to the clinic on the 10th for port chemo and the start of the LAST series of chemo shots (6 more visits, 8 shots in total)!! To celebrate this milestone Arthur wants to go to the cabin! So look out Harmony Point - the Enselein’s are coming!!!  🎉🎣

7.  School update: We visited his school for the first time last week and will visit again this week with the mobility specialist. He’s learning to navigate the school with his white cane, and then we will slowly move him into going to class there next year. Our goal is that next year he can spend 50-70% of the school year in school. His treatment will interrupt periodically and his ANC will be a factor in when and how long he’s there, but not nearly as much as it has this year. He’s picking up some more time with the tutor and she will continue on throughout the summer to keep him on track. Shoutout to Mary for setting him up so well through pre-school!🎉♥️  And Mrs. Williams for working with him throughout the year!! He’s also been working with a vision teacher that helps him navigate what vision he has and will work with him next year to learn brail. 

Until next time, we are so so grateful for the support!

Ways to support us:
⛳️We are excited to see everyone at the Golf Tournament!! Make sure to buy your dinner tickets!!

🚨last day to purchase tickets for dinner: THIS FRIDAY 5/3.  No dinner tickets will be sold the day of. 

🏌🏼Golfers: you will get an email about your assigned wave & a schedule by the end of this week.  We had an outstanding amount of support & we apologize for the delay with communication.  We needed to make adjustments with the course & additional details for the tournament-thank you for your patience for our inaugural tournament.

🎟️ Raffle & Silent Auction: be ready for some amazing raffle & silent auction items.  Updates coming soon!

👚Don’t forget to order your shirts in support of Arthur’s cousin, Nora! She’s heading into a tough time of treatment and could use all the support she can get! I know from experience how impactful a simple shirt order can be. Arthur loves knowing he has so many people cheering him on through the hard times and celebrating the good days with him ❤️
Order by 5/5:
https://www.tornadoalleysportswear.com/noras-sharks-online-store-open-through-5524

👗You can also support Nora by doing your mother day shopping at Leela and Lavender in Maple Grove on May 16th!
https://facebook.com/events/s/sip-and-shop-with-noras-sharks/986554216225508/

⛳️Nora is also benefiting from a golf fundraiser June 1st! Check it out here ➡️ https://facebook.com/events/s/6th-annual-ride-on-fore-carrie/985076416306238/