Like any part of life, one year can seem so long and so short depending on your focus.  It's unbelievable how far we've come and how much our family has had to change this past year.  I remember the first couple of months all too well, they were beyond bleak.  I honestly didn't think I would make it through another day as a primary caregiver to my child who was suffering so much.  I doubted my strength often.  As a mother, sometimes you have to give more than you have to offer.  Doing that for weeks on end can break you.  I was broken.  I've learned about strengths I never knew I could possess.   I've learned about fears I never fathomed.  I've learned that Aaron is my partner in every sense of the word.  His stoicism, positivity, and unflappability are admirable.  He is my counterbalance.   I've learned how complex emotions can be in humans at any age.  I want to give some praise to Simone too.  She has stepped up to be an amazing big sister to Dorthy;  her emotional maturity is impressive for a seven-year-old.  She has struggled with some serious anxiety due to the heavy nature of our lives.  We're working through it and will continuously keep our mental health a priority.  

Ever since Dorthy entered the maintenance phase of treatment in October, our family took a much-needed step away (as much as we could) from Dorthy's diagnosis.  It seemed to be consuming a lot of our lives.   Even though Dorthy was trucking along, the holidays hit me pretty hard.  My mental health needed some recalibrating.  After Christmas, we were able to take a beach trip as a family which helped us all feel closer to our lives pre-leukemia.   We will continue to align ourselves toward the path we were on before cancer struck.  Dottie Gray was able to take a ski trip with Aaron and Simone after Thanksgiving.  She turned 5-years-old in December and is starting soccer in the Spring.  It will be her first taste of organized sports. She is so excited about it!  

There is not too much to update for Dorthy, which is a great thing.  She takes her at-home oral chemo daily.  Once a month, we head to Children's Mercy Hematology Oncology clinic for routine lab work.  Depending on her levels, she can leave and stick to the same chemo at the same dosage.  Every third month, she receives another spinal tap at clinic. These appointments are the tough ones. She has to take a lot of drugs on top of the chemo and is typically drained. The week following spinal taps she goes back on steroids, which always turns her into another kind of beast. However, her last spinal tap in January went so well, that she even wanted to go back to school after.   This kid is insanely strong and determined.   

Some other news we'd like to share is her official END OF TREATMENT date, May 4th, 2025.  This is the date when she'll be able to stop taking chemo.  We will still have to go to clinic monthly for labs a full year after that date,  every 2 months in the second year, every 3 months in the third year, all the way up until the 5th year post-treatment.  Then it drops to once per year for lab work.   It is a long road.  

Throughout all of this, I've maintained gratitude.  I have not lost sight of what I/ we do have.  We are so very lucky to have our network of family, friends, and the girl's school community.  All of you have helped keep us afloat in the heaviest of times.  Thank you for your listening ears,  loving hearts, and endless generosity.