I’ve been a bit silent on this platform because the expression “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” comes to mind. Sometimes things feel so heavy that I feel like by sharing our feelings and pain I am bringing others down into that pit with us and then I just feel bad. I know that is the enemy also because he doesn’t like when brothers and sisters pray for one another so maybe shame on me for not letting that guard down. 

Since Mikah finished the radiation and chemotherapy cycle at the end of November it has been a slow recovery. We are just now seeing Mikah regain some of the strength he lost during that time. He asked to ride his bike last week and to go to baseball practice so I know he is feeling stronger but looking at him you can see he is weak. The thing I am most happy about is seeing the sparkle in his eyes return. For so long he was just a shadow of his normal happy and cheerful self. His hair has yet to start growing again and he feels self conscience about it but around his family he is more comfortable.

I just don’t think we had any idea that this phase was going to be so rough. We’ve watched him go from “healthy kid” to cancer looking kid too many times now and I’m praying this is the last time he has to endure this kind of transformation. 

Sometimes I feel like I explain this a lot so forgive me if I sound like a broken record but I do get a lot of questions about it. Mikah is not scheduled to be complete with chemotherapy and treatment until September 2025. Yes, almost two more years. Between now and then he will still take daily chemo pills at home, weekly chemo pills at home, monthly IV chemo at the hospital and every three months he will get an LP (lumbar puncture) with IV chemo to the spine and they send off the spinal fluid for testing to be sure the cancer cells haven’t returned. This is the maintenance phase of treatment. 

By September 2025 Mikah will have completed over 2,220 days+ of chemotherapy and treatment for B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since being diagnosed at the age of 4 (not including the 10 months we thought he was cancer free). This is long suffering but we remain streadfast in our trust and hope in Jesus. The days are hard but we must believe that God is working. That is where our hearts must remain.

Thank you for your steadfast love and continued prayers for Mikah and our family. Here’s to growing stronger and healthier in 2024.

Sarah