Seventh-Inning Stretch

You are familiar with the term, “Seventh-Inning Stretch,” right? As I’ve watched Jace this week and looked ahead for the final “innings” to arrive, “a good stretch” is the best way I know to describe what his week has been like. After enduring an uncomfortable and  tense competition of good cells overtaking bad cells, we are all stretching this week-- regrouping, and waiting to watch the victory unfold. We are officially in Cycle 5 (of 6), and we are very excited to finish it and start Maintenance.

Monday, February 22, Jace will go to the hospital again. He will receive a Lumbar Puncture, and then he will go to the office to receive a series of new meds. After Monday he will return every day for the rest of the week for chemo. The same thing will proceed the next week.

Luckily for us, Jace loves his team. His nurses, Dr. Hancock, and the staff at Teton Oncology are the highlight of his week, and he looks forward to seeing them. Jace has also made a new friend with cancer, Mark Steiner. Last night Mark and Jenny solidified Jace’s favorite MLB team to the Red Sox by bringing him a new hat and shirt. Not only are we grateful for new friends, but we are grateful Jace has someone else who really understands what he is feeling. (Thanks for the photo, Jenny!)

We signed Jace up to play baseball, though Matt and I are fighting about appropriate protective gear. I’m thinking Jace should constantly wear catcher’s equipment. You know, the whole enchilada…covering him from head to toe. Matt is saying we can just get some padded Under Armor for his chest (covering his port), and unfortunately for me, Jace is siding with his dad on this one. Apparently he doesn’t want to be the only boy in the field looking like an armadillo…and Matt assures Jace they WILL win this fight. Man! (literally) I hate being outnumbered.