Cancer free, again.
Way to Battle Published by Kristin Martin · 5d ·
I’m getting real good at knowing certain area codes. So when I saw the “215” on my phone this morning I immediately ended my other call. It was CHOP. The results of Brady’s biopsy last week had finally come back. Everything is clear. His MRD. And. The one in a million. All clear. Zero cancer. I felt as if one hundred pounds of weight were lifted from my shoulders. This result, while a huge celebration, was what we desperately needed to hear. It is the same result we need forever. After a lengthy conversation with one of the doctors on his team we know that these next five months are critical. We need there to be absolutely no B cell return. None. I can’t even begin to tell you just how critical these days ahead are. We know that there are limited, and I mean limited, options ahead past this. And while we rejoiced in this incredible news and start to the week, we also had to say some hard goodbyes. Chris’s sister, Heather, husband, Kyle and sweet baby boy had uprooted their lives in Denver a month and a half ago to come and be here while we took on Philly with Brady. Having them here brought so much comfort to us and allowed us to focus solely on getting Brady through this leg of treatment. With Brady back in school and improving every day, it was time for them to pack up and return home. Before we headed over to squeeze in an extra few minutes together, Brady ran upstairs to pick out of his stuffed animals to send home with Reiter. A perfectly chosen, super soft elephant. Brady could never let Reiter leave without first sharing something of his with him. I watched as the kids gave their last big squeezes before Heather, Kyle and Reiter headed for the car. Brady handed the sweet elephant to Heather and I almost melted to a puddle. Moments like this are hard because the love we share is so real. I will never forget the wise words that someone spoke to me when my dad passed away a few years ago. They brought my heart so much peace in those heartbreaking moments. “The greater the love, the greater the loss.” Today, as we gave our hugs and drove home, we saw an incredible sunset. And while we will see Heather, Kyle, and Reiter again, I was reminded of those words.