It's been a long time since there has been an update on Evan. Again, mostly because his status has been pretty boring, thankfully. Since finishing treatment and ringing the bell in October, he had his chest port removed by surgery, and really nothing made him happier than that! Since then, he has had to get blood drawn peripherally and checked by the oncologist every month to make sure he continues to ok.
Today, I took Evan to get his blood drawn and to see Dr. Palmer. This marks six months since he completed treatment. Today is a milestone! Since finishing treatment, Evan has had to take Bactrim twice daily, every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (just as he had to during the entire span of treatment). But since he is 6 months post-treatment, he no longer has to take the Bactrim. So, this is the first time since July 2020 he doesn't have to have any medicine! How did Evan react to this news? He said "cool" and moved on. Once again, he continues to amaze me with his strength, his tenacity, his childlike faith that we are called to have. And I can see why we should try to mimic this. During the early times of his diagnosis when I was a mess, Evan took it in stride. He just seemed to know that we have to complete each step in the process and get it over with. A sweet, innocent naivete I wish I could muster pretty much every day.
There were mornings we would have to wake up at 0400 to be at the hospital at 0500 for a procedure or whatever. Those were tough, and Evan voiced his displeasure, but he did it. He powered through. During the days his white blood cell count was zero and all he wanted was to go outside and play, but couldn't, he might have grumbled a little, but he persevered, somehow knowing that someday all would be better. On the nights, he was connected to a 24-hour infusion and could only sleep in certain positions, he didn't cry about it. It was just another step in the process. And on the days when he was nauseous and so weak, he could barely make it to the bathroom, he really didn't complain, but tolerated this stage with the grace that only a child could.
In the almost three years since his diagnosis, not only did Evan have to deal with cancer, but other life-altering things took place. His Aunt Kathy died in 2021, his grandmother died and his mom and I divorced in 2022. Not to mention there was a global crisis called covid that changed the way we lived and worked. Yet, Evan has taken each of these things in stride and learned to overcome them even on the darkest days. So even when my days and nights were darker than ever, I found strength primarily through our Creator but also from a little boy who had no choice in any of the above events.
As we all know, life can change in an instant. We are always one heartbeat away from a life change that will alter us forever. As adults, we can get wrapped up in trying to fix things and worrying about the past and the future. But, in Matthew 18, Jesus said that "unless you .... become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven". Nowhere does the Bible say we need "childlike faith", but it clearly says we need to humble ourselves before God just as a child might. No one knows more than God, no one can figure out the whys and hows other than God. No one knows the end of our story other than God, Who knew the end even before our beginning. Maybe that's the faith Evan has. He's funny, silly, smart, a good athlete, and doesn't always do the right things when he should, but when it comes to serious matters, he certainly has demonstrated a "childlike faith". From that, I find strength.
So, Evan has to continue seeing the doctor every month for another half a year, then the visits will space out some. Overall, he is looking great, getting tall, and finally adding weight! His grades are stellar, he is playing U8 soccer and just signed up to play baseball.
His labwork today is perfect! His WBC is up to 8,000! Best it's been in 3 years. All other labs are perfect as well.
The past three years have been a whirlwind of major life changes. We are all experiencing them and as we move forward in time, there will be more. No one is spared, and no one makes it out alive. If you have had a grace-filled life and major changes haven't visited you, rest assured they will. And when they do, I'll show you a little boy stronger than me, with a faith purer than mine, and a humble spirit that we should all try to attain.
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