At The End.... Finally

It's been exactly 26 months to the day since Madi started this long journey of needle pokes, blood draws, transfusions, chemo pushes and drips,  oral medications, doctor visits, and a lot of unknowns.  I originally likened this journey to a path through the woods.  You've seen the pictures, right?  Kinda like when Maurice and Philip are headed out to take his invention to the fair in Beauty and the Beast.  The horse looks between the two paths... one sunny and cheerful with birds chirping, the other dark and gloomy with ominous eyes glowing from the depths.

That's kind of the picture I had in my mind of how things would be.  Somedays we would be walking along the sunny path, other days (and more often than not) we would be walking along the dark, rocky, unknown path.

I look back at that naive perspective and have to laugh.  Hard.  And just shake my head at it all.

What's it really like?

It's more like unknowingly being line for a roller coaster.  And then, when it's time for you to get in your assigned cart, there's no way to back out or change your mind about getting on the ride.  Even worse, is that fact that the track for this roller coaster is completely hidden from view except for the enormous drop at the beginning, yet you know that isn't going to be the worst part of the ride.  You don't know what dips or turns there are ahead of you.  And there's no way to really even prepare for what's to come.

On the other side of that scenario, there is no equal to the views from the high points.  There is no comparison for how bright the sun can shine in those sunny places.  Nor is there a way to describe the new bonds you form with your fellow riders.  There are even a few places along this crazy ride you will find yourself actually enjoying where you are at that moment.

This is a moment we are enjoying because Madi had her final chemo drip today.  It's a really odd feeling to know she's done.  It was even hard for her to leave at the end of it all.  Even though we will now be going to the office more often for checks on her counts, she was in tears because she didn't want to leave.  Hard to imagine, but this has been our normal for 26 months.  I doubt she remembers much of her life before Leukemia.

There is a smile under that mask.

Decorated pole for her last chemo treatment.

It's been an unreal experience for our whole family.  Would I choose to go through it again? ABSOLUTELY NOT.  However, I will say this has been a time of growth and maturing for our entire family.  We now have a unique perspective, just as any other family would have going through a traumatic time.  The blessings that have come from a bad situation have been humbling and a source of strength and new faith for us, too.

We definitely have some worries, so please continue the prayers.  We have no guarantee of the future, but the prognosis is excellent. Madi will be monitored closely for then next several months, which will help to ease our minds.  She will also continue her immune therapy to hopefully keep her free of infections during cold and flu season.  (It will take about 6 months or more for her immune system to be able to fully function on it's own.)

The ride is long and unpredictable.  Yet, you find yourself at the end before you know it.  We now get to exit this roller coaster and move on to the next.  (To be honest, I'm really hoping this new one is more the speed of the 'It's a Small World' ride at Disney.)

Regardless of what comes next, we can at least say this ride is done and we are finally at the end.

**Also posted at madismilestone.blogspot.com**