Day 60

Friday.  REMISSION!!!!!!!!
Doctor Kopp called as we were just about to leave this morning.  We were headed back to the hospital to find out the biopsy results and to be readmitted to begin the 3rd round of chemo. 

She called hoping to catch us.  She said, "I have good news!" 
My heart skips a beat (or two).

She told us that the biopsy showed no leukemia cells.
They did a second test where a computer reads it, (reads it beyond what the human eye can see).  It also did not show blasts (leukemia cells). 
It did show a few clusters of cells.  Those aren't necessarily bad...  They are now testing those clusters.
The test of the clustered cells will take a few days to get results. Because of that Dr. Kopp wanted to give us the other good news ...that Riley can stay home over the weekend. We will head in Monday morning for the results and 3rd round begins.

Even if those clusters come back as leukemia, they were less than 1%.

Remission for AML is when they find less than 5 % leukemia cells. 


I cannot even describe the feeling.  Really!!
I have sat here for awhile trying to come up with the words and ...  my thoughts are all over the place!  SO HAPPY!  Such relief!  So thankful for this incredible blessing! 
Vince looked at me and Riley after the news and he said it all...  "This is a miracle!!" 
We immediately knelt in prayer, thanking our Heavenly Father for this miracle!!  We know of all the prayer and fasting that took place on behalf of Riley.  How thankful we are for that!
One of my favorite scriptures from my Book of Mormon reading the last few weeks.  ...
1 Nephi 7:12
"Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to His will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in Him?  Wherefore, let us be faithful to Him."

I knew if we were faithful, if we endured.  If we just believed in His plan for us... Riley would be ok.  We would be ok. 
Riley still has a long road ahead.  This AML does not go quietly...  If there is one little leukemia cell in his body the whole process starts over again. 
 Riley starts the third round on Monday.  He will then have conditioning chemo to prepare for transplant and then of course the bone marrow transplant.  Again we are blessed though... To have a sibling donor is HUGE!  It will give Riley the best chance that the transplant will be the cure. 
The facts are, if Riley did not get into "remission" before the transplant... the chances that the transplant would cure him are not good.  We needed this miracle!!  and that is what it is!!  (Smile)