❄️ January Update — Weary, Hopeful, and Holding On

Mood

Weary but cautiously optimistic, and deeply hopeful that this will be the year Chloë beats cancer.

This Month in Treatment

January quickly became busy with outpatient appointments and testing: bloodwork, X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, bone scans, liver function testing, and cardiology visits. It has meant many hours in waiting rooms and many moments of holding our breath, but all part of carefully monitoring Chloë as she continues treatment.

Last week was especially difficult, as it was time for her chemotherapy that is given in a single day but requires a hospital stay until her body “clears” it. A Monday admission often means not getting home until late Wednesday night or Thursday. After a couple of days at home, she returned again this week for her second longer admission.

We also received some very encouraging news from pathology: the chemotherapy Chloë received before her amputation in October had already destroyed about 95% of the cancer. The hope is that with the tumour now removed, any remaining microscopic traces have also been eliminated. Chloë is finishing cycle four now, with a couple more four-week cycles still ahead.

Starting next week, the first two days of each cycle will be outpatient chemotherapy rather than inpatient, followed by a shorter break and then another stretch of longer hospital stays. Any time spent sleeping at home and being together is something we are incredibly grateful for.

How Chloë Is Doing

Chloë continues to do as well as she possibly can. The hardest part often comes after the chemo itself is finished, when the long days of waiting for discharge stretch on and the missing of her dad, her little sister, and home really settles in. We rely on frequent video calls — often two to four a day — to help her feel connected and supported.

This week also brought an important milestone: one of our dear friends from the Orthopaedics team removed the final stitches from Chloë’s amputation wound. It has been many weeks since her surgery on October 29, and having those stitches removed felt like a small but meaningful step forward.

Bright Spots & What We’re Looking Forward To

We were able to welcome the New Year at home and celebrate her dad’s birthday together, which felt like a gift in the middle of so much hospital time.

Chloë also has something very special to look forward to: as an end-of-chemo celebration, it was decided that she will be getting a leopard gecko. Once she shared this exciting plan, Charlotte quickly made her own request — a bearded dragon. By the end of the summer, our basement playroom may officially transform from a Barbie room into a full-fledged Reptile Room. Talking about it has given Chloë something joyful to imagine on the harder days.

Gratitude

We remain deeply humbled and grateful to the extraordinary team surrounding Chloë — the nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, pharmacists, case and social workers, and our Interlink nurse. As difficult as each visit can be, we could not ask for more dedicated, compassionate, and supportive people. They have truly become like an extended family.

Life Outside the Hospital

January also brought unexpected stress on the work front, with news of federal workforce adjustments and a letter indicating that my position was affected. It was not something we were prepared to navigate alongside hospital life, but like so many things this year, we are taking it one day at a time.

We move forward tired, yes — but hopeful, grateful for good news when it comes, and confident that this will be the year Chloë beats cancer. One step, one scan, one cycle, one day at a time.