Interim Maintenance Begins

Paige enjoyed a brief, small but very special birthday party on Sunday which included her grand parents, Joanne, Eilis, Kathy and Joseph her only little buddy, he was diagnosed a couple days after her and they share a very special friendship. Pictures will be posted soon, but there are 2 shots on Joseph's blog as Celine took the photos! I lost my camera just in time for the party. 
Paige started her next phase of treatment on Monday with a IV shot of chemotherapy called Vincristine, this particular drug has know side effects of jaw pain and weak thighs, not very useful for someone who's learning how to walk and teething! This phase will last for 8 weeks and is meant to be a bit easier for all of us. It will also give Paige a chance to get ready for the next phase which will be quite intensive.
She had a lumbar puncture and Bone Marrow done yesterday and results are due tomorrow, we are expecting that she continues to have a clear bone marrow and spinal fluid - fingers crossed.
Her neutrophils are quite low at 0.3 so that her oral chemotherapy, Mecaptupurine will be delayed till next week. She will continue to enjoy another chemo free couple of days - yay, which I know she's just loving. She needs to have neutrophils of at least 1.0 to begin. Of course the consultants are not worried because she has started 5 days of her steroid Dexamethazone which will push her neutrophils up!
The next few days may be tricky though as I've now got a cold as well as Sam and Paige has a runny nose, Trying to stay away from her whilst in the same house is difficult if not impossible.
Strange though as Paige finally slept through the night on Monday for the first time since we've been discharged. Russell and I even enjoyed a 'Date Night" (on the insistence and encouragement of my parents) on Monday which included a quick dinner and a movie! it felt good to do something normal :-)
So onward we march into the next phase with my very brave, strong child who continues to astound us with her positive attitude and to this dreaded disease.......