Today marks Jonathan’s second day of outpatient chemo at the Northside BMT Clinic — otherwise known as his new home away from home.  He takes oral chemo twice a day and gets his IV Arsenic treatment there — yep, you heard that right: Arsenic. Turns out, it’s not just for murdering rats anymore… it’s also for saving lives. Who knew? 

So far, he's handling it like a champ, just like he did in the hospital. Yesterday, he was pretty wiped out after treatment and took a deluxe nap. This morning he woke up more fatigued than usual, but all things considered — no major side effects, no drama, just some extra yawns. 

Appointments have been pleasantly shorter than expected — around 1.5 to 2 hours — as long as there's an open infusion chair and he doesn’t need transfusions. His blood counts have either been holding steady or haven’t dipped low enough to need them, so fingers crossed we stay on that path. 

We also got more clarity on the treatment roadmap for APL. This current phase (the “Consolidation” phase — sounds like a corporate merger, right?) involves six weeks of chemo, two weeks off, repeat… for eight months. The silver lining? He only needs to go in for IV treatment four of those six weeks. We'll take our wins where we can! 

Jonathan was cleared to walk indoors without his walker! He still needs it outside for now because sidewalks and curbs are apparently trying to sabotage him, but it’s a great step — literally. He even made it to a PT session today after chemo, and still managed to whip up his own breakfast this morning. (See attached photo for proof — he is a man who takes his eggs very seriously.) 

He’s also rediscovering the joy of fresh air, sitting out on the patio whenever he can, and just started easing back into using his computer. Next up: listening to a good audiobook. So if you have any favorites — fiction, legal dramas, sports nonfiction, true crime, we're open — send them our way! 

In exciting family news, Darrah comes home from camp this Thursday after 3.5 weeks away! From what we hear, she’s had a blast — new friends, a role in the camp play, and we’ve been told she even had the chutzpah to rock a solo of Seven Nation Army at the Shabbat concert. Thankfully, she is booked for the rest of July with camps and volunteering until school starts on August 4 ( believe it or not Northerners!) 

We’re now figuring out how to talk with her about Jonathan’s diagnosis — keeping it honest but hopeful, just like we’ve been doing — and what life at home - our “new normal”- will look like moving forward for the next 8 months. Prayers, good vibes, and all the cosmic reinforcements you’ve got are welcome for this part of the journey too! 

Finally, we just want to say thank you. Again and again. The love and support we've received has been overwhelming in the best way. From generous donations to meals to dog-walking to car-fixing to house-helping and everything in between — we are deeply grateful. Your texts, calls, and messages mean the world, even if we’re a little slow to respond some days. 

Thank you for continuing to walk with us on this very unexpected path. We truly feel your care, and we don’t take a single bit of it for granted. 

With love and appreciation,
 Alli & Jonathan