On Wednesday, Liam went in for what we thought would be a quick routine bloodwork appointment. He had honestly been feeling so good the past couple of weeks—better than he had even before his diagnosis. Since we expected it to be a simple appointment, Steven and my mother-in-law took him.

Unfortunately, his bloodwork showed that his platelets had dropped to 24, so instead of coming home, he ended up needing his first platelet transfusion. Thankfully, other than being a little extra tired the next day, he seems to be feeling pretty good again.

This coming week is another busy one. Monday he'll have an MRI followed by an appointment with his oncologist. Tuesday he'll have another hearing screening, since hearing loss is one of the possible side effects of his treatment and they monitor it closely. After that, we should be admitted Tuesday through Thursday for round three of chemotherapy.

Lately, while I've been cleaning around the house, I've listened to a couple of documentaries and for whatever reason within these, the adults have been going through chemotherapy. It really reminded me of just how much Liam's little body is enduring every single day. One documentary featured incredibly strong, hardworking athletes with competitive mindsets, and even they described chemotherapy as one of the hardest things they'd ever experienced. They talked about feeling completely out of control in their own bodies; a stranger in their own skin. 

It was a reminder I think I needed. Liam is so incredibly strong, brave, and resilient that it's easy to forget sometimes just how much his body is fighting behind the scenes. Just because he isn't always showing it doesn't mean chemotherapy isn't taking an enormous toll on him.

I'm sharing these pictures because they're one small, visible reminder of that. Ronin and Liam are normally very close in skin tone. Ronin is usually just a little darker because he's always outside—shirtless, digging in the dirt, climbing on rocks, and just being a boy—but Liam is usually not far behind him. Right now, though, the difference is striking. Chemotherapy has kept Liam from being outside soaking up sunshine and simply being able to enjoy the things he loves, and it's changed his coloring in a way that's impossible not to notice.

Sometimes the effects of treatment are easy to see, and sometimes they're completely invisible. Either way, we're so thankful for every good day, every answered prayer, and everyone who continues to love, pray for, and support our sweet boy. We appreciate you all more than words can say. 🩶