August 30, 2026

Last week was another long week. Spending all day at UNC on Tuesday, all morning at the eye doctor on Thursday, and another full day at clinic on Friday have left me totally depleted.

Ollie’s oral chemo makes his blood counts crash so he has needed red cells and platelets. I also had to take him to the eye doctor to make sure his eyes were ready for transplant and hadn’t been affected by the chemo he’s been getting over the last few months. Tuesday he will go to clinic again as well as a PET scan on Friday to make sure there’s no residual cancer in his eye.

It’s hard to describe the emotional and physical toll it takes to care for a precious child with cancer. I’m realizing just going to oncology clinic is an emotional experience I’ve become almost numb to. But lately I’ve seen so many new kids (with a new diagnosis) in clinic. A one year old who is learning to walk while their parent tries to help and also hold a chemo pole, a mother with tears running down her face as her baby goes into the sedation room for the first time (likely to figure out a diagnosis), the blood draws, dressing changes, ports accessed, the tears shed… it’s so much for everyone who has to endure the treatment and for their caretakers.

I am so incredibly grateful for the child life specialists in clinic (and inpatient). Their job is to help families cope with the stress and anxiety of being in clinic in whatever way they can. They run the playroom— a place we have spent countless hours playing instead of sitting in a waiting room. They have toys and activities, bubbles, all the fun… and Ollie has fallen in love with both of them. They have helped him learn to swallow all his pills (which still amazes me), they play with him, check on him, and once even searched all of UNC for lucky charms! Last week I asked if there was anything they were running low on as far as supplies. They said— markers, play doh, and colored pencils. So, if you would like to add some fun to the clinic playroom for all the kids who spend long hours in clinic, I have added some things to my Amazon wishlist that I will bring.

We are continuously grateful for our community.