CLL Update: Why Louis and His Doctor Chose Watchful Waiting After His Latest Biopsy
- maryrburrell
- Dec 30, 2025
- 2 min read
Some seasons in caregiving feel like you’re holding your breath… and then finally letting out a slow exhale when you hear, “He’s doing okay.” That’s where we are right now.
Louis had another round of scans this fall. The good news? Most of the swollen lymph nodes in his body have stayed the same or gotten smaller. The only change was under his left arm, where the nodes got bigger — so his doctor did a biopsy to check everything.
The biopsy confirmed his CLL is still present, but it has NOT turned into a more aggressive form. That alone felt like a huge weight lifting off both of us.
His doctor thinks this might be the very early stage of the CLL trying to come back, so they’re running deeper tests (like CLL FISH and resistance testing) to understand what treatments would be best if he ever needs them again.
But here’s the part that matters most:
Louis feels good. No fevers. No night sweats. No weight loss. No symptoms. And he’s hitting the gym with me 3–4 times a week!
So he and his doctor chose watchful waiting instead of jumping into more treatment — and honestly, that feels like the right call. There’s peace in trusting the process, even when the path isn’t clear.
What Happens Now
We’re in a monitoring phase:
Labs
A special CLL test based on the biopsy
A follow-up visit in 3 months
Watching for any changes in how he feels
Because his energy is steady. His symptoms are zero, we’re taking things one day at a time — like we always have.
A Little Context for Our Friends Following This Journey
Louis was diagnosed with CLL in 2013 and stayed in “wait and watch” for years. Then 2019 came — the year I entered hospice — and he quietly started his own cancer treatment while caring for me at the same time.
Since then, life has moved in cycles: remission, monitoring, and another round of treatment earlier this year. He’s done with that now. This latest update isn’t a crisis — just something to keep an eye on. And as long as he feels well, we stay grateful.
To every caregiver who holds fear in one hand and hope in the other — I’m right there with you. These updates are emotional chapters we live through together.
Comments