Hi all,

Happy Fourth of July! Chi has moved into the final two steps of her lengthy treatment plan. As a quick recap of the last 9 months, she has finished 6 rounds of TCHP chemo, recovered from her mastectomy, completed 25 rounds of radiation and received several other HP infusions. Her next step before she is declared CANCER FREE involves completing 14 rounds of Kadcyla. This is a more targeted form of chemo that we expect to have less severe side effects compared to her initial chemo treatments. So far she has completed 2 of the 14 rounds. The cadence continues to be the same as her other chemo and infusions have been - every 3 weeks.

The other component involves preventing her cancer (which is hormone positive, meaning it is fueled by estrogen) from receiving any additional estrogen. To start with, she will take a daily pill called Tamoxifen which prevents the uptake of estrogen by any cancer cells. At some point she will alternate to an Aromatase inhibitor (AI) which works differently by stopping other hormones from being converted into estrogen by her body. But in order to take an AI, her body must have stopped producing estrogen. Until she reaches menopause, her options to stop the production are either via medicine or through surgery (an oophorectomy). The duration for these medicines will be ten years. Both of these medicines have considerable side effects, and the compliance rate of cancer patients to continue the medicines until the end is only about 50% because of frustration with the side effects. So lots to think through and decisions to make for the coming future. 

On a lighter note, the summer has been great so far and Chi has not been letting this slow her down. Highlights have been Chi and Austin going to Indianapolis to see the Olympic swim trials, conclusion of spring/summer baseball for Austin and great swim seasons for both kids that culminated in both swimming at the ASA meet at Georgia Tech. 

Thanks for all the love and we hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

With love,

Brent, Chi, Austin and Nora