Hi All!
It's Elise. Wow, that was quite the unexpected update mid-April with my emergency gallbladder removal. Happy to report that the day after my surgery I felt so, so much better and haven't had pain since. I'm hoping for no more trips to the ER this year after my three visits in one week. Thank you all for reaching out to me, checking in, supporting us still, and praying for me. It means so much. Thank you for being patient with my updates as well.

In April I got two new base line scans done, an MRI from my chest up as well as a PET scan. My oncologist reminded us that initially in September we didn't detect cancer in the scans, but knew through the tongue biopsy and the lymph node removal that I was at stage 3 last Fall. My scans after radiation continue to look clear, which is great news, but a little scary that the unknown still lingers. She described that oral cancer can take all sorts of avenues since it lies within your lymphatic system. She described the cancer as once it grows it has many, many avenues like city streets that it can take (tongue, mouth, throat, lymph nodes). My oncologist hopes that she's "blasted" all of the remaining cancer with the radiation, but she will continue to see me every 3 months for the next 4-5 years. I'll also be going to the dentist a lot more than normal to take care of the enamel damage my teeth have gone through and my mandible bone.

So, what's next? Well, forever going forward if I ever have a sore, see/feel something odd, or my tongue changes I will need to go to my oncologist to get it checked out. I have many people watching over and consistently checking in on me (team at Stanford, my primary care physician at PAMF, and my dentist). There have not been many research cases done on people in their 20's with oral cancer and it's likelihood of returning. No one at Stanford can give me an estimation on if it can come back, they can't promise anything, or give me any stats. This just is not common! If for some reason in the future the cancer returns, we will deal with it then and see if another glossectomy on my tongue is needed and if chemo will be the route for the future. I will not be able to receive radiation again. I am thankful that as of now, I'm not in pain, I'm not getting treatment anymore, I'm eating, and feeling somewhat back to "normal"!

Things you can pray for:

• That this cancer never reoccurs again. That this is the end of it
• That my body (and mind) catches a break and that I learn how to give myself time to heal and figure out what that looks like going forward after a traumatic 7 months
• For my family, Erik and Chiyo, that we can step forward into a new way of life together which we haven't quite experienced since Chiyo's birth
• Healing for Erik as he's been separated from us since Saturday afternoon since he's been sick (he's doing much better each day) We're all overtired and I've been trying to work at home all day while watching Chiyo

I'm thankful that in the past few months we were able to visit Erik's grandparents and extended family in Colorado, that I was able to enjoy a 24 hour work trip with my co-workers in SLO, that we were able to travel to Chicago to see our dear friend get married, and that we were also able to go to LA to see a couple of my cousins and my aunt (their first time meeting Chiyo). I'm grateful that we are doing the things we love to do together as a family and that (most of the time) I'm feeling well and up for it. It was a blessing to celebrate and be with Chiyo all day on Mother's Day this past Sunday.

Thank you for loving us in every way. 

-Ee & Chi