Hi friends!

Since my last post things have been looking up. As some of you may know, my latest brain MRI showed that the first brain tumor is still gone and the second one has shrunk significantly. This is the kind of news I've been anxiously waiting for. Although we are also ECSTATIC over the news that I have no other growths in the rest of my body and that the other current tumors (in my hilar lymph node and L5 disc) have been stable, I had been most concerned over the tumor(s) in my head. This goes to show that whatever we've been doing is working! Whether it was the chemo, radiation, my alternative methods, or all the above, I'm led to believe that it's doing the trick. Therefore, I will continue complementing my clinical therapy with my "at home" therapies. 

As you may know, I've been trying for the last 2 months to be accepted into the clinical trial involving immunotherapy at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, but, my circumstances have changed. I was scheduled to begin the trial in late June/early July but after many suspicions, we solidified that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that involves your immune system mistaking your healthy thyroid cells as "invaders" and launches an attack. This is a very common disease with my case being very mild at this time. With me having Hashimoto's, an autoimmune disease, I was permanently disqualified from the study. This is because the protocol to be used in the study enhances the immune system and could likely result in it attacking my healthy cells throughout my body and very likely going for the thyroid first. Even though there are a few more clinical tries out there that we are considering, my docs here in Lexington are going to replicate, in a sense, the therapy provided in the Cincinnati Children's study. So, I will still be receiving immunotherapy!

In actuality, I've already received my first dose of the immuno drug Pembrolizumab a week ago. With immuno drugs there is the concern that your immune system could target your healthy cells, resulting in autoimmune-like conditions. So far, it seems that I have tolerated my first dose of Pembro very well with no major side effects. Next, we will be adding in radiation to my hilar lymph (1 dose) and L5 disc (3 doses) this and next week. Because the radiation compounds the effects of Pembro, if I continue to tolerate these two therapies over the next couple weeks, I'll also receive Decitabine, a low-dose chemotherapy drug. This also adds to the desired effect of disturbing tumors' defenses and allowing my immune system to recognize the cancer cells so that they can be targeted.

I'm relieved that my docs have put together a treatment plan that is tailored to my desires and that is also cutting-edge therapy. Let's hope it works! As the super optimist that I am, I believe that this new treatment + my alternative methods will achieve the results that I want (permanent remission).

On another note, I want to thank several people who have made a difference in my life lately:

Lauren McCloy & Helen Smith- Thank you for organizing and fundraising toward our goal of $15k. Also, thank you for becoming baldies with me! Welcome to the bald and beautiful club! I'm so thankful for you two.
Joel Booth- Thank you for also shaving your head on camera and being an awesome long-time friend. I'm grateful for your support!
Molly Johnson- Thank you for putting to use your mad hair-buzzing skillz to help with our fundraiser. You're amazing as always!
Jaime S. & the Livongo team- Thank you for my Thrivosity box and for continuing to support me with donations and gifts. You've all given me so much and I can't say how lucky I am to work with such a generous and compassionate company!
Anna Fuller- Thank you for the lovely teas. I'm excited to try them!
Anna Fielder- Thank you for putting out so much effort to keep up with me and arrange to see me on your vacation. I also want to thank you for your patience even when our plans fall through. You're a rock to me <3.

I also want to thank all of you who are reading this who have donated to my fundraiser and/or supported me in some kind of way. Saying that I am grateful for your support doesn't do it justice, but I truly am.

Wish me luck these next 6 weeks that I tolerate this new treatment well with no adverse side effects and that it does the trick! 
 
Love & light,
Stacy