Two if by sea…

Happy summer, friends. We’re overdue for an update, and the tests of the month are just now producing information worth reporting. You may recall that, after her CAR T trial, Dea had a pretty big collection of tumors that appeared to be cruising the status quo in her bones, but also a couple new ones that seemed to be emerging in her liver. Those liver lesions were mysterious… Were they independent new tumors? Breast cancer mets? Something else? Resolving those questions was an essential prerequisite to mapping the path forward.

This has been a heavy mystery to carry around through the summer, but it also came with some blessings. The break from chemotherapy, which started back in March, has continued through July. The business of managing complications from so many bone tumors did not stop, but a break from chemo has meant a break from so many side effects. During July Dea watched Ricky “launch” (her word, with signature emphasis) a new chapter with many milestones. New career, new colleagues, new dreams, independence, travel, apartment, and on and on. This was a fast stretch of the parenting river, and that ride has been sweet. Summer has also brought the gift of several invitations to boat with friends. Dea reports that time on the water has been the most delicious a) time in the present and b) connection to childhood. “Definite highlights of July.”

Sadly, the results of July’s liver tumor analyses are disappointing. They do appear to be metastases of her breast cancer, so things are still migrating and growing. Also, a summer spike in circulating ‘cancer markers’ punctuates some of those points. Her docs have proposed that they go back into their bag of chemotherapy tricks ASAP, and Dea has embraced that plan. It is expected that whichever chemo they select, the meds will extinguish the remaining CAR T-cells. And so the see-saw tips. Again. The team has kicked into high gear to select the next chemo, and get it rolling.

As Dea recounts the blessings of this summer to date, her stories get animated when she’s talking about the incredible food people have gifted, the photo memories people have uploaded, and the incredible good fortune of being surrounded by loving friends and family. I suppose you reap what you sow, my friend. You are quite the garden.

Heading back into chemo, I’ve extended the meal train through September, and I encourage everyone to keep the ever-growing photo collection in mind — in case you bump into an old drawer or shoebox full of memories. Dea has mentioned many times that photos from the pre-digital era are particularly fun to see (and thanks to all for shooting/uploading pics of your old prints… It seems all roads still lead to the digital simulacrum).

If you are willing to climb on the September meal train, the extended sign-ups are here.

Dea, here is wishing you all the smiles of August. In a remarkable place, with your remarkable people. The best of summer is yet to come.