Life has been a whirlwind this past month, centered primarily around our upcoming move. Not by choice! Although the new place is just five miles away, the task of packing up hundreds upon hundreds of books, along with the rest of our household, has been quite a challenge. The silver lining? Our new house is filled with light and has a fantastic workspace and is conveniently closer to the beach. Once we're settled in, brace yourselves! The creative juices are flowing, and we're brimming with book ideas.
On the cancer front, today I had a meeting with my brilliant oncologist to review recent results and discuss our next steps. Throughout this journey, scans have consistently failed me, from missing my initial breast cancer years ago to the ongoing struggle to detect my lobular cancer through PET scans, CT scans, and MRIs. However, one test has remained reliable for me: CtDNA. This morning, the latest results revealed a doubling in my cancer's tumor mutational burden since the last test. What does this mean? It's time to switch up my chemotherapy, as the current treatment is no longer effective. Therefore, the plan is to potentially make a change following my seventh stent replacement surgery in June.
Jim and I want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who has been checking in on us and seeking updates on this journey with cancer. Your unwavering support means the world to us, and we are particularly grateful for those who have been a constant source of strength and companionship…and support us by buying our books and spreading the word about our work. The financial toxicity of cancer is real, and I still have to buy health insurance and pay the premiums in the open market place.
We cherish each of you dearly and cannot emphasize enough how much your love and support mean to us through these challenging times.