From Brooke

From Brooke Brown:
The past two weeks have been crazy busy with meeting with doctors, commuting to San Francisco and Marin, and keeping up with Kahala, who is enthralled by Becky and Jane's incredible 4 1/2-year-old twins, Finn and Emalia!  

Finally, the meetings are behind us, and we have a bit of breathing space before the appointments begin again on Tuesday in preparation for Emalia's next round of chemo--no. 5--at Kaiser SF on Thursday. 

The good news is that Emalia's tumors have shrunk! She has responded well to the chemo.

But right now Emalia's only treatment options are chemo, rest, and diet/exercise. The regimen entails chemo off and on to shrink the tumors. Chemo regimens are every 2 weeks and can go about 6 months, and then she’d get a break. If tumors reappear and/or grow, she would start chemo again. 

More good news is that Emalia is no longer in pain, and her nausea is now mostly controlled. She still tires easily but is more and more able to get out for walks, get on Becky's elliptical, and play with Kahala. It has been so heartening to see her able to do these things--like go trick or treating in the neighborhood with JB, Kahala, and the Worley-Mitchell crew; and, it is also clear to me how much energy these fun things take from her...so it is essential that lots of rest time is available for Emalia to use. 

We are beyond happy with Emalia's medical team here--which includes UCSF and Kaiser SF doctors as well as two Marin oncologists--and that they know each other and communicate back and forth readily makes for Emalia feeling even more supported and closely held medically.

We had a wonderful meeting with the head of the Osher Center, an MD who is also UCSF's chief of oncology. (Osher Center is UCSF's integrative medicine "arm.") This MD advised Emalia to use diet to create a "hostile terrain" for cancer cells, something she has already begun. Also exercise is key and vital for her fight.

I know it is hard for many of you to not be in direct and frequent communication with Emalia, and please know that Emalia must continue to ration carefully what energy she has, prioritizing JB, Kahalakea, and exercise--and so far simply hasn't had energy to spare. I can only say that she is SO appreciative of your support and knowing you are with her/us on this journey. We all feel your love streaming our way and know that there is absolutely no way we could do this alone. 

We will return to Maui shortly before Thanksgiving and return to California in January for another scan.

With great aloha & gratitude,

Brooke