GOOD NEWS!

Hey Y’all! First off, I want to thank each and everyone of you for your thoughts, prayers and words of encouragement throughout this journey. Now, here is an update on my health. Monday I went to M.D. Anderson for scans and bloodwork. These scans were particularly difficult as I wanted proof that the target therapy was working on my tumors. The following day, my mom and I met with my doctor to go over the results of the scans and bloodwork. We received great news! The tumors in my organs and throughout my body had shrunk 50-75%. Some of them had even disappeared entirely. PRAISE GOD! This was the first time since the beginning of this journey that my scans had provided good results. What a blessing! This means that the target therapy is working and the goal is to continue these pills for as long as my body allows. Because my body will develop a resistance to these target therapy pills over time, the doctor wants to do everything in her power to extend the longevity of these pills. That is why I will be starting a new therapy soon, which will consist of an autoimmune therapy drug by the name of Keytruda along with doses of the target therapy pills. The hope is that the target therapy drugs will continue to block my BRAF gene mutations from creating abnormal cancer cells and allow the autoimmune drugs to increase my T-cells to fight off the cancerous cells throughout my body. I am so grateful that God is answering prayers as my tumors are shrinking, however, as I begin this new treatment I am still needing continued prayers. I am asking for prayers that the new treatment gets approved by my insurance and that it is effective with minimal side effects. I am also asking for prayers for myself and my family that we are surrounded by the peace of God during this time.