Belated Christmas Update!

We started December off on a high note, with a much needed vacation to Sea Ranch for Katie’s 31st birthday, complete with ocean views, a fireplace, and hot tub. We celebrated with delicious homemade food - vegan breakfast crepes, fish tacos, and the cous de gras: an amazing homemade Boston cream cake from Nate’s Aunt Karla! (This cake is a 3-day endeavor and seriously so good.) Katie wore her wig for the first time paired with a fancy velvet head wrap. We played games, worked on puzzles, and took walks along the shore. It was a nice “cancer-cation” and we didn’t turn on the TV even once.

Our dad is currently visiting, which has been really nice. Of course Covid complicated things and required a 2-week quarantine followed by a test, but we were very grateful he tested negative and is able to work from home and spend several weeks out here with us. He and Katie have had a few adventures together on her good days - they spent some time at Muir Beach, went to father-daughter acupuncture, and did a driving adventure across the Golden Gate Bridge. We’ve also had a lot of food and movie time together as a family.

On the treatment front, Katie is nearing the end of her first course of chemotherapy. She received her last Carboplatin infusion last week and her next-to-last round of Taxol today. Her last Taxol infusion is next Thursday, followed by a short break before she receives her final chemotherapy drug. Overall, she continues to handle the chemotherapy well and manage its side effects with medicine, rest, healthy eating and acupuncture.

Thank you again to everyone who has sent sweet cards, care packages, support, donations and so on to Katie and Nate! Everything has been so helpful to lift spirits and some of the daily burden. I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas, happy holiday, and happy New Year! To say we are ready to say goodbye to 2020 is an understatement…