Merry, actually things have been going so well, compared to only a few weeks ago, that I have been enjoying the simpler life.

Liz completed her palliative radiation treatment and will soon begin immunotherapy with Sotorasib (Lumakras). The genetic testing of her tumor revealed that it has a genetic mutation that can be targeted (KRAS p.G12C). Essentially, the Sotorasib turns off the reproductive ability of the cancer cell and specifically affects only those cells with the KRAS p.G12C mutation. The drug was approved for use last May and shows real promise. It increases longevity by an average of 7 months (4-13 mos range) in test patients and we are hoping Liz is on the high side of the curve. On the down side, there are several possible side effects and she has to take 8 of the pills each day. I am glad that we have good insurance as the cost is around $19,000 per month. She will have regular CT scans and blood work to monitor the efficacy of the drug.

Her breathing is improved and we are trying to wean her slowly off her dependence on constant oxygen. We had her in the pool a few days ago and plan to make it a more frequent event for the rest of the summer.

She has started eating in earnest again and actually gained 3 pounds this week alone. She is still in constant pain but her being more active will hopefully restore some muscle tone to help reduce the pain.