BCCTWB

Hey everyone!

It’s been four weeks since my craniotomy and considering the number of things that have happened since then and how grateful I continue to feel for all of your support, I thought it’d be a great time to post some updates for you all.

First and foremost, thank you, thank you, thank you. I don’t really know how to adequately thank everyone. Our family has had random & distanced people reach out, family and friends hang with us to help manage the girls and so many people provide us with food that I haven’t cooked in weeks. Beyond that, we’ve received enormous physical, emotional and financial support from family, friends, friends of friends, colleagues, former teachers, etc. etc. etc.

For those of you who know me closely, you understand how difficult it is for me to accept, manage and feel like I can ever appropriately thank everyone. It is literally making me insane that it is not feasible to send you all physical thank you notes because there are too many of you and I don’t have everyone’s address. Despite that annoyance, I am putting all of my thankful vibes and love into the universe – I’ll say it again, good karma better be headed your way!

With regard to medical updates, below are some details that Ryan and I believe information-seekers will find helpful:

• My post surgical pathology did not highlight any changes to the molecular components of the tumor (Which is good! Glass half empty, the alternative could have been a worse diagnosis.)
• Physical recovery has been (shockingly) minimal. At this point, aside from some tenderness around the scar and a bit of fatigue when I overdo it, I’m feeling pretty normal (minus the cold/lingering cough we all got 2.5 weeks ago, because you know, why not).
• Ryan and I have gone to a number of appointments gearing up for radiation and chemotherapy at the Memorial Sloan office in Westchester. Thankfully, my Columbia oncologist is very familiar (and friends) with my MSK oncologist, so they’re both supportive of me carrying on relationships with the two of them. Absolutely adoring them both (Dr. Jacqueline Stone & Dr. Mary Welch).
• My chemo will be an oral pill (standard care for brain tumors), which typically results in fewer side effects & symptoms than the chemo you’ve experienced or witnessed before. I’ll be fatigued and a bit immunocompromised, but obnoxious hair loss is unlikely outside of the region of my skull being targeted by the radiation treatment and nausea/gastro issues should be minimal.
• Radiation and chemo is scheduled to begin on October 25th. It will carry on for six weeks (through December 6th), and then I will have a four week break before beginning continued chemotherapy. This means the month of our Polar Express train-ride to see Santa, Leila’s 4th birthday, Christmas AND New Year’s will be treatment free 🙂

With regard to personal updates, below are some fun things that have helped keep me, Ryan and the kiddos going…pictures also included to add some fun and make you smile!

• Leila & Scarlett are thriving hanging out with their buddies at school – Leila regularly calls out most of her classmates while chatting at home, and the other day Scarbo’s friend knew who Ryan & I were so clearly something is going right.
• We’ve somehow managed to keep them (Leila) in the dark about all of this and we owe so much of that to the girls’ daycare, our families and friends who have popped over or taken the girls when we needed a break.
• Even though I’ve always considered myself to be quite the feminist, I had no idea the WOMEN in my life would be so responsible for why I haven’t lost my mind. Sister(s), moms, cousins (!!!), aunts, Dr’s & their nurses and FRIENDS from all my life stages – you all know who you are – have kept me going on a daily basis.

“In the wild, female elephants are known as fierce protectors. And when one of their sisters is suffering, they circle up around her. They close in tight, watch guard, and even kick dust around her to mask her vulnerable scent from predators. And yet, we are the same. This is who we are, and who we are meant to be for each other. Sometimes we’re the ones in the middle. Sometimes we’re the ones kicking up dust with fierce, fierce love. But the circle remains.”

• Tattoos. If you don’t like them or find them offensive, you can stop here. They’ve been incredibly therapeutic for me and provide persistent reminders of reasons to remain positive and joyful. Especially all my matching ink, which has been a ridiculously recurrent trend!
  • 1. Deathly Hallows – some HP fun with my siblings
  • 2. Hippo filled with all our initials – Ry’s first (and probably only) tattoo!
  • 3. My initial “therapy” session, a few days after my biopsy results came back negative. A couple chickadees for the girls, dandelions for me (so hard to get rid of, felt like a nod to my attitude), a daisy for Ry and a butterfly for our son, James.
  • 4. Screw Cancer in Arabic + my Situ’s favorite phrase in English…
  • 5. Feminism! With some subtle highlights of my life as a mom & sister.
  • 6. BrainCancerChoseTheWrongBitch
  • 7. ELEPHANT!! Because I have amazing women in my life. Six of them have already gotten their own elephants, and at least four more have appointments scheduled!!
  • 8. 25 – my birthday – a number that randomly came up 17 times the first time I went to MSK – the first day of radiation & chemo.
  • 9. An evil eye because I’ve always worn one and have them scattered throughout my home, so why not a permanent reminder.

Anyhow, I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to share any more, but I hope this passage has reminded you that I’m still me, despite living in a weird, wild and incredibly annoying phase of life. We be hangin’.

So much love to you all.

-Danielle (and Ryan, Leila, Scarlett & Zeke)

PS – for those of you still bothered by the tattoo therapy, please note that I already had one pre-cancer, and 90% of the people who have contributed to my group tattoo trend were also previously tattooed. We’re so fetch.