To our friends and family, Eden has continued a pretty amazing recovery since her diagnosis almost two and a half years ago. And, still, skies look pretty good, but we've been dealing with some passing clouds over the past 5 months. In July, an area in her brain lit up on her regular, quarterly MRI. Given the location of the spot, the lack of symptoms, and a number of other factors, the doctors had a strong suspicion that this was cellular necrosis, damage to healthy cells as a result of her radiation treatment a couple of years ago and not tumor progression. While proton radiation is fairly exact, there is often collateral damage to healthy cells in the surrounding tissue. We were put in a bit of a holding pattern and continued to have other types of imaging done over the next several months, including MRI with spectroscopy as well as a PET scan. The additional scans were being used to verify the treatment effect hypothesis.[...]

This is a shameless plug, asking you to support Head for the Cure, a 5k run that raises needed funds for brain cancer research! All four of us: Eden, Dan, Alina, and Julia are participating. Will you help us raise money for this critical research? It's so easy! Just visit my personal page (unfortunately they couldn't put all Zasloff's on one page) http://events.headforthecure.org/goto/eden[...]

Yesterday, Eden had her last infusion of Vincristine, one of the three chemotherapy drugs that have played an important role in fighting brain cancer during six rounds of treatment throughout the past 11 months. We quietly walked out of the hospital together, somehow thinking there must be a marching band and fireworks to signify this event! But, all was peaceful and calm. And it was just really nice to walk out and onward together.[...]

One year ago today, July 18, 2016, Eden was diagnosed with an Oligodendroglioma -- brain cancer. At the time, our world turned upside down and almost nothing made sense. In the months since, I have gotten to (and Eden and the girls too) a place of radical acceptance. Not one of us in this world has any assurance that tomorrow won't be our last. Therefore we are no different from anyone else. And if we're no different than anyone else, there's no use in asking "why is this happening to us?" Rather, it's more important to ask: "this is my life, how do I live it to its fullest?"[...]

Hi friends and relatives,

On July 9, Eden and I, along with Alina, will be running a 5k called Head for the Cure to raise money for brain cancer research. And, we'd love it if you could be with us - in person or "virtually" and help us to support this amazing organization. And yes, I just said Eden will be running a 5k in the middle of cycle 5 of her chemo regimen. That is just how Eden rolls.[...]

Happy Spring. Where to start...well, let's start with health. A week ago, Eden started cycle 4 of a potential 6 cycles of chemotherapy. She launched into this cycle with a lot of gusto, ready to take it on and get herself ever closer to finishing all 6 cycles. To review, each cycle is 8 weeks, with the first four a mix of 3 different drugs taken at various, but specific intervals. The last four weeks are rest, giving Eden's blood counts an opportunity to recover before the onslaught of the next round. Her blood has definitely taken a hit - some of the most critical measurements include platelets (for clotting), neutrophils (white blood cells critical to fight infection), ALCs (Absolute Lymphocyte Counts, also critical in fighting infection). All get blasted by the chemotherapy and take time to recover. These reductions impact Eden's ability to fight infection, so she wears masks on planes, avoids cleaning out the barn, and steers clear of downtown Beijing. In all seriousness, this is pretty important stuff, and so she gets her blood drawn weekly so that the doctors can keep tabs on a couple dozen factors that could impact her ability to both tolerate treatment and fight germs and other bad stuff. So far, so good.[...]

It's been a while! Eden has been doing really well so far, and life has become somewhat normal - a new normal. And all of a sudden it's 2017. Hope everyone is having as good a new year as possible. We're on the verge of making America great again, so that's happening.[...]

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and a delicious thanksgiving, celebrating with friends, family... We had a delicious feast at our friends Rachel and Brian's, celebrating thanksgiving with some of their family. Last weekend, I said goodbye to my older sister, Libby, who was visiting for a week from South Carolina. The timing of Libby's visit was perfect because she was able to join Dan and me, when I was administered my first dose of vincristine, which is the only chemo drug that I don't take orally. We were off to a rocky start when I had a mini borderline panic attack as the nurse was preparing to place my IV (never had a panic attack so I'm not totally sure if this meets the criteria, because I kind of consider myself "cool as a cucumber"). This drug is given after an anti emetic is administered through an IV. Fortunately, I do not need a port, and fortunately, this is given via IV push (like an injection into the IV) rather than hanging an IV bag and sitting for hours while it is infused. The entire dose of the antiemetic and the chemo drug should have taken about 1-2 hours to administer, but my crazy talking to the nurse about possibly vomiting or passing out had the nurse thinking an ativan might calm my nerves. We also tried a meditation app, Headspace. All week I felt great, until about 4 days later when I felt flu-like, muscle and head achy, tooth pain (weird), which were soothed by some tylenol and warm liquids (vegetable soup and hot tea). The nurse and my doc said these were expected side effects. Everyone took great care of me all weekend-I'm lucky to be in such loving hands! My mom is scheduled to visit during my next vincristine dose, and they only happen twice per cycle, about every 3 weeks.

With the exception of that minor vincristine episode, the two other oral chemo drugs haven't been too bad. I have been taking an antiemetic on and off when I take the oral meds, but I've been able to continue with my exercise routine. And my body and brain thank me when I'm working out. I feel alive and strong when I'm exercising, and that does wonders for me![...]

Friends and family,

The past month of healing, since the end of Eden's radiation therapy, has been good. Eden slowly has regained her energy level and has kept up her physical activity - running, walking, yoga, and pilates - about 4 days per week. She looks great, feels great, and you wouldn't know anything was wrong if she wasn't missing some hair on her head.[...]

Eden completed radiation - her final treatment was Wednesday, Oct 5. She's now a graduate of the SCCA Proton Center. They actually throw a graduation luncheon which was incredibly touching. The week's graduates and their families share a meal, say a few words, and are honored by the staff with a "Challenge Coin," a tradition traced back to a World War I pilot who was shot down and captured by the Germans and later escaped to France. His U.S. coin was the proof he was not a German spy, saving his life when he wound up in French custody and was challenged. Since then, challenge coins bearing the organization's insignia are given to service members by commanders for special achievement. In addition to Eden and a few other adults, there was a 12-year old girl and a 5-year old girl who were honored for completing their treatment - bringing most of us to tears. [...]