Recap and Rehab into immunotherapy! - 9/27/25

I'm just about 3 weeks away from beginning the part of my cancer journey that I've been most looking forward to -- immunotherapy, where we use a drug (Pembrolizumab/Keytruda) to block my lung cancer's ability to evade my immune system, and let my body destroy the cancer by itself. Now might be a good time for a quick recap of the journey so far. 

On 4/9/25, I had a low dose lung cancer CT scan which found a suspicious lesion in my right upper lobe. 

On 5/15/25 Dr Kai Swenson, did a bronchoscopy biopsy and the lab determined it was cancerous (Non Small Cell Lung Cancer adenocarcinoma). If it hadn't spread my surgeon, Dr. Jennifer Wilson could have removed it and I would be cured, which is just what happened to my sister Moe. So if you know someone who smoked a pack or more a day for 20 years or more, urge them to get annual CT scans, it can save their life.  

On 6/2/25, I had a PET scan which found the cancer might have metastasized to my spine (the right transverse process of my T7 vertebra.

On 7/30/25, Dr. Martina Stippler surgically removed that transverse process and closed the wound with 19 staples. The lab confirmed it was lung cancer, so I was now at Stage 4 Lung Cancer.  A subsequent MRI showed no evidence of cancer in any of my spine! Yay!

Dr. Daniel Costa had the tumor analyzed to see which genes had mutated, causing it to become cancerous, and luckily for me my cancer is highly treatable with immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab/Keytruda).  I was also trying to get into a clinical trial with potentially more powerful anti-cancer drugs, so I needed several more tests. 

On 8/20/25, I had a brain MRI to prepare for the clinical trial and on 8/22/25 it showed I had a brain tumor in my motor cortex which was impacting my left arm and leg.

On 8/22/25, I checked into Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and got a room, Reisman 1183-1, on the oncology floor of the Reisman building and steadily lost control of my left arm, and part of my left leg.

On 8/28/25, Dr. Rafael Vega removed the tumor in a 4 hour operation and put me on a powerful steroid, Dexomethasone, to decrease the resultant brain inflammation.

On 8/29/25, all of my function had returned and I was released. Yay!

On 9/1/25, I went to the brain tumor clinic and Dr. Lauren Hertan scheduled me for 3 Cyberknife radiation treatments to kill all the remaining cancer in my brain, and I tapered off the high doses of steroids over a few days. After stopping the steroids for a few days, my symptoms returned.

On 9/13/25, I checked back into Reisman 11 after having a focal seizure (left arm shaking itself for 10 minutes) and a collapse. I went back on steroids and anti seizure drugs (and other medication), had the Cyber knife treatments on 9/19,9/22,9/23 and slowly regained some left side strength and coordination, but my left arm and leg were almost completely paralyzed until a few days ago.

Today, 9/27/25, they transferred me to a beautiful water front acute care Rehabilitation Hospital (Spaulding) in Charlestown, MA where I will have 3 hours of Physical and Occupational Therapy every day for 1-2 weeks, as I slowly taper down on the steroids over 4 weeks. I'll probably be able to return home and start immunotherapy around the middle of October, in a couple of weeks.

I am so excited about this final sprint toward immunotherapy, which will involve 30 minute infusions of Pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for 2 years! I'm going to be an excellent patient and work really hard at PT/OT every day, so I can get home and resume a more normal life!

Lung Cancer is a complex disease and there very well could be (and probably will be) more complications, but I have complete trust that my world class and deeply caring medical team will come up with a plan for whatever complications might arise. So I don't spend any of my precious time worrying about the future. 

Instead, I focus on appreciating each moment with friends and family and being thankful for how lucky I've been. I haven't had any pain, everyone has been so kind and caring, from residents, attending doctors,  nurses and other medical staff (PCTs, EEG techs), roommates. Everyone has an interesting life and most are willing to share what excites them with me and that builds a sense of community for me.

I also feel like I'm getting closer to my family and friends and colleagues as I go through this journey. 

Life is unpredictable, but I'm truly learning that no matter what life throws at me, I can fully appreciate and cherish this incredible gift and I do not have to endure any suffering.  I do sometimes feel powerful waves of emotion rise and fall and bring tears to my eyes, but its usually overwhelming gratitude as I reflect on my life, for all the people (and pets) I have been able to love and who have loved me, as well as my joy in getting to learn so much about life and experiencing so much of the beauty of life! I have had many challenges in my 3 score and ten years of life, but life is filled with joys and sorrows, and they have both deepened my whole experience of living. I wouldn't give up anything, even the cancer... Life itself is precious and cancer is a part of my life that is shaping me in ways I would not want to give up.

Here's my view from the rehab hospital!