Enhertu Cycles #10 #11 #12 and Update - 9/5/25

I wanted to update everyone as we have a game plan moving forward.  After some pushing from my end, I was able to get an earlier appointment at the Mayo Clinic to understand if I qualify for the clinical trial.  I went down there on the Tuesday after Labor Day and it ended up being a whole day of appointments.  The good news is I qualify for the BOSS clinical trial! I just met the cut off as I have 3 areas of progression and they take patients with 3 or less areas.  The purpose of the trial is to understand how effective radiation is for progressive disease while staying on your current line of systemic therapy.  They will follow me over the course of many years. 

I am so happy I qualified, and the plan is to start radiation next Monday the 8th!  It will be 5 rounds, so treatment will be each day during the week.  I am planning to just make the drive back and forth each day for treatment.  They offered me The Hope Lodge, which offers free housing for patients undergoing radiation treatment, but I would have to stay a minimum of three nights. I just didn’t want to be away for that many days and thought I could make the drive work.  I will take good Podcast or Audiobook recommendations!

During my time at Mayo, they prepped me for radiation called a “Simulation” where they take images and mold me into the positions I will be in for radiation days.  Your body must be perfectly still and they have these molds they put you in to make that happen.  Since I will be getting radiation to my neck area, they also had to basically clasp my head down to the table in a tight position.  They essentially took a hot piece of plastic and molded my head to the table in what is called the radiation therapy mask.  It then dries into the mold needed to keep your head in place.  I wanted to share this because I thought it was so wild to me, and scary as you feel like you’re trapped in a cage.  Sharing a photo of what this thing looks like for reference!  I will have to wear this for about 10-15 min each time I get radiation.  It will be a time to whip out my breathing exercises as having that over my head for that period of time will not be fun! 

As far as getting radiation locally, I got a call from the nurse prior to my appointment which would have been today, sharing that he and Dr. Lassi had talked and the decision would have been NOT to approve me for radiation locally given too many areas.  Apparently, he said I would have to be switched to my third line given the progression.  Thankfully, given my decision to go to Mayo, I wasn’t too worried about this and decided to cancel that appointment.  I guess the reasoning is they say it’s not standard of care and radiation is proven not to be effective.  But that is what the clinical trial is for, to understand that.  The radiation oncologist at Mayo said that patients do well with the radiation, but that other spots of progression pop up over time.  For me, it doesn’t hurt to try this new approach.  Who knows if I will be the exception in this case.  It at least is giving me an extra 3 months to live if I can extend my time on Enhertu and let’s say I have progression somewhere else on my next scan.  At that point if I do have progression again, I would have to switch to my third line of therapy.  I also wanted to share that the biopsy results came back and the tumors are negative for any genetic mutations that we can target.  Apparently the HER2+ tumors just are resisting the HER2+ drugs and that of course concerns me.  But I am trying to remain hopeful. 

In the meantime, I have a plan, and I am happy about that.  I will get radiation and continue receiving Enhertu infusions every 3 weeks.  I just finished my 12^th infusion about a week ago.  Sharing the photos from the last three visits.  My blood work at my appointments continue to be great and hope that continues.  As far as side effects go, I’ve been battling more fatigue and brain fog lately, but not sure if that is due to the infusion, progression or both.  Days 3 to 7 after infusion are the worst for me, and I’ve been sleeping a lot more.  But I manage to still get out of bed, do my morning routine, go to the gym and remain as active as possible to continue to live my life.  One thing that is helping me move forward is to really be present for today.  I am alive today, I will be here next week, next month, next year and that is as far out as I go.  Taking it one day at a time is all I can do and will continue to do.    

In other news, I was supposed to be in Norway right now with my best friend Kelsey and her husband Kevin, but fate had other plans.  We ended up canceling our trip, not because of my appointments, but because of Pickleball.  My best friend tore her ACL and Meniscus playing pickleball and the funny (well maybe not funny) thing is, I was the one that hit the ball to her where she hurt her knee.  She had knee surgery just a few days before the documentary premiere.  We had to cancel our Norway trip as we had so many wonderful hikes planned.  It’s interesting because in hindsight, Norway would have conflicted with all my appointments and radiation to maybe things would be different for me as Dr. Lassi didn’t want to wait to get radiation.  I find the world works in ways that we don’t understand sometimes, but it was just meant to be then not to go on this trip (at least not now).

There’s been a lot going on lately but I’ve been focusing on continuing my healthy habits, building my strength back up and writing.  I’m currently in the process of writing a book and I signed up for a memoir class in Oct and Nov to further help me in my writing. I am pretty excited about the class as I will learn a ton and hopefully will accelerate the book I have been always wanting to write.  I’m also continuing to update my blog at Home | Uplifting Lemons – just another fun passion project.

As far as fun things over the past couple of months - I went to the MN State Fair and ate all the good food, I joined a weekly pickleball league, went rock climbing with another Thriver, went to the Twins vs. Tigers game with my mom and spent quality time with my family when they were in town.  Cherishing and soaking up all the moments and memories as much as I can. 

As far as fun things for me ahead.  The week after radiation I am going to Washington with my friend Steve.  We will be exploring Mount Rainer and Olympic National Park.  The plan is to spend time in nature and do some hiking. I am really looking forward to getting away for about 5 days and decompressing after all the madness the last month or so!

And lastly, wanted to share a couple pictures from the “One in Eight” Documentary premiere that occurred about a month ago.  My parents and sister were in town, and I had my close friends join me in this wonderful event.  It was a night to remember.  For those that missed it, the plan is to submit to film festivals and then share more broadly.  We are currently trying to raise $10,000 for submitting to film festivals.  If you can, please help us reach our goal and donate to Vranicure here -> vraniCURE

I know October is coming up which is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Last year I held a get together at the Breast Cancer Walk at Mall of America with friends, coworkers and family.  I think I will try to do that again this year so keep Saturday Oct. 11^th in mind if you are interested in joining me again. I won’t be asking for donations again this year, but it means a lot to see people and do the walk together in support of me.  I think we will go ahead and wear the same t-shirts as last year as well.  If you are local and would like to join but don’t have a t-shirt, please text me and let me know your t-shirt size, I will go ahead and order more for the event.  505-681-0902. I will share details as it gets closer. 

And to end this long update, I just wanted to say thank you for the messages and support it truly means a lot!  Also, the ladies from the documentary had made bracelets for me and ones that say “Stacy’s Squad.”  For everyone in my life, you are a part of “My Squad” and you have touched me in some way, shape or form.  Feeling so loved by all.

Love, Stacy