Inside the Mind of an Educator

The past few weeks have tested me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The troll in my head—the one zapping me hundreds of times a day—finally quieted with medication, which I weaned off this week. At the same time, we met with my care team, and because of my reaction, they discussed skipping chemo altogether. You'd think I'd be thrilled. Instead, I felt confused. My confidence was shaken. A Shock to the Heart When this journey began, I was adamant: remove Buella surgically and pursue a metabolic-only approach. But if you know me, you know I research e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. I quickly discovered that while mice respond well to metabolic-only strategies, the human data isn't strong. Most studies combine metabolic therapies with standard treatments—chemotherapy, radiation, and, for tumors like mine, hormone therapy. That meant my care team wasn't being overly cautious—they were following the science. Still, the sudden change in plan made me pause. Gavin laughed...