<div>Hi everyone,
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<div>Thank you all for your recent messages, concerns and questions regarding Rayel's recent medical news. We are beyond grateful for your thoughts and ongoing support with her health journey. Here's an update of where things stand now.
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<div>Rayel had her last chemotherapy treatment in 2022. Since then, she has been maintaining her recommended treatment plan and has gotten "green lights" all around. The pathology was good, there were no tumor markers in her system and the scans have all been clear, until now. It's with deep pain in our hearts that we are reminded that life doesn't always go as we hope. Even when we do everything "right".
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<div>After 3 years of being cancer free, Rayel started feeling mysterious and debilitating pain. Over the past few months, the intensity was growing so she requested a bone scan. After weeks of working through medical delays, the scans were finally done. A few days after landing in Arizona to celebrate her 38th birthday, she got a phone call… The cancer is back. Our hearts sank. Here we go again.
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<div>On Monday August 11th her oncologist in Arizona walked us through the findings and reviewed the PET scan. The pain she is feeling now is metastatic bone cancer. It's basically reoccurring breast cancer cells that have found a way to continue growing, in new places. The recent scans show cancer present in her bones, back of the neck, her spine, ribs and hips. It also showed that there are possibly traces of cancer in a few of her organs and lymph nodes.
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<div>The good news is that we caught it early and it's still small/manageable. Nothing in the scans was over a few millimeters. The cancer is scattered throughout her body though, and she'll need to start a full system treatment protocol. Starting with immediate infusions of a medication called EnHertu that her oncologist recommended. This is a new targeted chemotherapy that is extremely effective on these specific breast cancer cells. It's a newer medication but it is less invasive with much more manageable symptoms. Thank goodness.
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<div>Although the new diagnosis is earth shattering. Her medical team remains bright, positive and confident about the outcome of treatment. The immediate priority is getting her on this new medication to stop the spread. More priorities are sure to follow as her cancer/health team assembles and we get more information.
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<div>Unfortunately, Rayel's pain levels and new shift of direction to her health means that she can't work. We've been trying to determine the fastest treatment plan while navigating a move back to Arizona. As of now, she's getting things organized to figure out the most effective plan and tackle these first few emergency steps.
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<div>The treatment plan:
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<div>• She's getting her port in Thursday August 28th. (Done baby!)
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<div>• She will get an echo scan on August 29th (to test her heart) to make sure it's healthy enough for the medications she needs. (Also done!)
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<div>• The Enhertu infusions we are hoping to start that next week. This medication isn't as intense as before but we do need to "quiet down" her system with urgency. It is a chemotherapy but it targets breast cancer cells in the system then treats it as a whole. According to get Doctor in Arizona, Robin Obenchain it has amazing results.
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<div>As everyone knows, ongoing health battles can be hard to predict. Rayel is strong and she is going to do whatever it takes to find the light in dark times. Your love and support are a bright light for her. These moments are extremely hard to comprehend and navigate but with all of you backing her up it feels less heavy. We have high hopes moving forward.
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<div>Thank you for continuing to hold space and lend support to our sweet girl. You have all loved, supported, laughed, cried and fought with us every step of the way. We couldn't be more grateful for this community of amazing humans. Through it all we stick together.
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<div>We are the lucky ones.
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<div>We are incredibly grateful for all of you helping this bright light get through the next step in her battle with cancer. Round two.
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Kelly Agraz

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Support Rayel's Cancer Journey: Round Two

Support Rayel's Cancer Journey: Round Two

Still $8,092 to go. Help us build momentum.