Happy Friday, dear Tribe!

Please forgive another quick update, but I wanted to put everyone’s minds at ease so you can go enjoy the weekend. ❤️

We got good news today.

The surgical consult went well, and Cynde’s team is happy and optimistic about how she has responded to this first round of chemo. Most importantly, they feel good about moving forward with surgery.

Surgery is scheduled for Aug. 27 at 7:30 a.m. at Anschutz Medical Center in Aurora. It is expected to take six to seven hours, depending on what the surgical team finds. The current plan includes a full hysterectomy, with the possibility of removing additional intestinal tissue if necessary.

After surgery, Cynde will spend some time in a higher level of care — somewhere between a traditional hospital room and the ICU — so they can keep a close eye on her. Her total hospital stay is expected to be about four to seven days.

Recovery will take some time. She won’t be able to drive for at least a couple of weeks, depending on how she is healing and whether she is still taking pain medication. We are also hopeful that surgery will allow her to begin transitioning back to a regular diet.

In September, she’ll begin three more rounds of chemo.

If that sounds like a lot, it is.

But here is the part we are holding onto: Her team is very optimistic. This is the path they hoped she would be able to take, and they believe this is the best treatment plan moving forward.

So tonight, we are grateful. Grateful the chemo did its job. Grateful there is a plan. Grateful for an incredible medical team. And incredibly grateful for all of you who continue to surround Cynde and Pops with so much love.

One step at a time.

And remember…

We can do hard things.

Much love ❤️