The results were a miracle.

A walk and with Ashley & Brian

Author

Ashley Joves
March 03, 2026

Last Thursday, the sun was hitting a perfect 70 degrees here in California. It was the first time in months that the air didn't feel heavy with "medical talk" or the clinical chill of a hospital waiting room.

Brian and I decided to take a walk. And for the first time, we decided to hit record and invite you to walk with us.

If I’m being honest, I’ve lost track of my age lately. I had to ask Brian on the walk if I was 43 or 44. That’s what this season does to you; it blurs the lines of time. But if there is one thing that has become crystal clear, it’s that we are in a season of complete surrender.

The News We’ve Been Praying For

We went into this week waiting for results from Brian’s MRI and PET scans to see if the chemotherapy and immunotherapy were actually working. Since December, it’s felt like we’ve been fighting an invisible, aggressive ghost.

The results were a miracle.

The scans showed a response that was better than we ever dared to imagine. I felt a weight lift that I didn't even realize I was carrying.

We still have a big surgery ahead of us at UCSF, but because the tumor responded so well, the surgeons believe they can save much more of Brian’s tongue than we originally feared. We are trading "fear" for "function," and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Beyond the Medicine: Our Wellness "Pivot"

You guys know Brian. He’s a physician, an athlete, and the most disciplined person I know. He actually thought he was going to work out and work a full schedule through chemo. (Spoilers: The body had other plans).

Watching him navigate a full-body rash and the "permanent hangover" of treatment has been heartbreaking, but it led us to a new exploration of wellness:

  • Plant-Centric Living: We’ve traded our pounds of BBQ brisket for a vegetable-forward, whole-foods life.

  • The Juicing Saga: I bought a fancy juicer and about a hundred glass bottles.

  • Fasting for Clarity: Brian experimented with fasting during his infusions to help with the side effects.

The Architecture of Community

If this journey has taught me anything, it’s that "wellness" isn't just about what you eat or the medicine in your IV, it’s about who is standing in the gap with you.

Brian and I have always been "do-it-yourself" people. But cancer has a way of stripping that pride away. We’ve learned that community is the real currency of a life well-lived. It’s the doctor in Maine who has never met us, but reached out to Brian because they knew someone fighting the exact same battle. It’s the neighbors who offered to take our boys when things got heavy, and the friends who sent cards and flowers just to say, "We see you."

We often talk about "The Making Of" a practice or a career, but we’re realizing that what’s actually being made right now is a deeper connection to all of you.

To the person sitting in a waiting room today, or the one feeling isolated in their startup journey: Reach out. Don’t wait until you have it all figured out to invite people in. Whether it’s a heart emoji, a text, or a post in our Facebook group. Community is the only way we make it through the "darkest months."

We aren’t just "making" an office or a podcast; we’re making a family. And we are so, so glad you’re part of ours.

Listen to the full "Walk and Talk" episode here

With love and gratitude, Ashley

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