Thursday, December 29, 2005
A Very Merry Christmas
Kara and the family enjoyed a very happy Christmas together last week. We went to the children's Christmas Eve service at her church, which had a nice Christmas morning service as well. Emma serenaded us with her ever-improving rendition of "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!"
Emma's just beginning to get to the age where she understands the concept of Santa and his bringing presents to celebrate Jesus's birthday, and Luke is old enough now to open his own presents and get really excited about them.
We had a very nice holiday, and it was so good to get to celebrate the miracle of Christmas together!
Kara will hear from her radiotherapist this week, we think, and he will tell her what he wants to do about the spots on her lungs. Kara anticipates that he will go ahead and do the Novalis, since it is such an easy procedure without harsh side effects.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy and stamina continue to improve.
- Please pray that the cancer be permanently eradicated from Kara's body.
Thank you for your commitment to Kara and her progress. You have made 2005, which was a year of so much anxiety and fear for us, so much better with your prayers, words of encouragement and love, and other acts of kindness for Kara. We hope you all have a very happy and healthy 2006.
Emma's just beginning to get to the age where she understands the concept of Santa and his bringing presents to celebrate Jesus's birthday, and Luke is old enough now to open his own presents and get really excited about them.
We had a very nice holiday, and it was so good to get to celebrate the miracle of Christmas together!
Kara will hear from her radiotherapist this week, we think, and he will tell her what he wants to do about the spots on her lungs. Kara anticipates that he will go ahead and do the Novalis, since it is such an easy procedure without harsh side effects.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy and stamina continue to improve.
- Please pray that the cancer be permanently eradicated from Kara's body.
Thank you for your commitment to Kara and her progress. You have made 2005, which was a year of so much anxiety and fear for us, so much better with your prayers, words of encouragement and love, and other acts of kindness for Kara. We hope you all have a very happy and healthy 2006.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Doctor's Meeting
Kara's oncologist was positive and reassuring about the lung spots, that they are too small to tell what they are. There are a couple of options: wait 4-6 weeks and repeat the PET Scan to see if they've grown and then treat them if needed, or go ahead and treat it with Novalis before it grows. Her oncologist will confer with her other doctors and figure out the best plan.
Kara feels much more upbeat after the meeting, and is looking forward to a very merry Christmas with her family.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara, that she might be able to enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray that the lung spots turn out not to be cancerous.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you.
Kara feels much more upbeat after the meeting, and is looking forward to a very merry Christmas with her family.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara, that she might be able to enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray that the lung spots turn out not to be cancerous.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Update
Kara had been planning on taking Emma to the Houston Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker since October, but she began feeling sick on Friday and by Saturday, she was too ill to go. Luckily it was just a cold and she felt much better on Sunday, but it was very disappointing to her -- and all of us -- that she was not able to make it, as she had been looking forward to it for so long.
Kara will meet with her oncologist later in the week to go over her PET Scan results and what his plan will be. Hopefully he can reassure her about the lung spots and she will be able to get back to feeling happy and peaceful for the holiday.
Kara's neuropathy continues to slowly improve. She still cannot write legibly, but she is able to use silverware and hold drinks much better. I've learned to appreciate so many things that I take for granted as Kara's struggled with not being able to use her hands.
We are looking forward to a happy holiday together in Houston, and so thankful that we can be together. We are also thankful that Kara is not having to undergo any further treatment during this time, and can focus her energy on holiday festivities, spending time with Matt, Emma, and Luke, and healing. We are also so very thankful that there is no active cancer in Kara's brain or her liver, and that the treatment has been successful in fighting the cancer there.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara during this stressful time, that she might be able to enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray that the lung spots turn out not to be cancerous.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you for your continued prayers for Kara. We hope that you all travel safely to wherever you will be for the holidays, and enjoy a happy Christmas and New Year with your loved ones.
Kara will meet with her oncologist later in the week to go over her PET Scan results and what his plan will be. Hopefully he can reassure her about the lung spots and she will be able to get back to feeling happy and peaceful for the holiday.
Kara's neuropathy continues to slowly improve. She still cannot write legibly, but she is able to use silverware and hold drinks much better. I've learned to appreciate so many things that I take for granted as Kara's struggled with not being able to use her hands.
We are looking forward to a happy holiday together in Houston, and so thankful that we can be together. We are also thankful that Kara is not having to undergo any further treatment during this time, and can focus her energy on holiday festivities, spending time with Matt, Emma, and Luke, and healing. We are also so very thankful that there is no active cancer in Kara's brain or her liver, and that the treatment has been successful in fighting the cancer there.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara during this stressful time, that she might be able to enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray that the lung spots turn out not to be cancerous.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you for your continued prayers for Kara. We hope that you all travel safely to wherever you will be for the holidays, and enjoy a happy Christmas and New Year with your loved ones.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
PET Scan Results
The PET Scan showed that there is no metabolic activity (no active cancer) in Kara's liver or brain. The PET Scan did pick up two tiny spots of metabolic activity in her lungs. The radiologist thought it might just be inflammation or an infection, but could not rule out their being tumors. Kara was very disappointed to hear this. Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing. She will talk to her oncologist soon, and he will tell her what the plan will be. Most likely waiting a bit and repeating a PET Scan to see if there's been any growth.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara during this stressful time, that she might be able to enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray that the lung spots turn out not to be tumors.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara during this stressful time, that she might be able to enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray that the lung spots turn out not to be tumors.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you.
Monday, December 12, 2005
PET Scan Tomorrow
Kara is having a PET Scan tomorrow morning. It will check for active cancer all over her body. The doctors want to check the status of her liver tumor. The last PET Scan showed it to be inactive, and we pray that's still true. If some part of it is still active, or if it is not shrinking as the doctors like, they may consider either doing further treatment on it, or removing part of her liver.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's liver tumor does not require further treatment.
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy continues to improve, so that she can regain some autonomy and be able take care of Emma and Luke herself.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's liver tumor does not require further treatment.
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy continues to improve, so that she can regain some autonomy and be able take care of Emma and Luke herself.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you.
Friday, December 09, 2005
At the Farm
Kara and the kids have spent a busy week at the farm with Mom and Dad while Matt is at a conference in San Antonio. Last weekend we were all together and kicked-off Christmas. A historical landmark called Monument Hill in LaGrange puts on a "Trail of Lights" which we went to on Saturday night and enjoyed the fun outdoor light decorations and a beautifully decorated old homestead with Santa and Mrs. Clause, and a choir singing Christmas carols in German.
Emma has been learning how to sing "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and serenading us quite wonderfully. Luke has become more and more talkative, and is getting good at sounding out words and repeating speech patterns -- he learned to say "love" last weekend!
Emma and Luke have been having a great time playing outside, even though it's been really, really cold here (below freezing)! Santa brought Emma and Luke a kid-sized electric car made to look like a John Deere Gator, and Emma has been busy doing her "chores" with it (filling the dump truck bed with cow cookies to feed the cows, shoveling dirt into it to fill up Mimi's flower bed). Emma and Doc made a "cave" -- piled dirt on top of a dog house -- so the kids have a place to hang out outside without the wind getting to them.
Kara has been inside under lots and lots of blankets, with a heating pad and space heater nearby trying to stay warm! We had an ice storm on Wednesday night that put a good layer of ice and frost over everything, and I'm sure the kids had fun seeing that!
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's liver tumors do not require further treatment.
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy continues to improve, so that she can regain some autonomy and be able take care of Emma and Luke herself.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. We are so thankful to God for seeing Kara through this far and hearing all of our prayers, and we look forward to a good holiday with the family.
Emma has been learning how to sing "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and serenading us quite wonderfully. Luke has become more and more talkative, and is getting good at sounding out words and repeating speech patterns -- he learned to say "love" last weekend!
Emma and Luke have been having a great time playing outside, even though it's been really, really cold here (below freezing)! Santa brought Emma and Luke a kid-sized electric car made to look like a John Deere Gator, and Emma has been busy doing her "chores" with it (filling the dump truck bed with cow cookies to feed the cows, shoveling dirt into it to fill up Mimi's flower bed). Emma and Doc made a "cave" -- piled dirt on top of a dog house -- so the kids have a place to hang out outside without the wind getting to them.
Kara has been inside under lots and lots of blankets, with a heating pad and space heater nearby trying to stay warm! We had an ice storm on Wednesday night that put a good layer of ice and frost over everything, and I'm sure the kids had fun seeing that!
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's liver tumors do not require further treatment.
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy continues to improve, so that she can regain some autonomy and be able take care of Emma and Luke herself.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. We are so thankful to God for seeing Kara through this far and hearing all of our prayers, and we look forward to a good holiday with the family.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Update
Kara's oncologist was very pleased with the test results when Kara and Matt met with him last week. He plans on speaking to the radiologist to find out more information about the size of the spots on her liver. If they appear to be further shrinking and being reabsorbed, the oncologist will recommend just monitoring them. If the spots are still large and not shrinking, he will probably recommend some further course of treatment to deal with them -- perhaps Novalis on the liver or resecting part of the liver. Hopefully Kara won't have to undergo another major surgery like the liver resection would be. Kara will have another round of scans in 4-8 weeks.
Praises:
- Thank you God for remaining with Kara throughout this long ordeal.
- Thank you God for the encouraging scan results that give us hope and reassurance.
- Thank you God for providing Kara and her family with such a wonderful support network -- it has truly been a blessing.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's liver tumors do not require further treatment.
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy continues to improve, so that she can regain some autonomy and be able take care of Emma and Luke herself.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. We are so thankful to God for seeing Kara through this far and hearing all of our prayers. We hope that we continue to receive good news with the next round of tests, and that Kara continues to stay in remission!
Praises:
- Thank you God for remaining with Kara throughout this long ordeal.
- Thank you God for the encouraging scan results that give us hope and reassurance.
- Thank you God for providing Kara and her family with such a wonderful support network -- it has truly been a blessing.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's liver tumors do not require further treatment.
- Please pray that Kara's neuropathy continues to improve, so that she can regain some autonomy and be able take care of Emma and Luke herself.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. We are so thankful to God for seeing Kara through this far and hearing all of our prayers. We hope that we continue to receive good news with the next round of tests, and that Kara continues to stay in remission!
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