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Merry Christmas!

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Update

Kara was not able to join us at The Nutcracker last weekend, as she had come down with a stomach bug. That was very disappointing, since she had not been able to go last year, either, due to being sick, and had been looking forward to going this year. Luckily we are going to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show this weekend, and hopefully she'll be able to attend that and have fun dressing up and going downtown with Emma. We will be spending Christmas Eve in Houston, and head to the farm after we've seen Santa's goodies on Christmas morning!

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Kara did recover from her bug in time to join Matt in playing Joseph and Mary in their church's live nativity scene earlier in the week. She and Matt have had some good news in that Matt will be teaching a course in physiology at the University of St. Thomas next semester, trying his hand at being "Professor." Matt also has helped start a website dedicated to providing advice and support to spouses of young cancer patients(www.youngcancerspouses.org).

Kara will have another round of tests after Christmas to see how the Avastin is working. Other than this latest bug, she had been feeling pretty good and energized the past few weeks, and we are very thankful for that.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good test results.
- Please pray that the insurance company pays for the Avastin.
- Plesae pray for energy for Kara, so that she can enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. Please have a very merry Christmas, and enjoy your holiday celebrations with your friends and family.

The Nutcracker

The girls will go see The Nutcracker this weekend in Houston, and Emma will also be singing with her choir on Sunday for her church's Christmas Pageant. Kara continues to feel more like herself, and keeps busy with holiday activities.

Kara will have another round of tests after Christmas to see how the Avastin is working.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good test results.
- Please pray that the insurance company pays for the Avastin.
- Plesae pray for energy for Kara, so that she can enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Mom has been fighting a bad case of Staph infection, but is doing much better. Kara and the kids were tested for it, and the kids have come back as negative, and hopefully Kara will, too. Both Dad and Mom are on some anti-Staph drugs.

Kara, Matt, and the kids have decorated their house for Christmas, and are getting in the holiday spirit. Kara, Carrie, Emma, and I will be going to The Nutcracker in Houston weekend after next. Pictures with Santa will be coming up soon!

Kara continues to receive Avastin this week, and has been tolerating it well.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that for continued energy for Kara, so that she may enjoy the holidays.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of Avastin.
- Please pray that she continues to tolerate Avastin well.
- Please pray for that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

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Cutting Down the Christmas Tree

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Happy Birthday, Kara!

Today is Kara's thirty-third birthday! I am blessed to have such a caring, thoughtful sister, who is a wonderful example to me of of the importance of faith and the power of hope. Kara has approached her treatment with such amazing fight and an admirable spirit, and throughout it all, has not let her illness be the focus of her life, remaining as concerned for others, especially her children, as she always has.

We had a family celebration for Kara's birthday over Thanksgiving when we were all together at the farm. Emma and Luke had a great time over the long weekend, feeding the cows, running around in the Gator, and playing in the playroom with all of our old toys. I will post some photos tonight.

Kara continues to feel more like herself, though she still struggles with low energy. She will keep on the Avastin for a few more weeks, and then they will run another set of scans.

Kara is looking forward to a busy holiday season with lots of activities with the kids. Please pray that her energy holds and she doesn't come down with any more bugs or infections so she can fully participate in and enjoy the upcoming festivities.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased energy and better health for Kara.
- Please pray for good spirits, peace, and a continued sense of hope for Kara.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of Avastin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kara has been feeling much better since receiving the "new" blood, and has been more like her old self. For the past month or so, she'd been feeling bad, fighting colds, and having a hard time doing all the things she wanted. Now she's feeling much better, able to think clearly, and has more energy. She's looking forward to a fun holiday weekend with the family. She has continued to tolerate the Avastin well.

We're spending Thanksgiving at the farm, and Kara and the kids went up a day early to check things out -- Mom and Dad's new house has been completed, and they are (mostly!) moved in. Emma and Luke are excited to be back at the farm, feeding "their" cows and running around like crazy.

We are thankful that Kara's feeling much improved, and thankful that she is at a phase in her treatment where she can get out of the city and enjoy time with the family. Kara's thirty-third birthday is coming up on November 29th, and we'll be having a birthday party for her this weekend.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to have energy and feel like herself.
- Please pray for insurance approval of the Avastin.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. We are so very thankful for your continued presence in Kara's life and treatment, and your prayers, words of encouragement, love, and support are truly a blessing and a gift. We hope you travel safely, and enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and families.

Update

Kara is going into the hospital today to receive some blood to boost her energy level. She hasn't felt very good since getting her flu shot last month, and hopefully this will do the trick. She has blood drawn every week for tests, and Dad is going to see if they can take less blood, which may lessen her fatigue.

Kara had her first round of Avastin on Friday. The insurance company has denied coverage for this drug, but Matt is optimistic that it can get sorted out relatively quickly, without having to go through the extensive fight that they had to do to get Kara's Herceptin treatments paid for. Kara will have another round of Avastin this Friday, and every Friday for five more weeks.

Matt's sister Jenny and her family were in Houston earlier in the month, as were Matt's parents, and the cousins had a fun time playing with each other -- Emma and Samantha are about the same age, and Luke is a little bit older than Heath.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that tbe blood transfusion goes smoothly.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of the Avastin.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Treatment Plan

Dr. Lynch remains upbeat and positive with Kara. The PET Scan showed some very small tumors in her abdominal cavity. The MRI of Kara's head looks good. The plan is to resume chemotherapy, using Avastin. She will receive the Avastin once a week for six weeks and then re-check. Avastin should not deplete bone marrow, so her blood counts shouldn't be affected and she should be able to continue with her treatment plan. Kara won't have Novalis yet because Avastin kills new blood vessels, so wounds won't heal properly.

Praises:
- Thank you God for the continued encouragement and hope that Kara will be cured.
- Thank you God for providing Kara with knowledgeable and skilled health care providers.
- Thank you God for the progress and advancement in therapies and treatments.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara can begin the Avastin soon.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of this new treatment.
- Please pray that Kara is less fatigued and able to enjoy the upcoming holidays with her family.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body permanently.

Thank you. Your prayers, support, and encouragement are invaluable to Kara, and greatly appreciated.

Meeting with Dr. Lynch Today

Kara and Matt will meet with Dr. Lynch to go over the PET Scan results. It appears from the radiology report that the cancer has spread. We are hopeful that Dr. Lynch can offer an encouraging new treatment plan and prognosis. She has been off of chemotherapy due to her low bloodcounts for several months. Hopefully she can get back on a heavy chemo routine and fight the cancer effectively.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara, Matt, and the family as they wait to hear what Dr. Lynch as to say.
- Please pray that Dr. Lynch gives a encouraging new treatment plan.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. We will let you know what Dr. Lynch says as soon as we do.

PET Scan Today

Kara had a PET Scan today, and they are waiting for the doctors to interpret the results for them.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the doctors give her encouraging news and a good prognosis.
- Please pray for peace and hope for Kara as she waits for her doctor's appointment next week.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from her body, permanently.

Thank you.

Good Results

Kara met with her Novalis doctor today, and he was very pleased with the scan results. There is no new growth in her brain, and he believes the spots that were treated are resolving. We are all very happy with and thankful for this news! The plan remains for Kara to continue with the Herceptin infusions for the rest of the month, and then she will return to getting more aggressive chemotherapy.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's body continues its healing, and that she feels less fatigued.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

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Update

Emma's party went very well; Emma and a few of her little girl friends from school had a fun time painting pottery. Kara was able to go and oversee everything, with help from Mom.

Kara has scans of her brain tomorrow. Kara continues to have some dizzy spells, and she is concerned there may be more brain tumors. Please pray for good results!

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good scan results.
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara as she awaits the results.
- Please pray that Kara feels better, with greater energy and stamina.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from her body, permanently.

Thank you.

Under the Weather

Kara has been having a fever and feeling very fatigued, with dizzy spells, for the past couple of days. She had a flu shot on Sunday, and we hope that she is just feeling mild side effects from that. Emma's birthday is tomorrow, and Kara has spent a lot of time and energy planning festivities for it, and she is disappointed she may miss them after so looking forward to them. Kara asks that you pray that she might feel better tomorrow so she can go to Emma's birthday party. Little things like that mean so much to Kara.

Kara has scans of her brain on Friday to check on things, and we ask that you let your friends, family, and prayer groups know of this prayer need.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for improved health for Kara.
- Please pray for good scan results for her scans on Friday.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara's bloodcounts are rising -- her hemoglobin count is higher than it has been in months. She continues to feel better and have more energy, and is busy planning Emma’s upcoming birthday festivities and Halloween activities for the kids.
She will have another scan of her brain at the end of the month, on October 20th, I believe.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good test results.
- Please pray that Kara continues to grow stronger.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara’s body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis Completed

Kara has finished up all of the Novalis treatments. She is looking forward to a quiet weekend with Matt and the kids, and hopefully getting some energy back. The rest of the month she will continue with the Herceptin only, and then in November they plan to start back with more aggressive chemotherapy.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis was successful.
- Please pray that Kara's test results in November are good.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara had a dizzy spell today after her Novalis treatment, so she is going to stay and get some IV fluids before she comes home. She has had other dizzy spells for a week or so, and no one really knows what the cause is. Her heart is fine. It may be swelling from the three small tumors in her brain or from the Novalis on her brain. Or it may be that she's undernourished since she has so little of an appetite. Hopefully the fluids will help.

Please pray that the dizzines passes, and she can continue with her treatment as planned. Thank you.

Meeting with Dr. Lynch

Dr. Lynch continues to be very pleased with Kara's progress. He feels very positive, and feels good about her prognosis. He and Kara share the same birthday, and he told her that he thinks they will share many more birthdays together.

The plan is for her to finish her Novalis treatments and continue with the Herceptin. Kara has Novalis on her lungs today, Friday, Monday, and Wednesday. Kara will take Herceptin only for the month of October to help build back up her bone marrow. Scans will be repeated in November, and then they will resume more aggressive chemotherapy. Dr. Lynch feels the Novalis will obliterate all the cancer currently seen, and that the Herceptin has been doing a nice job of keeping new tumors at bay. The EKG of Kara's heart looks good, so the Herceptin is not placing a strain on that.

Kara took Emma to see a musical of Pippi Longstocking last weekend, which Emma really loved. Luke's new toy is a model of the human body with removable organs, and he gets a kick out of being told how water and food go through the body. He's pretty good at remembering the names of the organs, and knows how many kidneys he has and can point to where they are on his body. Emma knows all the organs, and had to show Aunt Jean where the spleen was.

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Emma and Luke also tried on their Halloween costumes that Kara ordered for them, and liked them so much, we had a hard time getting them to change (Luke especially!). Emma and Kara took Mimi and Doc's dogs to school with her for show and tell yesterday morning, and Emma enjoyed sharing them with her classmates. Emma's birthday is coming up in October, and Kara and Matt would like to take the kids to Seaworld in San Antonio in a couple of weeks, if Kara feels up to it.

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Kara has been feeling pretty fatigued lately, and we hope that continuing to let her bone marrow replenish and her body heal will help with that. It's hard for Kara to rest as much as she should with all of the kids' activities.

Praises:
- Thank you God for providing Kara with such knowledgeable and reassuring doctors, nurses, and other health care providers.
- Thank you God for an encouraging report from Dr. Lynch.
- Thank you God that Kara has gotten through her brain Novalis without complications. It is a very uncomfortable procedure, and we are thankful that is over.
- Thank you God for the blessing that Emma and Luke are to Matt and Kara, and the rest of the family. They have enriched Kara's life and encouraged her throughout this long treatment process.

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Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for the safe and succesful completion of the Novalis procedures.
- Please pray for good test results in November.
- Please pray for increased energy and vitality for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis Completed

Kara's Novalis procedure on her brain has been completed, and the uncomfortable halo-device they use has been removed and she is resting. She and Matt will probably be home in about an hour.

Kara had another CT Scan performed just before the Novalis procedure, and two more little spots had appeared. So she had Novalis on those as well as the first spot. We are a bit disappointed that there were more spots, but she'll get back on the chemo and persevere in her treatment.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis procedures go successfully and smoothly.
- Please pray that Kara can continue chemotherapy uninterrupted.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara, and for continued hope and good spirits.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis on Thursday

Kara will have her brain Novalis procedure on Thursday. The lung procedure has not been scheduld yet, but should follow shortly. Kara had her Herceptin shot yesterday, and her bloodwork results came back and she can proceed with her chemotherapy. They are going to cut the dose of the chemo, in hopes her counts won't be so diminished after each treatment and she can continue without interruptions. Chemo has not been scheduled yet.

Kara has been feeling fatigued and light-headed recently. She is not anemic, and it may just be from a cold or bug. She likes to stay as busy with the kids as possible, but sometimes it wears her out.

Kara has enjoyed being active in the back-to-school season with the kids, and is looking forward to the Fall holidays and birthdays. Both Emma and Luke are doing well in school and love their teachers. Luke's teacher had a nosebleed one day, and Luke took her hand, led her to a chair, applied pressure to her nose, and kissed her forehead. We're not sure where he picked up that little nursing tidbit, but he's certainly grown into a very sweet little boy. Emma continues to excel (and we're not biased!) with her artwork. Emma and Luke are going to be Tinkerbelle and Peter Pan for Halloween, and and are very excited about it, as they've been watching "Peter Pan" over and over!

Luke is going to spend the night with Uncle John and Aunt Carrie this coming weekend, and he's sure to have a great time as a "big boy." Kara is going to take Emma to a play of Pippi Longstocking on Saturday. It should be a fun weekend for everyone!

My steps have held to your paths;
My feet have not slipped.
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
Give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show the wonder of your great love,
You who save by your right hand
Those who take refuge in you from their foes.
- Psalm 17:5-7

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis procedures go successfully and smoothly.
- Please pray that Kara can continue chemotherapy uninterrupted.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara, and for continued hope and good spirits.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. Your cards and words of encouragement always lift Kara's spirits, and always seem to come at exactly the right time. It's been over a year and a half since Kara was first diagnosed, and though it hasn't been easy, Kara continues to persevere with hope, faith, and confidence in God's love for her.

Novalis Postponed

The doctor that performs Kara's Novalis has pushed back her Novalis treatment while he continues to work out the plan. Kara thinks the treatments may begin later in the week or next week.

Kara learned a lot from the conference, which had discussions on topics like "Chemo Brain," neuropathy, and talking to your children about cancer. There were also several celebrity speakers who gave talks, such as a San Antonio news anchor who had battled cancer, and Evan Handler, an actor who had luekemia in his mid-20s. Kara also enjoyed staying at the hotel and swimming in its nifty indoor-outdoor pool.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis is scheduled soon, and that the procedures go smoothly and successfully.
- Please pray that Kara can resume chemotherapy uninterrupted.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis

It looks like Kara will get Novalis on her brain next Wednesday, and then a series of Novalis treatments on her lungs the following week.

Kara, Matt, and the kids came up to the farm on Saturday for the day, and the kids had fun running around and feeding the cows. Emma and Luke are enjoying school, and Emma is back in a tumbling class once a week.

Kara and Matt are attending a cancer-survivors seminar today and tomorrow in Houston, where hopefully Kara will get some good tips on "whole body" healing -- nutrition, exercise, rest, etc.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis procedures are successful and go smoothly.
- Please pray that Kara can resume chemotherapy soon.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Insurance Company Comes Through

Kara's insurance company just called and said that they are going to go ahead and pay for her Herceptin treatments. So thankfully, Kara, Matt, and Dr. Lynch will not have to continue to fight with them over this issue. Kara is very excited, and is looking forward to hopefully continuing her chemo this week and concentrating on getting better.

Praises:
- Thank you God for answering our prayers regarding coverage for Kara's drugs.
- Thank you God for Kara's good test results last week.
- Thank you God for continuing to hear our prayers.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis procedures are successful and go smoothly.
- Please pray that Kara can continue with her chemotherapy.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Meeting with Lynch

Kara and Matt met with Doctor Lynch this morning to go over the test results and find out the new treatment plan. Doctor Lynch is very pleased with the results, and will plan on using Novalis on Kara's brain and lungs.

There will be a hearing on Thursday morning to determine whether Kara's insurance company has to pay for her Herceptin. Doctor Lynch recorded a statement for it, and will also try to make the hearing in person, because he believes it is a necessary part of her treatment plan -- she is often too worn down to take any other type of chemo drug. Please pray that the hearing board's decision is in Kara's favor, and that her insurance company starts paying for her Herceptin treatments.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for a favorable decision from the hearing board, so that the insurance company will begin paying for Herceptin for Kara.
- Please pray that the Novalis procedures go smoothly and without complications.
- Please pray for continued peace for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. Emma started school yesterday, and Luke will start school later in the week. Both really enjoy going to school and playing with classmates. Emma is getting really good with her letters and likes to "play math" with Uncle John. She loves playing card games and checkers, and is good at keeping the rules straight in her head (especially the rule about the youngest player going first!). Luke is talking more and more, learning more words every day.

Good News

Kara's PET scan results are in, and the tumors have not spread to new places in her body. There is a little spot on her brain that is too small at this point to tell if it is a tumor. There is no tumor in the lymph nodes near the lung that were treated with Novalis earlier in the summer. The adrenal gland tumor that was treated at the same time is much smaller, and may continue to dissolve completely -- it is too early to tell. The spots on the outside of her lungs that had gone away previously with chemotherapy appear to have returned, but they will most likely be able to get them with Novalis. Kara has a lot less tumor in her body than she did eighteen months ago, which is very encouraging news, especially considering she has not been able to be consistent with her chemotherapy this summer.

Kara and Matt will meet with Dr. Lynch next Tuesday to go over these results more fully and make adjustments to her treatment plan.

Matt's birthday was yesterday, so this news is a very good present! Mom and Dad's fortieth anniversary was yesterday as well, and John's birthday is this week -- so we have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for, most of all, Kara's good report.

"Give thanks to the Lord,
for He is good;
His love endures forever."
- Psalm 107:1

Praises:
- Thank you God for encouraging test results, and for the reassurance that you are hearing our prayers.
- Thank you God for Kara's health care team that are doing so much to help her.
- Thank you God for all of Kara's family and friends who continue to pray for her and encourage her and support her.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts improve so she can continue with chemotherapy.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of the Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you!

Tests Today

Kara will spend the morning have PET Scans taken of her body and brain to see if there are any tumors present. We will probably know the results by tonight or tomorrow morning, and will let you know when we do.

Please pray for good results on these tests. Please pray for peace for Kara, Matt, and their family as we await the results. We appreciate your prayers every day, and thank you especially for your prayers for this round of tests.

No Chemo This Week

Kara's bloodcounts are too low for her to receive her regular carboplatinum chemo this week. She will just get her Herceptin shot this week.

Kara has another round of scans coming up on Monday, August 21st. We are all very hopeful for good results, so Kara can continue healing from the past year-plus of very hard treatment and enjoy the Fall and holidays with her family. We would really appreciate it if you could please ask your friends, family, churches, and prayer groups to pray for good test results for Kara.

"I lift my eyes up to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
the Maker of Heaven and Earth"
Psalm 121:1

"For with God, nothing is impossible."
Luke 1:37

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good tests results for the upcoming tests.
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts improve so she can continue with her chemotherapy.
- Please pray for the cancer to be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

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Kara enjoyed a quiet weekend at home with Matt and the kids. She was not able to receive chemotherapy last week due to her bloodcounts being too low, and she is feeling the effects of the low counts -- tired and easily fatigued. Friday night the family went to Benihana again, this time with Mimi, Doc, and Luke joining us. Luke was mildly terrified in the beginning, but grew to enjoy the show. Emma has pronounced Benihana as her favorite restaurant, surpassing "even McDonalds and Chickfila!" Kara had a good morning with Emma and Luke at the pool Saturday morning, and then Luke and Matt went to get lunch and haircuts, and Kara, Emma, and I had pizza and then an afternoon of playing games (Emma has learned how to play rummy with special animal rummy cards!) and reading books. Emma is very excited to learn how to play checkers with Doc, who was the checkers champion of Dallas when he was a boy! Luke continues to learn new words every day, and he's getting sweeter and sweeter.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts improve and that she can receive chemotherapy this week.
- Please pray for good test results for her August 21st tests.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of her Herceptin, which is the only drug Kara can take when her bloodcounts are too low for full chemo.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

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Thank you. Kara has been truly touched by the words of encouragement here on the blog and the cards and notes people continue to send her. They really brighten her day!


(These photos are from Port Aransas -- I've uploaded the ones that Kara took onto Flickr.)

Chemo Tomorrow

Kara had her bloodwork done this morning, and based upon where her counts are, she will have chemotherapy tomorrow. Even if her counts are not high enough for her to receive her platinum-based chemotherapy, she will get her Herceptin shot.

Kara was pretty tired over the weekend from getting the platinum-based chemo again. She seems to feel better when she has a swim in the morning, so she tries to take the kids to the pool as much as she can.

Kara will have a brain and body PET Scan performed on August 21st. Please keep her in your prayers for good test results.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's counts are where they need to be for her to continue with her chemotherapy and for her to stay strong and energized.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of the Herceptin.
- Please pray for good results on the upcoming PET Scan.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Chemotherapy Resumed

Kara was able to resume chemotherapy yesterday. Her white blood cell count is still a little low, but not enough to stop her from having the treatment.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara can continue her chemotherapy uninterrupted.
- Please pray for insurance company approval of her Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Port Aransas

We all had a great time at Port Aransas this past weekend. Kara had gotten Emma and Luke toys to play in the sand with -- shovels, buckets, etc. -- and they had a great time making sand castles and burying each other in the sand. Emma especially liked looking for seashells and digging for little clams. We took both of the kids out to "the deep end," out past where the waves broke, so they could float and loll around with the waves without the waves crashing on them. Kara came out and enjoyed floating around with the waves, too. The pool at the hotel was also a big hit.

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We went to dinner at the Crazy Cajun one night, where dinner was a bucket of stuff that Kara and I couldn't stand to look at! Thankfully John and Matt de-headed the shrimps and cracked the crab legs for us. Emma and Luke had fun beating things with the crab hammers.

It was a very good trip, and Kara had the energy to enjoy it.

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Praises:
- Thank you God for the opportunity to for a fun family outing, and that Kara was well enough to enjoy it.
- Thank you God for the complication-free completion of the Novalis procedure.
- Thank you God for all of Kara's healthcare team that has been working so diligently in treating her.
- Thank you God for the love, support, and prayers of Kara's friends, family, church, and all of those who keep track of her progress on this blog.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara is able to resume chemotherapy.
- Please pray for good test results when Kara has her next scans.
- Please pray for insurance approval of the Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. There were three different cameras being used over the weekend, so hopefully John and Kara and Matt got some more photos we can share. I know Kara was clicking a lot!

Update

Kara is continuing with her Novalis, and it should be complete this week. Kara will get Herceptin this week, and next week they'll start back on her other chemo drugs (carboplatinum) if her counts are up. She is feeling better, and it seems like the pleurisy is going away. After her last Novalis treatment on Friday, she and the kids and John and Carrie will be going to Port Aransas for the weekend. I'll be going down to meet them, too. We're looking forward to having a very fun weekend on the beach and in the pool.

Matt's parents have been in town this week helping while Kara's having her treatments. I'm sure Emma and Luke have been having fun showing off their swimming skills for them!

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis is successful.
- Please pray that Kara is able to resume chemotherapy.
- Please pray for insurance approval of the Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. I'm sure we'll have lots of photos from the beach to share, and I'll try to get them up on Monday!

Pleurisy

Kara has had a cough for quite some time now, and with pain in her chest. She went to the doctor yesterday, and he determined she had pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the lungs. It should go away in time. She is also on medication for bronchitis, in case she has a little of that working on her, too. Despite the discomfort, Kara isn't letting it get her down.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis continues on schedule and goes smoothly.
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts stay where they should be so that she can resume chemotherapy.
- Please pray that the pleurisy resolves quickly.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis Started This Morning

Kara had her first Novalis treatment this morning, and they were able to zap both the adrenal gland tumor and the lung tumors at the same time. It only took about 45 minutes, total. Kara will repeat the treatment on Thursday of this week, and Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of next week. Kara is very glad to be done by Friday, because she, Matt, and the kids are going to be taking a long weekend to the beach at Port Aransas with John, Carrie, and me. To position the Novalis machine, they have to draw target marks on Kara's body, and she's not supposed to wash them off, which could be a problem if she's in the pool or ocean a lot! So she will be done with the treatment in time to enjoy the beach and go swimming.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis continues on schedule and goes smoothly.
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts stay where they should be so that she can resume chemotherapy.
- Please pray that the insurance company will cover the drugs Kara's doctor prescribes.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Waiting for Treatment Schedule

Kara is waiting to hear from her doctors about when Novalis will begin and what her treatment schedule will be over the next couple of weeks. I believe that the bodycast they put her in to help target the radiation has already been made, so that they can start whenever the schedule is free. Her doctor has done several Novalis treatments on other adrenal gland tumors, which is pretty amazing consdering a year ago Novalis was used mostly just for the brain.

Praises:
- Thank you God for the advances in technology and the knowledgeable and skilled healthcare providers working on healing Kara.
- Thank you God that Kara has had the strength and energy to be active with her children this summer -- going to the pool with them, helping out with VBS, and other fun outings.
- Thank you God for hearing our prayers, and for giving Kara, Matt, and their family comfort and peace in knowing you are keeping Kara in your care.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis can begin this week, and that it goes smoothly.
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts stay where they should be so that she can resume chemotherapy.
- Please pray that the insurance company will cover the drugs Kara's doctor prescribes.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Kara met with Dr. Teh, the doctor who performs the Novalis procedure, today. He feels that they can zap both the adrenal gland spot and the tumor on her lung with the Novalis, since they already have the body cast made. One day Kara will have the adrenal gland tumor radiated, and the next her lung tumor. She will probably have four rounds on each spot.

Kara and her family enjoyed the past weekend. Emma had a swimming lesson Saturday morning, and then we met with Uncle John and Aunt Carrie for a quick bite before Kara and I ran to the movies for a triple-header -- very fun. Then we all met up for dinner at Benihana's, which Emma got a big kick out of. Luke was a big boy and went to stay with Mimi and Doc at the farm all by himself. He had a fun time having Doc at his beck and call, running around to see the cows, being pushed on the swing, playing in "his" house (the playhouse).

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Chemo Postponed Again

Kara cannot receive chemotherapy this week because her bloodcounts are still too low. She will be able to have the Herceptin.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts raise and stay where they need to be for her to continue her chemotherapy uninterrupted.
- Please pray for insurance approval of the Herceptin.
- Please pray that the Novalis procedure goes smoothly.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Chemo Postponed

Kara cannot receive chemotherapy this week because her platelets are too low. She will be able to have the Herceptin, however.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts raise and stay where they need to be for her to continue her chemotherapy uninterrupted.
- Please pray for insurance approval of the Herceptin.
- Please pray that the Novalis procedure goes smoothly.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. We hope you all have a happy Fourth of July long weekend with your friends and families.

Meeting with Doctor Lynch

Kara and Matt met with Doctor Lynch last night, and he outlined the next phase of treatment for her. She will continue with three weeks of chemotherapy followed by a week off, for several more cycles. She will also have Novalis performed on the spot on her adrenal gland. Doctor Lynch feels that the area on her lungs may be a tumor, but he thought it was to be expected because she had been off of chemotherapy for so long. He believes that the continuation of the chemotherapy will take care of the lung spot.

Prayer Requets:
- Please pray that Kara is able to get Novalis scheduled soon, and that the procedure goes smoothly.
- Please pray that the insurance company will come through and pay for Kara's Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.


Thank you.

Update

Kara received another chemo treatment on Friday, and it went smoothly. Tomorrow, she and Matt will meet with Doctor Lynch to go over the PET Scan results and what the next phase of her treatment will be.

Kara and Matt took the kids to Noah's Ark Pool on Saturday, where both kids went off the diving boards like crazy. Emma is now a strong enough swimmer to jump in and swim to the side herself -- she doesn't need anyone to catch her! Luke, just two, always wanting to do what Big Sis does, was jumping off the board as well to his dad. Both enjoyed running around the shallow pool with all the little slides and waterfalls. Emma remembered the pool from last year, and told her mom that she didn't want to go down the "big slide" that she had tried last year -- such a good memory!

Praises:
-Thank you God that Kara is strong enough to enjoy the summertime with her family.
- Thank you God for the good test results that continue to give us confidence that you hear our prayers.
- Thank you God for all the caring and skilled doctors and nurses that are helping Kara.
- Thank you God for all of Kara's friends and family who provide her so much love, support, and encouragement.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for continued strength and energy for Kara.
- Please pray that the insurance company will approve the drugs prescribed by Doctor Lynch.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

No New Tumors

Kara's PET Scan results are encouraging. There are no new tumors. Her brain and her liver are completely tumor-free. The spot that was on her lung is gone -- there is something showing up on the scan in a different place on one of her lungs, but Dad thinks it is most likely fluid from a persistent cough Kara has had, not a tumor. The spot on her adrenal gland is a bit larger, so they will most likely go after that with some radiation. All in all, a very encouraging report, and Kara is upbeat and pleased with the results. Considering she has been off chemotherapy for so long, this is very good news. We will know more after Kara and Matt meet with Dr. Lynch to go over the results.

Praises:
- Thank you God for the encouraging test results, and for the reassurance that you are hearing our prayers.
- Thank you God for the new treatments that have helped Kara.
- Thank you God for the love, encouragement, and support of Kara from so many friends.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that they are able to successfully treat the adrenal tumor with the Novalis.
- Please pray that Kara's insurance company will approve the Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

PET Scan Completed

Kara is on her way home from having the PET Scan. We will let you know the results when we do. Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara and Matt as they wait for the results.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good PET Scan results.
- Pleas pray for peace and comfort for Kara, Matt, and their family as they await the results.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. We really appreciate all of your prayers, concern, and words of support and encouragement, never moreso then at times like this.

PET Scan Tomorrow

Kara, Matt, and the children had a nice, quiet weekend in Houston together. Kara continues to feel strong despite having resumed chemotherapy, and we hope her energy will continue to hold.

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord;
Apart from you I have no good thing."
As for the saints who are in the land,
They are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
- Psalm 16:1-3

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate her chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the PET Scan results are encouraging.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

PET Scan on June 20th

Kara's PET Scan will be next week, on June 20th, not the following week. Please pray for good results.

Kara's chemotherapy went smoothly yesterday.

Praises:
- Thank you God that Kara has been able to return to her full chemotherapy.
- Thank you God for giving Kara the energy and strength to have been very active with her family the past couple of weeks.
- Thank you God for giving Kara, and all of those who love her, peace and hope.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate her chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the PET Scan results are encouraging.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Chemotherapy Resuming Today

Kara restarts her platinum-based chemotherapy today, now that her bloodcounts are back up to where they should be. She will be getting a PET-Scan on June 28th to check on things, so please begin praying for good results from that.

Aunt Lois and Vaughn's wedding was lovely. Kara and Laura were bridesmaids, and they and Aunt Lois looked great in their dresses. Kara was feeling better than she had felt in a long time, and was able to easily walk down the aisle and stand without problems. Kara greatly enjoyed meeting Lois's many friends who have been keeping her in their prayers.

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate her chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the PET Scan results are encouraging.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara's bloodcounts are up where they need to be, and she can proceed with chemotherapy on Wednesday. She'll have a PET Scan performed at the end of the month to see what, if any, tumors remain. She and Matt will meet with Doctor Lynch at the end of the month as well.

Kara and Diane, Matt's mom, have had a good week with the kids. Emma and Luke have had fun at Vacation Bible School, and have enjoyed having their mommy up there helping out!

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Praises:
- Thank you God that Kara's bloodcounts are such that she can resume chemotherapy.
- Thank you God for Kara's increased energy and strength.
- Thank you God for the reassurance that you are keeping Kara in your watchful care, and for the hope that you will cure her.

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate her chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the PET Scan results are encouraging.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. The family will have a good weekend in Austin celebrating Aunt Lois's wedding -- I'm sure there will be lots of photos to share.

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Blood Counts Up

Kara's white blood cell count is up high enough to resume chemotherapy on Wednesday. The break has afforded her a chance to get her energy back up, and she's now ready to continue with it.

Biopsy Results

Kara's bone marrow biopsy results are back and reveal that there is no cancer in her bone marrow. It appears that her white blood cells are slowly replenishing (the chemotherapy wiped them out), and there is nothing abnormal about her bone marrow. They just have to wait for her white blood cell count to get up to where it needs to be, and they can resume chemotherapy with the platinum drugs.

It has been a good week for Kara and her family. Kara has been able to help out with Emma and Luke's Vacation Bible School, and has been feeling stronger and able to do more than she has in awhile. She continues to tolerate the Herceptin well. This weekend we are all meeting in Austin for our Aunt Lois's wedding

Praises:
- Thank you God for reassuring bone marrow biopsy results, that show that there is no cancer there.
- Thank you God for Kara's increased energy, and for her being able to participating more in Emma and Luke's activities.
- Thank you God for giving Kara continued peace and comfort and trust in you and your cure for her.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good results from the bone marrow biopsy.
- Please pray for increased bloodcounts for Kara, that she may resume her platinum chemo.
- Please pray for insurance approval of her Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Mom and Dad have packed up all of the old house in Joplin and this weekend Kara, Matt, the kids and the rest of us were all at the farm helping unpack the trucks. Mom and Dad will spend the week trying to get things in order there while Matt's mom Diane is in Houston, enjoying her time with the grandkids.

We are still waiting to hear back for the results of the bone marrow biopsy. It may take up to ten days.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good results from the bone marrow biopsy.
- Please pray for increased bloodcounts for Kara, that she may resume her platinum chemo.
- Please pray for insurance approval of her Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Bone Marrow Biopsy

Kara is having a bone marrow biopsy performed today to try to determine why her white blood counts are still so low. It is most likely due to all of the chemotherapy she has received over the past year. But there is a slight possibility the biopsy could reveal cancer in her bone marrow. Kara is very apprehensive at this time, as she has not been able to resume her platinum-based treatment for such a long time.

Kara will receive another round of Herceptin today as well.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good results from the bone marrow biopsy.
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara, Matt and their family as they await these results -- it should take about ten days.
- Please pray for increased bloodcounts for Kara, that she may resume her platinum chemo.
- Please pray for insurance approval of her Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you very much. We are so thankful for the prayers and words of encouragement for Kara over the past year, and your steadfast concern for her helps us through the scarier times, knowing that there are so many praying for her cure.

Update

Kara's bloodwork shows that her platelets are back up to an okay level, but now her white blood cells are too low to restart her platinum chemo. She will continue with Herceptin today.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased bloodcounts for Kara, that she may resume her platinum chemo.
- Please pray for insurance approval of her Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Tenth Anniversary

Kara's Novalis was completed on Wednesday. There was one additional spot that showed up on the MRI that they treated, so two spots total were radiated. There was a bit of a scheduling problem, and Kara had to spend most of the day with the Novalis halo-apparatus screwed into her head while waiting for her turn to be treated, which was uncomfortable for her. But she's thankful she was able to be treated so quickly. Kara had another round of chemo with the Herceptin, and they are still waiting for insurance approval on that. Kara's bloodcounts are still too low to proceed with her platinum chemo, but we hope she can get back with that next week.

Kara and Matt are going to San Antonio to celebrate their ten-year wedding anniversary this weekend. Matt got Kara the hotel's "spa package," which she is really looking forward to using. Luke will spend the weekend at the farm with Mimi and Doc, and Emma will be in Austin with Uncle John, Aunt Carrie, and me. Should be a nice weekend for all.

Praises:
- Thank you God for Kara and Matt's ten happy years together, and their wonderful, cherished children that bring so much joy and meaning to their lives. Thank you that Kara is feeling well enough for her trip and anniversary celebrations.
- Thank you God for the technological advancements that promise a cure for Kara, and for all of the amazing doctors and nurses who have worked so hard to help Kara.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased bloodcounts for Kara, that she may resume her platinum chemo.
- Please pray for insurance approval of her Herceptin.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis Tomorrow

Kara is getting a head MRI today to help the doctors with the Novalis procedure that has been scheduled for tomorrow. Her team of doctors met yesterday and decided that one of the spots thought to be a tumor was more likely scarring from a previous tumor, and the other one probably was a small metastatic growth. So they will only be using Novalis on that spot.

Kara received her first round of Herceptin, the chemo drug that was suggested by the Arizona tests, on Friday. They went ahead and paid for it privately rather than wait around for insurance approval, which hopefully will be forthcoming.

Kara had some bloodwork done yesterday, but we don't know yet where her numbers are and whether she can commence full chemo again yet.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased bloodcounts so Kara may resume chemotherapy, and that the insurance company will pay for the treatment that has been recommended.
- Please pray that the Novalis procedure goes smoothly and is effective.
- Please pray for Kara to remain hopeful and positive.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Test Results

Kara had an MRI performed on her brain, and it showed two tiny tumors. They will most likely treat them with Novalis. Kara remains positive, and is trusting in God for total healing in his time.

Kara's bloodcounts are still tpo low to proceed with chemo. There is nothing they can do to boost her bloodcounts, other than wait. Hopefully they can get going on the Novalis in the interim.

Kara's insurance declined paying for one of the drugs recommended by the Arizona lab, and Matt and Kara are trying to get that decision reconsidered. If not, they will look into other options for paying for the drug.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased bloodcounts so Kara may resume chemotherapy, and that the insurance company will pay for the treatment that has been recommended.
- Please pray for Kara to remain hopeful and positive.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Luke and the Ladies

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

John and Carrie's Wedding

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

John and Carrie's wedding was held last Saturday at a bed and breakfast called the Halstedt House in La Grange. Emma was the flower girl and Luke the ringbearer, though Luke was unhappy about having to give the ring to John -- he thought it was his. Mom and Carrie had planned a very lovely wedding and luncheon, and the weather was beautiful.

I'm having problems with the photos I took -- about half aren't working right. So I apologize that it's taken me so long to get these up. I'm working on trying to get more posted as I fix them, and others at the wedding have been sending me theirs.

Kara continues to rest this week in hopes that she will be strong enough and her bloodcounts will be where they need to be to restart chemo next week. They should have a quiet weekend at home to help her regain her strength.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts rebound and she may restart treatment.
- Please pray that the new drugs Kara's doctor wants to try will be approved by her insurance.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Chemo Postponed Again

Kara's bloodcounts are still too low to proceed with chemotherapy. She is discouraged that she cannot continue with her treatment, as the treatment makes her feel like she is "fighting" the cancer and keeping it at bay. Matt is trying to coordinate with her doctor what, if anything, can be done until her bloodcounts get where they need to be. They do not want to do another transfusion, as there is some risk involved in that as well.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's bloodcounts rebound and she may restart treatment.
- Please pray that the new drugs Kara's doctor wants to try will be approved by her insurance.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. John and Carrie's wedding was lovely, and I will post more about that, including photos, tonight or tomorrow.

Good News

Kara's "special" biopsy from Arizona came back and the protein-type of her tumors is such that there are several very promising drugs that they haven't yet tried, that wouldn't have ordinarily been tried with neuroendocrine cancer. But because they know more specifically the make-up of her tumors, they can hopefully treat them more effectively with these other drugs.

Kara and the family are looking forward to coming together for John and Carrie's wedding this weekend. It will be a very small ceremony in La Grange, at a little bed and breakfast there. Emma and Luke will be in charge of spreading out flower petals, and will have to start practicing calling Carrie "Aunt Carrie."

Kara is still very weak and her bloodcounts were too low this week to continue with chemotherapy. They will adjust her drugs per the new biopsy results and restart chemo early next week.

Praises:
- Thank you God for the advancements in technology and treatment that will help the doctors treat Kara's cancer better.
- Thank you God for happy days like the one coming up that bring the family together.
- Thank you God for continuing to give us hope that Kara will be cured.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased strength for Kara, so that chemo can proceed as needed.
- Please pray that this new chemo regimen will be successful.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Chemo Postponed

Kara's chemo this week was postponed because her bloodcounts still weren't where they should be. She's very fatigued, and hopefully this little break from the drugs will help her recover some more energy.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara, and that chemo may resume next week.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from her body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara's blood transfusion went smoothly, and she is already feeling better. She should continue to have increased energy as the new blood kicks in.

It was a good Easter weekend, and the kids are now at the right age to enjoy looking forward to the Easter Bunny and hunting for Easter eggs. Luke thought he was hot stuff in his hat and suit and tie ("just like Daddy"), and Kara had found matching mother-daughter dresses for herself and Emma.

Kara has another "short" round of chemo on Thursday.

The photos are better organized on Flickr now, if you want to check them out.

Praises:
- Thank you God for the gift of your Son and for the time together as a family to celebrate it.
- Thank you God for the knowledge and technology that can help Kara feel better.
- Thank you God for continuing to provide Kara with such loving friends, family, and church family that give her such support, encouragement, hope, and love.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara.
- Please pray that Kara tolerates her chemotherapy.
- Please pray that the the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

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Easter Photos Up

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Photos of the family from Easter are online at Flickr. I left my computer cord in Houston, so I'm really low on battery power. I will post more tomorrow, but I wanted to get these to you today.

Everyone had a great time at Easter -- the Easter Bunny visited Emma and Luke, and the family went to a lovely Easter service at chuch.

Kara is very anemic and feeling it, but she should rebound quickly after getting her transfusion tomorrow. Please pray for more energy for Kara, and that the cancer be eradicated from her body, permanently. Thank you.

Chemo Today

Kara has her long day of chemotherapy today. Her bloodwork revealed that her bloodcounts are really low, so she will go in on Tuesday to have some transfusions to boost those levels. Hopefully that will also help Kara feel less fatigued -- she is pretty low-energy now from the past few rounds of chemo and her low bloodcounts. Kara's also on antibiotics because Emma has a case of walking pneumonia and is herself on antibiotics.

Hopefully everyone will be feeling better by Easter so we can enjoy the day together. Mom and Dad will be back from a packing trip in Joplin, and Matt's mom will be in Houston, too.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good health for Kara over the weekend while she waits for the blood transfusions.
- Please pray that Kara tolerates this round of chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the cancer be permanently eradicated from Kara's body.

Thank you. We hope you all enjoy a wonderful, happy Easter with your friends and families.

Novalis Completed

Kara had her last round of Novalis yesterday, and it went smoothly. The oncological radiologist who performed her Novalis was very upbeat and encouraging in their last meeting. Kara will have more scans in about six-to-eight weeks to recheck her liver.

Kara continues with chemotherapy on Thursday. Thursday will be her "long day" of treatment, and then over the next two weeks she will return for more brief treatments.

Matt's mom is in Houston this week having fun spoiling Emma and Luke and will be able to spend Easter with the family.

Praises:
- Thank you God for a complication-free completion of the Novalis.
- Thank you God for the new technology and skilled physicians that have helped Kara fight the cancer.
- Thank you God, as we look to Easter, for the gift of your Son and the gift of hope.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara tolerates her chemotherapy well.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara, so she can enjoy the holiday with her family.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara's Novalis treatment continues this week. She had another treatment on Monday and one today, and both went smoothly. She has another treatment on Friday and again next Monday. Matt has been out of town at a cancer research conference all week and Kara and the kids are looking forward to his coming home.

Praises:
- Thank you God for the advances in technology that you continue to provide in fighting cancer. To think, this time last year, Novalis was only able to be performed on the brain!
- Thank you God for providing Kara with such a wonderful network of support, encouragement, and love.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate her treatment well.
- Please pray for increased energy for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis Starts Today

Kara will have her first of five Novalis treatments today. She will have further treatments M-W-F of next week and again the following Monday.

EDIT:
Kara has returned from her Novalis treatment, and it went smoothly.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis treatments are completed as scheduled, without any complications.
- Please pray that the Novalis treatments are successful.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Novalis

Kara will meet with her Novalis doctor later in the week, and hopefully will have her three Novalis treatments on M-W-F of next week. Novalis is pinpoint radiation that Kara had on her brain tumors. They can now do Novalis in other areas of the body as well -- a great advance in the year since Kara was diagnosed.

The chemotherapy is beginning to catch up to Kara and she has been feeling more fatigued, but this type of chemotherapy continues to be easier for her to tolerate than the in-patient kind she received previously.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the Novalis is successful and without complications.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Meeting with Doctor Lynch Tonight

I was misinformed about the test yesterday. Kara just had a CT scan done to locate the liver tumor before the Novalis, not a fullblown PET Scan to check the progress of her tumors. Nothing out of the ordinary or unexpected was found on the CT Scan, and they'll go over the results and the plan for the Novalis treatment tonight.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Doctor Lynch has encouraging news for Kara.
- Please pray that the Novalis goes forward without any complications.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Bluebonnets

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Emma and Luke

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

PET Scan

Kara is having a PET Scan done today, after the completion of her second round of chemotherapy. She and Matt will meet with Dr. Lynch tomorrow evening, and then Novalis on her liver tumor will probably begin later in the week.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the PET Scan shows no new tumors, and that the present tumors have continued to shrink.
- Please pray that Novalis can begin this week.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. Waiting for these results is always a very fraught time for Kara and Matt and all of us, and it is comforting to know that so many are praying for her.

Biopsy

A specimen of the tumor on Kara's liver was taken to send off to a place in Arizona for a new and very promising biopsy. The lab there has found a way to isolate what protein-type the tumor is. The usual treatment for cancer is based upon broad "types," i.e., lung cancer, breast cancer, neuroendocrine cancer. There are lists of what chemo drugs tend to work best with those types, but those treatments may not be best for the particular tumor type that a person has.

This new biopsy, if all goes well, should isolate specifically what protein the tumor is rich in, and then from there they should be able to specifically isolate what chemo drug is most successful in treating that particular tumor. It may be a drug that is way down on the list for neuroendocrine cancer, or not even on the neuroendocrine cancer list.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the lab is able to successfully run the tests on Kara's tumor.
- Please pray that these tests reveal a better way to treat Kara's cancer.
- Please pray for continued tolerance of the chemotherapy for Kara, and for increased energy.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. On a lighter note, Matt's brother and sister, Jamie and Katie, have been visiting in Houston this week, and everyone's been having a great time. They went to Kemah on the coast one day, and to the farm another. Kara's friends from Joplin, the Hoaglands, visited at the farm earlier in the week. So there was a big gathering at the farm on Sunday, which was very fun.

Procedure Went Fine

Kara is in the recovery room following her procedure. The doctors had some trouble finding the tumor to implant the device, because it was so small, so that was encouraging news. They were able to implant the device and collect a biopsy of the tumor.

Praises:
- Thank you God for seeing Kara through this latest step in her treatment safely.
- Thank you God for the good news that Kara's tumors are continuing to shrink.

Prayer Request:
- Please pray that Kara has no complications following this procedure.
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate chemotherapy well.
- Pleas pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Procedure Tomorrow

Kara is having a procedure tomorrow to implant a device in her liver that will help the doctors detect where the tumor is precisely for the Novalis treatment. She will have Novalis on her liver next Wednesday.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that tomorrow's procedure goes smoothly.
- Please pray for continued tolerance of the chemotherapy.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body permanently.

Thank you.

From Kara

Matt and I enjoyed a wonderful weekend away at the lake with the children. We had our own little cabin perched over a finger of the lake -- the kids could fish right off of the deck. Matt even caught a good-sized bass on Emma’s princess fishing pole!

Other highlights were canoeing all over the lake and stopping to picnic along the way. Luke was upfront with me, Emma was in the middle, and Matt was in the back doing all of the work. Emma brought her fishing pole with her to try for a big catch like her daddy.

We took a horse-drawn carriage ride to breakfast Saturday morning. While the kids enjoyed a pony ride, I enjoyed a horse ride myself. Though it was short, it brought back many fond memories of my horseback riding days and my horse, Bobbie.

But what I will remember most about this trip was a special encounter that I would like to share with you.

Just after we checked into the lodge and were getting ready to go to our cabin, the lady behind me asked, “How do I know you? You look so familiar to me.” We looked at each other but couldn’t place each other. This same lady saw Matt later at the lodge and asked Matt how she could pray for me, because she had seen me limping slightly. Matt filled her in on my story, and she revealed a similar story to him and said that she would be praying for me and would send out her “prayer warriors.”

As I look back, to me it was another way God was showing me he cares for me and was encouraging me. I will always remember her words “how do I know you,” because she recognized me as a sister in Christ, even though we had never met. Now we know each other as Kara and Wendy.

Dear God, thank you for the encouragement I receive through family, friends new and old, and those whose names I don’t know. I am learning faithfulness through my faithful friends and family. I am learning how to encourage others through those who encourage me. They are an inspiration to me.

Thank you for your healing!! I rest on your word.

"Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry for help, and He will say ‘here I am.’"
Isaiah 58:9

Update

Kara began another round of chemo on Friday, when she had her second full eight-hour chemotherapy session. Next week and the week after she'll go in for a shorter chemo session.

She and Matt and the kids wento to the big Houston rodeo on Saturday and saw all the animals and enjoyed a concert. On Sunday, Kara and the kids left for the farm to spend their Spring Break while Matt stayed behind to work on some work projects. Emma and Luke have had a great time running around the farm. Emma drives around in the Gator while Luke chases after her pushing a small buggy that is his new favorite toy. We took bluebonnet photos and visited the Miniature Horse Farm at St. Claire's Monastery in Brenham yesterday. Emma and Luke got a kick out of the tiny horses.

Kara has been feeling more fatigued after this past round of chemotherapy, but other than that she continues to tolerate this treatment better than the in-patient treatment she had last year.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Meeting with Dr. Lynch

Kara met with Dr. Lynch today and he was very pleased with how well Kara is responding to this new treatment -- he thinks she is even doing better with this chemo drug than the previous one. She'll have six more treatments, and will also have Novalis on the spot on her liver.

Praises:
- Thank you God that Kara's responding so well to this treatment.
- Thank you God for the hope and encouragement that brings to Kara and her family and friends.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Good Test Results

The PET Scan results are very encouraging and reassuring. The lung spots have just about gone away completely. The spot in the spleen is gone. The adrenal place is smaller, and the liver spot is smaller. And it looks like there is nothing in the brain. They'll meet with Dr. Lynch tomorrow to go over the results. So the treatment does seem to be working, and the tumors are sensitive to it. Very good news! Kara was pretty anxious throughout the day waiting for the results, so she is quite relieved to have gotten some good news.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for continued hope, peace, and comfort for Kara during this time.
- Please pray that Kara continues to tolerate her chemotherapy well.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. We are very glad to have heard the good news, that the new treatment plan is working, especially since this treatment has been much less difficult for Kara to tolerate.

PET Scan Today

Kara has a PET Scan this morning to determine how effective this new type of chemotherapy has been.

Please pray that the test results are encouraging, and show that this treatment has reduced the tumors.

Thank you.

Going to the Lake

Kara has been continiuing to tolerate her chemotherapy well, and she, Matt, and the children are going to a lake in East Texas for a long weekend break from the city. It will be the first time Kara has been anywhere besides Houston, Austin, or the farm in quite awhile, and she's looking forward to it.

Kara will go in for more scans Monday or Tuesday to see how the tumors are reacting to this new chemotherapy.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for encouraging results for Kara's next round of scans.
- Please pray that God continues to give Kara hope and peace.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara has been tolerating this type of chemotherapy much better than the kind she previously receieved. She's a little tired from it, but does not have to fight the nausea like previously, and nor is she as fatigued.

Matt's parents and his sister, Jenny, and her two children have been visiting this week, and everyone has been having a good time -- especially Emma and her cousin Samantha, who are about the same age. Matt's mother has sent me some photos that I will try to get uploaded on the blog.

Last weekend Kara and the family were at the farm, celebrating Doc's 61st birthday. Matt attended a conference in San Antonio on recent developments in cancer treatment, had the opportunity to meet a researcher who is doing some very innovative things with diagnosing tumors more precisely -- on the protein level -- and correlating the specific tumor type with treatment regimens that are most effective with that specific tumor type. That may yield some very promising new treatment options.

We are very happy to share that John and Carrie are now engaged. We look forward to Carrie's joining the family "officially." She and John both have found jobs in the Houston-area that they are enjoying.

Our Aunt Lois, Mom's sister, and the gentleman she's been seeing, Vaughn, are also newly engaged. We look forward to welcoming him into the family as well.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara tolerates her new chemotherapy regimen well, and that there are no complications.
- Please pray that God continues to give Kara hope and peace.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.