Scan Moved Up

Kara will be having the PET Scan on Wednesday, February 1st.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the PET Scan shows no active cancer in Kara's body.
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara as she awaits the scans and the results.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. We very much hope that the PET Scan shows no active cancer, and we appreciate your prayers.

Update

Matt's folks were in town for the past week to help Kara and Matt and the kids and to enjoy spending time with the them. They found Kara much improved from the last time they saw her and were very pleased. Kara is gaining in her ability to be independent and take care of the children. She is much moving much more easily and has found her classes at the Y to have helped her regain strength and flexibility.

Sunday they celebrated Luke's "official" second birthday with a family party, and they have been busy with outings to the museum and park. Luke also had his second year check-up and we're glad to know he's a healthy little boy.

Kara's next PET Scan will be February 2nd. We hope that whatever was in the lungs on the last scan was just an infection, and is no longer there. We also hope and pray that no new growths are detected, and that there is no active cancer in her body.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the PET Scan on February 2nd shows no active cancer in Kara's body.
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara as she awaits the scans and the results.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Carrie, Kara, Laura, and David

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Cow Cake

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Mimi made Luke a cake that made Luke just about explode with happiness with all of the cow-ness: longhorns, jerseys, calves, hay bales, a paddock, and some brown specs on the grass that looked suspiciously like cow patties...

(I haven't uploaded all of the photos from last weekend yet; I'll get the rest up tonight.).

He's All Growed Up!

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78.

Luke's about to turn two -- time for a shave!

Luke's Birthday Party

Kara, Matt, and the kids came to the farm for the long weekend to celebrate Luke's birthday with some of his best friends -- the cows. He and Emma have fun being outside from pretty much breakfast 'til dinner, swinging, playing in the dirt pile, traipsing down to the creek and back, and all that good stuff. Cousin David came over from Austin to visit, and they all had a great time.

I will update more tonight, and get the photos up as well.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's next PET Scan is all clear, showing no active cancer.
- Please pray for peace for Kara as she awaits her next round of tests and their results.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. It is really amazing that coming up on a year after Kara's diagnosis, so many people continue to visit this blog and take the time to post such encouraging and uplifting comments for Kara. Kara, Matt, and all of the family are truly blessed to have you to lend support through this difficult time.

PET Scan Schedule

Kara's next PET Scan will be taken on February 2nd. We hope that whatever showed up in her lungs last time was only inflammation from an infection, and will not be present on these scans. If the spots are still there, they will proceed with the Novalis procedure to treat them.

Kara and Matt and the kids are heading to La Grange right now to spend the holiday weekend at the farm. Luke loves it there, so it will be a great place for an early birthday party for him.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that February scans reveal Kara's body to be cancer free.
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara as she waits for the scans.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara continues to improve thanks to her therapy, and has joined the local Y and hopes to begin some Yoga classes and work on rebuilding the muscles she has lost. She is enjoying being able to resume a more primary role in taking care of the children. She now has the energy and the dexterity to play with them, pick them up, cuddle, and do all those important things that she previously could not.

On Saturday, Kara and her friend Jo took Emma to see a local production of "Annie" while Matt and Luke did some male bonding.

This weekend we'll be going to the farm to celebrate Luke's second birthday (his birthday is January 22nd). Luke is talking more and more, and is freer with his hugs and kisses now. He's also learned to jump, and has been having fun jumping and dancing around with his sister. Next step potty training!

Kara will have another set of scans in the beginning of February to check on the spot on her lungs, and see if there is any other possible new growth.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that February scans reveal Kara's body to be cancer free.
- Please pray for peace and comfort for Kara as she waits for the scans.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Holding Off on Novalis

Kara's radiotherapist told her that the spots on her lung are too small to fix onto for doing the Novalis just yet, so he plans on waiting until after her next PET-Scan, which will be done at the beginning of February. While they're waiting for that to be done, he will go ahead and have her body cast made (which helps position the Novalis machine) so that if the PET-Scan shows the spots still there, and they feel they are cancerous, they can proceed immediately.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for peace for Kara as she awaits the next scans and their results.
- Please pray that the spots are present in the next scans, so that Kara does not have to have further treatment on them and so that she feels more confident in her recovery.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

At the Doctor's Office

Kara is waiting for her appointment with her radiotherapist, the doctor who does her Novalis treatments. She has yet to meet with him, but his nurse did tell her that the Novalis procedure they would do on her lung would require five treatments over two weeks -- so it is not quite as "simple" as the brain Novalis that was just required one treatment.

Kara is in good spirits, and is ready to get this spot taken care of.

We still do not know for sure whether the spots on her lung are cancerous or were just from an infection or other inflammation. And we do not know whether her radiotherapist will recommend going ahead with the Novalis at this point. Since the nurse talked to Kara about the course of treatment, however, that might indicate that the doctors think it best to proceed with the Novalis.

We will update as soon as we know anything.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for wisdom for Kara's doctors as they make this decision.
- Please pray for peace for Kara as she awaits this decision and the next phase of treatment.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.