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.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
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.
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.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
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.
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.
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