Update

Kara and Matt met with Luke's pre-school teachers yesterday, and they know that Luke will be in good hands. Luke has been lonely without his buddy Emma around for most of the day, so it will be good for him when pre-school starts back up!

Kara had a setback with her nausea issues last night. Hopefully it was just that something she ate didn't sit well, and not a side effect of the new chemo drug. The dizziness is still around, but that may be from the radiation and all the stuff moving around and shrinking in her head.

Kara is encouraged and strengthened by all the many cards and expressions of faith and good will she has received. The outpouring of encouragement and prayers for her helps her have confidence that God can, and will, provide her with a miracle.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's side effects from the treatments and the stroke continue to diminish.
- Please pray for for confidence, faith, and peace for Kara, that she can have joy day by day, and keep doubt and fear away.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

First Day of School

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78

Emma had her first day of kindergarten yesterday, and loved it. She is such a brave girl -- she has been reading her "Ramona" books, and thought that she was going to get to walk home from school all by herself. Kara was able to get up and have breakfast with Emma and see her off to school.

Kara is doing all she can to get stronger. She is able to eat more, and has been doing her "Sit and Fit" exercises that are run on PBS right before Emma gets home from school. Her speech is improving as well. She continues to have radiation every morning, and so far has tolerated her new chemotherapy well. She met with Dr. Tay, her radiation doctor, and he said that the new chemo drug crosses the blood-brain barrier, and could be very effective.

Kara remains focused on the Word of God, and has been blessed to have friends and family come by and pray with her and point out encouraging scriptures. She is trying to remain confident that she has asked for healing and will receive it.

"For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds."
- Jeremiah 30:17.

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
- 1 John 5:14, 15.

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."
- Hebrews 10:23.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to improve after her setback last week -- that she grows stronger, her speech improves, and she can continue to eat more and have more energy.
- Please pray that Kara continues to colerate the radiation and her new chemo drug.
- Please pray for faith and confidence in God's ability to heal Kara, for Kara and her family.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Off to School!

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Originally uploaded by jeanjean78

Recovering at Home

Kara was able to come home on Thursday afternoon, and has been improving daily since her release from the hospital. Her speech is improving, and she is able to eat more, with fewer bouts of nausea. The vertigo also seems to have lessened. She continues to have impairments with the right side of her body, and is very weak on that side, which makes getting around very difficult.

Kara will continue the whole-brain radiation next week and into the following week. She began her new chemotherapy today, which is in the form of a pill, which she will take once a day for twenty-eight days.

Kara has been immensely helped by visits from her prayer group from church, and from many kind friends. She knows that God can work miracles -- all things are possible with God, and all things are possible through Christ. She has asked God to heal her, and believes that he is healing her, and working a miracle in her. We ask that you agree with us in our prayers for Kara's healing. We ask that God will answer our prayers. We know that God can restore Kara to health, and we are thankful for that hope and assurance that He gives us.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara continues to recover from the effects of the stroke, and regains her strength.
- Please pray for confidence, peace, and comfort for Kara, as she awaits healing.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from her body, permanently.

Kara has gotten great strength and comfort from a short book called "Healed of Cancer" by Dodie Osteen, mother of Joel Osteen, who was miraculously cured of cancer that had metastisized to her liver. In it, Ms. Osteen recommends numerous helpful and reassuring scriptures, as well as the following prayer, which we have prayed with Kara, and which has given Kara confidence in her faith that God can, and will, heal her:

"O God, our Father, Your Word says that You are a very present help in time of need. We come to you now on behalf of Kara who is suffering with cancer. Father, we ask You, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to touch and heal Kara.

Distance is no problem for You, God. As we pray, You are there with Kara, even as close as the very breath that she breathes. So we are asking You to touch her body and heal her.

Now, you foul disease called cancer, we speak to You. Go from Kara's body in the Name of Jesus! We command you, cancerous cells, to wither and die at the roots in the Name of Jesus! Devil, we bind your power in Kara's life, and we permit healing to come to her in the Name of Jesus!

Father, we ask You to replace with new cells those that have been damaged by cancer. God, You can do that, because what is impossible with man is possible with You. You are a God who cares, and we believe You will do it just because we have asked. You love us that much.

Father, may strength and wholeness come into Kara's body this very day, and stay with her day by day. Thank You, Lord, for doing it.

We thank You, Jesus, that we will hear good reports from people like Kara, people who have been healed because they held fast to their confession fo faith without wavering, because You are faithful who promised. Thank you, Father, in Jesus' name,

Amen."

Kara would like all of you, her friends, to know that she believes that God is healing her, and she wants you to share her hope, faith, and confidence. Kara has a river of life flowing in her, and she will not let fear and doubt overcome her. All glory, praise, and thanks to God!

Thank you.

Mommy is coming home!

The plan is for Kara to be discharged from the hospital today. Aunt Jean has been in Houston helping out with the kids. They are looking forward to having Mommy back home again.

Radiation Today

Kara will begin the whole-brain radiation today. She will have ten treatments in total. Dr. Lynch would like to keep her in the hospital for another night, and release her after he sees how she has tolerated the first two radiation treatments.

Dr. Lynch will start Kara on a new chemotherapy drug on Monday.

Kara has more cancer in her now than at any other time previously. Please pray that this chemotherapy can be the miracle that we have been asking for.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the radiation treatments are successful.
- Please pray that Kara's vertigo, nausea, and stroke effects continue to subside.
- Please pray for comfort and peace for Kara.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from her body, permanently.

Thank you.

Home Tomorrow?

Kara may be released from the hospital tomorrow following her first radiation treatment. Hopefully she can rest comfortably tonight and build up some strength and regain some coordination, and continue to do so during her recuperation at home.

Please see below for Kara's prayer needs. Thank you.

Chemotherapy Plan

Kara seems to be perking up a bit, and the stroke effects are improving. Her speech is better, and her coordination is coming back a bit in her right side (it is her right side that was affected by the stroke, not her left, as I had stated earlier). She has had the mask made that she will need to wear for the radiation, which will begin tomorrow. She will have ten radiation treatments.

Dr. Lynch has decided on a new chemotherapy drug that has been found to be effective in neuroendocrine cancer. She will probably start that in a few days, after a few rounds of radiation.

Please see below for Kara's prayer needs. Thank you.

Update

Kara will have the whole-brain radiation performed tomorrow. This morning, the staff are doing some prepwork with her for the radiation. We don't know what chemotherapy will be tried next.

Kara is able to speak a bit more easily today. She continues to have vertigo and associated nausea, so is trying to stay still. She is being given drugs to help with those symptoms, which will hopefully dissipate after the radiation.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for comfort and peace for Kara during her hospital stay.
- Please pray that the effects of the stroke diminish.
- Please pray that the treatment plan can go forward as quickly as possible.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Radiation and Chemotherapy

Dr. Tay is ready to go forward with whole-brain radiation. The last time Kara had whole-brain radiation was two and a half-years ago, and Dr. Tay believes that she is a good candidate for doing it again. Dr. Lynch is going to start a new chemotherapy regimen, and is looking into which one will be most effective. Dr. Lynch also feels that Kara's speech problems will resolve over the next day or so. She can speak, but it requires a lot of effort for her to say what she wants to say. We are very hopeful that this will resolve quickly, as not being able to communicate easily must be such a hardship -- very unnerving, disconcerting, and difficult.

I'm sure you all know what Kara's prayer needs are. We are so appreciative of your support and concern for Kara. She has been through so much in the two years since her diagnosis, and we pray that she will be given the ability to persevere further. You give her such strength and encouragement -- there are no words to express our gratitude.

PET Scan Results

The PET Scan shows that the old tumors in Kara's body are active again -- in the lung, liver, and brain. The priority will be to get her on a new chemotherapy drug to try to get the tumors inactive. Dr. Tay believes that he will be able to perform Novalis on some of the brain tumors, notably the one that may be causing her nausea.

Kara has not had further seizure activity today.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara's doctors can formulate a promising treatment plan, quickly.
- Please pray for the effects of the stroke to resolve.
- Please pray for comfort and peace for Kara as she awaits the next phase of treatment.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Dr. Lynch has seen Kara this morning, and he feels that the effects of the stroke -- impairment of speech and her ability to use her left side -- may resolve in the next 24-hours or so. She is mentally aware, but cannot verbalize her thoughts well. Dr. Tay will meet with them at 2:30 to go over the PET Scan results and what the plan will be regarding treatment of any brain tumors. Dr. Lynch has also requested another MRI.

Kara is resting in between scans and visits from doctors. She has been moved to a room in the Oncology ward.

Please see below for Kara's prayer needs. Thank you.

In the Hospital

Kara began having seizures last night at home, and was taken to the hospital. It appears that she has had a stroke, and may have some impairment on one side of her body. She is stabilized and in the hospital right now. The plan is to go ahead with her PET scan today, and try to meet with Dr. Tay regarding treatment of the brain tumor that will hopefully reduce the vertigo she has been experiencing.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that Kara remains in stable condition.
- Please pray that the effects of the stroke diminish.
- Please pray for encouraging news from Dr. Tay.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from her body, permanently.

Today is Matt's birthday. Please pray for continued strength for him as he helps Kara through this latest hospitalization.

Thank you.

PET Scan This Week

Kara met with Dr. Lynch today. The MRI revealed that the old tumor in the cerebellum part of her brain is 3 mm larger than on the past scan. Dr. Lynch believes that tumor may be growing again. That may be causing her symptoms of the vertigo,as the cerebellum controls balance. There appears to be swelling around the other old tumor sites, but Dr. Lynch is not certain if the tumors are active, growing, or if it is just swelling.

They will perform a PET Scan hopefully later in the week, and Kara will also meet with Dr. Tay, the Novalis doctor, soon as well.

“And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love Him,
who have been called according to His purpose.”
- Romans 8:28

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that everything that needs to be arranged can be done quickly, and peace and comfort for Kara while she is waiting.
- Please pray for good PET Scan results, and an encouraging meeting with Dr. Tay.
- Please pray that Kara's vertigo problems are resolved quickly.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you. Your continued prayers for Kara are much appreciated, as she finds strength and encouragement in knowing that she is in the thoughts of so many.

Update

Kara is still experiencing very bad vertigo, which results in nausea and an inability to eat much or keep much food down. She had an MRI done on Friday, and will go over the results with Dr. Lynch tomorrow.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the vertigo and nausea go away.
- Please pray that the MRI doesn't show anything new in Kara's brain.
- Please pray that Dr. Lynch can create a treatment plan that is successful in eliminating the cancer while minimizing side effects.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body, permanently.

Thank you.

MRI Friday

Kara continues to have severe vertigo, and she will have an MRI of her brain on Friday to see if the vertigo is related to any growths in her brain. She will find out the results on Tuesday, when she meets with Dr. Lynch. Kara is currently scheduled to start another round of chemo after her meeting with Dr. Lynch.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for good results on the MRI.
- Please pray that Kara's vertigo goes away.
- Please pray for comfort for Kara as she waits for the scan results.
- Please pray that the cancer be eradicated from Kara's body permanently.

Thank you.

Update

Kara has been suffering from severe vertigo this week. She hasn't been able to do much, and we hope that this passes soon. She is also having trouble with her appetite and nausea. She will see Dr. Lynch later in the month, and will have another round of chemo after that.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the vertigo Kara is experiencing passes.
- Please pray that Kara is able to eat more and build herself back up.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from her body, permanently.

Thank you.