Kara returned home last night, and will spend the weekend resting and trying to sleep through the next few days of feeling yucky. Home health will come every other day to help her get IV fluids, to stave off dehydration and avoid over-diluting her electrolytes like last time.
Kara has been blessed with so many kind and caring people helping her through this time, from the nursing staff at the hospital, to her and Matt's family (Mom and Dad, Jim and Diane Herynk, and our Aunt Lois are all thankfully retired, and have been able to help Kara and Matt as needed), their church family, friends, and those who have come to know her only through this website. Joplin-area business Leggett & Platt named its corporate team in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/GI/gi_1.asp) "Operation Hope" and dedicated it to Kara. Many friends in the Joplin and Carthage, MO area supported the Operation Hope team at this wonderful fund-raising event. Houston friends have provided meals for Kara and her family. Countless people have remembered her with cards, comments on this site, and visits when she is feeling up to it. Those reminders that she is being prayed for constantly, throughout this long process, bring her great comfort and encouragement.
With the chemotherapy phase of Kara's treatment over, it will soon be time for the surgeons to remove what remnants of the cancer are left. In July, a portion of her liver will be resected. And after she has recovered from that, she will have a hysterectomy, as the primary site of her cancer was the cervix (a rare primary site for neuroendocrine tumors). Recovering from two abdominal surgeries in two months will be difficult for Kara, but she has, with determination, faith, and hope, made it through the previous four months of treatment, and we are confident she will approach this next phase similarly.
Praises:
- Thank you God for providing Kara with excellent, attentive, and caring health care providers who have helped her through this difficult experience.
- Thank you God for seeing Kara through this last round of chemotherapy with no significant problems.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray that the side effects will be minimal following this round of chemotherapy.
- Please pray that the cancer is eradicated from her body, permanently.
Thank you for your unwavering support and encouragement to Kara since the beginning. We appreciate your steadfast presence in her recovery and her life.
In February 2005, Kara was diagnosed with a rare form of metastatic brain cancer – large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. She is a devoted mother of two, and a caring and generous wife, sister and daughter. This blog was started to keep family and friends informed of Kara's progress. The thoughts and prayers Kara has received through this blog have been an unending source of hope and inspiration, including many kind and encouraging comments from people she has never met. We thank you all.
7 comments:
Dear Kara, Thank the Lord you are thru the last of the treatments. Know you are wiped and hope your energy bebounds soon. You have shown amazing grit and courage. We send our hugs and prayers, Jan and Fred, Katie and Lauren
Jaan, Thanks for your amazing updates on Karas journey thru this trying time. You have helped us all share in her fight. Love to all the family who have been there for Kara every step of the way. We know you have made it possible for her to do so well. Love, to all jan, fred
What leads one to really enjoy life - no matter the trials, temptations, confusion, or successes? The one thing that helps us the most is finding that place of brokenness. The place where you understand you're a sinner, saved by grace. Our human frailties; carnal nature keep us from knowing total freedom in Christ; yet we find ourselves in situations where we need God to pull us out. Our greatest victory comes as we humble ourselves, receive all His love; mercy He has for us. We are frail; so we must keep our eyes focused intently on the Master.
So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
May we live a life of brokenness that leads to total peace in God. May our lives be an example of Jesus Christ and His great love. Our desire is to stay focused, run the course at a steady pace, and hold on to the loving Savior's hand.
Martha Noebel
Kara, I am glad to hear that you are back home with your family. It must be a good feeling knowing you are done with your chemo treatments. I am praying for you and your next steps through this treatment. Love, Laura Friend
Dear Kara,
We're thankful that you have finished the final chemo treatment and can now regain your energy while you await surgery.
We pray that your strength would be restored and your spirit refreshed with each new day. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Love,
Gina and Curby
Dear Kara, How wonderful that the chemo is behind you now and the cancer is gone and you are home with the family to rest and recuperate and get prepared for being a real person again ! Energy should be returning more with each passing day as should appetite and interest in food hopefully ! It has been a truly incredible journey you have been on these last few months with all the testing and rounds of chemo with complications and anticipated side effects. Your participation in each and every step has been remarkable and inspirational to all of us, as have your trust and faith in the entire process designed to battle the tumors. I'm not sure that any of us could have done such a fine job even with the beautiful support given. It has been your strength and your positive attitude and your deep spiritual convictions that have seen you through all these weeks and months. It's been just that- that has no doubt enabled Jean and John to keep the blogspot current with such up-to-date news you've been willing to share with us and allow us to witness God's healing power and miracles in your young and now totally healthy healed body and in your beautiful response to your treatment regimen. I'm so glad this part is over for you, dear Kara, and so hope you'll soon be able to resume your "normal life" with Matt, Emma, and Luke and a more normal life with your mom and dad, Jean , John and Carrie, the Herynks, and the rest of family and friends. Much love, Aunt Betsy
Dear Kara, Our prayers continue for the gift of good health and energy to play with Luke and Emma. Kansas heat is now matching anything Texas has to offer, so stay inside and enjoy the air conditioning. Keep the courage you have demonstrated to date; some very big decisions are coming up for you. We pray that all the docs will be guided with His wisdom and that upcoming tests show that everything is still shrinking...Love, Gamma and Gampa
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