Hi Friends!
Just an update: I had a CT scan two Fridays ago and Wed at Chemo the doctor told me that my tumors have shrunk back to about 1/2 of what they were....Praising GOD!
I am doing extremely well and am very thankful for that.
We had a wonderful time in Disney World. It was just soooo nice to get away from the cold, chemo and the everyday stuff to be with my husband, children and my sweet grandson. I have pictures of the trip on Facebook if you have time.
I love you all
In Jesus
Dona <><
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
YIPPEE!
I had my MRI and CT scans on Feb 25th and already my family doctor looked up the reports on line for me and called to tell me they say once again, NED = No Evidence of Disease! WOW. This will put me past the 2 year mark when I have my next scans, most likely in August. All my bloodwork was great, my other kidney is functioning well, I am feeling well. THANKFUL THANKFUL THANKFUL. Thank you for your prayers which have carried us through the last two years.
Dona Dean is in Disneyworld today with her family. She had chemo the day before they left, so please pray that she will feel well while there and the whole family will have a beautiful time and make wonderful memories. I am begging God for a miracle for Dona, but even if she does not survive her cancer, I know He can use all things for His plan.
Karen
Dona Dean is in Disneyworld today with her family. She had chemo the day before they left, so please pray that she will feel well while there and the whole family will have a beautiful time and make wonderful memories. I am begging God for a miracle for Dona, but even if she does not survive her cancer, I know He can use all things for His plan.
Karen
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Update on Dona Dean
Thank you for praying for Dona Dean! Of course many of her friends were praying long before I posted on my blog about her. I received an update from her a few days ago, and wanted to pass it on:
Hi Folks,
Just an update on my health. I went to Chemo and saw the Dr. He felt my abdominal area where the largest of my many tumors is (10cm) and he said he could not feel it anymore. Wow! Thanks for the prayers. I get a CAT scan in March and will see how all the other tumors are doing. GOD is awesome!!! Always is!!!
I will keep you posted when I get the CT scan.
Love you all!
In Jesus
Dona<><
Hi Folks,
Just an update on my health. I went to Chemo and saw the Dr. He felt my abdominal area where the largest of my many tumors is (10cm) and he said he could not feel it anymore. Wow! Thanks for the prayers. I get a CAT scan in March and will see how all the other tumors are doing. GOD is awesome!!! Always is!!!
I will keep you posted when I get the CT scan.
Love you all!
In Jesus
Dona<><
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Shared Requests
Dear faithful friends,
If you are still checking my blog you qualify as a faithful friend! All is well with my health so far. The last scan was indeed all clear - so sorry I did not realize I had not updated you to let you know for sure. Dr Flaherty said I could go 6 months between scans this time instead of 3, but we split the difference to four and a half months so I didn't get TOO nuts. It is seeming like a long time though, and I admit I start to feel a twinge here or there and worry if the next scan, which isn't until the end of February, will be ok. I recently had some sharp back pains for two weeks, and after calling my oncologist in a moderate panic, who told me to watch it for a week longer, I figured out it was happening when I ate spicy foods! HAHA!!!!! GRATEFUL to need only tums for that pain! Most of the time, though, I really forget about the cancer completely, which is a great blessing! Life is busy, which keeps my mind on other things. Praise the Lord!
I do want to ask you to pray for two other friends. One is Allan. He was diagnosed about a year ago with colon cancer, had surgery and chemo, but his recent scans showed some spots of reoccurance, which was very discouraging for he and his wife, to say the least. He recently started chemo again, so can you please pray not only that it would be an effective treatment this time around, and that he would be HEALED? And also, that both Allan and Donna will have peace day by day as they go through this scary time.
Lastly, a family friend Dona Dean, has the same cancer that I had. She was diagnosed about a year after me, at age 49 like me. She has older kids in their twenties and, again, like me, younger kids too. Her twin girls are 8, going on 9. Sadly, unlike how well I am doing so far, it appears that she is not going to survive Renal Cell Carcinoma. She was stage III at diagnosis, though I was stage IV. But, a few months into starting her chemo post-op, (again, same as my med) she was discovered to have extensive spread all through her abdomen and liver. Her church is raising funds to send she and her family to Disneyworld in late February, so that her twins can experience that happy memory with their mom before she becomes too ill to go.
Dona is a precious sister in Christ to many people that we know, and although I haven't seen her often over the years, she is one of those people who you feel you just talked to yesterday each time you talk to her. Can you pray with me, that Dona's homegoing to be with her Savior will be as comfortable as possible, that she will feel His peace surrounding her, and her husband and children and grandchild, through this experience? Dona has a wonderful accepting attitude toward her death, and just wants to honor God even in her own pain.
Thank you so much for continuing to care so much about me and my family. We are grateful. I will post a HOPEFULLY clear scan result end of February or early March. This June will be two years past diagnosis! Praising God for sustaining my life thus far. I am thankful for every day I have had, and pray He will grant me many more. I do not take it for granted.
Love,
Karen
If you are still checking my blog you qualify as a faithful friend! All is well with my health so far. The last scan was indeed all clear - so sorry I did not realize I had not updated you to let you know for sure. Dr Flaherty said I could go 6 months between scans this time instead of 3, but we split the difference to four and a half months so I didn't get TOO nuts. It is seeming like a long time though, and I admit I start to feel a twinge here or there and worry if the next scan, which isn't until the end of February, will be ok. I recently had some sharp back pains for two weeks, and after calling my oncologist in a moderate panic, who told me to watch it for a week longer, I figured out it was happening when I ate spicy foods! HAHA!!!!! GRATEFUL to need only tums for that pain! Most of the time, though, I really forget about the cancer completely, which is a great blessing! Life is busy, which keeps my mind on other things. Praise the Lord!
I do want to ask you to pray for two other friends. One is Allan. He was diagnosed about a year ago with colon cancer, had surgery and chemo, but his recent scans showed some spots of reoccurance, which was very discouraging for he and his wife, to say the least. He recently started chemo again, so can you please pray not only that it would be an effective treatment this time around, and that he would be HEALED? And also, that both Allan and Donna will have peace day by day as they go through this scary time.
Lastly, a family friend Dona Dean, has the same cancer that I had. She was diagnosed about a year after me, at age 49 like me. She has older kids in their twenties and, again, like me, younger kids too. Her twin girls are 8, going on 9. Sadly, unlike how well I am doing so far, it appears that she is not going to survive Renal Cell Carcinoma. She was stage III at diagnosis, though I was stage IV. But, a few months into starting her chemo post-op, (again, same as my med) she was discovered to have extensive spread all through her abdomen and liver. Her church is raising funds to send she and her family to Disneyworld in late February, so that her twins can experience that happy memory with their mom before she becomes too ill to go.
Dona is a precious sister in Christ to many people that we know, and although I haven't seen her often over the years, she is one of those people who you feel you just talked to yesterday each time you talk to her. Can you pray with me, that Dona's homegoing to be with her Savior will be as comfortable as possible, that she will feel His peace surrounding her, and her husband and children and grandchild, through this experience? Dona has a wonderful accepting attitude toward her death, and just wants to honor God even in her own pain.
Thank you so much for continuing to care so much about me and my family. We are grateful. I will post a HOPEFULLY clear scan result end of February or early March. This June will be two years past diagnosis! Praising God for sustaining my life thus far. I am thankful for every day I have had, and pray He will grant me many more. I do not take it for granted.
Love,
Karen
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Unofficial ALL CLEAR!!
My family doctor intercepted the MRI report and called me today with the good news - less than 24 hrs after the test! ALL CLEAR according to the report. PRAISE GOD! I wouldn't have heard until the 23rd at my oncology appt so this was a gift of a week without worry.
I have to say really I was not very worried about the results yet, moreso about the MRI itself, as silly as that might seem. The MRI was MUCH better this time. I think I even slept part of it, because when they started telling me to breathe, hold my breath, get the IV injection etc it didn't seem that the first 45 minutes had passed yet. When I came out Charles said I had been in there for an hour and a half! Definitely Valium is the way to do it next time, but I know also that many people were praying for me which also gave me great comfort.
So, I will go to Penn next Thursday and see what the plan is. The oncologist does reserve judgement on the accuracy of the report until he looks at the actual CD's of the scans that I will bring with me. If all clear for sure, they might want me to go 6 months until another scan, but I am hoping for a compromise at about 4-5 months, if not 3 months again. I have heard rumors that 2 years is a common point to see reoccurrence and so I don't want to go too long between scans if the insurance will allow every 3-4 months.
We still have normal LIFE to deal with around here, and it has been a hard year for us. We have 4 teenagers at the moment, and our 11 yr old is beginning to think she is a teenager (she sure eats like one although she is skinny as a stick!). Two are pending drivers permits any day now, we seem to have activities every night of the week, still trying catch up and adjust to cyber school .... just a LOT going on here! So, thank you all for continuing to hold my family and I up in prayer. You are a BLESSING to us!
In God's hands,
Karen
Proverbs 3:5+6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
I have to say really I was not very worried about the results yet, moreso about the MRI itself, as silly as that might seem. The MRI was MUCH better this time. I think I even slept part of it, because when they started telling me to breathe, hold my breath, get the IV injection etc it didn't seem that the first 45 minutes had passed yet. When I came out Charles said I had been in there for an hour and a half! Definitely Valium is the way to do it next time, but I know also that many people were praying for me which also gave me great comfort.
So, I will go to Penn next Thursday and see what the plan is. The oncologist does reserve judgement on the accuracy of the report until he looks at the actual CD's of the scans that I will bring with me. If all clear for sure, they might want me to go 6 months until another scan, but I am hoping for a compromise at about 4-5 months, if not 3 months again. I have heard rumors that 2 years is a common point to see reoccurrence and so I don't want to go too long between scans if the insurance will allow every 3-4 months.
We still have normal LIFE to deal with around here, and it has been a hard year for us. We have 4 teenagers at the moment, and our 11 yr old is beginning to think she is a teenager (she sure eats like one although she is skinny as a stick!). Two are pending drivers permits any day now, we seem to have activities every night of the week, still trying catch up and adjust to cyber school .... just a LOT going on here! So, thank you all for continuing to hold my family and I up in prayer. You are a BLESSING to us!
In God's hands,
Karen
Proverbs 3:5+6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
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