Guys, you are all so great!  I am so happy!!!!   For some reason all I can do I cry.  I have my beautiful boys at my sides, and my parents have stayed with me during the day.  Don was able to go to work today, and mom and dad carted me all over town taking care of loose ends.  I wish I could see all of you, and you have all lifted my spirits so much.  Please keep up the contact!  Please know how happy I am to have my babies with me.  wow!   Talk about priorities.   I don’t want to be anywhere but where they are!!!!!!!!!  We have made some wonderful karaoke songs on free Internet, including a duet of Dylan and I we put on facebook.  I think it is on Don’s page, but all his friends can see it, so if you are interested and can’t find it, ask him.  I’m pretty much a computer dummy.  If it’s broken I have to wait for him.  uh oh, I’m missing Wii Beatles rock band.  I’m one of the lead guitarists, and sometimes, one of the worst singers possible.  I love this.  Praise God for time off from Chemo and Bone marrow biopsies!!  I love you all!  Thanks for all the happiness, prayers, and encouragement.  keep it up.  pray for my strength. no more tears, love Karen

Don: Karen just went to bed. I am so jealous! It has been such a busy day that we didn’t get a chance to post anything yet so I am staying up a few more minutes.

Karen’s count jumped all the way to 1700 today! That is just totally awesome and was unexpected. They were hoping that she might have reaced 1,000 by the time she goes back on Thursday for her visit. She blew that out of the water with the Saturday midnight blood test so when the doctor came to the room at 11:00 Sunday morning he said she could go! Her Dad and I had run an errand. Her Mom called us and we rushed back and threw everything in the car and left before anyone changed their mind. That kept me from getting anything on the site before we left and then when we got home I went to cleaning like a mad man. I washed 3 loads of sheets, blankets, tablecloths and couch covers. We do have a couple of inside cats so I just wanted to do my best to lessen cat hair. We won’t be having any dogs at our home during this visit. We are leaving them at Laura’s (thanks Laura!!).

Jacob and Dylan came over for a couple of hours and then we took them back to their Dad’s when we went to town to get some medicine for Karen. It was really great. They will be staying with us the rest of the week. Karen is very excited. We are so glad to be home even if it is for only a week. We have a long road ahead of us but feel very confident that all is going well and will continue to do so! Karen asks that prayers are for the strength to carry on in the fight. Treatments aren’t pleasant but stopping them is just not an option. Thanks to everyone for the prayers that have gotten her this far.

My white cell counts are improving everyday.  I have slight moments where I actually feel like myself.  Mostly though I still have that hot cold thing going.  I will of course still need a mask but I may be 100 % by Thursday when they check my blood again.  (Well they check it every day in here, I’m talking when we come back)

I actually left the floor today(7th floor of this building).  I have been too scared before, but I was feeling pretty good so Don took me for a walk  off the floor.  We went to the 3rd floor and walked through the cafe.  We went outside which was the very first time for me since coming in here.  I felt the breeze and the sunshine.  I took off both my sweaters and my hat and we sat on that bench.  I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the things I used to take  for granted.  It was wonderful for me.  This bench overlooks a pretty Pond they call “Garden of Hope”.  It is really pretty.  We then went down to the first floor and explored that area.  I even managed one flight of stairs coming up before getting on  the elevator to come back to the room.  We are still doing our laps up here on the floor but nothing beats that fresh air and sunshine.

I love you all,  please keep in touch, love Karen

Hi Everyone,  I love hearing from all of you.   It lets me know I am not alone in this.  Well, I know I’m not alone, but the communication is very helpful.  Dennis, I love the Dylan poems.  He is such an amazing child.  I can’t wait to see him and Jacob when we come home for a few days.  I really hope they let me go tomorrow but chances are better for Monday.  We shall see.  Don will come home on Sunday most likely for work purposes and Mom and Dad will bring me home Monday if I don’t get released Sunday.  We are all hoping for the best.  I miss my home so much…my kids, my pets, my home.  My nice hot bathtub.   I need a few days at home.  We have to be back here for blood work on Thursday.  Then maybe back home again.  They have the plan, and its all based on test results, which makes it very difficult to plan anything.  So there is no plan.  whatever they say, we will do.  Don’t forget to praise our Heavenly Father.  I love you all, Karen

Don: I have just buzzed my hair even shorter and Karen is a little smoother also. We are taking things one day at a time but starting to get a little anxious about the possibility of getting out of the hospital and even being able to spend a little time in Panama City. Then it will be back in for a week. It is impossible to plan any further ahead than that and it might change at any moment anyway.

I cried alot today. Don has been very busy today on the computer, so I had to entertain myself without a computer or him.  Mom and Dad were out running errands so they did not get by until 2 pm.  I think I am just really sick of being sick.  Even though I have so much to be happy for…It still gets hard. 

On the bright side, the music people showed up again today and we had a nice little sing along.  We sang Don’s favorite “Rainbow Connection” from the Kermit the frog Movie, “Amazing Grace”, “Hallelujah” from the Shrek movie, “Somewhere out there” from an American tale, and some other more folky type songs.

Don has been tremendous through all of this.  He is so attentive and hardly leaves my side.  I am so thankful and blessed to have him.  I would like to thank  the folks at Don’s work who have allowed him to stay here with me.  I am so much stronger knowing he is with me, and don’t think I could do it with out him.  I know that God would make a way, but I need my Don.  We have become so much stronger as a couple through this. I love all you guys, and am so thankful for the prayers and comments.  Keep it coming… Praise and thanks to God.

We have a tentative discharge planned for This Coming Monday, if all goes well.  We plan to drive home and then come back on wednesday night for thursday am blood test.  We will then know if we can come back home or stay a little longer.  We are waiting on my blood counts to fully recover then a week later (see why there is so much confusion) I must have a bone marrow biopsy to confirm that I am in fact truly in remission.  At this point all signs point in that direction.  This is  a very long process and will require many trips to Gainesville and many Bone Marrow Biopsies, as well as lots of labs.  I will be required to wear a mask in all public places and anytime I am outside.  My inside pets are considered okay as long as they are clean, not up in my face, and I do not scoop any poop.  It will be nice to come home even for a day, but trying to live without proper immunity is a scary prospect.  I know we can do it, but I have finally gotten comfortable with the “bubble world”.

Hi everyone, I am still hanging in there.  I keep hoping I’m going to have my last bad day.  My skin kept  feels very chilled and hot at the same time.  I can’t tell if I am cold and need more blankets or hot and need to take off some layers.  I bundle up like an Eskimo. 

I am no longer in pain so have not needed any pain medicine.  I have had 5 bm’s today.  None that would be called Diarrhea.  Sorry for any of you with weak stomachs, but this seems to go with the territory.  Nothing goes out of your body here with out inspection so at one point they were so short staffed that I was having to stack “hats of poo” so they could weigh them or what ever they do.  How humiliating.  And I am still peeing quite a bit from yesterday, I had a dose of lasix.  I have been so swollen and large in my stomach and legs, but most of that is gone now.  My weight is back to normal or lower but I was actually way over my normal weight by maybe even 10 lbs.  luckily I’m wearing stretch pajamas.   This has been somewhat miserable.  I am still grateful though, I am doing so much better than some others around here.  I don’t know if it is an easier time of things or better prognosis…. just better.  I feel so bad for some of them…

We have sent notices to a larger group of friends and family that might like to follow Karen’s progress here at Shands. This is just a reminder that the blog will always have the newest posts at the top. If you are just getting here for the first time you can go back to the beginning by clicking here. Remember to read from the bottom up if you want to read the messages in the order they were first posted.

hi everyone,  the biopsy went wonderful.  I was so scared I couldn’t quit talking.  It was done by a PA named Aaron, and I have really come to trust her.  I can’t believe it.  I had zero pain.  This is not normal which makes it a miracle!!  I love God.  results in about 2-3 days.   saw the sunrise yesterday.  I ‘ve seen better but it was pretty good to see.  love everyone, Karen