Don: Karen’s cancer is back. They were starting to suspect as much last Saturday. They did the bone marrow biopsy on Monday and we had official results on Wednesday with the final report on Thursday. The Leukemia is aggressive so we are taking an aggressive approach to treatment. It does give us hope for a good outcome but it is sort of a Hail Mary play at the end of the game. The good news, in Karen’s view, is that we will know within about two weeks if this is going to work. She has committed to fighting hard during this time.

She has an issue with her lungs and something not quite right with the digestive tract. These things add a twist to the plan that Shands would otherwise do. The bottom line is that Karen’s main goal at this time is not very far from what she has always told me that she wants. Peace and comfort. We ask for more and continued prayers for the cancer to go into remission, her own immune system counts to climb quickly (10 days after chemo would be great), the plan to work, peace and comfort for Karen and all her friends and family.

We love you all. Your support means a great deal to us both. We haven’t given up and need your prayers. Chemo starts Monday.

Don: Did you watch the movie Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman? Karen and I are starting our own list and want to encourage all of our friends and family to do the same. We would love to see some of the things that you have on your own list. There are a few things that we already know but we are going to try and build a list of the top ten. She is sleeping now but let me tell you some of the things I already know are on her list.

1. Live on our horse property. We had just gotten proposal’s from several builders to build the home of Karen’s dream on the Hwy 388 property when we found out that she had leukemia. At least we didn’t have a foundation poured and then find out! Now we would settle for a camper! (Well, I would anyway.)
2. Go on a cruise with family and friends. Doesn’t have to be a long one or even go to distant lands. The family and friends part is a must!
3. Go for a trail ride at Pine Ridge. Family and friends required!
4. Shipwreck Island in the summer of 2011. It is a Brunty family reunion week tradition when her one sister that lives out of town comes down with her family. That puts 17 of us just having a great day together.
5. Continue to build our relationship with God. (This should be on everyone’s list.)

I know there are other things that are special to Karen that will make this list when she gets up and we put together the official list. I really do expect you guys to comment with one or two special things from your own list. So get going!

Don: Karen had a bronchoscopy done once before while at Shands a few months ago. She did not remember the procedure while it was happening and was not uncomfortable afterward. She had another one this morning but things didn’t go as smoothly. They gave her a minimal amount of sedative and she ended up being aware of the entire procedure and it was not pleasant. Her oxygen level was a little low (83) so they did not feel it would be a good idea to sedate her any more. She doesn’t think she would want to have to have another one, ever again. Now we wait for the results of that test.

We are also waiting on the results of a bone marrow biopsy that they did yesterday. So she is hurting a little from that, too. The parts of her body that are achy or hurting at this time seem to out number the parts that feel OK.

That isn’t the end of her fun. 8-( They put a tube in her nose so that they can give her some medicine that will clean out her tummy and guts so they can scope her tomorrow. Basically, by late Thursday or Friday we should know what we are doing here and what their plan is to take care of her. I am sure that my description of the past few days is not the same as hers would be. She is pretty miserable. Thank you all for coming by and keeping Karen in your prayers.

Don: You never know what is going to happen next, do you? Karen took that fall last Wednesday (see previous message) and then that night started running a fever. We called Shands and they finally decided (after reviewing the options) that the best thing for us to do would be to try to make it through the evening and be at clinic first thing Thursday morning. We hit the road about 3:00am and were here at 8:00am. We ended up staying two nights in motels in Gainesville so that we could go to Outpatient clinic on Friday and Saturday. They almost put her in the hospital Wednesday but they were full and no one was really sure what we needed. She had a fever on Thursday evening again, though not as high. No fever since then. We went home on Saturday knowing that we had to be back on Monday morning (today). She was even more uncomfortable Sunday. They have decided to admit her today since she is not getting better and may be slightly worse. They are talking about scoping her out to check her stomach and gut. They also think they are going to scope her lungs because of borderline results on a test they did Friday and are repeating today. We will keep you posted. Don’t let up on the prayers, please. We have a long way to go.

Don: Karen took a little spill today when we met the vet at the barn to get some bloodwork on the horses. In places we have almost beach sand. She noticed one horse roaming free that was going over to a new one that was tied up. She was in her flip-flops and was going to separate the horses, they got a little frisky as she got close, she tried to quickly back up and fell straight to her back in the sand. Knocked the wind out of her and may have wrentched a muscle or two in her lower back. That is a drag, since she already doesn’t feel real well most of the time, but she was able to walk around a little after a short rest. Hoping that the back doesn’t hurt too much or for too long.

Don: We really appreciate all the kindness and prayers that keep coming our way. Everyone we see naturally asks, “How are you doing?” Things are going pretty well. We went to Shands yesterday after a two week break. Our next trip is not for three weeks! They took her off the steroids completely yesterday. That is a goal we have been wanting to reach. Now we just need to watch and see how her body does until the next appointment. She still has a couple of medications that she is on. If she does well this time we may be able to make changes to the remain drugs next time.

Our biggest issue now is the fact that this seems to be never ending! The challenge originally was to stay alive. Now it is to get back to life!! With the weakness and almost constant aches and pains it is very hard to stay positive and push ourselves to try to get her out of the house. We are going to make a list of places to go. Thinking mostly of places that do require some walking and are within about 20 minutes drive time. The barn, St. Andrews State Park, Under the Oaks and places like that are where we are going to start. We are wanting to build up to getting out to see Rocky’s show and Tony Vegas. Both of which we have done in the past and really enjoyed. Where is your favorite quiet place to go? It might give us some other ideas.

Don: On her visit last week they lowered Karen’s steroids again. Her blood work is so close to normal (again) that they decided that she does not have to return next week. She gets to wait for two weeks before her next appointment. At that time they may reduce her more or even stop the steroids. It is a slow process to get back to ‘normal’ but we are moving in that direction. Please keep praying for full recovery.

Don: We made it. Last Thursday Shands told us we didn’t have to come back until this Thursday. A whole week! We made it and are going to be heading out soon for a morning appointment. Besides the blood work and labs they called and told Karen that they will remove her port. That is another good thing. We expect that they will lower her steroids again tomorrow. We are getting closer to being off the steroids completely. That is another important mile stone.

Have a great weekend everyone. Pray for Karen’ other Mother also. She is in the hospital and they have finally put in a breathing tube and feeding tube. She is doing better but may have to be in the hospital a little while. God bless you all for keeping Karen in your prayers. They definitely help us both!!

Don: Shands said they only need to see Karen one day a week! That is a huge step for her. She is a little scared to be that far away from Shands for that long but she is home this week. I will run her over there on Thursday and come back the same day. The kids will love getting back to a little more regular schedule and so will we.

Don: Karen is doing well at the moment. Keep in mind that when I say that it is definitely a relative term. She has some specific goals of her own. Getting off of the pain medicine and the steroids are at the top of her short list. She has been taking less of both recently and it is looking good that she will continue going to lower doses this week and next. Both could be at zero by then. If that is the case then we would be trying to make the transition to her living in PC with visits to Shands instead of the other way around.

Prayers focussed on her getting off steroids, without any new flare up in her body of graft versus host, are most appreciated. Steroids were needed to help her new cells and her body to get along but you don’t really want to have to take them long term. They have their own side effects that we want to avoid.

Thank to all of you who continue to drop by for updates on this site and offer your prayers and support.