hi everyone, 

I/they figured out why I have been having all the chest/back pains.  I thought I had pulled a muscle, but when after several days it just wasn’t getting better,  I started worrying more.  Saturday when Don and I went to clinic, they ran some tests and found out I have a couple of blood clots.  They are sometimes caused by the PICC line (IV access located in my upper left arm).  One clot is in my neck and the other is in my armpit area.  I am now on heparin (anticoagulation therapy) IV, and they had to remove the PICC line.  I should get discharged (back to camper life) in a day or two, and continue with clinic visits until my counts recover.   they will put me on some type of anticoagulation therapy for several months to ensure no more clots.

Mom and dad took the boys to see a movie “diary of a wimpy kid”, and then brought them here to the hospital to hang out.  they picked them up again last night around 9 pm.  They will get to hang out today until time to go back to panama city this evening with Don.  I found out that they can stay with me here at the hospital overnite.  I never knew that.  Maybe when I come back for my transplant they will take turns spending the night here.  that would be alot of fun.

all is well,

karen

hi everyone,

We have good news.  We found out yesterday I have been approved for medicaid.  I called Shands immediately so they could get the ball rolling for a transplant.  There will be a lot to do between now and then and I of course do not have a schedule yet.  I may get some information monday of next week.  I think I will have to recover completely from this “consolidation chemo” before we can take the next step.  probably means at least 4 weeks, but at this point just a guess.

I have not been feeling good; blahs from chemo, and I pulled about a 100 muscles in my upper back/chest.  may have joined a gym in my sleep, and forgot to tell anyone. 

My sister Laura stayed with us wednesday nite and we had a blast.  She and Dad and I, sang country songs, while Dad picked the guitar.  My good friend Renee and her Dad also came over for a game of yatzee.  Mom and I really enjoy playing board games.  Renee is scheduled for her Bone marrow transplant at the end of this month so we are all real excited.  Her family is now camping right next to us here at Sportsmans Cove.  They are learning to adjust to “camper life”, and are really loving the beauty of this place.  It is really nice having a chemo friend for a neighbor.

Don and the kids are coming to visit tonight.  yeah!!!!!  We will have the weekend together and then they go home again sunday.  This will be my “low week” coming up so lets pray i get through it without any problems.

God is so good,

love karen

hi everyone.  I am doing good with the chemo.   No issues so far…  One more round   of chemo on saturday and then after sunday dose, I should be discharged.  I will then head to the camper for the next 2 weeks of clinic.  ughh.

Mom, stayed with me last night so that was nice, and Don gets to come in for the weekend tonight.  he will get here around 10pm or so.  can’t wait.

I am already missing family and home…but this is the last chemo round before a possible transplant so we are nearing the finish line.  Facebook has been awesome and I have been catching up with alot of my friends.  something I don’t do much of when I’m at home.  it really helps pass the time here in the hospital.

life can sometimes be really hard,  but its the little things that really matter…love, friendship, laughter, sunshine, and warm breezes are some of my favorites.  also the animals God blesses us with.  my dogs love me unconditionally!  love it!

love you guys

karen

Hi everyone!  its been a while since I have updated my site.  I am doing very well right now, and ready for the next round.  My tummy is completely better and I have been off of all the medications for a few days…so I feel great.  This is my 4th and hopefully last round of chemotherapy before I get a bone marrow transplant.  We are still working out the insurance/medicaid thing but its looking pretty good.  I’m sure I will have the transplant some time this summer unless we do something different.  we’ll keep you posted on all that.

I have had a wonderful time at home with my boys, and even got to see my older son, Randy.   It is Randy’s springbreak and he brought a few friends home with him from Harding University.   We all went to Jenks ave. Church of Christ.  Heather and her boyfriend came, and we all sat together. It was wonderful to be together to worship God.

love karen

hi everyone, guess what?  I am back in shands hospital.  I am so disappointed.  I am supposed to be at home with my kids.  I got a really bad stomach ache on saturday and it hasn’t really gotten much better.  I came to shands monday for routine lab work, but the stomach ache had to be addressed.  I have had an xray and an abdominal CT.  they were not letting me eat anything but finally started letting me eat some stuff today.  I was so hungry since I haven’t eaten since early saturday,  I pigged out! 

The xray showed alot of gas (go figure), and probable constipation…hmmm.  the CT shows some kind of small intesinal wall thickening.  They are not sure what it is.  I had an enema today to hopefully relieve the one problem.  My belly is so big I look pregnant.  They are hoping to get things “moving” again. They are working on a plan to determine what to do about the CT results.  they will probably order another CT in a day or so.  meanwhile,  I am here and not with my boys!!!  I am supposed to get admitted next monday or tuesday for round 4 of consolidation chemo therapy so I really wanted to be at home with the kids this week!.  Please pray that all this will be resolved and I will get a few more days at home with my children.  I have a history of stomach problems so I am hoping that this will not be anything serious. 

Other than tummy trouble, I am doing great.  I don’t have any fevers, my blood cell counts have recovered and I was enjoying my time at home with the family. We did get a whole week together so that was nice.   I am at least half way done with my treatments so, I know I will eventually be home with them for good.  Please continue to pray…much love

karen

Hi everyone,

I am still at Shands.  I am feeling really good and all my blood counts are improving.  I am still receiving lots of antibiotics through IV while we wait for the results of the blood cultures.  We may get to go home friday or saturday.  If we are lucky.  I am very ready to go home and am getting pretty grouchy.  we have alot of student doctors and nurses on this floor, so I am getting a little more attention then I want right now.

Still no good news on the transplant other than we have a donor that is ready to go.  My insurance is still a problem.  Need to pray and trust God on this one.  Trying not to get down…all will work out.  I just need to go home for a little while and be with me family…

love karen

Hi everyone,  I went to clinic on monday thinking I would get to go home…

well that didn’t work out.  I had some “bugs” hiding out in my central line and when they flushed it take my am labs, well the bugs went everywhere.  I took to shaking like I’ve never done before.  I didn’t actually get a fever but they wisked me off to the infusion center and started me on some high powered IV antibiotics.  I was admitted to the 8th floor by the afternoon, an here I am.

They are planning on removing this central line today or tomorrow.  I will just have a temporary peripheral line in the mean time.  They said I will probably be here until friday.  They need to identify the “bugs” so I can get the proper antibiotics.  They are also wanting my blood counts to get more normal so there is no concern that I will need a transfusion.  Anyway,  here I am.  All is well and I am getting better.

love

karen

Hi everyone.  Didn’t get on the computer much this past week.  I had to go to clinic every single day for platelets which means benadryl.  I was knocked out by the time we could get back to the camper and slept all afternoon.  I’m sure this is the lowest my platelet count has ever gotten so far (count was “3” and normal is 150-400).  Wow, very tired this week.  I finally got 2 units of blood on friday and then I bounced back.  I am feeling alot better, but now the tummy troubles are starting…  This is just the way it goes and I’m used to it. 

I hope to go home this monday coming up, and feel pretty confident I won’t come back until they are ready to do the bone marrow transplant.  This could give me maybe 3 weeks at home.  Not sure but hopeful.  When I know something I will update the post.

Don is back with me for the weekend, and all is well here in Gainesville.  Thanks for all the prayers, and know that I am still in remission.  God is good.

love karen

whew.  what a day.  I am still groggy from all the benadryl I had to take today.  Benadryl is a premedication to prevent reactions when you need blood or platelets.  I had a reaction to the platelets anyway, so I had to have an extra dose of benadryl through my IV port.

I also needed an antibiotic Vancomycin (strong stuff which also caused me to itch all over)  for a possible skin infection at the site of my IV port.  It is looking a little pink and tender under the dressing so they want to be careful that I don’t get a blood infection.

Back to clinic in the morning for more fun.  Poor Dad.  mom usually doesn’t come with us on clinic days so he has to go down there and sit around waiting for me to get done.  He likes to play Sudoku (numbers game) on the laptop, so that entertains him for a little while.

Today was mom’s birthday and tomorrow is dad’s birthday.  I can sure think of a better way to spend my birthday than at clinic…Maybe they will have a post birthday dinner date when we get back home.  Mom cooked an awesome meatloaf dinner for us so that was nice.

My kids are back home after a great weekend together, and all is well,

love Karen

brownies are baked and waiting on Don and the kids to get here.  This weekend will be great.  Got my platelets today so I’ll have the weekend off-no clinic.  yeah!

Good news!  Renee is still in remission.  She’s had all the tests here at Shands, and she is still doing great!  I guess it was a false alarm with the bloodwork from her clinic at home.  (she lives in pensacola).  Anyway,  She is still in remission and trucking along just like me.  I am so happy!  I was so worried she would have to start over with the chemo.  We have been through enough…

all is well,  God loves us, and wants us to be happy through him,

love  karen