Hi everyone.  the wi fi is down at our campsite right now.  That means we can’t get on the internet for anything.  It is ruff.  no facebook, email, nada.  Only communication is with cellphones that have poor reception…bummer.  O’well, hopefully they will have it fixed by wednesday.  that’s what we were told.

All is well,  clinic today.

Hi everyone.  I’m getting my last bit of chemo and then discharged by noon or so.  Then its off the the camper.  Don will leave tonight or early in the am to start his next work week, and Mom and Dad will be stuck trucking me back and forth to clinic.   Hopefully we will get through this go without any complications.  I can tell they are getting tired.  Don is trying to save his vacation/sick leave for when I get my transplant.  He is coming down on weekends.  🙁 

Hope to see Jake and Dylan this weekend!!!  Dylan has a Championship basketball game this week, and Jacob started track last week.  I got very lucky and was able to see a couple of Dylan’s games.  It was so much fun.  I love watching the kids compete.  I hope to be home for some of Jakes track meets.  I have been blessed…Praise God for remission and second chances.  I can’t wait to come home and be a mom again.  “Susie homemaker” sounds like the best title ever!  Anyone care for some brownies…?

love karen

All is well.  just getting another round of chemo.  Can’t wait for friday nite when Don can be here.  Time can drag on. 

 It looks like I am getting closer to a bone marrow transplant.  They have located an awesome 10 out of 10 donor and are wanting to start doing some sort of work up.  I just switched to Cobra with my insurance company so we are experiencing a few hiccups.  Hopefully all will work out soon and we can get this show on the road.  They would like to start in 4-6 weeks I have been told.  We should have more details soon. 

Keep praying.  I have a lot to still get through.  Mom and Dad and my whole family have been so supportive.  I want thank everyone who is helping to take care of all my animals.  I know I don’t have to worry about them thanks to you guys.

Don: Jake and Dylan’s dad, Dennis, has been really helpful and supportive of Karen and the boys since this all began. Just want to send out a huge THANKS!

Karen left this morning, as planned, for consolidation #3. In the past, I have been able to be with her those 6 days in the hospital. This time we just couldn’t work it out. Her parents are with her though and I will see her on the weekend. I can’t wait! I already miss her and she is just pulling into Gainesville. In fact I will be down there each of the next three weekends and then she will come home on about Monday, Feb 8. As an added bonus, since I will be going there anyway, Jake and Dylan can go with me the second weekend.

One thing that hasn’t changed is how so many people have offered to help with anything that we need. We have great nieghbors, Jim and Chong, that are feeding our cats, inside and out. We have about 7 total, though only the first cat was picked out by us. The rest have just picked us out. The staff of the Lazy C Ranch (www.LazyCRanch.us) has been feeding and haying 4 of our 5 horses twice a day. It works out great becuase the Lazy C is my brother Gene’s place, it’s right next door, and my Dad also has property next door so he gets to make sure Gene and one of the grandsons (Jordan) don’t forget to do my chores. It is also Dad who usually finds when one of our horses has figured a way to get out of the fence. Plus they get to do all kinds of little things that need done when you have horses. Mostly that means repairing stuff the horses break! Johnny Dukes has Karen’s show horse, Elvis, at his place. Elvis was really starting to come into his own when we got side tracked and started spending so much time in Gainesville. Johnny is getting a little ride time in on him so that he doesn’t forget what he had learned.

There are others who have helped, sent up prayers and just kept in touch. In case we have forgotten to thank any of you for all that you have done, “Thank You!!” Lunch time is over. Got to head back to work!

No amount of time at home would be enough.  There are still so many people here I would love to see.  And many more things I would love to do.   I am so thankful for my friends, and I want you to know that even if I did not get to see you this time, you are in my heart and thoughts.  I have really focused on spending this time with Jacob and Dylan.  I miss them so much when I am gone and my time away has been a hard adjustment for us.  Their Dad is amazing and is doing a really good job creating stability for them.  I can’t imagine what it must be like to not have your mom except via phone or email…I can’t wait for a  happy ending.  We will continue to pray and thank God for the little things.  Life is good and we will make it through.

See you in Gainesville

karen

Hi everyone,

I am having a wonderful time back at home.  I got to visit with Randy before he went back to Harding, and that was really nice.  We got a little much needed one on one time.   I’m so proud of him.

I really love being home.  I love spending time with my boys, but even when they’re not here, I just love being home.  I have been catching up with friends and running a few errands. We’ve had some nice family dinners and even had Laura and her bunch over last night for tacos.  We had a great time playing bananagrams, and have found that some of us are major cheaters (Grandpa and Dylan)!  Tonight will be very busy, Dylan has a basketball game, and Jake is finishing a science project (due tomorrow), so wish me luck with all that.

I am going to G’ville on Wednesday for lab work and coming back home.  I will be admitted for my #3 consolidation (chemo) on Jan 19.  They are giving me a little more time off this go round, and I am truley greatful.  I hope to not have to go as long without seeing my children.  I need to make sure they come to G’ville for a visit. 3 weeks is just too long….

Life is good, and I am very thankful for my doctors and nurses in Gainesville that have gotten me better so I can have time off to come home and see my family and friends.  I also thank God everyday for giving me another day…

I love you guys

karen

Don: Two great things happened at the same time. Within an hour of my last message Karen convinced Shands not to make her stay in Gainesville and my new boss, Rosanne, insisted I take today and tomorrow off so I could “clean the house and make Karen a nice dinner!” Thanks Rosanne. That means a lot to both Karen and me.

Randy will be coming over for some personal time with his Mom before he heads back to Harding College tomorrow. Everything happens in God’s time. This time the timing works out well for us too. Dylan and Jake will be here tomorrow after school for even more family time. I think Karen’s next round of treatment starts on Jan 18. Again for those who try to keep up, she has had one induction treatment and two consolidation rounds. The treatment on Jan 18 will start consolidation #3.

Don: Looks like they just might be asking Karen to stay in the Gainesville area after she gets out today. They want her to come to clinic for lab work on Friday. This is a real bummer because this month the boys didn’t get to come to G’ville for a visit even though they were out of school. I have gone back to work and it looks like it may be harder than before for me to get to go back when Karen starts her next consolidation cycle. That will be cycle #3. She is really being a trooper but the time she is in Gainesville away from the family is very hard on all of us. It is great that her parents are available and have a real desire to be there for her when I can not be there, but it still isn’t the same as being home. I think that part of this whole scenario is even harder mentally and emotionally than the chemo!

Still, we pray for the best final outcome first and then for the trip to be tolerable! Looking forward to getting Karen home for good. We love you Baby!

Hi everyone,

I’m still here in the hospital.  They will probably let me go home tomorrow (Thursday).  I am feeling a lot better and no fever.  All of my blood counts are on the rise and some are near normal.  Only complaint is a bloated tummy that’s tender, but I have that most of the time.  Not sure if it is caused by the chemo or the support meds.  Makes me want to wear maternity tops with low rise denims…or pajamas or sweats of course.

Can you guys believe how cold it is?  In florida?  When is it going away?  Brrrrr.  It is very sunny here is Gainesville this morning, but everyone that comes in, is complaining about how cold it is outside.  I worry about my dogs and horses.  I hope they are staying warm somehow.  Hopefully my dog has figured out it is warmer in my sisters barn (she is keeping him for me). 

Can’t wait to come home.  I don’t have the next schedule yet, but all is well.  When do we get our ticket? Right before we get on the train.  Stay warm and safe,

love Karen

Hi everyone.  We are now 5 days into the new year.  I am excited about this year.  In spite of everything, I think it is going to be a good one.  Happy 2010 🙂

Sunday night I started running a fever and had to come to the ER.  My white blood cell count is still really low so I can’t fight off an infection.  They ran a bunch of tests, started IV antibiotics and admitted me here to the 7th floor.  I am in room 7120.  I hope to go home tomorrow but I could be here longer.  They have not found any infection but I feel like it was my sinuses.  I had alot of pain in my face, like my upper jaw, teeth, cheeks, and some pressure behind my eyes.  They did a CT of my head, and that came back normal too.  Anyway, the fever is gone and so is the pain.  I am feeling alot better and of course…WANT TO GO HOME.

This is day 20, and they usually let me go home at day 21 if all is well.  Keep your fingers crossed.  Short of having a donor we will come back  to Gainesville for more Chemo in about a week.  We don’t have the schedule yet.  I am really looking forward to seeing my kids and having some time at home.

Keep up the prayers to our heavenly Father,

love Karen