Don: We didn’t have time to update you last night, but that is a good thing! Karen got her last bag of chemo (for this round) yesterday morning around 8:00 am. I packed up while we waited for the 3 hour treatment. Her parents showed up and Ken and I took a few things down to the car. The excitement was building. Finally we were all done. Then we had to furry up and wait for about two hours. Fortunately one of our favorite people to visit with. She and Karen kept each other (and the rest of us) entertained. Still, I was pretty bored and anxious to get on the road. It seemed to take forever.

Eventually we got out and went to the hotel to check in. We had family meeting us for a visit. Around 7:30 they arrived. Dylan, Jacob, Randy, Big Randy and Ma. We visited until around 11:30 and were up by 7:00. We have the whole day ahead of us as they will spend the night and not leave until tomorrow. Karen and the boys really needed this visit. We are so glad they could all come down. Karen may not get to go back to Panama City for about 17 more days. Well, I better get off the computer. Our activities director, Dylan, is about ready to start our day!

Love your families. Don’t take them for granted. Thanksgiving is a perfect time to reunite with those you care about.

I get chemo at 8 pm for 3 hours and then again at 8 am for 3 hours.  Hopefully my discharge papers will be ready soon after and we will get to go.  I am starting to get really tired again.  Seem to require a daily nap.  The kids are coming tomorrow for a couple of days with Gale and Randy so hopefully I can keep up with them.  Don and I will be spending a few nights in the hotel so we can be close to them.  The camper is just not big enough for everyone, but it works well with mom and dad and Don and I.  My blood cell counts will soon drop so I will be much more tired but hopefully not ill.  Once we get discharged our Internet access will be limited so we may not get to make as many posts.  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and remember what it is all about.  Praise God in everything…

love Karen

Don: We just got back from going to church at North Central Baptist here in Gainesville. We asked for a day pass to leave Shands and because Karen’s numbers are still good they gave us one. We really needed that. The service was great and spoke right to me. The title was Monuments of Victory. Those of you that have known me for a long time might already know that I have not been a long time church visitor. I am really enjoying my exposure though. Pastor Calvin shared the story of a monument made from 12 stones taken from the river Jordan. The story is found in Joshua chapter 4. I won’t mess it up by trying to tell it to you. Pastor Calvin also shared some monuments from his own life and from the church’s long history. One was from 1967 and was just a simple church newsletter. All this led to a question that he asked several times. What monument to God are each of us leaving to our children? It sure made me think!

Great service, great message and a really great bunch of people. We had received a suggestion from some other patients that it was a good church. We totally agree and really appreciate their suggestion. We have joined their email list and asked that they put us on their prayer list. We look forward to returning for further inspiration and messages.

good morning everyone,

It is raining here in Gainsville…looks pretty coming down out there.  We are trying to get a pass to go visit a church this morning.  Not sure when the Doc’s will get here but church doesn’t start until 930am so we will see.  I was a little nauseous last night so they brought me some ativan.  It helped and I slept pretty good.  I am looking forward to getting discharged on Monday and a visit with my kids.  We are still working out details, but it will be great.  Also Lori and Buffy, still looking forward to seeing you two today.  My email is down right now so I can’t get to your phone numbers.  

 Thanks for all the comments and visits to this site.  I appreciate each and everyone of you.  This is most definitely the hardest thing I have ever been through.  I am having to make major life changes…and I am not able to be with my kids which is really the hardest part.  The fear of the unknown, and the inability to make plans….Jacob turns 14 on Nov. 29.  Happy birthday my son.  I wish I could be there.  I am very thankful that my treatments are working and I am in remission.  It is hard to not want a quick fix…but this is something that will take some time.  Not for big babies.  Stay in touch….and keep praying for continued healing and strength for both  me and my little family.

thanks, Karen

Tonight we get the second round of chemo.  Not looking forward to it, but everything has gone well so far.  I am hoping for a good nite.  I am pretty tired from the day so surely I will sleep through most of it.  Wish me luck… One thing for sure, if the chemo keeps me awake, I start praying pretty hard.  That’s the good thing.  Love you all.  Karen

Hi everyone,

We took Leila’s advice and asked for a day pass to leave the hospital for the day.  It was wonderful.  Don had some work to do (computer stuff) so he had to meet up with us later.  Mom and Dad and I went to a western boot store, and then met Don at the Oaks Mall.  We got a bite to eat and enjoyed some walking around.  I’m exhausted but it was great to leave the hospital.  I have been feeling pretty good.  I have not been nauseous, just a little tired.  I’m having some discomfort in my upper lung area on the right just under my central line but all here are aware.  It’s probably just muscular since Don and I shared this twin sized futon last night. 

I really enjoy going over to the clinic side in the mornings down on the 7th floor.  I have met some really great people and we sit and visit on the couches and chairs while they wait on their blood work or tests or whatever.  Its a great time to share and motivate each other to keep up the good fight.  Alot of them have already been through the bone marrow transplant and are outpatient.  It’s rewarding to see the people that are doing so good.  Don and I also go and visit the 7th floor  patients there too.  My friend Natalie is doing really good now, but she had a ruff go for a while there.  I’ve spent alot of time praying for them as I know they do for me. 

love you guys,karen

Don: We have been here a little over 30 hours. Karen got her first dose of chemo last night and the second this morning. There will be no dose tonight or tomorrow morning. Then 2 more doses, a day off and then 2 more doses. After that we get discharged. While Karen is getting her dose her body feels heavy but that goes away pretty quickly. Overall she is doing absolutely great! We still have a long way to go. We know that there will be some low days ahead. In fact we have to wish for them because that is why you take the chemo. You have to get worse from treatment before you can get better. That is the only way to get rid of the AML.

We have had an almost boring day. At least we both felt that way. Now looking back on the day I don’t know why we felt like that. Karen’s parents showed up a little before noon. We were about to go on a walk. So we visited, did laundry, heard a volunteer singing down the hallway so went and got her to come to Karen’s room, went on a long walk, watched a few songs we recorded on www.SingSnap.com, Karen got a shower, went back to visit friends on the hospital floor she was on last month and in-between all that Karen visits with her nurses. She makes friends every place, even from a hospital bed. We are going to watch some DVDs as soon as she gets off the phone. Maybe I should say “if” she ever gets off the phone. Later, Don

Hi everyone,  We are in room 8218, on the eighth floor.  We will only be in the hospital for 6 days this time.   I’m pretty sure the preliminary results of my Monday Bone marrow biopsy, shows clean marrow.  only 1-2 % blasts which is considered normal.  This is what we have been told, but need to hear it confirmed from the Doc.  I am so glad this time should be shorter and easier to get through.  We shall see…

I had such a wonderful time in panama city this past week.  The time I spent there, totally restored my hope.  I was able to regain my strength.  I spent so much time with my boys.  We worked out in the sunshine at my barn on Saturday, picking up pine cones and playing catch up.  We also attended a very nice church service with Mom and Dad and Laura on Sunday morning.  I am looking forward to my children coming to see me over the thanksgiving break.    Also Lisa and Chris and Lori and Buffy!!  I would love a visit! 

I want to thank everyone for the gifts, cards, prayers, comments,  phone calls and emails.  All my work friends, horsey friends, friend friends, and Dons’ friends.  Also all my family!  You all give me so much hope!  I am finally starting to just sit back and go with the flow instead of worrying about everything.  It is very hard to just let go and let God do his work.  I feel I have no real control over my life.  I guess none of us really do…but I literally, cannot plan anything.  My future is on hold for now…  I was telling Don today, it’s funny because  I was always the big talker out of the two of us, and now he talks more than I do.  It’s very different to not work, not have any hobbies, and nothing really new going on.  Each day starts running into the next.  That’s why this blog is so important to me.  Knowing you are out there helps me to know I am still here…crazy huh?  I love you guys.  thanks for all the support.

How do we define success when talking about a biopsy that happened only a few hours ago? IT DID NOT HURT!! The first one was tough and has made her worry about any future biopsy. Today was number 3 and that means the last two were good. Well, the drugs were good.

We will have prelimary results tomorrow and will, of course, pass on what we hear.

We have been here a little over 2 hours. Karen is about to have her third bone marrow biopsy. That is something they do kind of regular for her treatment. The first time was very painful. The second she did more drugs. No pain! We will see how things go today! Still waiting for pain pills today… more later.