I would like one order of a clinical trial please...

So... Let's just jump right in...

My CT scan showed an increase in both mediastinal and supraclavicular tumors. The Carboplatin isn't working. Onto plan... D? I am enrolling in a clinical trial at IU. The required brain MRI and abdominal and pelvic CT happily showed nothing! All a blessing on many levels. I am still waiting to hear about the EKG but am hopeful that will be ok also. John and I are going to IU on Wednesday to see Dr. M, get the new chemo drug that is in pill form and ask a brazillion questions. People are asking if I am "ok" I really am. This is yet another bump in the road. As I said before, I will not stress out over something I have no control over. This is where Faith comes in-I have it and am just praying it keeps growing instead of the cancer!
Please pray this drug is "the" answer for me. Pray for little side effects. Pray for John and the children that they too have Faith that not only will this drug help keep the cancer from growing but that for right now, it really is just a bump in this road we are on together.

Florida Fun, a curve ball and thankful Thursday...

We left for Longboat Key on the evening of Thursday June 5th. After driving through the night and most of the day Friday, I am completely convinced I am officially too old to drive anywhere through the night. It took a lot out of me. John is still convinced it is the way to go. The children were SO wonderful not only on our long car rides, but the entire time we were gone. I have yet to even download my hundreds of pictures to show you and am going to wait to tell you the entire story of our week until I do. But it was wonderful. Simply wonderful.

Yesterday was a scheduled chemo day in Indy. My sister in laws were my "peeps." One took me and the other took the kids...I'm not really sure who picked the short straw on that one. :)
Throughout this last week, I have been having that achy pain in my neck near my tumor sight that I had been having when the whole cancer part 2 started. I kept going back and forth on whether or not the tumor felt bigger or was the same. Dr. M felt that the tumor was the same but I did have swelling around and above it. Now, this could be from lugging kids and bags and carts to and from the beach and pool everyday. Or it could be from kayaking. Or it could be from the kayaking tour we took where a scary, ginormous storm came out of no where and we were paddling our brains out in waves,wind and rain to get out of the Sarasota bay and onto shore. (Total story coming on that one)
So... I am now waiting on another CT scan to be scheduled today or tomorrow to see if my instincts are correct and we need to move onto plan... Geez, what plan am I on? D?
While I was in Indy yesterday, in preparation of plan D, I did sign up for a clinical trial. One of its requirements is a brain MRI. Dr. Ms nurse was so nice and got me into the MRI while I was already there. So instead of chemo, I got to see if I even have a brain in my head! Results are still pending. :)

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Thankful Thursday....
I have SO many things to be thankful for...some are impossible to really put into words.

My favorite part of our trip probably was having John off work and with us for over a week. I am so happy he was able to relax and have fun with us. He works so hard for our family and many don't realize that even when he walks in the door at night, he is still talking many calls, putting out fires and preparing for the next day seven days a week.
I am so thankful for the Wellington foundation to gift us with this opportunity. Without it, we wouldn't have had the experience we did as a family. If you find yourself with some extra pocket change or an extra vacation home anywhere that you would be willing to give another family an experience like we had, PLEASE donate to them. I not only am very humbled by what they do, but have also made a wonderful friend in the process. (Hi Lisa!)
I am thankful for Dr. M... I have complete trust that she has my health and life in her best interest. She not only is sharp as a whip, but also believes in me and what I am feeling. For that I am unbelievably grateful.
I am so grateful to God right now. While this could be a either a major or minor bump in the road, I have complete trust and FAITH He is right next to me. We all may not like this bump in the road, but  I refuse to stress out or be angry at something I have no control over. I honestly believe God has my best interest at heart and while I may not like the outcome, I am choosing to trust and listen to Him.


More to come!

Smooches

Yusko Family prayers

It is with such a tearful, heavy heart that I ask you to pray for this wonderful family. Nora's Aunt and Uncle are very good friends of ours and I have learned so much from this faith filled family. The Yuskos have been incredible role models in Christ not only to myself, but to thousands of people. Please pray that they will still know and feel Gods immense love for them -especially now.

http://noraroseyusko.com



https://www.http://noraroseyusko.com.com/groups/231661623601433/?fref=nf

Saint filled friends

I know there are so many people supporting us right now that haven't been mentioned but please don't feel I am "skipping over" you or that your gifts and prayers mean less but I want to tell you about a gift I received last week that besides extremely looking forward to our vacation to Florida (we leave a week from Thursday! Squeal!) this gift is giving me incredible strength!
The short story is... Last week, my friend Amy and I met for coffee (gets me every time!) and she brought with her a gift from many of my favorite St. Gertrude mommas. Amy contacted many and they all got me their favorite Saint medals! Amy received so many, that I now have more than enough Saint medals for a necklace AND bracelet! These wonderful mommas also wrote me beautiful cards telling me why they chose the Saint(s) for me. LOVE! I can't tell you how much this means to me! It has given me such strength and an extra boost of Faith! I have been meaning to take a picture of them and the cards but have not had a chance. Thank you Amy! Again God is putting some amazing women/friends in my path. I am very blessed.
Speaking of strength, tomorrow is my third round of chemo (chemo 2.3) and I am asking for prayers please. Prayers that the anxiety I am already feeling will subside. Prayers that Dr. M will have the wisdom to know what anti-nausea meds to use next and that they WORK! Prayers for John to have the patience and strength to deal with a sick wife and 4 rowdy kids just starting Summer vacation. Prayers that the virus I had last week hasn't totally knocked out my immune system amd that my bloodwork is ok to even have chemo tomorrow.

Smooches, Kate

Happy and proud...

Yes, I have again missed Thankful Thursday... But truthfully, it is because of the many happenings from this past week have been so wonderful and uplifting, I am finding it hard to properly put my feelings to words.
Let's start with a week ago Thursday.
A fantastic surprise from our very good friends. New softball shirts designed by friends, purchased by my favorite tool and die company. For an impromptu gathering at Frickers ( kids eat free and yes, they probably lose money on us with all of our kids...but we all really try to make it up in beer!)because of a softball rain out, we all had a wonderful time. I really didn't turn a corner until that Tuesday and having our good friends surprise both John and myself that night did wonders for my mental and physical status!

Saturday, unexpectedly turned into one of the most memorable days and nights of my life. Our friend Jim- also, our best friends brother, was ordained a priest! While I have always felt lucky to be able to follow and pray for his process to this incredible event, I had no idea how profound this unbelievably Holy experience was going to be for me personally. His ordination mass was so beautiful, and an experience I truly underestimated. The music, the attendance, the cathedral, the words spoken and the clear abounding love for Jim (and the other man being ordained)from the congregation! I am still in awe. I really think every Catholic young or old, should attend an ordination. 

I didn't know that it is very special for a newly ordained priest to give you a blessing. While these pictures were quickly taken from Johns phone, I will cherish them and never forget Father Jim's words and blessing for me.

And then we celebrated like there was no tomorrow! It was a wonderful night!

 

I have thought and said out loud many times this week, I am very proud to be a Catholic.

Head above water...finally

Well, this post is already going to be rushed, so I will not be able to say everything I need in just one post! Please be patient with me. Wow, what a rough week. My birthday was so fun and wonderful thanks to so many! My flowers and cards and gift cards and texts and calls and emails just made my day! It was really fun turning 29 again! HA! Thank you so so much!
Wednesday, John and I headed to Indy to meet with Dr. M and my second round of chemo. I noticed that morning that I had a rash on my chest and kind of threw everyone into a mini-panic wondering what might be the cause- cellulitis caused by my "bad" lymph nodes in my chest going bonkers, a dermatitis from my chest being so...new ahem... Or the flip out... A different kind of breast cancer. Dr. M marked the borders of the rash and I went to see Dr. H here on Friday and she is confident it is just some sort of dermatitis! Thank you God. It is better and I am keeping an eye on it. I talked about how nauseous I was from my first round and we added another long lasting anti-vomiting med via IV HAHA hardy har... It did NOTHING! And if it did help, I could not imagine where I would be without it. I have been unbearably, incapacitatingly down for the count until really today. I was seriously in bed not moving and trying not to vomit or start vomiting because if I did, I have no idea when I would have been able to stop. Ugh. I know that I should have called and gotten more meds but I honestly kept thinking that it HAD to get better at any moment! Not so much... I know that I have a  plethora of meds to choose from and know I need to be more pro active about getting them. I will admit that I am definitely gun shy about my next round.
When I missed Thankful Thursday, John said I should write a Forgetful Friday hahaha- he's a funny one that guy! But by then, I was so crappy, no posts were going to happen until now.
There are so many things I need to write. You know how I like my documentation! But it is time to get Margo from school.

Smooches, Kate

Thankful Thursday

Happy thankful Thursday! What are you thankful for today? There are just so many things happening in our lives right now that we have to be thankful for that I am implementing Thankful Thursday on the blog. It will take a lifetime of Thursdays to mention so many things great and small so be patient with me.

There have been two foundations that have helped our family so much that I will forever be grateful to both. The first one is called Helping Hands of Cincinnati. I was told about this unbelievable foundation early on in my first diagnosis and didn't get a chance to contact them for quite a while, but when I did, they were there for us and ready to help our family in any financial way we needed. They helped me prioritize my piles and piles of medical bills that were (and are) streaming in daily. Granted, they are a small organization and were only able to help to a certain amount, but what they did help with was huge to our stress level. Everyone at Helping Hands (and the story of how it began) have just been incredible. If anyone has it in their heart, PLEASE send them a donation of any amount. They are an organization built out of friendship and love and deserve any donation they can get to use toward another family struggling with the stress and ridiculous amount of bills that pile up while dealing with cancer.  Our family will forever be thankful for them!

Ellie has a very good friend that found out about the Karen Wellington Foundation through school and being the selfless and determined beauty that she is, wrote a letter and nominated myself and our family for one of their amazing vacations they donate to women living with breast cancer. Because of Maria, we are headed to the beach for a week in June! Especially with my new diagnosis, to say we need this time away as a family is a huge understatement. School will be finished. Soccer and baseball will be missed. John will not be allowed to touch his phone for work (I am not kidding JW!)
And I plan on sitting on the beach (with a beer or margarita) watching my children run and play in the sand and sun. It will be glorious. Again, The Karen Wellington Foundation is just an amazing organization that runs on donations- not only monetary but also, if you have a summer home that you can donate to them for a week for another family to use while living with breast cancer, please seriously consider a donation. There really aren't enough words to say how much just the idea of getting away somewhere has kept us all looking forward!

Again, I am just so thankful for your thoughts and prayers...words just can't express how much.