Dear family and friends: We come to you with a great deal of fear right now. In the next few days, this whole cancer thing is about to become real. Karen begins chemotherapy this week. On Tuesday she has to have a port placed into her chest (in addition to one that had been placed in the surgery last August) then on Thursday she will spend 8 hours on a chemotherapy "drip" followed by another session on Friday. This cycle will repeat itself every three weeks.
We have no idea what her reaction will be. We hear about fingernails becoming brittle, sores in the mouth, skin becoming dry and taut...and more. We're scared.
A dear friend of ours gave us a book last night that has actually been quite encouraging and comforting called "Where God Is When It Hurts". The same friend also directed me to Jonah's prayer in Jonah ch 2. There is comfort in God's word.
Theologically we're struggling. Karen especially wonders: why pray, when God may already have a completely different result in mind? What's the point? We've heard some tell us over the years, God is God, and one pastor even said prayer is nothing more than a comfort to the person praying and has no bearing on what God will do, because He is Who He is. It makes Him sound pretty heartless. Do any of you relate to this struggle?
A dear lady at our church today is starting a whole group of prayer warriors to pray for us and to start delivering meals. The outpouring from family and friends has touched us deeply. We can only say thank you. It is true that when one part of the body is hurting, all the others hurt with that part.
We'll be in touch with all changes and developments. There are many we haven't heard from, who may be wondering: what do I say? We just want to know you're there praying. That's the best anyone can do.
In His Love
John Jacobsen
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The question "why"
On August 28, 2007, Karen Jacobsen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer following a surgery to remove a large tumor in the left ovary. The tumor was 14 lbs. What has followed has been many days of anger and questions, yet reassurance that even in these circumstances we never wanted to be in, there can be peace.
Karen is only 45 years old. Having had two daughters (now ages 12 and 11) it didn't make sense that she would have ovarian cancer. Having children puts you at less risk! Karen and her husband John had every reason to be hopeful: the tumor was too big to be cancerous; the CT scan didn't see any enlarged lymph glands, etc. etc.
Four days after the surgery, Karen learned she had stage 3 ovarian cancer. However, she was in a group where there was more hope: there was no visible evidence of cancer after the surgery. It was all in the tumors and they were removed. Anything left was microscopic. But an aggressive course of chemotherapy was prescribed. It will be starting in the next couple weeks. And she was told the cancer cells that were found were very aggressive cancer cells.
To add to the anxiety and fear, Karen was without health insurance at the time of the surgery. She had a medical savings plan...but not true insurance. John is a realtor...need we say more? Some resource avenues are opening up but this is where the greatest need is. John has abandoned full time real estate for a time to improve his family's cashflow situation, but the need is great.
We've read all the promises in the Bible. Many reassure us with their prayers and love. But we want to know why, and we're getting silence. It's always someone else. In the previous year-and-a-half, four family members and close friends of ours were lost to cancer, including Karen's father. Why us, why now?!? No one can answer that. We need to find that place where there's comfort and assurance in God, but we're not there. We wonder if it's there.
As we begin to take this on, we need your prayers. We need you. We'll update all of you on Karen's treatment and condition. It is our hope that in about five months, we'll be reporting to you that Karen is CANCER FREE! Be confident with us. But the journey ahead is long, and we're sure it will be dark. Please be near us in prayer.
In His Love
John Jacobsen
Karen is only 45 years old. Having had two daughters (now ages 12 and 11) it didn't make sense that she would have ovarian cancer. Having children puts you at less risk! Karen and her husband John had every reason to be hopeful: the tumor was too big to be cancerous; the CT scan didn't see any enlarged lymph glands, etc. etc.
Four days after the surgery, Karen learned she had stage 3 ovarian cancer. However, she was in a group where there was more hope: there was no visible evidence of cancer after the surgery. It was all in the tumors and they were removed. Anything left was microscopic. But an aggressive course of chemotherapy was prescribed. It will be starting in the next couple weeks. And she was told the cancer cells that were found were very aggressive cancer cells.
To add to the anxiety and fear, Karen was without health insurance at the time of the surgery. She had a medical savings plan...but not true insurance. John is a realtor...need we say more? Some resource avenues are opening up but this is where the greatest need is. John has abandoned full time real estate for a time to improve his family's cashflow situation, but the need is great.
We've read all the promises in the Bible. Many reassure us with their prayers and love. But we want to know why, and we're getting silence. It's always someone else. In the previous year-and-a-half, four family members and close friends of ours were lost to cancer, including Karen's father. Why us, why now?!? No one can answer that. We need to find that place where there's comfort and assurance in God, but we're not there. We wonder if it's there.
As we begin to take this on, we need your prayers. We need you. We'll update all of you on Karen's treatment and condition. It is our hope that in about five months, we'll be reporting to you that Karen is CANCER FREE! Be confident with us. But the journey ahead is long, and we're sure it will be dark. Please be near us in prayer.
In His Love
John Jacobsen
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