On Thursday Karen went for the first round of chemotherapy. This was done through the chest port. She was given a pump that she carried with her for 24 hours. It went just fine - though it seemed like she was carrying a purse everywhere.
Friday Karen had the stronger chemotherapy injected into the abdominal port. This is a five hour drip. She has been placed on anti-nausea medication (which appears to be working) but she has been very tired and has occasional shooting pains, which the nurse told her are her organs fighting with the chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is basically poison. It will kill the cancer cells. But it also kills good cells, which is why many chemotherapy patients lose their hair, for instance. She has been told by the next treatment she will probably lose her hair. It will be in about three weeks.
Many of you are asking what you can do. PRAY. Continue to pray. By your prayers, Karen is so far handling this better than I expected, though we're still early into this. She is doing much to boost her immunity. This will help keep her strong, and hopefully less sick, as chemotherapy continues. PRAY also for our daughters Kylie and Shelby. This has been hard for Kylie at age 12 on top of the trauma of being a 7th grader (did anyone enjoy 7th grade?!?). Shelby, age 11, simply doesn't talk about this.
If we get to a point we need help with meals or anything else, as so many of you have graciously volunteered (and provided), we will let you know. Because one day some of you will be in need, and we want you to be able to come to us, and not be afraid to ask. God can't provide for any of our needs unless we make the needs known.
Lastly, pray for my job situation. My 3-month work assignment is nearing an end, though it has a possibility of continuing. It will make Karen's recovery so much more smooth if she's not worried about the basics. She keeps talking about going back to work. I tell her, "You have one job: fight for life. I'll take care of the rest." I know better: God is the one who signs my paychecks. Please keep this in prayer.
Please post your comments too...they encourage us so much. Or e-mail us at soulwise@msn.com.
John J
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
We have been blessed - thank you
Karen and I are so thankful for the many gifts, offers of support, and kindness that many have shown. Situations like this truly put the body of Christ to the test - and it wins every time. Thank you so much!
Thursday the 25th is the day Karen will begin chemotherapy at Methodist Hospital. She spends a few hours on Thursday, takes home a pump with her that continues all the way through Friday, then Friday the more difficult treatment - the chemotherapy into the abdomen which is specifically targeting the cancer cells found in the abdominal wall. So far, this has seemed pretty surreal - other than Karen having her hair cut short to prepare psychologically for losing her beautiful blond hair, life has seemed pretty normal.
I wish I knew what to say or what to expect, when I have no idea. And what about our girls? Kylie is 12 and Shelby is 11. On August 28, I told them this is awful for them, being so young and having to deal with their parents' health issues but this is what God is calling them to deal with now. We can only do this a day at a time. Just like Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, do not worry about tomorrow - each day has enough trouble of its own. Only times have changed since 2000 years ago. There was still stress. It was just distributed differently.
My sister Laura told us about a clinical trial she heard about at Mayo Clinic which we pursued, unsuccessfully, this week. Mayo is testing a new chemotherapy drug that cuts off the blood supply to tumors. Karen didn't qualify because she had no residual disease or tumors after her August 28 surgery. So she is proceeding at Methodist Hospital.
The staff at Park Nicollet has been working with us on paying the bills so far. Our dear friend Nicole Sanders has planned a benefit/silent auction on January 27 and tickets will be available soon for it - watch this space. Our former church, Berean Baptist Church, is giving us $3000 toward starting the chemotherapy. Every way we look, we see His hand moving.
This is not to say there is not fear or tears. There are plenty of those. My prayer requests for the many of you are these: 1) for Karen, as she begins - that God will in His grace make the chemotherapy bearable for her and strengthen her body (she has started this process with many vitamins and eating virtually no sugar, which she says she "hasn't missed"; 2) for me, to continue to provide for my family during this time. I took on a consulting position with a company called Bridge Funds during the real estate crisis lately that I should know in a few days if it is permanent or not. Either way, I need to be able to assure Karen that we'll make it through these next few months. I'm certainly open to more real estate work as it would give me more flexibility. 3) for the girls, for the strengthening of their faith and encouragement of their spirits during the next few months.
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" has always been one of my favorite hymns. I'll close with the chorus of this great hymn:
Great is thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning, new mercies I see
All I have needed, Thy hand has provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me
In His Love
John and Karne Jacobsen
Thursday the 25th is the day Karen will begin chemotherapy at Methodist Hospital. She spends a few hours on Thursday, takes home a pump with her that continues all the way through Friday, then Friday the more difficult treatment - the chemotherapy into the abdomen which is specifically targeting the cancer cells found in the abdominal wall. So far, this has seemed pretty surreal - other than Karen having her hair cut short to prepare psychologically for losing her beautiful blond hair, life has seemed pretty normal.
I wish I knew what to say or what to expect, when I have no idea. And what about our girls? Kylie is 12 and Shelby is 11. On August 28, I told them this is awful for them, being so young and having to deal with their parents' health issues but this is what God is calling them to deal with now. We can only do this a day at a time. Just like Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, do not worry about tomorrow - each day has enough trouble of its own. Only times have changed since 2000 years ago. There was still stress. It was just distributed differently.
My sister Laura told us about a clinical trial she heard about at Mayo Clinic which we pursued, unsuccessfully, this week. Mayo is testing a new chemotherapy drug that cuts off the blood supply to tumors. Karen didn't qualify because she had no residual disease or tumors after her August 28 surgery. So she is proceeding at Methodist Hospital.
The staff at Park Nicollet has been working with us on paying the bills so far. Our dear friend Nicole Sanders has planned a benefit/silent auction on January 27 and tickets will be available soon for it - watch this space. Our former church, Berean Baptist Church, is giving us $3000 toward starting the chemotherapy. Every way we look, we see His hand moving.
This is not to say there is not fear or tears. There are plenty of those. My prayer requests for the many of you are these: 1) for Karen, as she begins - that God will in His grace make the chemotherapy bearable for her and strengthen her body (she has started this process with many vitamins and eating virtually no sugar, which she says she "hasn't missed"; 2) for me, to continue to provide for my family during this time. I took on a consulting position with a company called Bridge Funds during the real estate crisis lately that I should know in a few days if it is permanent or not. Either way, I need to be able to assure Karen that we'll make it through these next few months. I'm certainly open to more real estate work as it would give me more flexibility. 3) for the girls, for the strengthening of their faith and encouragement of their spirits during the next few months.
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" has always been one of my favorite hymns. I'll close with the chorus of this great hymn:
Great is thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning, new mercies I see
All I have needed, Thy hand has provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me
In His Love
John and Karne Jacobsen
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Preparing for the battle - and scroll down below to get a "prayer pin"
On Wednesday Karen decided to wait on chemotherapy. Her concerns were financial - we hadn't heard back from any of the organizations that were going to provide assistance and then a couple of the drug companies called wanting advance payment for their chemotherapy drugs (over $1000). I was upset and angry at first, but it turns out this was from the hand of God. The following day I got an e-mail out to my prayer warriors (if you wish to join this group let me know by e-mailing me at soulwise@msn.com) and within minutes we heard from a dear friend of ours that a church we were once active in had a large benevolent fund it had to give away by the end of the year. Our friend made the initial request and it's looking positive for the money to get chemotherapy started. Please keep this in prayer. We need to hear soon, like in the next couple days.
Then on Friday Karen received a call from Park Nicollet. One of the drug companies, Glaxo Smith Kline, reviewed our application and agreed to $10.00 instead of the $500.00 for its drugs. They saw on the application that we have children aged 12 and 11 and this was the deciding factor for them. They're scheduling Karen for chemotherapy to begin on Oct. 25 which will give her time to get down to her parents' house and prepare it for sale. All I know is when the saints pray, God moves.
Karen is also reading "Beating Cancer with Nutrition" by Patrick Quillin. A fellow ovarian cancer survivor who refused chemotherapy treatment recommended this book. We've learned that cancer cells thrive and live on glucose - sugar - and when they are denied the vast amount of sugar that we continually feed our bodies, the cells die. It has worked for many. Karen is taking a nutritional approach as well as chemotherapy. This is how cancer was treated long before chemotherapy became the standard of care. On the strength of this, Karen, the girls and I spent time at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods in Minneapolis. We found all kinds of no-sugar goodies. Both Kylie and Shelby say they want to eat better now. Some changes are going to be made.
Sadly, medicine looks askance at any so-called "alternative" approach. Several years ago I was diagnosed with diverticulitis (an inflammation of the colon resulting in infections treated with two of the worst antibiotics you can imagine) and I had the top colorectal specialist in the Midwest telling me to have a surgery to remove two sections of the colon. Somewhere I heard about aloe vera juice. I went to Valley Natural Foods in Burnsville and picked a bottle of this stuff up. It tasted awful! But I drank it every day and stopped eating popcorn (deadly for me) and nuts. The infections disappeared. In the last four years, I've had one flare up of diverticulitis and I cured it with rest and aloe vera juice. My doctor just nodded his head. But these approaches work. Ultimately all of us have to do what is right for us - we know our own bodies - and Karen knows chemotherapy will kill the cancer cells, so she wants to do it, though she's been warned it is an aggressive chemotherapy for an aggressive cancer. But when it's over, and during it, she's going to modify her diet considerably. And the hope and prayer is that this cancer will be killed or put into remission - for good.
Many from our church, Prince of Peace Lutheran in Burnsville, have begun praying for Karen. Karen's childhood church in Shawnee KS, First Baptist, has placed her on their prayer list. There are many throughout the country, indeed throughout the world, remembering Karen, as well as me and our daughters. We are so appreciative and every day I feel that power.
Lastly, our dear friend Nicole Sanders has made some small lapel pin ribbons in Karen's favorite color with a small charm letter "K" on them. They are to remind those of you who are praying for her to keep her in your prayers and when others ask you about it, you can ask them to pray. If you want one of your own, I have some and you can e-mail me at soulwise@msn.com or Nicole at nsanders@mailnparcelplus.com.
God bless all of you,
John J
Then on Friday Karen received a call from Park Nicollet. One of the drug companies, Glaxo Smith Kline, reviewed our application and agreed to $10.00 instead of the $500.00 for its drugs. They saw on the application that we have children aged 12 and 11 and this was the deciding factor for them. They're scheduling Karen for chemotherapy to begin on Oct. 25 which will give her time to get down to her parents' house and prepare it for sale. All I know is when the saints pray, God moves.
Karen is also reading "Beating Cancer with Nutrition" by Patrick Quillin. A fellow ovarian cancer survivor who refused chemotherapy treatment recommended this book. We've learned that cancer cells thrive and live on glucose - sugar - and when they are denied the vast amount of sugar that we continually feed our bodies, the cells die. It has worked for many. Karen is taking a nutritional approach as well as chemotherapy. This is how cancer was treated long before chemotherapy became the standard of care. On the strength of this, Karen, the girls and I spent time at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods in Minneapolis. We found all kinds of no-sugar goodies. Both Kylie and Shelby say they want to eat better now. Some changes are going to be made.
Sadly, medicine looks askance at any so-called "alternative" approach. Several years ago I was diagnosed with diverticulitis (an inflammation of the colon resulting in infections treated with two of the worst antibiotics you can imagine) and I had the top colorectal specialist in the Midwest telling me to have a surgery to remove two sections of the colon. Somewhere I heard about aloe vera juice. I went to Valley Natural Foods in Burnsville and picked a bottle of this stuff up. It tasted awful! But I drank it every day and stopped eating popcorn (deadly for me) and nuts. The infections disappeared. In the last four years, I've had one flare up of diverticulitis and I cured it with rest and aloe vera juice. My doctor just nodded his head. But these approaches work. Ultimately all of us have to do what is right for us - we know our own bodies - and Karen knows chemotherapy will kill the cancer cells, so she wants to do it, though she's been warned it is an aggressive chemotherapy for an aggressive cancer. But when it's over, and during it, she's going to modify her diet considerably. And the hope and prayer is that this cancer will be killed or put into remission - for good.
Many from our church, Prince of Peace Lutheran in Burnsville, have begun praying for Karen. Karen's childhood church in Shawnee KS, First Baptist, has placed her on their prayer list. There are many throughout the country, indeed throughout the world, remembering Karen, as well as me and our daughters. We are so appreciative and every day I feel that power.
Lastly, our dear friend Nicole Sanders has made some small lapel pin ribbons in Karen's favorite color with a small charm letter "K" on them. They are to remind those of you who are praying for her to keep her in your prayers and when others ask you about it, you can ask them to pray. If you want one of your own, I have some and you can e-mail me at soulwise@msn.com or Nicole at nsanders@mailnparcelplus.com.
God bless all of you,
John J
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