A New Update On Our Dear Friend Karen

by

KS

Many of you know our dear friend, Karen Sutherland, who has been such a wonderful support to so many of us in the blogosphere over the past few years. Although Karen doesn’t have a blog herself, I always say she is an honorary blogger in our community.

Unfortunately Karen has had a set-back in her health and she wanted me to share with you her friends how she has been. Here is the latest e-mail I received from her this week.  Please join with me in sending her prayers, love, and healing thoughts.

 

Dear Marie,
 
It is uncanny that I was thinking about you the last several days!  I thank you for reaching out to me as I am going through a very harrowing ordeal- another episode of WTF that I cannot stop reeling from.
 
I met with my oncologist this past Wednesday with the expectation of a long list of questions about the post lymphoma PET and CT scans.  But before I could begin, I was given the news that the ST IV MBC has metastasized to my left lung.  I had been NED for 6 years, and though I knew this could occur… But hey! – I just finished treatment for lymphoma, and never had a single thought about MBC. What a tangled web… 
 
There are no words to express the state of shock rendered by that diagnosis.  I can’t find myself, I am spiritually, physically, and mentally depleted.  Nothing makes sense, and the fatigue of grief is
a heavy pall that envelopes my entire being.  But I have had a lot of practice with grief, and have figured out it’s wont – that all previous states of mourning come back along with the latest hit- every single one of them since my Darling Hugh died.  I am grateful to have a wonderful therapist and we are working through the return of PTSD.  And so I need to honor that grief, feel it, let it wash over me and just keep .swimming. 
 
The worst is the effect upon my family.  Having to tell them was so very, very hard. 
 
So now the plan is to add Perjeta to the Herceptin.  After 3 months, I will have the scans again and see if we need to tweak the treatment.  There are still vestiges of the lymphoma, but they are very tiny and grow slowly.  If the scans show any significant growth at the 3 month interval – What?  – I have no idea where that would take us.  I was so stunned, I forgot to ask.  Ah, well, enough on the plate for now. 
 
I am trying hard to pick up the pieces and get back on track with all the things that have sustained me – mostly love, gratitude, joy in simple things and knowing I am not alone. 
 
Sending you much Love, my Dear Marie,
 
Karen.XXXXOOOO
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