Re: Karen has moved on
 

So very sad to read this, we'll miss you Karen. xx

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Thank you for letting us know. It's hard to grasp that she's gone. She was so very much alive. Hugs to all who loved her, laughed with her, felt her warmth, enjoyed her intelligence and shared a part of her life with her. She will be missed.

Love

Jacqueline

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Thanks for letting us know Andi. I am saddened to hear this. I admired Karen greatly. This is the second loss of a dear cyber sister in only a few days... So sorry for the loved ones left behind

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Miss Karen so much..she fought so hard..
Eileen

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Oh my goodness! I have not checked in for a week or so and have just read this sad, sad news! Karen was such a valiant warrior battling her foe with courage, aplomb, humor and grace. I admired her greatly. I will miss her wise posts. The world was a better place with Karen in it.

Re: Karen has moved on
 

I have not visited in a while....Thought of Karen today and logged on and see this. She inspired me with her strength and knowledge. I'm so sad.

Re: Karen has moved on
 

So sad to hear this. Karen overcame so many obstacles...this just isn't fair.

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Karen was amazing. She was a real fighter and encouraged us to be fighters too.
Rest in Peace, KDR.

Diane

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Karen was a real fighter, but also was there for others who were fighting. This is such a loss and I'm saddened for all of us and her friends/ family.
-Julie

Re: Karen has moved on
 

I am so devestated to hear this. Obviously never met Karen as I live in England but she inspired me so much through this site. As others have said, it is not fair. Rest in peace Karen and am thinking of your family at this very sad time

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Andi, thank you for letting us know. I am sorrowful and downhearted at this news.

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Oh no, so very sad to read about Karen's passing.

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Thank you, Andi, for letting us know. I am so very sad. She just seemed to make the world better. No words really.

Jackie

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Karen and I connected here soon after I joined . She thought like we did, fought like we did. She had a good but too brief run with t dm-1 right after Lorraine got it . Her triple pos. cancer blunted t dm-1's effect , but she was super - tough . Nothing stopped her . She went on to chase down treatments but most importantly , Live Life for extra years with her daughter , husband and family throughout. A Strong Believer , I know she is in Heaven - no more Pain. Our hearts are heavy tonight.

Re: Karen has moved on
 

Very saddened by this news and keeping her family in my thoughts. Something about the "I dream of Jeanie" avatar that grabbed me right away when I joined. Fought until the end, hopefully at peace now

Re: Karen has moved on
 

KDR passed on? It doesn't seem possible. She was very important to this site for me. I'm so sorry.

Re: Karen has moved on
 

The List showed '0' entries, but her postings/threads are still searchable. Below is a 'Thank you' thread she'd posted about a year ago:

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=63051

We sure miss her...

Re: Karen has moved on
 

I think of her every day. It was 12/12 that she passed.

I prayed so hard. As did many.

Karen was doing great but had active cancer. She declined a stronger chemo (that would cause her to lose her hair, which was her pride and joy). She would tell me, I know it's vain, but I just can't.

She went into the immunotherapy trial in Pennsylvania among the first to do with active cancer. Her body was overwhelmed with the chemo she was on and the tumor burden and the immunotherapy. Her lungs filled w fluid. It was difficult to breathe. A woman who for 5 yrs just kept on going like the energizer bunny was on oxygen, eventually had to have drains put in. Was taking morphine. Napping. Her contact w me became 1 sentence missives. On so many pain meds, her personality changed. She had more drains put in as she couldn't get enough air.

She did it her way. We each have to make those potentially shattering decisions for ourselves. It's a very personal thing. No one wanted to live more than she. For her young dghtr. To live!

Karen's passing was and is among the great losses in my life. I love her so. Still. And forever...

Re: Karen has moved on
 

this news is a punch in the stomach. i actually returned here today to ask her advice about something because last summer we had PM'd each other after my boyfriend was diagnosed stage 4. she was so kind and wise and caring and generous with her knowledge. i couldn't believe all that she'd been through and i am so sorry that she is gone. she went on her own terms, i guess, which is not surprising. i am so sorry, andi, that you lost a dear friend. i felt like she was my only friend here. tears for karen. - valerie

Re: Karen has moved on
 

You're very thoughtful, Valerie. Karen has spoken of you to me. Her loss to us all is great and I will never ever forget her.

She was in her 6th yr of fighting and it was hard. I know everyone here understands what hard is. There is just nothing like it. All these yrs after being on chemo, I still suffer from of the nasty side effects and vividly recall in amazement how I got through it.

We do what we must. I saw it as a process. I would struggle through it somehow, sometimes literally one hour at a time, then I got back to one day at a time. I saw myself far, far into the future.

I imagined myself at my 1 yr old granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah (which occurs at age 13). I would be there! I vowed it and envisioned it in detail. I was standing at a round table surrounded by family and friends. I looked radiant. Aglow. Music was playing and we were all clapping, waiting for the Bat Mitzvah girl to come on to the dance floor. Make her entrance. I felt such love and pride and joy!

Well, I lived to see that day!! I lived my dream. Now I have new dreams. That granddaughter is now finishing her 1st yr in college. She is 19.

I was 50 at orig dx. I am now 71.

I wish success to all my Sisters.

Valerie, I am here for you! Absolutely. Any time. My email is within my info. Please feel free to email me any time. We can chat.

Put HER2 SISTER in the subject line so I will not delete the email. I will respond. It is my honor to help in any way I can.

That goes for anyone on this board. I am here for you. I want to be. It brings me a sense of worth, using all the knowledge I've accrued through this thing called cancer.

Put my name in the search and see my articles through the yrs. I bet some will be helpful, inspirational, maybe even interesting.

I do send love to you all. You are always in my thoughts. In past yrs, when Joe was our webmaster, there were times the site would go down. As a regular, one who checked in at least once a day, every day, I would be aghast. I had no access to my support group !!!!!!!!!!

Then finally, the site would get back on line and so many others were out there, hanging on, waiting just like me.

We're here to support one another. I most definitely am! Any time!

XOXOXO, Andi