[Andrea Barnett Budin]

I've left a message on her home phone. And on her cell. And in PM on FB, which is where we lately communicate regularly. She last posted Nov. 4 in FB, where she posts constantly, and likes and comments on my posts.

I dared to post here, then deleted it, cause I heard her husband said she is fine.

Well, today, that person called me to tell me -- KAREN IS IN ICU at St. Francis hospital on Long Island. An excellent hospital.

She had been in the hospital for a week a few weeks ago. She had a large pleural effusion. She was having trouble talking, which we all know, is not good. Especially for a truly talkative person like Karen!

I love her. Truly.

Let's all please say prayers for her, Yasmin (her dghtr) and Sherif (her husb).

They had to put in another drain to get the fluid out. S

She's been on a lot of pain meds and sleeping an unusual amount lately. She's told me her tx are HELL. And she never complains!

She's been feeling very sensitive I've noticed. Our integrative oncologist died in September (suicide) and she and I have been PMing on FB all day for mnths.

Sometimes in the past when we used to use email, if I didn't hear from her I would send her a quick WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU ALL RIGHT???

She'd shoot back, I'm sorry, did I scare you? And we'd chat.

I am told by a mutual friend, who knows Karen well and went to our integrative oncologist, and sees the same onc on Sloan and is in the same trial, that she just found out that the doctor says this is a very bad sign.

The lung doc has her on so much morphine she sleeps most of the time! So she isn't getting messages via any route.

I KNOW Karen would be talking loud and clear, telling the doc to cut down on the morphine. She needs to sit up, walk, move around. She needs to be able to communicate her wishes. Ask questions.

When she had the liver ablation ?? 18 mnths ago, after they literally almost killed her, cutting into her lung, in surgery for 12 hours, lost most of her blood!, the minute she was in her room she was telling them what she thought, what she wanted, how she wanted it. Asking questions.

You can't shut that woman up and that's a large part of why I love her so much. She is me. Big mouth. A lady, but verbal.

I am sick with worry because she has been silenced. Deep in sleep. Not functioning. Not participating in her care and health.

I asked this friend who lives in NY to go to the hospital and see her. To speak to the husband, whom she knows, and get him to speak up for Karen! Someone has to speak up for her!

PLEASE SAY PRAYERS WITH ME FOR KAREN. May her Guardian Angels surround and protect her!

Thanks for your support, my sisters.

With Love and Light,

Andi