Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Please visit this site to get the latest about Karen's journey and please post your words of encouragement. xoxo Karen and Dorjee
Karen's Story
On Monday, November 9th Karen went in for a routine mammogram. After the mammogram and breast exam they told her they had found something and wanted to biopsy it immediately. She was rushed to another department and they performed ultra-sound. The doctor had two spots she identified for biopsy. The needle biopsy was performed and sent off to the lab. A couple of days later they called Karen with the bad news - it was cancer. She was immediately scheduled for an MRI of both breasts. With all the phone calls from her doctors, Karen tried to stay positive. On Monday, just a week after the mammogram and biopsy they called her and told her she had HER2 positive breast cancer. This is a fast growing cancer that can spread to other parts of the body. As a result, they recommended aggressive treatment. Karen is scheduled for surgery next Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving . Once she recovers from the surgery and they get the results of the pathology they will be able to tell us more including the stage. Karen has elected to have a lumpectomy. It is likely she will have additional surgeries - including plastic reconstructive surgery. Because of the fast growing nature of this cancer, she will have both chemotherapy and radiation following the surgery. They have recommended genetic counseing to determine more about Karen's risk for reoccurrence in the future.
As you can imagine - this is all incredibly overwhelming for both Karen and Dorjee. I am Karen's sister Nancy and am setting up this site so that Karen and Dorjee's many friends and family all over the world can stay in touch and offer support and encouragement to them as they embark on what is likely to be an exhausting and difficult journey. For those in the Bay Area, I am also setting up some help with meals after Karen's surgery through Meal Train. Neither Karen nor Dorjee have much experience asking for help - but I am asking for them. They need their friends and family now so thank you in advance for your support and prayers.
