Welcome to Kathy's CaringBridge site! Thanks to everyone for visiting and staying updated on her progress!
Eight years ago, Kathy was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (a rare form of bone marrow cancer). She endured nearly a year of treatment, including a bone marrow transplant, before reaching complete remission. She remained in remission for over 7 years, but now her cancer has chosen to show it's ugly face once again.
Due to the success of her initial treatment, Kathy's doctors have decided to use a similar method this time around. She will first complete multiple rounds of chemo, until it is decided that her cancer levels are stable enough for her to begin the second phase of treatment: bone marrow transplant.
The bone marrow (stem cell) transplant will take place in Rochester, MN. It is completed as an 'out-patient' procedure. From her first transplant, we know that it will entail roughly 4 weeks of daily appointments/medical procedures. The process is extremely grueling. With her initial transplant, there were days Kathy would be called back to the hospital to receive fluids/potassium/platelets/blood or other procedures. There were some days she would spend 7+ hours in the hospital. At one point, she was even hospitalized for a number of nights due to illness. Because of the complexity of her treatment, Kathy and her husband (Brian) will need to remain in Rochester for the duration of her transplant.
Kathy has already started her first round of chemo (February 2018). It is not yet known when she will be receiving her transplant, as it is dependent on how she responds to chemo.
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Also, we have set up a GoFundMe page in order to help Kathy and Brian with finances and medical bills. If you are interested in making a donation, please click on the 'Ways To Help' icon above.
