Tara Jenson Tara Jenson

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. Thank you for visiting.


As of Thursday, Jan. 18, Tara has been under the care of Regions Hospital medical staff in St. Paul, MN.  After a few weeks of unexplained and ongoing symptoms, labs and CT scans revealed some unexpected complications.  Labs revealed low potassium levels, poor kidney function, bladder infection, and worst of all a mass/obstruction in her small intestine. Originally she was rushed to the hospital expecting an urgent surgery to remove the mass. 
However, though the focus was still to remove this "football" size obstruction her kidneys needed to be flushed and examined to make sure they are functioning well enough to handle the process that comes along with surgery. The surgery was not considered urgent, but rather between urgent and elective. Necessary surgery, but no reason to rush in.  
Over the course of the last 5 days they gave her extra special care, ran some tests, stabilized her potassium levels, refreshed her body with IV nutrition, and so much more to strengthen and prepare her body for the best possible surgery experience. 


This morning they had a successful surgery and were able to remove the mass/obstructrion from her small intestine.  As of right now they are classifying the mass as a GIST (Gastorintestinal Stromal Tumor), we will know more once they have been able to do a biopsy. 
The only portion that needed to be removed was the portion of the small intestine that the GIST was stuck to, along with a couple lymph nodes that could not be saved.  Other than that portion, all of her organs are very healthy!!  
She is recovering back in her room now under close monitoring.  



Though this has been a miserable and emotional journey for her, Tara has not once lost her smile or positive outlook. 
She has set the example of trusting that God is going to provide answers and healing. She knows and shows her trust in the fact that He has a reason we may not yet understand for these difficult times regardless of the pain and heartache experienced. The glimmer in her eyes shows a hope that nothing can dampen, because she knows without a doubt, there is healing ahead.  It's just a matter of time...