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Amy’s Story

Site created on April 10, 2018

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, and read on if you'd like the full story of my journey so far...

Back in June 2017, I started having some issues with eating. I would eat just a little and immediately feel full. When this went on for several weeks without getting better, I decided to see a gastroenterologist. I was immediately scheduled for an endoscopy, which was actually performed two days later. I was told afterward that they had noticed my stomach wall was thick and somewhat hardened, and they had noticed folds in the stomach lining. They performed biopsies, but didn't find anything.

Another endoscopy was performed a month later, same findings. Biopsies were performed again, but nothing was found. Over the next several months, I went through a gastric emptying test, 2 CT scans, and a Doppler of my stomach. Tests came back completely normal every time. My GI guy was perplexed, and concerned, as I was dropping weight drastically. He decided to refer me to KU.

Long story short, I felt I got the run-around from KU, and didn't really feel like a priority to them, so I decided to refer myself directly to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. It took time and lots of repeat phone calls looking for a cancellation, but I finally got an appointment for March 20, 2018.

While at the Mayo, I went through many of the same tests (endoscopy, gastric emptying, CT, endoscopic ultrasound), but at least it was over a period of days instead of weeks and weeks! Finally my gastro doctor there was able to tell me the answer I'd been seeking for so long...it was cancer. NOT the answer I was hoping for, needless to say. I was scheduled to meet with an oncologist, and it was there that we learned that not only was it cancer, it was a RARE stomach cancer, Linitis Plastica (don't look it up...it's very discouraging). This form of cancer asserts itself and spreads within the stomach walls. I was scheduled for a PET scan to determine how far it had progressed, and we learned that it had progressed too far to be surgical, and I am looking at a palliative chemo treatment at this point.

This is AWFUL, and SCARY, and sometimes I just want to scream and cry and bury my head. But the fact is, I have a nasty, nasty cancer growing in me, and I'm NOT going to roll over and let it win easily. I'm being realistic...there's a very good chance this will take my life. BUT, I serve an awesome and great and MIGHTY God, and if it is His Will, I will stay around awhile, maybe even a long while! And even if I don't, His Plan is perfect. It may not be easy to see right now, but I have faith that there is a purpose in this.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Shannon Horn — Feb 10, 2019

Yesterday, we had Amy's service and reception. We cried and we laughed and she was remembered well. We had the reception she requested with all her favorite foods (see the pics of her faves). We had her favorite tunes playing and showed off her amazing scrapbooks, her favorite coffee mugs and shirts. It was a hard day made easier by being surrounded by all those who loved her or were impacted by her.

For those of you unable to join us in person, you can watch the service by clicking here. Note that the first 10 minutes or so were a slideshow that ran with music coming from the sound in the room so it will be silent until our senior pastor, Rick, takes the platform.

You can still send notes and photos to her boys to help share how Amy has influenced your life.

Read More of the journal titled "Amy's Service-Link to video and more"

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