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Karen’s Story

Site created on October 19, 2019

Welcome to our CaringBridge website for Karen. We are using it to keep family and friends updated all in one place. We appreciate all of your support and kind words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting!

Karen's story began on June 28th of 2018 when she went into a team meeting at the Virginia Piper Cancer Center where she was told in her team meeting about her diagnosis; Stage 4 colon cancer. By July 11th, she was already receiving her first round of chemotherapy. She would like to compliment all nurses and doctors at Minnesota Oncology who got her in as quickly as they did.

In January of 2019, results were looking extremely favorable. All of the tumor spots had decreased by 50%. Dr. K then made the medical decision to put her on the maintenance chemo program.

At the end of April 2019, she had her 3 month maintenance follow-up scan and the "naughty stuff" had grown back even larger than when it was first diagnosed. After those results they reverted her back onto IV chemotherapy.

In the middle of September 2019 she started her immunotherapy or "chemo pill". By the first week of October 2019 the side effects of the immunotherapy showed up fast and furious. These effects took much more of a toll than expected, outweighing any good they may have been doing.

That then brought us to our current state of in-home hospice, starting in the middle of October. Current prognosis is deemed to be 3-6 months.

At this time visitors are welcome on a limited and scheduled basis: karen_hagedorn@hotmail.com

We are very fortunate to have such fantastic family and friends. Please visit often to read the latest journal entries, visit the photo gallery, and write us a note in our guestbook. She sure is a fighter! #KarenStrong

Newest Update

Journal entry by Shelly Paulsrud — Nov 22, 2019

It is with a heavy heart that we write this message to all of Karen's friends and family.

The angels came to take Karen to heaven this morning at 11:15am.

Please keep all of her family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Funeral arrangements will be announced soon.

The family would like to thank all of you for your well wishes and prayers. She is now at peace.

"God looked around his garden
and found an empty space.
Then he looked down upon this Earth
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful
He only takes the best."

Read More of the journal titled "November 22, 2019"

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