Dear Family and Friends,

      I am embarrassed that it has been so long since I posted, but as I mentioned in my previous post, I am uncomfortable when the focus is on me. However, God has given me an amazing year, having many, many more good days than bad. A year where my life has been pretty close to normal and I have been able to enjoy most days as if I were completely healthy. In June of 2023, Kevin and I moved into our new (to us) home on the water in Grasonville, Maryland, and we have a new boat at our community dock within walking distance of the house. Although we have done a lot of organizing and unpacking, we have also been able to enjoy completing cosmetic renovations on the house, days out on the boat, evenings around the fire pit and entertaining friends and family, which is something I truly love to do. I do not take this gift for granted, as I know that things could have been very different. As my Uncle Norman used to always say "God is good, all of the time." A simple statement, but so very true.

"The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him." Nahum 1:7
 
"Oh that men would give that to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness"  Psalm 107:8-9

     In addition to blessing us in so many areas, we have also witnessed God's faithfulness and mercy through several other difficulties this year. In August of 2023, we were shocked when Kevin had a major heart attack. We had a normal day on the boat with my sister and my nieces, and later Nicole joined all of us for dinner, most of which Kevin cooked on the grill. After dinner he knew something wasn't right so we went to the small emergency room that, thankfully, is just across route 50 from our home. They quickly determined that the major blood vessel to one whole side of his heart was 100% occluded and sent him to Easton so they could insert a stent. The doctor felt there was only minor damage to the heart muscle, and that Kevin would make a complete recovery after cardiac rehab. This is truly evidence of God's provision as the type of heart attack Kevin experienced was the one known as  "the Widowmaker. " He just finished his last rehab session last week! In addition to Kevin's recovery, which is the greatest blessing, I also find myself very grateful for His timing. What a relief it was that we were not at the house alone when it happened.

     Also, my  mom has been in and out of the hospital no less than 5 times in the past year with Covid, complications from diabetes and congestive heart failure. God has seen her through each event, and with the help of rehab, she has been able to return to her new home each time. We made the difficult decision to move her to an assisted living this past summer. My siblings and I had to empty and sell her home and set up her apartment in a place where she has many activities to take part in, and many new friends, staff and residents alike, who love and care about her. We have seen such a positive change now that she is no longer living alone.

      There have been a few bumps in the road for me, but through it all, God has been faithful. In May of 2023, I had a CT Scan and the results showed that my lungs were stable, but the radiologist thought he saw something on my liver. A follow up PET San revealed that my liver was clear. In January of 2024, I had a CT Scan which showed that the cancer has begun to progress again , and the follow up Pet Scan confirmed those results and indicated that the cancer is once again, in all 4 lobes of my lungs. There are also tumors pressing on both sides of a major airway in my left lung, which will eventually cause it to collapse if not addressed.  The good news is that I still feel pretty well, My oxygen saturation is  good and the cancer has remained contained in my lungs. The concerns are how to decide what should be the next steps in my treatment. My doctor wants to continue with Keytruda, as he feels it is definitely helping my immune system fight the cancer. Unfortunately, it is just not working as well as he'd hoped. There has been some research in the last three years that support adding radiation to Keytruda as a sort of "Booster shot" to improve the effectiveness of the ability of the patient's immune system to fight the cancer. We are considering that as an option,  as well as looking for a new targeted drug therapy for one of my mutations, or a clinical trial.  

    Kevin and I met with a radiation oncologist on Friday and began the process of preparing for the radiation treatments as that is the route we suspect my doctor will choose. He explained that the protocol in radiation oncology is to "put out the immediate fire" and keep the patient as healthy as possible until a better treatment comes along. I have known from the day of my diagnosis, according to the medical community, that I would never be cancer free or completely out of treatment. I know that I'll continue to experience periods of difficulty and periods of relative ease. I also know that God has a plan and He is the only one capable of granting me  the miracle that would result in a life that is cancer free. I trust in His plan and I know that He will see me through whatever difficulties lie ahead. We are not promised an easy life here on earth, but we can trust that God will not allow us to suffer through anything we can not handle. The beautiful thing about being a Christian and believing that God sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, is our assurance of spending eternity in heaven with Him. If you have ever done any reading on Heaven, then you know it is more beautiful than we could ever imagine! I am so thankful for those of you who are praying for me and I would appreciate your continued prayers as decisions are made and we move forward with a change in treatment.

With Love and a grateful heart,

Kim

Prayer Requests: Wisdom for my doctors, for peace and good sleep, management of symptoms moving forward, success of new treatment for complete eradication of my cancer!

"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in His holy name. Let our steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.    Psalm 33:20-22