Karina’s Story

Site created on June 15, 2023


NOTE BEFORE READING ANYTHING: I have to stress this as clearly as possible -- If you're looking to donate money, please check where your money is going. If you want to donate to Karina directly, click "Ways to Help" in the purple navigation bar, or follow the links we provide in our Facebook posts. Unfortunately, no one will be applying any kind of multiplier to donations you submit to Karina directly. If you saw that message, you're donating to the CaringBridge website itself. Also, if you click "Donate to CaringBridge" at the upper-right, you will be making a donation to the website itself, not to any specific person. Don't misunderstand: CaringBridge is a great website. If you want to donate to the people running this website, I applaud you, and by all means I encourage you to do so, as they are doing great work and are worthy of the support. But again, if you donate to CaringBridge, they get your money, not Karina.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: The way this site works, if you want to see other journal entries besides the most recent one, you have to click "Read More Journal Entries" at the bottom of the page.

Hi, everyone!

My name is Randy Hahn, and I created this Site to help my wife, Karina Gonzalez-Hahn (also known as Kat, or Kitty to her closest friends) as she embarks on a difficult personal journey.

On Monday, June 12 2023, Karina was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. This came as a shock to our family, but not necessarily a surprise, given her family history. While scouring the Internet for answers to her questions, she noticed that her searches were often returning either not enough information, or too much information that wasn't in anything approaching layman's terms. Since the situation is always evolving and we're receiving more info all the time, she decided to chronicle her journey here on CaringBridge and also on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@devotedkittykat) as a retrospective on her own experience and also as a resource for other women who are sharing in this journey (or will in the future).

If you'd like to provide support, click the "Ways to Help" link at the top of the page. Currently we have a GoFundMe campaign set up for anyone who'd like to donate money, which will help with medical expenses or during times when Karina isn't able to work and won't be bringing in any income. Links to PayPal and Venmo are also included. We have Zelle and Cash App, but don't want to post email addresses or phone numbers here. There are also Meal Train and Shipt links in case anyone would rather help with meals or groceries. If you want to send money through any avenue not listed on the "Ways to Help" page, or contribute in any other fashion, please reach out to us directly. We'll be providing frequent updates to this site as the situation evolves. Most of these updates will consist of videos from her TikTok channel, along with transcriptions of said videos for those of you who prefer to read rather than watch, or in case you have trouble hearing the video (as phone audio isn't always the greatest).

Our two children, James (aka Eddie, 17) and Aubrey (8) are of course sharing in this journey, so be sure to share encouraging words with them as well!

We love you all!

The Hahn Family

Newest Update

Journal entry by Randy Hahn

Video #60: https://www.tiktok.com/@devotedkittykat/video/7339301095442812203

Transcription:

Hey, guys! Really quick update: I went Tuesday to see my doctor. We stopped the Anastrozole and it's been about 4 days. My knee pain is doing a lot better, so it definitely was that. We're going to start a new hormone blocker here in about two weeks. I did get my third shot of my PHESGO. My leg did hurt a good bit afterwards, especially the following day. I went-- A friend of mine asked me to go with her to go see Stevie Nicks, so that was a great night! Luckily we got really good seats and I was able to sit down throughout the whole concert and watch it without standing up, so my leg did great on that. But, thank you Nikki for taking me to go see Stevie Nicks; had a lot of fun!

I'm doing well; I am back to work part-time. Have to put money in the bank, so I am back to work. On the 5th of March, I'm going to go see my gynecologist to be released from the surgery. I do still have a lot of abdominal pain, especially in the upper spot that they did to go in and take out my ovary. They did say that something had ruptured during it and they had taken some special hemorrhagic sacs from inside, so... I don't know; I'll get more information from her when I see her then. My endometriosis had gotten worse in there, but she says that now without any ovaries I should be doing a lot better and it should clear by itself.

I hope you guys are all doing great! Remember, keep fighting. Things do get better, so just keep moving forward! Keep a positive attitude! I know there are days that will be hard, but find a reason to smile. Every day there should be at least one reason to smile. Love y'all!

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