They admitted me from clinic to what feels like my home away from home. I am in Room# 2 on the Oncology Floor (7th Floor). My white count is extremely low (< than 1) and I am under strict reverse isolation precautions. This means that any sniffle even if it might be just allergies can not visit.  They have placed me on IV antibiotics and anti-fungals. They have also added IV nutrition through my port. I have rashes, mouth sores and swollen feet & hands. I am running low to moderate fevers but no chills. The scary thing is I am still dropping my counts. Dad was discharged from the hospital Thursday evening and they will monitor of the spot on his lung and thyroid. Hopefully this hospitalization will be short and I can get home and finish my recovery.

God is in control. I ask for prayers for healing for myself and comfort for my family. Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. ISAIAH 40:31

John is taking Friday off to take me to clinic. This is our 1st round of chemo without the Neupogen. I started running fever 101.0 tonight but it responded well to Advil. I will get counts drawn tomorrow and doubt I will received the chemo scheduled. My guess is my white cell count will be too low. We will update once we one.

Just in case my Mom’s stress was not high enough, Dad woke her up around 1:30 am after a wonderful Christmas. He had numbness in his arm and needed to go to the hospital. All his cardiac tests turned out OK but they did find a spot on his lung. They placed him on antibiotics, breathing treatments and some O2. Once all Dad’s cardiac tests turned out OK he just wanted to go home. His doctor agreed to let him go home this evening if he promised to rest. They will continue to follow up and monitor the spot on his lung.

I am isolated to the house until December 28^th, our next clinic appointment. This drastically changes many holiday plans but will allow us to continue with our treatment plan. It’s amazing the number of friends and family we see only during this holiday season.  I am sneaking to Mom’s house for Christmas brunch hidden behind a mask. The only change would be if someone else was sick. It’s just not worth the risk.

The isolation is mandatory due to our change in management after my chemo treatment and the new diagnosis of Sweet Syndrome (SS). We fully expect my white blood cell count to drop to a dangerously low level.  They will infections this with proactive antibiotics to counter any potential infection and then carefully monitor for any signs of infection.  They are using steroids to combat many of the inflammatory sign we are seeing. It is all such a delicate balance.

Enjoy each other my dear friends and family this holiday season. For those I miss seeing please understand we have made these modification all in my best interest and yours. None of you would want to be the “one” that might have given me a deadly infection. I love you all!

I would like to share with you an amazing gift I received this week from my sister and a generous listener & her family from 94.9 KLTY radio station. KLTY is a DFW Christian radio station. I was dismissed from the hospital December 15th and today I received a phone call from my sister. She begged me not to be angry with her and that I needed to remember she loved me. Kim had a prayer request and she had been praying God would answer her prayer request for over 9 days. She learned today her request had been answered.

She promised me I would receive a phone call from her later today explaining the rest. She called back via a conference call. It was then I learned she had submitted my name to the KLTY Christmas Wish Campaign and her wish for me had been granted. The listener asked to remain anonymous and agreed I could use her first name. She and her family have had their lives impacted by breast cancer and they had lost a family member this past year. They knew only too real the impact breast cancer can have on a family.

The past 6 months
For us the financial cost of the disease has been tough for us but we have been fortunate to have had some plans in place. We had faced this hurdle only 18 months earlier. We were just getting our feet back on the ground. We often wonder what happens with other families that do not have a plan and/or lack insurance.

 - John has been able to continue to work full-time as a police officer having the support of my parents and friends getting me to appointments and trips to Houston.

- I have been able to use my annuity account with early withdrawals for medical reason. We will pay taxes and penalties but it has allowed us to keep our home and cars. It has helped us to meet all our co-pays and the many expenses we have endured when we travel to MD Anderson. We have had 3: 7-14 day hospitalizations including one extensive stay in the ICU.

- It is amazing the cumulative costs for medications, tests and hospitalizations. Our monthly medical copays have been $1,000 - 1,500. I  had been able to work up until this past month. The multiple hospitalizations and 6 months of chemotherapy have really adding up. I am now on short term leave with requires a month of lost wages prior to reimbursement kicking in.

Despite the past financial costs we have seen, the 6 months have been filled with amazing gifts and support from family, friends and strangers.

- Jennifer and I were gifted a graduation trip to Hawaii.

- David and I participated in 2007 Komen 3-Day Walk and were selected to be a part of their 2008 Ad Campaign.

- Our gift from a Julie & her family making the holiday Christmas season easier for John and I. While our medical bills have continue to mount; we promised Julie, per their request, we would use some of the money to purchase gifts that would make this a special holiday for our family.

Kim’s Amazing Nomination Letter to KLTY
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From: Coen, Kim
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 5:14 PM
To: ‘kltychristmaswishnomination@klty.com’
Subject: Nomination for Christmas Wish

I would like to nominate my sister, Stephanie Gaworski.  She is married with two children ages 17 & 15.  She is currently battling stage IV breast cancer that metastasis to her liver, spine and lymph nodes.  Right now she is unable to work so her family has lost her income as well as with co-pays and other medical expenses running between $1,000 to $1,500 per month.  Things have been really tight for them.  She has a blog about herself at www.knockknocktx.com, should you have a chance to read what an inspiration she is for everyone.  During all this time she has focused on the positive side of things and has tried to be an encourager for others.  At the time of this letter she is at Baylor All Saints Hospital with complications from her last chemo treatment.

I asked her what she and her husband are doing for the kids for Christmas and she said that she really did not know, but that her husband would not let them go without, they would find a way to give them something.

I would like to see them not having to worry, if just for a month, about her medical expense and for many people to pray for a miracle for her.  And that she can be home and surrounded by all of her family that loves her very dearly during this Christmas holiday.

Thank you and may God bless everyone this holiday season,

Kim Coen

What is the 94.9 KLTY Christmas Wish?
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During the holiday season, 94.9 KLTY helps out the DFW metroplex by initiating two promotions called The 94.9 KLTY Christmas Wish. Through the generous donations of the 94.9 KLTY listeners and their advertisers, 94.9 KLTY is able to donate over $660,000 back into the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. To take part, listeners simply stop by DFW Chick-fil-A to make a contribution. 100% of all funds raised are given back to the DFW Community. These promotions help to make Christmas wishes come true.

- They ask our listeners to email them Christmas wishes or nominate a Christmas Wish Recipient. 94.9 KLTY then selects a letter a day starting November 26th through December 24th, and make their wish a reality!

- Notebooks are compiled of letters not selected and readers are given the opportunity read through the notebooks and make personal selections. This is how our letter was selected.

Kim’s Thank You Letter to Julie & her Family
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From: Coen, Kim
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 3:52 PM
To: Julie
Cc: Steph Gaworski home
Subject: RE: Christmas Wish

Julie,

Thank you so much for granting my wish for my sister.  You will never know just how much it meant for me and my family.  I know that God was and is in control of all things.  I will always thank Him for your generosity.

I also look forward to meeting you in January, and I hope that you and your family will have a very blessed Christmas. I have copied this e-mail to Stephanie, so you should be able to see her email address, if not it is stephaniegaworski@charter.net.

Sisters in Christ,

Kim Coen

Tomorrows to come
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Nearly everyone has been touched in some way by breast cancer. It is hard for us to imagine a world without breast cancer given how pervasive the disease has been in our life. Let yourself envision that world, it’s not a fantasy. It’s a reality within our grasp. I should have to look at the mirror in the morning and say: Will I survive? Everyone deserves a lifetime: No family should loose a mother prematurely, a dear friend, sister, wife, daughter, or co-worker.

I promise you this: it through God’s grace and his promise of salvation that I step foot out of bed each day. It is support from family, friends and strangers that continue to uplift us in prayer and provide daily comfort. To each and every one we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Mom and I went to clinic and met with the oncology team. We had lab work drawn and all my blood counts were good. I don’t know what John and I would do without the support of my parents. They are available at a moments notice and it has allowed John to continue to work and miss fewer days. I wish we did not live so far away from John’s family. We would be able to see them more often.

The team has been researching best practice with Sweet Syndrome (SS). One of Dr. Young’s colleagues, Dr. Xiong came from MD Anderson and has seen more patients with SS. He said he has seen SS can come from Neupogen or from the actual tumor itself. We will hold the Neupogen secondary to SS. The Neupogen boosts my white count after chemo. We know Taxotere will drop my white blood cell accounts dangerously low without Neupogen and  I will be at high risk of getting an infection. We will take prophylactic antibiotics and they are place me on isolation precautions. We will continue with the Xeloda for the full 14 day course of therapy.

Many have asked want do you want or what can I get you for the holidays? My request is simple; I would ask for prayers for continued good health and that I will not get an infection.  - AMEN

Tomorrow I follow up with the team after getting out of the hospital. I’ll post an update when I have one.

As we prepare for the holiday season, I pray that we all find joy and love.

Stephanie

I have been awake nearly every hour. I am going home today and I’m excited. They are sending me home on two antibiotics and I am to follow up with Dr Young the first of the week. Chemo is due Friday and the question remains will be do we proceed or hold for Christmas. Thanks to all who have said prayers and sent messages of support. 

With this stay they discovered I have Sweet Syndrome. Rare, it can occur in patients that receive Neupogen. I take Neupogen to boost my white cell count on a weekly basis. It is treatable but it can also complicate the treatment plan for chemo. We will continue to fight.

Most importantly I am home and surrounded by an enormous circle of friends and family. We love you all.

Grace & Peace this holiday season.
Steph, John, Jennifer & David