As many people are aware, my sister Karen Braun Wiens has been battling a rare form of clear cell ovarian cancer for almost 2 years.
The Backstory
In the fall of 2018 Karen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and in September of that year had surgery to remove a tumor. The doctors felt they had managed to remove it all. A CT scan a few weeks later showed otherwise and they now said she had clear cell ovarian cancer and would have to start chemo. Karen has gone through several different types of chemo including immunotherapy trials over the last 2 years.
Karen was admitted to the hospital on the 28th of June with side pains, fluctuations in temperature and had difficulties with putting her thoughts together; we found out that she had actually suffered a few small strokes. After numerous tests the doctors also discovered that she was fighting some sort of infection. She has been in hospital 3 weeks now. She had to forgo all chemo treatments in order to treat the infection in her heart valves, which was supposed to be a 6 week treatment plan before any results would be known. The clear cell cancer that Karen has is an aggressive one, and has spread to her liver, lungs and lymph nodes, without any active treatment she has only a couple months due to how quickly the cancer is spreading and growing. As per discussion with the doctors, there are no more medical means of fighting this cancer, and the doctors have little hope of the antibiotics working on her heart valve infection.
Karen, Harv and the kids have made the difficult decision to stop all medical treatments other than pain management going forward. Karen has been moved to the palliative ward and is waiting for room in hospice.
How can you help….
We as a family and Harv specifically have been asked how we could be helped. It’s hard to articulate needs and even harder to actually ask for help. We thank Pam for organizing a meal train. (a link for this is on both Harv and Karen’s FB page)
The meals that have been pouring in have been a true blessing to the family during these past few weeks.
Another way to help is by supporting the family with upcoming costs associated with the care Karen will receive at hospice and for the family beyond. To do this we have set up this go fund me page.
We thank all for their love, prayers and support through these times.
The Backstory
In the fall of 2018 Karen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and in September of that year had surgery to remove a tumor. The doctors felt they had managed to remove it all. A CT scan a few weeks later showed otherwise and they now said she had clear cell ovarian cancer and would have to start chemo. Karen has gone through several different types of chemo including immunotherapy trials over the last 2 years.
Karen was admitted to the hospital on the 28th of June with side pains, fluctuations in temperature and had difficulties with putting her thoughts together; we found out that she had actually suffered a few small strokes. After numerous tests the doctors also discovered that she was fighting some sort of infection. She has been in hospital 3 weeks now. She had to forgo all chemo treatments in order to treat the infection in her heart valves, which was supposed to be a 6 week treatment plan before any results would be known. The clear cell cancer that Karen has is an aggressive one, and has spread to her liver, lungs and lymph nodes, without any active treatment she has only a couple months due to how quickly the cancer is spreading and growing. As per discussion with the doctors, there are no more medical means of fighting this cancer, and the doctors have little hope of the antibiotics working on her heart valve infection.
Karen, Harv and the kids have made the difficult decision to stop all medical treatments other than pain management going forward. Karen has been moved to the palliative ward and is waiting for room in hospice.
How can you help….
We as a family and Harv specifically have been asked how we could be helped. It’s hard to articulate needs and even harder to actually ask for help. We thank Pam for organizing a meal train. (a link for this is on both Harv and Karen’s FB page)
The meals that have been pouring in have been a true blessing to the family during these past few weeks.
Another way to help is by supporting the family with upcoming costs associated with the care Karen will receive at hospice and for the family beyond. To do this we have set up this go fund me page.
We thank all for their love, prayers and support through these times.