An Update from Patty, Rick, Lenny and Amy

And ... A message from Katy's medical caretakers:

Katy needs to be protected from germs!
Please steer clear of her when you are sick
otherwise we could compromise her treatments.
Thanks

Dear Ones,

Katy's Treatment is to begin on Monday. Every Monday through Friday at 8:30 AM (her choice) for 6 weeks she will have radiation at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center with Dr. Michael Sapozink. We're told each treatment will take only 15 minutes, most of which is preparation. Side effects vary with each patient. Some are temporary; some can be irreversible. We know that the Lord "created (Katy's) inmost being; he knit her together in her mother's womb. Her frame was not hidden from Him when she was made in the secret place." Psalm 139: 13, 15.

We also know His love for her is profound. We are praying that the radiation treatment is effective in curing Katy and causes no lasting harm; that she will be returned to complete health.

After radiation is finished Katy will begin chemotherapy. She will be under the care of Dr. William Shapiro, Chief of NeuroOncology at Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center here in Phoenix. His plan for Katy is to use Temador (a medication that is given orally) for a year- 5 days on, 23 days off. This is a newer medication than the "standard treatment of old fashioned drugs with very bad side effects".

So those are the medical plans for Katy. It's going to be a long road, but we are so grateful that we are not alone. There are so many things we want you to know. First-Katy is doing amazingly well recovering from surgery. I wish you could see her. She looks just like herself. Only when she lifts up her hair to show the incision site can you see anything different. She's feeling well; no more headaches! Every once in a while she'll take a short nap, but not every day. She goes for walks, laughs with her friends, greets her Head Start friends and their families with hugs and smiles.

You should have been here Friday. The Head Start class took a field trip to Teacher Katy's backyard! They have been learning about insects and here they came with little nets and tiny plastic containers with holes punched in the top picking up ladybugs that the teacher was shaking out of a plastic bag when they weren't looking. Katy was happily in the middle of them admiring every discovery.

But there's more. She's peaceful and even happy. Katy is thrilled to see friends and family from other pages of her life come here to love her in her Phoenix home. "It just keeps getting better and better." We suspect that her peace in the midst of such trying times helps to sustain us all.

That and your wonderful, faithful prayers. It seems that God has knit an army together to support Katy and us in prayer. Please know that we can sense your prayers. We are so grateful for them and ask that you would continue to remember us to the Father.

God is sustaining us.

The LORD is my light and my salvation-
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life-
of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

There's even more: family and old and new friends in Phoenix, in Indianapolis, in Sugarland, Texas, Los Angeles, South Korea, Los Vegas, everywhere, it seems have blessed us with precious support- meals, furniture, lodging, visits, transportation, massages, medical information, hugs... An amazing outpouring of love. Katy's roommates offered to move out of their home so that we could stay her with her! Friends even packed up our van and drove it here from Indianapolis! What can we say except, "Thank you, thank you".

This blog has been a lifeline connecting us to you and allowing us to witness some of the prayers being offered for Katy. When we couldn't do anything else, we would read your responses and were comforted. Thank you Kit, Chris, and each of you who respond and each of you who read about Katy and pray.

We are resting in God's sovereignty and grace. We are sustained by His love.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground
apart from the will of your Father.
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
So don't be afraid;
you are worth more than many sparrows."
Matthew 10:29-31

There's so much more we want to share. As we are able to find the words, we will. Thank you for loving Katy and lifting her up. You are precious to us.

Love,
Rick, Patty, Lenny and Amy

Treatment Plan Unfolds

Katy’s treatment plan began to unfold today. She has included the well known Barrow’s Neurological Institute physicians for their second opinions. Today she met with Dr. Shapiro, Chief of Neuro-oncology there. The neuropathologist reviewed her slides and agreed with the pathology report. Her tumor is indeed an Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma, stage 3.

As he reviewed the MRI with Katy, her family and Heather, he was amazed that she had been so healthy until just 2 weeks before her surgery. Her tumor was so large! And that it was already Anaplastic (fast growing) is significant. “How was it you were still walking?” was his observation.

Today’s consult focused in on the next step which is radiation. Barrows does IMRT radiation, a very specialized modulated technique that does radiation very tightly, making it accurate to within a few millimeters. She needs 6 weeks of this. Tomorrow the original radiology oncologist will be consulted to see if Good Samaritan provides the same technique and if they do, Katy will remain in their care and begin treatments right away. If not she will begin radiation at Barrows.

What follows radiation is the particular type of chemotherapy for this kind of tumor. The drug is "Temodar", the brand name for temozolomide. This drug has only been in use for three years. She will have 5 days of treatment per month for a year. The side effects are much less than the old fashioned standard treatment. Only 10% of the patients that take it are affected by changes in their blood count.

Today was a sobering day. The prognosis report was difficult to hear. The treatment reminds us that this is a really bad brain tumor.

So, we pray, don’t we? Because our God is mighty, and He is good! We are compelled throughout the length of this treatment to daily bring our dear sister before the throne of grace for healing. For …

God's love is meteoric,
his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
his verdicts oceanic.

Yet in his largeness
nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
slips through the cracks.
How exquisite your love,
O God!

How eager we are to run
under your wings.

Psalm 36:5-7
(The Message)

The Gathering of Saints

You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation--I don't want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God's deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part.

2 Corinthians 1:11

Katy came into the offices of The Neighborhood Center yesterday for what she must have thought would be just a short visit.  She had finished with some important chemotherapy appointments.  She came through the downstairs into the area where The Lost Boys of the Sudan have their community center.  They surprised her with their delight; they were seeing her for the first time since hearing of her brain tumor.  Oh, she was greeted as if this sister belonged just to them, their sweet loved one who they have been crying out to the Lord for.

What is going on here is more than compassion and concern.  It is the Spirit of God knitting hearts together across all sorts of boundaries for His purposes.  He has a lot to teach us, together, through Katy and her sufferings.  “Try to see it”, I could feel my heart grappling, “try to understand this.”  We prayed together, this supernatural gathering of saints.  These “lost boys” who have lived through barbarous human indecency now part of this “Katy” rescue operation.   

I have spent the day thinking about who we are.  The ones God has gathered to intercede for Katy and her healing.  A supernatural gathering of saints.

Our family continues to pray for Katy.  In fact, our daughter, Anya, has dedicated her dance this past weekend to honor Katy and pray for her healing.  As with most Native American customs and traditions, there is a story behind each dance or song, an the jingle dress dance is said to have originated when an Ojibwe man, who had a very ill daughter, dreamt that if he made her a jingle dress and she  danced in it, she would be healed.  The legend goes that he did this and his daughter was healed as she danced in the dress he made her. 

While our family knows that all healing comes from the Creator, our daughter realizes that while she is dancing it is good to lift those who are not well up in prayer and pray that the Creator heals those with infirmity.  Anya will dance again this weekend and our family will continue to pray for Katy's healing and strength to endure the treatments that she will go through.

katy, espero que te recuperes muy pronto sentimos mucho que estas enferma y deseamos que pronto estes bien .Para que venga a la ga porque los ninos la estranan mucho !!!!!QUE sabemosque us!!!!!!
de Maria perez

 

Hello dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

i have got your prayer request for our sister Katy and i will pray for her with everyone in our church in Uzbekistan i know that our Lord Jesus Christ hears our prayer.

my name is Nona i am 34.iam a teacher .

Let Gog bless you .

My English is not good but i know for sure when we will be in the heaven with our Father we will use one language and i can see Katy tell her that i love her very much and thankfull for everything she is doing

Love Nona Petrosyan

Hey Katy-
As I read through each post here, I got all teary with each one, with the news that people from all over are praying. Just to let you know that all of us down at Monday Nights will be praying also for you tonight. That's over 350 kids!
Love you Katy, Sarah Leon

“The whole world seems to be praying right now”

 

Praying saints …

the Christian group on campus from Tucson, AZ, Women of Worth bible study group, Sandy and Gary from Bosnia, a brother from Scotland who is also a missionary, Grand Rapids, MI, Atlanta, GA, the small "Charlie Team" prayer group, Wash, DC, a host of people at St. Luke's UMC, someone rallied every Christian this side of the Mississippi in prayer for you, Texas, what feels like the whole city of Indianapolis, Indiana, someone’s church back home in the OC and college friends from APU …

 

Hi, do you remember me, Christopher Rodriguez? I was in your first grade class at Ocean View. I'm in 4th grade now at Ocean View in Mrs. Scott's class. I am so sorry you are sick and pray you get well soon. Think happy thoughts and know many of us are thinking about you. Christopher Rodriguez, Whittier, CA

 

 

The Bible study group at Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), my church Trinity United Methodist of Palm Beach, Florida praying for you and I put a prayer request in at CBN, everyone from TAB, Faith Lutheran in Louisville, Kentucky, Houston, Times Square Church, N.Y., “we have passed this on to our friends here and elsewhere around the world”,Escondido, CA …

 

Prior to April 1st, I had not known anything about you. I've now read small scenes of your story and the impact you have had on what appears to be hundreds of children and families. I've seen a photo of you and am drawn to bring your face, stories, and your need before our Jehovah Rapha. I find I'm not sure what to say to Him. It seems so incomprehensible that one who is impacting the kingdom's most loved and treasured, one who is so young, so beautiful, so full of life and faith, would be called to suffer so much. But, that often seems to be the exactly the ones called to suffer to greatest. In brining your face and stories before God, I know our Intercessor speaks all that is necessary. My heart has been touched by the life you offer and I'm saddened by all that is known and unknown. I printed the email originally sent out by Kit which has a photo of you and have it on our refrigerator so that I'm reminded often to stop and bring you before God. May His peace truly surpass all understanding in the midst of what cannot be comprehended.
May God's hand guide every move the surgeon makes on Wednesday. May the day of your birth that will be celebrated tomorrow not only honor you, but cause many that may not be believers, to wonder and ask what has caused so many to come and celebrate you. For it is in celebrating you that God is celebrated. His Image is clearly upon your face.

 

… A fellow worker in inner city mission—(with a heart for injustice and the poor), “it has been such an encouragement to hear of your work”, Scott Reitano asking for prayer for you from all who are in his men's bible study, Bethany House (Gospel Rescue Mission in Tucson) …

 

More than mere human compassion, I think it must be our oneness in Jesus Christ that would reduce me to reading this blog through my tears, although I've never met Katy or any of the family. Yes, God is good, all the time, even when the news is bad or, as it seems to be in this case, mixed.
Lord, I know the unseen portions of Katy's tumor are not unseen to you. I know you have the power to shrink the tendrils, any part that was not removed. I believe you have good things to bring out of this, that will glorify you. And in the process, You are being glorified through all of Katy's family and friends who spread your love in that place. Thank you for taking care of Katy, at all levels.

… “I read about you on a prayer partner request”, Whitton Ave Bible Church Family, my whole church actually, two churches, "Richfield Community Church" Yorba Linda and Living Hope In Dana Point, Andres is praying in Ethiopia, our daughter, Melissa Shaw at Mentor Kids, sent us your prayer request and I am sharing it with some of my favorite prayer warriors and our church here in Marion, IL, Tulsa, Oklahoma, also our entire family prays for you each night …

 

 

Elliot broke the silence. "MOM! MOM!" "yeah, Elliot?" "Mom, you know our friend Katy, well her head it's gonna get aaaalll bedder. She got an ouie right now, but she gonna get aaaaall bedder. Jesus He just fixeses us and makes the ouie go away and no more bandaid on Katy's brain." That was Elliot, so matter-of-fact. Then rollin' in my Grand Marquis, the first song that blared out was 'My God is So Big. So strong and so mighty. There's nothing my God cannot do.'

 

 

 

 

…I heard about you through a gal I met from neighborhood ministries as I shared with her about the ministry I am involved in called YoungLives, Fullerton, Ca, Greenwood, IN, just about everyone at Oceanview Elementary, someone from Ethiopia working here with Samaritan's Purse, the entire Indiana Divison of The Salvation Army is praying for recovery, greetings from Georgia, many dear friends from Biola …


 

sometimes it's difficult, if not impossible, for us to comprehend the reasons that certain things happen. but despite the tragedy and shock of the news we've all been dealing with since Sunday, God has used this; your situation and you, Katy, are causing this immeasurable explosion of love and prayer, spreading at a furious rate throughout our community. it's insane. it's beautiful. God's will and His reasons may often be difficult to understand, but the results are always the same: Love.

if the spirit of love and prayer were physically visible, there would be a fantastic, radiant glow over Phoenix right now.


 

…deployed overseas with the AF and received word from my parents, San Diego, UNIQUE Learning Center, Washington, D.C.,ASU West, the staff at my school is praying, the members of First Presbyterian Church in Kokomo, IN,  I have shared all of this with a good Christian friend in Seymour, IN, New Jersey, Victory Outreach has asked for a double-portion of God's healing virtue to be upon your life and heart, a little Bible study my friend leads at a senior living facility is praying for you and asked for a copy of the blog entries so they can feel more in touch to pray for you …

If anyone is interested in becoming part of a fasting prayer team for the duration of Katy's treatment, please let me know at laurelieone@hotmail.com.  I'm looking for 30 people to join so that every day, someone is fasting over Katy and asking the Lord to move mightily that day. Even if you've never fasted before or find it odd, you're welcome to contact me for more information.

An amazing report!

From: Kit Danley

Dear Loved Ones,

I’ve been hurrying all day to get this message out to you. So, finally I’m here with you on the computer.

Katy had her appointment this morning with the radiation oncologist. Do you remember her message from yesterday where she told us that her tumor pathology finally came in and it has a name; it is an Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma and we also heard yesterday that it was stage 3, instead of 4. Well today we heard what that means in terms of treatment.

This kind of tumor (versus the kind they thought she had) responds better to treatment. So far, amazing news! Also, the tendrils (those microscopic cells that go out from the original tumor that cause the tumor to regrow) of this kind of tumor don’t go out as far and therefore are easier to kill with the chemo and radiation. Really amazing news!

In fact, we cannot contain this news, for it is the first good news in these last many days. So this is the way the doctor is telling Katy about the hopefulness of her situation. This kind of tumor has a 60% chance of CURE! Wow … how do we embrace this news. First, with reality. Our dear sister still has lots of treatment ahead. Monday she begins radiation which goes Monday through Friday every day for six weeks. There is a chance she will also have chemo treatments alongside the radiation. She might be sick, lose her hair and battle with fatigue. But secondly, we …

Resonate with the Psalmist in Psalm 34:

Join me in spreading the news;
together let's get the word out.

GOD met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

Never hide your feelings from him.

When I was desperate, I called out

Open your mouth and taste,
open your eyes and see—
how good GOD is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

Keep praying dear friends. Our Katy is not out of the woods, but today we heard good news! That is so amazing.

Tuesday, from Katy

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to let you know the good news.

I received the final pathology report stating that I have an anaplastic oligodendroglioma in stage 3, instead of stage 4!

This type of tumor responds differently to treatment, which is a good thing.

Praise God!

A Note from Katy!

Dear Friends and Family,

I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exhault his name together.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:1-4

I cannot even count the miracles I have seen in these amazing days! God has blessed me beyond anything that I could ever have imagined. It was just a few weeks ago at our board and staff retreat as we were casually talking about our biggest dreams in life, that I mentioned without hesitation my biggest wish would be to have all of my friends and family in one place, to have everyone that I loved to know each other. Miraculously in the last few days friends and family have flown in from all over the country and I have received countless phone calls, emails and blogs. The people that I love dearly are knowing and loving one another.

I received phenomenal care from everyone I encountered at Good Samaritan Hospital (it helps to have a nurse for a best friend). I will look back on my time in the hospital as knowing the presence of God in a more intimitate way than I ever have. He gave me such an incredible sense of peace.

I am so thankful to be in my own home in the care of my friends of my family.

Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, gifts, hugs, meals, phone calls, cards, balloons, flowers, and visits. This outpouring of love is incomprehensible. May you know this day how great your Father's love is for you. I will continue to thank God and pray that you know his goodness each day.

I will keep you posted as I begin chemo and radiation late this week or early next week.

All my love!
Katy

Thursday's report

From: Kit Danley

I watched my daughter Heather take care of her sweetest friend Katy today. She hasn’t had much sleep in many days. We watch each other a lot right now, asking often, “how are you, today”. This was a hard day for that conversation. We watch Katy, listening to her face; listening to her movements, hearing her strength through this weakness. We listened that way again today.

Psalm 139:17-18
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!
They are innumerable! I can't even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up in the morning,
you are still with me!

Tomorrow Katy will be released from the hospital. Rick and Patty (Katy’s parents) called a family pow-wow today with Lenny and Amy to ask each other what’s next. “Where will Katy do her treatments?” “Should we all stay here with her in Phoenix or take her home to Indianapolis” was the main topic of conversation. Amy clinched it with her reply, “she is home”. So the decision was made. Today we began to think and pray about where they will live in Phoenix and how soon they can find a place. Our prayer list for this is easy: somewhere close enough to The Neighborhood Center and the hospital (which is not far from the center) and has some space for guests. We’re expecting the guests to keep coming! So a few folks are searching … hoping to find someplace soon. Meanwhile, tomorrow seems kind of far away. Each day defies time as we normally have known it.

Psalm 130:5, 6
I pray to GOD-my life a prayer—
and wait for what he'll say and do.
My life's on the line before God, my Lord,
waiting and watching till morning,
waiting and watching till morning.

tonights blog

All the "blow-me-away" one-liners belong to Katy today! I'll try and help you picture it ... do your best, because it is a little unusual!

She is in her intensive care bed with a head wrap of about one layer of gauze. Not intimidating at all, considering today was BRAIN SURGERY. She is fully alert, arms and legs working well, especially the right side, maybe even a little stronger than before her dad said. And talking with so much energy that once we said she might be too loud for the other patients, in intensive care!

"Oh, these past few days have been the best days of my life"! What in the world ... You have to know that what she is talking about are the miracles. The miracles of the outpouring of love from everywhere. "I don't deserve all this", she says with a winsome smile. The miracles of people from her many stages and seasons of life coming, calling, sending messages (these blogs), visiting, traveling to Phoenix from here and there. The miracles of the message of her situation being told to strangers and those strangers sending her a message of their commitment to pray. The miracles of the changes that are happening in people because of her brain tumor. "It takes a brain tumor, sometimes", she will often be quoted from here on out. The miracles of prayer, already seeing the outcomes of today. The miracles unseen, for we know that there are all kinds of things that haven't been exposed yet. The miracles of the message that is going out from her life, to ... well, just about everywhere.

Today, I was at ASU West teaching a service learning class we are partnering with. Almost every student who walked in the class asked "how is Katy"? Billy went to a coffee shop today and the owner asked "how is Katy"? I stopped into our high school group tonight and Miguel had made a Katy video to use as a visual so the students could pray for her.

So, keep praying, and I will keep reporting on what God is doing by turning things upside down, which is His habit.

Surgery report

Dear Friends,

What a long trip we have been on together. We are nearer to each other, aren’t we because of this sharing of our love for Katy?

The surgery was over about 11:30 ish a.m. today, April 6. The surgeon was able to get the entire tumor that was grossly evident. Which means he got as much as could be visibly seen. I know I was praying for that, that the surgeon would get the entire tumor out. Thank you, Lord.

But there is hard news. It is a very malignant tumor. It is called a high grade glioma. This kind of tumor sends tendrils into the brain, cell like structures that always cause the tumor to regrow. This kind of tumor cannot be cured. That is the medical way of describing the situation.

Katy will begin radiation and chemo treatments soon. She will have 3-4 days of recovery in the hospital and then can go home. She will probably not require a great deal of rehabilitation because the delicate parts of her brain were not at all invaded. But we still have to see about this.

In 4-6 weeks she will have her next MRI to see if there has been any new tumor growth.

There is not much more to report about the physical realities.

But there is something Katy wants you to know. When she saw her mom just a little bit ago, she said, “Mom, God is good!” Her mom nodded. And then she repeated this message. As I was hugging Patty and she told me this, it occurred to me that this probably wasn’t something she had had the time to meditate on, as she was just out of surgery. It was her first waking thought and the first thing she wanted her family to know. We had prayed for her to know the presence of Jesus, hadn’t we, this past week, in so many countless ways? We had affirmed to each other and back to Him that we were counting on His goodness and His kindness and His mercy. We asked Him to make Himself known to Katy clearly. Well, He did. She encountered Him in such a personal way, that that is what she wants to report to us. “Friends, God is good! He is good!”

I will continue to check back in with you today. I want to pray against those tendrils, what about you?

Tuesday's report

I want to pray with all of you for a minute. I have been reading your messages as they come in, and gratefully am the person that prints them all out for the family each day. I am hearing us cry out to God for our dear friend and loved one, Katy.

“Lord, we want you to be known through the way in which you love. That’s what we have seen today, your love. Everywhere we have turned there are expressions of it, through people.“

“I have been so surprised by the capacity you have given Katy to not only give love but to receive it. You would think that people who are really good at loving others might not be used to being the one being loved. Well, today was a love fire-hose and Katy attempted to drink from it. And did a pretty good job.“

“Lord, when that Headstart mom came in today, to Katy’s room. It almost took my breath away. I know this mom. Her hard, rocky life has kept her from being able to take care of those You have placed in her hands. She is a broken lady, desperate, poor and most of the time emotionless. Yet, today, she stood outside that door, peered in past the layers of people who had come to visit, and stood shaking. Shaking not for the nervousness of the crowd but for sadness, for Katy. She shook because she hates that Katy has a tumor and somehow the terribleness of this injustice rose above all her own injustices and out of sheer love found a way to get to the hospital to say “the angels will be there protecting you”, in Spanish. And that was it. She shook and tears came out and she reached out and it felt like love, God’s love to anyone wanting to observe it. I know I didn’t miss it.

I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
Psalm 34:4-7

Katy’s face was radiant. She didn’t miss it; she didn’t miss the love God had sent in the form of this woman.“

“And then the party, Jesus! Wow, what a birthday! The flood gates opened and there it was this huge birthday party, outside in a lovely garden, which could have been, for one night, mistaken for a restaurant or resort which was crowded like a wedding reception or gala. We were a hundred people or so, all with our sticky white dots on our faces, to make Katy feel our solidarity with her “fiducials”, those small round electronic components that have been glued to her face, that somehow will tell the computer tomorrow how to locate the parts of the brain that matter. A friend arranged for a mariachi “trio” band to serenade us … and sodas and food and birthday cakes, baked by the kids at Kids Life and presents and more flowers and more balloons. So much love and she received it and looked into the face of everyone loving her and loved them back. It was her birthday party but it was also her “we love you” party because of tomorrow and the surgery. Lord, you were present in all of this exchange. It was obvious, she didn’t miss it!”

“Right in the middle of this beauty, you brought Amy to Katy all the way from Rome. Thank you for the speedy trip, the escort through customs by the chief of airport security in Newark that was only and just for her, and for her safe landing. Thank you for this family who finally get to be together in this!”

“Lord, rescue Katy tomorrow. For you O Lord are good. We know you are hearing us, hearing her. We know Lord you are near. This brain tumor is a terrible thing, please deliver Katy from it. Lord, redeem everything awful in this situation, we run to you for refuge.“

Psalm 59: 16-17
But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;
Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your loving-kindness in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold
And a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me loving-kindness.

Monday's report

Today the radiation oncologist, the chemotherapy oncologist and one of Dr. Willis’ associates, and another neurosurgeon involved in Katy’s treatment came by for their consult. Without the internet to reference all the terms, all the new definitions, all the potential procedures … we are realizing that none of us, except for Heather have had any medical course work. In fact, yesterday I told you that Katy’s tumor was in the temporal lobe. It isn’t. It is in the parietal lobe.

Parietal Lobe is one of the four lobes of the cerebral hemisphere. It controls tactile sensation, response to internal stimuli, sensory comprehension, some language, reading, and some visual functions.

Katy’s mom took good notes today with all the visits, trying to capture what Katy will be facing on Wednesday and subsequent to the surgery. The tumor has infiltrated the brain; therefore it needs more treatment after the surgery (like chemo and radiation). It is near critical areas of the brain making the removal of the tumor very delicate.

Today though was also the first day where there seemed to be some space to think. We took advantage of this and asked our physician friends in Phoenix to discern with us if Katy was at the right hospital and in the right care. A friend who is head of ICU at Good Samaritan found out Katy was in his hospital and came in to both offer to care for Katy when she comes in ICU after surgery and affirm the giftedness of her neurosurgeon. Another friend knows the chief medical officer of this hospital. Our friend got him to come by for a visit, again to offer his support and affirm the neurosurgeon. The good reputation of Katy’s doctor has preceded him. Our medical friends have confirmed the peace everyone has had, these visits felt miraculous, like confirmations in the flesh. She is in the right place.

People are praying everywhere … one of Katy’s Headstart children prayed with a group last night … “Jesus, love me, love Katy, touch Katy’s head and make her better”. Pretty much sums it up!

Her room is filling up with balloons and flowers … and is always filled with people. We read the messages out loud from this blog today. The children from the ministry made cards to give to her tomorrow, hundreds of expressions of love. The cooking class made cakes for her birthday party tomorrow, her favorite kind.

And in a direct answer to prayer, Katy’s sister was able to make flight arrangements to leave Rome tomorrow, arriving tomorrow night in time for the birthday.

God’s handiwork was visible today … multiple gifts of love, expressions of the crying out of God’s people for healing and intervention, the anticipation of the family being all together, and the choosing of the medical people who are to care for Katy through this.

We are expecting a lot of people to come by the hospital for the birthday party out in the “healing garden”. Who wants to help with food?

Katy update -- April 3, 2005

There is a white board in Katy’s hospital room on the wall across from her bed. The nurse on shift writes her name and underneath that is the goal for the day. We wrote that the goal for today was to meet with Katy’s neurosurgeon and hear the read from the MRI. As the day moved toward noon, the anticipation accelerated.

Dr. Willis finally arrived. He seems to be a good man, was gentle in his approach. He had some really hard things to say. Katy’s tumor is about six centimeters. It is sausage shaped and inside her temporal lobe. It is directly next to the parts of the brain that control her motor abilities for her right side and also her language use (hearing and understanding words and using them). The tumor is not on top of the brain but coming from it.

Determining the kind of tumor, what sort of treatment will be needed next after surgery (chemo or radiation) and any future prognosis can’t be determined until the biopsy and surgery take place.

That is scheduled for this Wednesday. This Wednesday! The plan is to freeze slice the tumor and biopsy it, and then remove as much of the tumor as possible.

We asked Dr. Willis as many questions as we could think of, which weren’t nearly as many as probably could be asked. It’s hard to think on your feet when faced with the shock of the reality, which is only really hours old. Katy is such a strong young woman. Her tears just streamed down her face, trying so hard to grasp what has been happening in these two rapid fire days.

We have heard of multiple spontaneous prayer times of groups coming together to pray for Katy, just today. We heard that there were about five different gatherings this evening. The one that gathered around Katy at the hospital was outside in the “healing garden”. There were about 25 that came over, having heard from someone that we wanted to pray together tonight. This prayer time was sweet. The kindnesses and desire to love Katy were profound. So far, the days have been like this. Gatherings of brothers and sisters from the ministry, friends and her family moving in and out of Katy’s room all day, leaning on each other. The hospital is being very good to us to let Katy’s room be so full of people most of the day and night.

Tuesday will be a celebration for Katy’s birthday, because Wednesday is her real birth day. We’ll meet back at the healing garden. Our prayer is that on her birthday where God gave her life the first time, this 26th birthday will be another significant life-giving day from God.

Thank you for praying, for interceding for her, for crying out to God for her healing. Pray with us that the tumor will be fully removed. That the surgeon would be supernaturally strengthened to do this job. That Katy would have peace.

Love you, Kit

Katy Reel

Saturday, April 2, 2005

Our Dear Friends,

You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation--I don't want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God's deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part.
2 Corinthians 1:11

THE TURNING POINTS OF LIFE
It’s late into the second night at Good Samaritan Hospital. I am tired but grateful to be alone with my thoughts for a few minutes. Capturing reflections has been difficult for all of us. Maybe it’s because there aren’t any yet as this news is just too new and difficult. Probably it is because mere humans can’t make themselves accept information that is so outlandish that we do better with denial. How can life turn on a dime, change irreversibly with no warning or heads up? Just last night, which feels like last month, we found out our dear Katy has a brain tumor.

THE GIFT OF YOUNG LEADERS
Katy is a young leader here in our ministry. I should have told you about her long ago. I hope you all get to meet her one day. We tell stories about the kids, youth and indigenous leaders that are treasured here. There are other stories … beautiful stories … about young adults who God has attached to this community through His gracious transformations. “They are too young” some will say “to have such an understanding of the sacrificial ways in which they are giving their lives away.” Katy is one of these.

KATY REEL
You should see her! She has found her heart’s home in the ghettos of Phoenix. Her arms are never empty and children wrap around her easily. When she started her two year internship, now almost two years ago, she was “teacher Katy”. She began her work helping Ericka build the foundations for a favored part of the ministry, our Headstart partnership with the City of Phoenix. These young women took the raw material of moms, kids, schedule less families and taught everyone to come to school everyday. It was hard work, knocking on doors, waking moms up, getting kids dressed. All of this was so shocking to our City of Phoenix partners. They couldn’t believe this was the way we were going to DO school. This is year two and these preschoolers are now testaments to the tenacity of these young women’s labors. Change is everywhere, emotionally, academically, in manners, in hope, in future possibilities.
Katy is more than teacher; she is a friend to her kid’s moms. She has entered into MOMS PLACE as a mentor and lover. If Katy isn’t with these kids she is with their moms, and these families are now devoted to their tender hearted and loyal advocate.
God brought Katy to us through a series of miraculous interventions. A dear friend met Katy in Indianapolis at a missions conference when she was just finishing high school. Her specialness stood out! My friend mentioned her to me. She thought her unique calling to serve reminded her of our daughter Heather. Both were providentially going to the same Christian college. These two were introduced through our friend, became roommates at college for five years and became best friends. Katy did her first internship with us after her first year in college. She remembers saying to herself that summer seven years ago, “I know one day I’ll be back.”

PRAY FOR KATY
Katy was having headaches. She has just taken on a new role in our ministry, taking on the coordination of all the education pieces of Neighborhood Ministries. The transition has been a little stressful. Headaches made sense in that context, but these were terrible the past few days, especially last Wednesday. Accompanying the headaches was a funny loss of strength and numbness in her right arm and one night also in her leg. She knew something was wrong.
Last night we went to the emergency room for the headaches. A CAT SCAN found a mass on her brain. They are calling it a tumor. Today there was a MRI. The results are unknown as of yet but will give guidance for the next decisions.

What else can we do than ask you to pray with us for Katy.
I have one request, dear friends: Pray for Katy. Pray strenuously with and for her --to God the Father, through the power of our Master Jesus, through the love of the Spirit— Romans 15:30
· Please Pray about this tumor, that it would be demolished, destroyed, completely removed
· Pray for Katy, that her journey through this terrible disturbance would be one where Jesus is alive in every dimension giving her peace
· Pray for all the medical personnel, particularly her neurosurgeons, that they would be beyond their best for her in giving care
· Pray for the work she has so much responsibility for

And would you pray for us
· For her family from Indianapolis who are here now in town (mom – Patti, dad – Rick, brother – Lenny and sister – Amy)
· For our fragile “family”, the body of Christ here at The Neighborhood Center and Neighborhood Ministries who love Katy dearly and carry this suffering in its fragility
· For rest, for love exchanged everywhere, for faith, for conviction that Jesus can be glorified in these troubles! Be lifted up, Jesus, in this!

I WILL SEND YOU “KATY” UPDATES OFTEN.
PLEASE PASS THEM ON TO OTHERS WHO YOU KNOW WILL PRAY FOR HER.

Will you let me know that you are praying so I can tell her?
And we love you and treasure your bearing us up. Kit


“The man who prays raises the question of what the limits of hope may be. Prayer is his way of declaring that the boundaries of life and the limits of hope cannot be drawn with the crayons of time and space. The man who prays pushes hope into areas where men who never dream, never venture. And so it is not difficult for him to believe. He believes his prayer reaches God and that it influences reality although never in a strict cause-effect relationship. Prayer is successful not in terms of what it logically produces or pragmatically achieves but in terms of what it forces reality to experience.
Dawn Without Darkness by Anthony Padovano