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Update on Diane Barr from her daughter, Amie
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After many tests, rounds of chemo, and good reports, we have gotten a bad one. The last scan revealed that the cancer has spread to mom’s liver. She has several spots that they are trying to shrink. Dr. Karpenkio has changed her treatment and she is feeling a lot like the last time; tired, weak, and unenergetic. It has been a true roller coaster for my family and me, as I’m sure you can imagine. Please continue to pray for mom and her recovery.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer is a very serious cancer because it is so aggressive and does not respond to hormonal treatments. It cannot be blocked with pills or medication and won’t be stopped by her current treatment. We have found a treatment that could possibly work for her. However, it cost several thousand dollars and we need the help of our family and friends to make it happen. This treatment is her last chance and we are praying that God puts it on your heart to help.
This new treatment has a very high success rate, but the medical insurance won’t cover it. We are quite hopeful about the new treatment and mom is excited about it. One of my mother’s best friends, Linda Rogers-Brown, in Durham, NC who too has suffered from a different form of breast cancer is conducting a fundraiser that has brought in $17,000 of the $29,000 that she needs. One generous benefactor has given $10,000 and another $2,000. We are aiming to raise the additional $12,000 within the next 2 weeks.
We have a special fund set up for mom, please send your donations by send a check or money order to: Diane Barr, 6480 Tranquil Rd., Conway, SC 29527.
In the meantime, continue to pray and send your love. I hear people say all the time, “I think of you and your family all the time,” and you cannot imagine how touching it feels to know that she is thought of. Thank you for all you have done for us, we truly appreciate it.
Much Love,
The Barr Family,
Joseph, Diane, Amie and Micah
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Happy Holidays to all of my friends and family receiving this. I just wanted to give everyone an update on how mom is doing. I know you all have been wanting to know.
Things have settled into a "new normal" around the Barr house. Mom has gained more energy, and is definitely more herself, but has to stay home because of germs. If you are her Facebook friend then you know she is on there quite a bit! Facebook and TV have become her favorite pass times. She has definitely learned to enjoy the small things. That's one reasons we are so grateful for the cards and kind gestures that you show to her. The meals are delicious and we appreciate everyone who contributes to making her favorites on the regular! We really could not have asked for better friends and family.
The nurses at Coastal Cancer Center are quite fond of my mother. She has become a favorite smiling face there with the staff. Dr. Karpenko is doing everything he can to be sure mom is handling treatments as well as possible. He is quite pleased with her progress in chemo and the results of her scans. He still continues to stress that she needs to be very cautious especially during the winter season of contracting colds and also that she needs to be careful of visitors who come by. My mother is still very ill, but she is responding to treatments and feeling better than she has been in a long time. Continue to stay positive and send those prayers!
If you find you have a minute in your day please send her a card, email, or Facebook message sending her some good vibes or as some of my friends call it "rays of blue light". I want to personally thank everyone for their beautiful cards, thoughts, food, prayers and other kind gestures. We cannot walk this journey alone and we appreciate you being here to help us on this long road. The cards and letters keep her looking up and I love to see her light up when she shows me who wrote her! Thank you.
We certainly hope that everyone will have a very safe and enjoyable Holiday. We love each of you and want you to remember your blessings this Holiday Season. Share, laugh, and love. Spend time with those you love. I will keep you posted on her progress!
Please feel free to forward this email to those I may have left off of the list or those you would like to pray.
Much Love,
Amie
Mom's Address:
Diane Barr
6480 Tranquil Rd
Conway, SC 29527
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Hi Friends!
I wanted to give you all a quick update on mom. She is doing pretty good these days. She is feeling more like normal than before. Still not 100% or even in the 90's, but good. She is still very easily winded and very tired when she gets done with the simplest tasks. For instance, she has started fixing her own food, by the time she gets done, she barely has energy to eat it. She must have some energy though she gained 4 pounds the last time she went to the Doctor!! She said to me "I must be eating a lot." I told her not to worry about her weight right now, we have another battle to fight that's more important than the battle of the bulge. And speaking of eating! We (mom, dad and I) went OUT for Chinese at HER request! It was the first time that she has been out to eat since this cancer thing started! (We took special "precautions" by eating when the restaurant wasn't crowded and on the side no one was on.) I was so excited I put it on Facebook, "Out eating with MOM!"
She starts her last "Big" chemo round on Tuesday and the doctor is very pleased with the results from these past chemo sessions. We can all see big changes on her body and on her scans. We are all delighted with the news that her "Big" sessions worked so well. After this last "Big" session she will start weekly sessions. In the weekly sessions she will be given 1 chemo drug instead of 3, which is why I call the other sessions "Big". Dr. K has assured us that with the "Smaller" sessions she will start to feel more like herself and be able to do more normal things.
This fight is far from over, so continue to pray for her. Her spirits are good the beautiful cards and special thoughts are working! Thank you for being there for her and helping her feel good about this adjustment. We are all making life adjustments at this point. Daddy has more responsibilities now being in the house with her and although she is doing more for herself, he still has to take the challenge. I am driving a little over 2 hours back and forth and have started spending as much time in Conway as I do in Columbia. My brother has even become more involved. I think we all keep in mind that no matter what we are doing (my dad, brother, and I) mommy is the person who had/has to make the most sacrifices. I am really proud of my mother for being a strong champion through all of this. Not once have I heard her complain...well, about cancer LOL.
Friends, Thank You So Much for all you have been doing for our family. Your thoughts, prayers, kind words and cards are what's helping us get through. We really appreciate everything, every phone call, card, letter, email, and Facebook message. It warms our hearts to feel so much love.
Much Love and I'll keep you updated!
Amie
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Hi Friends,
May I just say that NOTHING says cancer like combing your moms hair out. My dad had the responsibility of shaving it off and I was much relieved that that wasn't my job! Aside from that, she's responding well to chemotherapy! We are really excited about that. These last two weeks have put her back to smiling again.
Dad is doing well. And he has taken on the responsibility of taking primary care of her. At six in the morning she's awake and hungry and Joey Barr climbs out of bed to make mom breakfast! Its so sweet. He is doing the best he can, and I'm proud of him for stepping up. Thank you everyone who's offered to help us, and especially those whom we have taken up on the offer!
We sincerely appreciate all of the love and support you have given us. Mom told me the other day "your friends have been so good to me" and you have ALL been wonderful. The cards and gifts have become affectionately known as "good mail :)" (and we smile at the end too). "Oh, you've got good mail! (smile)" Its really great to see her almost back to normal. My mothers fight isn't over yet so please continue to pray. We are taking one day at a time, and sometimes it feels like most of those days are at the doctor's! Overall she's feeling good, really really tired, but good.
The doctor has said no sick people, no kids, no crowds-and I know many of you want to see her, if you must, don't touch her, don't stand too close, and keep your visit short (she gets worn out and exhausted after almost every visit). I know its a lot but me and my brother barely touch her either. Her immune system is really weak right now and she needs all her energy to fight the cancer (as opposed to what others might bring).
Please continue to send cards, leave messages, send texts, and facebook she loves those and just knowing that you care. Your love and support mean the world to us. We appreciate the cards, gifts, prayers, thoughts, and love that you have surrounded us with. Thank you.
Much Love,
A
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Hey All,
Surgery on Thursday went well. She had her cath put in which was an outpatient procedure. She was quite uncomfortable and in some pain, but from what we've heard it was going to be that way. She could breathe better, but it was painful for her to get settled in.
Friday brought an adventure as well as a surprise! She had an appointment at Coastal Cancer Center and we didn't even realize I'd need help getting her in and out of the car! Thank the lord for nice people! A stranger and very nice bystander gave us the shove we needed-literally to help get her into the Center!
We went to Dr. K for what we thought was going to be just blood work, but he sent her back for monthly bone treatment and some fluids and that was a welcome and much needed surprise. The Dr. K has still insisted on no visitors because her white blood count is low and she is very susceptible to infections, germs, and various sicknesses.
Overall she's had a good but exhausting week. I've never seen her so tired and worn out. She had a haircut on Friday that looks really nice. Our very good friend came to the house and put her heart into making my mother look good with her last couple of weeks with hair. After the haircut mom was like a new woman smiling and prancing around the house-well maybe not prancing, but close!
We are all doing well and handling this new adventure with courage. Some "people" take a ring to Mordor, others take care of loved ones with Cancer-whatever your adventure you have to keep the faith and never give up.
Thank you so much for all you have done for us, with us, to us...your prayers are what keep us strong. Please continue to keep my family in your thoughts and prayers. She (well...we!) love the cards and emails that you send! I have put mom's address below.
Much Love and Many Thanks,
Amie
Mom's Address:
Diane Barr
6480 Tranquil Rd
Conway,SC 29527
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
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Happy Fourth of July All!
Week before last was quite uneventful, nothing happened that really required an update, so that's why I didn't have one for the week before. Last week, however, was quite the contrary. I have never seen so many needles in all my life! And I'm quite sure if I'm feeling this way mom is too, especially since she is the one getting stuck!
For starters, her CT scan Dr. K did of her brain came back clear and so did her PET scan, so there is thankfully nothing new to report there! Her journey officially began on Tuesday with her first round of chemo. Coastal Cancer Center is a really nice facility and the faculty there is very friendly and always smiling. Mom met with the nurse first, to get stuck with a needle, so they could take her blood count. And as always, her blood work is excellent, everything was perfectly within range. And Dr. Karpenko was excited to tell her that she could start her treatments. He is a very kind and gentle Doctor with an excellent bedside manner and we are all happy with him. He seems to want to be heavily involved in mom's treatments and is very knowledgeable of what is going on, and may I also add, very through.
Mom followed the nurse to the treatment room with me and Dad in tow. She picked her recliner, and of course my dad wanted one especially since there was a TV in front of it, but he followed me instead to sit beside mom and get her settled in and comfy so that the nurse could stick her with another needle. The treatments went well, all in all we were there a little over 4 hours. Mom did very well her first day of chemotherapy.
The days that followed were ones where mom was very weak and tired. The fluid on her lungs is back and that really wears her out. Dr. K has asked the surgeon to put a catheter in to drain the fluid and that will be done this week. And of course there are more needles scheduled for this week so they can keep an eye out for her blood counts.
Thank you so much for all your acts of kindness. The ladies from church made her a sunshine basket where she could open something to bring her a ray of sunshine everyday. Thank you for the delicious meals and most of all for you thoughts and prayers. We appreciate you coming along for our journey. If you'd like to send cards or notes, the address is: Diane Barr 6480 Tranquil Rd., Conway, SC 29527.
Much Love and Happy 4th,
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6/20/2011
Hi All,
This week proved to be a rather eventful one. We went traipsing from one appointment to another, sometime 3 in a day! By Friday our heads were so FULL! We know this is only the beginning. Dr. Karpenko scheduled more tests for mom this week too. From the tests she has had done (CT and Bone Scan and the Thorasentesis) he found that the cancer has metastasized. It was found in the fluid they drained from her lungs, as well as in some of her bones. We will know more after the PET scan results. Although we are praying that that test comes back clean, because we are already in for a fight.
And y'all, my mom is ready for a fight! For those of you that know her she is already a fiery five foot woman anyway, and I think this Cancer thing has met its match!! Dr. Karpenko told us she would be starting her first round of Chemo next Tuesday (6/28). It is a combination of 3 drugs that she will be on intravenously, a Chemo pill she will take once a week, and one that will be taken once a month. She is really anxious and ready to get through this week. Monday they will implant her Portacath, and Friday we will find out about the Plan of Care as well as another CT of her brain and ultrasound of her arm to be sure there are no blood clots. She is in high spirits and we are staying positive and Keeping the Faith.
Thank you so much for all your thoughts, prayers, and acts of kindness. Please keep on praying and sending those good vibes.
Love,
A
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(6/13/2011)
Hi All,
I am emailing to ask you all to add my mother, Diane Barr, to your prayer lists, thought list, or "good vibe" list, because we as a family are about to face a challenge. My mother last week was diagnosed with Triple-Negative (Bilateral) Breast Cancer (TNBC). On Friday we had an oncologist appointment with Dr. Karpenko at Coastal Cancer Center where he ordered a battery of tests. Bone Scan, CT Scan, PET Scan, and a Thoracentesis to drain fluid from her left lung and an echocardiogram to be sure her heart is in good working condition for the chemo. We are still unsure about a lot of details since many test have yet to be done. We are looking at a long road though, so pray for a speedy recovery.
My mom is doing well, she is in high spirits and a very positive mind frame. She is anxious to start treatment and is complaining about the wait. Everything does seem to be taking a while, and waiting is always the worst part! We have another appointment at the oncologist on Friday (June 17) where we will learn more since more tests have to be taken this week. I will keep you informed of the progress we are making as we start our fight against Cancer.
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