KARA STRONG -By Deb Allenbaugh

First things first…

Kara is home, her bilateral mastectomy surgery behind her.  

 Thank you Adam!  You are amazing!

As Kara’s mom, I have shared and carried her diagnosis up close and personal, every step of the way.  I was there ‘that’ day, the weeks and months that followed ‘that’ day, doctors appointments, tests, scans, waiting, more tests, HER2 positive test results, chemo, port, pain, side effects, emergency rooms, genetic testing, sleepless nights, running out of tears and no more tumors.  We have known about yesterday's surgery since our first oncology appointment.  At a time when we were praying desperately to hear “only stage 3”, boobs seemed so insignificant.  To me, they still do in many ways.  You can take her boobs but you cannot take her!  In order for Kara to wrap her head around her treatment plan, she chose to tackle only the piece directly in front of her.  The marathon (year-long) run for her life, only doable if it is run one step at a time. 

 This picture a lifeline.  The girl she knows and still feels on the inside.

 

Yesterday, and the courage it took at age 29, to get up, get dressed, pack, leave notes regarding school assignments, greeting cards (just in case), say good bye to her babies, walk out the front door, get in the car, get out of the car and walk in the hospital was a tipping point.  She had endured and finally begun to accept the loss of her life as she’s known it, allowing drugs to go in her that only HAZMAT can clean up, losing  her hair and a huge part of her identity, watch her family fray and feel responsible, have the puffy steroid sick look when the eye brows and lashes went, surrender months of her life to sickness, face the temporary, yet long-term, loss of her clients/friends, career and needed income, miss her girlfriends and family fun.  She has come through each piece, some really ugly pieces, some not so ugly, some beautiful, some empowering and enlightening.  She said last Friday,”It feels like I have been pushing this giant boulder up a huge mountain and I am almost at the top.”  It made sense.  Pushing uphill can be exhausting and it's steepest at the top. I knew Kara was digging deep, mustering everything to heave that boulder over the top and down the other side.  I watched as my girl gathered every bit of everything to face yesterday.  I am in awe of the countless men, women and children who have endured cancer.  I am in awe of my daughter! My warrior.

I wanted her to have a bit of comfort and reassurance (okay I am not going to lie- I wanted her to be enveloped in love and support, and even reached out to Ellen and Kris Carr).  Searching for something that would fill up the empty places.  She’s already given so much, now this.  You see, it isn't this step being the hardest, although giving up boobs is a pretty big deal, it's giving up more on top of EVERYTHING else.   

FYI -an updated version has been requested, since there are so many more! - thank you Leah Addair. A Special thank you Debbie Noble-Houser for giving me KARASTRONG when I so needed.

Not only was she enveloped, she is overwhelmed with love and completely blown away, we all are.  Thank you!  Your acts of kindness created and shifted the atmosphere.  Although Kara has a long road ahead, is in quite a bit of pain (they went deep - even on her underarms), will have an emotional component to work through.....My warrior saw an army rise and stand with and for her, and they are still showing up, helping her get that boulder over the mountain.  Shit I think the boulder is on another continent now!  As Kara's mom, I THANK EACH ONE OF YOU!  You did good!!!  KARA STRONG!