My beautiful mother Jeannie Kern has overcome health battles of her own in years past. Now, she has added to her angelic resume taking care of her own parents, both her daughters (my sister and I have had some strange health issues!), and her newest grand daughter (Beni is healthy but Nana gets to spend lots of time with her these days while mommy fights!).

God created this woman with so much intention. As the rest of you. But she is my someone special. I love you mommy.

Today has been the toughest day on this journey so far. Friends, I ask that you stand with me and my family in intentional prayer tonight.

My procedure this morning was cancelled due to blood work coming back showing a drastic drop in my platelet levels (46k when normal is 150-500k) which would have put a normal liver b
iopsy into a dangerous potential bleed out situation. We thank God that the doctor I had followed procedure to check what he needed to beforehand and I was kept safe. 

Small surgery today so my clinical trial team has more tissue to work with as the last batch has all been used for original cancer v infection testing, diagnosis, cancer origination search, genetic testing, etc.

Feeling a little overwhelmed this week with new radiation plans, last minute scheduling, paperwork for trial, self image changes, and all the things of normal life (jury duty calling that I missed!)

Time to rise up! God didn’t save us to tame us. My two wonderful mothers Jeannie Kern  Jeanne Roe Bruns and Bentley are my strength today. 

 

I have made some life changing friendships through the years in school (Temecula, CA, Tucson, AZ and Edmond, OK), working, my Edmond neighborhood, church (our women’s LifeGroup and people referring new friends over to our group that is hosted at my home bi weekly where we fellowship and follow the Propel Women curriculum together), and many other God-only ways.

When I say these people are life changing, I mean it. What I know is that coming to know Christ made me NEW. Not a better version of me, but a BRAND NEW me. I think my “pre Christ” friends and family can attest to this, although I still make daily mistakes and fall short. So for someone reading this, please don’s confuse what being made new in Christ really means.

Anyways, one way to know Christ and to feel this NEWNESS in life is through LOVE. Christ centered friends like mine LOVE on me in a way that is unconditional, constant, and real. They remind me of God’s love daily. They show up, they challenge me, they support me. Some days I feel like I don’t deserve them and that love and then scripture reminds me that yes, I do deserve that and so does everyone else! Amazing.

This last month, my friends drove me to radiation appointments, drove across the country to visit, checked in on me daily, prepared meals for our family, put together care packages, lit prayer candles for me in other countries, made handmade things like cookies and quilts (who does that???? not me!), mowed our lawn, and prayed with us. We are forever grateful.

I love you all. So very much.

Happy health update for our families and friends:
1. I have qualified for a clinical trial being led by a doctor out of Yale! They will work with me/my team here in OKC right out of OU Stephenson Cancer Center: I have my own research team and the expenses are all paid for through their trial. We won’t know which group (test or control) I am in until June 14. Please join us in prayer that I am randomized into the test group so I may receive the “bi weekly antibody infusions” in addition to my targeted therapy systemic treatment pills.
2. I start my systemic treatment June 17, which was calculated on ending radiation and reducing steroid (for brain swelling) medicines appropriately. This treatment is not “chemo” but a specific (new) pill form of treatment Tarceva developed for my kind of stage 4 cancer with the EGFR gene mutation I was blessed with! Without that mutation, I would have been set on general chemos to try.
3. We thought radiation was over but after another PET scan review the doctor team decided my lower s
eat area, hips, and right leg need 5 more days of radiation to shrink more masses so I am not at risk of fracturing bones or sustaining perm nerve damages, which is great because I can barely hold my baby without feeling like I’ll drop her through my numb right leg. Join us in prayer this week for these last 5 days of zapping!
4. My hair came out about 95% but since I won’t be on chemo it will grow back! My face and belly are super swollen from the first rounds of radiation but doctors said will go down soon. My other side effects have been much more manageable other than an increase in lack of sleep but everyone agrees it’s normal for my mind to be a little busy right now!
5. We feel GOOD about our plan. I am on specific researched supplements & a balanced diet and will be documenting all of the details on my page that is still in the works!

6. Doctors maintain there is no “cure” for my rare case but they’re also confident in the management moving forward. 

I maintain “He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.”
Job 5:9 NLT

#jenistrong

#lookatmybeautifulchildren

#familystrong

#cupoverflowing

#considerjesus

5 days post radiation: which was 10 3-piece (full brain, mid back spinal cord, and hip bones) treatments over a 12 day span. Feeling loved through well intended and friendly comments but not feeling the same “me” as before when my reflection is not 26 years familiar. 

Symptoms during radiation were not terrible, just some nausea, headaches, and restlessness but between new emotions and adjustments I thought I knocked the two weeks out of the park and thought the rest would be downhill speed skating.

These past 5 days though have been tougher, with new symptoms that are more uncomfortable (physically and emotionally), visible (super swollen face and belly & have random rashes), and time consuming (…tummy…) during all hours of the day and night. All my symptoms are listed as normal and my doctor team explained that the radiation continues to work even after in person treatments stop so it’s a good thing to know everything they targeted is being zapped by science. That is only somewhat comforting for half of me that tries to understand and research, with the other refusing to care to comprehend how it all works. I’ve literally avoided science my whole life: kindergarten through grad school, and career choice. —
For tonight, we maintain that God is using this 2016 medical technology first in my season of healing so I’ll skip blaming radiation for my sorrows and I’ll get through today like I did yesterday, praising Jesus for the day and the time we have together. My heart hurts for families who lose loved ones suddenly, or experience their children’s health suffer over their own. Those situations don’t come close to ours.
I love spending time online right now following everyone’s highlights that show so much happiness and continue praying with anyone who is feeling alone or hiding in any kind of shameful or lonely place.

Funny thing about my relationship with God right now is I am a huge Christine Caine (one of many powerful Christ centered women who has said YES to her callings) lover and wanted to help promote her new book Unashamed this last month but ended up in first reading feeling like I wasn’t connecting with the message of living ‪#‎unashamed‬ because I felt in my heart that I was GOOD and pretty void of the exampled shames and fears. Hello May 9- to find out I’m living with a rare stage 4 cancer and didn’t know it until my brain swelled randomly 7-12 weeks post baby AND hello today- going bald here!!!!! I have a new appreciation for strapping on warrior sandals and finding a ‪#‎liveunashamed‬ stance against lies of the enemy on what is painful or what is beautiful. It is all finished in what Jesus did for us, so no pain or discomfort will shame me. And it is all written in His plan, not mine, so a bald me will not shame me.

Thank you for believing in me and caring for my updates. I’ll be seeing you all with some more hats and a wig when I find the perfect one!
A special thank you to my mommy Jeannie Kern, sisters Dani Ross-WellsMarie Giles Ross and too good of friends Stephanie Halseide, Lindsay Rubac, Kaitlyn Bullard who went way out of their ways this weekend to make me feel beautiful through family photos and our perfectly awesome much-needed-we’re-spread-between-3-states family weekend.

‪#balding

#liveunashamed

This past weekend my 3 out of state siblings were able to fly in from Oklahoma! We had a great time catching up, spending time together, eating, playing at Top Golf, taking family photos, and being silly.

I want to tell you all a little about my family because all of this past month has been about me and my current life as a cancer patient, mom, wife, young professional, etc…. and I wouldn’t be who I am without them:

My sister Dani, her husband Morgan, and 3 kids [Molly (7), Jack (5), Jordan (1)] live here in Edmond, OK. They moved here a year after I did because they fell in love with Oklahoma after one visit! My sister is the most creative, 100% in, passionate women I know. I am so happy they took a leap of faith and moved here when they did, because life right now wouldn’t be the same without them. The simple fact that we didn’t have the chance to grow up near all of our wonderful cousins makes our hearts so full the Molly, Jack, and Jordan will know Bentley and Boston and their love as cousins will flourish forever. God is so good in this way.

(OUT OF STATE) My oldest brother Trevor and his wife Marie live in Murray, Utah just outside of Salt Lake City in their super cute home where they have a massive garden. And I mean massive. They are very active in the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints and have great Callings there, where they pour into their communities. They have great careers and love to spend time outdoors exploring new places and being adventurous together. Trevor rides a motorcycle. He is my “too cool” brother even though he will always be my “Star Wars Loving” brother, which to me is the opposite of cool. Sorry!

(OUT OF STATE) My middle brother Ryan lives in West Hollywood where he works on the show The Voice and plays with numerous bands (travels around the country some too!). He is one of the most talented people I know from the inside out. He is my “eligible Bachelor” brother, so ladies, look him up on my Facebook: J Ryan Kern. In addition to his incredible (and flexible) career and his good looks, he is kind, genuine, open, plays in his church band, is so fun, and has so many qualities.

My little brother Jake also currently lives in Edmond, OK with us but just recently graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma where I attended graduate school. He may be moving away soon to seek new adventures. Big sister is not too happy to lose him geographically after successfully recruiting 3/5 siblings and my parents (who moved here in January 2016). And since this is a blog I am allowed to say whatever I want.

__

Obviously with such great siblings, we came from somewhere (someones- and yes we are a proud blended family with his, hers, mine, ours, adopted, and all the kinds): My parents Larry and Jeannie are one of a kind both as individuals and as a couple in Christ.

They (re found) their individual relationships with Jesus a couple of years ago after joining us at our Edmond, OK church Life.Church (the worship and message were incredible as always and just allowed for the space and place for them to feel God’s love.) They hadn’t been attending any kind of church in Southern California so when they went back, they found one that fit them (there are all kinds of great churches around the world…so it’s OK that someone doesn’t like ours or yours…do what is best for you and your family!) called CenterPointe in Murrietta, CA. This church and the people there (our pastor Craig Groeschel always says: “We don’t go to church, we are the church!” YES!) changed their lives as they got plugged into community. This is what makes my heart sing- people who are broken finding NEW LIFE in JESUS and THEN COMMUNITY SHOWING THESE NEW BUT BUT STILL BROKEN PEOPLE WHAT CONTONUAL NEW LIFE IS, IN JESUS. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Sorry, I just really love love (future blog posts about Taylor Swift lyrics and Nicholas Sparks books will surely come so beware.)

I am so proud of my parents. For so many reasons.

But this past year, my mom was able to retire after being very prayerful about how she wanted to spend their rest of her life. She was able to take care of my Papa, Fred, is his last season (sunset) of life in Temecula. He passed away in January 2016. After Papa passed away (leaving me with no more living grandparents- except I have been blessed with many on Adam’s side of the family!) my mom and dad moved to Edmond to be by 3/5 of us kids and all the grand kids. Leaving Southern California for Oklahoma is not something that is taken as “oh that makes sense, have fun”…it’s usually transcribed into the follow-up question of “how could you leave California??” I still to this day get that from people and I have lived here for 4 years and lived in Tucson and Italy before that so have been away from CA a long long time! I just tell people to follow their hearts and if they want to leave OK so bad then CA has space for them…

SO, they moved to Oklahoma (another successful recruiting effort by yours truly!!!) into this beautiful neighborhood where the HOA gives our Yard of the Month awards. It’s so serene and pretty (Adam, Bentley, and I have been staying with my parents since being released from the hospital for help with the baby since I cannot be left alone with her when my leg gives out or have a mini seizure so we have been able to really reap the benefits of the beautiful green spaces here.) WELL, guess I thought that it was pretty cool God brought Nana and Papa to all their grand kids but now I think God is pretty darn cool to bless me with my Mommy and Daddy here to be BY MY SIDE for every appointment and every day in this season. I couldn’t do this without them so to fathom they could still be states away just makes me sad for anyone who is a part from their family while they go through any challenge or rough patch of sea. I pray for all of you daily. And praise Jesus that I am so blessed to have most of my family here.

#family

 

Last night Beni girl and mommy had some nice R&R together. Her innocence and smiles wash away so many fears of mine. How can anyone dwell on an internal sickness with such a sweet creation to live for!
(Animal towel hoodies for the win every single bath time!!)

My doctors have said Bentley isn’t at risk for anything that I have so we praise God for that and the miracles of our amazing pregnancy/ L&D experiences. We can’t comprehend how she grew inside of me, me being so symptom free until 7 weeks PP. Only God. 

Girls day at the Center to celebrate my last day of radiation… Aren’t the gardens beautiful! It was Bentley’s first time to join us, so my team who’s heard nothing else about my life over the last 2 weeks enjoyed meeting her!

Ill have follow up scans in about one month to see how well the radiation tackled the brain, spine, and hip cancer they targeted. From what they say, cancer cells don’t stand a chance against radiation so as I sit here with sweats, a sick tummy, and a pulsating head I’ll keep reminding myself that it’s all working and the toxins are fleeing far away. For now, surgery in any one area is not an option because of how widespread the cancer is but the doctors are confident in our next steps… Which is where I have the best news for you all!!! 

I’ve finished 7 days of my full brain and spine/hip radiation and have 3 more to go until this round is finished. Each session takes about 40 minutes but every minute spent at the Stephenson Cancer Center is well intentioned with the best care teams (we even have valet parking). My radiation team has become my positive vibes family: setting up my room with country music, allowing us the time to pray before each bout, and welcoming my special visitors who want to learn more about the process. I’ll be documenting photos this week with them for a fun post later. They’re real rock stars.

We won’t know how well radiation “worked” for a bit of time because the scans are so intrinsic but the team is confident that cancer cells can’t really survive radiation, which is a good thing that I was a candidate to start so soon.

The pathology results are still with the Mayo Clinic regarding the gene mutations they are looking for, but we hope that by Tuesday our doctors will know those results and will be putting together a systemic full body treatment plan together (will know results from PET scan then too). This is what’s known as chemo, but there are hundreds of types all catered to specific cancers so we just don’t know what this next season will look like yet. This may or may not include clinical trials. If we can stay in OKC, we will as we know home is where healing happens but if we are called to travel to another facility, we of course will be on board with recommended research. It’s all pending what the results say and what options they can come up with to go after the rest of the widespread cancer (standards of care + trials). We are also attacking this disease as holistically as possible through diet, supplements, oils, and audacious prayer thanks to so many people pouring resources over us!

Symptoms through radiation have been tolerable! My leg is weaker by the day but is most likely nerve related to spinal cord pressure.. There are worst things I know so I have no complaints. I am sleepy and weak(ish) but still have my hair and a happy baby at home- what more does a mommy need?!

The donations, prayers, notes, gifts, everything… Overwhelming. We are shown God’s love through you all and feel so supported and strong. Thank you for being interested and challenging your day to reflection and prayer. Keep considering Jesus. He loves us in every circumstance, even radiation!