KARYN

As most of you know, we lost Karyn today after her long, courageous, go-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-to-beat-this-thing battle with Medullary Thyroid Cancer. 

Blanchard Springs, 2012 - this photo was taken during a caving/camping adventure that we took with the Jakobs

A few weeks ago, her "Fight Song" came on the radio on my way to work. I had been hearing it more often than not that week (and it isn't played here often anymore), and I had taken it as a sign that Karyn was getting stronger and coming out of "The Quiet". Later that morning, I was shocked to learn that Karyn was to be sent home on hospice. After multiple thyroid surgeries, extensive alternative treatments, oral chemo, and what we thought last month was a life-saving surgery, the doctors determined that they had exhausted all treatment options. Hearing that news was honestly much harder than hearing of her passing today. I didn't want to say goodbye, but I did. I didn't want to let her go, but I had to. I have known Karyn since junior high, and while we've drifted in and out of contact over the years, I have always held her dear in my heart. She is a special lady, and she knows how to make everyone in her life feel valued and important. We used to run long and short distances together, we used to skip band when we knew we'd have a substitute and sneak off campus for frozen yogurt, we used to walk to her house for lunch, we used to be silly and young. As adults, while we lived far away from each other, I treasured her supportive emails. Her late night texts when we were both awake, nursing babies, always made me laugh or gave me confidence. We made efforts to see each other whenever we were in the same state. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a bright, honest smile. She gave me some of the best mothering advice I have ever received, and being a mama was certainly her calling and the gift she was most proud to live. Karyn was an important influence in my life, and she's going to be very missed.

Cancer sucks - there's just no other way to say it. Cancer is non-discriminating and horrible and unfair. Karyn's family was and is facing a very tough reality - something that those of us who have not personally been through can't truly comprehend. Her absence will be felt forever, because she will be forever loved.