I’ve been at a loss for words to describe the gratitude and love I feel because of Fridays event. But also I can’t stop talking because i had no idea how charged my battery could be after people time - This extrovert world Is new to me. 

my heart is full beyond belief at the outpouring of love and support I’ve received. To be able to stand in a room surrounded by people of faith who pray over me and stand alongside me in this journey was probably one of the best moments in my life. It’s right up there with the day i was saved and the first time I saw my nephew when he was born. 

Thank you to John Offutt and Stuart Harrison for the beautiful prayers over me and The trio and band for a wonderful concert of worship.  Thank you to everyone who baked, donated, sang, bid, prayed, and laughed. The night was an amazing success and the financial pressure is off my shoulders. Because of yalls generous spirit (and all the dessert loving people) I can pay my bills through the fall! 

God is a good good Father with a good plan. 

(Pictured. My family (the half that lives locally) on stage for prayer!)

If you want to help:

Venmo & CashApp: KeriHendon

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/fefa9ad4

Mailing Address: PO Box 372, Lindale. TX 75771

“Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord.” Psalms ‭31‬:‭24‬ ‭NASB1995‬

Today my devotional asked the question “When your world is falling apart, do you run toward God or away from God?” Not long after, I had a chance to answer that question in real life. I went to see my infectious disease doctor today. He said that this type of fungal infection (Cryptococcosis or Cryptococcal Meningitis) which can hibernate and then pop up and will be with me forever. He said that it was a complicated situation that requires monitoring. (Shocker!) most likely I will stay on a medicine for the rest of my life. It’s a sneaky infection and hard to treat but I’ve responded so well so far! We still have a lot to learn about this but after over a year of “there’s something else hidden in her brain” from doctors, we have an answer! She’s got a fungal infection dormant in her brain.

The fungal infection could also be the cause of all of the pressure and extra fluid in my head. Our next step is working with neurologists and neurosurgeons + my infectious disease (ID) doctor. We need to see what they say about my pseudo tumor (IIH) which was the original explanation for the pressure and shunt placement plus work on my new ongoing headaches. The fact I’m on day 6 with no pressure is a good sign. (And the pressure is what causes the vomiting which is a normal side effect of this.) This is exciting to me because we, by that I mean the doctors, have time to investigate and find the best solution for my situation, not just the one that can give me fast relief. During all of this, I need to avoid getting sick since my immune system is a mess.

I go back to the ID Dr in a month to do bloodwork to check things and make sure my organs continue to be okay. And it sounds like they will continue to monitor me from now on.

Sooooo….I don’t just have treatable but not curable cancer I also have Cryptococcal Meningitis forever. Double the fun! One is rare for my sex/age and the other is just plain rare. So my brand of interesting and complex medical situations is holding strong. I am great at brand control even medically.

On a good note, Mom and I both said it was almost a fun appt because it confirmed so much of what we suspected AND there’s a plan for moving forward. It was not the news we wanted but it’s an answer! My faith isn’t in men and medicine but in God who can and does use all things for His good.

Good news! I have an appetite again. Typically I have 5-6 small meals a day with random snacks. It’s exciting to be hungry and also enjoy food again. Also after almost 3 weeks in the hospital, my “longer half hair” gave up. So today my amazing hairstylist saved the day.  I have a lovely pink/gray tinged pixie cut. It’s a shocking difference but I love it. Bonus it feels healthy finally.

Here’s the video of what I shared on Sunday at LifeSource Community Church https://youtu.be/WrKbZ9BFa8I?feature=shared

I recommend you listen to the full sermon. It’s available at https://lifesourcelindale.com/podcasts/media/2023-09-10-counting-the-cost

Here’s a little bit of what I prepared for my time of sharing:

I promise you…it’s okay not to be okay.

Philippians 3:10: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Suffering had to be part of our salvation. There is no salvation without Jesus’ death on the cross. Even though there is suffering, there can still be peace, beauty, and joy in the journey. Paul talks about wanting to know God and “sharing in the fellowship of His suffering.” If I say I want to love God, putting on His Armor to allow HIm to use me in His kingdom work, and then I sit at home hiding, how am I walking in steadfastness?

I see this cancer as an opportunity to sit in silence, share in the fellowship of His suffering in a tiny way, and listen to the Holy Spirit’s still small voice as my guide so I can rely on the Great Healer/the Great Provider to provide whatever He knows is needed..

James 1:2-3NASB95 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

“Life will be difficult. We are not made perfect on earth. We will always have stuff to deal with. Hard stuff. Stuff done to us, stuff our families experience, and stuff we struggle with ourselves.” So we can use these trials as testing grounds to grow closer to God or allow them to overwhelm us and we become stagnant.

Cancer is overwhelming. Cancer is a word that strikes fear. But in the trial, whatever it is, we can make the choice to trust God and take the bitterness out of the trial. We can consider it all joy. One of my favorite phrases is “You can't control other people but you can control your response.” That applies here as well.

In that ER room, I made the choice that cancer is not going to be a scary word and I will not give it power to steal my light and joy. In this storm, I am not alone. God has gone before me and He has put a team of prayer warriors around me helping me stay on my feet. So when it’s a not-okay day, I have an army standing beside me.

Even in this He provides, one of my best friends, Debra Harrison, has lived abroad as a missionary for years. And in February, God brought her and her husband to Lindale to work with our church for a bit. That idea was birthed in 2021…years before I had an inkling that I would have a huge health journey. But she is here, able to go to appointments with me, and be part of my care team. At the same time, she is pregnant and about to have her first child and I get to be in-person alongside her and Stuart for this special chapter.

It’s joy even in the midst of chaos and the hurricane.

We should run after the opportunity to rejoice…it’s a sacred duty for us as Christians. He commanded us to consider it all joy. I am not saying pursue things that bring suffering on purpose but when the trials come, how do you respond?

When the trials come for those around you, how do you stand alongside them?

When you face disappointment, where do you turn?

I have been feeling the effects of my treatments the past week or so. And The last couple of days have been painful and uncomfortable with sleep being the best pain reliever.

So this is the perfect time to ask my prayer warriors for all the prayers. Tomorrow (Sunday) I’m speaking at church about counting the costs. And The fact that I’m more bothered by being uncomfortable and currently not nervous at all shows how much God can change us when we allow Him access.

Please pray for endurance, calm, and for the pain to lift. And for the Holy Spirit to speak through me tomorrow. Because this is never about me…but about Him.

James 1:2-3 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

I had an oncology appointment today. It was good news.

God is so good. I’m in awe of everything that that has transpired the last 2+ months and the ways He is working.

My white blood cell count has dropped to 104. The doctors goal was for me to be at 250 by the end of my IV treatments. So I exceeded her expectations.

Round one of treatment is done!!

Moving forward, I will just stay on all the medication I am on right now. in the next 6 to 8 weeks the worst of the side effects… Fatigue, pain, and general uncomfortableness should start to fade. I should also start getting more energy at that point as well.

I don’t have to go back to the doctor until the beginning of October! And then it’s just to do bloodwork and check in. I do still need to be cautious to about avoid germs and sick people!

On a “Keri became outgoing and talks a lot with her cancer diagnosis” update…this Sunday at LifeSource, i will be sharing about counting the cost and lessons learned in my journey so far. Join us at 8:30 or 10:30am. (We will be live-streaming online at 10:30 & the audio posted on Sunday after church.)

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

"If you need wisdom, I'll give it to you.

If you need strength, it will be there in exact proportion to the difficulties of the day.

If you need guidance, I'm your Shepherd.

If you need comfort, My name is Comforter."

“An inconvenience is always, whether we see it or not, a blessed inconvenience. We may rest in the promise that God is fitting together a good many more things than are any of our business.”

These are two different things I read today during my time at treatment.

I made the choice that Cancer is not going to be a scary word and I will not give it power to steal my light and joy. It’s a blessed inconvenience. The Greek word translated endurance (hypomonen) describes the quality that enables a person to stay on his or her feet when facing a storm. And in that storm, I am not alone.

On Sunday we had a commissioning service for our leaders. During my turn on stage as our pastors were praying, the people behind me put their their hands on my back and prayed as well. It was a two fold blessing because with my shakes and jitters, they literally were helping me stay up and steady. And it was a beautiful reminder…we don’t live this life alone. We have support holding us up, sometimes literally, and lifting us up!

When strength is needed, how do you respond?

When you face struggles, where do you turn?

When the trials come for those around you, how do you comfort and support them?

Today was a great day and it was tentatively my last round of targeted infusion treatment. I’m waiting to hear what the doctor has decided for next steps with that side of the treatment plan. I’ve also been on my target therapy pill at home for just over two weeks now. Between the two, the home-pill has given me more side effects…mainly random aches/pains, exhaustion, and just plain being completely fatigued. But it’s all working!!

For the fun update, my white blood cell count is down to 135!!! It was at 516 on August 9 so that’s a huge amount of progress for a short amount of time. I’m so excited!

Reminders: For the next month, my medical team wants me to be very cautious about who I am around because of illness and I’m not able to be vaccinated yet. Even if you think you just have the sniffles, please err on the side of caution and avoid hugging or getting in my personal space. If I get a fever it’s a big deal and I would like to avoid the ER again!

Thank you for all of the notes, messages, and prayer. It means so much - I’m so blessed. I’m trying to send thank you notes and texts. if you haven’t received one yet, shoot me a message with your address!

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” Philippians 3:10

Today’s treatment has gone really smoothly. I was here before 8 but as of 1:21 my treatment is done for the day…and I’m about to go home! A nap is calling my name.

Bonus: my white blood cell count is down into the 200s!!! That was my personal goal for this month. (As if I have any control over it.) It is still considered critically high but for my team, it’s exciting because it’s a significant drop. I’ve officially been on my long-term pill for over a week now.

In other news, after weeks of just minors aches and pain, I’m officially in real pain. I’m so grateful to have made it this long with only minor discomfort because the team has been warning me that this may happen. The worst of the pain is concentrated in my knees and also jumps around to different joints. It sometimes feels like I have the flu aches on top of it all. So far all the pain and discomfort lifts as I go to sleep and stays away until I’ve had a few minutes to wake up, which is a huge blessing because I love good sleep.

Im reading a new book and it said something that has really stuck with me:

“Life will be difficult. We are not made perfect this side of heaven. We will always have stuff. Hard stuff. Stuff done to us, stuff we experience, and stuff we struggle with ourselves. … I like to think it helps me be Jesus to all the inside parts of me, and to the people outside of me as well.”

That’s the wonderful description for how I feel about this cancer Journey….to paraphrase “the struggle I’m experiencing pushes me walk in steadfastness, helps Jesus be in all the okay and not-okay parts of me and allows me to be Jesus to people around me.”

Thank you for the prayers, texts, and encouragement.

August 16: It’s been a hectic few days but also full of naps and family time. I’m back to the chemo center today for another round of treatment. I also started the long term pill yesterday so now we are hitting it with both guns blazing.

Even after last weeks rough go during treatment, I’m calm and relaxed. I’m continually in amazement that in the midst of what should be the most stressful overwhelming situation I am completely at peace and able to hold loosely to everything going on.

Yesterday when I picked up my medicine i officially found out that while the medication costs almost $15,000 a month, I owe nothing for it. And because of my patient assistance program, I have an advocate who helps renew the financial assistance and make sure it’s covered every month.

These are the moments that make me cry…seeing a receipt showing $14,905 and marked 0.00 due. It’s a tangible reminder that Christ has paid the price…fully, completely, and in all things. Nothing is too small for His providence and protection.

Please continue to pray for the peace and calm to surround me, my family, and my team. Also pray specifically that I stay healthy and have the endurance for the coming weeks.

Reminders: For the next couple of months, my medical team wants me to be very cautious about who I am around because of illness. Even if you think you just have the sniffles, please err on the side of caution. I don’t want to get sick and have it delay my treatments. Also please be aware of the impact of your words about your own cancer-related experiences and treatment plans. I fully believe God has put together the best team to treat me. I trust them in their advice and guidance for my leukemia Journey.

**Updated at 2:15 pm** my second treatment happened and it went great. No reactions and it got done super fast. So I’m headed home for a long nap!

Today was my big oncology appointment to review the tests and make a game plan. Last night I was super anxious and getting nervous about today. But instead of stewing in that feeling, I sent out prayer requests and I had such a great night of sleep. At the appointment, I was at such peace the entire time. No tears or sadness. We were even able to joke about stuff. I am ready to get this show on the road and treat this mess.

My CLL/SLL is a stage 4. It’s a blood cancer so it isn’t like a breast cancer stage 4  - while it sounds scary it's just a different context.   It’s more of a SLL than CLL version but they are basically the same family of cancer just depends on the systems involved and my lymph glands are drama queens. My lymph nodes were lit up like Christmas in the Petscan so they all have some amount of cancer and are very inflamed. And it's in my bone marrow. Plus My spleen is HUGE. I may not be a drama queen on the outside but my insides want ALL of the Attention and awards!!

I go back on Tuesday for a follow up. And then we are aiming to start chemo on Wednesday. I’ll do it for 3-4 weeks, once a week for 7-8 hours. Then I’ll go on a high powered pill that I’ll stay on until it doesn’t work anymore (ie...could be years) 

Plus I’m starting 2 meds today!!! One is a powerful steroid to help bring down swelling / stop the sweats. (Oh happy day.) Plus a medication to protect my kidneys for the upcoming battle, which I am calling a blood war. Prayer and medications against some faulty b-cells who don't stand a chance.  

When I start the long term medication they need the WBC to be lower because that  med will raise it again as it fights to battle the messed up cells. All of that puts a lot of pressure on my kidneys hence the med.  The chemo will help bring down my white blood cell counts which have gone even higher than when I was in the hospital. Currently they are 466 (when the regular range is 4.8-10.8.) 

I shouldn't lose my hair and I probably won't get nauseated much. (Those were my big fears) While I'm on chemo, I'll probably feel awful like a bad case of the flu, which is not fun but bearable.

All in all I'm feeling good about today and I'm SO excited abt my new steroids I already started today. Having so many people praying and supporting me makes all of this so  much less daunting. God is good all the time. 

If you want to help, please be praying. I am trying to update prayer requests here on this website as new things come up. So that's my biggest request. The power of prayer and having God involved in every step of this is the most important thing to me. If you want to help in additional ways, we have links above.

Most of all, I would challenge you, if you are going through something, invite others to help stand in the gap for you. We are not called to live this life alone and having a community to support you makes all of the difference. Our church just finished a series about this subject, so I encourage you to listen to the audio and see how God speaks to you. I know it changed my entire perspective on honestly living life with people. The link to the audio is: https://lifesourcelindale.com/podcasts/media/series/culture-of-care

I love this song and it has been a resonating theme over the last couple of weeks. During my biopsy, it was the song I sang in my head when I was getting anxious about the procedure. 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

As I wait for the final big test before the treatment plan, I cannot be on meds that would help with my symptoms. With that, my lymph glands are swelling again and the "lymphoma sweats" are out of control. Summer is not the time to also have uncontrollable sweating. Please be praying for these and the other symptoms to be bearable. 

The good news is both of my biopsy spots are healing nicely. No more bandages!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and for praying for me and my family. I cannot fully express how much it means to have so many people on my team with this journey.