Re: Karen Zaterman

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 10:16 am

Cards are starting to come in. I'd love to be able to surround this lamp that sits opposite Karen's hospital bed with cards for Christmas. Karen Zaterman, 934 Arroyo Dr. South Pasadena, Ca 91030.

2nd round of chemo on Friday. Thur meeting with THE T-Cell lymphoma expert at UCLA.

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 10:54 pm

An interim look ...

Kati takes Karen to UCLA tomorrow for an initial consolation with THE T-Cell lymphoma specialist.

KJ Christopher · Post by **KJ Christopher** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 9:41 am

Mako Koiwai wrote:An interim look ...

Hey, I like that. Nice "fun" look.

Tom Tanquary · Post by **Tom Tanquary** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:14 pm

As odd as it is to say, Karen's really lucky to have you in her life. Some things were just meant to be.

May grace be with you both,

t

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:50 pm

Nah ... it's the other way around. I would have stopped driving years ago if it wasn't for Ms. Kittiz

Good intro visit with the T-Cell lymph specialist at UCLA today. Stem cell transplant planned as soon as chemo is over in 15 weeks. Chemo 2 of 6 starts tomorrow.

New karting jacket:

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:37 am

Kati & Johan visited today

2 of 6 chemo's finished ... wishing progress was faster :unimpressed:

Son Max's interpretation of a X-mas "tree"

Ed Holley · Post by **Ed Holley** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:57 pm

Mako Koiwai wrote:Kati & Johan visited today

2 of 6 chemo's finished ... wishing progress was faster :unimpressed:

Son Max's interpretation of a X-mas "tree"

Can't help noticing that the mirror is starting to fill up with well-wishing cards. We're thinking of you. Merry Christmas!!

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:13 pm

Yup! ... and we have more we haven't hung up yet. Big Thanks ! :thumb up:

Karen loves her calls ... Thank Sharon

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:19 pm

The Robertson's ... brought us an amazing Marie Callender's Feast for 4, but it was easily enough for 8! The Works, from
Turkey to the pie and even their signature coffee!

Can't decide which Club you should join? GRA, GRA, GRA !!!

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:23 pm

Karen wiped out from all if the Love. Amazing Hazel the Healing Care bear was part of a huge care package by the Larsons ...

Arthur Grant · Post by **Arthur Grant** » Wed Dec 25, 2013 10:08 pm

Mako Koiwai wrote:The Robertson's ... brought us an amazing Marie Callender's Feast for 4, but it was easily enough for 8! The Works, from
Turkey to the pie and even their signature coffee!

Can't decide which Club you should join? GRA, GRA, GRA !!!

Very cool of them to do that. Merry Christmas, and God bless.

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:54 am

Getting all light weight and streamlined

Talking with so many friends and acquaintances we realize we're very fortunate. Too many families are dealing with worse

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 2:03 am

Kiem, one of our fellow Miata racers. She got her SCCA novice club racing permit with Jeff Stuart

Off to Holland tomorrow to help take her critically sick sister, a citizen of Holland, to Germany for an
operation for her cancer. The free medical care in Holland has deemed her beyond help, after a number of other procedures!!! Austerity measure!!!

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 11:24 pm

Out & About

Arthur Grant · Post by **Arthur Grant** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:14 pm

How are things going any updates? Praying Karen is getting stronger.

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:41 pm

Great news ... her latest PET scan shows her tumors are shrinking! :gpower:

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:49 pm

Our problems have been insurance related. Even though Karen signed up for CoveredCA (Affordable Care Act) insurance early in December and paid her January premium before the end of the year, we had received no proof of insurance. So, we wasted hours at City of Hope on January 2nd where we were suppose to get our consultation on her Stem Cell Transplant, while they tried to figure out if she was insured. On the 3rd she was suppose to start her 3rd of 6 chemo treatments ... but that had to be pushed back a week. Something one really doesn't want to do during a structured chemo treatment plan.

We STILL don't have proof of insurance, so we had to fall back on her cobra coverage in order to start her chemo on Friday. THIS means she has to pay another month of expensive cobra premiums. We've also had to pay for some of her (expensive!) drugs up front, and hope to get reimbursed. We DO have double coverage at the moment ... since the CoveredCA coverage is SUPPOSE to have started on the first of January!

But we're just one of many:

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/ar ... -78839911/

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:32 pm

Karen drove for the first time in months, yesterday, while I was at work ... she drove herself to the City of Hope, S. Pasadena, to get an injection. Steve Collin's has been our stand by goto chauffeur. I get $hit for not driving as bump free as him?!

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:33 pm

TODAY is World Cancer Day

With support from Chevrolet: http://www.chevrolet.com/purple-roads-w ... r-day.html

YOU can support this by going PURPLE on your Facebook or twitter account.

Karen by chance races a purple Chevy Corvette!

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 2:00 pm

We're going to try and stop by the ProSolo on Saturday! Pilar Miranda's cake made the difference (at least to me haha)

This is Karen's week off to get stronger before going into the City of Hope hospital for 3.5+ weeks on Monday. After a 5 day Super Chemo she will have the 5,000,000 stem cells that were harvested from her blood last week reinjected into her body. She comes out like a new baby, ie. needs all new immunization. This followed by 30 days of 24/7 care at home, and then, unfortunately up to a year for full recovery. Life on hold ...

(We might as well sell those new Hoosiers that we bought last year ... bagged the whole time. Shame that we also bought some brand new custom wheels.

)

She has two direct lines going into her right jugular. She's missing her left one? But the right one is so big it can take two lines in (only one being used in this photo). I get to flush them every night.

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 2:49 pm

Make that Saturday AFTERNOON ... working an all nighter on Friday ... doing GoPros for a TV show.

BTW ... Karen is "cured," no more large multiple tumors in her abdomen. But the problem with her form of T-cell lymphoma is that it had a high rate of re-occurance. The stem cell procedure is to prevent that from happening again. BUT, WHY the on-going pain?! They not only have been upping her dosages but just added another unusually strong pain killer, albeit at very low dose ... so far. Something about chronic pain ... :unimpressed:

KJ Christopher · Post by **KJ Christopher** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:10 pm

It will be good to see you two again. Looking forward to it.

Ed Holley · Post by **Ed Holley** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:31 pm

Mako Koiwai wrote:We're going to try and stop by the ProSolo on Saturday! Pilar Miranda's cake made the difference (at least to me haha)

This is Karen's week off to get stronger before going into the City of Hope hospital for 3.5+ weeks on Monday. After a 5 day Super Chemo she will have the 5,000,000 stem cells that were harvested from her blood last week reinjected into her body. She comes out like a new baby, ie. needs all new immunization. This followed by 30 days of 24/7 care at home, and then, unfortunately up to a year for full recovery. Life on hold ...

(We might as well sell those new Hoosiers that we bought last year ... bagged the whole time. Shame that we also bought some brand new custom wheels. )

She has two direct lines going into her right jugular. She's missing her left one? But the right one is so big it can take two lines in (only one being used in this photo). I get to flush them every night.

Love the photo. If you weren't an "alien" driver before, you certainly have the "look" now. We won't be at the Pro, but missed you guys at the Tour event last weekend. We're glad you are getting healthy, but we'll keep on praying for TOTAL recovery with "no pain".

Mako Koiwai · Post by **Mako Koiwai** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:21 pm

Note to visitors ... NO REAL FLOWERS allowed on this Bacteria Sensitive ward.

Rm 4205, East side of the Helford hospital building, City of Hope, Duarte. Instead of the Main Entrance road, take the far West road. Park in the lot on your right, half way down. Anytime before 8 pm. Just need to be healthy ... and wear the provided mask ... disinfect hands.

Karen will be here into the first week of May ... at least. Karen is supposedly "cured" of her T-cell lymphoma. This long (stem cell transplant) procedure is to hopefully prevent it from reoccurring.