We Made it Through the Week!

Kara LOVES Fridays. She will tell anyone and everyone, “Happy Friday!” and always reminds me with a big smile, “Yayyy, we made it through the week!” Lately, her words carry a whole new weight because, honestly, making it through the week feels like an absolute feat.

So, let’s celebrate some positives from this week:

Earlier this week, Kara joined me for a day at the office. The day became extra special thanks to an invite from Morgan to visit the KWQC studio for the Quad Cities Live show. Kara absolutely adores Morgan, and KWQC is such a big part of her life. She rarely misses a news broadcast—up with them at dawn, Marcia Lense at noon, Sharon DeRycke and Erik Maitland at night. (She skips the 10 o’clock news, though, because that’s after bedtime!)

I’ve been documenting Kara’s love for KWQC TV6 for a while now. It’s more than just a news station to her—it’s a connection to home. When she’s traveling and feeling homesick, she plays the Hello Quad Cities song on repeat - as documented by my mom last year while she was in Florida.

Last summer, she met Morgan for the first time at Alternating Currents, and she was so starstruck it melted my heart.

This week, she got to witness a broadcast live in the studio, and it was everything. She greeted guests in the lobby like she was part of the KWQC staff. She got a new t-shirt (thanks, Brianna!) and proudly spotted it on Kyle Kiel in a commercial later, telling her dad, “I have that same cool shirt!” She spotted Erik Maitland walking by and gasped, turned to me with excitement to say, "There's Erik Maitland." She got her picture taken with Morgan and was absolutely beaming.

Before our KWQC visit, Kara had requested we do a “day in the life” video, and while I feel some discomfort sharing more of our lives on social media, it brings her so much joy. With her phone’s screen reader now active, she reads every single comment and loves seeing people engage with the content. So, I’m going to keep documenting and posting because making her happy is what matters most right now.

Now for even better news…

We were able to get an appointment at Mayo Clinic next week! Initially, they were booked until March, but they made room for her on their schedule. Mayo Clinic is one of the top cancer hospitals in the U.S., and I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity. We’re hopeful this visit will give us more treatment options and possibly open the door to clinical trials.

It’s been a heavy week of emotions, but moments like Kara’s joy at my work, at KWQC and the hope we have for Mayo Clinic remind me there’s still much to hold onto. Thank you to everyone who continues to cheer us on and pray for our family.