Prayers for Kayla

If you have a minute to spare, the young lady above, Kayla, could use a few thoughts and prayers. Tomorrow morning, Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) will claim her right leg via a surgeon's knife. She is sixteen.

From my friend Karen's blog:

A member of our family, Susan’s niece, Kayla has been battling Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) since April. Kayla has an incredible spirit and has the bravery of an army despite only being 16. She has kept fighting despite chemotherapy wiping away her energy, it has not squashed her spirit. Tomorrow at 7am EST, Kayla will have her right leg amputated. I cannot imagine how scared she is or what she’s going through but she’s still fighting - fighting for her life.

Kayla and her family, as well as Susan’s family, need our thoughts and prayers. If you could, tomorrow morning, say a prayer for them, or send some good thoughts their way. It may not seem like much to do, but I have felt everyone’s thoughts and prayers last year when I was fighting for my life and I know it works and it means more than words can express.

Kayla's response to the initial outpouring of support:

Kayla said...Hello fellow bloggers online This is Kayla, the niece you have been keeping in your prayers and rooting hard for. I just dropped by to say how much I appreciate all of your kind wishes and thoughts and how I was absolutely over whelmed when I recieved papers and papers of messages from all over the world, never mind, the country!!! ^_^ It made me so happy to see the response from people and it totally gave me the boost I needed. ^^ Thank you, every one!! I am most grateful!! Cancer has touched every individual in one way or the other. No matter how hard you struggle to avoid it, it manages to infect even the purest soul. =( But you know what? That's the thing with hope and faith. It never lets the darkness corrupt. It fights it until the very end. And even when fighting seems like the very last thing you'd want to endure any longer, even when the pain seems so undurable, innerly and physically.....You fight it. Why bother? It's the only way to survive. Life has much meaning and I plan to decipher it through this battle. I promise you I plan on coming out of this as a gleaming champion because there is no way in hell I am letting a stupid, insignifigant tumor take me!! *kills it with sword* MUHAHAHA! DIE tumor!! ^__^ I may not look the same as I did before, but then again, I don't think the same either. o__O Funny how that works, yes?

Update (from her Aunt): 9/1

Kayla is doing very well.

Thankyou everybody for your support. Our prayers were heard. She got safely through surgery and recovery. She is now back in her room on the oncology ward.

On top of that, Keith called us this evening, with more good news!

When Kayla went in for surgery, She wasnt sure how much of her leg the surgeons would be able to save. She is glad that they were able to use the prefered tecnique called Van Nes Rotationplasty, which leaves a good basis for a prosthesis. That means she will have the greatest mobility possible. She still has alot of rough days ahead, but with her determination and alot of hard work she will be able to do so many things. She is tired and in some pain, but seems pleased with how things went. Tommorrow they plan on getting her up out of bed to try standing. I forget to ask if she will be useing crutches or a walker. She has to learn to balance herself properly. She has apparently already looked at her leg, some people take much longer to psych them selves up to view the results of the surgery. When family went in, she asked them if they wanted to see too! That says alot to me about how well she is going to cope.