We had set up a poster-board at the funeral and sticky notes for people to write down their memories of Karen. I though I should post some of the funny and nice ones for others to see.
-I remember when I was playing soocer and I axadly hit her
-Her shining smile
-I remember Karen was an excellent friend, helpful & hugger
-I remember taking Karen skiing! She took the chair lift up and rode the snowmobile down because she hurt her knee. She was not happy!
-I remember when she got mad at us because we got to close to the river in their backyard
-I remember Karen baking the best dessert I ever had
-I remember the soccer fields, the lattees, the long walks and the long talks
-Funy
-I remember how helpful she was with the kids
-I loved how matter of fact your mother was. I loved that she was as quick to accept a hug as she was to give one
-The first time I met Karen, I knew she was going to marry Doug! I looked at her and said, this mans gonna marry you! Sure enough it wasn't long after...
There are tons more notes but for now that's all I'll post.
And I'll pass it over to Dad...
Things are quieting down and we are off to a soccer meeting soon - the start of a new routine I guess. This morning we took Paul to the airport and said goodbye as he returned home to his family. There are so many people to thank for all they did over the last week and every one was important and appreciated but I need to specifically thank my "keep it all together guy" for walking with me this last week - words can't express how much I appreciate it.
Back to Jen...
As Dad said, thanks so much to everyone that helped us this past week. We appreciate it SO much. I'm going to end this with a comment from one of the Mom's earlier posts, which is also the quote her eulogy ended with. 'We can't chose the path of our life, but we can chose how we live it.'
Jen
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Tribute
KAREN
Peacefully on April 21, 2013, after a courageous battle with brain cancer, Karen passed away at Riverview Health Centre.
Karen was born on July 25, 1965 at St. Boniface General Hospital and grew up near Ste. Anne, MB. Upon graduation from high school Karen attended the St. Boniface School of Nursing obtaining her RN in 1985. She made many lifelong friends while attending school and later working in the St. B. Pediatric unit. With one of those friends she headed off to work in the US, first in Florida, then California and then they took time off to travel Europe. After returning to Winnipeg, Karen completed the Intensive Care Nursing program and later began working in the Health Sciences Centre Adult Emergency where she stayed for over 15 years finding a passion for her nursing there. Along the way she grew her circle of friends further.
In 1996, her nursing friends organized her introduction to Doug and in 1999 they married. Soon after they began their family and Karen truly loved her new career as a full- time Mom to Jennifer and Kristjan and a part-time nurse. As the kids started school she built another circle of cherished friendships with parents and teachers at school.
From her first vacation in Hawaii after graduation, to Europe, Australia, Mexico and many parts of Canada and the US, Karen always enjoyed travelling, despite sacrificing some winter vacations as the wife of an accountant. She also enjoyed building and spending time at the family get away at Bird River and tending her gardens there and at home in Winnipeg. In each place, she made new friends, each of whom had a special place in her heart.
Karen is survived by her husband Doug, children Jennifer and Kristjan, mother Pat, sister Cathy (Bob), nephews Kyle, Stephane and Matthew and sister-in-law Donna (Darren) as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins and her many cherished friends who she considered part of her family. She is also loved by her special friend, our dog Hope.
She was predeceased by her father Nick in 1981.
A funeral service will be held at Sturgeon Creek United Church, 207 Thompson Drive at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2013.
The family would like to express our thanks to all the medical personnel who have cared for Karen over the last two plus years and particularly thank Dr. Garry Schroeder and primary nurse Kim Paradoski, Dr. Gerry Krcek, CancerCare Manitoba Chemo room staff, HSC RR6 staff and Riverview Health Centre Palliative Care unit 3E staff for all your care and compassion for Karen and us.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation directed to brain tumour research.
Peacefully on April 21, 2013, after a courageous battle with brain cancer, Karen passed away at Riverview Health Centre.
Karen was born on July 25, 1965 at St. Boniface General Hospital and grew up near Ste. Anne, MB. Upon graduation from high school Karen attended the St. Boniface School of Nursing obtaining her RN in 1985. She made many lifelong friends while attending school and later working in the St. B. Pediatric unit. With one of those friends she headed off to work in the US, first in Florida, then California and then they took time off to travel Europe. After returning to Winnipeg, Karen completed the Intensive Care Nursing program and later began working in the Health Sciences Centre Adult Emergency where she stayed for over 15 years finding a passion for her nursing there. Along the way she grew her circle of friends further.
In 1996, her nursing friends organized her introduction to Doug and in 1999 they married. Soon after they began their family and Karen truly loved her new career as a full- time Mom to Jennifer and Kristjan and a part-time nurse. As the kids started school she built another circle of cherished friendships with parents and teachers at school.
From her first vacation in Hawaii after graduation, to Europe, Australia, Mexico and many parts of Canada and the US, Karen always enjoyed travelling, despite sacrificing some winter vacations as the wife of an accountant. She also enjoyed building and spending time at the family get away at Bird River and tending her gardens there and at home in Winnipeg. In each place, she made new friends, each of whom had a special place in her heart.
Karen is survived by her husband Doug, children Jennifer and Kristjan, mother Pat, sister Cathy (Bob), nephews Kyle, Stephane and Matthew and sister-in-law Donna (Darren) as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins and her many cherished friends who she considered part of her family. She is also loved by her special friend, our dog Hope.
She was predeceased by her father Nick in 1981.
A funeral service will be held at Sturgeon Creek United Church, 207 Thompson Drive at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2013.
The family would like to express our thanks to all the medical personnel who have cared for Karen over the last two plus years and particularly thank Dr. Garry Schroeder and primary nurse Kim Paradoski, Dr. Gerry Krcek, CancerCare Manitoba Chemo room staff, HSC RR6 staff and Riverview Health Centre Palliative Care unit 3E staff for all your care and compassion for Karen and us.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation directed to brain tumour research.
Monday, April 22, 2013
A new angel
This is the post we knew would come when we started this blog over 2 years ago but hoped wouldn't come for a long time.
Peacefully Sunday evening surrounded by family Karen left her "Booger" and the body that just didn't work like it used to and moved on to be free of illness.
The slow decline had continued since we last updated you, with small ups but larger downs along the way. By late last week Karen wasn't eating in any significant way and mostly looked with a blank stare in the short periods she was awake. Early Friday morning she had a period of laboured breathing but that returned to be stable over the weekend until Sunday evening when things changed again. Through it all though she continued to show responses to the expressions of affection from us.
Thanks to everyone who spent so much time with Karen these last 5 months and especially the last few days - your presence and support means so much to us all!
The funeral arrangements are still a work in progress but we will keep you posted
Thanks again for all the love and support and please keep the kids and I in your prayers as we move through the next few days and weeks
Love
Doug and the gang
Peacefully Sunday evening surrounded by family Karen left her "Booger" and the body that just didn't work like it used to and moved on to be free of illness.
The slow decline had continued since we last updated you, with small ups but larger downs along the way. By late last week Karen wasn't eating in any significant way and mostly looked with a blank stare in the short periods she was awake. Early Friday morning she had a period of laboured breathing but that returned to be stable over the weekend until Sunday evening when things changed again. Through it all though she continued to show responses to the expressions of affection from us.
Thanks to everyone who spent so much time with Karen these last 5 months and especially the last few days - your presence and support means so much to us all!
The funeral arrangements are still a work in progress but we will keep you posted
Thanks again for all the love and support and please keep the kids and I in your prayers as we move through the next few days and weeks
Love
Doug and the gang
Monday, April 1, 2013
Happy Easter but where is spring?
Well Spring break and Easter are behind us but it's still looking and feeling pretty wintery around here! Hopefully the warm weather is coming soon - we've even bought new rubber boots for the kids before we need them...what's with that?
We don't have much to update about Karen - the last couple of weeks have been pretty stable, with lots of nap time, a reasonable appetite (bring a smoothie if you are visiting around a meal time - she always liked her dairy and fruits and nothing has changed that way!) and while she's not that expressive, she still gives you a sense of her mood or feelings on things from time to time.
We had a pretty full spring break. The kids went downhill skiing for the first time at Frostfire and loved it - after a 1 1/2 hour lesson they were loose on the hill and had a great time - other than us and the friends who joined us there weren't many people so we got in lots of skiing with no crowds (and the old guy who hadn't skied since he became a Dad actually did OK too and could walk the next day!). I sense a mountain vacation in our future.
We also ventured out to Moose Jaw for a couple of days of mineral pool swims and exploring the Tunnels (didn't see Al Capone but got a sense of what it was like to be a Chinese immigrant). Thanks to those who visited Karen while we were away and to our dog sitters who pampered Hope!
Finally we made it to church on Easter Sunday, after the successful morning egg hunt - we haven't made it there for a while and it was nice to rejoin that community of friends to celebrate Easter.
That's about it for now. First day of school and work is behind us and we're settling back into our routine - more swimming starts soon, choir is gearing up for Tour and the season ending concerts and I seem to have lots of meetings on my calendar.
Stay tuned and we'll try and update you again soon
Happy Easter to everyone, thanks again for everything you do for us and for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers
Love
Doug and the gang
We don't have much to update about Karen - the last couple of weeks have been pretty stable, with lots of nap time, a reasonable appetite (bring a smoothie if you are visiting around a meal time - she always liked her dairy and fruits and nothing has changed that way!) and while she's not that expressive, she still gives you a sense of her mood or feelings on things from time to time.
We had a pretty full spring break. The kids went downhill skiing for the first time at Frostfire and loved it - after a 1 1/2 hour lesson they were loose on the hill and had a great time - other than us and the friends who joined us there weren't many people so we got in lots of skiing with no crowds (and the old guy who hadn't skied since he became a Dad actually did OK too and could walk the next day!). I sense a mountain vacation in our future.
We also ventured out to Moose Jaw for a couple of days of mineral pool swims and exploring the Tunnels (didn't see Al Capone but got a sense of what it was like to be a Chinese immigrant). Thanks to those who visited Karen while we were away and to our dog sitters who pampered Hope!
Finally we made it to church on Easter Sunday, after the successful morning egg hunt - we haven't made it there for a while and it was nice to rejoin that community of friends to celebrate Easter.
That's about it for now. First day of school and work is behind us and we're settling back into our routine - more swimming starts soon, choir is gearing up for Tour and the season ending concerts and I seem to have lots of meetings on my calendar.
Stay tuned and we'll try and update you again soon
Happy Easter to everyone, thanks again for everything you do for us and for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers
Love
Doug and the gang
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