A Transplant for the Cure - A Campath Summer

Karen Luehrman and her great niece, Kaley Thomas.

Karen was happy to learn that there was a treatment available for her prolymphocytic leukemia that would carry her through the busy summer months on the farm. She was not looking forward to the long, difficult recovery period that is required of a stem cell transplant.

Karen posted the following message on Facebook on June 1, 2015. She continued to depend on the healing power of Jesus Christ.


Had the first full dose injection of Campath today. All is going well with a few extra drugs. The doctors are doing their best with their knowledge.
The truth is Prov. 4:22 "for my Words are medicine to those who find them and health to all their flesh". I Peter 2:24 "Jesus Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed". Matt. 8:17 "Jesus Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." Healing is God's will for me. As I keep His Word before my eyes and in my heart, the force of faith is rising up from my spirit man bringing life and healing and restoration to every cell of my body. Prolymphocytic leukemia is just a name that has to bow its knee to the Name of Jesus. God sent His Word to heal me and I receive it daily.

Campath (alemtuzumab) is a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD52, a protein present on the surface of mature lymphocytes, but not on the stem cells from which these lymphocytes are derived. After treatment with alemtuzumab, these CD52-bearing lymphocytes are targeted for destruction. (Source; Wikipedia)

Karen drove over 100 miles (round-trip) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week to receive her Campath treatment at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. She also received a strong steroid drug to reduce the side effects of the Campath. The combination of the Campath and the steroid drug made her feel incredibly healthy and energetic.

Karen Luehrman on one of her many fishing trips
during the summer.

Karen spent the summer gardening, doing lawn work, fishing and cooking for a friend who owned a wine drizzle business. She was doing everything that she had hoped to do when she moved back to the farm a year earlier.

During the last week of June, Karen attended the Believers Convention in Fort Worth, Texas. She traveled with a group of her friends and had a wonderful time. She posted the following message on Facebook on July 10. 

Ok friends and family. I am back from an amazing week at the Believers Convention in Ft. Worth. I loved every second of it.
Before I went, I had completed the 4 week Campath injections and on Tues, July 7, went back for a follow up bone morrow biopsy. The biopsy I had 6 weeks ago showed 70% of my lymphocytes were cancerous and had changed from chronic state to prolymphocytic, which means they were now more aggressive.
Tuesdays results show now that only 1% of the lymphocytes are cancerous. The doctor called it a good report but stopped short of calling it a miracle, which it actually is. The Word of God has been working mightily in me because the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death and redeemed me from the curse of sickness and disease. I have had 12 treatments; the doctors want me to take the remaining 24 that will put it in remission (from the doctors stand point). I have more questions for next week but praise God for the progress we have made. Halleluiah!

My daughter, her children and I decided to drive up to Missouri from Houston, Texas, to visit Karen and my mother during the last week in July. The following video features Karen's large garden that she planted and cared for. This was a tremendous amount of work, but Karen was up to the challenge.



This video shows how Karen showed her great-nieces a good time on the four-wheeler. We also had fun at the park.

 

 

 

 

 

The Campath treatments ended in August and a decision would have to be made about a stem cell transplant....or not.