Hi friends, I’m Karly.
Well, actually, it's Karlyene, but I've gone by Karly since I was born.
For those who don't know me, this is my chance to fill you in, and if there is one thing I’m good at, it's talking about myself.
I hope you will discover the heart of a witty, passionate woman saved by grace who tries daily to weave herself into a new life.
I'm a Native Texan; if you didn't know that being a Native Texas was a "thing," you're probably not from Texas.
I was born in Houston, raised in Waxahachie, and we kept moving North.
In 2015, we planted our roots in Celina, Texas, home of the Bobcats; we bleed orange & white and love this fabulous community.
I met Josh when I was nineteen. Within six months, I knew I would marry him. He's a good one, a really, really good one. No one on this planet loves me like this man. I will love him with all of my heart, all of my life.
Together we have four babies. Being a mother to Rush, Rhet Thomas, Ridge, and Ryan Kate is the absolute pleasure of my life.
As a pediatric RN, I have spent the last sixteen years caring for some of the country's most medically fragile patients and their families.
After witnessing the miraculous healing power of medicine, I pursued a Master's in Nursing, focusing on Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care.
Next to being a mother, this career is one of the absolute joys of my life.
June 10, 2022, changed everything for us.
June 10, 2022, is the day the bottom fell out, and I was immediately faced with the reality that growing old with Josh and watching my babies grow up might not be my reality. What started as a typical day led to a five-day hospital stay where we discovered I had Stage IV Lung Cancer.
This was the moment I felt like no matter the circumstances, there would never be enough time to love my family.
I needed answers.
Sitting in front of my computer, I was scrolling through articles on Stage IV EGFR + lung cancer and researching everything from cell proliferation to cell protein synthesis. I was trying to paint a clinical picture for myself, and I knew I wasn’t alone. I then discovered a large community of people like me on Facebook. I began messaging strangers on Facebook to find someone to relate to or give me hope.
No one should go through this alone.
So I decided to start a blog. An online community where friends, family, and cancer survivors can share information and find healing.
While time might always be a thief, I know there will never be enough days with my husband and children. By God's love & Grace, we have put one foot in front of the other. With every breath I take, God breathes goodness and healing into my body. He goes before us, always.