(Originally composed and posted in 2003)
Karin's arrival one cold December 14th caused many abrupt last minute changes in our family's holiday plans that year. Grandparents were scheduled to share Christmas with grandchildren in Ohio, but when Karin arrived the diagnosis from her doctors caused her grandparents to drastically alter their travel plans. Because Karin was born with a “fatal” heart defect, they suddenly faced the grim prospect of helping her mother Linda and father Tim plan a funeral instead of a christening. Rushing to the hospital in central Pennsylvania they prayed that the doctors' prognosis was wrong somehow. Meanwhile many phone calls were made urging friends and relatives to pray for the miracle doctors said Karin needed if she was going to live.
Many people prayed that she would live as long as it took for medical technology to advance and provide a solution to her heart problems. Over a year ago Karin was placed on the heart lung transplant list, but was only accruing time. This past September, after reevaluation, she was activated on the list and now the surgery is imminent. As she approaches another birthday in just a few days we believe that this is the medical miracle we began praying for almost 29 years ago.
Meanwhile, we have witnessed the miracle of Karin's life to date. But until recently she has led a relatively normal life. Even now she continues to approach life with a zany sense of humor, a quiet spirit, and hope for a better future. (She told doctors she hopes someday to be able to “shoot some hoops” and her dad promises she will have a basketball hoop in her drive way when she returns home.)
Learning to cope with her physical and emotional challenges as she grew into young adulthood Karin demonstrated courage, persistence and patience of Biblical proportions. Her love for others led her to focus on being useful in spite of her limitations. Two rowdy younger brothers (usually) met their match when she assumed the role of before and after school babysitter as a teen... As their antics tested her stamina she'd use her wits to bring them into line. After high school she studied nursing in order to serve others. At college she met and several years later married her sweetheart, Brandon.
Determined to be married on a mountaintop she was not deterred when the forecast called for rain. She said, “I have planned for this day a long time and I am not going to let a little rain ruin it.” The weatherman was right and rain did fall. But the ceremony went on as planned, beginning outdoors under a sea of umbrellas in “liquid sunshine.”
The celebration moved inside for the reception where she waltzed with her father, her groom, and with her brother Brian's friend, "Bink", costumed as a famous mouse to represent her other lifetime love, Mickey.
However, increasing demands on weakened organs meant putting on hold her dreams of motherhood and a nursing career. Karin now strives daily to live a normal life while dreaming of a stronger future and those who love her still pray for miracles.
She began her career in the medical field as a surgical technician but was unable to keep up with the demands of the operating room hustle and bustle. She then worked at a credit union but ultimately had to seek disability. Since that time her cocktail of medications that she takes to bridge the gap between now and the transplantation has been changed several times and she has been hospitalized off and on for the past several months. She continues with physical therapy to be prepared for the transplantation when the time comes. Her doctor told her in September 2003 that his best guess would be in 2-10 months from then.