Kathy Jardon during interview June 15, 2005. She had been diagnosed with anal cancer nine months before and had already been through surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Kathy Jardon writing in her journal and visiting with friend who came in the Baldwin coffee shop, "Express Yourself." November, 2005.
Kathy Jardon writing in her journal and visiting with friend who came in the Baldwin coffee shop, "Express Yourself." November, 2005.
A page out of one of Kathy's journals saying "20 treatments down (radiation) and 10 to go."
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name and she went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. Her parents Norma and Marvin drove her to Lawrence and brought in her noon meal. During the nearly day-long session, she talked about missing Colorado "badly," and her drug reaction that caused painful mouth sores that sometimes necessitated her wearing an athletic mouthpiece to bed.
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name. Nurses Joan Toot, left and Jyl Haynes right. She went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. Her parents Norma and Marvin drove her to Lawrence and brought in her noon meal. During the nearly day-long session, she talked about missing Colorado "badly," and her drug reaction that caused painful mouth sores that sometimes necessitated her wearing an athletic mouthpiece to bed.
With her eyes closed in a "here we go again" expression, Kathy's port, implanted in her chest, is flushed before her chemotherapy cisplatin is administered.
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name and she went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. Her parents Norma and Marvin drove her to Lawrence and brought in her noon meal. During the nearly day-long session, she talked about missing Colorado "badly," and her drug reaction that caused painful mouth sores that sometimes necessitated her wearing an athletic mouthpiece to bed.
From Kathy Jardon's Journal: Miles left. psychotic, suicidal, thinking of Wolf Creek Pass, ALONE.
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name and she went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. She talked with Dr. Matthew Stein, her oncologist, before he examined her. . "He's a unique individual ... it's as if you're the only person in the universe when he's talking to you," Kathy said.
From Kathy's Journal: Her first mention of being diagnosed with cancer.
From Kathy's Journal: Her first mention of being diagnosed with cancer.
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name and she went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. She talked with Dr. Matthew Stein, her oncologist, before he examined her. . "He's a unique individual ... it's as if you're the only person in the universe when he's talking to you," Kathy said.
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name and she went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. Her parents Norma, right, and Marvin drove her to Lawrence and brought in her noon meal. During the nearly day-long session, she talked about missing Colorado "badly," and her drug reaction that caused painful mouth sores that sometimes necessitated her wearing an athletic mouthpiece to bed.
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name and she went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. Her parents Norma and Marvin, left, drove her to Lawrence and brought in her noon meal. During the nearly day-long session, she talked about missing Colorado "badly," and her drug reaction that caused painful mouth sores that sometimes necessitated her wearing an athletic mouthpiece to bed.
Just before Kathy's chemotherapy was started, a fellow cancer patient and friend, LMH nurse, Monica Gutierrez happened by her door and the two embraced.
In mid-June, 2005 cancer patient Kathy Jardon made one of her familiar trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital's Oncology department for chemotherapy. On her arrival she and the staff greeted one another by name and she went through the drill of getting her wrist band, the weigh-in and headed for a treatment with no prompting. Her parents Norma and Marvin drove her to Lawrence and brought in her noon meal. During the nearly day-long session, she talked about missing Colorado "badly," and her drug reaction that caused painful mouth sores that sometimes necessitated her wearing an athletic mouthpiece to bed.
Two days before Christmas, 2005. Kathy and her two daughters, Sara, left, and Amy got together at Amy's Lawrence apartment. She was only 10 days out of the KU Medical Center after having a major liver procedure.
Following surgery and during her stay at the KU Med Center, Kathy asked John Hoefer, founder of Kansas City's Healing Touch, to visit her to be involved in a spiritual healing process.
Late afternoon shadows project a profile of Miles Stotts on the hospital room wall at the KU Medical Center when he and daughters Sara, right, and Amy were visiting Kathy after a surgery.
Kathy Jardon writing in her journal and visiting with friend who came in the Baldwin coffee shop, "Express Yourself." November, 2005.
Kathy's last birthday, June 2, 2006 was a surprise. Kathy's daughter Amy had taken her mother with her to run some errands and they came home to find cake, a covered dish dinner and 30 people hiding in the kitchen. Later Kathy said her stomach was hurting badly and if people had not been there she would have gone to the emergency room.
Alison Bauer made an early morning stop at Kathy Jardon's home on her way to the Inaugural ceremonies for Baker University's new president Pat Long. October 26, 2006, three days before Kathy died of cancer.
Miles and his daughter Sara hold one another early in the morning watching Kathy sleep after she had been restless and uncomfortable. Miles called a Douglas County Hospice nurse before administering a medication that helped her sleep.
Kathy's final home care, besides visits from a hospice nurse, was pretty much in the hands of her former husband Miles Stotts and her daughter Sara. They worked in shifts. Here Miles, after talking to a nurse by phone, measures the pain medication diluted into a syringe.
On October 27, before sunrise, Kathy Jardon's daughter Sara bent over her mother's bed to whisper in her ear. "She hears me and responds sometimes but she does hear me," she said. It was two days later that Kathy died in her living room of anal cancer. She dealt with it daily for two years and seven months with a positive demeanor that impressed everyone, including herself. Sara, left school at the University of Colorado in Boulder to help care for her mother, an effort shared with her father Miles Stotts.
On October 27, before sunrise, Kathy Jardon's daughter Sara bent over her mother's bed, whispering in her ear. "She hears me and responds sometimes but she does hear me," she said. It was two days before Kathy died in her living room of anal cancer. She dealt with it daily for two years and seven months with a positive demeanor that impressed everyone, including herself. Sara, left school at the University of Colorado in Boulder to help care for her mother, an effort shared with her father Miles Stotts.
Members of Kathy's family greeted those attending the memorial service Saturday November 4, 2006 at Baldwin's First United Methodist Church. From left: Marvin Jardon, Norma Jardon. Sara and Miles Stotts.
A large portrait of Kathy Jardon stands in front of Baldwin's First United Methodist Church following her memorial service, Monday, October 30. The church was filled on the occasion.
