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<P class=MsoNormal
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face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">47
DAYS by LaRose Karr</SPAN></B><B><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><?XML:NAMESPACE
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<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">If
you only had 47 days to live what would you do?</SPAN><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">If
you had a side ache and thought you had pulled a muscle exercising, you would
take the muscle-relaxers the doctor gave you.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">If
you still didn't get better you would see another doctor. And when he
talked to you after the cancer test and said, <I><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">"You are a sick girl. You have liver, colon and
lung cancer."</SPAN></I> </SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">You
would still believe you could live.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black
size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">You'd
do all the things a person who is bent on living would do. You'd give and
receive gifts, talk on the phone, laugh with family, shop at your favorite
store, take chemo. And though it was entirely possible, you still wouldn't
think you could die.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">This
is what happened to my sister-in-law Phyllis at age 52. Phyllis was a
Christian and my mother-in-law said her faith was strong. </SPAN><FONT
face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">On
Sunday, April 27 we received a call that she was not doing well. We
hurriedly arranged to drive a thousand miles with our son to see
her. Monday she was admitted to the hospital. Tuesday we left early in the
morning, but she was already gone.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black
size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">We
buried her in central Arkansas. We went to the florist to purchase a spray
of her favorite flowers - wildflowers. But the florist had only tulips,
hyacinths and brightly colored flowers that came in during their daily
delivery.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Her
large family gathered to say good-bye. It was the first time in the 24
years I have been in the family that all but one was together. There were
11 originally, now 9 brothers and sisters remain.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">On
the first day of May 2003, we buried Phyllis and the layperson from her church
gave a sweet testimony of Christ. He spoke of how Christ could
live anywhere but he chooses to live in our hearts. To the large group of
grieving people, it was exactly the message we needed to hear. </SPAN><FONT
face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">While
cancer can take the physical body, it cannot touch the spirit. And so, on
this beautiful spring day we drove to the cemetery, past the wildflowers she
loved and the Lord provided.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">We
buried her near her son who passed away 11 years ago. We said good-bye to
our loved sister. </SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Back
home, her flowers bloomed in the yard, and a large wisteria greeted us, full of
purple flowers.</SPAN><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT face=Arial
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">This
is the story of 47 days and what it can bring to anyone on this earth.
Cancer can touch the flesh, but it cannot touch the spirit.</SPAN><FONT
color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">(In
memory of Phyllis Jean Karr Helms – born Dec. 5, 1950- died April 29,
2003)<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> </SPAN></FONT></I><I><FONT
face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">On
the way home, we stopped by a nursery and I bought a wisteria to plant in my
yard to remind me of Phyllis.</SPAN></FONT></I><FONT face=Arial color=black
size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> </SPAN></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>