Our Mom (Alice, Aunt, Grandma) finally completed her UC cancer treatments last Wednesday. So when I picked her up on Thursday to take her back to Sherman West in Elgin , it was such a glorious time. The discharge from the UC was quite emotional. The nursing staff prepared a special UC T-shirt with all of their names signed on it. They also warmly hugged Mom and gave a special farewell song. Mom was affectionately known as "The Queen" of the 6th floor cancer recovery wing of the Mitchell center. So Mom said her corresponding goodbyes and then departed after three months of difficult treatment. Thanks to the doctors and staff at the UC; they have given Mom and her friends and family hope that the cancer will go into some kind of remission again.
After taking Mom to Sherman West Rehab, my brother Mark on Friday noticed that her vitals were not only low, but on the verge of becoming lethally low. He alerted the nursing staff which made the call to send Mom to the ER at Sherman Hospital. It was a close call because while waiting in the ER, her white cells became virtually none existent. She was admitted to the hospital and immediately given the appropriate antibiotics and testing. As I write this blog on Monday, our Mom continues to receive careful watch and treatment at Sherman. Her G-tube was also fixed today so that it doesn't leak and cause discomfort. She will be at Sherman Hospital for another few days until she can slowly gain a minimal threshold of health. Many thanks to the nursing staff at Sherman West for making a quick decision to send our Mom via ambulance to the ER. It might have saved her life.
Please continue to keep our Mom in your prayer. The Lord has allowed her to survive this far along in the experimental re-irradiation program of UC. Pray that she can gain more strength everyday from this point on-- feeling more like a human being again. Pray also for some positive results based upon the re-irradiation and chemotherapy. She thanks all of you for your prayers and encouragement based upon the emails and cards.
Sincerely, Jack :)
Monday, October 29, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
FIRST NIGHT I HAD A GOOD SLEEP...
LAST NIGHT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT I HAD A GOOD SLEEP IN SO LONG. ALL MY
FEEDING WAS DONE IN TIME TO GET ME A GOOD SEGMENT OF SLEEP."AND SO HE
GIVES HIS BELOVED SLEEP." I PRAISE HIM! I FEEL ALMOST LIKE MYSELF.
I'LL WORK ON E-MAILS TODAY. BE SURE TO GET THAT DISNEY THING IN.
IMPORTANT, I THINKS. INFLUENCES MILLIONS OF YOUNG, IMPRESSIONABLE
PEOPLE.
THE FEEDING, THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, WAS ZAPPING MY SLEEP. NOW, I WILL
GET IT ALL DURING THE DAY- PART OF 24 HOURS. SO, SLEEP!!!!!!! THEY
HAD TO WAKE ME FOR RADIATION THIS A.M. I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER ALREADY.
THEY HAVE THE BLOODWORK AT THE LAB. THEY'RE CHECKING MY THYROID.
THEY'RE SOON GOING TO GIVE ME BENDADRYL AND I WILL BE SLEEPY.
I LOVE YOU ALL DESPERATELY.
YOUR MOM AND SISTER, ALICE :)
HEBREWS 11:1
FEEDING WAS DONE IN TIME TO GET ME A GOOD SEGMENT OF SLEEP."AND SO HE
GIVES HIS BELOVED SLEEP." I PRAISE HIM! I FEEL ALMOST LIKE MYSELF.
I'LL WORK ON E-MAILS TODAY. BE SURE TO GET THAT DISNEY THING IN.
IMPORTANT, I THINKS. INFLUENCES MILLIONS OF YOUNG, IMPRESSIONABLE
PEOPLE.
THE FEEDING, THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, WAS ZAPPING MY SLEEP. NOW, I WILL
GET IT ALL DURING THE DAY- PART OF 24 HOURS. SO, SLEEP!!!!!!! THEY
HAD TO WAKE ME FOR RADIATION THIS A.M. I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER ALREADY.
THEY HAVE THE BLOODWORK AT THE LAB. THEY'RE CHECKING MY THYROID.
THEY'RE SOON GOING TO GIVE ME BENDADRYL AND I WILL BE SLEEPY.
I LOVE YOU ALL DESPERATELY.
YOUR MOM AND SISTER, ALICE :)
HEBREWS 11:1
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Last Round of Treatments at the UC Hospital
Mom (Alice, Grandma, Aunt) was taken back to the UC Hospital by Mark this afternoon, for one last round of cancer treatments before coming back to Sherman West. The treatments this time will only take a few days. The UC doctors and staff are making up for the lost days of treatment our Mom had last month.
I saw her yesterday and she looked better. I think she has recovered some of her strength while being at the Sherman West Rehab facility. As always, please continue your prayers. If you can, it's always great to have your response posts linked to this website/blogsite. She will also be able to access email in the next few days.
JT:)
I saw her yesterday and she looked better. I think she has recovered some of her strength while being at the Sherman West Rehab facility. As always, please continue your prayers. If you can, it's always great to have your response posts linked to this website/blogsite. She will also be able to access email in the next few days.
JT:)
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Back in Elgin...
I brought Mom (Alice, Aunt, Grandma) from the UC back to Elgin today. She will be at Sherman West Rehab facility for one week (until Sunday) where she will again recover from a week of treatments and receive physical therapy.
Our Mom survived Andrea's wedding with all of the long travel and the excessive heat last Sunday. I was talking to Mark and we agree that there was clearly answered prayer last week. My Aunt Ethel, who drove Mom back to UC Sunday, put it this way in an email she sent me:
"... the whole "admission" was a miracle... your Mom wrote on the back of a Kleenex box the way to the hospital from the north; the valet service was closed but a couple gave me their parking space and had a wheel chair they used to the curb so I took that one; I had trouble managing all the suitcases, etc, so several people helped us into the elevator, out, etc; no one was at the admission desk so I asked the security guard (waving the white envelope) if I couldn't just go up to the sixth floor because my sister was to be admitted there and he said "Oh, yes!"; as I was trying to proceed Keesha, one of Alice's nurses, just checked out and HAPPENED BY and recognized her and took the wheelchair while I took the other stuff, up to the 6th and over to a room being cleaned.. I'm sure by God's plan JUST FOR HER; as she got in I helped her into a gown and onto the 'facility' and then into the bed; prayed w/ her and got off to Warsaw... home by ~11:30 our time!!
MIRACLE after MIRACLE and I'm so very grateful to the Lord. Alice looked lovely and elegant! I wondered several times earlier during the day if this was really a smart thing... even if not "smart", I believe it was the RIGHT THING!"
Without a doubt, the Lord worked overtime to allow our Mom to make it through the wedding on such a hot day without AC.
Again, thank you all for your prayers and support!
JT:)
Our Mom survived Andrea's wedding with all of the long travel and the excessive heat last Sunday. I was talking to Mark and we agree that there was clearly answered prayer last week. My Aunt Ethel, who drove Mom back to UC Sunday, put it this way in an email she sent me:
"... the whole "admission" was a miracle... your Mom wrote on the back of a Kleenex box the way to the hospital from the north; the valet service was closed but a couple gave me their parking space and had a wheel chair they used to the curb so I took that one; I had trouble managing all the suitcases, etc, so several people helped us into the elevator, out, etc; no one was at the admission desk so I asked the security guard (waving the white envelope) if I couldn't just go up to the sixth floor because my sister was to be admitted there and he said "Oh, yes!"; as I was trying to proceed Keesha, one of Alice's nurses, just checked out and HAPPENED BY and recognized her and took the wheelchair while I took the other stuff, up to the 6th and over to a room being cleaned.. I'm sure by God's plan JUST FOR HER; as she got in I helped her into a gown and onto the 'facility' and then into the bed; prayed w/ her and got off to Warsaw... home by ~11:30 our time!!
MIRACLE after MIRACLE and I'm so very grateful to the Lord. Alice looked lovely and elegant! I wondered several times earlier during the day if this was really a smart thing... even if not "smart", I believe it was the RIGHT THING!"
Without a doubt, the Lord worked overtime to allow our Mom to make it through the wedding on such a hot day without AC.
Again, thank you all for your prayers and support!
JT:)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Wedding
Dear Ones,
I prayed that if God wanted me to be at Andrea's wedding, I'd be there. I prayed that I would not start coughing or do something else that would be disturbing. I was in His hands, and He, indeed, helped me. The wedding was beautiful and meaningful. The chapel was exquisite. Being a VERY old church, there was no air conditioning--the heat and humidity made it necessary for the bride to sit down. I did OK, but was glad to get into fresh air. My darling sister, Ethel, drove me back to the hospital and then made the long trip back to Indiana. She was determined to be wherever I was! The result, though, was that I was badly dehydrated. Dr. Aham spent much time and energy getting me back into shape so that I could continue Chemo and Radiation the next day. I am very grateful to him. I am looking forward to more energy and strength as I get back my nutrition, etc.
May God bless you and make your life a blessing to those around you. Share Jesus. He's the most important One your friends and acquaintances will ever encounter--the results are eternal, In His Great Service, Alice, Mom, Grandma, Mrs. Ed
I prayed that if God wanted me to be at Andrea's wedding, I'd be there. I prayed that I would not start coughing or do something else that would be disturbing. I was in His hands, and He, indeed, helped me. The wedding was beautiful and meaningful. The chapel was exquisite. Being a VERY old church, there was no air conditioning--the heat and humidity made it necessary for the bride to sit down. I did OK, but was glad to get into fresh air. My darling sister, Ethel, drove me back to the hospital and then made the long trip back to Indiana. She was determined to be wherever I was! The result, though, was that I was badly dehydrated. Dr. Aham spent much time and energy getting me back into shape so that I could continue Chemo and Radiation the next day. I am very grateful to him. I am looking forward to more energy and strength as I get back my nutrition, etc.
May God bless you and make your life a blessing to those around you. Share Jesus. He's the most important One your friends and acquaintances will ever encounter--the results are eternal, In His Great Service, Alice, Mom, Grandma, Mrs. Ed
Monday, October 8, 2007
Beautiful Grandmother
Our friend Mark Ehlers, who is a fine photographer (although not the official wedding photographer) caught this glimpse of my mother as she was wheeled out during the recessional. Isn't she beautiful??
Ruth
Friday, October 5, 2007
Looking Forward to the Wedding...
At this time Mom (Alice, Aunt, Grandma) continues to recover at the Sherman West Rehab center in Elgin, IL. The health difficulties of the last few weeks have left our Mom very week and lacking muscle in her legs and arms. Hopefully, by the time she is released on Sunday, the physical therapy will help recover some of her strength.
Without a doubt, Mom is looking forward to going to her granddaughter Andrea's wedding this Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee. After the wedding, she will travel directly to the UC Hospital for her final round of chemotherapy/radiation (over a week). The UC doctors and staff will most likely add a few extra days of therapy to make up for the days she lost a few weeks ago. After this, there will be about one month of healing and then testing for any results.
As usual, our Mom is comfortable in her current situation. Her love for family, friends, and the Lord remain central to her life right now. Please pray that she has the strength to make the extended trip to see her granddaughter's wedding this Sunday. It will not be easy to do. Also, pray that she can get through this last round of cancer treatment. JT:)
Without a doubt, Mom is looking forward to going to her granddaughter Andrea's wedding this Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee. After the wedding, she will travel directly to the UC Hospital for her final round of chemotherapy/radiation (over a week). The UC doctors and staff will most likely add a few extra days of therapy to make up for the days she lost a few weeks ago. After this, there will be about one month of healing and then testing for any results.
As usual, our Mom is comfortable in her current situation. Her love for family, friends, and the Lord remain central to her life right now. Please pray that she has the strength to make the extended trip to see her granddaughter's wedding this Sunday. It will not be easy to do. Also, pray that she can get through this last round of cancer treatment. JT:)
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