Reynen, Linda Kathryn (née Elmslie) Lost her 9 month battle with cancer, and passed peacefully in her favorite place on earth -- her home by the lake (Lakeside Terrace, Kincardine) on Thursday, November 18, 2010 with her loving family by her side in her 63rd year. Adored wife, best friend, and sweetheart of Peter for 40 years, amazing mother and best friend of Lisa (David) Waite of Kincardine, and special loving grandmother of Cooper Waite -- the light of her life. Dear sister and cherished friend of Ron (Betty) Elmslie of Belleville, Tom (Kim) Elmslie of Ottawa and John Elmslie (Bill Kimber) of Toronto. A special person and friend to all that knew her. She will remain forever in our hearts. We love you Linda. People who wish to honour Linda’s memory are encouraged to perform a random act of kindness. She always said that it’s the little things in life that make a difference, and it doesn’t take much to reach out, open your heart, and touch somebody’s life in a small but meaningful way. Life is what you make it, so make it great, and live each day to the fullest with love in your hearts.
There will be no public funeral or visitation for Linda. Instead a small private life celebration for close family and friends will be held in the summer by the lake, Linda’s favourite place and time of year.
Portrait and memorial online at www.daveylinklaterfuneralhome.com
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Saturday, November 20, 2010
My Beautiful Mom -- Goodbye Update
Dear Family and Friends,
What can I say about my mom that you don't already know?
There aren't enough words to describe how I feel about her. She was simply everything to me. My mom, my best friend, my moral compass, my heart -- she was my 'person'. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't see or talk to my mom. We talked upwards of ten times a day sometimes. About this and that. About nothing really. I would just call her up to talk. I think that is the thing that I will miss most. The way we would talk and laugh and cry about nothing and everything. The way I would still crawl into bed with her and watch movies. Just being in her presence made me feel happy, loved, and safe. To me and my dad, she was our world and she will be in our hearts forever. I told my mom this week that I wasn't ready to say goodbye and that I feared I would never be able to let her go. So instead we agreed that I didn't have to let her go, that she would stay with me in my heart and I could talk to her everyday and she would send me a sign every single day. And she has already sent me her first sign. She passed away a 11:39pm on "Family Day". Two years ago, when Cooper was just an embryo, sitting in his little dish in Denver, Dave and I decided to call Family Day, the day that he was taken from the dish and placed inside my uterus, finally making us a family. We celebrated "Family Day" last year as a wonderful miracle day to be remembered, and this year, my mom passed away on our Family Day. But she waited until the very end of the day to do it. She wanted to spend Family Day with her family. And then, at the end of the day, on the day Cooper came home to us, was the day my mom left us. It was like she was saying, "it's okay, Lisa, you have Cooper now, so I can leave". And now I will be tied to him forever. And right away I knew that was her saying goodbye and giving me my first sign that she will always be with me.
My mom did everything for everybody. She opened her home and her heart to everyone she knew and loved nothing more than to make another person feel special and loved. She lived each day to the fullest with no regrets. She used to always tell me, "Lisa, you can either make today a good day or a bad day, and every day you have the choice to make it a great day and that's what I'm going to make it." She lived as though each day was a gift and she loved her family and friends with all her heart, especially me and my dad and Cooper. She was looking forward to being a grandma since the day I got married ten years ago, and her wish finally came true when our sweet Cooper arrived. She was there with me when he was born and has enjoyed every moment with him since. She called him the light of her life -- our little miracle -- and although it breaks my heart that he will not get to experience his life with his grandma, I know she will always be with him. And we will do our best to carry on like my mom would want and fill each day with love and laughter.
Over the past 9 months, my mom did 14 chemo treatments and tried her best to beat this disease. We still can't believe that less than a year ago life was perfect for us and my mom was feeling great and enjoying her life and being a new grandma. And even though we've had some time to adjust to her diagnosis, we still can't believe that she is actually gone. It feels like such a short time ago, cancer wasn't even a word on our radar, and now we will have to deal with the greatest loss of our lives. It's all just so crazy, we can't quite get a grip on how this happened. I imagine this loss will be felt by us for years and years to come. But now that my mom is gone, we will need to figure out how to navigate a new path forward, one that will make her proud, and fill us with a new sense of happiness and family. And Cooper will be a big part in helping us move forward and keep our hearts open and filled with love and laughter.
My mom's last month was filled with a sense of closure and peace as she had the foresight to be able to speak with her family and friends and tell them how much she loved them and come to terms with her situation. She said she was so blessed to have every one of you in her life and she felt that she didn't have any loose ends or regrets. She always felt like her life was heaven on earth, and that she made each day count and always tried to tell the people in her life how much they meant to her. So in a way, even though she desperately wanted more time with her loved ones, she felt a sense of peace that she had such a wonderful life that was full of life and beautiful memories.
The Last Couple Weeks were very difficult for my dad and I, as we watched my mom lose strength fast. And the last five days were unbearable for my dad and I, sitting at her beside, watching her, stroking her hair, holding her hand, as we waited for her to take her last breath. But they were also a time of strength and courage and love and comfort as we stayed by her side so that she wouldn't be afraid and would feel how much we loved her. And finally, when the moment came, we were happy that she was able to be at peace. She died in her own bed, with her husband by her side, holding her in his arms. Even the last three days when she couldn't communicate with us anymore, she knew we were there. She would mumble and respond to us with a look or a hand squeeze, and even though it was the most difficult thing we have ever gone through, we were glad that we could be there for my mom, and allow her to die at home, in the place that she loved so much, with her family by her side. And she promised that she would come to us in the beautiful Lake Huron sunsets every night.
My mom didn't want a funeral or visitation or a memorial service. She wanted a celebration of her life. So instead of a burial, my mom has chosen to be cremated and wishes to be scattered in her favorite place -- the shores of beautiful lake Huron -- her home. She loved the summers and the beautiful weather and and didn't want to have anything this time of year. She loved the trees and her flowers and birds to be singing and celebrating her life along with us. So my dad and I will have a "Life Celebration" for my mom on Saturday June 4th where we will scatter her ashes, walk the beautiful boardwalk, and gather together to celebrate her life with family and friends. She loved her friendship garden party so much, that it will be similar event, with family and friends mingling outside near her friendship garden and the beautiful lake. She wishes us to just be together, share stories of great memories we have with her, and enjoy the day. We will send out a reminder closer to June with the details and hope you will all be able to make it.
We know you will be thinking about us and might want to send flowers, but instead of doing that, we are hoping that instead, you will remember Linda this weekend by doing a 'random act of kindness' for someone. We did this for Cooper's first birthday party and my mom loved the idea. In fact, this is how she spent most of her life, just doing or saying something little to make someone's day a little brighter. My mom was a firm believer that it is the little things in life that make the difference, and it doesn't take much to reach out and do something to touch somebody's life in a small but meaningful way. So if you get the chance, please do something to make someone else smile, and think of my mom. She would be proud to know that her final wish touched someone else's life and made them smile.
Thank you all for being such a great support to my mom and now to us over the last 9 months. Please help us keep her spirit alive by keeping her in your hearts. And when you see a beautiful sunset over the lake, just remember, it's my mom's way of saying she loves you.
Please know that she loved you all, and so do we.
Love,
Lisa, Peter, Dave, and Cooper.
PS -- Please tell anyone who you think should know about my mom's passing, as not everyone who loved her has email or is on this list. Thank you.
What can I say about my mom that you don't already know?
There aren't enough words to describe how I feel about her. She was simply everything to me. My mom, my best friend, my moral compass, my heart -- she was my 'person'. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't see or talk to my mom. We talked upwards of ten times a day sometimes. About this and that. About nothing really. I would just call her up to talk. I think that is the thing that I will miss most. The way we would talk and laugh and cry about nothing and everything. The way I would still crawl into bed with her and watch movies. Just being in her presence made me feel happy, loved, and safe. To me and my dad, she was our world and she will be in our hearts forever. I told my mom this week that I wasn't ready to say goodbye and that I feared I would never be able to let her go. So instead we agreed that I didn't have to let her go, that she would stay with me in my heart and I could talk to her everyday and she would send me a sign every single day. And she has already sent me her first sign. She passed away a 11:39pm on "Family Day". Two years ago, when Cooper was just an embryo, sitting in his little dish in Denver, Dave and I decided to call Family Day, the day that he was taken from the dish and placed inside my uterus, finally making us a family. We celebrated "Family Day" last year as a wonderful miracle day to be remembered, and this year, my mom passed away on our Family Day. But she waited until the very end of the day to do it. She wanted to spend Family Day with her family. And then, at the end of the day, on the day Cooper came home to us, was the day my mom left us. It was like she was saying, "it's okay, Lisa, you have Cooper now, so I can leave". And now I will be tied to him forever. And right away I knew that was her saying goodbye and giving me my first sign that she will always be with me.
My mom did everything for everybody. She opened her home and her heart to everyone she knew and loved nothing more than to make another person feel special and loved. She lived each day to the fullest with no regrets. She used to always tell me, "Lisa, you can either make today a good day or a bad day, and every day you have the choice to make it a great day and that's what I'm going to make it." She lived as though each day was a gift and she loved her family and friends with all her heart, especially me and my dad and Cooper. She was looking forward to being a grandma since the day I got married ten years ago, and her wish finally came true when our sweet Cooper arrived. She was there with me when he was born and has enjoyed every moment with him since. She called him the light of her life -- our little miracle -- and although it breaks my heart that he will not get to experience his life with his grandma, I know she will always be with him. And we will do our best to carry on like my mom would want and fill each day with love and laughter.
Over the past 9 months, my mom did 14 chemo treatments and tried her best to beat this disease. We still can't believe that less than a year ago life was perfect for us and my mom was feeling great and enjoying her life and being a new grandma. And even though we've had some time to adjust to her diagnosis, we still can't believe that she is actually gone. It feels like such a short time ago, cancer wasn't even a word on our radar, and now we will have to deal with the greatest loss of our lives. It's all just so crazy, we can't quite get a grip on how this happened. I imagine this loss will be felt by us for years and years to come. But now that my mom is gone, we will need to figure out how to navigate a new path forward, one that will make her proud, and fill us with a new sense of happiness and family. And Cooper will be a big part in helping us move forward and keep our hearts open and filled with love and laughter.
My mom's last month was filled with a sense of closure and peace as she had the foresight to be able to speak with her family and friends and tell them how much she loved them and come to terms with her situation. She said she was so blessed to have every one of you in her life and she felt that she didn't have any loose ends or regrets. She always felt like her life was heaven on earth, and that she made each day count and always tried to tell the people in her life how much they meant to her. So in a way, even though she desperately wanted more time with her loved ones, she felt a sense of peace that she had such a wonderful life that was full of life and beautiful memories.
The Last Couple Weeks were very difficult for my dad and I, as we watched my mom lose strength fast. And the last five days were unbearable for my dad and I, sitting at her beside, watching her, stroking her hair, holding her hand, as we waited for her to take her last breath. But they were also a time of strength and courage and love and comfort as we stayed by her side so that she wouldn't be afraid and would feel how much we loved her. And finally, when the moment came, we were happy that she was able to be at peace. She died in her own bed, with her husband by her side, holding her in his arms. Even the last three days when she couldn't communicate with us anymore, she knew we were there. She would mumble and respond to us with a look or a hand squeeze, and even though it was the most difficult thing we have ever gone through, we were glad that we could be there for my mom, and allow her to die at home, in the place that she loved so much, with her family by her side. And she promised that she would come to us in the beautiful Lake Huron sunsets every night.
My mom didn't want a funeral or visitation or a memorial service. She wanted a celebration of her life. So instead of a burial, my mom has chosen to be cremated and wishes to be scattered in her favorite place -- the shores of beautiful lake Huron -- her home. She loved the summers and the beautiful weather and and didn't want to have anything this time of year. She loved the trees and her flowers and birds to be singing and celebrating her life along with us. So my dad and I will have a "Life Celebration" for my mom on Saturday June 4th where we will scatter her ashes, walk the beautiful boardwalk, and gather together to celebrate her life with family and friends. She loved her friendship garden party so much, that it will be similar event, with family and friends mingling outside near her friendship garden and the beautiful lake. She wishes us to just be together, share stories of great memories we have with her, and enjoy the day. We will send out a reminder closer to June with the details and hope you will all be able to make it.
We know you will be thinking about us and might want to send flowers, but instead of doing that, we are hoping that instead, you will remember Linda this weekend by doing a 'random act of kindness' for someone. We did this for Cooper's first birthday party and my mom loved the idea. In fact, this is how she spent most of her life, just doing or saying something little to make someone's day a little brighter. My mom was a firm believer that it is the little things in life that make the difference, and it doesn't take much to reach out and do something to touch somebody's life in a small but meaningful way. So if you get the chance, please do something to make someone else smile, and think of my mom. She would be proud to know that her final wish touched someone else's life and made them smile.
Thank you all for being such a great support to my mom and now to us over the last 9 months. Please help us keep her spirit alive by keeping her in your hearts. And when you see a beautiful sunset over the lake, just remember, it's my mom's way of saying she loves you.
Please know that she loved you all, and so do we.
Love,
Lisa, Peter, Dave, and Cooper.
PS -- Please tell anyone who you think should know about my mom's passing, as not everyone who loved her has email or is on this list. Thank you.
Family Day - November 18th - We Love You Mom
Dear Family and Friends,
My mom passed away tonight (Thursday November 18) at 11:39pm.
I will send another email after I've had a chance to collect my thoughts.
Love Lisa
PS- Sorry to have to let some of you know by email, but it has been a long night, it's late, and we are going to try to get some sleep. We will talk to close family soon.
My mom passed away tonight (Thursday November 18) at 11:39pm.
I will send another email after I've had a chance to collect my thoughts.
Love Lisa
PS- Sorry to have to let some of you know by email, but it has been a long night, it's late, and we are going to try to get some sleep. We will talk to close family soon.
Update #20 - November 1
Dear Family and Friends,
Thank you for all your wonderful emails, calls, and thoughts of love and support. My mom (and my dad and I) are so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family. My mom wants you all to know how much she loves you all and how each of you holds a special place in her heart and memories.
I'm happy to say that my mom was discharged from the hospital today and is resting at home. It was a long day for her with the car ride from London to Kincardine, but she is happy to be home and go to sleep in her own bed. It has been an extremely hard week for her, and for all of us, filled with many ups and downs. A few highlights though, of her stay in the hospital, was watching her grandson dressed up in his Duck costume, parade around the hospital and play with another little girl who was visiting in the same room. Cooper is such a beam of sunshine in her life and she lights up every time she sees him and he lights up right back, so happy to see his grandma -- who he calls 'momma'. She cuddled up with her husband one night and watched TV and I cuddled up to her in the hospital bed one night and we watched a movie together. Just being so close to her and holding her hand all cuddled up like old times was such a great feeling of love and peace -- I could have stayed there with her forever.
Her doctor has decided against doing radiation for pain control, as the new medication they are giving her is working, and that is the main thing he was trying to accomplish. Her medication is very strong, leaving her tired and requiring more sleep, but it is nice to see her feeling more comfortable. He is still looking into another type of chemo to give her some more time, but the test takes two weeks, and if she is a candidate for it, it all depends on how strong she is. Right now, she's quite weak, eating and drinking much of anything is a struggle, and she needs assistance to get around -- so that's why we are all so happy that she is comfortable in her own bed at home. We're hoping tomorrow she will spend some time on the couch and be able to see the lake. It always makes her feel so at peace to look out and see the waves rolling in. And if we open the window, it's beautiful to hear as well. To be at home around her family, and be able to see the lake out her window is the right place for her to live all the time she has left -- no matter how long or short that may be.
I know she will try to squeeze every ounce of happiness and love that she can out of this life -- because that's just who she is. And why we all love her so much.
So please say a prayer that she has many wonderful happy moments that are full of love in her future.
Lisa
Thank you for all your wonderful emails, calls, and thoughts of love and support. My mom (and my dad and I) are so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family. My mom wants you all to know how much she loves you all and how each of you holds a special place in her heart and memories.
I'm happy to say that my mom was discharged from the hospital today and is resting at home. It was a long day for her with the car ride from London to Kincardine, but she is happy to be home and go to sleep in her own bed. It has been an extremely hard week for her, and for all of us, filled with many ups and downs. A few highlights though, of her stay in the hospital, was watching her grandson dressed up in his Duck costume, parade around the hospital and play with another little girl who was visiting in the same room. Cooper is such a beam of sunshine in her life and she lights up every time she sees him and he lights up right back, so happy to see his grandma -- who he calls 'momma'. She cuddled up with her husband one night and watched TV and I cuddled up to her in the hospital bed one night and we watched a movie together. Just being so close to her and holding her hand all cuddled up like old times was such a great feeling of love and peace -- I could have stayed there with her forever.
Her doctor has decided against doing radiation for pain control, as the new medication they are giving her is working, and that is the main thing he was trying to accomplish. Her medication is very strong, leaving her tired and requiring more sleep, but it is nice to see her feeling more comfortable. He is still looking into another type of chemo to give her some more time, but the test takes two weeks, and if she is a candidate for it, it all depends on how strong she is. Right now, she's quite weak, eating and drinking much of anything is a struggle, and she needs assistance to get around -- so that's why we are all so happy that she is comfortable in her own bed at home. We're hoping tomorrow she will spend some time on the couch and be able to see the lake. It always makes her feel so at peace to look out and see the waves rolling in. And if we open the window, it's beautiful to hear as well. To be at home around her family, and be able to see the lake out her window is the right place for her to live all the time she has left -- no matter how long or short that may be.
I know she will try to squeeze every ounce of happiness and love that she can out of this life -- because that's just who she is. And why we all love her so much.
So please say a prayer that she has many wonderful happy moments that are full of love in her future.
Lisa
Update #19 - October 28
Dear Family and Friends,
It has been a long day, but I wanted to let you know that my mom has been admitted into the London hospital.
She went for her appointment today, and it was a very difficult day for her due to her pain and exhaustion. The doctor decided to admit her to the hospital there in London, in order to try to get her pain under control. He suggested that staying in the hospital in London, rather than coming home and checking into the Kincardine hospital, she would get better care right there where he can oversee her and make sure she is getting the right pain control, get her moving her bowels again, and get her eating again. The hope is that she will be in the hospital for a few days, and hopefully come back home, feeling a little stronger and with her pain under control. The aim is to try to give her some more time with her family that she can enjoy.
As for the appointment itself, the doctor said that there may be a few other options he can try in regards to the cancer, but he needs to get her stronger first. As she has already been told, the chemo treatment did not work. Her cancer is continuing to advance in all her tumors. Due to the fact that right now my mom's greatest obstacle is her pain and weakness, they did not spend much time talking about further options for fighting the cancer. He did mention that he is considering another type of chemo, if she is a candidate for it. He will be doing a test on her tumor tissue (that they biopsied when she first found out) and talk to her next week about that option, once she is out of the hospital. He also suggested doing radiation for pain control to help manage her pain. But his primary focus is treating her pain and getting her eating again.
My dad is with her tonight, and I will be going down for the weekend tomorrow. I will send an update again when I can.
Lisa
It has been a long day, but I wanted to let you know that my mom has been admitted into the London hospital.
She went for her appointment today, and it was a very difficult day for her due to her pain and exhaustion. The doctor decided to admit her to the hospital there in London, in order to try to get her pain under control. He suggested that staying in the hospital in London, rather than coming home and checking into the Kincardine hospital, she would get better care right there where he can oversee her and make sure she is getting the right pain control, get her moving her bowels again, and get her eating again. The hope is that she will be in the hospital for a few days, and hopefully come back home, feeling a little stronger and with her pain under control. The aim is to try to give her some more time with her family that she can enjoy.
As for the appointment itself, the doctor said that there may be a few other options he can try in regards to the cancer, but he needs to get her stronger first. As she has already been told, the chemo treatment did not work. Her cancer is continuing to advance in all her tumors. Due to the fact that right now my mom's greatest obstacle is her pain and weakness, they did not spend much time talking about further options for fighting the cancer. He did mention that he is considering another type of chemo, if she is a candidate for it. He will be doing a test on her tumor tissue (that they biopsied when she first found out) and talk to her next week about that option, once she is out of the hospital. He also suggested doing radiation for pain control to help manage her pain. But his primary focus is treating her pain and getting her eating again.
My dad is with her tonight, and I will be going down for the weekend tomorrow. I will send an update again when I can.
Lisa
Update #18 - October 26
Dear Family and Friends,
This is a very difficult email to write, but I wanted to let everyone know the latest news on my mom.
My mom went to Wingham on Monday for her chemo treatment and she has her doctors appointment in London set up for this Thursday to discuss the results of her CTscan.
When she was in Wingham, there was a doctor there who had the results of her CTscan, and wanted to let her know then and there, rather than having my mom wait for her appointment in London. Unfortunately the results were not good. In fact, they were heartbreaking. Her tumors have continued to grow in size, and in some cases, double. Many of the lesions are joining together in her liver and this is what is likely causing all her pain. The doctor In Wingham decided to tell my mom this because he wanted to give her the decision whether or not she even wanted to take her chemo treatment, as the doctors assessment was that my mom may not have much time left and if she didn't want to spend it doing chemo, it was her option. It was a difficult decision to make under the circumstances, but my mom decided to go ahead with it. It could be helping to give her a little more time and she wanted to do everything she could do and not give up -- which reminds me of a quote that is dear to my heart "When the world says, "Give up", hope whispers, Try it one more time." And my strong, amazing, inspiring mom chose hope -- and decided to take the chemo treatment. And I am so proud of her for refusing to give up, even if the face of such news.
After her chemo treatment, my mom and dad were drained and considerably shaken. This is a lot to take in. My mom is resting at my house this week. She will get her chemo treatment off on Wednesday, but for now, she is very weak, experiencing a lot of side effects and in fairly severe pain. It is very tough for my dad and I to see, and hard for my mom to see herself when she looks in the mirror at her body. She is now under 100 pounds and needs help walking from the bed to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the pain medication no longer seems to be doing its job, even though it has continued to be increased. So hopefully when she goes to London on Thursday her oncologist or a pain specialist will discuss what her options are in regards to pain so she does not have to continue to be in pain.
My Uncle, who is a doctor, has stressed the importance of hearing the news from the oncologist himself on Thursday, because he might interpret them differently and could be willing to try more things. The person who read the results for my mom was a general doctor and not an oncologist. It's possible that his specialized eye will tell us that things aren't looking quite so bad in the grand scheme of the tumor load to her liver. The other good thing is that the cancer has not spread beyond, to any other organs. So if my mom can get enough of her strength back up to go on Thursday, she wants to go. At this point he will lay out her options and we will know for sure where things stand.
In the meantime, my mom is trying to stay hydrated and eat what she can. She's watching movies with her husband and watching her grandson play for short periods. She has had a few short visits with friends and is trying to enjoy every day she is blessed with.
Please keep my mom in your thoughts and prayers at this time. She is the most wonderful woman in the world who does not deserve this, but she is the first person to tell me that she is blessed beyond belief with wonderful family and friends and beautiful memories of a life well lived with not a single regret.
I think we are the ones blessed beyond belief to know her.
Lisa
This is a very difficult email to write, but I wanted to let everyone know the latest news on my mom.
My mom went to Wingham on Monday for her chemo treatment and she has her doctors appointment in London set up for this Thursday to discuss the results of her CTscan.
When she was in Wingham, there was a doctor there who had the results of her CTscan, and wanted to let her know then and there, rather than having my mom wait for her appointment in London. Unfortunately the results were not good. In fact, they were heartbreaking. Her tumors have continued to grow in size, and in some cases, double. Many of the lesions are joining together in her liver and this is what is likely causing all her pain. The doctor In Wingham decided to tell my mom this because he wanted to give her the decision whether or not she even wanted to take her chemo treatment, as the doctors assessment was that my mom may not have much time left and if she didn't want to spend it doing chemo, it was her option. It was a difficult decision to make under the circumstances, but my mom decided to go ahead with it. It could be helping to give her a little more time and she wanted to do everything she could do and not give up -- which reminds me of a quote that is dear to my heart "When the world says, "Give up", hope whispers, Try it one more time." And my strong, amazing, inspiring mom chose hope -- and decided to take the chemo treatment. And I am so proud of her for refusing to give up, even if the face of such news.
After her chemo treatment, my mom and dad were drained and considerably shaken. This is a lot to take in. My mom is resting at my house this week. She will get her chemo treatment off on Wednesday, but for now, she is very weak, experiencing a lot of side effects and in fairly severe pain. It is very tough for my dad and I to see, and hard for my mom to see herself when she looks in the mirror at her body. She is now under 100 pounds and needs help walking from the bed to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the pain medication no longer seems to be doing its job, even though it has continued to be increased. So hopefully when she goes to London on Thursday her oncologist or a pain specialist will discuss what her options are in regards to pain so she does not have to continue to be in pain.
My Uncle, who is a doctor, has stressed the importance of hearing the news from the oncologist himself on Thursday, because he might interpret them differently and could be willing to try more things. The person who read the results for my mom was a general doctor and not an oncologist. It's possible that his specialized eye will tell us that things aren't looking quite so bad in the grand scheme of the tumor load to her liver. The other good thing is that the cancer has not spread beyond, to any other organs. So if my mom can get enough of her strength back up to go on Thursday, she wants to go. At this point he will lay out her options and we will know for sure where things stand.
In the meantime, my mom is trying to stay hydrated and eat what she can. She's watching movies with her husband and watching her grandson play for short periods. She has had a few short visits with friends and is trying to enjoy every day she is blessed with.
Please keep my mom in your thoughts and prayers at this time. She is the most wonderful woman in the world who does not deserve this, but she is the first person to tell me that she is blessed beyond belief with wonderful family and friends and beautiful memories of a life well lived with not a single regret.
I think we are the ones blessed beyond belief to know her.
Lisa
Update #17 - October 4
Dear Family and Friends,
A quick update on my mom, since she's been home from the hospital.
My mom was scheduled to take her chemo treatment today, but unfortunately, she could not take it. Both her platelets and her white blood cell counts are too low, so she needs an extra week to hopefully get everything in balance again. She is schedule to take chemo next Tuesday, after the holiday. This gives her an extra week off to rest up and get her strength back.
Unfortunately her stay in the hospital last week meant that she lost quite a bit of weight, so she is now working on trying to gain some of it back, even though her appetite is not very great right now. But she is working hard at staying hydrated and that is that main thing. This week as been a tough one for my mom -- her pain has increased quite a bit since getting out of the hospital, and she also needs to work on making sure her bowel continue to move, which continues to be a problem. The doctor just increased her pain patch again today, to double the strength she is currently on, and has also given her a new prescription to help move her bowels. Hopefully this will do the trick.
She also met with her new doctor in London a few days ago. We really like him. He is a young more aggressive doctor and is looking into another chemotherapy drug as well as some experimental options for my mom, should this chemo she's on right now not work. But he stressed that at this point, it's too early to tell whether this chemo is doing anything or not. But it's a lot harder on my mom, meaning that it could be working and doing it's job.
As for her upcoming appointments, she sees her family doctor this Thursday, she will have a CTscan on the 19th, and get the results of how the chemo has been working the following week in London.
My mom is working hard at doing everything the doctors have told her to do. She is staying hydrated, taking all the medication, trying to build her strength back up with small walks and outings, and getting lots of rest. My mom and I had a lunch date out earlier this week, where she wore her new wig. She's been keeping busy watching lots of new movies, watching her grandson run around the house, and she even got out one afternoon this week and visited a nearby apple orchard with Cooper. It was a beautiful fall day and we all had the most wonderful afternoon.
And what's even better, the silver lining to all this, is that my mom did not catch the stomach flu which ripped through our family over the weekend. Dave, myself, Cooper, and my dad all caught it and were violently ill for 48 hours. We were all so scared that my mom would catch it, but somehow, and we do not have any idea how, she managed to avoid it! Her white blood cells are down and she is susceptible to bugs, yet she managed to avoid this awful awful bug. It is truly a small miracle. And something that we are incredibly thankful for!
PICTURE
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A quick update on my mom, since she's been home from the hospital.
My mom was scheduled to take her chemo treatment today, but unfortunately, she could not take it. Both her platelets and her white blood cell counts are too low, so she needs an extra week to hopefully get everything in balance again. She is schedule to take chemo next Tuesday, after the holiday. This gives her an extra week off to rest up and get her strength back.
Unfortunately her stay in the hospital last week meant that she lost quite a bit of weight, so she is now working on trying to gain some of it back, even though her appetite is not very great right now. But she is working hard at staying hydrated and that is that main thing. This week as been a tough one for my mom -- her pain has increased quite a bit since getting out of the hospital, and she also needs to work on making sure her bowel continue to move, which continues to be a problem. The doctor just increased her pain patch again today, to double the strength she is currently on, and has also given her a new prescription to help move her bowels. Hopefully this will do the trick.
She also met with her new doctor in London a few days ago. We really like him. He is a young more aggressive doctor and is looking into another chemotherapy drug as well as some experimental options for my mom, should this chemo she's on right now not work. But he stressed that at this point, it's too early to tell whether this chemo is doing anything or not. But it's a lot harder on my mom, meaning that it could be working and doing it's job.
As for her upcoming appointments, she sees her family doctor this Thursday, she will have a CTscan on the 19th, and get the results of how the chemo has been working the following week in London.
My mom is working hard at doing everything the doctors have told her to do. She is staying hydrated, taking all the medication, trying to build her strength back up with small walks and outings, and getting lots of rest. My mom and I had a lunch date out earlier this week, where she wore her new wig. She's been keeping busy watching lots of new movies, watching her grandson run around the house, and she even got out one afternoon this week and visited a nearby apple orchard with Cooper. It was a beautiful fall day and we all had the most wonderful afternoon.
And what's even better, the silver lining to all this, is that my mom did not catch the stomach flu which ripped through our family over the weekend. Dave, myself, Cooper, and my dad all caught it and were violently ill for 48 hours. We were all so scared that my mom would catch it, but somehow, and we do not have any idea how, she managed to avoid it! Her white blood cells are down and she is susceptible to bugs, yet she managed to avoid this awful awful bug. It is truly a small miracle. And something that we are incredibly thankful for!
PICTURE
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Update #16 - September 24
My mom has been discharged!!!
Yes that's right, the bird poop was indeed a very good sign, as the doctor decided to let my mom go home at noon today!
She had a rough couple of days in the hospital, and is still very tired, but she is so happy to be home. The doctors have given her new medications and will be monitoring them closely to make sure everything is working the way it's supposed to be. And of course, now she needs to eat and drink to get her strength back and stay hydrated.
Thank you for all your positive thoughts, prayers and emails. Sorry I do not have a chance to respond to them, but I read them to my mom, and she is so happy to hear them and feels so loved. She knows that she has great family and friends in her corner who are helping her pull through each hurdle she comes up against.
Today is a great day -- we are filled with gratitude, love, and hope.
"Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the future. It's simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step."
Yes that's right, the bird poop was indeed a very good sign, as the doctor decided to let my mom go home at noon today!
She had a rough couple of days in the hospital, and is still very tired, but she is so happy to be home. The doctors have given her new medications and will be monitoring them closely to make sure everything is working the way it's supposed to be. And of course, now she needs to eat and drink to get her strength back and stay hydrated.
Thank you for all your positive thoughts, prayers and emails. Sorry I do not have a chance to respond to them, but I read them to my mom, and she is so happy to hear them and feels so loved. She knows that she has great family and friends in her corner who are helping her pull through each hurdle she comes up against.
Today is a great day -- we are filled with gratitude, love, and hope.
"Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the future. It's simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step."
Update #15 - September 21
Dear Family and Friends,
Just a quick update to let you know how my mom is doing, and let you know that she has been admitted to the hospital for a few days.
Unfortunately, my mom has had a rough couple of weeks with this new chemo. Her pain has been steadily increasing, and last week her white blood cells were so low that she couldn't take the chemo. After waiting another week, her white blood-cell count came up, and she took her second round of this new chemo on Monday. Unfortunately she has had quite a few side effects other than pain and nausea with this new chemo like hand and foot numbness and blurred vision, puffiness, and a few others. And one of the biggest problems seems to be that with the increase in heavier pain medication, she has become dehydrated and her bowels have backed up. With the pain too much for her to cope with at home, they decided to go to the hospital this morning. She was supposed to meet with her new doctor in London today, but that has now been switched to sometime next week. They are hydrating her, giving her pain medication, anit-nausea medication, and antibiotics tonight, and will be trying to get her bowels to move, and hopefully give my mom some relief.
All in all, things haven't been very good over the past month. But my mom is keeping her positive attitude up as much as she can and is not giving up hope that things will improve. We're hoping that the fact that this new chemo is so hard on her, also means that it is working and beating back the cancer.
Here's a little story that I believe is a good sign. Tonight as I was getting out of my car and going into her house to pack her an overnight bag, I was very upset wondering what is going to happen, when a bird pooped right on my head. Yep, that's right -- it shit right smack on the top of my head. Well, I had to laugh because getting crapped on is a sign of good luck. And what's even better, is that my mom and my absolute favorite movie to watch together is Under The Tuscan Sun. And there is a part in that movie where she gets pooped on and that is the good sign that she has been waiting for. So I believe that somebody up there was trying to give me a little sign, telling me that things are going to be okay. That things will look better in the morning.
Please send all your prayers and positive thoughts her way. I will keep you posted.
Lisa
Just a quick update to let you know how my mom is doing, and let you know that she has been admitted to the hospital for a few days.
Unfortunately, my mom has had a rough couple of weeks with this new chemo. Her pain has been steadily increasing, and last week her white blood cells were so low that she couldn't take the chemo. After waiting another week, her white blood-cell count came up, and she took her second round of this new chemo on Monday. Unfortunately she has had quite a few side effects other than pain and nausea with this new chemo like hand and foot numbness and blurred vision, puffiness, and a few others. And one of the biggest problems seems to be that with the increase in heavier pain medication, she has become dehydrated and her bowels have backed up. With the pain too much for her to cope with at home, they decided to go to the hospital this morning. She was supposed to meet with her new doctor in London today, but that has now been switched to sometime next week. They are hydrating her, giving her pain medication, anit-nausea medication, and antibiotics tonight, and will be trying to get her bowels to move, and hopefully give my mom some relief.
All in all, things haven't been very good over the past month. But my mom is keeping her positive attitude up as much as she can and is not giving up hope that things will improve. We're hoping that the fact that this new chemo is so hard on her, also means that it is working and beating back the cancer.
Here's a little story that I believe is a good sign. Tonight as I was getting out of my car and going into her house to pack her an overnight bag, I was very upset wondering what is going to happen, when a bird pooped right on my head. Yep, that's right -- it shit right smack on the top of my head. Well, I had to laugh because getting crapped on is a sign of good luck. And what's even better, is that my mom and my absolute favorite movie to watch together is Under The Tuscan Sun. And there is a part in that movie where she gets pooped on and that is the good sign that she has been waiting for. So I believe that somebody up there was trying to give me a little sign, telling me that things are going to be okay. That things will look better in the morning.
Please send all your prayers and positive thoughts her way. I will keep you posted.
Lisa
Update #14 - August 30
Dear Family and Friends,
First, I want to congratulate my mom on getting through 10 chemo treatments! She has showed amazing strength and courage and I am so proud of her! She is the most positive and resilient and brave person I know and I am proud to call her my mom.
After her tenth chemo treatment, she went for her CT scan to find out what the treatments have been doing. And she went to London last week to meet with her doctor for her results:
The cancer has remained at a standstill in my mom's colon and the lymph nodes, but sadly, has continued to spread in her liver.
I think this is the moment that everybody dreads, the moment that we have all played in our heads, at one time or another. The moment, you are sitting in a doctors office, across from a doctor, who tells you that you have something that they just can't cure. How much time, you ask? And you hold your breath, waiting for the answer...
And then they give you a text book answer, that you can't really absorb, because while that might be the reality for some people, it will most certainly not be the reality for you! Besides, clearly, they do not know my mom. She is a fighter and she is determined to be around for a long time to come. And I for one, just know that she will be.
My mom has now been paired with a younger more aggressive doctor, and is switching to a more aggressive chemo treatment, that the doctors say could stop the spread of cancer much more effectively than the first chemo she was given. They are going to give her six treatments, every two weeks, but they will see her back after 3 treatments to see how it's working. She went for her first treatment today, and we are all holding out hope that this chemo will stop the spread in her liver. My mom has already decided that if this chemo doesn't do the trick (and we really hope it will!) she will move on to experimental options. She is not giving up, not by a long shot. And we are researching options far and wide, all cutting edge treatments that are available, along with the best doctors and research centers that we can find. We will never give up, because there is always hope. Miracles happen every day, and we have read stories of many people were told there was nothing more the doctors could do, who have lived for up to 20 years. So why not my mom? If anyone can be the person to beat the odds, she can. Medical statistics don't take into account what people can accomplish with a strong will to live, hope, faith and love. She is filled with these things and has so many people who love her and need her around. And I believe these are the things that will pull my mom through. Nobody ever accomplished anything amazing without hope, faith, and love. And she is so lucky to have all three. Nothing is ever hopeless, we must always hang onto hope, even when all hope seems lost, there is ALWAYS hope. Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
And in the meantime, my mom will continue to stay in the present moment and enjoy every single day that she has been given. She is teaching me a valuable lesson, about how it's so important to take today and be thankful for it. About how rather than sitting at home and feeling sorry for the hand that she's been dealt, she wants to get out and make the most of each glorious day that she is here. They say the best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. Life is a great adventure, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right now. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, good or bad, but we all have the gift of today. She plans to stay in the present moment and squeeze all the joy, love, and life she can out of each moment. That is all that any of us can do, and it sure beats crying about what might happen tomorrow.
In the end, life is what we make it. So join my mom in making the most of each and every single day.
Lisa
First, I want to congratulate my mom on getting through 10 chemo treatments! She has showed amazing strength and courage and I am so proud of her! She is the most positive and resilient and brave person I know and I am proud to call her my mom.
After her tenth chemo treatment, she went for her CT scan to find out what the treatments have been doing. And she went to London last week to meet with her doctor for her results:
The cancer has remained at a standstill in my mom's colon and the lymph nodes, but sadly, has continued to spread in her liver.
I think this is the moment that everybody dreads, the moment that we have all played in our heads, at one time or another. The moment, you are sitting in a doctors office, across from a doctor, who tells you that you have something that they just can't cure. How much time, you ask? And you hold your breath, waiting for the answer...
And then they give you a text book answer, that you can't really absorb, because while that might be the reality for some people, it will most certainly not be the reality for you! Besides, clearly, they do not know my mom. She is a fighter and she is determined to be around for a long time to come. And I for one, just know that she will be.
My mom has now been paired with a younger more aggressive doctor, and is switching to a more aggressive chemo treatment, that the doctors say could stop the spread of cancer much more effectively than the first chemo she was given. They are going to give her six treatments, every two weeks, but they will see her back after 3 treatments to see how it's working. She went for her first treatment today, and we are all holding out hope that this chemo will stop the spread in her liver. My mom has already decided that if this chemo doesn't do the trick (and we really hope it will!) she will move on to experimental options. She is not giving up, not by a long shot. And we are researching options far and wide, all cutting edge treatments that are available, along with the best doctors and research centers that we can find. We will never give up, because there is always hope. Miracles happen every day, and we have read stories of many people were told there was nothing more the doctors could do, who have lived for up to 20 years. So why not my mom? If anyone can be the person to beat the odds, she can. Medical statistics don't take into account what people can accomplish with a strong will to live, hope, faith and love. She is filled with these things and has so many people who love her and need her around. And I believe these are the things that will pull my mom through. Nobody ever accomplished anything amazing without hope, faith, and love. And she is so lucky to have all three. Nothing is ever hopeless, we must always hang onto hope, even when all hope seems lost, there is ALWAYS hope. Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
And in the meantime, my mom will continue to stay in the present moment and enjoy every single day that she has been given. She is teaching me a valuable lesson, about how it's so important to take today and be thankful for it. About how rather than sitting at home and feeling sorry for the hand that she's been dealt, she wants to get out and make the most of each glorious day that she is here. They say the best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. Life is a great adventure, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right now. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, good or bad, but we all have the gift of today. She plans to stay in the present moment and squeeze all the joy, love, and life she can out of each moment. That is all that any of us can do, and it sure beats crying about what might happen tomorrow.
In the end, life is what we make it. So join my mom in making the most of each and every single day.
Lisa
Update #13 - June 28
Dear Family and Friends,
My mom had a great week visiting with family and friends, her sister-in-law Helen came to visit, and she enjoyed helping her daughter unpack and move into her new house, playing with her grandson, going out for dinner, shopping, and enjoying the fabulous sunshine! She even celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary with her amazing, supportive husband over the weekend! In fact, she said she felt so good that she felt just like her old self again. She had tons of energy, her appetite was back (although her taste buds are still gone),she was pain free, she had little or no nausea, and she felt really great on her last round of chemo. It was amazing and wonderful to see her feeling so good, and we just know that this is a sign of great things to come!
As you may be wondering, yes, my mom went to London last week and met with her doctor. He gave her good news and bad news. He was very nice, and was so pleased to see that my mom was looking so great, holding her weight, and in such high spirits. He assured her that, despite his news, she should not give up and she should stay focused on the good news and stay positive -- which is exactly what we intend to do!
This is a hard email to write because nobody likes to share bad news, and also, we are all trying to stay really positive so that we can beat this thing. We genuinely feel that a positive attitude along with focused mental visualization will pave the way to good health for my mom. So sharing (or even talking about) this news is not something that really we want to do, and more than that, we definitely don't want to focus on it. So I will just give the facts:
The Good News: The cancer in her lymph nodes has stopped spreading, and also shrunk a bit.
The Bad News: The cancer in her liver has spread.
In light of this news, the doctors wants my mom to continue on 4 more rounds of chemo, and then they will do another CTscan and see if things are getting better in her liver. The first 6 rounds of chemo did a great job of stopping the spread of cancer in the lymph nodes, and the last 2 of those, focused on the liver. These next 4 treatments will continue to focus on the liver and hopefully will do its job. He also reminded my mom not to focus on the spread of cancer in her liver, but to stay focused on the good news that has happened in her lymph nodes. He believes that this medication has a good chance of helping things in the liver, and wants to see what happens over the next eight weeks, before he decides if they should change the plan or not.
In the meantime, my mom went for chemo 7 today, and is doing all that she can mentally and spiritually to stay positive and focused. The news was rather discouraging for her, but she has regrouped and is focused on her path ahead. She is also starting to integrate alternative home therapies that could or might be beneficial and do research to find anything new or ground-breaking that might be out there to help with the cancer in her liver. So if anyone hears or knows of anything, please send the information our way. She is open and willing to look into anything that could help. She is also getting excited about the long weekend, where her brothers and their families will be coming to Kincardine from Thursday to Sunday for a visit! She's so excited to have them here and just knows it will give her even more strength and positive energy.
She is intends to stay focused, stay positive, enjoy the moment, and of course zap the crap!
Lisa
My mom had a great week visiting with family and friends, her sister-in-law Helen came to visit, and she enjoyed helping her daughter unpack and move into her new house, playing with her grandson, going out for dinner, shopping, and enjoying the fabulous sunshine! She even celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary with her amazing, supportive husband over the weekend! In fact, she said she felt so good that she felt just like her old self again. She had tons of energy, her appetite was back (although her taste buds are still gone),she was pain free, she had little or no nausea, and she felt really great on her last round of chemo. It was amazing and wonderful to see her feeling so good, and we just know that this is a sign of great things to come!
As you may be wondering, yes, my mom went to London last week and met with her doctor. He gave her good news and bad news. He was very nice, and was so pleased to see that my mom was looking so great, holding her weight, and in such high spirits. He assured her that, despite his news, she should not give up and she should stay focused on the good news and stay positive -- which is exactly what we intend to do!
This is a hard email to write because nobody likes to share bad news, and also, we are all trying to stay really positive so that we can beat this thing. We genuinely feel that a positive attitude along with focused mental visualization will pave the way to good health for my mom. So sharing (or even talking about) this news is not something that really we want to do, and more than that, we definitely don't want to focus on it. So I will just give the facts:
The Good News: The cancer in her lymph nodes has stopped spreading, and also shrunk a bit.
The Bad News: The cancer in her liver has spread.
In light of this news, the doctors wants my mom to continue on 4 more rounds of chemo, and then they will do another CTscan and see if things are getting better in her liver. The first 6 rounds of chemo did a great job of stopping the spread of cancer in the lymph nodes, and the last 2 of those, focused on the liver. These next 4 treatments will continue to focus on the liver and hopefully will do its job. He also reminded my mom not to focus on the spread of cancer in her liver, but to stay focused on the good news that has happened in her lymph nodes. He believes that this medication has a good chance of helping things in the liver, and wants to see what happens over the next eight weeks, before he decides if they should change the plan or not.
In the meantime, my mom went for chemo 7 today, and is doing all that she can mentally and spiritually to stay positive and focused. The news was rather discouraging for her, but she has regrouped and is focused on her path ahead. She is also starting to integrate alternative home therapies that could or might be beneficial and do research to find anything new or ground-breaking that might be out there to help with the cancer in her liver. So if anyone hears or knows of anything, please send the information our way. She is open and willing to look into anything that could help. She is also getting excited about the long weekend, where her brothers and their families will be coming to Kincardine from Thursday to Sunday for a visit! She's so excited to have them here and just knows it will give her even more strength and positive energy.
She is intends to stay focused, stay positive, enjoy the moment, and of course zap the crap!
Lisa
Update #12 - June 14
Dear Family and Friends,
Life throws us twists and turns when we least expect them. One day you are fine, planning dinner parties and heading off to Florida, and the next you are worrying about when your hair will fall out and whether you have enough energy for a walk around the block. Life lessons like these teach us things. Like how it's so important to take each day and live it to the fullest. How the old cliché about stopping to smell the roses is not only true, it's one of the most important things we can do. Like telling our friends and family how much they mean to us, and how lucky we are to have them in our lives. But my mom is one of the lucky ones -- she already knew this little secret, and she has spent her life already doing this. In fact, she has always taught me how important it is to stop and enjoy the sunset, to open your heart to new friends and cherish your old friends, to show our loved one's how much they mean to us every day, and that it's the little things we say and do for people that matter most. She knows that friendship isn't a big thing -- it's a million little things. And my mom feels so lucky to have each and everyone of you in her life. She was honored and surprised that so many of you made the effort to come out and see her over the weekend and spend such a wonderful day with her. And she was also so happy that her brother Ron and sister in law Betty, came down all the way from Ottawa for a visit a couple days before the party and shared a wonderful afternoon together. And she knows those of you who couldn't make it to her party were thinking of her and sending her positive vibes from wherever you were. The flowers you brought for her look beautiful planted together -- and my mom is already enjoying looking at her friendship garden and feeling such gratitude for the many amazing friends and family she has in her life.
I'm pleased to say the chemo #5 went really well for my mom. She held everything down for the entire cycle and had some amazing days of getting out of the house and feeling just like her old self. And today my mom is off to chemo #6 -- her last scheduled chemo treatment before testing! She has made it this far, and just has one more to go. Way to go mom -- you are doing fantastic! We all knew you could do it. And we know you can do anything else required of you in order to beat this thing, because you are a strong amazing woman who is meant to be here in our lives for many many years to come. We're so proud of you.
After this last treatment is behind her, my mom will go for her CTscan on Thursday June 22, followed by a consultation with her doctor in London on Thursday June 24 to learn the results and find out what comes next. It will no doubt be a nerve racking time for my mom as she waits to find out how the chemo has been working, but we are all staying positive and just know that it is doing it's job. So please send your most positive vibes and prayers our way for some fantastic results in the coming weeks. We believe in the power of positive thinking and just know every thought and prayer is making a difference.
I've posted some pictures from my mom's Friendship party here. http://lindascircleofsupport.blogspot.com/2010/06/lindas-1st-monthly-mix-mingle.html
She had such a fantastic day visiting with all of you!
"The warmth of a friend's presence brings joy to our hearts, sunlight to our souls, and pleasure to all of life."
Lisa
Life throws us twists and turns when we least expect them. One day you are fine, planning dinner parties and heading off to Florida, and the next you are worrying about when your hair will fall out and whether you have enough energy for a walk around the block. Life lessons like these teach us things. Like how it's so important to take each day and live it to the fullest. How the old cliché about stopping to smell the roses is not only true, it's one of the most important things we can do. Like telling our friends and family how much they mean to us, and how lucky we are to have them in our lives. But my mom is one of the lucky ones -- she already knew this little secret, and she has spent her life already doing this. In fact, she has always taught me how important it is to stop and enjoy the sunset, to open your heart to new friends and cherish your old friends, to show our loved one's how much they mean to us every day, and that it's the little things we say and do for people that matter most. She knows that friendship isn't a big thing -- it's a million little things. And my mom feels so lucky to have each and everyone of you in her life. She was honored and surprised that so many of you made the effort to come out and see her over the weekend and spend such a wonderful day with her. And she was also so happy that her brother Ron and sister in law Betty, came down all the way from Ottawa for a visit a couple days before the party and shared a wonderful afternoon together. And she knows those of you who couldn't make it to her party were thinking of her and sending her positive vibes from wherever you were. The flowers you brought for her look beautiful planted together -- and my mom is already enjoying looking at her friendship garden and feeling such gratitude for the many amazing friends and family she has in her life.
I'm pleased to say the chemo #5 went really well for my mom. She held everything down for the entire cycle and had some amazing days of getting out of the house and feeling just like her old self. And today my mom is off to chemo #6 -- her last scheduled chemo treatment before testing! She has made it this far, and just has one more to go. Way to go mom -- you are doing fantastic! We all knew you could do it. And we know you can do anything else required of you in order to beat this thing, because you are a strong amazing woman who is meant to be here in our lives for many many years to come. We're so proud of you.
After this last treatment is behind her, my mom will go for her CTscan on Thursday June 22, followed by a consultation with her doctor in London on Thursday June 24 to learn the results and find out what comes next. It will no doubt be a nerve racking time for my mom as she waits to find out how the chemo has been working, but we are all staying positive and just know that it is doing it's job. So please send your most positive vibes and prayers our way for some fantastic results in the coming weeks. We believe in the power of positive thinking and just know every thought and prayer is making a difference.
I've posted some pictures from my mom's Friendship party here. http://lindascircleofsupport.blogspot.com/2010/06/lindas-1st-monthly-mix-mingle.html
She had such a fantastic day visiting with all of you!
"The warmth of a friend's presence brings joy to our hearts, sunlight to our souls, and pleasure to all of life."
Lisa
Friendship Garden Party -- June 12
What an amazing day with wonderful family and friends!
The rain held off, despite reports for thunder storms, and the flowers brightened the grey skies. And my mom had a fantastic visit with all of those who came and wants you to know how much you mean to her. With every hug she received, she felt herself getting stronger and stronger!
“Friendship like gardens, grow with beauty and love”
"The warmth of a friend's presence brings joy to our hearts, sunlight to our souls, and pleasure to all of life."
Update #11 - May 31
Hi Everyone,
Just a quick note to let you know that my mom went for her fifth chemo treatment today! Only one more treatment before they test her to find out how things are working. Today they added a new medication that will hopefully attack the cancer cells more effectively now that they know her white blood cell levels are stable and doing well. They are concerned about new side-effects and will watch her closely for internal bleeding. So my mom is a little nervous, but also trying to welcome this new medication and remember that it is going to help her.
The few days after chemo treatments have been very difficult on my mom, but overall, she has been doing great the last couple of weeks, and enjoyed her break between treatments. Her pain and nausea are under control on this new chemo cocktail, and she is concentrating on trying to stay hydrated and eat as much as she can. She has lost a lot of weight -- she's about 110 pounds right now. And the doctors are encouraging her to try to eat 2000 calories a day in order not to lose any more weight. She's working on it as hard as she can, and eating lots of ice-cream and other such things, even though she has lost quite a few of her taste buds. And she's been doing a fantastic job at staying hydrated!
Hope everyone is enjoying this fantastic summer weather.
Keep the positive thoughts coming our way!
Lisa
PS -- We're looking forward to seeing some of you on June 12th!
Just a quick note to let you know that my mom went for her fifth chemo treatment today! Only one more treatment before they test her to find out how things are working. Today they added a new medication that will hopefully attack the cancer cells more effectively now that they know her white blood cell levels are stable and doing well. They are concerned about new side-effects and will watch her closely for internal bleeding. So my mom is a little nervous, but also trying to welcome this new medication and remember that it is going to help her.
The few days after chemo treatments have been very difficult on my mom, but overall, she has been doing great the last couple of weeks, and enjoyed her break between treatments. Her pain and nausea are under control on this new chemo cocktail, and she is concentrating on trying to stay hydrated and eat as much as she can. She has lost a lot of weight -- she's about 110 pounds right now. And the doctors are encouraging her to try to eat 2000 calories a day in order not to lose any more weight. She's working on it as hard as she can, and eating lots of ice-cream and other such things, even though she has lost quite a few of her taste buds. And she's been doing a fantastic job at staying hydrated!
Hope everyone is enjoying this fantastic summer weather.
Keep the positive thoughts coming our way!
Lisa
PS -- We're looking forward to seeing some of you on June 12th!
Friendship Party Invitation -- May 11
"Friendship like gardens, grow with beauty and love."
Dear Family and Friends,
We know a lot of you have been asking when a good day to come and visit my mom would be. And it's so hard to know what to say or how to plan something around how my mom will be feeling. So far, my mom hasn't been able to get out of the house very often while going through treatment, but she'd still love to be able to see all of you. We also think it's important that she doesn't cut herself off from all her family and friends. And that she can still get a chance to hang out and be herself -- and of course, draw from all of your positive energy and support. So we've decided to pick one day a month and organize a drop-in 'mix and mingle' for a couple of hours.
To kick it off, we have chosen a date in June for Linda's first "Mix and Mingle." If your interested, just drop by for a little visit!
WHO: Anyone from Linda's Circle of Support and Strength Welcome
WHAT: Linda's 1st Monthly Mix and Mingle.
WHERE: Linda and Peter's sunny back patio. (352 Penetangore Row, Kincardine, ON, N2Z 2J9). There will be non-alcoholic refreshments and light snack provided. Please bring a lawn chair. It will be very casual.
WHEN: Saturday June 12, from 2:00-4:00pm. (2 hours is just about the right length of time that my mom is up for these days.)
THEME: To make this fun, we've decided to pick a different theme for each month. This month's theme is 'FRIENDSHIP', to honor all the great friends Linda has in her life.
WHAT TO BRING: In honor of this months theme, please bring a piece of your favorite flower or plant from your garden for Linda to transplant in her new "Friendship Garden." Peter will have the garden all dug out and ready -- and a shovel waiting. This way she will be able to look out and be reminded of all her wonderful friendships all summer long.
"Plant a seed of friendship; reap a garden of happiness!"
**Please remember -- my mom may or may not be feeling well as we approach this date, but she's sure going to give it a try. She's a little hesitant about having me send this email she doesn't want to disappoint any of you if she's feeling badly that day. But I've assured her that her friends don't expect her to host them or be feeling fabulous -- they all just want to drop by and say hello and give her a great big hug. So if it is too much for her, we 'could' end up having to cancel the day before , but the idea is not to wait until she feels great to see everyone but just to pick a date and try to see everyone anyway.
So here's to making the most of every single moment. We hope to see you all soon!
Lisa
PS -- My mom's 3rd round of chemo is going much better than the first two rounds. She has had a lot less nausea and is keeping her food down much better. She had a wonderful mothers day (and a great couple of days before and after). She's starting to feel nauseous again today though, now that her nausea meds are decreasing, so we may have to ramp them up again. But overall, this has been a much better round on her.
Dear Family and Friends,
We know a lot of you have been asking when a good day to come and visit my mom would be. And it's so hard to know what to say or how to plan something around how my mom will be feeling. So far, my mom hasn't been able to get out of the house very often while going through treatment, but she'd still love to be able to see all of you. We also think it's important that she doesn't cut herself off from all her family and friends. And that she can still get a chance to hang out and be herself -- and of course, draw from all of your positive energy and support. So we've decided to pick one day a month and organize a drop-in 'mix and mingle' for a couple of hours.
To kick it off, we have chosen a date in June for Linda's first "Mix and Mingle." If your interested, just drop by for a little visit!
WHO: Anyone from Linda's Circle of Support and Strength Welcome
WHAT: Linda's 1st Monthly Mix and Mingle.
WHERE: Linda and Peter's sunny back patio. (352 Penetangore Row, Kincardine, ON, N2Z 2J9). There will be non-alcoholic refreshments and light snack provided. Please bring a lawn chair. It will be very casual.
WHEN: Saturday June 12, from 2:00-4:00pm. (2 hours is just about the right length of time that my mom is up for these days.)
THEME: To make this fun, we've decided to pick a different theme for each month. This month's theme is 'FRIENDSHIP', to honor all the great friends Linda has in her life.
WHAT TO BRING: In honor of this months theme, please bring a piece of your favorite flower or plant from your garden for Linda to transplant in her new "Friendship Garden." Peter will have the garden all dug out and ready -- and a shovel waiting. This way she will be able to look out and be reminded of all her wonderful friendships all summer long.
"Plant a seed of friendship; reap a garden of happiness!"
**Please remember -- my mom may or may not be feeling well as we approach this date, but she's sure going to give it a try. She's a little hesitant about having me send this email she doesn't want to disappoint any of you if she's feeling badly that day. But I've assured her that her friends don't expect her to host them or be feeling fabulous -- they all just want to drop by and say hello and give her a great big hug. So if it is too much for her, we 'could' end up having to cancel the day before , but the idea is not to wait until she feels great to see everyone but just to pick a date and try to see everyone anyway.
So here's to making the most of every single moment. We hope to see you all soon!
Lisa
PS -- My mom's 3rd round of chemo is going much better than the first two rounds. She has had a lot less nausea and is keeping her food down much better. She had a wonderful mothers day (and a great couple of days before and after). She's starting to feel nauseous again today though, now that her nausea meds are decreasing, so we may have to ramp them up again. But overall, this has been a much better round on her.
Update #10 - April 30
Dear Family and Friends,
Please join us in making today a great day.
We have so much to be grateful for in each day, take time to appreciate all that you have and live fully in the present moment.
Right now my mom is sitting down, enjoying a cold glass of grape juice, watching her grandson, and watching the deep blue waves roll in. She is breathing in life and goodness and positive thoughts. And wanted to let you know how her appointment went yesterday in London....
According to the doctor her bloodwork looked good, which means that she is tolerating the chemo well and that among other things, her white blood cells aren't getting too low. The doctor said at this point they can't tell how well the chemo is working, but that her bloodwork is an indication that they can proceed with more treatment. The doctor also laid out the plan for her treatment in this appointment, so my mom now knows what to expect over the next couple of months. They plan to do a total of 6 chemo treatments, at which point they will do a CTscan to see how well the chemo is working. So on Monday, my mom will start her third round of chemo -- the half way mark.
The doctor also talked to her about how to manage her symptoms more effectively with her medication schedule. And she saw the nutritionist who made suggestions for how she can better manage her diet. So she now has some new tools and suggestions for how to manage her symptoms and side-effects on her own. And the doctor also said that they would be changing her the ingredients in her next chemo to try to tweak things to help her side-effects. They will be taking away some of the drugs, and adding new drugs in hopes that it will work better for my mom.
After her appointment, she met her brother Tom and Kim for a visit and they all went out to lunch. And after that she stopped and went shopping in London before heading home. When she got home she had a nice family dinner with everyone and then crashed out for the night. It was a huge day for my mom, with all the activity. Today she is exhausted because of such a busy day, but it's really great that she was able to do so much when just a few days ago she could barely lift her head off the pillow. All in all it was a great day for her and we just know that this is a sign of good things to come.
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
And I know which one we choose.
Please join us in making today a great day.
We have so much to be grateful for in each day, take time to appreciate all that you have and live fully in the present moment.
Right now my mom is sitting down, enjoying a cold glass of grape juice, watching her grandson, and watching the deep blue waves roll in. She is breathing in life and goodness and positive thoughts. And wanted to let you know how her appointment went yesterday in London....
According to the doctor her bloodwork looked good, which means that she is tolerating the chemo well and that among other things, her white blood cells aren't getting too low. The doctor said at this point they can't tell how well the chemo is working, but that her bloodwork is an indication that they can proceed with more treatment. The doctor also laid out the plan for her treatment in this appointment, so my mom now knows what to expect over the next couple of months. They plan to do a total of 6 chemo treatments, at which point they will do a CTscan to see how well the chemo is working. So on Monday, my mom will start her third round of chemo -- the half way mark.
The doctor also talked to her about how to manage her symptoms more effectively with her medication schedule. And she saw the nutritionist who made suggestions for how she can better manage her diet. So she now has some new tools and suggestions for how to manage her symptoms and side-effects on her own. And the doctor also said that they would be changing her the ingredients in her next chemo to try to tweak things to help her side-effects. They will be taking away some of the drugs, and adding new drugs in hopes that it will work better for my mom.
After her appointment, she met her brother Tom and Kim for a visit and they all went out to lunch. And after that she stopped and went shopping in London before heading home. When she got home she had a nice family dinner with everyone and then crashed out for the night. It was a huge day for my mom, with all the activity. Today she is exhausted because of such a busy day, but it's really great that she was able to do so much when just a few days ago she could barely lift her head off the pillow. All in all it was a great day for her and we just know that this is a sign of good things to come.
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
And I know which one we choose.
Update #9 - April 28
Dear Family and Friends,
Thanks again for all the cards, flowers, and calls of support and love. Even though my mom hasn't been able to speak with those who called, she was happy to know that you were thinking of her and hopes to be able to talk to you soon.
Unfortunately, it has been a hard couple of weeks for my mom. The second round of chemo did not go as well as the first round, and my mom ended up having a hard time with the side-effects that came with it. She felt great after returning from the treatment, but that didn't last long. By morning the side-effects were coming fast and strong. Unfortunately she had severe nausea and vomiting, along with extreme fatigue and finally, dehydration. She ended up going to emergency a few days ago for some IV fluids, which was much needed, and helped her combat the nausea and dehydration and get her strength back. She left well-hydrated, but exhausted and has been spending the last couple days sleeping and sleeping. But at least she's eating again and keeping her food down, which is great news.
She goes tomorrow to London to see her doctor and discuss what will come next. It's unclear at this point, what exactly will be determined from this appointment, as it may still be too early to tell much of anything, but at least she will be able to check in with him and talk about her symptoms and hopefully get some help on how to manage these darn side-effects more effectively.
All in all, she's still keeping her spirits up, and is having some great moments with her grandson when she can. She is enjoying all his firsts, as he changes and grows so much every day. And even though this round has been tough on her, she knows how much she has to live for and is determined to keep up her strength and positive energy up for him. She is such a great grandma, even in the midst of all that she is going through. She comes by it honestly though, I must say, as she had a strong mother of her own that she learned from. And in the spirit of that, I thought I'd share a post about grandma's from Cooper's blog.
http://cooperwaite.blogspot.com/2010/04/happy-kay-elmslie-day.html
Lisa
Thanks again for all the cards, flowers, and calls of support and love. Even though my mom hasn't been able to speak with those who called, she was happy to know that you were thinking of her and hopes to be able to talk to you soon.
Unfortunately, it has been a hard couple of weeks for my mom. The second round of chemo did not go as well as the first round, and my mom ended up having a hard time with the side-effects that came with it. She felt great after returning from the treatment, but that didn't last long. By morning the side-effects were coming fast and strong. Unfortunately she had severe nausea and vomiting, along with extreme fatigue and finally, dehydration. She ended up going to emergency a few days ago for some IV fluids, which was much needed, and helped her combat the nausea and dehydration and get her strength back. She left well-hydrated, but exhausted and has been spending the last couple days sleeping and sleeping. But at least she's eating again and keeping her food down, which is great news.
She goes tomorrow to London to see her doctor and discuss what will come next. It's unclear at this point, what exactly will be determined from this appointment, as it may still be too early to tell much of anything, but at least she will be able to check in with him and talk about her symptoms and hopefully get some help on how to manage these darn side-effects more effectively.
All in all, she's still keeping her spirits up, and is having some great moments with her grandson when she can. She is enjoying all his firsts, as he changes and grows so much every day. And even though this round has been tough on her, she knows how much she has to live for and is determined to keep up her strength and positive energy up for him. She is such a great grandma, even in the midst of all that she is going through. She comes by it honestly though, I must say, as she had a strong mother of her own that she learned from. And in the spirit of that, I thought I'd share a post about grandma's from Cooper's blog.
http://cooperwaite.blogspot.com/2010/04/happy-kay-elmslie-day.html
Lisa
Update #8 - April 12
Dear Family and Friends,
Woohooo!!! My mom officially made it through her first round of chemo! And thanks to all your love and support she is feeling mentally stronger than ever.
Her first treatment started off with a bang, feeling great, but things got pretty rough for the next couple of days with symptoms -- extreme fatigue and nausea being the most prominent. This wasl extremely hard on my mom, but she was a trooper and even though she couldn't eat and was too tired to leave the house, she managed to stay positive and choose to believe that this was a great sign that the chemo was working and doing it's job. Yesterday, she finally started to feel good again and managed to eat and get out for a little walk. Today she is starting to feel stronger, although the fatigue and nausea are still present. But all in all, she did fantastically and is feeling mentally ready to face this battle. Now that she has gone through the first treatment, she knows what to expect. So with the stress and fear of the unknown out of the way, she is reaching deep to access her inner strength and power of positive thinking as she moves onto round two. But thankfully, she has the rest of the week to enjoy herself (and her grandson who is just starting to crawl!) before she has to do it again.
Moving forward, my mom is scheduled to have chemo again next week (Monday the 19th), and again, be disconnected from her chemo pump on Wednesday (21st).
She is then scheduled to see Dr. Kerr in London at the end of the month (Thursday the 29th) for testing. At this point he'll determine how the chemo is working for her and what the next course of action will be. They may decide to add different medications or change the course slightly depending on how my mom is responding to the treatment.
For now, my mom just wanted to let you all know that she did it. And she loves you all very much.
Lisa
Here's a picture of Linda's inspiration.
PICTURE
Woohooo!!! My mom officially made it through her first round of chemo! And thanks to all your love and support she is feeling mentally stronger than ever.
Her first treatment started off with a bang, feeling great, but things got pretty rough for the next couple of days with symptoms -- extreme fatigue and nausea being the most prominent. This wasl extremely hard on my mom, but she was a trooper and even though she couldn't eat and was too tired to leave the house, she managed to stay positive and choose to believe that this was a great sign that the chemo was working and doing it's job. Yesterday, she finally started to feel good again and managed to eat and get out for a little walk. Today she is starting to feel stronger, although the fatigue and nausea are still present. But all in all, she did fantastically and is feeling mentally ready to face this battle. Now that she has gone through the first treatment, she knows what to expect. So with the stress and fear of the unknown out of the way, she is reaching deep to access her inner strength and power of positive thinking as she moves onto round two. But thankfully, she has the rest of the week to enjoy herself (and her grandson who is just starting to crawl!) before she has to do it again.
Moving forward, my mom is scheduled to have chemo again next week (Monday the 19th), and again, be disconnected from her chemo pump on Wednesday (21st).
She is then scheduled to see Dr. Kerr in London at the end of the month (Thursday the 29th) for testing. At this point he'll determine how the chemo is working for her and what the next course of action will be. They may decide to add different medications or change the course slightly depending on how my mom is responding to the treatment.
For now, my mom just wanted to let you all know that she did it. And she loves you all very much.
Lisa
Here's a picture of Linda's inspiration.
PICTURE
Update #7 - April 5
Dear Family and Friends,
Just a quick note to let you all know that my mom had her first chemo appointment today, and she did great!
She was pretty scared, but with my dad and her cousin Barb my her side, she was able to get up her courage and step through her fear. They hydrated her with IV fluids as well today, which was much needed, and she returned feeling better than she has in weeks! After hardly eating or drinking anything at all for the last 72 hours, she said she felt like a burger and fries.
Wonders never cease!
Now she's off for a well deserved little rest and then we will all watch a funny movie together tonight. She will finish out her treatment here at home and the VON nurse will come on Wednesday to disconnect her pump and she will be all done her first treatment.
GO LINDA GO!
ZAP THAT CRAP!
PICTURES
Just a quick note to let you all know that my mom had her first chemo appointment today, and she did great!
She was pretty scared, but with my dad and her cousin Barb my her side, she was able to get up her courage and step through her fear. They hydrated her with IV fluids as well today, which was much needed, and she returned feeling better than she has in weeks! After hardly eating or drinking anything at all for the last 72 hours, she said she felt like a burger and fries.
Wonders never cease!
Now she's off for a well deserved little rest and then we will all watch a funny movie together tonight. She will finish out her treatment here at home and the VON nurse will come on Wednesday to disconnect her pump and she will be all done her first treatment.
GO LINDA GO!
ZAP THAT CRAP!
PICTURES
Update #6 - April 2
Dear Family And Friends,
Thank you so much for all your cards, calls and emails -- your support has been overwhelming and my mom is happy to have you all behind her.
We wanted to let you know that my mom's healing program has finally begun, and she will start chemotherapy this coming Monday. She will go to the Wingham hospital at 9am and the doctor will start the chemotherapy treatment there. After about 3 hours of treatment at the hospital, she will finish the last 46 hours of her treatment at home. So sometime on Wednesday, the VON nurse will come and disconnect her chemotherapy pump and her first treatment will officially be behind her. They plan to repeat this treatment every two weeks for a couple of months, and then retest her and see how she is responding to the treatment. We are all hopeful that the treatments will shrink the tumors and take away the pain my mom is feeling so that she can enjoy a great summer with her new grandson.
Linda has had a busy and exhausting week, as she gets herself ready for her first treatment. On Wednesday, she went to Wingham to have a picc placed in her arm, that they threaded up her arm and into her heart. The next day, in London, they flushed the line and changed the dressing. Today the VON nurse came in to make a few adjustments to the picc, and help my mom with some pain management as she gets used to her new medication. It has been a tiring few days for my mom and she has spent much of her time resting and recuperating from these visits. And unfortunately her pain seems to be getting worse, and she still isn't able to eat much, so we are hoping the new medication will work and she can enjoy her Easter weekend before treatments begin on Monday. During the last few days, Dave finished his last day at Microsoft and is now home with Lisa and Cooper, and they are all officially Kincardine residents. We will be living with my parents until we find our own place, which has given us the opportunity to help out and spend some family time together. And it is so wonderful to all be together for Easter.
We hope everyone has a great Easter with their family and friends.
Keep sending your positive thoughts our way for Monday.
Lisa
Thank you so much for all your cards, calls and emails -- your support has been overwhelming and my mom is happy to have you all behind her.
We wanted to let you know that my mom's healing program has finally begun, and she will start chemotherapy this coming Monday. She will go to the Wingham hospital at 9am and the doctor will start the chemotherapy treatment there. After about 3 hours of treatment at the hospital, she will finish the last 46 hours of her treatment at home. So sometime on Wednesday, the VON nurse will come and disconnect her chemotherapy pump and her first treatment will officially be behind her. They plan to repeat this treatment every two weeks for a couple of months, and then retest her and see how she is responding to the treatment. We are all hopeful that the treatments will shrink the tumors and take away the pain my mom is feeling so that she can enjoy a great summer with her new grandson.
Linda has had a busy and exhausting week, as she gets herself ready for her first treatment. On Wednesday, she went to Wingham to have a picc placed in her arm, that they threaded up her arm and into her heart. The next day, in London, they flushed the line and changed the dressing. Today the VON nurse came in to make a few adjustments to the picc, and help my mom with some pain management as she gets used to her new medication. It has been a tiring few days for my mom and she has spent much of her time resting and recuperating from these visits. And unfortunately her pain seems to be getting worse, and she still isn't able to eat much, so we are hoping the new medication will work and she can enjoy her Easter weekend before treatments begin on Monday. During the last few days, Dave finished his last day at Microsoft and is now home with Lisa and Cooper, and they are all officially Kincardine residents. We will be living with my parents until we find our own place, which has given us the opportunity to help out and spend some family time together. And it is so wonderful to all be together for Easter.
We hope everyone has a great Easter with their family and friends.
Keep sending your positive thoughts our way for Monday.
Lisa
Update #5 - March 26
Dear Family and Friends,
Maybe the best way to start this email is with a quote: "The best way to move a mountain is one stone at a time. Nothing is insurmountable if you take one step before you take the next."
We want to let you all know how my mom's appointment in London went on Wednesday. But it has been difficult to find the right words and also to wrap our minds around the difficult news that was delivered to her. The doctors in London confirmed that my mom as stage 4 cancer, which means that it is advanced, with the primary tumor in her bowels which has spread to her liver and lymph nodes -- and therefore her cancer cannot be cured. This is a very shocking blow to all of us, and very hard to swallow, as we all love my mom more than anything in the world. And we can't even imagine losing her. But the good news is -- and yes, there is definitely some good news! -- that the doctors have said that her cancer is treatable, and they hope to give her many many long happy years to come. The doctors were cautiously optimistic for her to respond to the chemotherapy, which will attempt to stop the spread of the cancer and shrink the existing tumors. They were also sure to make clear that nobody knows how long she has, and much will depend on how she responds to the treatment. We have been reminded of stories where patients are still around after 10 or 15 years and even longer, so these are the cases we are focusing our energy on. My mom plans to be one of these cases, and wants you all to know that she is using her mind and heart to accomplish just that.
The doctors will be starting her on chemotherapy in the next couple of weeks. Next Wednesday she will be getting a stint placed in her arm, as they prepare for chemo treatments to being. She will be going to Wingham for the chemotherapy treatments (because it is a much shorter drive) although Dr. Kerr in London, will continue to be the doctor in charge of her case and will see her every month and monitor her progress. Her treatment plan is still not set in stone, but what we know is that she will be getting the IV chemotherapy for 2 days (started with IV at the hospital, and finishing the IV treatment at home with a nurse) every two weeks. She will continue to receive this treatment, every two weeks, for a couple of months, at which point they will re-test her and find out if it is working. They hope that she will respond to this treatment, but also said that if she doesn't, they will try some different medications. They are not giving up on my mom yet, and neither are we. Not by a longshot!
They have given my mom a new schedule for her medication in order to help with the pain and help her be able to eat and get up her strength. Eating, getting some exercise, and keeping her mind and body strong is the focus right now. Until the treatments start, for the next couple weeks, my mom is going to focus on eating, getting her bowels moving, and using the power of her mind to visualize the treatments working.
My mom is scared of all these treatments, but she is also strong. And she is ready for a fight. She needs all your love, support, and prayers, and positive energy in her corner. Nothing but the best most hopeful thoughts are welcome. She plans to be here for many happy summers to come to play with her grandson and enjoy all her family and friends. And in the meantime, like all of us must do, she plans to enjoy each day to the fullest, and live in the moment.
And now, in fitting with how we began, I'll end this update with a quote: "Life does not come with instructions on how to live, but it does come with trees, sunsets, smiles and laughter, so enjoy each day you've been given."
Lisa
PS -- Linda says these pictures are a reminder of what it is all about.
PICTURES
Maybe the best way to start this email is with a quote: "The best way to move a mountain is one stone at a time. Nothing is insurmountable if you take one step before you take the next."
We want to let you all know how my mom's appointment in London went on Wednesday. But it has been difficult to find the right words and also to wrap our minds around the difficult news that was delivered to her. The doctors in London confirmed that my mom as stage 4 cancer, which means that it is advanced, with the primary tumor in her bowels which has spread to her liver and lymph nodes -- and therefore her cancer cannot be cured. This is a very shocking blow to all of us, and very hard to swallow, as we all love my mom more than anything in the world. And we can't even imagine losing her. But the good news is -- and yes, there is definitely some good news! -- that the doctors have said that her cancer is treatable, and they hope to give her many many long happy years to come. The doctors were cautiously optimistic for her to respond to the chemotherapy, which will attempt to stop the spread of the cancer and shrink the existing tumors. They were also sure to make clear that nobody knows how long she has, and much will depend on how she responds to the treatment. We have been reminded of stories where patients are still around after 10 or 15 years and even longer, so these are the cases we are focusing our energy on. My mom plans to be one of these cases, and wants you all to know that she is using her mind and heart to accomplish just that.
The doctors will be starting her on chemotherapy in the next couple of weeks. Next Wednesday she will be getting a stint placed in her arm, as they prepare for chemo treatments to being. She will be going to Wingham for the chemotherapy treatments (because it is a much shorter drive) although Dr. Kerr in London, will continue to be the doctor in charge of her case and will see her every month and monitor her progress. Her treatment plan is still not set in stone, but what we know is that she will be getting the IV chemotherapy for 2 days (started with IV at the hospital, and finishing the IV treatment at home with a nurse) every two weeks. She will continue to receive this treatment, every two weeks, for a couple of months, at which point they will re-test her and find out if it is working. They hope that she will respond to this treatment, but also said that if she doesn't, they will try some different medications. They are not giving up on my mom yet, and neither are we. Not by a longshot!
They have given my mom a new schedule for her medication in order to help with the pain and help her be able to eat and get up her strength. Eating, getting some exercise, and keeping her mind and body strong is the focus right now. Until the treatments start, for the next couple weeks, my mom is going to focus on eating, getting her bowels moving, and using the power of her mind to visualize the treatments working.
My mom is scared of all these treatments, but she is also strong. And she is ready for a fight. She needs all your love, support, and prayers, and positive energy in her corner. Nothing but the best most hopeful thoughts are welcome. She plans to be here for many happy summers to come to play with her grandson and enjoy all her family and friends. And in the meantime, like all of us must do, she plans to enjoy each day to the fullest, and live in the moment.
And now, in fitting with how we began, I'll end this update with a quote: "Life does not come with instructions on how to live, but it does come with trees, sunsets, smiles and laughter, so enjoy each day you've been given."
Lisa
PS -- Linda says these pictures are a reminder of what it is all about.
PICTURES
Update #4 - March 25
Dear Family and Friends,
My mom went to London yesterday to meet with her new team of doctors. It was a very long day that gave my mom a lot to process. She wanted me to let you know that she will update all of you in a day or two, once she's had a chance to absorb all the information herself first. It was a lot of information to soak in, and even though she has a big fight ahead of her, she is determined to do whatever she can to be around for a long time to come. She loves you all and knows you are all pulling for her and sending positive thoughts of strength and love her way.
I will update you soon,
Lisa
My mom went to London yesterday to meet with her new team of doctors. It was a very long day that gave my mom a lot to process. She wanted me to let you know that she will update all of you in a day or two, once she's had a chance to absorb all the information herself first. It was a lot of information to soak in, and even though she has a big fight ahead of her, she is determined to do whatever she can to be around for a long time to come. She loves you all and knows you are all pulling for her and sending positive thoughts of strength and love her way.
I will update you soon,
Lisa
Update #3 - March 17
Dear Family and Friends,
My mom wanted to let all of you know that she has read your letters of support and prayers and positive encouragement and feels so lucky and blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. She loves all of you so much. And is thankful for each and every one of you for being in her life.
Waiting has been so hard. But it looks like all my mom's tests are finally in, and have been sent to the team of doctors in London. Her appointment is scheduled for Wednesday 24th at London Health Sciences. This appointment will reveal the type and extend of the cancer, and she will receive her official diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options. She will be meeting with both a radiation doctor and a chemotherapy doctor. And then, hopefully, a plan will be set to take action. My mom is strong, and prepared to fight to beat this. She has too much to live for. And to see her with her grandson I just know that she is meant to be around here for him. I fully believe that with the amazing medical team, positive energy, and the power of her mind, prayers, and supportive family and friends, she will overcome whatever lays ahead of her. My mom is the most amazing woman I know. We are filled with hope and know that miracles happen. One day at a time, we will beat this. And we will come out the other side even stronger.
Keep the positive thoughts and prayers coming our way.
Lisa
My mom wanted to let all of you know that she has read your letters of support and prayers and positive encouragement and feels so lucky and blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. She loves all of you so much. And is thankful for each and every one of you for being in her life.
Waiting has been so hard. But it looks like all my mom's tests are finally in, and have been sent to the team of doctors in London. Her appointment is scheduled for Wednesday 24th at London Health Sciences. This appointment will reveal the type and extend of the cancer, and she will receive her official diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options. She will be meeting with both a radiation doctor and a chemotherapy doctor. And then, hopefully, a plan will be set to take action. My mom is strong, and prepared to fight to beat this. She has too much to live for. And to see her with her grandson I just know that she is meant to be around here for him. I fully believe that with the amazing medical team, positive energy, and the power of her mind, prayers, and supportive family and friends, she will overcome whatever lays ahead of her. My mom is the most amazing woman I know. We are filled with hope and know that miracles happen. One day at a time, we will beat this. And we will come out the other side even stronger.
Keep the positive thoughts and prayers coming our way.
Lisa
Update #2 - March 11
Dear Family and Friends,
Some bad (but good!) news....
Unfortunately, the results of the liver biopsy have come back inconclusive, which means my mom will have to undergo another biopsy in the next couple days, and we will have to start the waiting period for the results, all over again.
Fortunately, it's because when they went in to biopsy the liver, they thought they were biopsying a piece of the cancer, which actually turned out to be a cavernous hemangiomas (a fancy way of saying, a non-cancerous tummor). We are taking this as a very good sign! Maybe there is less cancer than originally thought and gives us all great hope. But since the results of the biopsy are inconclusive, and therefore another one must be scheduled, and they’ll go for tissue from the lymphatic system this time.
She is scheduled for her biopsy tomorrow morning (Friday). Then we will have to wait once again for the results, the last piece of the puzzle needed before she can meet with the oncologists in London and begin treatment.
Lisa
Some bad (but good!) news....
Unfortunately, the results of the liver biopsy have come back inconclusive, which means my mom will have to undergo another biopsy in the next couple days, and we will have to start the waiting period for the results, all over again.
Fortunately, it's because when they went in to biopsy the liver, they thought they were biopsying a piece of the cancer, which actually turned out to be a cavernous hemangiomas (a fancy way of saying, a non-cancerous tummor). We are taking this as a very good sign! Maybe there is less cancer than originally thought and gives us all great hope. But since the results of the biopsy are inconclusive, and therefore another one must be scheduled, and they’ll go for tissue from the lymphatic system this time.
She is scheduled for her biopsy tomorrow morning (Friday). Then we will have to wait once again for the results, the last piece of the puzzle needed before she can meet with the oncologists in London and begin treatment.
Lisa
1st Update to Family and Friends - March 9
Dear Family and Friends,
As you know, my mom has recently been diagnosed with cancer. I cannot believe I even just wrote that. It is still such a shock to us all, especially given how amazing and wonderful and vibrant and full of life my mom is. It seems so unfair and wrong and we just cannot believe it. But I know for sure, that my mom will beat this. She has to. And we will never give up hope. She has too much to live for. And too much joy in her life still to come. This much I know for sure.
I also know that all of you love my mom too. We have received so many calls of love and support this week, that it is clear to me that my mom has an army of people pulling for her and will not allow her to give up. I know that with all your love and support, she will get through this. She has love, faith, hope, and determination. She is a fighter. And she comes from great Elmslie stock with parents who taught her lessons in overcoming odds, the power of prayer and family, and to live each day to the fullest, and never give up.
To make it easier for my dad and to keep everyone who loves her informed, I'll be sending out a quick email once a week. I know you all love my mom very much and want to know what is happening and she knows you all are praying for her.
So here is what we know so far....
The initial discussion with her doctors have been devastating news, suggesting that the cancer cannot be cured, only to extend the length and quality of the rest of her life. However, we will not know for sure, until the team of oncologists in London review all the tests and make their official diagnosis and treatment plan.
The cancer originated in her colon, and has spread to her liver, lower colon, and probably beyond to her lymphatic system. The doctors believe the cancer has been present for a long period of time, but has only recently become symptomatic. To date, she has undergone bloodtests, an ultrasound, x-ray, CTscan, MRI, colonoscopy, and liver biopsy. Most of the information has been sent to London Health Sciences, but we are still waiting for the results of the liver biopsy, which could take up to another 5-10 days. The pathology of the cancer cannot be fully determined until all the results are in, and therefore, the exact course of treatment is still unknown. However, it's fairly certain that it will be some variation of chemotherapy, that will attempt to stop the spread of the cancer, and hopefully shrink the existing tumors.
A big thank you to her brother Tom and his brother in-law Kevin for all the hard work they have been doing behind the scenes in order to get my mom seen by the right people and assemble the right team as quickly as possible to begin the healing process.
Right now my mom is having great days, with her grandson home in Kincardine. She is experiencing severe pain in her abdomen several times a day, most often an hour after eating, and frequently for long periods at night. But despite the pain and the emotional stress of waiting for the next steps, she is having a great time with her grandson, playing, laughing and taking walks in the sunshine. She is determined to beat the odds. And needs all our love and support to do just that.
If there is anyone that can do it, she can!
I will update everyone again when we have more information. In the meantime, please say lots of prayers and send all your positive thoughts her way.
Lisa
PS -- If there is anyone who you think should be receiving this email, please send me their address and I will add them to the next letter.
As you know, my mom has recently been diagnosed with cancer. I cannot believe I even just wrote that. It is still such a shock to us all, especially given how amazing and wonderful and vibrant and full of life my mom is. It seems so unfair and wrong and we just cannot believe it. But I know for sure, that my mom will beat this. She has to. And we will never give up hope. She has too much to live for. And too much joy in her life still to come. This much I know for sure.
I also know that all of you love my mom too. We have received so many calls of love and support this week, that it is clear to me that my mom has an army of people pulling for her and will not allow her to give up. I know that with all your love and support, she will get through this. She has love, faith, hope, and determination. She is a fighter. And she comes from great Elmslie stock with parents who taught her lessons in overcoming odds, the power of prayer and family, and to live each day to the fullest, and never give up.
To make it easier for my dad and to keep everyone who loves her informed, I'll be sending out a quick email once a week. I know you all love my mom very much and want to know what is happening and she knows you all are praying for her.
So here is what we know so far....
The initial discussion with her doctors have been devastating news, suggesting that the cancer cannot be cured, only to extend the length and quality of the rest of her life. However, we will not know for sure, until the team of oncologists in London review all the tests and make their official diagnosis and treatment plan.
The cancer originated in her colon, and has spread to her liver, lower colon, and probably beyond to her lymphatic system. The doctors believe the cancer has been present for a long period of time, but has only recently become symptomatic. To date, she has undergone bloodtests, an ultrasound, x-ray, CTscan, MRI, colonoscopy, and liver biopsy. Most of the information has been sent to London Health Sciences, but we are still waiting for the results of the liver biopsy, which could take up to another 5-10 days. The pathology of the cancer cannot be fully determined until all the results are in, and therefore, the exact course of treatment is still unknown. However, it's fairly certain that it will be some variation of chemotherapy, that will attempt to stop the spread of the cancer, and hopefully shrink the existing tumors.
A big thank you to her brother Tom and his brother in-law Kevin for all the hard work they have been doing behind the scenes in order to get my mom seen by the right people and assemble the right team as quickly as possible to begin the healing process.
Right now my mom is having great days, with her grandson home in Kincardine. She is experiencing severe pain in her abdomen several times a day, most often an hour after eating, and frequently for long periods at night. But despite the pain and the emotional stress of waiting for the next steps, she is having a great time with her grandson, playing, laughing and taking walks in the sunshine. She is determined to beat the odds. And needs all our love and support to do just that.
If there is anyone that can do it, she can!
I will update everyone again when we have more information. In the meantime, please say lots of prayers and send all your positive thoughts her way.
Lisa
PS -- If there is anyone who you think should be receiving this email, please send me their address and I will add them to the next letter.
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