Amazing Grace
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God rest the gentle soul of
Joan aka Zac's Mom
Posted on 09/23/2006 5:32:40 PM PDT by Hi Heels
From Tom, ZM's husband:
Sorry for the long silence.... It has been quite a ride.
On Monday 8/28 we met with ZM's oncologist to learn the results of the chest and abdomen CT scans. As I told you in my last update, all the news was good and we decided to switch to the chemo pill since ZMs veins were shrinking. We had great fun for the rest of the week planning how to use the time we would be getting back since she would not be sitting in the infusion room for 4 hours every Friday.
Over the labor day weekend (Sept 3,4) ZM began to have problems moving her left side and she become quiet and hard to communicate with. On Tuesday morning (Sept 5) she slipped into a near comma state and was taken to the hospital via 911 services. In the ER they ordered a brain scan and delivered the news that the cancer had spread to her brain and she had multiple tumors causing lesions in the right side of her brain, some as large as 5 centimeters. These were also causing swelling in her brain and increased pain. ZM's oncologist ordered more test and then told us that the tumors causing the lesions were inoperable. We were told that our options were to (1) simply give up and go home with hospice care or (2) try some radiation of the brain. The radiation may result in some temporary improvement or at least make ZM more comfortable.
So on Thursday (9/07) we moved ZM to a hospital in Plano, TX where she could receive radiation treatments as an inpatient. By now ZM was basically in a coma and could not move her left arm o r leg and could not even force her eyes to look to the left. That afternoon, they developed a treatment mask for her and did the first radiation treatment. After a 3 hour sleep ZM woke up able to move her left arm and leg some. A combination of steroids was prescribed to shrink the swelling in her brain. On Friday afternoon she received a 5 minute radiation treatment and following an hours sleep she woke with full use of her body, sat up in bed and pronounced herself hungry for the first time in weeks. Radiation is only done Monday thru Friday, so we hung around in the hospital over the weekend with ZM improving by the hour. The Doctors have all said they are astonished with her recovery/progress. They are now referring to her as their September miracle.
Following radiation on Monday (9/11) she was released from the hospital and I brought her home. She is 100% off the oxygen now and has had no pain medication since Thursday (9/07). She requires a walker to get around, but is getting stronger each day. We return to the hospital in Plano (30 miles each way) for radiation treatments and she continues to take the steroid to reduce the swelling. All this activity has left her with a bit of confusion, but today she tried to get on line and read some of her email.(Since she hasn't looked at email in well over a month you can imagine the stack of mail she has.)
We will continue the daily radiation treatments on Monday and Tuesday (9/26). After that she'll continue on the steroids but will return to her regular daily activities. ZM and I believe that -- Thanks to the prays and good thoughts - this is a permanent fix. However, she'll be returning to the doctors for blood work and check-ups on 10/10. Hopefully she'll get a clean bill of health at that time.
Thanks so much to everyone for the cards, emails and keeping her in your prayers.
See? OUr "treatment" is working. PLEASE keep this wonderful FRiend in your thoughts and prayers! God bless!
Praying for Joan and her family.
I join with the others here lifting her and the loved ones up to God for peace and blessing in her homegoing.
Prayers for Zacs mom and for her family.
Prayers up for Joan! Thanks for the update, even if it wasn't what I had been hoping to read.
Wow, this is Jason the oldest grandson of Joan's here and don't know if it's my place to do so or not but have a feeling my grandfather is a bit busy with everything else going on and I have some good/bad news to relay to all of you that my Grammy finally passed onto a better place yesterday. All of your comments and prayers I'm sure are being felt/appreciated and quite frankly have brought tears to my eyes. My grammy was a wonderful person and the world would be a lot better of a place with more people like her around.
According to my grandfather she went very peacefully in her sleep yesterday around 3pm. Bless all of you for the well wishes and she will always be with us.
sorry if that came directly to you....for some reason I'm having trouble just replying to the post correctly
ontinued prayers up!!!
She continues to be in my prayers.
Prayers are offered for Joan and her family this evening.
It is with great sadness that I ping you to the latest update from ZM's grandson. As you can see, Joan passed away yesterday afternoon. To her family: All of the people here today share your love for your grandmother. We cannot comprehend your loss. We mourn the passing of Joan, a kind and gentle soul who brought us lots of insight, and lots and lots of laughs. She had many, many FRiends here. Her artistry and plain old Texas common sense was a joy. I'll miss her very much. We pray, we hope, we call when a friend is desperately ill. We can only be spectators - and pray for her and your grandfather, Tom. One thing for sure, I'll never be able to look at bluebells without thinking of her. God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. On behalf of all of us, may He bring you comfort and courage.
Mod, please change the heading for update at this post.
Having a little trouble posting myself tonight....
2Cr 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Cr 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Oh...how sad....I am sorry to hear this.
Joan was one of the first people on FR to freepmail me..and become my friend.
I remember her telling me when she started feeling bad...acting like she was just anxious to shake it off...and always posting things to cheer me or other freepers up.
Dear sweet Joan...you are home with God...and I am so very grateful to have known you.
Joan's family...Zac, you had a great Mom...and I pray that God brings you all the comfort and strength you need.
Sleuth
Jason, I am sad to hear the news of Joan's passing. God rest her soul.
I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
Prayers for a great lady and her family at their loss.
I second Hi Heels' beautiful post. This is so sad, but will keep her family in my prayers. ((hugs)) for them.
Bless you Jason. I know she deeply touched the lives of those she knew. I'm sorry I didn't know her better. My prayers are with her family now. I know how much she'll be missed.
I will never forget her kind hearted ways. My condolences to you too, Hi Heels, at the loss of your friend. Sincerely, RC
I'm so sorry and sad.
Prayers for her sweet soul and for her family.
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