PRAYER REQUEST for ZACS MOM - (Update at post #490 - sadly, she has passed away)

[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!

[MARKUSPRIME]

Prayers for you and your family.

[tacticalogic]

May God's hand and spirit comfort her friends and family in their loss.

RIP and Godspeed, ZM.

[trisham]

I am so sorry to hear that Zac's Mom has passed away.

Prayers for her and her family.

[Hi Heels]

Tom has stated that the family prefers donations to the American Cancer Society. Thank you all for this wonderful tribute to a great lady.

[melt]

My prayers. She's in a better place now.

[El Gato]

I met your grandmother at the "Support the Troops" rally in Crawford in the summer of 2005. Zac too of course, he was out there with your grandma supporting the troops. She was a very nice lady. I'm sad to hear of her passing, but happy that her suffering is over and she's moved on to a better place (and to be with some of the better people like Texas Cowboy and LadyX as well)

I too recently lost a loved relative to cancer. My sister-in-law died in late November after about a 2 month illness, and only about 1 month after she was diagnosed with Renal cell cancer. She was 47, and left an 18 y/o daughter and 15 y/o son as well as her husband, my brother. Her grandchildren will never know their Grandma.

You are so lucky to have known yours.

Long ago, I lost my grandmother to cancer when I was about 5. My brother never knew her at all. (We lost our other grandmother to cancer as well, but her I was privileged to know, a great Pioneer Woman type, until I was 21. I was also privileged to serve as one of her pallbearers, along with several of her other grandsons.

And for those who don't know, this is Zac,

A very lucky dog to have such a "Mom" as your Grammy.

[pandoraou812]

Prayers for Zacs Mom and the entire family. I am so sorry. ~~Pandora~~

[divine_moment_of_facts]

Prayer Bump!

[OPS4]

May Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ give You and all in the Family renewed Grace.

[JohnHuang2]

So very sorry to hear of Joan's passing. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

[WestCoastGal]

I'm so sorry to ready about your husband Maria. I will add him to my prayers.

Terribly sad to hear that Zac's Mom has passed. God bless and give her family strength in knowing she is in a better place.

[Coldwater Creek]

Thanks, Bert, my husband is doing much better than the doctor's ever hoped for. Maybe we have bought a few more months. He is not in any pain and is in really good spirits.

Maria

What was that crazy man trying to do to Tony last week. I heard that they finally caught up with him at Daytona.

Won't be long now!

[Awestruck]

Thank you for the update, I just read this myself with great sadness for those left behind, but joy for Joan who is with her Father in Heaven now. Prayers and blessings out to those who knew her best and will have to carry on without her. I enjoyed conversing with her online many times and will miss her strength and sweetness.

[Nam Vet]

I just now came to the update and am so saddened by this news. I'm going to miss Zacs Mom. My prayers for her family and friends. Thanks for the ping Hi Heels.

Nam Vet

[Mia T]

Dear Jason-What sad news. Dear sweet Joan, your Grammy, was a lovely, talented, courageous lady. She will be greatly missed

[beachn4fun]

I didn't know your Grammy personally, but I know she was a strong woman as I watched how long she fought.

She put up a good fight as did a very dear friend of mine who passed away last May from cancer. She too passed away at home. She left behind a husband, son, 3 grandsons, parents, sisters, many relatives & many friends. She is however now with her beloved and only brother somewhere near the streets of gold. Hopefully, your Grammy will meet them.