Sending Positive Thoughts for Max and Grandma's Health Journey

[Jean DeVries]

OK, they're small requests, but big impact.

First, for my little buddy Max. Max is the son of one of my friends from high school. I hung out with her family, still see her all the time (in fact, tonight at book club), and we've been friends forever. Max is 3, and was born with an atrial septum defect - in other words, the walls of his heart didn't form all the way. He's having open heart surgery on Friday at UofM hospital. I'm sure he'll be fine, but a little shout up to the deity of your choice would be appreciated.

The second is for my grandma. She's the light of my life. We've always been really close. She's 88, but you'd never know it...she lives on her own, is pretty healthy for someone that age, and has all of her mental faculties. She hasn't been feeling well, and had a CT scan last week. It came back showing a mass in the lymph nodes near her liver. They think she may have lymphoma or another malignancy. She's scheduled for a needle biopsy on Thursday. Pray that it's something innocuous like an infection. I don't think we're gonna catch a break on this one, though, and it's making me incredibly sad. I don't know what I'll do without my grammy!

Thanks everyone. You're the best!

 

[raebates]

They'll be in my prayers.

 

[KellyTheChef]

Jean...prayers said!

 

[legacypc46]

Prayers being said Jean.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

Prayers for you, Max and Grammy!

 

[heather223]

Prayers for you all.

 

[smspamperedchef]

Prayers Coming Your Way! Keep Us Posted!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Sorry to hear this. I'll be sending some prayers your way.

 

[crystalscookingnow]

Prayers are going up for you now!

 

[Flamingo]

Prayers Prayers Prayers.........................

 

[twinchefs]

Sending prayers.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Jean, I will certainly pray for little Max- It breaks my heart when I hear of little munchkins being ill.

I will also pray for your Grammy! I had a similar relationship with my grandfather who passed away when I was 15. I threatened to hijack my way to New Mexico from MN if my parents didn't find a way to get me to his funeral. We were incredibly close, even for being so far away... I pray that God will take that mass away and they won't even find anything and will have to go and clean their CAT scan machine!

Blessings to you and prayers for you as well as you go through this period of uncertainty!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

bumping for more prayer warriors to see.

 

[Jean DeVries]

OK, Grammy had the biopsy today. Came through that with flying colors. Even got a big lunch, and ate it. (She hasn't eaten much lately...no appetite.) The same hospital that fed her pork, mashed potatoes, and strawberry shortcake after her biopsy is the same one that just gave me crackers after my surgery that I hadn't eaten for 15 hours before

We won't know the biopsy results for a week. Sheesh, why do these things take so freaking long? Don't they know us Gen-X'ers don't like to wait for anything?

OK, I've tried to attach a pic of little Max. His surgery is tomorrow in the 11:30 ish hour. Keep him in your prayers please.

 

[raebates]

Praying for all concerned.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Thanks to all of you prayer warriors!

Max's surgery went well, and in fact, less than 72 hours after having open heart surgery, he is back home in Holland, trying very hard to not get jostled by his three brothers.

Thanks again everyone! I know his parents appreciated it!

 

[katie0128]

What a cutie... kinda got that Dennis the Menace look to him, which makes me want to pick him up and sqeeze him!

 

[KellyTheChef]

Jean...good news on both fronts! Thanks for the updates!

 

[Jean DeVries]

OK, into life a little rain must fall...

Grammy's biopsy came back positive for lymphoma. We don't know what kind, or anything yet. She meets with the oncologist next week. He said they wouldn't do surgery, but it was treatable with chemo. I'm hoping that's positive news.

Thanks for all of your prayers!

 

[katie0128]

Sorry to hear about Grammy. I know you were expecting a different outcome. At least you know what you are dealing with and that it is treatable... AND this rain isn't going to flood your basement (and, by the way, how is that repair going?)

 

[Jean DeVries]

Sorry to hear about Grammy. I know you were expecting a different outcome. At least you know what you are dealing with and that it is treatable... AND this rain isn't going to flood your basement (and, by the way, how is that repair going?)

Just finished it yesterday. Dug out the egresses, laid down new gravel, and put gunk in the cracks in the railroad ties so water won't come in.

It wasn't fun, but a friend of mine was up from West Virginia, and he handled everything. He's so cool.....

 

[PChefPEI]

Sending prayers your way, Jean!

 

[Kitchen2u]

Sorry to hear about Grammy ~ prayers coming her way...

Prayers for Max too...

 

[Jean DeVries]

So weirdest thing.....

Grammy went to see the oncologist today. He started going down the list of symptoms to check and see which ones she had. She had none. Then he tried to feel around and feel the lymph nodes that were swollen (that her other doctor had felt which prompted the CT scan that found the mass that was biopsied as lymphoma), and he couldn't find any of them. He called my grandma a "mystery woman." The biopsy definitely showed B cell non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, but she has absolutely no symptoms anymore whatsoever. She has to go for more tests next week. She's convinced, however, that the stomach pain she had (which started this whole thing) was the good Lord telling her to get to the doctor for tests. Otherwise we'd have never known she had lymphoma, since she has no other symptoms.

Other sad news...my great uncle died today. And my parents (it's my dad's uncle) are in Chicago on vacation. They'll be home tomorrow, but it's their wedding anniversary, so I didn't call them to tell them. They'll be home in time for the funeral anyway, they'll have had a nice trip, and my uncle's circumstances won't have changed tomorrow.

Thursday I go under the knife (well, stick-y thing with a camera on the end of it) for what is, I hope, the last time. The ovary and fallopian tube are comin' out. And if I have any more pain, I'm just gonna start ripping out organs one by one until it goes away. Yeesh.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Re: Two small requests-UpdateHey all,

Can you throw a few prayers up for Grammy? She found out she has Stage III Large B-Cell Lymphoma. That's not the bad part (I mean, it's bad, but it's treatable).

She had her first chemo treatment last Thursday. She did really well, and didn't get sick right afterwards. Her sugar was REALLY high (367) over the weekend, but it was because of the Prednisone. She stressed out about that. She went to the hospital on Sunday night because she had burning and tightness in her chest, but she was fine.

Now she's developed thrush in her mouth, a sore throat, and she's not eating. Today she had to go in for fluids, she's lost like 8 pounds, and she seems to have lost her spunk. I think she thinks because it's Stage III, she's gonna keel over right away and there's no point in trying. She's scared by the Stage III thing.

It's all very stressful, on her, me, my mom, aunt & uncle. Prayers would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[peichef]

Lifting her up in prayer right now, Jean. And you & your whole family.

 

[abaker1]

Sending up prayers for your family!

 

[tabnat80]

I will be praying for your little friend and your grandma. If I have one word of advise for you, it's to spend as much time with her as you can. My mawmaw died in March (89 yrs old). She was fine one day and the next, she fell and broker her hip and never recovered. I am telling you this because I wish I had her here today to hug, talk to, squeeze her hand and spend time with. I miss her so very much. My heart is still broken. Please don't take every day for granite like I did. It doesn't help that as I write this, I'm bawling and my little boy is yelling at the top of his lungs, "Jesus, MawMaw". LOL bless his heart. He's so young. He thinks she's somewhere up there with Jesus and the airplanes. I keep trying to tell him that she's in Heaven, but he still says "mawmaw and the airplanes". LOL. Anyways, not meaning to hijack, but I just wish for you to spend as much time with her as you can. I will definately keep you and her and the little boy in my prayers.

 

[raebates]

I'll add Grammy to my prayers.

 

[dianevill]

Additional prayers coming, Jean!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Praying for healing for your Grammy- and for peace and grace and love and strength for you, your family AND your Grammy!

Hugs to you Miss Jean!

 

[pcchefjane]

Praying for your Grammy. My Mom lived 18 months with Stage 4 uterine cancer....14 months with Liver cancer....and had cancer in the fluid in her lungs the last 6 months she was alive. She also was a diabetic and had heart problems. Most chemo treatments do a real number on Diabetics. I am praying for you too because I can empathize with not wanting to lose someone you love. Mom has been gone 11 years last April and I still miss her every day.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Re: Two small requests - UpdateHi all!

Well, it's been a while, but I thought I would update you on my grandma, and thank the he** out of all of you for the prayers.

After grammy's first round of chemo, her digestive system basically shut down. She was in the hospital for almost a week. I was in Florida, so that was really hard because I wasn't around to be in control. After that week, she spent a month in a nursing home rehabbing. That was a bit difficult on her. Not the rehabbing, but the whole nursing home thing. She was in an absolutely GREAT place, but nursing homes really make a person dependent, and between people doing everything for her, and her constantly having visitors, the transition to home hasn't gone exactly smoothly. It's led to some family conflicts. But this too shall pass....

So, she's home now. She's done 5 rounds of chemo, with one more scheduled. She's getting better and better every day. She's getting more and more independent.

But now for the drumroll (in your head is good enough....)

She had a PET scan last week, and got the results today. The cancer is GONE. Yep, that's right. GONE. Stage 3 lymphoma - gone. (Well, at least the visible signs of it in the lymph nodes...) We're all a bit stunned by this news. Thrilled, but stunned. I'm so proud of her for sticking it out. She is truly a warrior queen, and I'm honored to be her granddaughter.

Thank you all SO MUCH for the prayers you offered for my grandma. If you ever wonder if anyone is listening, look no further than my grandma's missing cancer.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Re: Two small requests - Update

Hi all!

Well, it's been a while, but I thought I would update you on my grandma, and thank the he** out of all of you for the prayers.

After grammy's first round of chemo, her digestive system basically shut down. She was in the hospital for almost a week. I was in Florida, so that was really hard because I wasn't around to be in control. After that week, she spent a month in a nursing home rehabbing. That was a bit difficult on her. Not the rehabbing, but the whole nursing home thing. She was in an absolutely GREAT place, but nursing homes really make a person dependent, and between people doing everything for her, and her constantly having visitors, the transition to home hasn't gone exactly smoothly. It's led to some family conflicts. But this too shall pass....

So, she's home now. She's done 5 rounds of chemo, with one more scheduled. She's getting better and better every day. She's getting more and more independent.

But now for the drumroll (in your head is good enough....)

She had a PET scan last week, and got the results today. The cancer is GONE. Yep, that's right. GONE. Stage 3 lymphoma - gone. (Well, at least the visible signs of it in the lymph nodes...) We're all a bit stunned by this news. Thrilled, but stunned. I'm so proud of her for sticking it out. She is truly a warrior queen, and I'm honored to be her granddaughter.

Thank you all SO MUCH for the prayers you offered for my grandma. If you ever wonder if anyone is listening, look no further than my grandma's missing cancer.

That's so cool! And people say there aren't really miracles!

Your grandma sounds like an amazing lady - I'm glad you'll have her around for more time. Enjoy her!

 

[AnnieBee]

Awesome, awesome news!! So happy for you Jean, and for her, and your family of course!!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Praise God! I am just reading this today, but what a blessing!!

 

[Ann F]

Wonderful news about your beloved grandmother!

 

[Jean DeVries]

Me again.

It's been a rough few weeks for Grammy. She was pretty much fine up until 3 weeks ago, when she was hospitalized with a bowel obstruction. They couldn't find anythning, and just kept her there until, well, they got bored with her I guess. She left a week ago Wednesday, and was back on Thursday because she was vomiting again. Again, they kept her there until they figured she was tired of it, and let her go on Christmas Eve. She's been staying at my mom's house.

Yesterday, she went to her doctor to see if she could start eating semi-solid food again and the doctor noticed she was puffy. (We noticed it too, but figured it was because we had fed her too much soup on her liquid diet) and diagnosed congestive heart failure. They sent her home with a diuretic, but called her today and wanted her to go to the ER to drain the fluid from her lungs.

So, for the third time in three weeks, she's back in the hospital. They're not treating the CHF because she's dehydrated, and her small bowel has basically shut down. They think it's from the chemo, so it may or may not get better. If it doesn't, no one seems to have any suggestions as to a game plan.

So, if you could shout out a prayer for my grammy and her doctors, I would greatly appreciate it. You guys are great!

Thanks!

Jean

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I'll be praying Jean.

 

[heather223]

I am sending prayers your way.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Me again.

I really need you guys this evening. My grandma is having surgery tomorrow afternoon. For some reason, I don't have a good feeling about it.

Weirdly, about 5 years ago, I had a dream that we were eating cake with the date January 8, 2008 on it. It was at my grandma's funeral. I thought when we got past Jan 8, 2008 we were OK. But now we're approaching Jan 8 2009, and so I'm freaked out that I read the date wrong on the cake in my dream. Sounds weird, I know, but I can't shake that dream.

If you could pray for my grandma for her surgery tomorrow night, I would be grateful. It was so hard leaving the hospital tonight wondering if that would be the last time I would ever see her. She's my everything....

 

[Crystal Patton]

No problem, :thumbup: I am attending a MOPS Stearing Team meeting tomorrow and all 5 of us will take time in our opening prayer to pray for her.

 

[raebates]

I'll be praying.

 

[AnnieBee]

I will pray too - for both of you.

 

[peichef]

more prayers headed your way.

 

[twinchefs]

Sending more prayers.

 

[jrstephens]

Me again.

I really need you guys this evening. My grandma is having surgery tomorrow afternoon. For some reason, I don't have a good feeling about it.

Weirdly, about 5 years ago, I had a dream that we were eating cake with the date January 8, 2008 on it. It was at my grandma's funeral. I thought when we got past Jan 8, 2008 we were OK. But now we're approaching Jan 8 2009, and so I'm freaked out that I read the date wrong on the cake in my dream. Sounds weird, I know, but I can't shake that dream.

If you could pray for my grandma for her surgery tomorrow night, I would be grateful. It was so hard leaving the hospital tonight wondering if that would be the last time I would ever see her. She's my everything....

Sending prayers up for her and the family.

I know how u feel about a date. Almost everyone that has died in my mom's family has died in November. We always dread that month b/c of all the painful anniversaries and we worry that something esle will happen during that month.

 

[Gina M]

Praying for your grandma - hope her surgery went well Jean!

 

[Jean DeVries]

Thanks everyone!

I just got home from the hospital, and Grandma's surgery went well. It started about 8, and only lasted about an hour.

They found a large adhesion which had basically kinked up her bowel, so they fixed that. The doctor was suspicious of that, saying that he suspects cancer, so he sent it off to the lab. She also had a lot of fluid in her abdomen which also made him suspect cancer, so that got sent off also. But, if it is, that's tomorrow's hurdle to climb.

Today's was climbed, and went well. She's back in her room, and will likely go home this weekend. The whole thing was done laproscopically, so that's good for recovery time. She was already awake and waving to my mom and aunt in her room. She's a spunky one!

Thanks again for your prayers. They are appreciated.