Sending Positive Thoughts for Max and Grandma's Health Journey

[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.