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UPDATE NOVEMBER 26, 1999. Thanks to anyone who has remembered my cousin and her family in your prayers. We are continuing to keep our faith and our hope. As stated above, yesterday was a cause for smiles. There were some worries as well for the wellbeing of a baby destined to be born too early. However, I am happy to say that baby and mommy are doing just fine. It's a girl! She weighs in at 5 lbs and 14 ounces suprising us all. Showing some signs of a "premi" but nothing out of the ordinary and the doctors are taking some precautions. They're counting on the 2 of them going home within the next day or so. With all of the emotions running so high lately this was truly a welcomed change and we all took time out to just celebrate the miracle of this birth. Seeing my cousin holding her baby, watching the love and joy shine from her eyes and her heart was a sight to soften even the hardest of men. You can bet that when this precious little girl grows up, she will hear about how her mother kept her and gave her life against all odds. Hopefully it will be a bedtime story told by my cousin herself!
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UPDATE DECEMBER 7, 1999. The news now isn't good. Mommy and baby did go home 2 days after the birth. All seemed right again, even though we knew it wasn't over and there would be many more battles. What we didn't expect however was things to happen so soon. My cousin's simple cold warranted some testing and the x-rays proved to be a nightmare we would all like to awake from. The cancer has spread...just how far is not yet fully known. They do know she now has lung cancer and was sent for a catscan and MRI last night. The suspicion is that it's elsewhere as well. We pray they're wrong. Now, I sit and await the phone to ring for news of the results. As if this wasn't enough? The doctor's suspect the baby may have cancer too. So, as the phones were ringing within our households yesterday informing the family members. What was my cousin doing? Why, she was painting her toenails of course. So that when she went for her tests and her feet stuck out from the machine, she would have pretty toes. Her 2 yr. old daughter thought she needed her's done as well. So mommy and her little girl sat and painted their toes together while the tears of our family pooled together with the news....
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UPDATE DECEMBER 13, 1999. My cousin is now in the hospital undergoing her first of 4 treatments. She will be in for 5 days and then home for 2 weeks before starting her 2nd round. That means she will at least be home for the holidays and Christmas this year is at her house as planned before all of this came to light. She has a new home and wanted to show it off for the holidays. We do not yet know how she'll feel, but she has made it clear that she wants the whole family to still spend the day with her and her family. She is a trouper! The tests results showed that the cancer has spread to both her lungs, her abdomen and the lymph nodes in her chest. It was also in her placenta so there is a 25% chance of the baby having cancer as well, though as of right now she is beautiful, thriving and gaining weight as any newborn should be. Her care is being handed over to her daddy and immediate family while her mommy fights this battle. I will post further updates as I get them. Please continue to pray....
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UPDATE JANUARY 1, 2000. Well, the holidays are over and my cousin is due to start her 2nd round of treatments on Monday. Her spirits were up over the Christmas season even though she is beginning to lose her hair and doesn't have much energy. She was told she would only be able to care for herself and that at times is a struggle in itself. She has a wheelchair for outings and the baby has been moved to her bedroom as she cannot climb the stairs very well to her children's room. The family continues to help as much as possible and unfortunately ALL have been sick over the holidays. Everyone is beginning to feel better now, thankfully. The baby continues to look and seem well in general. While home, my cousin had to give herself a shot each day as well as keep up with some oral meds and she did go through some aches and pains, but when I saw her both on Christmas day at her house and New Year's Eve at my Godmother's house she was in good spirits with the same smile and contagious laugh. She was surprised and touched that everyone is praying for her. So keep it up! The next week will be another difficult one and it's not until this round is over that they will run some more tests to see if it has done any good and should be continued. Until those results come in, we don't really know the progress or decline of the cancer. I will let you know.....
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UPDATE JANUARY 24, 2000. Okay everyone here's the latest on what's been happening. My cousin finished her 2nd round of treatments and went through them surprisingly well compared to the first one. Although she traded that in for a terrible time after she came home. Extremely weak, sick and unable to care for her children or even herself. It was a very rough couple of weeks. Feeling more and more herself as the end of her 2 week stay at home was drawing to a close. She probably felt great over the couple days before she was to go back in. She actually had a chance to view these pages first hand yesterday and I was told she cried while reading everything. I'm sure she was touched and I hope it boosted her strength a little more to help her this coming week. She is now back in the hospital as of today for round number 3 of 4 treatments. So now here's the GOOD news! Tests were done on Tuesday and they showed that most of the current cancer in her body is gone! She is now fighting a small spot that still lingers in one of her lungs. The doctors were surprised at how well she has responded to the treatments and everyone concerned were thrilled at the news to say the least. None more than my cousin herself I am sure. The battle has not ended. Her diagnosis is Melanoma and there is no current cure. However she seems to be winning the fight against the cancer that spread so quickly within her presently. For this positive we are SO grateful. Our hopes are that the end of these 4 treatmenst bring her out of it cancer free. Then it is upon research to someday find the cure so desparately needed for Melanoma. A most heartfelt THANKS for ALL who have held her in your prayers and thoughts. This surely has contributed to this latest wonderful news. That and her own will to fight and live I am sure. Please continue to keep those prayers coming! Small steps have been won but the battle is far from over. 2nd update! Ooops. Just received word that my cousin's white cell count is too low and she was sent home from the hospital today. She cannot take her next round of treatments until the count goes up. I got to talk to her for a few minutes directly. She's been tired and would like to get her weight up a bit. Was online herself for the very first time tonight! Yes, she has access to a computer right now. I'll write again when I hear any more.
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FEBRUARY 6, 2000. Just a very quick update this time. Though her 3rd treatment was delayed she has now completed it as of yesterday. She was admitted back into the hospital last Monday. I have been told that it was a rough week for her emotionally. Physically too, of course and she has been extra tired. However she seemed more depressed and in constant tears. Her family kept a rally of support going by taking visitation turns and spending the night with her to try and keep up her spirits. She is currently in the comfort of her home now and I'm sure that will help as much as possible. The doctor's have been concerned about her low white cell count and it was up in the air as to whether or not they would have had to keep her. Please continue to pray for her and keep the whole family in your thoughts. This is taking it's toll on everyone and the added support and strength you can offer will be such a big help. You may still send them in and I will post them. The family now checks into these pages often....
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MARCH 11, 2000. Wow. It's been a while since I've updated in here and I do apologize. I've been having trouble with my internet connection and I hope it is now over. I am here for now anyway and so I wanted to bring you all up to date on what's been happening.
The last I wrote she had just come home from her 3 rd round of treatments. Her white cell count was low and she had been rejected once already because of it. In the end it still wasn't where it should be but they admitted her anyway and decided to reduce the strength of her treatment somewhat. She didn't perk up too much after coming home and was still having a very rough time physically of course but also emotionally. Days went by and she could not eat or drink anything. Eventually it started to drain some of her fight as well. Towards the end of her second week at home...the time when she usually feels the best....things had not improved. Finally she was admitted in the hospital on the Saturday and they pumped her full of fluids. She had been extremely weak and dehydrated. I guess the more "nourishment" that dripped into her system the happier she got. She felt better emotionally and her smile returned. This was good because her baby girl was scheduled to be Christened the very next day! We were all waiting for the word on whether it would be cancelled or not. All worked out well. Her daughter was baptized and looked adorable of course. My cousin went in a wheelchair but her smile was there and nothing took away from the love and pride she felt.
We went for lunch after and though it had already been a long morning she came to the restaurant as well. I think I would have graciously bowed out but she came and ate a little, joked and shared stories with everyone. We all had a good time and I'm sure she did too. However it took a lot out of her and she was pretty exhausted afterwards.
On February 21 she was due to go in for her final treatments. Unfortunately she was rejected again due to her low white cell count. When this happens they wait a week in the hopes that it will rise and then try again. This time it didn't work and on February 28 she was rejected again. Her hemoglobin now was dangerously low and it resulted in her having to have a blood transfusion on the following Monday. Even after this there didn't seem to be any change and it was wondered whether or not it even did any good. On the Tuesday she had a 4 hour nap which just added to the concerns. However by Wednesday she began to feel better and the rest of the week I am told she felt like a new person....better than she had since before Christmas! I guess she spent her well deserved "rest" by cleaning like a madwoman. She was thrilled to feel so good and be able to do her normal household tasks herself for a change. She will be happy to tell you the "dust-bunnies" that have taken advantage and gathered... hiding in strategic places around her house have officially been given the heave-ho. :o)
She has now shaven her head and not to be left out of the fun, so has her husband. They made it a "family affair". Her 2 year old daughter wants her to "put it back on". :o) My dad and his wife visited with her while she was at her parents house last Saturday. I am told she looked great. She has lost quite a bit of weight but not to the point of looking sickly. Her colour was back, her spirits were up and they spent the day laughing and joking around. She seemed herself once again. It was also a time to test the new wig. The verdict is that she looked "stunning". That was the word my dad's wife used to describe her. She said it suited her perfectly and she looked absolutely gorgeous in it. Since she was feeling so good, her make-up, nails and all the usual were done as well. In case you've missed the links on these pages...you can view a picture of my cousin here.
I have pretty much brought you right up to date now. This is long, I know. Guess that serves me right for not having posted in here in over a month huh? :O)
She did finish her final round of treatments this past week and was sent home on Friday. As per the norm after undergoing such harsh stuff she is once again sick and weak. Now for some different bad news. Not that long ago it was found out that her husband's mother was suffering from bone cancer. It was spreading rapidly and they didn't give her long to live. She made it to the Christening in a wheelchair, but was not looking well at all. It was extremely hard not to feel for this man who seems to now be surrounded by cancer. Not only is he dealing with his wife who is fighting Melanoma (a terminal cancer) but also the very real fear of his 3 month old daughter having a 25 % chance of having cancer as well. Now, the first woman in his life...his mother (a surviver of breast cancer) is diagnosed with bone cancer. How much worse can it get? A question that runs through our minds quite often.
Unfortunately I am saddened to say that his mother past away last Thursday. The news was kept from my cousin for fear of her checking herself out of the hospital before her time in order to go to the funeral. She knows now and yet is too weak to pay her respects at this time. It is bothering her a great deal. Today is Saturday and her mother-in-law is to be buried on Monday. She's trying to gather the strength to go tomorrow but says no matter how she feels she WILL be at the funeral on Monday.
So, that's all I have for now. We do not know what happens from here. The treatments she was on were for 4 rounds and although she hit a couple snags and delays along the way she has now completed the schedule. I am sure they will be running some tests soon enough to see if there is still any cancer left in her body but when and what is done after that I do not know. When I do, I will be back to let You know. Until then please keep those prayers coming. If you would add her husband and his family in there at this time it would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your continuing support.
CLICK HERE for more updates.
See ONLINE PRAYERS to find out how YOU can help too. Won't you please show your support for this fight??? Send in your prayer or good wishes to the family. Such a small thing that would mean so much.
NEW! Permission has been given to post HER PHOTO.
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