It sure does make one think. I am sorry to hear about Ann's failing health
too. She is a terific lady.
Virgie and Lady Hoshi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad D" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 9:19 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: [Ann-update] Update for Ann McCay
I'm sad to hear of Ann's decreasing health. I remember when she was on
here as well E-Voice years ago, she is a wonderful lady. Two decades ago
cancer was around some but with in the last hour or so through
conversation and this e-mail four people we know have been mentioned about
their cancer. It is more apparent to me everyday that anyday I could look
back and wonder what someone would say about me and what I've done to
contribute to other's lives, what value has been there, what things have I
wanted to do or dreams to strive for. Not that worldly goals are the focus,
I'm not talking about being the richest on the block but that of following
the dreams and gifts God has given and use them to affect others somehow.
It sure does make one think about what really matters in life doesn't it.
Brad
At 05:20 PM 11/13/2007, you wrote:
>Hi Everyone, Please read this and pray for Ann McCay. She use to be on
>this list a long time ago. Please keep Deb and Rick Lewis in your prayers,
>also.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Lovingly,
>Pat Ferguson
>
>>X-Originating-IP: [66.197.177.165]
>>From: "Deb Lewis" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:18:29 -0800
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>>Hello Everyone:
>>I haven't written for awhile. Things have been very busy. Unfortunately
>>my delay means there's a lot to catch you up, and it's not an easy task.
>>I'll do my best. Things are very challenging for Ann right now and for
>>all of us.
>>When I last wrote in September, they had stopped treatment because it
>>seemed the tumor might be growing again. She was to return in a week
>>after the doctor sought consultation. When she returned, he said no
>>further treatment was recommended because the tumor was not responding
>>and she was not holding up well physically. He said she probably had
>>about six months to live. Of course, they seem to always say that. I
>>think it's the standard statement for "we have no real idea." Kind of
>>like ordering a taxithey tell you five to fifteen minutes. They don't
>>really know if it's minutes or hours. We all agreed this last attempt at
>>chemo had been disastrous and he didn't want to put her through it if it
>>was clearly not working.
>>At first, Ann was almost euphoric. She was so tired of the treatment and
>>tired of feeling miserable that I think she felt relief with the end in
>>sight. But as we talked about it, she decided she did want to explore
>>other options.
>>So she made an appointment with the Seattle Cancer wellness Center. It's
>>a wonderful place where they bring together the best in traditional and
>>natural medicine. She was very impressed and determined to try a
>>treatment plan of very small doses of chemo weekly for 12 weeks and a lot
>>of vitamins etc. to build her system. The atmosphere was more supportive
>>also, and she regained some hope. They said her situation was definitely
>>terminal, but thought that short term treatment might yield some quality
>>results.
>>Somewhere in all this she decided she would like to take one more trip
>>home, and would also like to realize a lifelong dream of traveling to
>>Hawaii. So she went home for a week and then on to Hawaii with her
>>brother and sister-in-law. I think the trip was fun, but very, very hard
>>on her with all the travel etc. I was concerned when she left that things
>>were not going well cognitively and physically. For example, another long
>>term dream was to have a lap top computer. She decided to get it for her
>>trip and chose the Small Talk Ultra from GW Micro which is a tablet PC.
>>But I could see that it was going to be hard for her to use it given it's
>>unfamiliarity and her somewhat slowed responses. Still all in all, she
>>did have a pretty good trip and of course the weather was wonderful.
>>She returned home on November 1. She made a pretty strong statement about
>>being glad to be home. Looking back, I think it was a statement about
>>being home so she could move into her next phase in her familiar
>>surroundings. I noticed a sharp decrease in both cognitive and physical
>>functioning. Still very oriented to time and space, but less able to
>>perform routine tasks and impossible to take on anything knew. This is
>>normal for head injuryyou have some grooves in your brain that respond
>>to routine, but when you break that routine it's hard to cope. In many
>>ways the vacation was a break in routine with both good and bad outcomes
>>for her. As she began to realize the obstacles she was facing she became
>>depressed.
>>On Tuesday the 6th I left for five days in DC. Our friend Kaye Weaver
>>stayed here to help Rick and Ann. Things went well. Ann seemed to rally
>>on Wednesday and Thursday which was very encouraging.
>>Based on the rally, we decided to plan Ann's work retirement party. She
>>has been on shared leave since August of 2006 and her official final day
>>with DSB is November 16. I thought the party should be soon. She has been
>>looking forward to it, and it's scheduled for this Wednesday.
>>Unfortunately we may have to postpone the event, but we're waiting
>>through today to decide.
>>On Saturday morning (the tenth) Ann fell in her room. It was not a hard
>>fall, no damage done, but it was frightening to her. It happened again on
>>Sunday and this time I was there to observe that the falls are caused by
>>the decrease in coordination on her right side. She has not fallen since,
>>and of course one of us is there when she is walking to make sure her
>>orientation and balance are adequate.
>>But all this has taken its toll. She commented when I came home on
>>Saturday that she was very glad I was back. Again, I think it's another
>>transition signal. She could now move to a new phase because things were
>>back to normal at home.
>>She is sleeping a lot, barely eating, and beginning to have headaches. We
>>don't know how much of the difficulty is caused by her tumor, not eating,
>>being depressed, or a combination. These are symptoms we have been
>>watching for. She is very oriented, but this is also hard because she
>>does know what is happening to her. She is trying to put on a good face,
>>but I know she's depressed and exhausted.
>>This has really all happened pretty quickly. In some ways that's good of
>>course. But very hard to work through for all of us.
>>We actually have a little more bad news. Some of you know but many have
>>not heard that we had to put our Eddie down a few weeks ago. He tried
>>very hard and was a real trooper to the last, but he had lost too much
>>weight and there was nothing more we could do. Poor Rick was devastated,
>>and of course Ann and I felt pretty badly too. We will be getting another
>>cat soon. It's a little on hold while we work through things with Ann and
>>also while we look for the "ideal" kitty. I want a resume, references
>>etc. I'm not such a big cat person. But I'm confident that the perfect
>>kitty will select us. That's how it works with cats you know.
>>Eddie's demise has messed up my credibility as well. See, I've always
>>told Ann that if she's sick all over the place she'll have to live
>>outside because I can't deal with messes. Like she's going to believe
>>that one after all the messes poor Eddie made. So now my credibility is
>>completely shot. Oh well!
>>Marcina is holding up well. She stays in Ann's room most of the time, but
>>she has not lost her retriever appetite, enjoys her walks to the park
>>with Dave, and has been pretty social. I think she does know something is
>>wrong, but I don't think she's mega depressed.
>>I was actually supposed to have stayed in DC this week as well. I decided
>>after Ann's return home that I should only stay one week. But I will be
>>trying to participate in the work I would have done in DC so it means
>>we'll be on east coast time this week. I know you can imagine the
>>excitement at my announcement that breakfast will be served each morning
>>at 4:30 AM before I start at 5:30,we'll have lunch around 9:00 and dinner
>>by 3:00. Oh yeah and to bed by 7:00. Somehow I doubt Ann and Rick will
>>join me in this schedule. Oh well! I tried.
>>There is so much you can pray about. Pray of course for Ann's well-being
>>both physically, cognitively, emotionally and spiritually. Pray for Rick
>>and me as we try to support her and each other. Pray especially that we
>>will find the help we need in order to meet Ann's needs in a gracious way
>>at this particularly tough time. And pray that she'll have peace no
>>matter what the outcome. It's this valley part that is so hard to go
>>through.
>>I will write again with more news shortly.
>>
>>Deb
>>This is an anounce-only list. Your replies will go to Deb. If your email
>>address changes, or you'd like to leave the list, write to
>>[log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] and we'll do it for
>>you._______________________________________________
>>Ann-update mailing list
>>[log in to unmask]
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>
>
>
>Brad Dunse
>http://www.braddunsemusic.com
>
>Check out my site, take a look, have a listen to some sample tunes or
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