Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Visitation/Funeral Information
Visitation will be held Friday, September 26, from 3-5Pm and 7-9PM at Harry H. Witzke's Funeral Home, 4112 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21043.
Funeral Mass on Saturday, September 27 at 11:30 AM, Church of the Resurrection, 3175 Paulskirk Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21042 with internment to follow at Crest Lawn Memorial Gardens, 3150 Mount View Road, Marriottsville, MD 21104
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to
Homewood @ Crumland Farms
7407 Willow Road
Frederick, MD 21702
Hospice of Frederick County Co
516 Trail Ave
Frederick, MD 21702
The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to everyone for the warm thoughts, prayers, kindness and all of the postings that have brought us both laughs and tears, it is greatly appreciated.
Funeral Mass on Saturday, September 27 at 11:30 AM, Church of the Resurrection, 3175 Paulskirk Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21042 with internment to follow at Crest Lawn Memorial Gardens, 3150 Mount View Road, Marriottsville, MD 21104
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to
Homewood @ Crumland Farms
7407 Willow Road
Frederick, MD 21702
Hospice of Frederick County Co
516 Trail Ave
Frederick, MD 21702
The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to everyone for the warm thoughts, prayers, kindness and all of the postings that have brought us both laughs and tears, it is greatly appreciated.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
A Very Sad Day
It is with unimaginable sadness that we advise you that Elaine passed away this evening at 5:25PM. Her parents and friends were present as Elaine passed peacefully and without any pain or suffering.
Visitation and funeral arrangements will be posted as soon as possible. If scheduling allows, the preliminary thought is for Friday visitation and Saturday funeral.
We cannot imagine life without Elaine and although she is gone from us now, Elaine will live in our hearts forever.
Visitation and funeral arrangements will be posted as soon as possible. If scheduling allows, the preliminary thought is for Friday visitation and Saturday funeral.
We cannot imagine life without Elaine and although she is gone from us now, Elaine will live in our hearts forever.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Bad Day
As we have mentioned before, the goal of this site is to provide honest communication regarding Elaine's condition. Tuesday was not a very good day for Elaine and it seems as though her condition continues to deteriorate almost daily. Elaine spent all day in bed and while this was not the first time that has happened, today Elaine was unable to communicate effectively with visitors. Whether it is the increased medication or the advancing cancer (or both), Elaine spent the day in a deep sleep with little awareness of what was going on around her.
We understand the prognosis for Elaine but it has been shocking to see her condition deteriorate as quickly as it has. We hope that Elaine can bounce back from today with renewed strength but we also hope that if that is not possible that Hospice and the staff at Homewood can keep her as comfortable as possible.
Elaine has displayed an incredible amount of strength and courage as she has waged her battle, we ask for your continued prayers for her.
We understand the prognosis for Elaine but it has been shocking to see her condition deteriorate as quickly as it has. We hope that Elaine can bounce back from today with renewed strength but we also hope that if that is not possible that Hospice and the staff at Homewood can keep her as comfortable as possible.
Elaine has displayed an incredible amount of strength and courage as she has waged her battle, we ask for your continued prayers for her.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday/Monday
Elaine had a very restful day on Monday, spending a great deal of time sleeping. Despite the Morphine, her pain level continued to increase so the frequency of the pain medication has been increased from every two hours to every hour. In what is a nasty cycle, the increased pain medication likely means Elaine will spend more time resting since the morphine makes her tired/drowsy.
On Sunday, Elaine was able to get into her wheelchair and enjoyed a couple of hours listening to live music provided by "Brad Baby" (sorry I don't know his real name), one of Elaine's favorite performers. This performance was arranged by her great friends Terri, Jane, & Kim (if anyone else was involved I apologize) and by all accounts Elaine had a wonderful time enjoying the music and visiting with everyone. By the end, Elaine was quite tired and asked to go back to her room. Many thanks for everyone involved in making the day special for Elaine!
We hope you like the new picture of Elaine that was added, it was taken in late June during a trip to the QVC studios in West Chester, PA with her mom and sister in law Michelle.
Thank you for checking in on Elaine.
On Sunday, Elaine was able to get into her wheelchair and enjoyed a couple of hours listening to live music provided by "Brad Baby" (sorry I don't know his real name), one of Elaine's favorite performers. This performance was arranged by her great friends Terri, Jane, & Kim (if anyone else was involved I apologize) and by all accounts Elaine had a wonderful time enjoying the music and visiting with everyone. By the end, Elaine was quite tired and asked to go back to her room. Many thanks for everyone involved in making the day special for Elaine!
We hope you like the new picture of Elaine that was added, it was taken in late June during a trip to the QVC studios in West Chester, PA with her mom and sister in law Michelle.
Thank you for checking in on Elaine.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Saturday/Updates
Elaine was very tired on Saturday and spent a lot of the day sleeping. While awake, she was very happy to receive visitors but it was clear this was a day of rest for her. Despite the Morphine, Elaine still has some pain, her memory issues persist and she still has no appetite, though she will have small amounts of food from time to time.
The Hospice team did address the lack of appetite and advised that this is quite normal for patients with Elaine's condition. They further explained that Elaine's body will tell her when and what it wants to eat and there is a very good reason her body is telling her it does not want anything now. As contradictory as it may sound, Hospice explained that food would have some very negative effects; it would serve as fuel for the cancer while putting more stress on Elaine's digestive system and other organs. The nurse expained that it is OK for Elaine not to be eating and that we should not be so concerned with her lack of appetite. If visiting during meal time, please keep this in mind.
The last post failed to mention one change for Elaine, my apologies. Late Wednesday night, Elaine was placed on oxygen because the oxygen saturation levels in her blood dropped below acceptable levels. Although these levels quickly returned to normal, Elaine remains on oxygen.
Another update for the music lovers. The MP3 player has been brought back into the room and Uncle Ab brought a lot of new music on his visit last Thursday. While Elaine has been through some good days and some bad ones and it seems that lately her condition changes on an almost daily basis, one constant has been that she LOVES to listen to music and she loves to have visitors to sing along with !!! Please feel free to enjoy some music with her on your visits, the CD's are in the bottom drawer of the nightstand.
Finally, there has been a big change in Elaine's condition over the past two weeks and I hope that we have accurately reflected that on these postings. Her condition is also changing faster than it did two weeks ago so we will try to post on a daily basis as much as possible.
The Hospice team did address the lack of appetite and advised that this is quite normal for patients with Elaine's condition. They further explained that Elaine's body will tell her when and what it wants to eat and there is a very good reason her body is telling her it does not want anything now. As contradictory as it may sound, Hospice explained that food would have some very negative effects; it would serve as fuel for the cancer while putting more stress on Elaine's digestive system and other organs. The nurse expained that it is OK for Elaine not to be eating and that we should not be so concerned with her lack of appetite. If visiting during meal time, please keep this in mind.
The last post failed to mention one change for Elaine, my apologies. Late Wednesday night, Elaine was placed on oxygen because the oxygen saturation levels in her blood dropped below acceptable levels. Although these levels quickly returned to normal, Elaine remains on oxygen.
Another update for the music lovers. The MP3 player has been brought back into the room and Uncle Ab brought a lot of new music on his visit last Thursday. While Elaine has been through some good days and some bad ones and it seems that lately her condition changes on an almost daily basis, one constant has been that she LOVES to listen to music and she loves to have visitors to sing along with !!! Please feel free to enjoy some music with her on your visits, the CD's are in the bottom drawer of the nightstand.
Finally, there has been a big change in Elaine's condition over the past two weeks and I hope that we have accurately reflected that on these postings. Her condition is also changing faster than it did two weeks ago so we will try to post on a daily basis as much as possible.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Condition has stablilized
Elaine's condition continues to be relatively stable on Thursday & Friday. She remains fatigued but has been in better spirits and able to enjoy visiting with family and friends both days. Friday afternoon, Elaine was able to get out of bed and keep the appointment she had to have her hair cut. She was tired but very determined to keep the appointment. This was only the second time this week Elaine was out of bed so we are very happy to see her in the wheelchair this afternoon.
Hospice Care of Frederick County met with Elaine on Thursday. Hospice care was discussed with Elaine, along with her Mom & Dad and brother. It was agreed that Hospice will begin seeing Elaine going forward. Some of you probably know quite a bit about Hospice, but they are essentially being brought in to work in conjunction with the staff at Homewood to ensure that Elaine is kept as comfortable as possible. As mentioned by their staff in the meeting, Elaine will be moving from "skilled care" to "comfort care" and the Hospice staff is specialized and skilled in providing that for Elaine. Initially, a Hospice nurse will visit once a week and aides will visit twice a week to check on Elaine. As conditions change, they will adjust their schedule accordingly.
We wish everyone a very happy weekend and continue to appreciate your concern and prayers for Elaine.
Hospice Care of Frederick County met with Elaine on Thursday. Hospice care was discussed with Elaine, along with her Mom & Dad and brother. It was agreed that Hospice will begin seeing Elaine going forward. Some of you probably know quite a bit about Hospice, but they are essentially being brought in to work in conjunction with the staff at Homewood to ensure that Elaine is kept as comfortable as possible. As mentioned by their staff in the meeting, Elaine will be moving from "skilled care" to "comfort care" and the Hospice staff is specialized and skilled in providing that for Elaine. Initially, a Hospice nurse will visit once a week and aides will visit twice a week to check on Elaine. As conditions change, they will adjust their schedule accordingly.
We wish everyone a very happy weekend and continue to appreciate your concern and prayers for Elaine.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Improvement
Elaine continued to show improvement on Wednesday, it appears that the Morphine is helping quite a bit. Elaine was in good spirits, had visitors throughout the day and was able to get into her wheelchair in the late afternoon and go to dinner, this was the first time Elaine has been up since Sunday afternoon. While this activity did tire her out, it is great to hear that there is improvement in her condition!
We hope that Elaine continues to gain more strength over the coming days.
We hope that Elaine continues to gain more strength over the coming days.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Difficult Days
The last couple of days have been difficult for Elaine. Monday was a very tough day, Elaine was in a great deal of pain and very fatigued, spending all day in bed. Conversation was limited and Elaine drifted in and out of sleep most of the day. It was sadly the worst day Elaine has had since this ordeal began. By days end, Elaine had been placed on low doses of Morphine to control her pain. Tuesday saw improvement in her condition, the medication kept her pain level under control, her energy level was improved and she was able to engage in conversation, although she did spend the day in bed again.
We hope that the medicine will allow Elaine to rest and regain strength as she continues this very difficult battle. Our prayers are with her always!
We hope that the medicine will allow Elaine to rest and regain strength as she continues this very difficult battle. Our prayers are with her always!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Weekend
The weekend saw Elaine go through a couple of tougher days with a noticable drop in energy and the onset of some nausua and stomach pain. The reality is that all of Elaine's conditions continue to be present and some are getting worse. Late last week, Elaine began receiving pain medicine to offset the back and shoulder issues she has been dealing with. Elaine was opposed to taking pain pills for a long time but can no longer go without them. She has continued to receive all her therapy for now.
The most pressing issues at this time (this is opinion, not a medical conclusion) are fatigue and lack of appetite. Elaine has very little to no appetite and nothing on her plate appeals to her at all. Fatigue is becoming more of an issue likely because of the medication(s), continued lack of appetite/adequate nutrition, and whatever toll the cancer is taking on her body. It was mentioned on the last post that more daytime rest would be required and it was clear over the weekend that Elaine needs more rest than ever before.
Elaine did have a chance on Friday to have a lot of the postings that have been left on this blog read to her. She wanted to hear most of them more than once, and as before they brought both tears and laughter and it is very evident how much she appreciates each and every posting.
Elaine is a remarkable woman and we wish her continued strength and courage!
The most pressing issues at this time (this is opinion, not a medical conclusion) are fatigue and lack of appetite. Elaine has very little to no appetite and nothing on her plate appeals to her at all. Fatigue is becoming more of an issue likely because of the medication(s), continued lack of appetite/adequate nutrition, and whatever toll the cancer is taking on her body. It was mentioned on the last post that more daytime rest would be required and it was clear over the weekend that Elaine needs more rest than ever before.
Elaine did have a chance on Friday to have a lot of the postings that have been left on this blog read to her. She wanted to hear most of them more than once, and as before they brought both tears and laughter and it is very evident how much she appreciates each and every posting.
Elaine is a remarkable woman and we wish her continued strength and courage!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Update
Elaine continues to have the same issues reported on the last blog. On Thursday Mom and Dad attended a meeting with staff members who advised that Elaine's fatigue level continues to increase and more rest time will be necessary during daylight hours to allow her to obtain the proper amount of rest. When visiting during the day, don't be surprised if Elaine is in bed getting the rest she requires.
She had a good week with a lot of visitors, which is the best medicine she can receive right now. As mentioned before, nothing lifts her spirits more than seeing family and friends walk through her door.
Your continued support, concern and prayers are greatly appreciated.
She had a good week with a lot of visitors, which is the best medicine she can receive right now. As mentioned before, nothing lifts her spirits more than seeing family and friends walk through her door.
Your continued support, concern and prayers are greatly appreciated.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Update
Sorry we have missed the past couple of days, here are some updates on Elaine.
In response to the Oncologist visit, Elaine has repeatedly said since then that she does not want to undergo chemotherapy.
Her continued issues at this time are short term memory loss, deteriorating vision, lack of appetite, overall fatigue and shoulder and back discomfort. As mentioned before, the shoulder pain is a result of the shoulder being out of socket because her muscles are too weak to hold it in place. Her wheelchair has been fitted with a new support to help with this and will hopefully offer some relief. Her back pain is a muscle issue and is caused because her right side muscles must compensate for the lack of strength on the left side.
She was able to watch/listen to most of the Ravens game with her Dad providing the commentary and some play by play action. As you may know, it is hard for Elaine to stay focused on anything for very long, so Dad had to keep her updated on the game. Elaine enjoyed the first half of the game but became too tired to enjoy the second half of the surprising Ravens victory.
After weeks of pureed food that has not been very appealing, Elaine had "Sloppy Joe's" for dinner on Saturday and actually loved it!
She was able to get her hair cut on Thursday and while the reports are that it looks great, Elaine said it wasn't as good as Pat does it!!
In response to the Oncologist visit, Elaine has repeatedly said since then that she does not want to undergo chemotherapy.
Her continued issues at this time are short term memory loss, deteriorating vision, lack of appetite, overall fatigue and shoulder and back discomfort. As mentioned before, the shoulder pain is a result of the shoulder being out of socket because her muscles are too weak to hold it in place. Her wheelchair has been fitted with a new support to help with this and will hopefully offer some relief. Her back pain is a muscle issue and is caused because her right side muscles must compensate for the lack of strength on the left side.
She was able to watch/listen to most of the Ravens game with her Dad providing the commentary and some play by play action. As you may know, it is hard for Elaine to stay focused on anything for very long, so Dad had to keep her updated on the game. Elaine enjoyed the first half of the game but became too tired to enjoy the second half of the surprising Ravens victory.
After weeks of pureed food that has not been very appealing, Elaine had "Sloppy Joe's" for dinner on Saturday and actually loved it!
She was able to get her hair cut on Thursday and while the reports are that it looks great, Elaine said it wasn't as good as Pat does it!!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Elaine's Room - PLEASE READ
Please DO NOT move any furniture in Elaines' room, her entire room was designed by the therapy and medical team at Homewood specifically for Elaine in the manner that is needed to assist in her therapy and rehabilitation.
No one, except for the medical team at Homewood, has permission or is authorized to move or rearrange any furniture in Elaine's room.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
No one, except for the medical team at Homewood, has permission or is authorized to move or rearrange any furniture in Elaine's room.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Oncologist Visit
Today Elaine met with her Oncologist, Dr. Oh of the Cancer Care Center in Frederick, MD, accompanied by her parents and brother. Please keep in mind that this site is meant as a communication tool and the intent is to share facts and reality with those of you who are concerned with Elaine's well being.
Dr. Oh reviewed her recent test results and advised us that the Cancer has continued to grow and has made what he would deem "normal" progress since it was originally detected. It has intensified in her Liver and spread to Lymph nodes around her Kidney. On the positive side, cancer was not detected in any other organs at this time and the blood tests were all at acceptable levels. The doctor thought that Elaine was relatively stable and if she wanted to attempt chemotherapy, now would be the time to do it. Very honest discussions were held regarding the pros and cons of undergoing Chemotherapy and what symptoms and results Elaine could expect with and without treatment, knowing that Pancreatic cancer is extremely aggressive and that her prognosis is grave. Chemotherapy is further complicated due to the stroke, which has left Elaine in a weakened condition and there is profound concern over the toll it would take on her.
A decision will now have to be made in the coming days as to whether or not Elaine will undergo Chemotherapy.
We wish Elaine well and ask for your prayers and strength for Elaine during this difficult time.
Dr. Oh reviewed her recent test results and advised us that the Cancer has continued to grow and has made what he would deem "normal" progress since it was originally detected. It has intensified in her Liver and spread to Lymph nodes around her Kidney. On the positive side, cancer was not detected in any other organs at this time and the blood tests were all at acceptable levels. The doctor thought that Elaine was relatively stable and if she wanted to attempt chemotherapy, now would be the time to do it. Very honest discussions were held regarding the pros and cons of undergoing Chemotherapy and what symptoms and results Elaine could expect with and without treatment, knowing that Pancreatic cancer is extremely aggressive and that her prognosis is grave. Chemotherapy is further complicated due to the stroke, which has left Elaine in a weakened condition and there is profound concern over the toll it would take on her.
A decision will now have to be made in the coming days as to whether or not Elaine will undergo Chemotherapy.
We wish Elaine well and ask for your prayers and strength for Elaine during this difficult time.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Sunday-Monday
Elaine had a steady stream of visitors on Sunday and Monday and was able to spend time outside on both days after lunch enjoying cousin Mike's Peach ice cream for desert. Given the holiday weekend, she did not have therapy but that will resume on Tuesday.
On Sunday, we discovered that there are four computers available for resident use located just beyond the chapel by the main reception area. We utilized the computer to access this blog and read the comments to Elaine directly from this site. I can tell you that Elaine enjoyed hearing all of the comments that have been left for her, some brought tears and others brought laughter but all of them touched her heart very deeply. It would be a great activity for anyone to participate in while visiting Elaine, she enjoyed the blog and approved of the picture we have posted. Only the comments left by all of you were read to her, we did not read any of the postings.
Her musical collection was increased this weekend with the addition of the soundtrack to Jersey Boys and the return of the Abba/Beatles/Beach Boys mix. If anyone is visiting and would like to listen to some music with Elaine, the CD's are located in the top drawer of the dresser that the CD player sits on.
Elaine has an important week ahead of her, we wish her all the best.
As always, your concern, thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated.
On Sunday, we discovered that there are four computers available for resident use located just beyond the chapel by the main reception area. We utilized the computer to access this blog and read the comments to Elaine directly from this site. I can tell you that Elaine enjoyed hearing all of the comments that have been left for her, some brought tears and others brought laughter but all of them touched her heart very deeply. It would be a great activity for anyone to participate in while visiting Elaine, she enjoyed the blog and approved of the picture we have posted. Only the comments left by all of you were read to her, we did not read any of the postings.
Her musical collection was increased this weekend with the addition of the soundtrack to Jersey Boys and the return of the Abba/Beatles/Beach Boys mix. If anyone is visiting and would like to listen to some music with Elaine, the CD's are located in the top drawer of the dresser that the CD player sits on.
Elaine has an important week ahead of her, we wish her all the best.
As always, your concern, thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated.
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