Who was Julia? by Jan Wilson (Rockwood)

A little late but as promised:

Who was Julia?
By: Jan Wilson

Julia once told me that I was never at a loss for words...but this time I thought she was wrong.
Words couldn’t describe Julia…but then I realized her life and the way she lived her life described her best.
Julia loved her family. Linda, her sister, and Mike, her brother (Precious she called him) were always in her thoughts and in our conversations. She looked forward to visits from Linda and she was so proud of her nephew Rich and nieces, Beth and Carol.
Julia also loved her friends and this means all of you. Every one of you held a special place in her heart and with that, a memory you both shared.
Julia loved animals, especially Tig, her cat. She was definitely a cat person. She had about 10 strays she fed…plus raccoons, possums and any other critter that happened to mosey up on the back porch.
Julia loved country music, proven by her collection of CD’s and she loved golden oldies. She and I sang “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” and “My Girl” many times as we cruised Gateway to see what was happening in “Rock Vegas”.
Shopping was always fun. She loved clothes, big purses, gaudy jewelry and shoes. Shoes were her favorite. She adored high heels (because they made her legs look good) but she hated panty hose…go figure.
Julia loved sparkle…rhinestones, glitter. Bling as she called it.
Jewelry was her passion…The bigger the ring, the danglier the earring, the better she liked it.
Julia liked going places. No where special...a picnic, ballgame or an evening ride to the Dairy Queen. Chocolate dip cones could cure just about anything we decided.
She liked getting her nails done, staying up late, sleeping late. She loved TV and old movies.
She loved Rhea County strawberries, boiled corn (especially from Freddie’s corn field), Linda’s potato salad, a glass of blackberry wine, decaf coffee, diet cokes, catfish on Friday nights, winds on Thursday night (both from Ratchet’s at the golf course) and she loved my fried chicken.
Julia didn’t cook much, but she was a good cook. I think Allen found this out when he & Mandy had to fix baked beans for the basketball banquet (something Julia had always done). Julia was in Chicago when I told her Allen had to cook and her response was, “Oh my Lord”.
Julia was very talented...her flower arrangements grace many of our homes. She loved doing weddings as Peggy well knows. Together they did Eric’s wedding and it was awesome. She helped with bridal showers, baby showers, and parties and she was very good at what she did. My Christmas tree will never be the same; I imagine without Julia it will lose some of its sparkle.
Julia was very thoughtful and she loved giving gifts better than receiving them.
And…there were some things Julia didn’t like:
She hated to clean house...took too much time and it was too much like work
She hated hot weather it made her sweat and the humidity did bad things to her natural curly hair
She hated getting gray, getting wrinkles and chin hairs (Girls…don’t we all)
She hated exercise and diets. Fluffy was good she once told me.
Julia was sometimes moody…she liked her alone time. She did her best thinking when she was by herself, she said.
Julia loved her job at Rockwood High. How many of us can actually say that? She thanked LeRoy regularly for giving her the chance to be a part of her alma mater.
The students at RHS meant so much to her. She called them “my kids”. Rockwood High, the staff and the students were also her family.
Julia loved for Lois to visit from Florida. She wanted to share her life with Lois and RHS was a huge part of her life...both graduated from RHS.
She spent time on the phone talking and visiting with her dear friends Sandra and Gail in Knoxville. She would always come home with an adventure to share with me.
She was our Jules…and she was a jewel. Brighter, shinier and more precious than any jewel she ever wore.
She could brighten your day by just walking into the room. And if we keep her memory alive, she will continue to brighten our days.
No tears she once told me…no sadness, only laughter and shared memories.
I think this speaks best about Julia’s life. Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, favorite drink in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming “Yahoo! What a ride”.
So to you dear friend, laughter it will be...memories shared celebrating our time together and incidentally old girl, “Yahoo…It’s been a great ride”.

Memorial Service Scheduled

The memorial service for Julia has been schedule for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday June 20th. It will be held at the Rockwood United Methodist Church. Those traveling from Knoxville will take a left on Hwy 27 at the first traffic light in Rockwood (not counting the lights at WalMart)...Evans Mortuary will be on your right. The church is located on the left before you arrive at the stop sign on Kingston Ave...you cannot miss it.

From a "SALTY PIECE OF LAND" by Jimmy Buffet

I wanted to share this with you, it is an excerpt from a book that Julia wanted me to read and since I've only been able to read to help me fall asleep I just read this last night. It was like a gift from my guardian angel.

"Old friend, grief is like the wake behind a boat. It starts out as a huge wave that follows close behind you and is big enough to swamp and drown you if you suddenly stop moving forward. But if you do keep moving, the big wake will eventually dissipate. And after a long enough time, the waters of your life get calm again, and that is when the memories of those who have left begin to shine as bright and as enduring as the stars above."

Heaven Has a New & Very Beautiful Angel

It is with a very heavy ache in my heart that I blog now. Julie left this earth to be with her savior at 12:55 today. I know that each of you are saddened just as I. I am so thankful that God blessed me with the opportunity to call her my friend.

The family will have a memorial service most likely two weeks from tomorrow. As I know more I will post. Also, with the family's permission I would like to continue to share old photos and possibly stories of Julie over the next few weeks as a celebration of one of the sweetest lives I have been priviledged to experience.

I know for sure I now have a guardian angel.

Please read previous blog before reading this

Shortly after entering the blog last night, we received a call that Julia's breathing was much worse and the cancer has spread throughout her abdomen. I called Jan and we went back to the hospital. When we arrived the nurses were actually glad we were there and there was no problem with being allowed to see her. She had a panic attack on Wednesday and she told us she had another one but it was 10x worse and she has so much fluid in her abdomen that when she starts having breathing problems it just gets unbearable. The nurse also informed us that she has severe sepsis in the blood. Jan and I had a very sweet visit with Julia. Jan prayed with her, we discussed things the she wanted done upon her passing and were able to tell her we loved her and that when she and God were ready for her it was ok because she would be in a better place with her mother and we would be ok and we would join her there one day. It was very difficult but I am so glad we had the time to share. We asked her if she wanted her pastor to come and she said she would but in the morning (of course Jan had him on standby). Linda, Mike and Judy arrived so we went back to a room so they could have time with her. Julia totally understands what is happpening to her and she and the dr decided it was best not to use life saving efforts such as ventilator etc. After awhile Jan and I went back in to see her again to say goodnight and Jan told her she wanted to read her a bedtime story and she read Psalms 23 and again we were able to tell her we loved her so very much and of course she confirmed the same. I hate to think of losing my very dear friend but I am at peace with all. We don't know how long she has but I can't imagine it being very long. I will update you as soon as I can. I am going back to the hospital this morning to help Linda with some business matters...I know everyone knew I couldn't stay away. Again, thanks so much for your continued love and prayers.

Now in ICU

I felt so hopeful this morning when I blogged. Shortly afterwards, Linda called and told me they planned on putting Julia on dialysis temporarily for about two weeks until they could get her kidneys to functioning again, of course this was a concern. I went up around noon and Jan joined me around 1:00 or so. Shortly after arriving the gastro specialist came in to discuss the feeding tube. Unfortunately he was concerned that the feeding tube may not be effective since sometimes in pancreatic cancer patients that are force fed their bodies cannot tolerate it and it comes back up. They decided to consider putting in the tube through her nose which is less invasive and see if she could then keep the food down over the weekend. If it was a sucess they would insert a peg tube in her stomach on Monday. A little later the hospitalist came in and said he was concerned about her blood pressure and that they may not be able to put the tube in if they didn't get her pressure up but because her kidneys were not functioning properly he could not give her more fluids to help raise her blood pressure. He said he was wanted her blood pressure taken again and he would decide what they would do. A little later he came down and talked to Linda, Jan and I out in the hall and said, "You know she is going to die from the cancer and we usually think in terms of 6-8 mos. and since we are having all the issues with her bodily functions it will be considerably less." He said, "She is very young and such a sweet lady and right now we are trying to make her comfortable and give her a little more time" (which I think he meant with more quality than she is currently experiencing). He then told us they had decided to move her to ICU so that she could be monitored more closely especially since her blood pressure remained so low (it was 74/54) and that way if something happened during the night etc. someone would be right there to help her and also he could treat her more effectively. Julia was ok with the move and frankly I think she feels so bad all she wants is to do whatever it takes to feel better. Linda, Mike and Sandra were there for the first visit after ICU and Linda felt alot better about her care and said she even looked better (they had put in a port so that she would not have all the tubes etc in her arms). Her breathing is very shallow and she is on oxygen. Of course right now her visitors are very limited. Unless she is worse I am going to stay away tomorrow so that she can rest and her family can take the visits...I think. I may not be able to stay away, when I am with her it makes me feel better and when I'm away I can't get her off my mind but I'm going to try to do what is best for her and the family, after all, I always tell her it's about her only and not about me or anyone else. I guess I need to practice what I preach. I appreciate your continued prayers more than anyone will ever know and I will keep you informed as quickly as possible.

Fight Mode Finally....I hope

I went to see Julia yesterday and at first it really scared me because I didn't think she was better but they gave her a breathing treatment and a few minutes later she started to look alot better. Jan went up yesterday afternoon and was there when the oncologist came in. Dr. Thompson has a very good bed side manner and he told her she was a very sick woman but as long as she stayed in the fight mode he would be there to help her. Julia will see the radiologist today and it sounded like they would start the treatments immediately. He said they would transport Julia by ambulance for her treatments. Also, she has agreed to a feeding tube which hopefully will give her enough nourishment that she can begin to regain strength. This really surprised me, I honestly did not think she would agree to it but "Thank God" she did so that certainly reflects a survival instinct which I was not sure was there before. Monday she told me she was really going to fight this and the optimistic side of me believed her but her previous behaviors still haunted me. Her PCP, Dr. Wilson, certainly had Mike, Linda, and I upset and I think it actually hit Julia as well. He was very sweet and kind but he did not paint a very rosey picture. They are also going to try to remove her bag and put in a stint. As soon as I know when or if it is completed I will let you know. The Dr did ask her if her heart stopped at any point did she want to be revived and she confirmed, "yes". Julia is very weak and needs our prayers for regaining of her strength and the needed strength for these procedures and I know everyone is praying because there is beginning to be some light. Originally the hospitalist said she would be there three days but I really don't see that as a possibility now. I am going up there today and I will let you know about cards and calls ASAP. Thanks for being there for her. It is my pleasure to be able to keep you informed.

Methodist Medical Center Room 441

Julia was transported to Oak Ridge around 2:00 a.m. this morning. I talked with Linda a little while ago and apparently she will not see the oncologist until in the morning. She has seen a nephrologist that said her kidneys are working but are very dry from the dehydration. Also, she does have some fluid in her lungs but they said that could be caused from the hydration efforts and they may have to slow that down. They called in a nutritionist and they tried a special drink but Julia was not able to drink it. I will bring you up to date as soon as we've heard something from the oncologist.

A Challenging Day

Mike, Linda and I took Julie to her primary care physician yesterday at 3:30. I had not planned on going with Linda but after my second visit yesterday I decided I should because I was afraid she might pass out on Linda and of course it being so hot had me even more concerned. When I got to the house Mike was there and we could sense he wanted to go. I'm really glad that all three of us were there because Julie is very sick and the doctor focused on her comfort and her decisions about the future. Jules was so dehydrated that she had to be transported by ambulance from the dr's office about 200 ft to the hospital. The dr was concerned that something could happen and she needed the experience of the EMT and he said we could get her in faster, stabilize her and then move her to Oak Ridge where the only oncologist is that can take her immediately. Julia's blood pressure was 68/44, she had dry heaves and she has a bladder infection and a touch of pneumonia. We arrived at the hospital around 4:15. They got her stabilized around 8:00 (I think), had her room, dr etc set up at Oak Ridge and were waiting for the ambulance. That was the beginning of the ER nightmare...it was like a full moon or something. They had two cardiac arrest and I don't know how many other emergencies. Every time a ambulance would be on it's way it would be deferred to another emergency or arrive and have to transfer a life or death patient to another hospital. Jan and Shirley had came up as soon as Jan found out we were at the hospital and finally Julia sent them home because Jan had to work today (somewhere around 11:00). Around midnight we talked to the dr and he said he didn't know when she would be moved because they just kept rolling in with more patients. Julia told Linda she thought it would be best if I brought her home so she could get some rest and get to Oak Ridge this morning. We really hated to leave her but she felt it would be best in the long run. I just talked to the hospital and she was transported earlier this morning. Mike, Judy and Linda will be going up early so I will post as soon as I know something. Please continue to pray for our girl.

Update--Coming Home

I am sorry for the delay but Julia asked me to wait. She decided Wednesday night to come home. She should be on a flight en route to Knoxville as I blog. Jan is supposed to pick them up and bring them home. Linda is coming home with her and her dr here is trying to set up an appt with a oncologist and radiologist. There is a lot involved but basically Julie felt like she was not being treated effectively at CTCA. Hopefully this will not be another set back but as we all know time is ticking. She has asked that she have a few days at home to get aclamated before she has calls or visits. I promise to post daily to let you know what is going on. Again, I apologize but I had to do as she asked me.

Please everyone continue to pray, Julie's lack of nutrition has caused her to really go down. She is having to use a wheel chair when she goes any distance at all. I had a wheel chair that I took over this morning when I went to feed the cats. Donna had been feeding them but she is on vacation so I took back over when I arrived home yesterday. She needs prayers for strenghth, wise decisions and healing.

Still no treatment

Julia canceled her therapy this morning. She said she had a rough night and her back was hurting when she got up. She made an appt with the radiologist for tomorrow @ 10:30 to discuss what options she has. At one point it was mentioned that they could put her to sleep but that has not been mentioned since her block was done. She has a list of questions for Dr Patel including why can't she go on and start chemo etc. Beth left this morning and Linda arrived this afternoon. Please pray for Julia's strength to do this. She assures me she wants the treatment and I'm just optimistic enough that I have to believe her. I love her very much and I pray that whatever she decides to do she will be committed to.

Didn't make the treatment but is closer!

Just talked to Julie for about 45 mins. She didn't take treatment today due to recurring pain in her back however every day the pain gets less and less and she said the technician thought she would be able to do it tomorrow. Additionally she is having the treatment at 8:00 A.M. which I think might be a better time for her. We talked about a lot today including some business issues (I'm helping with paying bills etc) and she was more talkative and involved than she has been in weeks. Also, she is eating more...she doesn't eat alot but yesterday they had barbecue at the Guest Quarters and she ate some potato salad, baked beans and pasta salad. Not a tremendous amount but some. She would not have even touched any of that when I was there. Keep up the prayers and hopefully tomorrow is the big day!

Melanie

I don't know what it's like up there, but here in ET on Memorial Day it is GORGEOUS and I hope my most gorgeous Cuz is feeling ok, if not well.

I've got a chickadee nesting in a little birdhouse on my porch , as well as plenty of hummingbirds (your totem) and I think of you at least each morning and evening when they are the most active. I wish you were here with me. That's what I'm going to do. Let's pretend each day that you are sitting with me watching hummingbirds.

Hang in there Blackie, we love you a whole lot.

A Call from Julia

Julia called me yesterday and we talked for 30 mins....that's a record these days. She sounded great and says she continues to feel better every day - even the pain in her side is getting better. She said that she feels like eating etc more now. I told her the appetite enhancer is made from marijuana and that why she's feeling so good...Ha Ha. I asked her what she thought about Tuesday and she said she thought she could do it. So here's to Tuesday. Everyone pray for her safe trip from Oconomoc to Zion and her strength for Tuesday.

We are on our way to St. Petersburg but I will continue to talk and blog.

Another Weekend In Oconomowoc

First, thanks for the comments....it helps to write when you know that people are reading.

I'm thankful to say that I talked with Julia this morning and she said the pain is getting better each day. I talked to my son last night and I had not put it together but Chadley had a similar block when he had his accident. His was a different nerve and for a different reason but it took about a week for us to see results. Chadley was in a coma so he could not tell us anything be we could see results in his hand that had been drawn in a fist. It made me feel so good when she said the pain was easing up a little more each day. Maybe we will see some changes next week.
When I talked with Sandra yesterday she had been eating and drinking like she should. They have given her an appetite enhancer so hopefully that will making eating a little easier.

Her nephew came and picked her up today to go to Oconomowoc for the weekend. I think it always does her good to get away and have a different environment. Her niece, Beth is flying in to Wisconsin tomorrow and is staying til Wednesday when her sister, Linda will be back for a couple of weeks.

Please continue your prayers because I do think we are at least seeing some improvement in the pain. Hopefully, she will regain her strength and can make a commitment to whatever path she chooses to follow. I love Julia like the sister I never had and I truly appreciate every one's continued prayers.

Second Night in Hospital

This is the most difficult blog I have done. The pain is gone in Julia's back but she now has a new pain in her side. Dr. Lindsey (the hospitalist) came in to talk to her today. First of all she was very dehydrated and he also told her the tumor had grown from 3 centimeters to 5.5 centimeters during the time she has been there. The cancer has not invaded other organs BUT it is invading the portal vein which is near the liver and one of the mesenteric vessels is encased with the cancer. The Mesenteric vessels are the arteries and veins that supply the small and large intestines. Also, there are now 4 lymph nodes that have tested positive. He suggested that chemo and radiation begin immediately. Julia said that she was in too much pain. He told her that he would give her a shot of dilaudid to take care of that...which he did. She still refused to begin therapy today or tomorrow. She says that she will start next Tuesday. Julia told me today that she wanted to feel good this weekend and not be sick. I asked her to promise to try to eat and drink so that she could at least get her body in better shape. She said she would and Sandra did say she ate some and drank fluids today. Julia was released from the hospital but while Sandra went to get the car she became too weak and they decided to keep her overnight again. Sandra said that when she stands up her blood pressure is dropping so much that she almost passes out.

Those of us that know Julie well, know that she can be very stubborn and does her own dance. I'm concerned about her willingness to truly fight. I don't know how everyone else feels but I have told her all along that it is her life and I will respect her decisions. Unfortunately I'm not sure of what she has decided to do nor am I convinced that she knows exactly what she wants to do. Please pray that she has the strength to make wise decisions for her well being and that we all have the strength to accept her decisions and support her to the best of our ability.

Home Alone 2

Julia spent the night in the hospital last night which is normal after that procedure. Sandra was home alone suffering in 80+ temperatures since their air conditioner was torn up (it was a blessing that Julia got to stay). She said Julia was doing well and resting. Sandra is pushing to get Julia's treatment started tomorrow. We thought it would be good if Sandra could be with her since she has had radiation. Sandra also said that she got a copy of a scan that was done last week and even though the tumor had increased significantly that there were no signs that it had spread to other organs...thank you God!

Good Night After All

Talked with Sandra a few minutes ago and Julia basically had a good night. At least Sandra was rewarded with getting to see the Julie we know and love for a while. She woke up a little after I talked with Sandra last night, was working puzzles, ate a little, and Sandra said she seemed to feel good enough to walk to the hospital which is about 5 blocks away (that is probably an exaggeration but still sounds good). The pain returned around 4:00 a.m. which is what they expected. From what Sandra is saying they wanted to do the epidural to determine if she could get relief from pain at the site they had determined for the block. Sandra says they are using the terminology of killing the nerve with the alcohol. That doesn't exactly go along with what the John Hopkins website said but they did also say that it should last 3 to 4 mos. So regardless of the technical terms sounds like they have a good plan and Sandra, Beth & Rich may get to see Julia pain free which would make everyone feel really good. I will blog again tonight after the block and we know more but since she seemed so much better later last night...I thought I should share the news.

Hopefully pain free

Julia's procedure went well but the radiologist told Sandra that the tumor had grown significantly. They have decided to go a step futher on the pain management and are doing another procedure Celiac Plexus Block tomorrow at 12:00. You can read about this procedure at http://pathology.jhu.edu/pancreas/TreatmentPain.php. I talked with Julia this afternoon and was so excited, she had no pain and was eating a grilled cheese sandwich. Well...the eating lasted for about 2 bites and a bite or so of a pickle. So as of 9:00 that is all she had eaten all day today. Sandra is going to talk to her care manager tomorrow about the lack of appetite etc. I am even more concerned about the lack of fluids. But like I told Sandra, this is normal and the best thing to do is talk to the Care Manager and maybe the nutrionist for advise on what her role should be and what would be the best way to help. I know Julia and sometimes the more you say the worse it gets. Beth, I'm hoping she will want to impress you and at least try to eat. My candle was lit and a prayer went out for Julia and Sandra at 9:00. Sandra loves Julia and is feeling helpless but I know she is doing a good job. When I talked to Sandra about 9:10, Julia was sleeping and actually laying on her back (it's been a long time since she's done that) so at least it sounds like she is getting some relief from pain and that will probably help her appetite more than anything.

CTCA definitely knows who Sandra Wright is!

The day started with the same old, same old. Linda called, Sandra and I talked and she got her ammunition together and went to the hospital to get some action. After going to Care Management (trying to go thru the proper channels) she went to administration and told them she was tired of seeing her friend in pain and was tired of waiting for a phone call to get the show on the road. By 2:00 Julia was scheduled for an epidural tomorrow at 3:00. The epidural is a catheter into the spinal area that will allow continous delivery of pain medication around the spinal nerves. This mode of pain med admin requires special physician and nursing expertise and needs careful monitoring but hopefully will work. Once the pain is under control the radiation and chemo should start. Julia actually has the chemo pills but she not supposed to start taking them until her radiation is started. Prayer is needed tomorrow for her strength, she has a busy day starting at 9:30 with different appointments until the surgery at 3:00. I can't help but get my hopes up that she will have control of the pain by tomorrow evening.

Changing of the Guard

Linda went home yesterday and Sandra took over. Chadley and I went to the airport to see Sandra off and take some things up for Julie. I wanted to get Sandra's picture and she insisted on having it made with Chadley. She can't get over what a big teddy bear he is. For those of you who don't know, Chadley is my 28 yr old son who had a serious car accident in 2002 and has a traumatic brain injury. Mamaw Jan & Shirley sent Julie a couple of gifts and Jan also sent Sandra a gift. You know Mamaw has to be sure and take care of everyone. She paid for mine & Julia's luggage when we flew up and sent Sandra $'s to do the same for her. Sandra insisted on taking the money and getting Julie a couple of Tennessee Tshirts. She wanted to make sure Julia would let everyone know where home is. She said Julia loved them. We'll have to get photos of Julie modeling her latest wardrobe addition.

I called Julia a few minutes ago and she said she was in terrible pain. I talked to Sandra and we finally convinced her to let Sandra call Pain Mgmt. One of the benefits of being there is you have 24/7 on pain assistance. Julie has never taken advantage of it because she always felt she could bear it til the next day but we thought it was time to do something now. She should not have to suffer this way and I hate to have her drugged but I firmly believe that when someone is hurting this bad additional meds are a necessity. Sandra said she is not eating again which is what happens when she is in severe pain. I'm so glad someone is with her. Julie is a tuff cookie and doesn't always take the initiative to help herself. Keep up the prayers for pain relief...I know you will.

Again...no radiation

I couldn't bring myself to post on the blog last night...I'm really trying to be upbeat and positive. Julie did not have radiation again. The doctors need the input of the intervention radiologist who did her bag and he was in surgery all day yesterday. After reading up on the Internet (my son the MD keeps reminding me that I am not a doctor and not even close to it so I need to be careful with my interpretations) I think I understand the different possibilities. I am sending Julie some info with Sandra so that she will understand more and can ask questions. Of course, I think she is in so much pain that all she wants is relief. I'll post more as I know more. Hopefully, Sandra will be off to Chicago at 3:30 today and I'm planning to meet her at the airport so that she can take some things to Jules.

STILL NO RADIATION

I just talked with Julia and she didn't make it again. For some reason they tried a pill rather than the injection and were not successful. Pain Mgmt and the Radiation Team are getting with the doctors tomorrow to see what they can do. Sounds like twilight sleep is needed. She sounded good but was disappointed...she said the pill did not phase the pain.

The Latest News & An Address for all of you!

Julia had a rough day again today. She was not able to do the radiation due to the pain she has in her back. Tomorrow they are going to give her an injection for pain before the treatment and if that does not work they will put her to sleep to do the treatment. She really got sick today. She has to lay on a hard, flat table for the radiation and her back hurts her so bad it makes her get very sick. Please pray for her...she truly needs all the prayers she can get.

Linda moved her to the Guest Quarters and she has a recliner which I think will help her alot. She will be there for the rest of her time in Zion. Her address is:

Julia Zumstein
C/O Guest Quarters - Room 5
1911 27th St
Zion, IL 60099

The phone no. there is 847-872-3564.

Thanks for everyone's patience as I learn ways to improve the blogspot. I finally figured out how to post showing my name and if you've not noticed please read the details in Change in Comments. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Change on Comment Section

Several people have commented that they tried to leave messages but could not accomplish the setup etc. I've changed the setting and hopefully this will help and not cause too much trouble. You can write your comment then be sure and put your name because your are commenting anonymously and she will not know who it is. After your comment come down to the comment as: and select anonymous and then post comment. I'll watch to see if this seems to work better for everyone.

Just wanted to share photos of some of the beautiful flowers in Julia's yard.

Lois @ Easter with Julie

Lois sent a gift for Julie yesterday along with three photos from Easter. I thought I would share the one with (from left) Linda, Lois, and her niece Carol. From what I understand they had a great time at Easter and looking forward to many more after Julia gives the monster the boot.

Mon.,May 11

Another week started after a quiet,relaxing weekend. It only rained a little Sat. night. The rest of the time was very nice. The flowers and trees are all in bloom. It's very pretty up here this time of year. We've had a full day today. Julie had an appointment at 9:30 to get her dressing changed. Next she had to get her blood drawn. We had a little lunch while waiting for her next appointment. At 12:30 she had to go for an exam and at 1:20 she was supposed to get her first radiation treatment but she forgot to bring her pain medicine with her and by that time she was hurting and couldn't lay down on the table so they rescheduled her for tomorrow at 2:50. We check out of here at 12:00 Wed. and move to the Guest House were Julie will stay the rest of the time she is here. It is only about 5 blocks from the hospital. Julie is taking a nap so I decided this would be a good time to write on the blog. Once she starts the radiation she will get it everyday from Mon.-Fri. She really enjoys reading your email on her blog so keep it up. I'll let everyone know how it goes tomorrow. The radiation treatment only lasts about 10 min.

Off to Oconomowoc


I talked with Julia a couple of times yesterday. Her nephew (Rich) took her and Linda to his home in Oconomowoc, WI for Mother's Day. I am sure Linda enjoyed being with her son...I'd say with him in Wisconsin and her in Mississippi that does not happen for Mother's Day too often. When I talked with Julie; Rich, Doug and Linda had went out shopping and doing the normal Saturday trips to the meat market etc. When I was there we went to the meat market and I had an awesome Brat that one of the Community Clubs was cooking right beside the market. Apparently in the spring and summer the clubs grill etc. to raise money. Well let me tell you, that was the best Brat I had ever had. My husband cooks a good brat but those fresh made ones there in Wisconsin can't be beat. Julia was enjoying relaxing at home with the girls (Shelby & Skyler...the Australian Shepherds)

She had visited the pain mgmt specialist on Friday and they had doubled her dose of the long acting pain medication and of course she has meds she can take every 2 hrs if needed. It sounds like the pain is getting worse but the change in meds seems to be helping....she did sound like she was in pretty good spirits. She also met with the Naturopath Dr on Friday and they have put her on nine supplements...she said most of them looked like horse pills and she would have to get up an hour earlier just to get all of her meds down. I hope the new meds do not have a negative impact on her appetite. She still eat very minimal amounts..the one thing she can almost always eat (but still not a lot at one sitting) is watermelon. She probably will eat about a fourth of what we would think of as a normal slice. She promises me that she is getting down a little bit of food every day.

Keep praying!
Love,
Peggy

I just wanted to share another photo and let everyone know I talked with Julia this morning and she thought she rested a little better last night. I was so glad to hear that since she had to cancel a couple of appointments yesterday because she was so tired.

Photos

I'm trying to add a few photos to the blog. The hospital and hotel's computers did not have the photo card slot. I;ve added some to old post and wanted to add a couple more. I don't think I mentioned in the beginning that Jan & Shirley took us to the airport so we would not have to leave our car for who knows how long (ended up being a very wise decision). I sure am thankful that Shirley went with Jan...I think she needed the moral support and Shirley is excellent with TLC.

When Julia and I were younger (probably pre teenage) we used to buy matching outfits. I'm not sure if we did it on purpose or if the choice in Rockwood was so slim (JCPenney & Bernard's) that we didn't have a choice. But I was shopping before we left and found a pair of pj's for Julia and decided I liked them so much that I wanted a pair also...guess what...JCPenney special. So Linda wanted to take our photo and I promised to put it on the blog. Julia cheated..she still had on makeup but since I liked to get mine off ASAP I was bare faced so sorry for the scare!

Getting Started

At least it's a start. Julie got marked today for radiation. It takes 5 days until they start the treatments s0 it will be next Tues. before she gets started. The treatments last from5-6 weeks. We will be moving to the Guest House the 13th. It is only about 4-5 blocks from the hospital. Julie was given new pain medication so maybe she will be able to rest better now. It has been a long day and she is taking a nap. I am taking this time to put this on the blog. I am not as good at this as Peggy was. Rich is coming down Fri. to get us and take us up for Mother's Day weekend.

Sunday 5-3-09

It is a gorgeous day! Peggy is getting ready to fly home. We miss her already but we know her family will be so glad to have her home. Julie may not be rich in money but she is rich in friends. Julie has had and OK day. She's eaten pretty good today. We have just laid around today. Julie has to be at the hospital tomorrow at 10 am.

Solo Flight

Well Julie didn't make it to Walmart, she sent her admin asst instead so that she could stay home and rest. She was very tired again yesterday. Linda arrived this morning via the stretch limo. It has been a much better day for Julie. She came down and read her comments on the blog (which she has not been able to do since last Sat) and has actually eaten more today than she has since we have been here. Most of the yellow has gone away since she got her bag so hopefully that will make her feel better and perhaps improve her diet. I'm leaving tomorrow and Linda will take over the blog. I will try to add photos either tomorrow or Monday. I took some of Julie Thursday night after she ate and this morning that are really good and I think will show you how much she is beginning to improve.

Oops! Fell off the wagon!

Sorry for not updating the blog yesterday...we had a free day and I got out of my routine. Good news...I actually had a dinner partner last night. Jules got dressed, came downstairs and ate a little salad, orange roughy, and rice....I told my husband that it was a little bit on my eating scale but a lot on Julie's. I was really proud of her. She looked so good yesterday evening, I took a couple of photos which I will try to share when I get home (the computers do not have a slot for the photo card). I even took one with her modeling her new bag! We were very fortunate, there was a cancellation at the resort so she can stay here til at least next Thursday. We went to the hospital this morning to take care of a few administrative issues and Julie got really tired after about 15 mins. Fatigue is a huge issue and seemed to be getting a little better. She has nothing scheduled today (we were back here by 9:00) so we are hoping she can get some rest and we can do a short trip to Walmart. We have a running list and she wants to go but if is not up to it, I will do it myself. The hospital provides a shuttle that runs to Walmart several times in the afternoon. I'll let you know later today how everything goes. Keep your fingers crossed.

Free at Last

Julia was released from the hospital today with her new accessory (bile duct bag). Thankfully she will not have to keep it for long. Once they get her bilirubin down they are hoping they can insert the stent so that she will not have to mess with that very long. She talked with the radiology oncologist this morning and was supposed to have her radiation simulation tomorrow but it has been changed to Monday. After the simulation, it will take 3 - 5 days for them to put a plan together. All of the markers have to be just right so that the radiation will hit the intended target. We are going to be at the Il Beach Resort til Friday for sure and then we will either move or stay there. Hopefully, whatever happens it will be the last move til around 5/13 or 5/14 when she will move to the Guest Quarters which is similar to a Ronald McDonald House or like the Hospitality House at Ft Sanders. It is designed to accomodate long term outpatients. Julie will be here for 5 - 6 weeks. Linda, Julia's sister will be coming up Saturday to stay a couple of weeks and I will be going home Sunday. I know everyone is wanting to send cards etc. but it would be better to wait until she is settled at the Guest Quarters. I'm making copies of the comments on the blog and taking to her. Jules just doesn't feel good enough to even sit a computer for a few mins.

Home Alone

Julia is in the hospital for the night following her procedure today and I'm here alone at the hotel. They were late getting her in for the procedure this morning but she finally got in, it was a success and she was feeling better. She was even hungry afterwards which was a shock (she ate half of a small salad and about half of a small plate of fruit. I'm not sure if the narcotics had just started to wear off 45 mins ago or what, but she went from a 1 pain level to a 7 in about 1 hr. She will be seeing the radiology oncologist in the morning and hopefully we will have a better feel for our game plan. I will update ASAP. Thanks for following our journey.

A Little Bump in the Road

Julia's procedure was unsuccessful this morning. The bile duct is blocked so bad that the Dr could not get a fine wire in it let alone a stent. He said he could not remember when this has happened...that 99% were sucessful. So the alternative is to put a tube in her side to drain the bile and then once it opens up some they will go back in and put in the stent. Her tumor has grown and is pushing on her back causing severe pain, hopefully we will talk with the radiologist about that after tomorrow's procedure. She really feels bad but stated she was so glad she was here rather than at home so that it could be dealt with ASAP. She is still in good spirits, she is a fighter but the pain is wearing on her nerves. I would have updated the blog earlier but the computer hogs were here, I think I have some kind of signal that lets everyone know I am going to the computer. Julia's procedure is at 10:00 tomorrow..I'll update ASAP.

Back In Illinois

We arrived back in Zion this afternoon. Because of an error in our reservations we moved to Illinois Beach Resort today. We could have stayed another day at Country Inn but with Julia having the procedure in the morning, we decided it would be better to move today. This place is really nice....Jan, tell Leroy that we told him we were going to the beach and we meant it. I'll post some photos when I get home. The lake here looks like the ocean and you see the water as far as you can see. Julia is resting now and hopefully after tomorrow's procedure, she will start to feel better. She drank a whole milkshake today...a small one but I was thrilled. Remember her in your prayers tomorrow morning. The procedure should take between 20 mins to 2 hrs. The dr has scheduled a hour for hers. As soon as I can update the blog tomorrow, I will.

Thank God for Friday

Yesterday was a really long and trying day. We were so tired the blog wasn't touched...sorry! We are currently at Julie's nephew Rich's house in Wisconsin. It's nice getting out of the hotel room and being around family. Rich has two dogs and we (especially me) are really enjoying them...I miss my Chloe. Yesterday the drs told us that the tumor had grown and is blocking the bile duct so Julie will be having a stint put in Monday morning to open it up and hopefully get her bilirubin down so that she can start chemo. The proposed treatment which Julie has agreed to is simultaneous chemo and radiation for 5-6 weeks. We will know more on Monday about when the radiation will start since it can be administered before the bilirubin is lowered and then they can start the chemo along with it once it goes down.

We met with the nutrionist, naturopathy dr, and mind and body person yesterday. They have already started Julie on a drug that will help with her digestion. There are so many options here. They have a chiropracter, which I'm sure she will see soon since her back is still giving her fits, accupuncture expert, massage therapist, cosmotologist, nail technicians, and just about anything else you can imagine. They stress treating the whole person and not letting the disease define who you are. Julie really feels comfortable here and seems to be excited about taking advantage of all of these resources.

We are not sure if we will be back on Wednesday or the weekend. The oncologist said she might need a few days to get clothes together etc. but I don't think she wants to waste too much time so depending on what the drs recommend she may take some treatment next week before we come home. She is in good spirit and I think this little weekend vacation will help her a lot.

2nd Day at CTCA

Julie has had a long day today and is very tired. She had numerous test from 9:00 to 2:30 today. She is finally getting some relief from the pain and is trying to catch up on lost sleep. I've left her in the room to relax. We will be seeing the nutrionist, mind and body specialist, and naturopath tomorrow and then meeting with her doctors to discuss treatment options tomorrow at 4:30 ET. Please keep her in your prayers and ask that she will have the strength to make wise decisions.

Arrived at CTCA

We were picked up by a white stretch limo at the airport last night which was great because airplane seats can become quite uncomfortable. Another pancreatic cancer patient was also picked up at the same time and he shared his story with us. He had been to three major hospitals in the New York/New Jersey area before coming here. His story is very long and complicated but he said the atmosphere, respect and treatment options offered here surpassed any previous experiences he had. He should be on a commercial because he certainly would do a good sales job. It's 11:00 and so far we agree with his evaluation. Julia is currently doing lab work and an EKG. We have already met with one oncologist who has ordered a complete CAT scan, they are prescribing a stronger pain medication today (she did not sleep at all last night) and have scheduled her for pain management in the morning. She will be meeting with a nutrionist and naturopath to get her body ready for chemo if that is the option she chooses. She will be reviewed by another oncologist and if both oncologist agree, treatment options will be presented to her on Friday. We will keep you updated when possible.

Chicago Bound

As most of you know I'm leaving Tuesday for Cancer Center Treatment of America in Zion, Il which is just outside of Chicago. Peggy Bowman has been my friend since 3rd grade and she will be accompanying me. Peggy had this bright idea of creating a blog so that we could keep everyone updated. The only problem is that she has never created a blog before and knows very little. So, if Peggy is successful, we will be able to keep you informed on a daily basis of what is going on. Sometimes, I'll post on the blog and sometimes Peggy will. Please keep me in your prayers as you know this is in God's hands.