It's been almost three years since Mary last posted to this blog and in that time she has undergone and endured so much. But, she has also persevered. I honestly don't know how she has gone through what she's gone through and still worked full time, was a full time mom, put up with me, and still maintained a positivity that was infectious. She is truly the strongest person I have ever known. I have been trying to update this blog so that people that come here from the GoFundMe page have a little more inside to what's going on. But after multiple attempts and hours of thinking about what to say the words simply never came out. I am writing this now as I sit by her bedside, she wanted to fall asleep with me here.
So as the title says where to begin? Mary has been through two chemotherapy treatments two brain radiation treatments multiple drug trials and two immunotherapy treatments. The last treatment she was on was a trial drug that showed amazing progress after her first two months. The tumor in the liver shrank dramatically so they kept her on it. Even though the side effects were pretty bad it was working so it was worth it. The next visit for scans showed that the other areas in the body that had activity were stable but the liver was active and not shrinking any further with the treatments. So they scheduled a surgery to go in and apply chemo beads directly to the spot with activity. It was two surgery in fact, the first to make sure they could reach the spot going in through the femoral artery and the second was delivering the treatment. The surgery went fine and she came home still on the trial drug during this time. We went about our daily routines and time passed. It was shortly before Thanksgiving that she started getting to where she couldn't stand up from sitting on the floor without help. She would loose her balance occasionally and was always tired. After Thanksgiving and closer to Christmas she started getting swollen lips and the left side of her face started to droop. We thought (hoped) that it was side effects from the medication but she had a scheduled appointment the first week in January for scans at MD Anderson and she was not about to give up her trip to NYC. We got back from our trip were home for two days and then Mary her mom and the kids started the road trip to Texas. Little did we know our world was about to come crashing down. After her scans and blood work which took all day, she would not see the doctor and get the results of the scans until the next day. That's when everything changed. Not only did the tumor in the liver get bigger (significant growth) I believe were the doctors words but it was also back in the brain and the spine. Her blood counts were at rock bottom and they wanted to admit her to the hospital to get an IV started. There was a glimmer of hope still, there was another trial drug that was in phase one goal they wanted to try and they were going to use the gamma knife on the brain. But then after three days in the hospital they looked at her levels and came to the decision that there was nothing more they could do. Her body was too weak to withstand the trial drug and the gamma knife. They said to take her home and make her comfortable and "IF" she gets stronger then come back and they would start the trail. Needless to say many tears were shed many phone calls were made and Mary flew home the next day. She is currently staying at her mom's house and has hospice coming in once a week because her mom retired to be with her full time so she tends to all her needs. I come over after work everyday and stay until I have to take the kids home to go to bed. There has been a parade of friends and family coming to visit and help in any way they can and we are just taking it day by day. Making the most of each day.
I'm sure I missed some things and made some grammatical errors but oh well. I will try to update when possible and keep it a little more concise.
Thank you for everyone who has donated so far and thank you in advance for the future donators.
What a beautiful piece, Brandt! I only have a postscript to add: We all know the story did not end the way we prayed, hoped, or believed it would. But through the entire journey Mary maintained her humor, courage, optimism, and spirit.
ReplyDeleteOur world is darker without her super nova light, but the spark is so evident in Jude and Riley. It is my privilege to fan those flames so that Mary's spirit will continue to light the world through her babies she loved so much! Momma loves you my girl.
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