emilys-stepmom

Friends,

I have very sad news to share with you. Michele passed away on Tuesday, May 25th. She was only 37 years old and has left behind a wonderful family and most importantly a beautiful daughter Emily.

Please keep Michele’s family and Emily in your prayers.

Emily is doing okay. She is the most remarkable and brave little girl.

Thanks to this foundation and all the work you do to bring awareness to this awful, awful disease.

Well today has turned out to be another sad day. We woke this morning to a call to get Emily to her mother’s house ASAP. She was bleeding from the tube on her side. John and Emily were then diverted to the hospital where Emily was able to talk to her mom for a few minutes before she was rushed into the ER. Now, we wait.

And to top off this awful day, as John and Emily were rushing for the hospital, they accidentally ran over our Shitzu. RIP Shimmer.. we love you so much.. XOXO.

Its so hard to keep it together for the younger kids. I know God wouldnt give us more than we can handle, but I tell you I cant take much more.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. Wow, I didnt expect so much support and from all over the world. Let me explain Michele’s situation a little further….. In January, she complained of severe abdominal pain and nausea. She spent several days in the local hospital until they transferred her to the University of MD. It was there that the Drs confirmed it was her gall bladder causing the problem, and several days later the gall bladder was removed and she was sent home. After being home for a little over a week, she began to experience jaundice and the abdominal pains were back. She went back to UofMD, where they ran more tests and found the tumor in her bile duct. It was 3/6/2010, when they confirmed that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. The tumor is intraheptic (sp?). Located within the duct inside her liver. The Drs told her she had “weeks” and to go home and spend them with her friends and family.

Michele, not giving up so quickly, did send her test results to Johns Hopkins. Around the 2nd week of April, she had a consultation with the JH Drs. They agreed with the diagnosis from UofMD and suggested that Michele at least start chemotherapy because they felt she only had a couple of weeks left and the chemo could help prolong her life.

Well 2 weeks ago, she went to JH for the first treatment and her white blood cell count was too low. They put her on an antibiotic to help increase the count. This past Thursday, she had bloodwork done and her count was zero. Her pain has intensified and JH did perform a nerve block surgery on her last Friday to help relieve the pain. The drugs are taking a toll on her mental state, she has become very confused and disoriented.

So that brings us up to date. Michele is in a daily battle and I pray she can live another day to fight.

Emily, my stepdaughter is 10 years old. She is Michele’s only daughter and it breaks my heart that they have to go through this. Everyone keeps telling me that she is fortunate to have my husband and I (along with our 2 daughters– Hannah, age 5 and Georgi, age 5 months). But we dont feel very fortunate right now. I want Emily and myself to become active in this foundation and help raise awareness to this incureable cancer so Emily can carry on her mother’s legacy.

Thanks everyone for listening.. your words are most encouraging and enlightning.

Thanks,

Erika