Friends and Family of my mother,
This is actually Vicki's daughter Stephanie writing to give everyone an update on my mom and share some important sites that we've just set up.
Mom just got home on Thursday evening after almost 9 days in the hospital. She has been on the upswing ever since coming home. Some days and nights are better than others and she is still dealing with the pain of numerous procedures. She is having trouble sleeping as she can't seem to get comfortable which means she has to take naps and rest throughout the day.
To sum up her time in the hospital, my mom was diagnosed with stage 3-stage 4 pancreatic cancer (adenocarcinoma). We have a meeting tomorrow with Massey Cancer Center to set up a chemo/radiation schedule for the next 2-4 months. If they can reduce the size of the tumor, the doctors at Memorial Regional Medical Center will reevaluate to determine whether they will remove it through a Whipple procedure.
We plan on getting a second opinion on her condition from Johns-Hopkins hospital in Maryland. We will share more information once we set up an appointment.
My mom's spirits are high mostly due to her faith, and she is remaining optimistic. Your encouragement, prayers, and support have been absolutely instrumental in helping my family deal with the shocking news.
If you would like to come by the house for a visit, the best time is between 11-5 or 7-9 but it is extremely important to call before you plan to come to see if my mom is feeling up to it. The best numbers to call are my number (804-687-1520) or the home number (804-730-8693) because my mom does not always have her cell phone with her and it is an exhausting chore checking all the messages every day.
We recently set up a site for my mom to post journal entries and updates and for you to post encouraging words in her guestbook. The site is
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/vickischeffler but she has yet to write her first journal. Please check this site for updates!
Another site we've set up is for those of you who have offered to help. Visit the site below, request to join the community, and then you can pick a day to make a meal or help with any other errands or chores that we we may need help with. This will be incredibly important in November when I will no longer be living in the area and able to help her on a daily basis. My father is saving his leave time for future surgery and works full days during the week. The site is
https://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/630114/
If you know others that are friends of my mom that need this update, please forward this email to them, post it to listserves and forums! Thank you so much for all the love and support!
Regards,
Stephanie