Update from Steve

September 4, 2011

Hello everyone,

Please forgive me for not providing an update on Julie sooner than this. As you can well imagine, my activities have been entirely focused on Julie and Emelie and I can honestly say that I have not had a chance whatsoever to sit down and write an update on her health until now. I hope you understand.
Julie has been on hospice care at home since her release from the hospital August 11. The wonderful people with hospice have provided a hospital bed and all the other accompanying items we need to keep her as comfortable and independent as possible. It is Julie’s strong desire that she stay at home the duration of her illness and I intend to honor her desire no matter what.

Unfortunately, Julie’s pancreatic cancer is spreading much quicker than any of us or her doctors could imagine. I asked her nurse today what the doctors are saying about her life expectancy, and they are telling me that she has “weeks” and at the most, two months longer to live. While this is devastating news for Emelie and I, we just want her to be as pain-free and comfortable as possible while she is still with us.

Julie is on a morphine pump which administers a constant dose of morphine into her body to assist in pain control. Additionally, she can push a button attached to the pump, allowing her to have more morphine if she feels additional pain. Over the past three weeks, we have had to raise her constant dose of morphine several times to keep up with her increasing pain. We are doing everything possible to keep ahead of this debilitating pain she is experiencing. Additionally, she has several anti-nausea medicines to help her cope with the terrible nausea she is experiencing from the tumors goofing up her digestive system.

Julie has not been able to eat or drink anything at all since the beginning of June due to the problems caused by her cancer. Currently, she is on I.V. feeding through a “pick line” which delivers nutrition into her bloodstream rather than into her digestive system. This seems to be working and is meeting her nutritional needs. I do not expect her to be able eat or drink normally again. We are thankful to be able to give her this type of nutrition here at home.

Now, enough of the bad news and technical information. However, I do want you to be informed of what we are facing here. Despite everything, Julie’s attitude is fantastic. She is upbeat, positive, and is determined to stay as independent and good-humored as she has always been. The heavy medication she is on causes her to say some funny things and we have a good laugh about them together. Julie’s niece came on Friday to highlight her hair, and she still gets up every day and showers and dresses herself as well as fixes her hair. She continues to be the spiritual center of our family and makes sure we do all we can to stay strong.

Julie, Emelie and I spend as much time together as we can. When awake, Julie is alert and able to converse normally, although again, she does say some odd things now and then. Our extended family, church members, friends and community have been a tremendous blessing to us and we are truly in their debt for all the wonderful things and service they have provided. We feel completely overwhelmed (in a good way) by the outpouring of love, prayers, support, and everything else they have given us during this difficult time. To each of you, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We love and cherish you and appreciate you more than we can properly express in mere words.