THIS PAGE WILL BE USED TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE SHEMENSKI’S AND WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WE WANT TO DO FOR THEM.
Wow…I had no idea things are turned this direction. This news really rattles my heart and I don’t want to be the one standing around wishing I had done something for Johnny and Lisa after the fact…I’M CERTANINLY NOT INTENDING TO IMPLY ANYTHING NEGATIVE or diagnosing where things are going but it’s about taking advantage of the moments we have when we have them. That said, what can we do as a collective group of friends to enhance their quality of life and experiences in the short term. Out of the box ideas…THING BIG! Can we send them somewhere for vacation, can we get Johnny to meet the Bengals football team at training camp or sideline passes for the first game…what’s his Dream day or week…what’s something the two of them have always wanted to do! Put some serious brainstorm behind this and forget the finances for the time being. I’m more than willing to coordinate and help organize. Maybe there’s something already in the works and if so, please let me know what I can do…anything!
I’ve never been more serious…send any idea you have and let’s figure this out…sooner than later! Submit ideas by this coming Friday 7/25. From there we can figure things out! This is a very connected group and I think we can do something very special and meaningful for the Shemenskis!
Joff
Perhaps some other ideas while we get the BIG BANG event in the works would be:
Mowing the lawn?
Any landscape cleanup?
Keith and I have a timeshare available that can be traded for virtually any location in the world. We just need advance notice to make sure the week is available in the desired location.
From Marcia/Jae
Just wanted to throw another idea out there – I don’t know what we can do, but there is a car in their garage that Johnny has been restoring – I know from Lisa that he loves that car and has already done a ton of work on it. I don’t know if it is a “guy thing” to want to work on it yourself, but one thought may be to somehow help him finish it (or help arrange for that for those of us who have no clue about cars!).
Count the Rieders in as well!
Great ideas all the way around! I have a few good family friends that are in the car fixing up business…one mechanic and one with body work. I definitely lack knowledge in the automotive area, so I’m not sure what type of people John’s car would need…but if my friends can’t help, hopefully they could direct us to some reliable people that could.
My dad and his buddy do car restoration stuff as their retirement. If we can get specifics on what Johnny’s car needs, I can get estimates, resources, etc. Let me know if anyone knows the specifics…
Johnny left me a v-mail last week and said the only thing left to do is install the engine. I don’t believe the engine has been shipped yet. If I recall correctly, it’s due in about 2 weeks. Other than that, the car is pretty much done. Because the engine is the most exciting part of any car restoration, he would definitely want to be involved with this. The engine is basically the crown jewel of the car. It will be bad-ass!! It will eat Toyotas for breakfast.
From the Rybolts:
Great thoughts & the Rybolts are definitely on board. Let me know what you guys come up with. I can probably help out with the Bengals idea through Berding…he should be able to hook us up.
From Janna
Ready, willing and able.
Just point me in the right direction.
Joff was right – this isn’t just a connected group of friends – it’s a family.
Any update? Johnny sent out a text last weekend saying he fired up the chevelle, so that idea is off the table!
According to Keith, Joff and Ryan Rybolt are working on something.
A friend of mine trains Chad Johnson’s dogs ( I know he’s not everyone’s favorite right now) but he’s going to ask if Chad will make a surprise appearance at Johnny’s house one day/night. He’s going to set it up so I can meet Chad and talk about Johnny’s situation and hopefully Chad will have a heart and agree to meet Johnny. If I get that far I’ll ping everyone and we can plan a barbecue night and have everyone over at Johnny’s or something.
I talked to Lisa Saturday night and she mentioned Johnny’s trip to Bengals Camp this week. Thanks to Ryan Rybolt for setting this up.
I also talked to her about sending them on vacation somewhere and she said they are thinking of taking a trip to Hawaii with Johnny’s parents. She said they could get a good deal on flights since Johnny’s dad was in the Airforce and there is some resort where they could stay. I need to get more details from her. Perhaps someone in our community of friends has frequent flier miles that they can give to the Shemenski’s. She also said her and Johnny have list of things they want to do and I asked her to share that with me so we could all help with it. I’ll post it on this site when I get it.
She said they have a lawn service that cuts the lawn for them, I don’t see why we can’t save them some money and do it for them. I’ll circle back with Lisa and see if there is a contract or if they can cancel at anytime. Before I do that, please let me know if you’re willing to go up once a week to mow the lawn and we can assign a week to you and then start over again once we’ve gone through everyone. That way I can tell Lisa I have them covered for 12 weeks or whatever the number may be. I’m sure anything we can do to help them save money would be appreciated.
She also said that Johnny wanted to hire a maid but Lisa is not ready for that yet. When that time comes, perhaps we can pull together and make that happen for them too.
I’m in for the grass cutting. The house cleaning is a different story…I barely clean mine! Carrie also mentioned that we could throw in some coin to have just the two of them stay at a nice resort for a couple of days while they’re in Hawaii. It sounded like they would be staying at the air force base with his parents.
Yeah, I couldn’t get a sense of what she was talking about in regards to a resort and I didn’t want to press…but she said it was “really nice” so I assumed they were going someplace else.
I think it would be a great idea to try and get them a nice place. I’ll touch base with Lisa today to try and figure out what their plans are.
From Lisa….
As far as our stay in Hawaii, we plan to go with John’s parents because if we go with them, we can get a really good price on the hotel (Hale Koa Hotel is a hotel associated with the airforce). That’s really all the plans we have thus far. We hope to talk dates soon.
Like anyone would, she of course protests any help from “The Family” but I think we could just surprise them anyway. Maybe do what Ryan suggests and pool our money and give them a check so that the Hawaii trip could be cost free for them.
How about donating frequent flier miles to them to help with their airline tickets?
Joff and I met Johnny for some beer and wings at BW3 tonight. John is in good spirits. He was very happy to get out and eat some wings!
We are gathering volunteers to mow their lawn so they don’t have to pay for a lawn service. So far, me and Schaefer…
I’ll take a lawn cutting week. With the weather lately that could be pushed out. I am cutting about every 8-10 days and I’m sure the lawn service comes weekly and cuts whether it needs it or not. What about other landscaping? Do the bushes/trees need trimmed, etc.? I’m sure a few of us could knock it all out in an hour or so.
That car was meant to be driven so if it ever needs a spin around the block just let me know!
Keith and I met with Johnny tonight at Bw3’s to talk Bengals and he looked good and his spirits were up. He is so excited and pumped about his car and about the upcoming Bengals season!
He mentioned that he and Lisa are planning a potential trip to Hawaii and maybe to Vegas. More on that as we learn more. Both trip would be great and we need to encourage / help them make these happen.
Thanks to Rybolt we are taking Johnny to Bengals training camp with his Dad tomorrow and have a few fun surprises planned for him…
Hi guys. I work with Lisa at Wellpoint. I was talking to her yesterday and she kind of jokingly mentioned that she needs help cleaning her bathrooms. The more she talked I think she was serious. She said they have a lot of visitors and it’s hard to keep up with the house work. Should we all pitch in to get a cleaning service or do a sign up and go in and clean. I did this for a couple with a child with cancer about 4 years ago and they still talk about how that was the biggest help through the entire process. Let me know…I can organize! Sounds like Ryan has the Bengals stuff under wraps but I can maybe help with a connection there too – I am friends with Brian Sells (Marketing Director for the Bengals). Ryan – let me know if I should contact him for anything! Another idea is helping with groceries. Lisa mentioned that she is having trouble getting to the grocery store…
Hi everyone … great ideas! I’m so happy to hear about Rybolt getting things pulled through for Johnny at the Bengals camp!
I’d like to sign up to help with mowing, grocery shopping, etc. Who is in charge of organizing those sign ups?? As for a cleaning lady, I support the idea of having a cleaning lady to go in weekly or bi-weekly to help out. I know that Egg has a cleaning lady that is efficient and cheap. The Zahumensky’s have one too that only charges $20/hour.
I talked to Egg today and his cleaning lady will clean the entire first floor for about $40-$50 a week. Egg thinks that once she gets there she’ll probably charge more like $40.
I think if we can have her clean the entire downstairs that would be a big help.
I’m going to set up a Paypal account for the Shemenski’s and will send the cleaning lady a check every week for her time.
If we get a large amount of donations, perhaps we can also give Johnny/Lisa a check to use towards their vacations….Hawaii, Vegas, Texas…etc.
Stay tuned for more info on the Paypal information.
Jodi, I would also like to help out with the grocery shopping. Anyone else interested? we could set up a weekly rotation….
I’m glad to see the blog is taking off! Joff/Rybolt, any update on how the training camp visit went!?!
I am volunteering Brian for a mowing. We only live down the street from them, so it’s pretty convenient. I would happily donate my time to clean, but I think Lisa would be weirded out by that, so let’s just pool some money for a cleaning lady. We are in for other donations as well. I can grocery shop or help in any way I can. I wish we had the sky miles, but we spend them faster than we get them to visit Brian’s sister. We are up for anything!!! Please let us know how we can help.
Update on the cleaning lady – She called me back after we spoke and told me that since we would be having her clean weekly, it would very likely be only $40. I know Johnny and Lisa have a few trips planned, so just let me know when you want to have her start and I’ll give her a call and get it going…
Count me in! I would like to help in anyway I can…monetary contributions, skymiles, whatever I can do. I’m looking forward to seeing the Chavelle(sp?) in action!
PAYPAL INFORMATION
Go to http://www.paypal.com and send money to kspinola@fuse.net. If you do not have a Paypal Account, they require that you set one up, it’s very easy…you just need a credit card.
When sending a donation, please make sure the message says “For Shemenski’s” or something like that.
This fund will be used to pay for the cleaning service ($40/weekly) and depending on the amount collected, will also be used to help them pay for any expenses on their Hawaii trip. We’ll keep everyone updated on the amount collected.
I talked to Lisa last night and she is so appreciative of what we’re doing and tried to get out of letting us do stuff but you know me, I wouldn’t let her. She did say that the grocery shopping was un-necessary because the neighbors bring them meals 3x’s a week so with all the leftovers and stuff she doesn’t have to go that often.
An update on Johnny: he is now using a cane and the Dr. told them that he will never get the use of his left side back again even if the tumor goes away. Once those nerves are damaged there’s nothing that can be done. BUT, they are starting PT and I’m sure something good will come out of that. You hear all these stories about Dr’s telling people they’ll never walk again and all that….look at Lance Armstrong. So there is hope…you just never know.
Lisa said it would be great if we could help Johnny get out the house every 2 weeks or so or maybe a combination of getting out of the house and having people over. She said he feels out of touch in regards to sports and what’s going on. He’s only able to use one hand for typing. So please keep this in mind and if you have an open weekend or weeknight, Lisa welcomes your company. The same for Lisa too, she said she would love the chance to get out of the house and be with friends and not think about things so much so please keep that in mind.
Lawn Service: for the guys who volunteered for lawn service, Keith will coordinate that effort so please look for an email from him. Lisa said we could use their mower and edger and once a week would be all that they need.
Was she open to the maid service?
Maid Service: Yes, she was open to it and I told her we’ll start next Friday. Friday is good for her because she works from home. The maid will clean the entire downstairs as discussed previously.
I vote we congregate at Hooters in Fields Ertel every Tuesday…
Hi Jacinta and everyone! I have an update about Lisa’s trip to Hawaii. I spoke with her about five minutes ago and it looks like her mother-in-law (Karen) is going to book the trip tomorrow. They are shooting for 9/21 or sometime in October. I asked Lisa if she could let Jacinta or I know as soon as the trip is booked b/c the friends want to chip in on plane tix for her and John. Lisa said “the whole trip” is a gift from her in-laws. I asked her if she could send me Karen’s email address. I would like to email Karen and offer to upgrade Lisa and John’s tix to first class if it is possible. I have about 90,000 Delta miles ready to be used for the Shemenski’s. However, since I’m not in the loop as I’m up hear in Jersey with the Sopranos, if someone could let me know if this sounds ok that would be fantastic. I don’t travel a ton so I’m not sure about restrictions, etc and I know some of you are big travelers. I also know we have to find out what airline they are on, etc. Just trying to be as helpful as possible.
Information re: Lawn Service for the Shemenski’s
Thanks for everyone who has volunteered to help mow the Shemenskis’
lawn!!
Ken was the only one who gave me certain times he wasn’t available so
I picked everyone else randomly. Here is the tentative rotation,
which should get us through the middle of October. If you can’t make
the weekend you have assigned, please reply to all and we can switch
weekends or whatever:
Aug 30/31 – Keith
Sept 6/7 – JT
Sept 13/14 – Welsh
Sept 20/21 – Joff
Sept 27/28 – Jae
Oct 4/5 – Ryan
Oct 11/12 – Erdman
Oct 18/19 – Ken
Oct 25/26 – Keith
etc.
Lisa said we can use their mower and trimmer. I’m pretty sure it’s a
riding mower so just bring an IPod and you’re good to go.
When it’s your week, just email or call Lisa and work with her on day
and time so they are home when you show up!
Thanks again!!
Keith
This is the email that went out to Lisa’s co-workers at Wellpoint.
Group,
As you may or may not know, last year Lisa Shemenski’s husband, John, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Unfortunately, at this time it appears that John’s condition is not improving as much as they had hoped, so we would like to start taking up a collection for Lisa and John.
The Clinical Services team is going to be sending around a card and an envelope for all to convey their well wishes to Lisa and John Shemenski. We know that they are trying to pull together a trip to Hawaii and we wanted to help make this dream come true for them.
I talked to Lisa tonight. They booked a trip to Hawaii yesterday and they have hotel rooms booked (via John’s dad) from Oct 12 – 22. They have not booked flights yet. So they’re definitely going and it would be great if we can help them to fund their flights! I wonder if we can round of some mileage to bump them up to first class??
Carrie
If anyone has ever given “miles” to another, please share your experience. Alicia posted a comment above indicating that she has miles she would give to bump them to First Class but wants to know how to do it.
An email from Lisa:
This is just so thoughtful!! It’s amazing! So, I guess we will stop our lawn service after this week. And I work from home on Fridays, so anytime is good for the maid. When will she start? I’m glad it’s Egg’s maid…when she see’s how clean I like my house, she won’t be as shocked after had worked with Egg. Heehee.
All I need from the girls are a few nights away. I love to hear our girls laugh and tell stories. It cheers me up. John and I have had too many irritable, anxious, weeping days lately. It gets tougher and tougher to be a caregiver.
And, we are looking into a Hawaii trip the third week of September—woohoo! Depending on airfare and hotel available…that is our goal.
Well, wow! Don’t know what to say, but our friends are amazing, thoughtful, and the best support group we could have! Be sure the let us know who is involved—not that we can thank them enough, but we’ll try.
Xoxo
Lisa
Hi all! Just spoke with John’s mom regarding plane tix and they are booked with the airline in first class on the way there and in the bulkhead on the way back. She said there was nothing available in first class on the way back.
Oh well, I guess they’ll just have more fun money to do whatever they want.
Thanks everyone for your generous contributions to the Shemenski’s!
The donations were so generous that for now, Keith’s Paypal account cannot take anymore donations for the month of August. His individual paypal account only accepts $500 a month and we’re already at $450! WOW!!!
So if you have not had a chance to donate, please wait until Sept. 1st.
Thanks everyone!
Hello and we are so happy to have found this blog! We have been wondering for months how John and Lisa are honestly doing and what we can do for them. Todd spoke with John last weekend and he seemed to be in decent spirits. He was at the lake with his parents. We are in Indiana, but would love to help out.
Does anyone know of a banquet hall that could be rented and catered so we can have a Michigan/OSU game party there? Needs to have a TV of course! We have a huge party every year at our house, but believe the travelling may be too much for John this year. Maybe we can chip in and have it closer to John and Lisa? Just a thought. I can send out invites and organize it…….I do it every year anyways. Just need a large place with a TV or 2 to have it in!
Lisa B.
Gang,
Keith was out at Johnny’s house last night and here is an update on his condition:
He’s using a walker to get around but the deterioration is pretty evident. He can’t hold onto the walker with his left hand, Keith said his hand just flops off and Lisa has to pick it up and put it back on the walker. It’s like when your foot falls asleep and you can’t feel it…but for Johnny that’s a 24/7 feeling.
It took Johnny and Lisa quite a bit of time to get up the stairs.
Johnny’s mom said he’s at Stage 4 with his cancer. I Googled it and found a pretty decent article here: http://www.siumed.edu/cancer/outreachpages/brain_adult.html.
His short term memory is not good.
Lisa mentioned Johnny’s having a harder time with everything.
I apologize that this isn’t in a better format, I’m just trying to remember what Keith said and simply get it out there so you know what to expect.
This Saturday Johnny/Lisa will be up at BW3’s in Harper’s Point to watch the game, so if you can make it this would be a great opportunity to see them out.
The cleaning lady project is going well so far. She is cleaning their upstairs bedroom/bathroom and the family room/kitchen/dwnstrs bathroom. Lisa said no one uses the dining room or formal living room so they’re skipping that for now. She’s only charging $30 bucks so Egg and I discussed it and we’ll give the cleaning lady a bonus or something since she’s being so kind and doing this really cheap.
Update on the lawn mowing:
I didn’t end up mowing their lawn this past weekend because Lisa
didn’t cancel the lawn service before they showed up last week, so
she asked me not to come. But it is cancelled now, so we do need to
start this week.
JT – Lisa said she hasn’t heard from you about scheduling when you
want to come up this weekend, so please let her know.
I visited Johnny and Lisa tonight because they need to replace one of
the front tires on the riding mower. I went to 4 different stores,
and none of them had the right wheel. But I think we found a place
that has the right one. Johnny’s father is going to be at his house
Friday, and he thinks his father can get it fixed Friday. If by
chance it’s not fixed – JT, you may have to use the push mower on the
whole yard. If isn’t fixed by this weekend, we’ll make sure it gets
fixed next week.
Johnny told me he uses the push mower to mow the front yard and to
outline the backyard, then uses the riding mower to mow the backyard.
A couple other points:
Lisa said if she doesn’t think the lawn needs to be mowed that
weekend, she will let that person know who is scheduled for that
week. If that’s the case, consider yourself skipped and we keep the
same schedule.
Since I didn’t end up mowing this past week, if one of you determine
you can’t mow the weekend you are scheduled, I will pick up your
spot. Just shoot me an email.
Thanks again for everyone’s generosity! Johnny and Lisa both said
they are so appreciative of us mowing their lawn and being so
thoughtful.
Keith
Thank you for the update!!
I tried to email Lisa, but I must not have the correct email address. It’s a work address……..anthem.com
Anyways……I am a physical therapist and I believe I read earlier that John is receiving PT. Anyways, sounds like John could greatly benefit from a hand splint to be used on the walker to hold the left hand in place. This will protect his hand/arm from additional injury and make using the walker a bit easier. Jacinta…….could you pass this onto them? Thanks.
Lisa
I read that John is having a hard time going up and down the stairs in the house. Is there a possibility that we could help them get a chair lift for the stairs to avoid (in the future) John having to sleep in a bed downstairs or move to a stair-less home?
As a therapist, I know that stairs can be very dangerous and a safety hazzard. It’s a concern I have for the future when/if John has more difficulties with steps and to help Lisa avoid getting injured helping him.
They can be pretty pricey……….not sure if insurance will help to cover this or not.
Just a thought. I will stop bothering you all with my concerns……
Lisa
Lisa,
Your comments are always welcome. Thank you for being such a great friend and leaving great suggestions here.
UPDATE:
Johnny is now in a wheelchair and Joff, Smitty and Keith are working out details for making sure Johnny makes it to the Bengals games. Lisa said either her or Johnny’s dad should be with him at the game so the guys are going to work out the ticket arrangements to make that happen.
Lisa did mention having to make arrangements for having a downstairs bedroom since its hard getting him up/down the stairs.
A few of us girls are taking Lisa out on Thursday for dinner as a way to get her out of the house and doing something normal….if anyone wants to join us please let me know so we can make the proper reservations. Going to the Cheesecake Factory!
UPDATE: (carrie was at Lisa’s house sunday and here is her update)
She’s ok. She cried a lot. It’s really hard on her – both the uncertainty and just the condition that John is in. She finally broke down last week and admitted that she needs help, so their parents are going to alternate coming every week to help her. He needs her constant help so it’s just hard on her. She said that John is down in the dumps too, so just visiting is so helpful to distract him and help him feel normal again (even if its just a bit).
John has a MRI today and they will see the results tomorrow. I didn’t know this, but he actually has 4 tumors in his brain now. They’re hoping that tomorrow the results show that they are starting to shrink some. If not they have one more treatment in Cincinnati that they want to try and they’re also in contact with that DR. at Duke. Say a few prayers today.
We are worried…….he seems to be progressing quickly. Does anyone else feel this way?
Todd spoke with Lisa Sunday night. Chemo, CT scan, and meeting with the doctor today. She’s hoping for some answers. Todd said her voice was heavy even though she was trying to be chipper.
Our hearts go out to them……….
From Smitty:
Lisa left a message on my cell tonight letting me know that Johnny’s MRI did not go well today. She said that they are going to put him on a very
aggressive treatment that will basically lay him up for at least three
weeks.
Has anyone else talked to them? Is there anything else we can do? When does John start the treatment?
Hi guys … instead of going to the Bengals game, maybe we could all donate our tickets to Lisa and John’s charity of choice and watch the game at their house with them? Just a thought. I know it’s probably late for doing it this Sunday, but maybe their next home game(s)? jodi
Okay-Here is the latest from Lisa last night.
When they first had the MRI a few weeks ago, it showed dime sized tumors, it used to be one…now there are 4.
This week’s MRI showed the 4 tumors, but now they are bigger and spreading like octopus arms. That’s a problem, as well as the fact that its spreading to the right side of his brain now.
Lisa STRONGLY encourages everyone to visit when they can. She said Johnny needs to feel like a part of the group and needs people around to keep him preoccupied and not staring at the ceiling.
If you want to visit, you can call Lisa’s cell phone to make sure its a good day for it.
Lisa also mentioned that John got a massage a few weeks ago and he loved it. The massage helped the left side of his body relax so he didn’t feel that tingling sensation all the time (like when your foot falls asleep). I’m going to use some of the leftover donated money towards a few more massage sessions if no one objects.
Please email me if you are interested in delivering a meal to the Shemenski’s on the weekends. This will be very helpful for Lisa since she won’t have to grocery shop or worry about getting dinner ready. We should plan on bringing dinner for 4 since they will most likely appreciate the leftovers.
The treatment Johnny received this week was just a high dosage of medicine that while its working in his body will make him weaker and more tired at times. But Lisa is still encouraging people to stop by and visit. Johnny can’t use this computer to answer emails anymore, or txt message. But feel free to call him and chat when you have a moment.
If you haven’t had a chance to make a contribution to the Paypal account for the Shemenski’s, please do so as soon as you can. We’ll be using the money towards any trips they’ll need to take, massages for Johnny, and any other medical needs that might come up.
Does anyone have a recliner that the Shemenski’s could use? A recliner would be helpful for them – easier for John to get out of (higher) and can lay back if he gets tired…
Lisa and I also talked about a recliner for Johnny. It will probably be more comfortable for him to sleep in the recliner than in the hospital style bed.
I don’t have one, but we can use my pickup truck to get it over there if someone else has one. Or we could just look into buying one for them…
Jacinta – Does this blog have a calendar tool? I think it would be a good idea to make sure Johnny has at least one visitor a day. I think it’s very helpful for him to have planned visitors / activities to look forward to.
If not, maybe we could set something up on Google Calendar…
We may have an automatic recliner in our family that he could have. Let me check into it. Great idea!
No such luck…………it was donated to a nursing home. Sorry! There may be one on Craig’s list……….automatic one would be easy for him.
Jodie Kyle (Timmer) has a recliner and is bringing it to the Shemenski’s house tomorrow! I think at some point they will need a medical recliner. I think they cost around $1000 but maybe insurance would pay for it or some of it. They have the recliners that lift up which would help him get up out of it.
I think the calendar is a great idea! Lisa said they are going to take it easy tonight because they have had a lot of visitors. I’m bringing them manicotti so hopefully they can relax and have a good evening!
My grandma has a lift recliner that she is not using in her garage. She said that John can have it if they would like it. It is not the most aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture but she said that it works fine. I am able to pick it up today and bring to Cinci tomorrow but I will need help unloading it in Cinci. If someone could let me know if they would want it and if someone could be there to help me unload it that would be great.
If you know they answers to these questions you can either reply on this blog or email me at joshsteck@hotmail.com. I will also need to know how to get to their house.
I realize that most of you don’t know who I am and since I asked for personal information that could seem a little weird, like a scam. I know John from Todd Bashford and I was often called “Fun Bobby”.
I saw John today and he was in great spirits. He let me start up his Chevelle. We watched the Bengals and laughed about old times. Please visit them as often as you can, they both can use the companionship. Don’t forget to include them in your prayers!
Jacinta – I created a google calendar to keep track of who is visiting the Shemenski’s and when. Can you please send me a list of the email addresses for those using this blog? I’ll have to “invite” everyone.
Everyone, in response to Jeff’s comment, I’ll put a link to the calendar in this blog so you can view it easily. The goal will be to have a one stop shop for everything “Shemenski”.
Jacinta,
I would like to participate in visiting schedule for Johhny. Also would like to contribute to any event/ benefit of Shemenski’s.
We are hoping to visit them this weekend if all goes well. Can’t seem to get intouch with them to make sure it’s OK. Anyone else planning on seeing them this weekend?
I was planning to visit them this weekend too so I called Lisa this afternoon but had to leave a msg.
Sounds like they are going to the Bengals game on Sunday!! Spoke with Lisa tonight….we are visiting them for lunch on Sat. MRI today and will be getting the results on Tuesday. Say big prayers for good news on Tuesday!
I got a message from Lisa today too. I guess John’s co-workers are throwing him a tailgate at the game. Anyone know where it is going to be? Maybe we can crash it so we can see them!
From Keith this morning:
Lisa called me just now. Apparently Johnny’s company is throwing a tailgate party for Johnny before Sunday’s game. It’s going to be in Lot B, so it would be great if we can stop by before the game.
They are also sitting in the company seats, so they have two extra seats in our area.
You all should have received an email invite to join the google calendar that I set up for visiting Johnny and Lisa. Please let me know if you didn’t get it and provide me with an email address and I will set you up. Thanks!
I spent a decent amount of time with Lisa and John while in Cincinnati last week. Here’s a lengthy re-cap…
Given the circumstances, it seems John is handling things as best as he can. He said he is really tired a lot from the chemo. I was happy to hear he was not nauseous for the most part. In fact his appetite was great (most likely thanks to the steroids). We made Graeter’s turtle sundays one night and he enjoyed every bite! He also had me laughing like crazy as he was cracking jokes left and right. We took the Chevelle to the Cruise-in on Friday night with John’s family and he was so proud to have people checking out his work of art. An adorable little blonde named Lyla Jane even thought it was cool enough to get behind the wheel! John was so tired that night but fought through it. He was so proud of his car!!!
Lisa is superwoman. This probably does not surprise most of you. She does an amazing job taking care of John. It’s inspiring to see. His parents are also wonderful. They are with Lisa and John a lot more lately. Lisa said this is so helpful and needed as she was getting exhausted by herself.
Despite the amazing way Lisa and John and their families are managing the situation, I know they are suffering and struggling to understand why. She said there is a lot of sadness and depression. It was nothing short of heartbreaking to hear her say these things. She said John is down a lot, as is she. She said the friends, family, and visitors are so welcome b/c it helps so much. John’s mom commented on how great all of the friends were!!! I told her everyone is just waiting in the wings to help out in any way they can.
This past Friday I asked Lisa to honestly tell me what else she needs help with. This was hard for her to say, but she said she is at a point where she is no longer turning down offers of help b/c she needs all the help she can get. Here are some of the things we talked about…
*She said the neighbors are incredible with providing meals so they are set with that until further mention
*She said John could use the medical recliner because it would help him get up from the chair so much easier
*I asked her if they were still doing massages and she said they haven’t had one in a while b/c it’s hard for John to get around. She gave me the name of the gal John was going to. I will call her and ask if she can do house calls. I’ll get back to the blog on this one…
*Lastly, and I had to really pull this one out of her…She said with all of the visitors and help they receive which she is so thankful for and welcomes, the following items are items she goes through at the speed of light:
TP
PAPER TOWELS
NAPKINS
LYSOL DISINFECTING WIPES
PAMPERS SCENTED BABY WIPES
409 or LYSOL DISINFECTING SPRAY
CHERRY COKE ZERO (John loves this) and PEPSI
CASCADE DISHWASHER DETERGENT
She said she ends up running to the store multiple times a week and could use a supply of these items. I suggested to Lisa we provide a good-size supply of these items every two weeks and she said it would be so much appreciated. Jeff, could we add this to the Google calendar you created? I volunteer to get the first load to her by this Friday (10/3)! Would it be possible to go every two weeks from there?
That’s all I have for now. I believe so strongly in the power of prayer! Let’s all pray they get good news tomorrow at the reading of the MRI.
Alicia,
Thank you so very, very much for the information. There is still a sizeable amount of money in the paypal account for the Shemenski’s. Tell me how much you spent and we’ll send you a check.
I will take the 2nd round of supplies to them. I will go 10/17.
I will also touch base with Josh Steck from this post to see if his grandmother’s medical recliner is still available. The reason we didn’t pick it up when Josh first offered was because Lisa had just gotten a recliner and wasn’t sure if the medical one would be necessary just yet. I guess now is the time. I’ll follow up with that.
Jodi McIntosh has a friend who does massages…I’ll find out from her if we can get him/her to come out to the house.
Thanks again Alicia…everyone, please contribute to the blog when you can. This information is invaluable to all of us.
Just talked to Jodi. She is 99.9% sure her friend will come up to Johnny’s house and give him the massages….has a table and all that stuff to bring with him.
I’m going to call lisa tonight to get days/times that are good for Johnny.
Alicia……….John couldn’t stop talking about the turtle sundaes you got them……he loved them!! Esp. with a spoonful of Peanut butter !!
Alicia…….just wondering if you sent the supplies while in Jersey? Or…are you still in town?
We visited them on Sat. afternoon. John was cracking us up as well…..very funny! We shared some good laughs and memories with them. I would love to send them supplies………we will help in any way that we can. I worked on his back a little and he has a LOT OF MUSCLE TENSION around the shoulder blades……and he was sore. The massage therapist will work wonders. Also…I believe today was the last day for PT.
Big prayers for a good Doctor visit tomorrow!
I’m happy to hear John was still thinking about the sundaes! He and I both share a passion for Graeter’s.
Unfortunately I’m still in NJ. Most of my family is in Cinti/NKy so I’m going to put some of them on the first supply drop-off this Friday. Jacinta, thank you so much for the offer from the Pay Pal account. I will take care of it though. I feel it’s the least I can do since I’m so far away. I’d rather you keep using those funds for massages (thanks to Jodi) and/or future supply deliveries or anything else they need! Also, can we still make donations to the Pay Pal account? Some of of my family members have been asking!!!
One other update I meant to write in before…Lisa said they were able to get in contact with the pastor who married them from Hyde Park United Methodist Church (I believe this is the correct name). She said he came over last week and put their minds and hearts at ease. She said he talked about how it is normal to feel the emotions (anger, fear, needing to know “why”, anxiety, frustration, etc.) they are experiencing. She also said they prayed together and it made both her and John feel better. In addition to the pastor’s visits, the church is going to set John and Lisa up with what they call a “friend.” This “friend” is someone that they each have for one hour per week to talk about anything they want to talk about. They can vent, cry, ask questions, or talk about the Bengals if they want. Lisa said she is looking forward to this too.
Lastly, I just have to say that this blog (thanks to Jacinta), everyone on it and/or reading it is so incredible. Lisa and John have such amazing friends. I believe it is the love and support of their friends and family that is helping them get through each day!
Any word on how today’s appointment went for John and Lisa?
Hi all,
I talked to Lisa tonight, the MRI results are not good. The tumor is still growing “wildly fast” and at this point, a decision had to be made as to whether they would do another round of chemo or to just let it be.
Lisa said even with another round of chemo it wouldn’t do much…maybe add months but not years and another round would weaken him even more so than the last. So they have decided to just let it be for a few weeks and wait until after Hawaii. At least he might have more energy to enjoy the trip. And after Hawaii, they will have to make the hard decision of “quantity vs. quality”. Basically, what will Johnny’s quality of life be if he continues the chemo?
For now, they are going to concentrate on his diet. She’s been talking to someone who has been on a special diet high in antioxidants and Lisa is thinking to try this route for a little while. She needs to read up on it more but basically high protein and lots of fruits/veggies, vitamins, lots of strawberries and blueberries. They want to give his body a chance to rest and maybe it will do something on its own.
I asked her what other options are there and she said not much. She’s sending his scans and files to Duke for a second opinion, but there really isn’t anything else to do. The tumor is on the right side of his brain and creeping to the left. There’s no telling where it will go.
She said the visits are great and more important than anything. The visit with Lisa/Todd this weekend was awesome for Johnny because they laughed and talked and forgot about life for a while. So please, please call Lisa and set up some time to visit with them. Make sure the Google Calendar is updated so Lisa is not beseeched with calls and having to remember who’s coming when. The good thing is, Sunday is a free for all day. Come anytime Sunday, no call needed. Its a low-key day and Johnny especially needs the guys to come over and do the sports thing so he can feel included. And anyone is welcome to hang out, watch football, hang with Lisa or whatever.
The maid is a huge help and the massage therapy from Jodi’s friend Andrew would be a relief for Johnny. He’s been having some back pain lately so having the massage therapist come once a week would help tremendously
Johnny’s mom/dad are now staying with them Mon-Thurs to help Lisa get him from room to room and what not and the neighbors are thinking of installing a ramp for the house.
This weekend on Sunday would be a great time to come by for the Dallas vs. Bengals game.
Girls, let’s get Lisa out…maybe to see a movie this time. She said that would be great. With Johnny’s mom/dad in town, she has a little more time to do her own thing.
That’s all my update. Please make sure to call Lisa to schedule a visit and update the Google Calendar.
Oh, and sign up to deliver the groceries every two weeks if you can. Just let me know how much you spent and we can send you a check from the Shemenski fund.
Jacinta – Thanks for the update. Do we need any more $s in the Shemenski fund? How do we sign up for grocery delivery? I’d be happy to do this soon.
We will send some groceries too………they will have to be delivered via mail. No need to repay us from the account. Use it to make John feel better. I’ll sign up on the calendar.
Would John like some new movies/Games? I am trying to think of anything that would make his long days more enjoyable/comfortable.
Lisa said they are leaving for Hawaii Oct. 12-22.
I have a membership to Sam’s that can make the dollar go a little farther in terms of supplies. Alicia – if you need help this weekend getting stuff, let me know. Jacinta – i can do it for the 17th, if you’d like. Carrie and I are heading over to the Shemenski’s place on Sunday to watch the game, talk fantasy football trash, etc.
Please sign up for grocery deliver through the Google Calendar. If you need instructions or the link, email Jeff Eggleston.
I asked Lisa about entertainment for Johnny and she said its really not necessary at this point. He has a hard time concentrating for very long, so even a movie or a book would be hard for him to get through. Maybe with being off chemo for a month he might get his energy back but you can ask her in a couple weeks or after they return from Hawaii if he could use any of that.
Shaef Daddy, if you want to do the 17th I’m fine with that.
Also, if you are scheduled for lawn maintenance and the grass doesn’t need to be cut, perhaps they could still use some yard work, poop scooping, leave raking or whatever. I’m trying to think of anything outside that we can do so Lisa doesn’t have to worry about it. Perhaps in the fall we can start taking turns raking leaves for her.
Thanks everyone!
This is another gift idea, but may not be as important. They have a very old personal computer at home where they store all their pictures, videos, and music. I’ve been on it and it’s VERY slow – it’s just old. It could probably crap out any day. They complain about it all the time.
Maybe we could chip in to buy them a new desktop PC? I am sure they can get one from Dell for a few hundred bucks…
I’m on for mowing this week. We’ve left a message with Lisa to make sure Saturday works, but haven’t heard back. Obviously she has more important things on her mind than the grass. If anyone happens to be over there in the next couple days, please let me know what condition the yard is in. If I don’t hear back from her, or anyone, I’ll just head over there Saturday morning
I’m heading over there tonight to make them dinner for their wedding anniversary. I’ll check the lawn and let you know if it’s ready for a trim…
It’s probably about 50/50 on cutting the grass. There are a few spots in the shade that could stand to be cut, but the rest is actually pretty good. I’d say go ahead and cut it one more time and that will probably be in until spring.
Also – please sign up on the calendar to go and visit. Lisa has told me several times that his mood is so much better when visitors are there. It’s also great for him to have something fun planned for each day. The calendar is wide open next week before they leave for Hawaii.
Hey Everyone – I’m just now getting out here and reading the updates…I was out to visit last weekend and will be dropping off dinner tonight (it’s frozen, so they can thaw it at any point). Kara and I will sign-up through the calendar for future visits. Does anyone have any thoughts on upgrading the TV in the room where his bed is? I noticed that he was having trouble reading anything on the screen…not sure if anyone has a lender that they could use for a while. Just a thought. Finally, thanks Jacinta for putting this together…please send over the PayPal instructions again so we can contribute some $ to the operating budget.
Oh, and one other thing…does anyone have a common place where we can share photos online? We have some great shots of Johnny and his car from the car show last weekend. If not, maybe we can create a common location on Picassa or something.
PayPal instructions:
Send any donations to kspinola@fuse.net. In the comment section, let Keith know that its for the Shemenski fund.
Egg had some great ideas for making their Hawaii trip more special. I’m going to email Johnny’s mom and have some things waiting for them when they get to the hotel. Bottle of champagne, gift certificate to a restaurant nearby (my cousin lives in Hawaii) and anything else I can think of. Any suggestions are welcome.
this sunday several of us are going up for the Bengals game. Carrie is making a “big ass lasagna” and Jodi is bringing salad. Spinola’s are bringing the chips/dips. If you are going, please email Carrie/Jodi so they can make enough for everyone. Carrie’s email address is costello.carrie@gmail.com and Jodi’s email is Jodi.McIntosh@53.com.
Please make sure you schedule a visit with Johnny…if only for an hour, it will make all the difference.
I’ll research the picture thing and come up with something easy for everyone.
Jacinta – I just got this link…thank you so much for putting this together. I am home for the next week and not really working too much. I will be sure to get on the calendar, but please let me know if there is anything specific I can do, even during the day.
I talk to Lisa last night and she mentioned that it may be better to wait until after Hawaii to do a girls night out. It sounds like things will be pretty busy over the next 10 days. As always, she mentioned that visitors are very welcome. She also mentioned that they have been pretty good on food but John has really been craving desserts. She said he is super into peanut butter and chocolate desserts and also cookies. I will be dropping some things off for them periodically, but maybe if you stop buy and you like to make desserts, I am sure they would be welcome (Also Lisa said it would be great to have some things laying around to offer guests when they pop by). Brian will be over Saturday to do the lawn and any yardwork they need done. Lisa said the maid was a godsend! I don’t know how it would work, but Lisa is running herself down pretty bad. She mentioned she had no time for a haircut or any pampering whatsoever. I wonder if there is any way we could get her like a massage/ haircut/ spa day or something like that. It would have to be a time when one of the guys Johnny feels close with could be with him in case he needed help. I really think she could use this,but she is just scared to leave him for any length of time. The better she feels, the better she can take care of Johnny. Let me know what you guys think. Also, any thoughts on paper cups/plates for the constant influx of visitors or would that not be helpful.
Was over the other week and Lisa mentioned that there may be items (toilet support, etc.) John needs while in Hawaii. Not sure if would be cheaper to ship from here or have them get them once they are in Hawaii. Perhaps we can get a list and ship to their hotel the day they leave or cut a check from their general fund to give them to get whatever they need when in Hawaii.
Is there any way the big screen from their basement could be brought up to the room that he is now staying in?
Jen and I have a 27″ TV we are not using that we would be more than happy to send over. I can bring it this Sunday.
Let’s see what the situation is when we’re over on Sunday. The TV in his family room is a 32″ Hi-Def TV and the one downstairs in the basement is extremely heavy and big.
Once we take a look at things Sunday we’ll post a message on the blog if any additional TV’s are needed.
I was at their place today to mow. As dry as it’s been, I’d be surprised if if the yard needs mowed more than one more time. But it would be nice to check and have it mowed before they get back from Hawaii, if needed. I can stop by their place and check it out while they are gone. Also, Lisa mentioned that she might like some help “winterizing” the yard – cleaning up dead stuff in the beds, removing a little yard waste. I noticed the mulch in some of the beds is getting pretty thin and is non-existent in some of the back yard beds. Jasmine and I will try to get over there while they are in Hawaii to take care of this.
I also spent a little time with John. He was cutting on the Bengals. Very funny. He said he was looking forward to some quality time with Lisa in Hawaii and watching the game tomorrow with some folks.
Thanks for the heads up on Johhny’s sweet cravings. I will stop by there tomorrow and will take some sweets along with me…
Hey everyone- I just talked to Welsh this weekend, and he filled me in on the situation, this site and the fund. I had no idea his condition had progressed to this extent. You all are amazing people to come through with such support. True friendship and compassion. Obviously, I’m not going to be able to help them in-person, but I’m glad to contribute to the fund and help vicariously through all of you. I look forward to the updates and will continue to send my prayers. Please let Johnny and Lisa know I send my best.
Much love from DC,
Casey
Just got back from the “Bengals Can’t Finish” night at the Shemenski’s. (I really have no idea what I’m talking about…I just heard Shaef Daddy say that. I just know how to spell Bengals and that is W-A-S-T-E O-F T-I-M-E)
Anyhow, I need some help with a few things:
TV-the one in the living room that is Johnny’s temporary bedroom is 19″. Anyone have a bigger one? Lisa doesn’t want to move the TV into that room mainly because she doesn’t want to give Johnny any more reasons to stay in bed. If he’s forced to get up and get around all the better. But a bigger TV would help so he’s at least not squinting to see. Anyone have a 32″ or something like that sitting around?
Laptop-does anyone have an inside deal with a company so we can get Johnny a decent laptop? One suggestion tonight was to go to a store that sells refurbished ones. If I can’t get one through our network of friends I’ll use that as my last resort.
I sent Johnny’s mom Karen an email asking for information on the hotel in Hawaii. For the most part, they’re trying to find an all terrain wheelchair for johnny so he can get on the beach at least and enjoy it. She’s also looking for a few medical devices to rent like a shower chair and some other stuff. If anyone has some time on their hands and wants to help, that would be great. I sent an email to my cousin who lives in Hawaii and asked him to help with making sure the items are picked up and delivered to their hotel and anything else he can do. I’m not sure what island he lives on so when he replies, I’ll update the blog and let everyone know the extent of what he can/cannot do.
Thanks everyone for coming out tonight. I know he enjoyed it and so did Lisa.
If you plan to go out for Monday night football, give Lisa a call. Johnny was out by 7pm tonight so he may not even be up for the game. As far as kidnapping Lisa goes, I’ll send her a text in the morning and see if she’s up for getting out.
Jacinta,
I found a few sites that rent medical equipment in Hawaii (Oahu). Most of them will deliver to the hotel. Send me the hotel details and I can call and get more information tomorrow. Here’s one site: http://www.crnewton.com/order.htm
I have a 32″ Sony Trinitron that Lisa and John can have. I am trying to visit one night this week and can bring the TV to them. Thanks again for all of the updates!
Stopped by at Johhny’s after work. He was very alert. Also in good spirits and chatty tonight…even asked about our girls trip to Vegas and told me him and Lisa will go to Vegas to see more shows…Google calendar is still all open please consider stopping by after work, Lisa said that he is looking forward to each visit.
The cleaning lady (Danielle) has been booked and paid for another six weeks. I know it’s been a great help to them.
Tip on the google calendar. Please make sure to add your appointment to the Shemenski calendar and not your own calendar…
Thanks to Carrie’s research, we’ve rented an all terrain beach wheelchair for Johnny to use when on the beach. Pictures of the awesome chair can be found here:
http://www.beachwheelchair.com/products.htm
We’ve also rented what is called a transfer shower bench, something that swings him from the outside of the shower in.
I’m also giving Lisa money from the fund to help pay for anything else while in Hawaii. More information about their trip is in the email from Johnny’s mom is below.
All the things listed below sound wonderful, but some things may not be possible. Let me provide you with some information and then you can make decisions accordingly. You’ve mentioned that you have a cousin who lives in Hawaii, which island? We are going to the island of Oahu and we are staying on Waikiki Beach. My husband is retired Air Force, therefore we have made our hotel arrangements at the Hale Koa Hotel which is located on military grounds (72 acres) located right on the beach at Waikiki. The address is 2055 Kalia Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815-1998, Phone 808-955-0555. Arrival date 12 Oct 08; departure date 22 Oct 08. Only military (active or retired) persons, and their guests, are allowed to stay at the Hale Koa. Having said this, John (Johnny) and Lisa’s room reservation has been made under my husband’s name (also John Shemenski); we will not know their room number until we check-in on the 12th of October. We have reserved two ocean front rooms with balconies. If you wanted to give us your cousin’s name and phone number, we could call him/her and provide the room number once we’ve been assigned. At that time, such welcome gifts could be delivered. It might be possible that these things could be sent to the hotel for their expected arrival, but make certain that it is for John W. Shemenski Jr., as the hotel is aware that one room is for our son and wife. It’s just that my husband is the sole sponsor and responsible for his guests (family). Confusing huh? The champagne is a nice romantic touch but in reality, with all of the meds that he has to take, our son probably couldn’t drink any and I doubt that Lisa could drink a whole bottle; but it’s your choice.
Your suggestion for a limo would be great, but unfortunately with John’s declining condition, I do not think that he would be able to get in or out of a limo. We originally had an SUV rented for the 10 days, but have since started researching other more accommodating vehicles (still pending). One thing that we wanted to rent for John’s use is what’s called an All Terrain Wheelchair or Beach Wheelchair. John so much wants to be able to go out onto the sand and feel the splash of the ocean as we enjoy the beach. His transport wheelchair, which we are taking on the plane, will not be able to be used on the sand. I’ve found one link (see below link) and see the pictures of what we want to rent for our entire stay. My difficulty is actually finding one to rent and have it delivered to the Hale Koa and then picked up at the end of the vacation; maybe your cousin, or the group of friends that want to do something special would like to handle this task.
http://www.beachwheelchair.com/
We are presently planning to disassemble and pack in a suitcase, a toilet/shower seat, but what he really needs is what’s called a transfer bench shower seat (or something similar); all the rooms with an ocean front room have tub/shower only. Getting him into the tub for his shower is our big challenge to date. There might be a place in Honolulu to buy/rent and have it delivered too.
Anyway, should John & Lisa’s friends want to help acquire the above mentioned items, this would be a tremendous help to us. We have been living at John and Lisa’s home the past several weeks, and we will be there several days next week, helping Lisa with John’s needs. This hasn’t allowed us the time to research and finalize our support needs for John. It would be very helpful to let us know what your friends plan to do for John and Lisa, so that we are not doing the same exact things.
Also, although we are staying positive and really want to give this trip to our son and Lisa, John’s health condition could change in a heartbeat and we might have to cancel everything.
Hi, Everyone –
I may have met some of you at John and Lisa’s on Sunday (I was with the 2 year old girl with really curly hair!)
I am one of Lisa’s “work friends” as she likes to call us.
First and foremost I want to say that you are an amazing group of people. What a blessing to John and Lisa to have you by their side. You are Heaven sent.
I wanted to let you know that I have reached out to some people here at WellPoint to see if anyone has connections for a laptop. There are a couple of people who are looking into some options/leads. I will let you know over the next day or two what I come up with.
Thank you for all of this cooridination and communication. It is often hard to know what needs to be done, but you are giving guidance on how we can help and it is truly appreciated.
Thanks,
Tracy
I talked to John’s parents at a wedding last weekend and they said that he was not ready for the lift chair yet. If they are ready for it, I can deliver it this weekend or maybe even Friday night that way it will be there before they go to HA but I will need some help unloading it in Cincy. Please let me know if they are ready for it if you talk to them.
Thanks, Josh
The beach wheelchair and shower thingy has been rented/purchased and will be available for Johnny as of 11am or so on Monday. They will have the beach wheelchair for the week and they own the shower thingy!
Hi all. Just a quick note from Lisa before she left for Hawaii. She said she thinks they will need a supply order only every three weeks instead of every two weeks. My mom and sister dropped one off on Saturday October 4th. Since they’ll be gone until 10/22, I don’t think another round of supplies will be necessary until sometime in the beginning of November unless any of us hear otherwise.
Alicia
I’m planning on doing the next drop and following up with Lisa when she gets back to finalize what she needs.
Got a text from Lisa that said they were watching surfers on the north shore and making the most of every minute
Hey everyone…I just got on the blog today. I was reading through a number of the posts and its great to see everyone helping out so much. Is there anything that still needs to be done that I can help out with…whether its cutting the grass or helping to support any more trips. I’d love to help out no matter what it is!
Hi everyone, I talked to Lisa today. The Shemenski’s are back home safe and sound! They need a few days to get back in order and some down time for John then they are ready for visitors again
They had a great time on their trip. She was telling me about this lift that the resort had that helped him get in the pool which is awesome. She took lots of pictures and will send them out when she gets a chance. Does anyone scrapbook? It would be cool for them to have a book with their trip pictures. I like those books that the pictures are part of the page (don’t know what they call them). I’ve seen them on Shutterfly and I have a friend that is a consultant for Creative Memories scrapbooking and they have these books too…
I was talking to Lisa about a nurse aid and it sounds like their insurance doesn’t cover a nurse aid. Don’t know if there is anything we can do to help cover one – my assumption is the cost is extremely high on a per hour basis. Does anyone have any ideas?
Lisa will have family help through the weekend. John has another MRI on Tuesday so keep them in your thoughts and prayers!!! Lisa did mention that it may be time for some help from Hospice and the MRI would help determine next steps.
I wonder if they are ready for the lift chair?
I talked to Lisa today on the phone. As Kristen stated, they had a great time. She said the Beach Wheelchair was awesome! John was able to go up to the ocean and get his feet in the water.
Hi all,
I called Lisa tonight to see how the MRI went today. The results are not good. The MRI results showed the tumor continues to grow and spread. Lisa said that even within the past three days or so John has declined so much. The doctor recommended hospice and they have a hospice nurse coming over tomorrow morning. The doctor also said while John may get confused a little bit, he is aware of the people around him, he senses emotions, and thus it is good to surround him with family and friends that bring him love and happiness. Lisa said to keep the visitors coming. John may sleep a lot while people are there, but having the love of friends and family around him is best.
I’ll update the blog if I hear anything new, and please do the same. Also, don’t forget to use the Google calendar Jeff E. set up for us to schedule visits.
I am Lisa’s cousin Eric. We grew up together in New Philadelphia. I haven’t spoken to Lisa in years, but just found out about John today. I never met him or anyone on this blog, but I have to say I am impressed with each and every one of you and the kindness in your hearts. I read every single post on this board, and after all the negative stories in the news each day, you have shown me that there is still good in people. Thank you for all you did for Lisa.
Reminder….today is Lisa’s birthday.