Deb’s Beautiful Wings

(See below. Updated 03/01/2009 with service arrangements.)

All of us are at peace now that she has earned her angel wings. Deb was with her family/friends all day yesterday comforting her as she continued to lose strength. I got to sleep with her last night with her bed next to mine holding her precious hand as we slept. It was just a few minutes before midnight of Thursday (02/26/09) when our beautiful Deb took her last breath while in the total comfort of our wonderful home. She was so peaceful and we all took great comfort in knowing that she acknowledged that we loved her dearly and was ok for her to move on because all her loved ones were going to be ok.

It has been 7 months to this day and we are all comforted to know that we did all that we set out to do with Deb’s journey. Deb you have made the journey so easy for all of us to care for you.

Our heartfelt thank you goes out to all of you. You have been part of an incredible team of loving support that got us this far thru Deb’s challenging journey. We will never forget.

Life Celebration Service
Deb’s life celebration service will be at the Unity North church in Marietta, Georgia.

Date / Time: March 8th, 2009, 3pm est
Unity North
4255 Sandy Plains Rd.
Marietta, Georgia 30066
Web: http://www.unitynorth.org/
Directions: http://www.unitynorth.org/directions.php

Accommodations
For out of town guests, see below for two of hotels within 6 miles of the church.

Comfort Suites
340 Parkway 575, Woodstock, Georgia 30188
Phone: 770-517-9650
Web: http://www.comfortsuiteswoodstock.net/

Hampton Inn
450 Parkway 575, Woodstock, Georgia 30188
Phone: 770-592-2323

In Lieu of Flowers
Because one of Deb’s greatest joys in life was her love for books, we would graciously ask that if you wanted to send flowers to instead submit donation to Deb’s school library at Keheley Elementary where she taught for over 15 years. Deb had a true gift of teaching her students to read and I think she would love to know that she was giving something back to the Keheley library for all students to enjoy. Please make checks payable to Keheley Elementary School and in the note line write Debra Dreyer Memorial. Donations may be mailed to the school at 1985 Kemp Rd., Marietta, GA 30066.

Sadly, we also lost our wonderful dog Saint Casey today. Deb I know you and Casey are walking thru the pearly gates with the warmest smiles looking down on us all.

Deb, you have been an extraordinary wife, mother, and friend. We love you so much Deb and we miss you already.

Love to all,
Rod

I had your love I had it all
Celine Dion

Valentine’s Day

Much love surrounded Deb on V Day from her mom Bonnie, sister Susan, Ellen, aunt Connie, cousin Brynda and the Dreyer boys. The cards, balloon and beautiful tulips/roses were all icing on the cake for Deb’s room. Thank you Mom and Dad for the roses and Ann for the tulips. They brought a warm smile to Deb’s face.

We have added a reclining bed to our room for Deb. Connie had a great idea about putting the bed next to the window so Deb can look out to see the trees which are now starting to bloom. In addition, she also suggested adding a bird feeder outside the window. It just so happens that there is a big tree next to our house with a branch extending out near Deb’s new bed window where a bird feeder will work out perfect for the boys to hang out there for their mom. Connie you continue to amaze us with your life experiences and you are one of Deb’s most precious life angels :)

In continuation from my last entry, this post is not any easier to write to everyone but I know we are ALL in this together with Deb. I am so sorry to write that Deb continues to lose strength daily even though she is keeping up her appetite ok. Her confusion level is increasing but she continues to be very aware of everyone around her. It is obvious that she knows what she wants to say but she struggles to get her words to come out in the right order. She can no longer walk on her own but just know that she continues to be in much loved hands daily. I am taking turns with Susan working from the house this week to be with Deb and give Bonnie a much needed break.

On behalf of all of Deb's life angels out there, please know that we continue to share your prayers, strength and love daily to Deb.

KTS and love to all,
Rod

Imagine all the people Living life in peace
John Lennon

Deb’s Life Angels & Home sweet home

Dr. Yaffe called me back last Friday to check on Deb and also to go over the follow up MRI and CT Scan results from January. Deb’s abdominal CTScan showed overall but not significant tumor reduction in right and left liver lobes as a result of chemoembolization treatments in Nov-Dec 2008. MRI neck and back results were normal with no issues found. Deb’s MRI brain still showed the small mass on her left lobe that appeared on last MRI in December that we hoped was a result of falling out of her bed at Northside. Even though it has only been a month since last brain MRI, the brain mass has not decreased in size and shows additional swelling around the outer edges of mass. At this point, it would require a biopsy to truly identify if it is a hematoma or tumor metastasis related to Deb’s other cancer. What makes this suspect to mets is that MEN1 neuroendocrine is usually slow growing and does normally metastasize to the brain. Regardless, Dr. Yaffe agrees that we cannot move forward with any other testing of the brain, etc.. until Deb is strong enough so the family is on our current “day to day” rebuilding of our Deb. Will do another checkpoint with Dr. Yaffe in early March if Deb’s condition improves.
The hardest part of sharing Deb’s journal is having to share news that is not positive in nature because Deb always has lived with loving and positive energies surrounding around her. It is my role as part of Deb’s journey to keep all Deb’s Life Angels out there current so you continue to feel connected to Deb no matter where you are in this wonderful world. Deb’s mom Bonnie has been with us since after Christmas since Deb has not been strong enough to be by herself while I am at work. Bonnie continues to shine in her wonderful and effortless motherly care for her daughter.

It is with sadness but endless family strength that I share to all that Deb and rest of our family have agreed two weeks ago to seek assistance with home health care for Deb. Deb’s newest team of life angels consist of a home nurse, aide, social worker, and chaplain that are all just a phone call away. In the last 6 months, I cannot tell you how wonderful it is for the first time to have aide come to Deb instead of taking Deb to them. They have brought the common home medical tools we need to make Deb more comfortable during this phase of her journey.

Because of her overall weakness, Deb has not been able to go up/down our stairs so we spend more time with her in our master bedroom where she continues to be so peaceful in the comfort of our home sweet home. With obvious reasons, Deb continues to stay with her personal bed nest in place of a hospital style bed that continues to be offered to us. The wonderful sitting room that the Crosses included in our original house design has made all the difference now for everyone to visit with Deb without feeling like we are smothering her.

Deb continues to be around 100lbs even though Bonnie has her consistently eating her 3 meals a day. We are seeing more confusion with Deb in the early morning and then she gets better throughout the day. Her pain med (oxy) intake has gone up so she is taking 1-2 doses nightly and in the morning. She continues to experience abdominal swelling which is common with liver cancer but currently not a risk. Because she is too weak to travel, we will continue to measure the swelling and if necessary, I will take her back to Northside for fluid drain if it becomes unbearable. Unfortunately, this is a procedure that cannot be done at the house. She can walk short distances including to/from the bathroom but we are right there to assist in case she seems “wobbly”. She can stay up 2-3 times a day for only a short period of time before she wants to go back to sleep.

With all of this said about Deb’s current state, she continues to amaze all of us how she can for the last 6 months of her life journey be so selfless with a never ending fire in her eyes that is constantly fighting for her independence so that she feels that she is not a burden to us. Deb’s strength has been rock solid with no feeling of being “needy” to her family. Those of you that know Deb well or have worked with her know that this is just the way she is and as a teacher, she continues to teach us.

The friend/family network strength continues to be strong and my family continues to be so grateful to all of Deb’s Life Angels out there for food and comfort so that Deb can be where she will always be most at peace in her continued life journey…. home sweet home.

KTS and Love to all,
Rod

I knew our joy would fill the earth and last till the end of time my love
Roberta Flack