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Diane’s Story

Site created on October 12, 2020

This has been so fast, unexpected and so very hard. As Diane's daughter, I am writing this to update family and friends. Steve, Jonathan and I know how much she is loved by so many and want to make it possible to update all during this very hard time. Mom has been slowly, yet rapidly declining over the past 4 weeks - yet we had no idea it was this bad. It all started with a cold, which my son Beckham so kindly always shares with 'Birdie Grandma.' Prior to this she did have a pain under her right rib off and on since August. over the past month she was very tired, had no energy and got more weak.. also no appetite and lost some weight. After the cold passed, we thought maybe covid so we had her tested, which was negative. I won't go into all the details of the outpatient visits that gave us little answers. She had a CT on October 7th outpatient, October 8th she was so weak - I decided we needed to go to the emergency department at Allen. Based on labs and a mass on her lung seen on an xray done that week before the ED, we suspected cancer. Never could we have prepared ourselves for the results of the CT and all that has come since. She has a mass on her lung, liver, several lesions in her spleen, it's in her bone and lymph nodes as well - Stage 4 METS. She was admitted to Allen on October 8th. While at the hospital she had a liver biopsy to identify the type of cancer, which we may know results by tomorrow - yet won't change anything. As we were given the news of likely 3 to 6 months left to spend with her, it hurt so bad - then more bad news came. There's a clot in her portal vein (in her liver), likely from the tumor. Normal treatment would be anticoagulants (thins the blood), yet with METS everywhere the likelihood of bleeding is very high. The alternative is no treatment and a possible PE (clot could go to her lungs). With the clot her liver enzymes are climbing. Mom has made it very clear that she doesn't want to treat stage 4 cancer that is not treatable, she doesn't want to put herself through that. With that she has also chosen not to do blood thinners for that clot, because she doesn't want to bleed internally. We were discharged from Allen yesterday, October 11th to her home with inhome hospice. She had a great day of visiting with some family yesterday, but today she is more weak and sleeping a lot - walking to the bathroom wipes her out for a long time. Pain control is our goal. Also, per her wishes we are trying to laugh and share memories.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Lyndsey Schwanz — Oct 25, 2020

Mom gained her angel wings last night surrounded by family, friends, and love❤

There are no words that will do her justice. Her laugh was the best thing ever, she made friends with every single person she talked to. She loved her grandkids endlessly and they made her so very happy. Steve and her had so much fun with friends, family and traveling. She loved him more than words can describe.

To say she will be missed doesn't even touch it.... I will miss our daily/ multiple times a day phone calls. I know you are watching over us, and I will continue to talk to you and so will our children. They love you so much Birdie Grandma! I know you and Grandpa Chuck are already having a Canadian Club &Pepsi and Black Velvet & Pepsi up there, likely a prime rib too. My heart hurts so bad and there's a gapping hole... but I know you are no longer in discomfort and God will take care of you. ❤❤

Per mom's wishes of not being the center of attention, (she would hate that I posted about her too), we will not be having a funeral. A Celebration of Life will be planned for sometime next year, so we can celebrate her at a party she would've attended, drank, laughed so loudly, and danced at. (And she will attend from above)

We love you mom - everyone who was so lucky to have met you, has been forever touched and changed. Thank you for being the best person I know!❤❤

Read More of the journal titled "October 25, 2020"

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