Mary’s Story

Site created on October 9, 2022

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.


For a few months now, Mary has been experiencing increasing weakness in her legs. At first, she thought it was a lingering effect of Covid, but as the symptoms worsened, she started falling, then needed a cane then a walker. She found out she has a tumor wrapped around her spinal cord.  Without immediate attention she will lose the use of her legs. In her words, “I will either have this spinal surgery to remove the tumor or I will live the rest of my life in a state of paralysis.  No real choice of course, other than HOW to move ahead.” Her courageous intention about how to move ahead is to take this journey from a place of love and exquisite self-care, while grounded in the beauty of Mother Earth.

With deep purpose, dogged determination, and support from her husband Jerry and others, Mary found a neurosurgeon who embodies both expertise and heart. The surgery is complex. The outcome unknown, as it is only upon opening the area where the tumor is located that her medical team will know what she and they are dealing with. Surgery is scheduled for October 17, 2022. 

Newest Update

Journal entry by Jerry Boardman

Happy June everyone!  And happy birthday to the three of you who are celebrating your special day today!

Yesterday was another big milestone day in my recovery process in that I completed my medical-system PT course of treatments.  Now it's up to me to dig in and create the next steps of recovery based on the foundation many talented and dedicated young people created for me these past seven months.

I am beyond grateful for all the loving support and care I've received from so many medical staff, friends, and family members.  A special thanks to dear Jerry for all of his patience and hard work in caring for me day-in and day-out for months, and to my cousin Diane for traveling to Minneapolis to stay with us for a week after I was discharged from the hospital. Thank you everyone all for the cards, meals, encouraging Zoom calls, stimulating book club discussions, gifts, flowers, and healing energy and prayers. 

This truly has been a time of learning to receive love in whatever form it is offered and to graciously accept help at the most dependent-upon-others I've been in this lifetime. It's been a time to learn how to more deeply trust my body and its capacity to heal.  It's been a time to learn even more about the capacity of humanity for love and generosity and hope.  I've faced my mortality in a potent way and have come through this with a deep appreciation for the gift of life and the gift of mobility.  Each of you has inspired this appreciation, thank you!


And now, just for the fun of it, here are my "stats" from the past seven months:

Surgeries:  1 (and that was plenty, believe me!)

PT/OT treatments:     101

Equipment needed:    2 wheelchairs, 3 different types of walkers, 2 canes, and 2 bathtub chairs (all   donated to Courage Kenny Rehab Center, see photo below)

Radiation treatments: 25

MRI's:  4 (with one remaining for a final spinal check in September)

Doctor and Healer appointments:  57

Days in the hospital/rehab:  22

Current walking distance capacity without rest or assistance: 3960 feet (3/4 mile)

Balance score on test with 30 points maximum:  25 points. Nnormal for my age is 27 points, so I'm almost normal, at least by this standard.   😉 


It's been a full-time job, that's for sure.  And everyone of these stats reflects the dedication of all who crossed my path to be of loving support.  This journey has truly exemplified 


LOVE IS THE KEY! 


Thank you, thank you, thank you!   May this find each of you enjoying life in your own unique way!


With love,
Mary





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