Mary’s Story

Site created on March 3, 2020

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.

Mary has been living with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease for several years. This is a progressive disease which will get worse but not better over time. By 2016, her liver issues became more serious which then started to affect other aspects of her health.

In the summer of 2017 Mary was evaluated at the Mayo Clinic and was approved as a potential candidate for a liver transplant. This does not mean she will be able to receive a transplant even as her liver worsens. Up to now her risk to benefit ratio has favored ongoing monitoring.

In February of 2020, Mary experienced a perforation of her small intestine which resulted in an abdominal infection and immediate hospitalization at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. She is being treated with antibiotics to control the infection and allow time for the bowel to heal. However, as her general health declines her options continue to narrow. For that reason our planning is moving to palliative care and perhaps hospice if that becomes necessary. Mary has had many people praying for her and we are not underestimating the power of prayer to help and comfort Mary. She feels these prayers and they are making a difference in her life.

In the hospital we are limiting visits to family, but your thoughts and prayers are gratefully welcomed.

-Written by Frank and respectfully submitted by Mary’s niece, Beth Zimmerman

Newest Update

April 06, 2020

Journal entry by Frank Trapanese —

It has been quite some time since I’ve posted an update to Mary’s Caring Bridge site. In this case it is a good thing as there is not much new to report. Mary has gradually been gaining strength since her ordeal with a perforated intestine and her hospitalizations in February and March. Just a few weeks ago her chances of recovery did not look all that promising so the past many days have felt like a bonus. We therefore continue to keep on keeping on, and appreciating life and each other one day at a time. We are hopeful that the intestinal issue is a one-off occurrence and that she is not one of those individuals who are prone to recurrence. The doctors tell us there is no data on this so only time will tell. 
Mary’s liver disease is of course, an ongoing issue. Although she has gained in strength since coming home, she is not currently strong enough to be a transplant candidate. A best case scenario is that she would get back to that level of vitality.  In the meantime we are glad to be home and close to our friends even in this time of quarantine and social distancing.  At present we seem to be enjoying a quiet period. We hope that continues and that the near future is uneventful. 
I would like all reading this to know that we feel your prayers and expressions of concern have been very significant to Mary’s physical recovery and to the emotional wellbeing of both of us.  Thank you for that and please continue to keep us in in your thoughts and prayers. 


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