Amy Doherty (Deb's sister) and Jimmy Reardon (Deb's brother) have asked us to post the following messages.
______________________________________________________
From Amy Doherty
Re: Fund for Deb
I have been getting several emails from people about sending checks again. Please add something to the blog to let people know that we couldn't do the tax exempt corporation, so they can either contribute by:
- (1) picking a task from the lotsahelpinghands.com website.
- (2) writing a check payable to Debbie and sent to Debbie Reardon, 657 Paige Lane, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
- (3) writing a check payable to Amy R. Doherty and sent to 53 Westview Terrace, Westwood, MA 02090 and Amy will deposit the money into Debbie's account.
If you've already sent a check payable to the "Fund for Deb" please email Amy.
Thank you all so much for your love and support for Deb.
Amy
_______________________________________________________
From Jimmy Reardon.
Re: Lotsahelpinghands website
Hello All,
This website is designed to help us help Debbie. My sister Amy and I have put it together in the hope of making Debbie's life a little easier upon her return home!
Included in the volunteering and support options:
- Ordering meals to be delivered to Debbie's home
- Taking her out or visiting her for a day
- Cleaning her house (either yourself or by hiring a cleaning company).
There are plenty of options to help for both those who are local and those who are not. Of course, we're always happy to hear any suggestions as to what else you think might be beneficial to add to the site...keeping in mind that we shouldn't feel restricted or limited to those tasks on this site.
It was our hope to provide some structure for folks to contribute in an organized way. Thanks again for all your thoughts and wishes. Debbie has been overwhelmed with the level of support and friendship that you have all shown! Lets keep it going, as the next few months will be challenging for her. We know that she'll be strong through the chemo and radiation, but it can't hurt to take some of the daily grind way!
Thanks again!
Debbie's brother Jimmy
Welcome to "Do it for Debbie!"! This community web site helps organize local volunteers.
If you haven't signed in yet, use this link to get started:
http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/12076/login/reset/0eb80c7da269a4766ddf682eadcd7558/
This will let you choose a new password for your first sign-in. If that link doesn't work, try this one:
http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/12076/login/reset/
and when it asks for the code number, enter this: 0eb80c7da269a4766ddf682eadcd7558
If you have any difficulties, contact a web site coordinator at:http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/12076/contact/
Regards,
Jimmy Reardon
Important Note:The sign-in link provided in this email will only work *once* for the original member to whom it is sent. If this email was forwarded to you by another member (rather than your receiving it directly from Lotsa Helping Hands), you will not be able to sign in.
In that case, go to: http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/12076/ then click on "Contact a Coordinator" and request to be added to the community. After a coordinator adds you as a member, the system will send you an email with your *own* sign-in link.Finally, please DO NOT FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO ANYONE ELSE - they will only be confused and frustrated when they encounter an error message trying to sign-in.
7 comments:
I spent the weekend with Deb and thought I would pass on how my visit went. Debbie looks like Debbie! She even sounds like Debbie! We took many strolls around the hospital, cafeteria, to the gift shop, outside, around the corridors and we had a nice time. We played hours and hours of "UNO". Of course I made her add up the cards to improve her memory. Miss speed demon had no problem...of course she liked to rub it when she won-I think she was adding points to my cards. Her dad played many of the games with us. I would have to say we must have played 12 hours "UNO" maybe more.
Friday night she was on a mission to find a cot for me to sleep in. I really didn't care and said I would sleep in a chair until morning...but she really wanted me to have a darn cot. So off we go, she is peeking into everyone's room looking for a cot no one was sleeping in. (at 10pm). If you know Deb's missions, they are quite impossible to change! No mission is impossible for her! She asked the nurses to move more couches into her room so I could sleep better. Well, No luck. Finally, at 3:30 in the morning a cot arrived for me to sleep in. Of course, miss sound sleeper Deb, didn't hear the loud metal beast come thundering into her room. She said she was low on her sodium levels in her blood so I came prepared with cheeses, chips and anything else salty I could think of. Well it worked! We ate so much junk food her sodium is now normal! Horrah!
Her rash looks great, the swelling from the allergic reaction is almost all gone, but some reddness will remain for the next few weeks. The neurologist who visited yesterday told her the complications she experienced in the hosptial is normal for the type of surgery she went through. When they remove tumors they generally produce blood clots. She felt better hearing that. He also said a common allergic reaction such as hers is seen in quite a few patients. He didn't believe the percentage she gave him which seemed to reassure her. He was very comforting and reassuring to Deb!
So for two nights we watched the Dog show and anxiously awaited to see her favorite category.....THE BRIARDS. We bet on each dog, thought who was cutter, fuzzy and fluffier and why would they shave a dog like that, and on and on. She was in her element.
I met a harpist at the hospital and asked if she would come to visit Deb, so tonight we had a lovely personal performance and enjoyed christmas music and songs from Fidler on the Roof. It was amazing.
So all of you wondering, Debbie is doing great. When I asked her what she wants me to say to everyone on the blog, she said...just tell them what we did and say "hi"...so hello from Debbie.
Her doctor's plan is Monday morning discharge and on Wednesday she will start chemotherapy and radiation.
PS: I forgot to mention she fussed with her scar so much they had to place two stitches in her head so it would heal. Goofy girl!
Good news!!!
Deb,
I bet you're soooo excited to be going home today...yipppeeeee!!!! I'm so glad your friend kimmie wrote what she did, makes ME feel a little bit better...she had me laughing through the whole thing with you going on your mission....I remember all the missions we used to go on in HS and at Fitchburg State....too funny!!! Anyway, so glad to hear that you get to go home and that you're the same ol' DEB!!!!!!
P.S..... have you given your # to ANY single docs?????
Love you lots!!!
Love,
Nikki
Hey Deb!
So glad to hear that you're on your way home today. (Hopefully, that won't change.) Your friend Kimmie was very thoughtful to let us all know how her visit went with you. I can just see you sneaking around the hospital looking for a cot. You're CRAZY!!! It's nice to know that although the things you're going through are not the most pleasant things, they're "normal" for patients like yourself. I would love to be out there with you playing UNO.....games of Lucky Ducks with Allie just isn't the same as games with adults. :) Hopefully, I speak to you when you get home. Until then, keep up your strength! We all love you!
Donna
Dear Deb,
So happy to hear your leaving the hospital today. Kimmie's story about going on a mission was really funny, and sounding very much like a Deb thing to do.
Be perpared, I'm coming down in two weeks and i will be bringing
Skip-Bo. I think we need change up your games a bit to keep you on your toes. See you soon
Ant
YEAH Debbie is home!!!!!
Welcome home my dear friend....
Debbie is HOME!!! I almost feel like we've been waiting for you to get out of prison and the parole board kept finding out things to keep you in just one more day. I loved hearing Kimmie's story about what you looked like, sounded like, played like and felt like. THAT was very reassuring. It made me able to hear you laugh - that psycho, out of control laugh. If I could have gotten there while you were still in the hospital, I'd have brought the remote control fart machine and gotten us both in a lot of trouble on a mission. I'm glad you're home. That's the best place to heal - now stop messing with your scar.
-Mol
Debbie,
Great News. Welcome home. Make sure that you follow the Dr's orders........ no exceptions and do not ask for "Waivers" either because they will not be approved.... laughs.
Keep it up.
Love,
Patrick & Family (CT)
Post a Comment