How
is she doing?
How
it started | How she is | Baby
Larissa | Jim | Blacky
Thank you for stopping by to check on Joann. We hope this page is useful, and we will try to keep it as up-to-date as possible. Saturday seems to be a quiet day in the hospital. Most patients have been discharged and the halls are quiet. Joann had a special visitor on Saturday -- her godson Ethan Ives, and of course his parents, Jeff and Lynn, from South Meriden, Connecticut, Joann's hometown. They arrived late morning. Ethan looks really sharp with his summer crew cut. They visited for an hour, and then went off to Janet's for lunch and the Empire State Museum for the bear exhibition. They came back for another visit at 4:00 before leaving to spend the night with Judy and Jim Barba in Poughkeepsie. (pictures available tomorrow) Joann's white blood count was low, and Dr. Eglowstein and Dr. Mastriani, Oncology, decided to begin Nupigen shots to stimulate white blood cell production. Infection is especially dangerous because it might cause Joann to go into labor. Joann is making progress, and it is still very much a day-to-day situation. Her spirits remain high, and we all know that her smile is infectious (of a type for which no antidote is needed). She is receiving very good care, and is obviously benefiting from the prayers and positive thoughts you all are sending on her behalf. We appreciate them very much. Photo gallery from July 4 visitors and family picnic.
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How she is: As you know by now, Joann is at Albany Medical Center with a large, inoperable, cancerous tumor in her right lung. She is also 27 weeks pregnant. This has greatly complicated her treatment. Her doctors, Stephen H. Grund, MD, PhD, Oncology, and Marla S. Eglowstein, MD, Perinatology, have researched and consulted with colleagues around the country to design a treatment program that has started Joann on a road to recovery and is safe for her baby Larissa. Joann had her first chemotherapy on Wednesday, July 1. Overnight Wednesday/Thursday, her blood oxygen level dropped to 90%,and she began receiving supplemental oxygen early that morning. Now that she is in the Ob-Gyn ward, Larissa will be monitored much more closely. The medical and nursing staff is working very hard to make sure that everyone understands the special issues involved with Joann's condition, and developing contingency plans for every possible situation. Joann has her computer now, and can log on through AOL. Some of you may have already gotten email responses from Joann. Of course, this means it won't be as easy for Jim keep secrets. If you are reading this before Monday, July 13, it means we have managed to publish remotely from Joann's room. Dr. Eglowstein brought a marble fudge pound cake as a treat. A nice dessert with ice cream from the floor refridgerator. Look back at the July 1 edition for more information about the chemotherapy treatment.
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About baby Larissa: Larissa is today 27 weeks and 3 days. Dr. Michael Hornbeck of the neonatology unit visited at the request of Dr. Eglowstein. If Larissa makes it to 29 weeks in utero, then her chances for "normal" development are very good, and decisions can be made with more weight given to Joann's health and progress. We don't want to get into a situation where spontaneous delivery happens at a low point of one of Joann's treatment cycles. The ultrasound to the right was taken on Friday, June 26. She weighed 879 grams. On Friday, July 10, she weighed 1000 grams, which is just about average. Mommy is noticably bigger, and Daddy can feel Larissa bumping the front of Mommy's belly. Actually, Larissa's heartbeat has been so consistently strong that Dr. Eglowstein and the Obstetrics staff decided to reduce the fetal monitoring from once-a-shift to once-a-day. The means Mommy doesn't have to be awakened as many times at night. The doctors have said that Larissa's lungs seem well developed for her age. That's definitely good news. Mommy says that Larissa moves around a lot at 4:00 AM. Supposedly, babies continue the same activity patterns once they are born. Daddy is not so sure that is good news! Mommy and Daddy visited the neonatal nursery on Friday, July 3. Daddy will try to publish some more news about that.
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What about Jim? He has been working to get the nursery ready, but that means he first has to move the rest of the furniture and hot mitts to the attic. The nursery is empty except for an empty file cabinet. He's looking forward to spending the weekend with Joann.
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And Blacky? Blacky misses Mommy, but he is being very good about it. So far he has chewed up only one of Aunt Judy's Rubbermaid food containers. Blacky is going to spend the weedend at the farm on Spillway Road and will probably have an exhausting time barking at the cats and playing with Lilly.
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Joann's doctors may restrict flowers and fresh fruit because of the danger of infection. Send a card and a prayer, instead. Joann is not restricted as to visitors, but please check with Jim ahead of time. He asks that you keep visits brief so as not to tire her, and please don't visit if you have a cold or infection, because her white blood cell count is lower from the chemotherapy. She would also enjoy a card or note whenever you find the time. We have a list of interesting things to do and good places to eat around Albany, so that you'll enjoy your trip even more. Click here for a map and directions to the hospital from Exit 23 of the Thruway. The nurses have requested that all visitors, including AMC staff and Jim, check with the nursing station before entering Joann's room. They are being very protective of her for medical, emotional, and meditative reasons.
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| How to reach Joann: She is going to be moving around, so check here for latest information. mail: E-mail: visiting: phone: How to reach Larissa: How to reach Jim: mail: Ives & Shaughnessy 318 Wall Street, Suite 2A Kingston, NY 12401 E-mail: visiting: phone:
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