Re: Helping Mark

[Miriam Elliott]

Elyse,

I know I responded to this yesterday but it isn't showing up in my Sent box so replying again. I'm pretty distracted & having trouble focusing, with all the challenges of late, so likely failed to get my reply properly sent. 

 

Elyse, you are an angel for your offer of meals. I am going to decline at this time. I think we're OK for now. But I'll keep this in mind once we get further into treatment. If things get too difficult I'll reach out to you. 

 

Before all the new developments Mark dealt with ongoing severe back pain. When it's really bad he loses his appetite so meals are always a challenge. And since he's in bed a lot due to pain we seldom eat at the same time. I'm anticipating as he gets weeks into his radiation & chemo that he may end up having to resort to pureed food to be able to swallow it. Dr told him to concentrate on calorie intake and not to worry about consuming high fat things like milkshakes. So I may be making him milkshakes or I'll make runs to Steak 'n Shake for their great milkshakes! Now that I'm writing this 2nd email I'm thinking that Steak 'n Shake gift cards would be a help. His treatments will be at Shands Medical Plaza/Davis Cancer Pavilion & we pass right by Steak 'n Shake on the way home. Milkshakes are something we rarely splurge on so I think Mark would appreciate this. 

 

Again, we so appreciate your willingness to set up meals. So kind of you. And keep the prayers coming. 

 

Peace & Love,

Miriam

 

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Elyse Marhefka <emmar...@gmail.com>
To: emmanuel-men...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Good news re Mark
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2022 17:38:22 -0400

Hi Miriam,

We're so relieved that his prognosis is good and hope that treatment is not too difficult. I'd like to set up a Meal Train for you if that is okay (People sign up online to make and deliver food to you). I can send it out to the church. 

If you are okay with me doing this, I will need a little bit of information:

- dietary restrictions/preferences

- time frame you'd like meals delivered

- any days you wouldn't want meals 

- address 

 

Sincerely,

Elyse

 

Sincerely,

Elyse Marhefka Moser
emmar...@gmail.com
561-635-0296

 

--

On Tue, Sep 13, 2022 at 12:05 PM Miriam Elliott <mark...@juno.com> wrote:

Saw Radiation Oncology yesterday. They said Mark's throat/neck cancer is treatable and curable and is "not a death sentence! We had been very concerned about his prognosis as it had spread from the main tumor to lymph nodes in his neck. So what a relief!

 

The bad news is that it will be very tough treatment: Radiation starting 9/26 daily, Mon-Fri for 7 weeks. And chemo once per week. About 4 weeks into radiation he'll start getting a very sore throat/mouth, be hard to eat/drink, may have difficulty swallowing. They will supply "magic mouth wash" (lidocaine). But if he finds it too difficult to eat they may have to put in a temporary feeding tube. Mark had already lost 40 lbs since Jan. a warning sign of cancer we see now in hindsight, so getting him through this nutritionally is concerning. Will be meeting with a nutritionist also. 

 

They think his TIA/mini-stroke was likely due to blood clots caused by the cancer. A dr in the hospital told us that cancer can thicken your blood. 

 

Please continue to pray for him. We feel blessed that the prognosis is so good. Thanks be to God! It was an anxious 2 weeks waiting on yesterday's appt to find out. And we have challenges ahead. But will focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

Peace & Love,

Miriam

.

 

[Elyse Marhefka]

Elyse Moser just sent you a gift card for Steak 'n Shake using Ibotta! 💸
https://egift.activationspot.com/egift?eid=0CVFG26GQ8SRR4AN1C8N3TTJRM&tid=D47R19NTZ7N91GT78JV50K77KA

I hope this helps to start out with. You should be able to show on your phone if you have a smartphone or print it. If you have trouble, let me know and I can print it for you. 

Elyse 

 

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[Miriam Elliott]

Elyse, 

Thank you SO much! I'm able to pull it up on my phone so we're all set. 

 

Mark likes also going out for breakfast: eggs, hash browns, toast & sausage (I like that too, just no meat please!). It is something we've seldom done until recently following early morning dr appts. So that will be a treat for him too, in addition to the milkshakes. He has lost almost 40 lbs since Jan, in hindsight a sign he had cancer. So need to keep from losing more. And anything that will cheer him up or give him something to look forward to or lift his spirits during the next couple months is most appreciated. 

 

Thank you times 100! 

 

Miriam

 

 

Please note: message attached

From: Elyse Marhefka <emmar...@gmail.com>
To: emmanuel-men...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: Helping Mark
Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2022 20:36:02 -0400

[Ginny Campbell]

What a great idea, Elyse!

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/emmanuel-mennonite-church/CA%2BXs1GPDv2%3Da9E-FRfx9U5iYJRC-j06OShFTyxK0gKXC_WuXcA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Elyse Marhefka]

I’m so sorry I don’t know how this got sent to everyone. It said just Miriam in the send.

On Wed, Sep 14, 2022 at 10:10 PM Ginny Campbell <ginn...@gmail.com> wrote:

What a great idea, Elyse!

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/emmanuel-mennonite-church/CAAvUPDoTXEYQSjHNe0EuzPYXHvn6YDBO7ZPadbOsc9BFCzhkdg%40mail.gmail.com.