New addition!!!

Please welcome Charlie Jacob Stockbridge. Charlie was born at 9:38 on December 20th, 2007. He was born at 8lbs 4 oz. and was 20 3/4 inches long. Everyone is doing well.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to every one.

Memories

Hi Everyone!
I'm updating Grandma's online memorial. If you have additional pictures, stories, ancedotes, memories, etc. please e-mail them to me to be included in her website (jennsto@yahoo.com). Thanks! It sure was GREAT to see so many of you at her memorial service.
Jen

virtual memorial

Jen has set up a vitual memorial with an area for visitors to write in an online guest book and share your memories. We encourage you to visit the site and add your thoughts:
www.Martie-Stockbridge.virtual-memorials.com.

Thank you

Update on pop

August 30, 2007

Everyone asks how dad is doing after mom died. Bill and I were over at his house yesterday to help him organize papers etc. Mom was forever buying and losing greeting cards so I gathered them all and sorted them so dad will never have to buy a card again- he has plenty. While we were there, he shared with us an idea he had. Since there are many widows with whom he is friendly, he is going to suggest that they each pick a night to make dinner and have the whole group over. Then he looked at us with this big grin and said, "this way I'll never have to cook". When we asked if he thought he should take a turn he said he figured that they'd never want him to cook!!!!

I think he's going to be fine.

Mad

Pop

Saturday, August 25th

Zeke and Zeb left town at 11:00am today so this will be the first night that dad is all alone since we lost mom. I asked him if he wanted us to come over but he insisted he'd be okay. Thought some of you checking the blog today might call him tonight (just not after his lunch-time nap). Yesterday Muriel and Fred Weaver sent us a stand with a beautiful wooden church on it with a light. I had a plaque made that reads "in memory of Martie Stockbridge" and we have it in the front area inside the store. Dad just came in and walked up to see it and really got choked up.
On a comical note, we received a card today from the bank addressed to the family of Madeline Stockbridge. Our assistant manager, Rhonda, said we better look-out now as some of the tellers might be thinking Bill's available.

Mad

obituary

August 23, 2007

You can access the obituary online at www.chillicothegazette.com and click on obituaries. The picture we chose was taken at Jen and Dave's wedding by Emily when grandma greeted Jen on the receiving line. She was one classy lady. We could've written a book about her and still not captured her spirit.

Mad

Memorial Contributions

August 23, 2007

The obituary comes out today and lists 2 organizations that mom cared about. The first is:

Children International
P.O. Box 219055
Kansas City, MO 64121

1-800-888-3089

www.children.org

Mom and Dad support a little boy through this organization. Mom displayed his picture in their living room.


The second is:

Salvation Army
P.O. Box 451
Chillicothe, OH 45601

Mom delivered cookies to all the nursing home residents through the Salvation Army up until the day they left for WI and the whole nightmare started.

Zeb and Zeke arrived safely last night, it's great to see them.

Mad

A celebration of mom's life

We are planning a celebration of mom's life on her birthday September 24 at 10:30 am at Walnut St. Church in Chillicothe with a lunch to follow. We worked on something for the paper last night and Mike and Em are getting a picture ready to be included. Dad is doing well, we've been sharing upbeat stories and he is talking to a lot of people (family and friends) which is comforting for him. Jens called last night, he was so glad that they got to be with mom for such a good visit 2 weeks ago. He told us "the more good memories, the more tears you shed." We are shedding buckets.

Mad

We lost mom at about 9 this morning. Her body was transported to Ohio University, Athens OH for research. Mom and dad set this plan in motion years ago and she had been fearful that when she got cancer they wouldn't take her body. Once she was transported we brought dad home, made him lunch and while he's napping we will clean out her room at Traditions. Mike and Em are here, Zeb and Zeke fly in tomorrow and John comes up this afternoon.

• We are trying to think of Memorial gifts mom would like. Dad thinks the place they support which helps needy children in impoverished countries (I'll get the name to you later), her PEO chapter and/or Walnut St. Methodist Church. We'll try to get the info. out later.
• We have not made any other plans, these are just thoughts right now.

We are so relieved that her struggle to breathe is over and that she's with Jesus. When she had so much trouble on Sat. night she kept praying to Him to help her. Help has arrived.

Mad

update on Martie

August 21, 2007

The nurse in charge of mom's care called me yesterday to say the antibiotic they were giving mom for her "raging" urinary tract infection would not touch the particular culture she has so they were changing to a different antibiotic. She also asked permission to try a different anti-anxiety drug to try to get mom calm and breathing better which I approved. She assured me it is not in the atavan family of drugs that mom reacted adversely to in the hospital.

When mom was breathing through her mouth yesterday, the nurse switched her to an oxygen mask to help her. For 2 1/2 hours she was in agony struggling to breathe so "hardware man" Bill looked closely at the mask and discovered it was not letting out any air. We switched back to the nose tube and she could finally rest.

Today is the last scheduled radiation treatment but at this point I'm unsure if mom will be able to go. She is very uncomfortable alternating between extremely hot to freezing. We stand by to cover her up or run for cold wet washcloths.

In my view this is not comfort care.

Mad

I just got off the phone with Mom (Mad) who asked that I write this update. Grandma was at the ER last night for severe abdominal pain, which she described as "worse than childbirth." The ER doctor took x-rays, blood work, and a urine analysis, all of which looked fine. The doctor commented that Grandma looks great on paper, but is obviously clinically very sick. He, like so many others, encouraged her to eat and drink more. Around 1:00am Grandma returned to the nursing home. Beth and Todd have been there all weekend and were a lot of help at the ER. Today Grandma complained initially of abdominal pain and has been struggling to breathe this afternoon. If you want to check in, feel free to call Mom and Dad on their cell (715-252-3414) but you may not want to call Grandma's room as she's pretty tired from last night.



Joel, thanks for setting up this blog! It's a great way to keep everyone informed.

Its a Boy (we think)

Thursday Rachel had an ultrasound and the person running the machine (doctor, radiologist, tech) was able to see that the baby is growing at the right rate (head, heart, legs, other organs, spine, all looked good). As of right now we are still on track for a late December (Mid December if you ask Rachel) delivery. Rachel is still doing well.

August 18, 2007

All the staff at the nursing home are very concerned about mom's condition. Dr. Bishop saw her on Thursday and started an IV which has helped tremendously. Mom was able to get both chemo and radiation yesterday. Everything was going smoothly until we had to wait 2 hours for the ambulance to come back and get her after treatment. That made mom anxious and overdue for her breathing treatment. Once we got her back to the nursing home she had a treatment and a very little bit of an ensure milkshake and then she could rest. Later in the afternoon she had company and was able to engage in conversation and her voice was much stronger. One of the universal workers asked her what she felt like eating and she asked for eggs and bacon. The worker made that for her and she was able to eat some of the eggs.

Beth and Todd arrived in the evening but by then she was ready to go to sleep.

Two more radiation treatments to go and mom should be done. Dr. Roach may order another chemo. for Friday but we doubt it. Our goal is to help her eat and get stronger.

August 16, 2007

A quick update, our biggest challenge now is to get mom to eat and drink. When she had radiation yesterday Dr. Wang talked to us about making her take sips of gatorade all day long and eat as much as possible. We'll do our best. She is scheduled to have only 4 more radiation treatments and two more chemo. treatments. On Tuesday night she received a brand new mattress that is air filled and will take pressure off different parts of her body. We also started her on the appetite stimulant that is a derivative of marijuana -yay munchies. All the family left so dad, Bill and I are on our own with mom until Sat. when Beth, Todd, Zack and Jen arrive.

Mad

Tuesday, August 14

Jim and Hyla left today, Joel and Rachel flew back yesterday, Dick and David drove home on Sunday so Jens and Pia will be going to mom's radiation with dad today. Spoke with Jodi Lodge the speech therapist last night. She is very concerned, as are the other team members working with mom, about mom's weight and not eating. Jodi asked me to talk with Dr. Roach, the oncologist, to see what our options are. Mom is on a prescription called megase to stimulate her appetite but it is not kicking in yet.

I did talk with her family doctor, Dr. Bishop, last night who agreed to change the breathing treatment from albuterol to xoponex ( I may have the wrong name, but it was the medicine Rachel recommended). I'll update after I get to speak with mom's doctor.

Mad

thank you for showing me this blog

Grandpa first entry

Weekend pf August 10,11,12.

This blog is to record that the following family members were here to see Grandma and to celebrate Grandpa's 86th birthday:

John & Pam Jim & Hyla Bill & Mad Dick & David Jens & Pia ( from Denmark )

Joel & Rachel

Various vissts were made to Grandma at Traditions .

Martie

Joel set up this blog so we could update everyone on mom's status. Mom is tired and weak but nearing the end of treatments. She receives radiation Monday through Friday and chemo every Friday after radiation. She was scheduled to get 33 radiation treatments ending on August 21 but she was too sick to get 2 treatments this far so we don't know if they'll be added on to the end. When we saw her oncologist on Thursday, Aug. 9th we learned from a recent CT scan that the mass has not been reduced in size. They feel she is tolerating radiation and chemo pretty well but are concerned with her lack of appetite and her struggle to breathe. They have added roxicet, a morphine drug to make her more comfortable, an antidepressant celexa and straight albuterol for her breathing treatments. Having Rachel and Pia, both medical professionals, here this weekend gives us some new questions for the doctor and the director of nursing. We learned that there is a different medicine for the breathing treatment that will not cause the shaking she experiences now. We'll check on this tomorrow and also ask if they are cleaning or replacing the tool for breathing so it doesn't get bacteria.

Mom's spirits are pretty good and she really has enjoyed seeing all her boys. Please continue to keep her in your prayers for her strength and interest in eating.

Mad