In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

University of Michigan
Memo field: In memory of Lisa McMaster/BLAST cancer (BLAST is the fundraiser we started for childhood cancer)

Mail to:

1000 Oakbrook
Suite 100
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Attn: Kim

McMaster Foods for Funeral and Meals

For those of you wishing to help out....please go to :


www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0D48A9AC2DA20-mcmaster/8447131

Funeral Arrangements

Visitation will be at
Vermeulen Funeral Home
46401 West Ann Arbor Road
Plymouth, MI 48170

Tuesday, May 21st
1:00 pm-2:00 pm Family
2:00 pm-9 pm Family and Friends
The Rosary will be held at 7:30 pm

Wednesday, May 22nd
Lisa will be in state from 9:00 am-10:00 am
St. John Neumann
44800 Warren Rd.
Canton, MI 48187

The funeral celebration will begin at 10:00 am

May 19, 2013 - Heavy Hearts

It is with a heavy heart this morning that I write this.  Lisa passed away this morning at 4:45 AM, with her Linda and I at her side.  I'll post funeral arangement details as soon as they become available.  Thank you all for your love and support.

Mike

Back Home

I brought Lisa home Wednesday evening and we met with Angela Hospice to get her setup with the PCA at home.  The PCA enables her to self medicate through her IV if she is feeling any pain.  That works well at the hospital so we are hopeful that she’ll be more comfortable with it.  Once she was at the hospital and a number of things were done to address her pain she felt much better.  On Monday Lisa had platelets and red cells, and after she was admitted she was put on the PCA, increased steroid, increased pain meds, Ritalin and IV fluids.  Tuesday she was all go at the hospital with only a brief nap. Wednesday she spent some time in the craft room and we walked down to the café for lunch. Thursday I walked, Lisa rode in the jogger/stroller, to McDonald’s. It was about 80 degrees.  After we got back home she took a long nap and woke for dinner and another walk in the jogger.  Only time will tell if her pain is under control but she seems better that she was last weekend.  Here she is pictured with a new frog that Aunt Paula sent along with a box of other goodies.  Have a great weekend.

Mike

1st Communion

Lisa made her first communion on Sunday morning.  I woke her up about 15 minutes beforehand.  I was able to get her dressed and in the car, and when we arrived she managed to walk from the car and into church but immediately laid down.  That little ordeal was enough to take a toll. She stayed down the entire mass with the exception of receiving communion.  She sat up and managed communion with a few painful tears. It was a very touching moment with Father Ron coming to her.

Monday I brought Lisa to UofM for lab work that would tell us if she needed more blood products, which she did.  She needed both platelets and red blood cells.  When I brought her in she was very uncomfortable indicating pain on her right side near her bottom rib and additionally up in her right shoulder.  Her pain was so bad that she was actually crying which I can't remember her ever doing. Typically Lisa will retreat to a bed, close her eyes and try to manage her pain quietly and hope to sleep it off.  She’s so strong.  I think she’s actually trying to “suck it up” at home so that she isn’t a burden, even if she doesn’t know she’s doing it.  What we are beginning to understand is that when Lisa arrives to the infusion area she seems to feel safe enough to let her guard down just a bit.  Whenever the nurses ask her to rate her pain from 1 -10, it's always 10, at the hospital. When asked if she is in pain at home, almost always the answer is "no".  I wish I had her strength.

Including this picture so that you can see her outfit. (Still tightly clinging cha-ching the teddy bear.)

We decided to keep Lisa overnight at the hospital with the hope of getting a handle on the pain.  We are considering bringing her home with VI pain medicine which would be managed by hospice but we haven’t yet made that determination.  Today, when I spoke to Linda, Lisa was playing in the craft room so I’m taking that as a positive sign that she’s feeling “better”.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, and send her lots of healing/pain relief energies.

As always, thank you for checking in. 

Mike

Congratulations Thomas and Christina:)

Thomas and Christina made their Confirmation on Tuesday! 

We are going to try and triple the excitement with another Catholic celebration this Sunday.  Lisa will be making her "second" First Communion.  This time she will be wearing the white dress and hopefully be awake to receive communion from the priest:)

We will be attending the 10:30 mass at St John Neumann and have a small celebration for Thomas, Christina and Lisa aftewards. If you would like to join us at either the mass or the celebration, please RSVP with a headcount by clicking the link below:

RSVP: Yes I will attend Lisa's First Communion:)

Thanks!

Keep praying and live life fully:)