[Friday, June 1, 2007]

Hi Everyone,

1st things 1st. We have now raised over $1200.00 for Shelsi and Laynes Legacy and already the money is being put to good use. We have ordered the Vita-Mix Juicer, and thanks to my long lost friend and sister, Kathleen Koltko-Rivera who was my roommate in New York City, we got it at the Medical Assist discount price, which is less than $300.00. (Thank You Kathleen!)

Because Shelsi had 5 or 6 blood clots when she left the hospital, and because the doctor's were concerned she may need open heart surgery if chemotherapy left a hole in her heart after killing the cancer cells there, they sent her home with Lovanox, a blood thinning medication whose effects are easier to reverse if needed. She's had to inject it twice a day since March 2. Now that they believe the threat of the heart surgery is over, they are trying to switch her medication to Coumadin (sp). In order to do that she's had to drive to Cedars every other day since last week to get blood work done so they can adjust how much she needs. She drove herself one trip, Eric (I believe) drove her another time and her sister Kira has driven her twice. (they should be on their way back home as I write this.) Your generous donations are helping with the added gas expense. As I've stated before it's a 3-4 hour round trip each time.

Tomorrow Shelsi and Eric are coming to visit me here in Aliso Viejo to meet with a naturopath doctor who owns a health food store close by to get some additional advice on nutrition during cancer. The money we have already received in donations will help us purchase additional vitamins and supplements which he may recommend. Shelsi is also anemic still and we've heard that a natural iron supplement may be better for her than the shots she is currently getting, but we will check with her M.D. first.

I've included a picture of me with Shelsi and Kira from Mother's Day, 2006. It is such an honor to have given birth to these two beautiful women as well as their little sister, Kandyse, who died of SIDS in 1988 at 3 months of age. I'm also pretty fond of their brother Jamin, my first born, who I love dearly.

For those of you who haven't been on the website lately, there's a short little clip of Shelsi being interviewed for the Cedars Sinai volunteer video. I hope you are able to play it.

Again, much love and gratitude to all of you for your beautiful support, in whatever form it comes in.

Sheri~ http://shelsisentinel.stlawson.com

--
"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere."
-- Frank A. Clark

Shelsi is the daughter of Sheri and Ric Hancock, and the wife of Eric Stolworthy. On Jan 25th she was diagnosed with "Diffused Large B-cell lymphoma" -- in other words, Cancer. It manifested as an 14 cm mass in her chest that was pushing on her heart and constricting the blood flow to the rest of her body. Now she is out of Intensive Care but is still undergoing Chemotherapy treatments. Her husband Eric, her parents Ric & Sheri and all the rest of her family and friends thank you dearly for all your prayers and support!