Jill Update

The purpose of this weblog was to keep Jill's family and friends current on her treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Jill passed away on January 20, 2013 after a 10 year battle against the disease and the side effects of her many treatments. This blog will now serve as a memorial to Jill. Please feel free to add your comments and thoughts.

Name:
Location: Columbia, Missouri, United States

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Welcome to Jill's Page


Welcome to Jill's Update Page. I will use this page to keep friends and family up to date on Jill's fight with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

A little history. Jill started noticing symptoms in the winter of 2002-2003. In August 2003 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a treatable cancer that attacks the lymphatic system. You can read more about this disease at http://www.lymphomainfo.net/hodgkins/.

Jill started a rigorous chemotherapy treatment immediately. She had twice monthly treatments for about 9 months. The tumors disappeared and the symptoms ceased. But by July the symptoms started to return. In August 2004 she started chemotherapy again, this time at very high dosages. This level of chemotherapy destroys the patient's bone marrow which reproduces blood cells. To restore the bone marrow the doctors perform what is called an autologous blood stem cell replant. In this procedure they harvest the patient's own blood stem cells and freeze them prior to the high dosage chemotherapy. Then immediately after the chemotherapy is complete, they reintroduce the stem cells, which rebuild the bone marrow.

Jill received this treatment during the winter of 2004-2005. The treatment again worked and Jill began to recover, but within a month or so the symptoms reappeared. In early June scans confirmed that the cancer was back.

So that is where we are today. The next treatment will be an allogeneic blood stem cell transplant, which means that the cells will come from a compatible donor. If a compatible donor can be found these treatments will start as soon as possible. Her brother Harley has the highest probability of being compatible. We are currently waiting on the results of the compatibility tests.

Many of you have asked me about the possibility that you may be compatible donors. Since the likelihood of any particular person, even close relatives (other than siblings) being compatible is quite low, doctors don't test relatives if no siblings are compatible. Instead, they check the National Marrow Donor Program bank for matches. You can read about blood stem cell donations at http://www.marrow.org/DONOR/abcs_of_donation.html.

I invite you to check back to this site regularly, for updates as we know more about Jill's treatment. Of course you are welcome to call me anytime if you want to talk about this. Also, if there are other friends of Jill that would like to read this blog, please feel free to share the address with them. If you would like to respond you are welcome to add a note. Remember that this is an unlisted page. Strangers may stumble onto it by accident but it is not listed anywhere. It is intended for the benefits of Jill's friends and family who want to stay informed and add their thoughts now and then. Let me know if you have any questions.

tom

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looks great, Dad. Hi to friends and family who are thinking of Jill. Thanks for your support.

9:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a great idea. I feel like all of us out here will share in Jill and Scott's special day in spirit for sure. Thanks Tom for getting it up and going. I'll look forward to seeing some pictures. Riner Fran

1:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update! To Jill and Scott, we wish you a wonderful wedding day!

We love you, Jill, and will be sending our thoughts and prayers your way for a full recovery as you endure this battle again. Stay strong!

We send our love to you both as you embark on your new path as a married couple. Congratulations!

11:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Korn. Getting married on Canada Day eh! Our best wishes to you both as you embark on this next stage of your lives.
Jill, our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with you and Scott as you prepare for your upcoming treatments. Battle on!

With love,
Gord, Sandra, Robyn & Erinn

1:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Jill and Scott, on your marriage. We wish you all the best. We continue to pray for you, Jill, for a full and speedy recovery, and for you, Jill and Scott, as a couple as you begin your marriage. May God bless you.
Love, Ron & Linda

10:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Seeing and reading this makes such a difference. Congratulations from Ireland Jill and Scott. You are in our prayers and we wish you health and happiness. We also admire your courage and your ability to live in the now.

Slán

1:49 AM  

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