Re: Update on Melinda (Mendy) Kerner's Caringbridge site

[Guest guest]

At 12:22 AM 2/12/06 +0000, you wrote:

> Some of you might remember brave Melinda went in for a BMT and

>initially did well - but succumbed months later to a respiratory

>illness (correct me someone if I am wrong on that). She was a

>wonderful friend to all of us and CML advocate . . . and I will always

>fondly remember her. She was always upbeat.

Hi Barb and others who knew Mendy,

She was my special CML birthday Sis (shared the same day, she much younger)

and also I was the first CMLer she met face to face on her way to

Portland/OHSU to start a drug trial.

Mendy was a brave and courageous CMLer who had wonderful philosophies about

life....she used to say " it is what it is " ..........and " live in the

moment " . She was a wonderful wife and mother of two young children and a

dedicated 7th grade teacher.

Her CML was never real stable, not even from the start.....and finally she

decided that a BMT was her best option, as advised by Dr. Druker and the

Stanford BMT team. She did not have an easy time following the

BMT.....actually spend much of her first 100 days in the hospital with

acute GVHD with many side effects of drugs she was on. She has her BMT in

Nov 2003 and did not make it home until March. Then in April she has a

flare-up of her GVHD of the gut. In June she was hit very hard.....with

CMV infection, a repeat of GVHD of the gut, liver and kidney problems,

diabetes, seizure and stroke.....this was all at about her 7th month

post-BMT. She was fighting hard for recovery and then in July she was

hospitalized with double pneumonia and put on a ventilator. Mendy passed on

to her 'new life' as guardian angel for her family on August 6th,

2004..........only 8th months post-BMT.

Through her special and loving husband Ken, she told us all that she had no

regrets.....that all her medical problems had brought her family closer and

she had lived in the moment. Her shortened life was well lived and one of

courage, wisdom, compassion and humor.

Mendy's friend,

Maui Nanc

[Guest guest]

How strange to see this post. I have been thinking of Melinda constantly for

the past few days, (don't know why exactly) and logged on to see this.

Thanks for sharing her ordeal, , I really never did find out how it was for

her. I am so sorry she suffered so. She is constantly in my prayers - Lynne

s

[Guest guest]

At 06:53 PM 2/13/06 -0500, you wrote:

>How strange to see this post. I have been thinking of Melinda constantly for

>the past few days, (don't know why exactly) and logged on to see this.

>Thanks for sharing her ordeal, , I really never did find out how it

>was for

>her. I am so sorry she suffered so. She is constantly in my prayers - Lynne

>s

Hi Lynne,

Her husband posted his new message on Feb 8th, and Mendy's birthday was Feb

9th.....so, maybe you had some birthday vibes. I have no doubt that Mendy

is a guardian angel watching over her family and also looking out for her

CML family. Remember that Mendy said she had not regrets......and she

taught us so much by the way she lived.

Maui Nanc