Love for Jewels

Below is Julie Bunker's recent tragic story as told by her best friend and husband, Bo Bunker.  I knew Bo wouldn't ask for anything from anyone although he's given so much over the years to family and friends.  If you know Bo and Cody you know they would give you the shirt off of their back if it was what you needed.  If after reading you can give anything at all it will be greatly appreciated.  The Bunker Family is experiencing loss of income, loss of benefits, and a growing mountain of debt due to medical expenses.
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August 31st around 2:00 p.m. our world was turned upside down. Saturday morning, August 31st we were getting ready to smoke some bacon for a couple of Juicy Lucy hamburgers that evening. We were going to smoke some briskets, chicken and sausage and have a little feed the next day for the Labor Day Weekend. Around 11:30 a.m. Julie took some Claritin-D because of a sinus headache. She had complained earlier of a little sore throat for drainage. She went inside around noon to grab the bacon for the smoker. I followed shortly after and found her standing at the stove with the cabinets opened above. I asked her what she was looking and when she turned around, I knew something was wrong. She was almost hyper-ventilating and could not put a sentence together. I did a quick stroke test and we called 911. An ambulance picked her up and took her to the hospital. Within a couple of hours several tests had been performed. CAT scan on the brain, Ultrasound on the heart and chest x-ray. When the nurse and doctor walked backed in we were told “I have really nothing good to tell you”. Julie had cancerous lesions on her brain, a mass in her chest and a heart performing at only 23%. I could not believe what I was hearing. The love of my life was in a fight for her life. Over the next several days we received more bad news upon more bad news yet Julie’s attitude and fight never wavered. On Tuesday September 3rd we had a good day. Julie was off IV’s and was able to shower. The next day they were to do a biopsy to determine what kind of cancer it was and decide on a treatment. We walked and talked about our lives together and the fight ahead and we would take it 1 day at a time. Tuesday night I was awaken by a strange sound. Julie had gone into cardiac arrest and we lost her for a few seconds. Chest compressions were done, and CPR performed. It was the worst thing I have ever seen, and they were doing it to my baby girl. We got her back and she was taken to ICU and a tube was inserted in her lungs to help her breath. The next morning, I asked for a meeting with the doctors involved: The Oncologist, The Cardiologist, a Neurosurgeon and a Gynecological Oncologist. The unanimous opinion was that there was nothing to be done. They could not fix one because of the other. The heart was too weak to handle the Cancer treatment and the Heart could not be fixed because of the blood thinners she would need to be on could not be used because of the lesions on her brain. They all agreed on Comfort Care and Hospice as soon as possible.

I brought Julie home Monday, September 9th and we met the Supreme Hospice Team Tuesday September 10th. Julie’s attitude has been a thing of inspiration for me and has helped me fight through the tears and be strong. I am numb and don’t even want to think about life without my baby girl. Cody and I are enjoying every second I have with her and Ian has been down on the weekends. She has a million-dollar smile for everyone and insists “No Tears, Get it!” on her visits with friends and loved ones. Everyone has been so supportive, and prayers are greatly appreciated. We need them for strength to get through this and Julie needs them for comfort and peace.

All I can keep thinking is after 35 years, I want 35 more…..



-Bo Bunker