Laura’s Last Hurrah! Help us be with her until the end!

**UPDATE**

It has been a long week here at the foothills hospital with Laura. She finally moved into the palliative unit at the Arthur J E Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

Although we will miss the community of patients and families we met in the halls and shared rooms with it is nice to have a private room.

Laura's pain has increased steadily over the past week and her medical care team has been able to keep her comfortable. It is hard to watch my mom in pain. I can only assume that means the cancer is growing more rapidly and that her tumors have grown as well.

I love sleeping over at the hospital with my mom. It is the quality time I rarely get these days. I am overjoyed to see so many faces coming to see my mom throughout the day. Laura's social calendar has always been very full, and even end-of-life care can't stop this butterfly!

In true Laura fashion she did not want to miss the party (what she has been calling her funeral). So Laura did what Laura does and she planned a Living Celebration of Life.

Tomorrow is Laura's big day. Laura has been living with cancer for over two decades and this new cancer thought it could outsmart her. Laura has planned an evening to share with people near and dear to her. A way to control how she says farewell. I think it's beautiful.

Originally I wanted to write an update about how all the donations were helping with Laura's vision, but after some miscommunication and new building policies I have no update. I had arranged a catered event with a menu to reflect Laura's wishes but today (Nov 4th) at 1:30 pm I had to call Roma Catering to cancel my order. The space we were offered for Laura's event does not allow food.

Laura, like myself, loves food. Food brings us all together. Food offers experiences. Food offers comfort. Laura was upset to find out that she could not feed her guests.

My brother comforted me by saying Roma will be there for the funeral and we can honor our mom then.

To everyone who has read my story, thank you. Thank you so much. Please advocate for your health. Talk to your doctor. For those who have donated, thank you so much. I don't know how to handle this kindness and I process it every day. I cannot express my gratitude for each and every one of you. The money you earn, the money for your life, every single dollar of yours that you so graciously donated to my cause means so much to me and I will spend my life being thankful for you.

Lastly, Laura has been put on the wait list for hospice. She has chosen a lovely hospice with mountain views. We wait for the call that a room is available knowing what that call means for another family. I hope they know I am thinking of them even though we don't know each other.

Much Love,

Nandita & Co.

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Im not the kind of person to ask for help. It’s not in my nature to be vulnerable especially in such a public way.

I would love to lift the burden of expenses for my family so that we could all just be present with my mother in her final days or weeks but I am not independently wealthy, so here I am, asking for help.

I have no expectations. I thought I might try something out of my comfort level.

Thank you for reading this and below is my mother’s story. If nothing else, please go to your doctor for any health concerns you may have. Advocate for yourself and for your loved ones. Normalize talking about poop, it could save a life!

My name is Nandita and this is my Mom (Laura) and her story.

Laura was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM) 22 years ago and her oncologist told her she had 18 months to live. She defied the odds and lived two decades beyond what was expected.

A few years ago she began to have issues with her bowels. Laura’s oncologist began a journey to find a medication that worked to fight her MM and resolve her bowel problems that were thought to be caused by her current medication. After some trial and error her oncologist found one that worked for Laura. Laura’s issues seemed to have resolved and only the occasional flare up would set her back slightly.

Over 2 years later in May 2024 Laura had lost energy, weight, and appetite. She began to spend more and more time coping with her pain and exhaustion in silence.

July 2024 Laura went to her family doctor about her lack of energy and after blood work he discovered her Oncologist had been tracking her declining iron levels for 8 months.

Laura was sent to the hospital for an emergency blood transfusion to increase her iron levels and give her some energy. Laura felt better shortly after. Hope returned to all of us. The transfusions gave her a 48 hour energy boost. Laura began struggling to walk and began relying on a walker.

In August 2024 she received a phone call that her oncologist had sent a requisition for a colonoscopy and endoscopy. A few days after those procedures the doctor called to confirm what he has seen in the exam, colon cancer.

Less than two weeks later Laura was having a CT exam. After that it was a string of appointments. We saw a surgeon who informed us she couldn’t operate, blood transfusions to replenish what she was losing, and finally on October 1st an Oncology appointment with a new oncologist.

Stage 4 colon cancer that had metastasized to her liver.

Another cancer and another shortened life expectancy if she went without treatment or if she didn’t respond to it.

That day I raced around the city with my mom getting blood work done and filling prescriptions so she could begin treatment 7 days later.

October 8th 2024 Laura started Immunotherapy. Everyone was so hopeful. Her nurse was so supportive and positive.

October 17th my mother had a fall in the middle of the night. After speaking with her medical care team we were advised to take her to emergency on the 18th.

My Mom has been in the hospital since October 18th. On October 25th we saw the results of her new CT scan. Her liver spots had grown and new spots had appeared. Her oncologist said it’s time to make her comfortable.

As I navigate through this process with an ending I’m not ready for I tell myself I can’t do this. I breakdown. Money doesn’t fix things but it might take some stress away for my siblings and myself. To just sit with our mom. To not worry about a tank of gas, a meal, or unexpected hospice and funeral costs.

I would also love to show my appreciation for the Palliative care unit at the foothills hospital. They run from room to room taking such great care of all of their patients, remember us, get to know us, and answering our questions. They do it with little supplies always trying to stretch what they have. They do it with smiles on their faces. I would love to be able to give back to unit 47!

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading along. If you do donate, thank you from the bottom of my heart all the way to the top. If you go to the doctor to get a health concern checked please know you are filling my bucket. I have nothing but love for this world and I hope to be able to help someone else with my mom’s story.

thank you so much. Go hug your mom!

Much love

Nandita & family