Carol Schliecher

From Jean Smith,

As most of you have heard, my sister Carol passed away on September 6.  She was initially admitted to St. John's in Oxnard with a diagnosis of pneumonia in mid-August.  He neck was swelling and sores appeared on her chest.  Her oncologist was on vacation and not much treatment was happening beyond antibiotics and extra oxygen, so after a week there my sister Beth began to advocate for her and to ask for further testing.  Her specialist at City of Hope began to communicate directly with St. John's staff, and on September 1 she was moved to that hospital by ambulance.  Rod and I and my sister Beth stayed rented a hotel room near the City of Hope so we could rotate time with her and support each other.  More tests were done at COH.  Her ability to breathe kept decreasing and she was in terrible pain those last days.  On Wednesday a PET scan showed that the cancer had taken over all her lymph nodes and was starting to spread in her lower torso.  One lung had collapsed and the other was partly collapsed.  She was only partly coherent for brief minutes by that time.  Supported by your prayers we talked with Terry (husband) and Sara (daughter) and after some intense discussions with doctors, made the decision to do only palliative care.  This meant she was not intubated and transferred to ICU.  She had signed a DNR some months ago, and during the summer had told all of us she did not want to prolong death after seven days of efforts to stabilize her.  Within 4 hours medication for pain and distress began and her breathing began to slow.  She passed on to heavenly glory a couple hours after midnight.  

It has been a very, very difficult time Thank you for your prayers and support since March 2017.  Click here for her obituary and details about a celebration of her life on Saturday Oct 13.