Thanksgiving Day Update from Barry

Below is a post from Barry. I am THRILLED to be posting more than 2 sentences!! For the first time in my role as Blogmaster, I am going to take a couple of creative liberties. First, as I read Barry's TOP TEN REASONS WHY THE GLAZERS ARE THANKFUL THIS THANKSGIVING, I realized there is a glaring omission. So, I am adding this 11th reason:

11. Barry. While I am sure Nancy will post later about how wonderful Barry has been throughout all of this, I wanted to say how thankful we, as Nancy's friends, are to Barry for his love and support for Nancy during all of this. Also, in addition to a full plate of responsibilities at the hospital, home, and office, Barry has made time to reassure us and keep us informed during the past week and a half. Thank you Barry - and get some rest this weekend. You deserve it.

Enjoy your time with family and friends today... Happy Tofurkey Day :)

Gayle

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All:

This is Barry, the current gatekeeper of Nancy's Network of Friends. I am pleased to report that Nancy quickly made it to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and she will be home as soon as she gets stronger. Pretty soon, she will be communicating with you via the blog.

First, an apology. Thanks to Gayle Byck, Pam and Scott Shimamoto, and Doug Wilson, this blog was set up for Nancy. I have tried to balance your need to know Nancy's status with my sense of privacy and superstition. There have been many highs and some lows, but I didn't want to take everyone on this rollercoaster or jinx anything. Thanks to Gayle for honoring my wishes.

Thanksgiving is Nancy's favorite holiday. Look what she had to do to get out of hosting this year.

The Glazer family has much to be thankful for at this time. HERE’S THE TOP TEN REASONS WHY THE GLAZERS ARE THANKFUL THIS THANKSGIVING:

10. Nancy's Legion of Friends. It was amazing to see the breadth of Nancy’s friends from all aspects of her life. From coast to coast, your thoughts and prayers have worked wonders. To the locals, we appreciate your honoring Nancy's wishes. Your day will come.

9. Robbins, Salomon, and Patt Ltd. Once again, thank you for your support. Sorry about the insurance premiums.

8. My Foxhole Friends (you know who you are). You always have been, still are, and will be there for me. A special shout out to Dr. Rosenberg and the Drs. Berkowitz for your medical interventions and translations.

7. The Mackeviches, Hesdorffers, Kings, and Mary. As always, thank you for being there. I can't thank you enough.

6. Nana, Fern, and Emily. Thanks for watching over the kids when I couldn't be there.

5. Northwestern Memorial Hospital. From the doctors to the nurses and everybody else, Nancy received wonderful care.

4. Drs. Fishman, Bendok, Koht, Joe, Brkic, and your teams. Led by Dr. Batjer, you are the Dream Team. Thanks for your fantastic work. By the way, the entire schwannoma was removed and Nancy will not need a gamma knife.

3. Dr. Hunt Batjer. You are THE BEST, leading Nancy’s “Fantastic Voyage.” Words are inadequate to thank the man who saved Nancy twice. We were so fortunate that you came from Texas in 1995. Sorry that baseball thing didn't work out for you. May we meet only over pristine MRIs.

2. Dana, Sami, and Tracy. Throughout, you guys put your mother first and were low maintenance. I will miss our nightly team meetings. And pumpkin pie really is a vegetable.

1. Nancy. I don't know why you keep having to confront these medical challenges, but your strength, courage, and attitude are amazing. We love you!

To everyone: A happy and HEALTHY Thanksgiving.

Barry

Tuesday News

As another sign of her continued progress, Nancy was moved today to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). While there, she will be working on building up and increasing her strength and endurance before she comes home.

Another Monday Update!

Correction: Nancy is actually in REGULAR room, not a step-down room! She had an appetite today and continues to do well and make progress.

Monday Update

Nancy is no longer in ICU, she has been moved to a step-down unit... so that means all is progressing well.

Another Good Day!

Nancy continues to make good progress. She sat up, walked a bit, and ate. She is still very tired. There will not be another post today as Barry left the hospital to avoid the parade and downtown festivities.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Gayle

Friday Update

Just a brief update from Barry so everyone can sleep well tonight:

Barry was at the hospital today. Nancy's recovering from surgery. She is sleeping a lot, but was talking. She continues to make good progress.

Thank you for waiting patiently!

Nancy's surgery is concluding. She will spend the night in ICU. Dr. Batjer believes the surgery went well.

There will be more to follow.

Gayle

FYI

A number of people have called or e-mailed to ask about an update... As the second day of surgery is today, I do not expect to have any news to report until at least late afternoon/early evening. I promise to post as soon as I have information from Barry...

Gayle

p.s. I do not know why the blog uses Pacific time!

Nancy is Doing Fine

Hi everyone,

I know you have all been waiting patiently all day for news about Nancy. Barry just saw her and she is doing fine. The doctors finished surgery late in the afternoon. So far all is good and going as expected. The doctors felt that they made good progress but would need to resume on Thursday to complete the surgery. While Nancy and Barry had hoped that this would be done in one day, they had been told that it was a strong possibility that the surgery would go into a second day. Nancy is comfortable and in a room on a step-down unit until then.

Please no visitors or phone calls. Nancy and Barry appreciate your continued support and prayers. They will provide me with an update to post on this blog on Thursday.

Thank you,

Gayle

A Note from Nancy

Friends,

Even though most of you can't follow directions, please know that your many emails and sentiments mean so much to me. I will take in to surgery with me Tuesday the strength that you all give me.

And for just as many who followed my crazy rules, your respect for my wishes also gives me a lot of strength-- a quiet toughness that I relate to ...

Thank you both ways. Thank you for thinking about me today. I know I'll get through this one, too.

Heartfelt thanks,

Nancy

Nancy asked me to post this letter that she sent last week.

Also, she has asked me to encourage people to use this blog rather than her e-mail account. To leave a comment, all you need to do is click where you see "comments" in green after a post entry, then type in the "post a comment" box and click "post comment." No need to sign in, log in, create an account, or anything complicated.

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Dear All,

Many apologies for telling you in this email message about my unfortunate news. There's no good way of saying this, so I'll just say it. I have a growth, probably benign, pressuring my brain stem. It grew larger without my knowing because the most likely first symptom would have been a ringing in my right ear. You may know, I am deaf in that ear.

Barry and I have been quietly absorbing, researching and crafting strategies about this "elephant in the room" since September 21st.

Also unfortunately for me, there is no choice but surgery. Barry, my dear friend, Dr. Lisa Rosenberg and I explored medically (and hoped exuberantly) that this tumor could be removed with the easy-by-comparison gamma knife. No luck; my growth is too large. Second opinions, via overnight mail, confirmed surgery.

For about a year, I have been feeling "head rushes" every time I get up out of a chair or bend down in the garden, etc. Since about September, my balance has been "off" when I walk. (While Gayle Byck and I decided not to ask people for money this year for our annual City of Hope Walk, my later decision to refrain from walking, myself, for the first time in 6 years, was probably prudent. Sorry for lying to the Great Strides for Girlfriends team...)

I have an amazing team of doctors at Northwestern ("NMH"). I am very fortunate to be under the care of Dr. Hunt Batjer, who previously saved my life in 1995 by clipping and “shunting” an unrelated, nearby aneurysm. With him is Dr. Andrew Fishman, an otologist/neurotologist. Dr. Fishman reminds me of Steve Hart, a truly comforting presence.

My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17^th. (If you want to help me, say a prayer on the 17th for everything to run smoothly.)

(This may be a good time to take a bathroom break from this long email ...)

Here's what I'd appreciate: This being my fifth (5th) major surgery in 14 years (brain aneurysm/clipping surgeries, 10/95; breast cancer, 3/04; pelvic growth removed, 12/04), many of you have told me that I'm "made of iron." While the prospect of this fifth surgery has worn away at some of Barry's and my "iron," you can help by doing us some favors:

1. In your mind, try to "pretend" that I am going to a regular doctor’s appointment on 11/17. (Obviously, there would be no need to tell my friends, family and business colleagues about that.) Indulge me; this has been my modus operandi for the last 14 years -- I just do what needs to be done. I accept my situation; Barry and I do our homework; we advocate and mediate for me on those matters within our control; and we get through it with appreciation.

If I had my choice, I would just do this surgery quietly and get it done--get it behind us. This operation is bigger than "just me," so I don't have that option. My modus operandi doesn't work this time.

2. No puppy dog eyes, no weepy emails. Be tough. I am. This is the most important thing you can do for me.

3. Don't feel sorry for me or view me as medically-fragile. I'd prefer if you thought of me, instead, as a medical triathlete and a medical miracle. (You may be interested to know that my medical teams always think my situations are fascinating; long ago, Barry and I were ready to stop being so fascinating.)

4. No need to send food, but thank you, in advance, for even thinking about it. I want the next 2 months to be as normal as possible for my children. Our daughters, Dana, 16, Sami, 12, and Tracy, 9, were just told this past weekend. Try not to give them puppy dog eyes, too.

5. Go to my new blog, NofGlazer.blogspot.com, if you want, artfully established by Gayle Byck, Pam and Scott Shimamoto and Doug Wilson. There, you can see updates about me, graciously provided by Gayle. You can also leave me a note, though not private. If you have trouble leaving a message, there will be instructions on the blog shortly about how to login. You should have no problem, whatsoever, reading Gayle’s postings. If you send a note to my personal email, I will probably not have time to read/respond. (I'm sure you'll understand that my time with the kids is paramount right now.)

I feel that my surgeries are most difficult for those sitting/pacing in the waiting room. As you may know, Barry is the most amazing human being. He’s adding “M.D.” to his business cards as he thoroughly understands each procedure I've had, every vessel and nerve affected. He does the homework on the doctors and the medicine. He also suffers the ripple effects of each surgery--financially, professionally and emotionally.

My family, too, is astounding. My mom is trying like heck to honor my wishes and hang tough for me, again; my dad and Barb similarly have also been there through every medical nightmare of mine, supporting me all the way. My in-laws and siblings are and have been unreal as well.

There are too many of you to mention who have done so much over the years. I am beyond appreciative. Floored. Blessed.

Many apologies for lying to you all over the past 6 weeks when you kindly asked how we all were doing. (Sorry, too, Larry, for missing the marketing seminar on 9/24 and lying to you; I had a date with an angiogram.)

Thank you for reading this long email. Thanks, too, for trying to honor my wishes. Whether you're family, a colleague or pal, thank you for being my friend.

Nancy

P.S, Kindly no visitors at the hospital; I'll be there for a week or so. I need that time to recuperate. I'd love to see you after I'm home, if it works.

Just testing

This is just to make sure I can now post. Please check back on the 17th for an update.

First entry

Welcome to our blog. This will allow us to update you all on the status of Nancy in a discreet way. We ask that you respect our privacy and help us manage some of the difficulties in communication by using this tool.