Stevie Spaulding (Wilberding) is beginning a fight for her life. She has e-mailed us to share her upcoming battle with cancer...for her classmates to read and learn from. Feel free to write Stevie - if you need her home address, contact a member of the Alumni Website Committee.

Subject: Prayers Please
Date: Aug 1, 2008 7:41 AM
Dear Pals,
A new mass has been found and another and another. I ask for your prayers for my health and holding me in the light in your minds eye. I am in Florida, we are helping mother close on the sale of her house (sold in 3 weeks!) and the purchase of the appt. in The Glenridge, a retirement home nearby. She moves Monday. We are supposed to leave Thursday for the farm via Cooperstown. Lets see what happens. Thank you for your love and support and for walking this path with me.
xoxoxoStevie

Stevie Update February 7, 2008:

After the May surgery for cholangio carcenoma at Mass General (Harvard) I returned to FL and had the chemo and radiation in July. We went to our farm and out to California for the rest of the summer where I really gained in strength. We had 3 weeks in Persia in Oct and returned home for a hernia repair which didn't take and then my newly fashioned bile duct collapsed. So I have a new plastic T tube doing the job- the T is an emergency escape. It must be changed every 3 months when they also check the pathology. I had pneumonia last week but I have now made a 10 yr plan which cuts out all the little bothersome set backs and am going to a personal trainer who is starting with 10 arm lifts. But I will get stronger soon. We walk on the beach every day for a mile, just where the Dali Lama walked his way back to health. Dr Berger at Mass General wants us to travel and lead a normal life. Hurrah! Many thanks for all the heartfelt prayers and warm wishes from our c lassmates who have contributed substantaly to my recovery.

From: Steve Wilberding <swilberding@comcast.net>
Subject: Stevie
Date: Mon, 28May 2007 00:04:14 PM

Dr Berger allowed us to fly home on Friday. The clincher was that I told him my neighbor The Dahli Lama moved to Casey Key to die and he got well instead- it is a healing island. Sitting up for 7 hours in Jet Blue was a true test. But it is wonderful being home with our own pillows and the Visiting Nurse twice a day. I sleep most of the time- which is when I regenerate the liver, but would love some short visits.

Your bountiful prayers, cards and flowers were a protective cacoon. Many thanks for your kindness. Now I have to gain strength, get better, do the chemo and hopefully we'll be able to make that trip to Persia late Oct! But first I think I owe Mother, Steve and the rest of the family a Rose Bowl parade!

xoxoxStevie

From: Steve Wilberding <swilberding@comcast.net>
Subject: Stevie
Date: Sat, 19 May 2007 00:05:47 PM

This morning Stevie will be released from Mass General and move a mile and a half to North End Community Nursing, 70 Fulton Street, Boston, MA 02109 (contact the webmistress at alryder@earthlink.net for hospital phone number). She will be in rehabilitative care for perhaps four to ten days. We are uncertain of timing, but expect to travel to Florida by early June at the latest. In a day or so she will probably get back into e-communication, and reassume this, her e-mail address.
We thank you for your thoughts, prayers and good wishes. Please continue as there is much yet to be done.

My cell phone is (contact the webmistress at alryder@earthlink.net for Steve's cell phone number) if you need to reach us by phone.

With great thanks,
Steve

From: Steve Wilberding <swilberding@comcast.net>
Subject: Stevie
Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 00:09:32 PM

We are delighted to announce that Stevie came through her operation with flying colors. The tumor is gone and enough of the liver remains to regenerate itself. The doctor is delighted.

We still have chemo to go through and a recovery period, so keep the prayers coming. She will be in Mass General Hospital for another 7-10 days, followed by perhaps two weeks in this area before we return to Florida. The schedule could change.

Thank you for your good wishes, prayers and support.

Van, Ashley, Beau, Onnie and Steve

From: Ann "Stevie" Spaulding Wilberding <swilberding@comcast.net>
Subject: Surgery
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2007 00:09:18 +0000

Dear Pals,

Dr. David Berger of Massachusetts General has given me a good gamble - 80% on a cure for my Bile Duct Cancer. Steve and I go to Boston on Monday and on Friday May 4 Dr. Berger will perform surgery to remove the cancer and part of the liver. I will remain in the hospital for about a week and I don't know what hapens next. Anyway, this is wonderful news as it means I've gone from 0 chance to 80%. I have nothing to loose. Happily we go north in time for Theo, our youngest Grandson's, first birthday... a sweet way to start a busy week.

I am levitating with your prayers for healing and guidance. They are central to the success of surgery. Thank you for being such wonderful, powerful friends.

Please Don't Stop!

xoxoStevie

From: Ann "Stevie" Spaulding Wilberding <swilberding@comcast.net>
Subject: Medicals
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:15:18 +0000

Dear Pals,

Expect that all of you will get this except the aol hardliners. Many thanks for calls from those who knew something was up with us.

My jaundice was diagnosed as stones in bile duct in UK. After the MRI it was shown that the blockage wasn't stones but a rare gall bladder cancer which has backed up into the liver tracks. Yesterday I had the most delicate proceedure in Sarasota where a tube was fed from my mouth down the GI track twisting and turning until through it Dr Loewe was able to produce a saw of minute proportions to open the ducts into the liver to let the juices flow from there. He placed stints in the 2 tracks he opened. No one thought he could do it- but of course I didn't know that. He is fiercely proud of this accomplishment as are we because I was given only a few weeks to live if he couldn't unblock them. All agree I should go to Sloane Kettering in NYC for the next phase of treatment which we do not know how long it will take.

Some talk about the cancer being inaccessible or needing a liver transplant.So you see we are babes in t he woods.

All of my children will come down today for the weekend. We plan to be at bridge on Sunday night.

We'll be in touch when we have any news. Please forgive me if I don't respond to all your calls and emails. Please know they mean the world to me - keep them coming.

I am feeling well, still a bit drowsey from anethesia and send love and thanks to all.

xoxoStevie