Celebrating Michelle

Join us as we celebrate the life of Michelle Du Bois at Settlers Park in Meridian, ID on July 20 from 10 AM to 1 PM.  We will enjoy Michelle's greatest loves--family, friends, the outdoors, refreshing treats and happy children running around. The park includes a splash pad, tennis courts, a pond, and plenty of other activities and greenspace for an enjoyable time together.  It is also Michelle's birthday, so it will be extra special.

Michelle was involved with many worthy causes and organizations that promote well-being and enrichment to people of all ages. Because of this (and because her life is full of service and love) we will be gathering much needed items for the Ronald McDonald House of Boise. We will deliver these donations immediately after our park gathering.  If you’re interested in participating, check out the RMH wishlist in the link below, especially items highlighted in yellow.

Most of all, we are grateful for all of you who have contributed so richly to Michelle's life and THAT is most important.  If you will not be able to attend and you would like to participate in the service, click on the links below to see ways you can give to the Ronald McDonald House in Michelle's name.
We hope we see you soon! Present or not, thank you for your great friendships and for your contribution to the light and love we have felt the last couple of years!

http://www.rmhcidaho.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Idaho-RMH-Wish-List-July-2017.pdf
https://rmhcidaho.nolatepayments.com/pay/step_1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html?ie=UTF8&id=1AARYY858B1G1&type=wishlist

Graduation

In August 2015 when Michelle was first diagnosed, she was in Boise preparing to start an internship as an elementary school counselor.  This was one of the final hoops to jump through for Michelle to get her second master's degree!  She had worked very hard, even earning honors for academic achievement.

Although Michelle was not able to officially finish the necessary coursework for the degree, the faculty at Michelle's school, University of Texas, wanted to recognize Michelle for her hard work and achievement.  At the graduation ceremony in Tyler, Texas this December, Michelle was honored with a posthumous degree.

We are so grateful for the kindness of the faculty at the University of Texas, for everyone who helped Michelle with her studies, and for Michelle's example of dedication and hard work.  She had a sweet group of friends and family, some who traveled very long distances, who gathered in Texas to remember and honor her.  

We love you and miss you Michelle!  Congratulations on your graduation!

Remembering Michelle...

For those of you who were not able to attend Michelle's funeral services, we have posted the very special musical numbers and words of remembrance to this blog (see below).  These moments are special to our family and sharing them is very personal.  We know many of you understand this and will feel the joy of Michelle's life and feel closer to the Savior by watching her funeral services.

Sending love to all of you! 💛

Michelle's nieces and nephews singing

Treven Johnson (nephew) "I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me"

Kami Wilson (friend)--Spiritual Remembrance of Michelle

Gregory Dibb (brother-in-law) -- Life Sketch

Check back soon

It has almost been three months since Michelle's passing. We've been taking some time to get back on our feet as a family. We hope to update this blog soon with special moments from the funeral services. Check back soon. 🌻

Services: Updated

Services for Michelle Du Bois will be held at 10:00am on Monday, July 25, at the Meridian South Stake Center located at 6575 S. Eagle Road (south of Lake Hazel). The family will receive friends for a viewing Sunday evening from 6:00-8:00pm at the Meridian 5^th Ward located at 2555 Stoddard Road.  Family and all interested parties will be leaving shortly following Monday’s funeral services to travel to Utah where interment will take place at the Willard Cemetery at approximately 5:00pm.  Funeral services are under the direction of Summers Funeral Home. Condolences and shared memories may be sent to the family online at http://www.summersfuneral.com/.   

July 20, 2016

Michelle drew her last breath surrounded by family and friends.  She passed away July 19, 2016, less than an hour before her official 50th birthday.

We have truly felt light and love from so many of you throughout this experience.  Thank you so much for your service, your love, your prayers and your faith.

We will post details of the service when they become available.

Update

Michelle continues to decline physically and mentally.   She is getting increased medication to try to help with the pain.  At this time, we are praying for her to be comfortable and be able to rest more easily.

Because of Michelle's rapidly changing circumstances, we have decided that it's no longer in Michelle's best interest to have her 50th birthday party.

We realize many of you would love to be here on her birthday!  We also know that she knows and feels of your love and will feel that on her special day.  Thank you for your faith and prayers throughout this journey and at this time especially.

Scan Results

Michelle's scan from last week wasn't what we were hoping for.  She has increased tumor growth throughout her body.  At this time, the doctor has recommended the discontinuation of the treatments since the evidence shows they aren't working.

Michelle is enjoying time with lots of family right now.  We have seen a marked deterioration in the past week.  Not sure what to attribute it to--medicine, the progression of the disease, or both.  We will be starting hospice care soon.

Thank you so much for the fasting and prayers, thoughts, and support.  Thank you for the sweet birthday wishes!  Your faith and love are so much appreciated!

With the current circumstances, we would just ask for a quick text before stopping by.  It will help us to make sure that it's an okay time for Michelle.  At this point, conversations with Michelle are quite challenging; her responsiveness is limited and varies.

Hello Friends and Family of Michelle,

We have a last minute request here.  We're creating a "Celebration of 50 Years" memory book for fabulous Michelle.  Therefore, ASAP we're hoping all of you (her friends, students, family, coworkers, school friends, church friends...) can send her a message, poems, pictures, good memories with Michelle, your love for her, whatever you want to have represent your friendship and consideration for her,  so we may add it to our book compilation to give to her on her 50th birthday JULY 20th, 2016.  It doesn't need to be lengthy if time doesn't permit.  Even a funny joke or thought.  

*Send entries no later then July 18th if you want to be added to the book before she receives it (late entries will happily be added after the bday as well)

*Please make sure to add your first and last name and how you know Michelle so that we can organize the book properly--and so she'll know who the kind messages/thoughts are from.

Okay--get to work!  Oh--and send your contribution to melindamd@gmail.com (Michelle's sister).

Thank you in advance!

Quick Summer Update

Not much new to report, but I thought I would update.   Since I wrote last, I enjoyed a fun visit from the Dibb family.  We celebrated Baby B's first birthday--pinata, water fight and all!   Not much has changed for me physically; I am still struggling with a lot of pain, weakness, and lack of appetite.  But I have a great view out a new glass door of the flowers and grass and blue sky.  I am grateful for beautiful things.  I have also been enjoying the Olympic trials, artichoke hearts, and apple juice.

I have my CT scan this coming Friday, and a follow-up consultation Tuesday.  I am looking forward to getting some more information.

Please continue to pray for the guidance I will need to make decisions about my treatments this next week.  Thank you for your faith, love, and prayers.  They help me every day.

Some dear friends in Alpine, Utah organized a concert on my behalf last Friday...I put on my fancy concert attire to give everyone a smile when I Skyped in.

Last Chemo Before Scan

Apparently the blood transfusion from last week did what it needed to do to qualify me for one last chemo before the next scan.  I think it went well.  It's hard to know how to measure these things.

My parents have been here with me all week, which has been terrific.  There has been less nausea and pain over the last few days too, always a bonus.

I have been the recipient of many well wishes with regard to my upcoming birthday in July.  I just wanted to share one that really made me smile.  My nephew Nicolas recreated a childhood antic where he turned himself into a cupcake.  He's so cute and funny.  I put both videos below.  The most recent one he made this week as a birthday wish for me.

I also received a fun visit from my former neighbors, who walked me out to my little garden so I could see its progress.  It was such a little thing and so fun.  It's the little things that we need to appreciate that make us smile.

 Wilson Family

My little garden!

Charmelicas

These days, Charmelicas (named for my niece and nephews Amelia, Nicolas, and Charlie who gave him to me) is sporting some fancy jewelry.  He got a new blood band Friday when I had to go to Boise St. Luke's for a blood transfusion.  My blood counts were low, which would have made it unsafe to do my typical chemotherapy.  We rescheduled the chemo for this coming Thursday.  In the meantime, I am resting and working on getting my platelet counts up!

I wasn't surprised to receive these lab numbers as I have been extremely weak and sick this past week.  I never feel great, but this has been a particularly hard week for this sick body of mine.  I continue to be amazed at the inspiration so many receive at just the right time to help me out.

Thank you for your divine guidance and your sensitive spiritual hearing.  So many of you seem to show up at just the right time with just the right thing.  Please keep praying and praying and praying for the guidance and help I need as we make treatment decisions in the near future.

Downs and Ups

This week was a roller coaster ride of downs and ups.  The beginning of the week was rough.  I was dealing with a lot of pain and weakness.  I felt like my legs weren't working right, and I had the always present pain and tightness in my chest.  I was scheduled to have a paracentesis to drain the excess fluid from my abdomen on Wednesday, but I was feeling so sick on Tuesday that we cancelled.

I had a surprise up when I found out my sister Stephanie and her daughter Syvanna were coming to visit for a couple of days.  They arrived Wednesday evening.

Thursday I greeted the day with lots of throwing up, pain and weakness, which didn't go over well with my doctor at the chemo visit.  We decided to hold off on the chemo until I was in better shape.  Instead, I got IV fluids and medicine, and we adjusted my daily medicines as well.  I felt pretty good Thursday night and enjoyed the sweet visit from my sister and niece.

Friday's chemo actually went pretty well, and I have been feeling decent since then.  The new medicine regime seems to be helping too.  I had another up with the visit from the doctor this week which I can't help but attribute to the increase in fasting and prayer.  My CA-125 (cancer number) was down significantly from 2500 to 1200!  It's not time to throw a dance party, but any decrease in the CA-125 is cause to celebrate!

I continue to sleep great, and I am eating okay too.  Thank you for all your faith and fasting this past week.  Thank you for your sacrifice which I know continues to bless me.  I continue to be blessed by many wonderful people!

Left to Right:  niece Syvanna, sister Melissa, yours truly, sister Stephanie

Fasting and Prayers

We'd like to invite all those in our family and friends that would like to join us in a group fast for Michelle this coming fast Sunday.  Extremely important decisions will need to be made by Michelle and her doctors at the culmination of the next series of chemo treatments at the end of this month, and we would like to petition Heavenly Father's spirit and help at this pivotal and sensitive time.  We know you have all been praying and fasting for Michelle all along.  We would just like us to bring our faith and prayers together at this time.

We love you!

Mom and Dad

Breaks and Bubbles

As per my treatment cycle, I had a break from chemotherapy a week ago Thursday.  I threw up more than normal the first week, but have done better over the last five days.  My appetite has improved as well in this past week.  I'm still drinking a couple of yucky drinks per day, but it's been augmented by noodles, an occasional tuna sandwich, and lots of ginger ale.  I even ate some roast beef and mashed potato over the last few days.  And some artichoke hearts!  Yum.

A fun group of my family came to visit over Memorial Day weekend.  They wanted to run in the Boise Bubble Race in honor of Rylan and come see me and help me.  They did a great job of all of it.  As I am putting my Meridian house on the market this week, they did a fabulous job of scrubbing down the outside of the house and the fence.  They scrubbed down all the last minute cupboards and walls in preparation for the sale.  That is a good bunch of hard workers!  The last of the bunch went home yesterday.  It was so great to have family here over Memorial Day weekend.

I start another round of chemotherapy this coming Thursday.  I will do three more Thursdays, and then we will scan again to see what's going on in there.  Thank you again for all your uplifting cards, phone calls, messages, thoughts, prayers, visits....they all help me so much!  I hope you're all enjoying this glorious spring.

Another Week

There's been a lot going on this week.  I've had a lot of pain, decreased mobility, and too much weakness for my liking, but my parents came up on Friday and stayed until yesterday.  I was able to go to my niece's district track meet.  It was nice to sit outside for a few hours. My parents do a good job of trying to feed me.  They must have done a decent job, because I was up over two pounds this week over last week at my chemo appointment.

I received a chemo treatment this afternoon and will now have a week off before my next one.  My friend Melodie came today from San Francisco to visit.  She will stay until Sunday.  It didn't take long to realize that Mindy had snuck some of her liquid gold into Melodie's suitcase!

I sure am getting a lot of help these days as we prepare to put my house on the market here in the next couple of weeks.  It would be impossible without the help of my sister and her husband who, with entirely full plates of their own, are also adding this project to their lives.

I continue to feel the power of so many prayers being offered in my behalf.  Thank you all so much for the help I am receiving from each of you.