Virginia Parkman Burns

My Mother, Virginia Parkman Burns, was one of those "Medical Miracles" until PC. Prior to her diagnosis in December 04, she had successfully lived through: Rheumatic Fever, 3 C-sections, Adenocarcinoma of the colon in 1980, Hydrocephalus with resultant craniotomies X4 for placement of shunts and evacuation of subdural hematoma, FX R. Hip with subsequent pinning, three weeks later, a Total Right Hip Replacement and then PC. I went home for Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day, 2004 ( November for us) to find my Mother as yellow as a pumpkin, c/o'g "shoulder pain". Being the good nurse that I am, I assumed that it was Gall Bladder disease. Nope, she was diagnosed on December 4, 2004 and fought bravely for the three months that she had left. Her diagnosis was Stage IV-B with mets to the liver, omentum, lymphnodes and pelvic bones. She was unable to do any chemo because she was so debilitate and now, looking back, the shunt for the hydrocephalus probably was a contraindication, also. Tarceva was not approved at that time for PC, but was given to her "off-label". My Dad and brother were convinced that Tarceva was going to be the "Magic Bullet", but unfortunately, that was not to be true. She was an avid gardener, a fantastic wife, housekeeper, cook, Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, Sister, Aunt and a devout Christian.

She left us on 03-04-05 and will be missed greatly til that time that we all get to see her again. The void is one that will be very hard to fill.