Cancer

Prayers for Celeste Yarnall – Now in Hospice

/ Therese / 6 Comments

Dear Friends,

Our dear friend and lovely human being Celeste Yarnall (Yeoman Martha Landon in ‘The Apple”) going through an absolute hellish time right now.  As you may recall from my previous posts, Celeste has been dealing with Ovarian Cancer for several years now, and although she is now free of her ovarian cancer, the damned disease has now claimed her lungs.  And she is now receiving home and hospice care for her condition.  And praying for a miracle.

As Celeste wrote a few days ago:

Today a decision was made to set up home hospice for me with palliative care and of course my beloved husband Nazim is the most amazing angel on the planet and is right by my side as is my wonderful daughter and sone in law but these folks can give me IV fluids, pain meds and we soon find out what else they can do.

We’ve increased my oxygen flow but the cough, spasms and suffocating mucus along with the pain in my chest has made my life absolutely miserable.

I’ve not been able to sleep…

This is heartbreaking for me.  I’ve been friends with Celeste through FB for several years now, and I have enjoyed supporting her cancer fund, and sending her little collages with her Trek character and messaging each other from time to time.  She is an amazing woman with a big smile and an even bigger heart.  I am so happy and honored to know her, and thankful for her friendship, especially as I was also dealing with a (much smaller) case of breast cancer in 2014 (now 4 years clear, amen).

I am so very sad to hear that she is going through hellish coughing spells that make it difficult for her to speak and sleep.  I ask you all to please pray very hard for Celeste, her family, friends,  and her beloved daughter Cami,  and husband Nazim, who have been her rock all this time.

And Celeste I hope you know that I’m praying for you too, and that I am so thankful to know you are my friend. You have often referred to me as ‘your angel’, please know that you are MY angel too, and I, and all the readers here at Trekker Scrapbook love you too.  Sending many hugs and healing thoughts and prayers. Rest well and know you are surrounded by LOVE.

And friends, please remember to contribute to Celeste’s cancer fund, to help with her health services.  https://www.gofundme.com/kvo9xs

Yvonne Craig – 1937-2015 :-(

/ Therese / Leave a comment

I interrupt my hiatus to bring you some sad news — Yvonne Craig, whom legions of fans remember as BatGirl on the original Batman series, passed away on Monday; she was 78, from complications of breast cancer.

whomgodsdestroyhd0605 batgirl

She was a wonderful dancer and actress, and her memorable Marta, the Green Orion in Whom Gods Destroy was the perfect crazy sidekick to Garth.

I remember watching her on Batman as BatGirl, and thinking how cool she was!  As a child though, I couldn’t understand how her hair was so short and black as  Barbara Gordon but so long and luxuriously red as Bat Girl! (my 7 year old brain hadn’t figured out wigs yet!).  After the series ended, she did a funny promo for the Federal Equal Pay Law; something we’re still waiting for…

Here’s the NPR report on her passing:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/19/432862575/yvonne-craig-best-known-as-batgirl-dies-at-78

Here’s the compelling statement from her family:

“Wish Number One, is that her family, friends and fans would know how much she loved them and always treasured her time with them. Wish Number Two, was that no one waste a moment of their time in mourning for her loss in sadness but instead celebrate the awesome life she had been fortunate enough to live. She felt that she lived a wonderful life and was blessed in many ways.”

Rest in Peace lovely lady, actress, and dancer.  🙁

(I’ll be back on September 30th)

Celeste Update: Filter Surgery Tomorrow! (July 7th)

/ Therese / 2 Comments

Celeset over

Dear Friends,

Celeste has just left an update about the implantation of the IVC filter to her leg vein to prevent the two clots from possibly traveling to her heart or brain. She will be having the hernia surgery later this month. Please keep Celeste in your prayers and please help to increase her cancer fund to help pay for the bills that her insurance won’t cover.   http://www.gofundme.com/kvo9xs

Every bit helps!  And our love, prayers and healing thoughts are with you, Celeste.  <3 <3

I just got word that I will be having the out patient procedure tomorrow, July 7th and this is where they will surgically implant an IVC filter in my vein to prevent the two DVTs (blood clots) from possibly migrating to my heart or lungs. I will be “out” for the procedure but will return home to rest afterwards.

I saw on line that there have been some law suits regarding this type of filter and have been assured what I am getting is safe.

This procedure is very important for me to have done because there will be a few days before my big repair surgery where I will not be able to take the blood thinning injections called Lovinox, which I now must have every day and this would be a risky time also for the clots to migrate. The injections keep this from happening.

I feel with this procedure having been done that I will be very well protected. I found an image of what the IVC filter should look something like, on line.

The repair surgery is a complicated one with 3 different surgeons involved and the date is now set for July 24th.

Nazim’s birthday is July 19th and mine is July 26th so hopefully we can celebrate them at the same time on his birthday as I won’t be able to do anything fun for quite some time after the surgery.

It pains me to remind you that we so need your help with regard to this fund and appreciate any and all donations more than words can express.

I thank you for all you have done to help me thus far and send you all my love and blessings for your perfect health.

Celeste
xxoo

Celeste Update: Cautiously Optimistic, One Step Closer to Remission!

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Celeste posted a very promising update on her Facebook wall yesterday!  (June 18 — Forgive me for not posting sooner, as I’ve just read it)  Here’s the good news in her words, and Celeste, Good Luck with your scans and ultrasound on Monday!  Our love, prayers, and best wishes are with you for more success and that you will soon beat this cancer for good!

Here’s Celeste’s Post:

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Nazim and Celeste at a Star Trek Covention in Las Vegas in 2014.

Celeste Yarnall with Nazim Artist

YAY!!! We just heard the results of my last blood work and everything was completely normal including my cancer markers which come from a test called the CA125.

The genetic testing results are still pending and I get the CAT Scan the Pet Scan and an ultrasound done on Monday. I can’t eat any sugar or starch 24 hours the day before because sugar lights up like a Christmas tree on these tests which is certainly a good indication as to why we want to keep sugar and starch to the best of our ability out of our diets if we have cancer and or want to prevent getting it and other chronic diseases. And then I will be fasting after midnight on Sunday which is the night before and the whole morning for these tests. I can have sips of water, however…I will certainly be hungry and will take a couple of my Orgain protein shakes to have as soon as I am done and then be really ready for LUNCH!!!!

Please keep good positive thoughts for me for these tests as I really like the idea of being officially in remission and if these tests come out good I can relax a little…and truly own the word REMISSION!!!

After the tests I have an appointment with another doctor who will be part of the hernia repair surgery team. So far it looks like it will be ok to schedule it for mid-August which is great because I can heal and get strong and also ATTEND THE STAR TREK CONVENTION IN VEGAS – LIVE LONG AND PROSPER EVERYONE!

This photo was taken last year at the Star Trek convention in Vegas by their wonderful professional photographer who did our photo ops! I hope to see many of you there so we can do a photo booth picture together.

I remain cautiously optimistic.

And Friends, Please Don’t Forget to help Celeste reach the goal of her cancer fund, which is currently at $25,500!  (only $24,500 to go!)

Celeste Update: Over $21,000, Headwraps, and Elvis.

/ Therese / Leave a comment

Hi Kids,

Celeste posted an update on her fund, and we are still inching closer to the halfway mark!  I truly hope this can be reached soon so the full $50,000 can be raised!  She gives a nice shout-out to Chemo-Beanies who supplied the gorgeous head-wrap she wears in this beautiful recent photo:

I want to give a little shout out to a wonderful company whom I discovered while I was a patient at my local hospital. I had had my 8 hour cancer surgery and first chemo round there and one of the nurses showed me that in the conference room on the oncology floor a wonderful company had donated some very stylish and comfortable head wraps. Hair loss is inevitable with chemotherapy and yes there are wigs but they are not comfortable all the time. Chemo-Beanies has come to the rescue. Please check out this wonderful company and their foundation and support them if you can if the spirit moves you. https://chemobeanies.biz/

celeste head wrap

Celeste, we’re thinking of you always and sending healing thoughts (and preferable donations)   Here’s my latest little ‘toon to promote the fund — now with 100% more Elvis! 

Donate here:  http://www.gofundme.com/kvo9xs

elvis celeste

Celeste Update: Another Rough Week, but Over 20,000!

/ Therese / 1 Comment

Celeste corset

Celeste gave us two updates today — she is thankfully home from the hospital but is using a nebulizer to help her breathing as she recovers from Bronchitis. (Thank God it didn’t develop into Pneumonia) Unfortunately, she developed a hernia from all the awful coughing. Please pray for her continued recovery and good health!  And please share this and donate any amount you can —  The Cancer Fund has passed $20,000, but if all my subscribers and ‘Likes’ here can contribute only $5.00 each this week, we can reach the mid-way mark by next Monday!! PLEASE contribute what you can!  You can donate HERE.  These complications have added more to her bills! Hang in there, Celeste! Our love, prayers and support are with you!  <3  Here’s part of her updates:

I cannot thank you all enough for your love and support. It means so much to me as I am doing my best to recover from this horrible bronchitis, on top of cancer, now that I am home. But it just doesn’t want to let up. I am supposed to be at chemo on Saturday but not sure if I will be well enough to make it but I am doing my best and using the new home nebulizer unit with the two medications prescribed. They do help me to be able to breathe a bit better which has been so difficult but I am so lucky it didn’t go into pneumonia. Still I cannot take a good breath without choking.

Loads of love back to each and everyone of you for being so very generous in the supporting of my care.

Celeste Yarnall Update 3/1/15 — A Little Worried, Prayers and Donations Please.

/ Therese / 1 Comment
f642dc385d39c5f6231e1f91c886eb91

Celeste with Walter Koenig in “The Apple”

Dear Friends,

Celeste has had a scary week – please keep her in your prayers.  Last Thursday she had to be re-admitted to the hospital and put in isolation with no visitors (save for her husband Nazim) She had a high fever, coughing and retching. Also white count down, but it’s thankfully not pneumonia.  As she updated on her site on Saturday:

My husband Nazim and daughter Cami rushed me into emergency at my hospital Thursday night, quite late. I was burning up and coughing and retching uncontrollably.

We spent the night in the ER doing tests, they started me on a new antibiotic by drip, IV fluids, breathing treatments with a nebulizer, oxygen, and then at 5am I was admitted back into the hospital in isolation on the oncology floor.

My white count is way low so that makes me nutrapoenic, I am not allowed visitors or flowers but Nazim stays with me full time. The nurses have to be masked and gowned to protect me as I and so vulnerable.

I just got on line to let you all know what is going on. It’s not pneumonia so they say but they are waiting results of tests to see what it is. What ever it is, it’s awful, so please keep up you beautiful good thoughts to help me wage the battle and I thank you all so much for your continued support of the fund.. which is so important. to me at this critical time in my life. http://www.gofundme.com/kvo9xs

She also included this painting by Nazim called “Ascension Rising” and she hope to rise like the phoenix, as we all hope she will.

ascension rising nazimjpg

The good news is that her cancer fund is now up to $18,850  but there’s still a ways to go even to make it to the halfway mark. (of $25,000)  You can donate here: any amount will help!  http://www.gofundme.com/kvo9xs

Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any updates since and I’m a little worried about her, so Please keep her in your prayers and by all means PLEASE donate and share this to  to help pay her bills.

Celeste Update — $18,000+ Almost Half Way!

/ Therese / 1 Comment
celeste and friend

Celeste and her dear friend Laura Eisenhower at Chemo this past Saturday.

Hi All,

This Week’s Celeste Yarnall Update — the fund is now at $18,007, and every single subscriber and Facebook follower here contributed contributed only $30 each, we could reach the $50,000 goal TODAY! 

The good news is that the total is ticking up,  but it still isn’t yet even at the halfway mark!  Please pass this on and contribute what you can.  Again the link:

http://www.gofundme.com/kvo9xs

Celeste had a rough weekend with a long 10 hour round of chemotherapy, and the side effects are awful,  but she is so thankful for all who are helping her through this incredible trek with love, support, prayers, and donations.  We’re going to make it, Celeste!   Love You!

Celeste Yarnall Update 2/16 — A Rough Week-But We All Can Help!

/ Therese / 1 Comment

celeste threetHi Everybody,

It was a rough week for our Celeste — (Celeste Yarnall, The Apple, as Martha Landon)  On top of endless bills for her cancer treatment, she caught an awful cold/bronchitis bug that forced her to postpone chemo.  As she posted on her site:

Right after returning from the Conscious Life Expo I caught a terrible cold/bronchitis bug which is quite a set back as I have had to yet again postpone my chemo for this week and of course the bills just keep coming in which adds to the stress level but I know with all of your love and continued support I can overcome all the challenges that have come my way lately and rise like the phoenix again.

Yes, we can help Celeste!  At this writing, her GoFundMe cancer fund has reached $15,300, up $1,636 from last week.  It’s slowly creeping up, but there’s still a ways to go. So I did a bit of calculating:

TrekkerScrapbook  e-mail followers:            299                                             TrekkerScrapbook Facebook followers:     +787                                                                                                                              1086

That’s 1,086 Trekkers! (I’m honored, Thanks!) But just think– if every subscriber here gave just $32.00 each we could raise the full $50,000 TODAY!  Wouldn’t that be marvelous?  If you can’t afford $32, any amount will help!  Please contribute here today, and  please pass this along to everyone you know! Thanks so much!

Celeste, you will rise like a phoenix from this!  All our love, support, and prayers, Therese xo

p.s. To read Celeste’s telling of her hard journey through cancer, please click here.

Celeste Update 2/9/2015 — Bit by Bit, an Achievable Goal!

/ Therese / 3 Comments

Hey All,

Here’s this week’s update for Celeste Yarnall’s cancer fund. At this writing, they have raised $13,664 toward the $50,000 goal.  It’s taking a bit of time, but it is an achievable goal! You can contribute here. Please consider Mr. Spock’s calculations in the below comic, and please share this on Facebook, Twitter, emails, everywhere you can! I know we can help Celeste battle and win against this hellish ailment. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could reach the goal in 12 days?  Thanks to you All! We love you Celeste! And Pass it on!

12 days