"THIS GROUP HAS BEEN CREATED FOR MY MOM, JACKIE BRENNAN. Shortly after the New Year, mom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Luckily, this cancer has not spread to her vital organs but does remain in the lymph node and in two small areas of the vertebra(bone) on that side. Her doctors are optimistic and hopeful that if treated aggressively, she can combat this disease. Chemothe
rapy starts tomorrow(February 1st) and she will need to endure 6 rounds of treatment, followed by a radical dissection of the node and the tumor that is left, plus radiation to the site there after. She is being treated and followed by excellent physicians at Pennsylvania Hospital. Her surgeon is the Director of the Breast Cancer Center and Vice-Chair of Surgery while her Oncologist is the Chief of the Department whose residency and fellowship took place at Pennsylvania Hospital and Sloane-Kettering respectively. As many of you are already aware, Jackie takes care of my dad(Jim Sr.) who was diagnosed with dementia at 59 and then Alzheimer's at 61. Now at 66 years of age, he is declining rapidly and there is nothing more we can do for him at this point. His doctors told us in July that his overall prognosis is grim and life expectancy is short. Along with my dad, we still have my maternal grandmother; alive and well at 91 and her sister(Aunt Helen)who will be 98 in two months. Mom has always been their primary care takers in EVERYTHING. She is basically the "head of household" for them, ensuring that all issues medically, financially, house related etc...are all taken care of and that they never want for anything. I have two older brothers(Steven and Jimmie Jr.) and we have given mom a total of 6 grandchildren whom she loves and adores more than life itself. and Erica from Steven and Emily, Jimmie III and Jake from Jimmie and Susan. The love she has for all of us cannot even be measured or summed up in any words. So now, since mom has been the "ROCK" for many, we ask that you now be the rock for her as she fights the hardest battle ever. Please feel free to leave your thoughts, prayers and messages of hope on this page for her to see. Invite any/all of your friends to share their thoughts as well. I thank you in advance for all of your well wishes and concerns. We truly believe that the power of prayer and your positive thoughts and energy will get us through the most difficult year we will ever have to endure.
