Thea needs your help

Deb with Thea - healthier times

I visited my friend Thea yesterday. When I stopped at her home, I saw a van in the driveway and assumed another friend was there visiting too. So I knocked and went on in the side door as I always do. I'm sure my jaw dropped when I saw...or didn't see Thea in her usual spot (at least since her illness was diagnosed) *see information about Thea's diagnosis of kidney cancer and multiple myeloma - blog http://lgoldcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-brave-friend-thea.html

In recent months, the besides medical appointments Thea has become more housebound. So when I saw all her stuff gone ...my first thought was "Thea's been robbed!" But I knew I'd just spoken to her on the phone. So that wasn't it!

I wandered back out toward the voice I'd heard on my way in the door. I found Jan Lesan, Thea's good friend and Amy's former 7/8th grade volleyball coach. She was working around T's above ground pool. Jan explained that Thea had moved to Creston's Assisted Living building on Prairie Street. It made sense to me - when I'd seen Thea last she had just come back from the hospital where she had been placed on oxygen. I worried about her being alone in a big house all by herself.

Prairie View is very similar to the assisted living facility my dad lived in right after his stroke - very nice

The fact that Thea has so many good friends in Creston says so much about her. She's lived here just over ten years I believe. Her former AEA (employer Education Association where she was a social worker, which on a side note just blew down in the tornado this spring) co-workers moved her furniture to Prairie View. Book Club friends had been helping her get to appointments and with groceries. I've done a bit on weekends but need to do better.

Thea's room is lovely - in fact it's 2 rooms and a bathroom. She's got her fave things there and round the clock help if needed, which puts my mind at ease. I don't like the sound of her cough and lungs. She continues to battle the evil cancer with weekly chemo treatments. She's a fighter, that T!

I'm so proud that she's my friend! Of course as a social worker (and a good SW Iowa girl - from Avoca) she's all about people. So caring, compassionate and concerned about each and every student and person she ever worked with or for - along with each friend. And she's smart as hell.

But she needs your help again. Please put out those prayers, good karma - crossed fingers. Whatever you've got! Let's surround Thea with our loving thoughts and prayers. Thank you.