Update on John's condition

Hi Everyone, I wanted to give you all an update on how John is doing.

Unfortunately I do not have good news.

First, I would like to apologize that we have not been able to call and tell each and every one of you directly. Secondly, I know that after reading this, many of you will want to call and talk to Liz and John. But right now they need their peace and privacy to focus on the challenges at hand. If anyone would like to call and get more information, please use my cell phone number: 781-738-3572 or email address: jsappet@gmail.com and I will answer or return messages as soon as possible.

(Stop reading now if you are an emotional person- this is not an easy one).

Since Thursday July 12th, John’s condition has seriously degraded. It is apparent that the cancer is now taking over and John’s body is starting to shut down. John now spends the majority of the time in a restful state. Every few hours he will wake for a short period of time (5-15 minutes), during these awake periods he will fluctuate between a coherent and incoherent state (Hepatic encephalopathy- With severe liver impairment, toxic substances normally removed by the liver accumulate in the blood and impair the function of brain cells.) Jaundice has set in and his skin and eyes have a very dark yellow color to them.

John’s body is in an extremely weaken state, when he talks it is not very much over a whisper, and many times hard to decipher what he is saying. His muscles have now atrophied to a point where he can only make only rudimentary arm & leg movements. Getting in and out of bed or walking (which he still does a couple times a day) requires one or two people to assist him and protect him from falling. Walking a short distance 15-20 feet is about all he can do at any one time.

When he is in a coherent state you can tell that this is taking a large toll on his emotional state, he gets extremely frustrated with his body failing him. Throughout this journey, John has fought hard all the way, in his current state; his mind is still fighting but his body is not responding.

John’s hospice nurse (Gail) came for a visit today. She was shocked at how much his condition had degraded since her last visit on Thursday. On Thursday John was mobile on his own and not showing any major changes since he entered hospice care. Moving forward the hospice care will be more aggressive, we will be getting daily visits from either John’s nurse, chaplain, or social worker.

Even though John’s physical condition has deteriorated, it is refreshing to see that his personality traits have not. He is still a stubborn Sappet! If you try to assist him getting up or walking he will surely yell at you that he can do it on his own. And he is still a very loving man; even when he is in a restful or incoherent state, and Liz says that she wants a kiss. When she leans in, John is always ready to return her kiss.

Our focus now is making sure that John is comfortable, and we pray that when the time comes he is at peace.

Thank you all for all of your prayers, love and support. I know that all of the cards, letters, calls, and emails have meant the world to John and Liz. It has helped them feel that they are not in this journey alone, please continue your support.

I will leave the message on this note. When the hospice nurse came today, she was wearing a rubber bracelet with a very poignant and fitting message, that I would like to echo; “Cancer Sucks”

Again, please give John and Liz their peace and privacy to focus on the challenges at hand and contact me at 781-738-3572 or jsappet@gmail.com.


Again, thank you all for the love and support that you have shown John and Liz.

God Bless you all.
-Jeremy

Great Pictures

JJ is not feeling so well these days so I thought I would share these pictures with all of you to make you smile - please send your good vibes and/or prayers his way. Thanks, Mark

Picnic with JJ, his mom, sis Vicki, my wife Kellie.

Tom with his best man.

Bustin' him out of hospice for lunch.

Happy 4th of July from Ormond Beach

Here are some pictures and very warm wishes from Ormond Beach. We are having a great time with JJ and Liz. We hope you and yours are all happy and healthy this holiday. I want to say thanks to a few people - Jeremy for his incredible efforts on the house and being an overall great brother - truly amazing. I would also like to thank Kellie, my wife and and Shelly, Jeremy's wife for understanding this is where we need to be right now.

Also I would like to thank all the cards and letters that have been streaming in (Bob Quinn, Robin, Jackie, Lee, Karen and Kathy, Mike D'daeo (sic?) Laurie, Kelly and all the rest of you that I have not mentioned). You will never know the happiness and love that JJ feels when he opens those letters and cards with your warm sentiments. Please keep them coming!

Peace and Much Love,

Mark

Liz, JJ,me, Kellie

Cheryl, JJ, Tom, Liz

Denise, Casey, Liz, Johnny

Simon after his ear issues.........he's better now!

Andy the Armadillo before he got his racing stripes!

Johnny and his best little brother Jeremy.

Happy 4th

Hi everyone.

Ok, so I know I have been MIA lately, but it is not my fault. I am with Kim right now and she has been such a slacker. Everyday I ask her if we can go take pictures. And everyday it has been a new excuse. But today I put my foot down!! (ok so it's really a paw, whatever) I woke up and said this is it lady either you get your but in gear, or by lunchtime your lawn is going to look like Swiss cheese. I gave her until 10am. As you can see she responds well to threats!!

I couldn't let today go by without saying hello to John, Liz and Simon. Oh, how the fireworks tonight will stir up so many memories. But my work here is not done. I still have many more people and places to check out, but don't you worry, I will return.

I miss you and love you!

Your friend,

Andy

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY !!

Andy spotted again

Andy has found beautiful grounds to burrow...he may not make it back to Ormond Beach for the 4th

The Boys

Although I would love to take Andy the Armadillo sightseeing - none of you would recognize the images as I now call home CT. It was a surprising change of heart bringing him to the dentist after you let the kids club him! Let Lizzie in there with some dental tools and you'll hear Andy scream before you can say "bleeding gums"!!

Just wanted to introduce the boys. Tom Burke is on the left, that oh-so-loveable dork is next, then me, Mark and my brother Ken Dilling. We've been around for some time and have been through a whole lot together over the years. I've known JJ since we were 4 when his mom invited me to his birthday party at swimming lessons. This is the 4th grade with JJ, me and Tom.

Johnny is second from left, bottom. Tom is over his left shoulder and I am the loser in plaid pants all the way bottom, right. At least the kid behind me (Chuck West) also wore plaid....

So we've been around a while. JJ, Tom and Ken are that circle of friends that so many people in this world must be jealous of. There are acquaintances you make, friends at work, people you become close to for a while - that might even impact your life significantly - but then move on; if you are fortunate like me you will have a core of quality people that you know will never be replaced, substituted or fully understood. There is not much that we haven't shared both good and bad and I trust these guys with everything I hold dear.

This is us at Ken's stag in Amsterdam. Yup, that's right. It was an unforgettable time (and remembering Amsterdam isn't always easy) and JJ and I saw VanGogh like nobody else I know.

We were all a part of one another's weddings.

And I just heard JJ and Lizzie's weding song this weekend at Home Depot. That renovated barn was beautiful!

I will find the yearbooks from Emerson and Nashoba and entertain you some more at another post soon but I don't want toget too carried away right now. Thanks to my Mom for the Mr Stein picture. Ah 1979...... OY!

We have endured a lot together. I worked with JJ for his dad for 7 years. I rode in Vicki's car while she went around a rotary the wrong way, then me, JJ and Vicki went to see Twisted Sister at the Orpheum. We have gone to college. We have met the most amazing women which we were fortunate enough to marry. The boys have lived together, worked together, been to more shows than most in a lifetime, have survived driveby shootings, work trauma, girl drama, drunken snowball fights on a train, bottle cap fights and dart fights. We have brawled, we have laughed and we have always loved.

Andy goes to the Dentist

I found Andy outside in my yard this morning. He was complaining of a toothache so I took him to work with me to check it out.

Well it turns out he was just grinding his teeth at night with all the stress he had been under. But he was a great patient and asked me to send his love to John, Liz and Simon!!

Love you guys!!

Kim