Kay Healy Moquin 1937-2006

Mom peacefully passed away at home this morning with Andrew, Julia, Amy, me, and her dog, Coco, at her side. The sun brightly shone on all of nature's splendor...a good day to die.

A small private service will be held at 7pm on Saturday, December 30th at Moles Funeral Home at 2465 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, WA. Tel. +1 360 733 0510.

A public memorial service will be held January 12, 2007 at 4PM at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bellingham. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Saint Paul's Episcopal School Music Fund, Saint Paul's Church, or Whatcom Hospice.

Hotels: Fairhaven Village Inn 360-733-1311, The Chrysalis Inn (call Doreen Colman 360-392-5504 directly for discounted rates), Hotel Bellwether (call Jene Pascu 360-392-3172 directly for discounted rates), and Best Western Lakeway Inn 360-671-1011. Priceline.com is a good bet for budget bookings.

Mom's Obituary:

Kay Healy Moquin, 69, died surrounded by her family at her Chuckanut Mountain home in Bellingham, WA, on Thursday, December 28, 2006. A virus following cancer treatments caused her death. To the end, Kay had an open, soaring spirit that lifted all around her.

Following her 1937 birth in Detroit to Byron and Dorothy Carse, Kay was raised in Michigan where she graduated from Kingswood High School and earned a BA in History of Art from the University of Michigan in 1959. She earned an AA degree at Bennet Junior College in NY. At each institution, Kay was a student leader.

Encouraged by her Father, Kay traveled solo around world before leaving college. The adventure heightened her social consciousness and self-reliance.

After marrying Robert H. Healy in 1960 and moving to Grosse Pointe where they raised their two children, Kay served as the President of the Junior League of Detroit and as a Director of The Association of the Junior Leagues of America. Following a period of racial violence in Detroit, Kay helped drive redevelopment projects in the city.

She married D. Andrew Moquin in 1986, and they traveled extensively abroad. In 1990, the couple relocated to Washington State for its natural splendor. Andrew and Kay helped found the Bellingham Festival of Music amongst their other community and philanthropic roles. Kay’s work with the Bellingham Arts Commission earned her the Mayor’s Arts Award. Her own art will be exhibited in Bellingham on January 30th and 31st.

Having owned and run thriving interior design businesses in Grosse Pointe and Bellingham, Kay demonstrated that she was both creative and productive. Her publicly recognized residential work improved hundreds of lives.

Kay will be remembered for colorfully celebrating any and every occasion with a child’s enthusiasm. The variety and longevity of her many friendships is a testament to her unbounded love of people and life itself.

Kay is survived by her husband, D. Andrew Moquin; daughter, Julia; son, Robert (and his wife Amy); and grandchildren, Wren and Ann, all of Bellingham; and sister Barbara (and her husband Frank) of Rochester Hills, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul's Episcopal School, 3000 Northwest Ave.; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2117 Walnut Street; Bellingham Festival of Music, 1300 N. State St.; or Whatcom Hospice, 800 E. Chestnut St., #1-C, all Bellingham, WA 98225.

A Memorial Service will be held at 4:00 PM on Friday, January 12th at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

You may share your thoughts and memories of Kay in the on-line memorial guest book at www.molesfuneralhomes.com.

Moles Family Funeral Home & Cremation
Bayview Chapel - Bellingham

Christmas Spirit

We celebrated Christmas Eve with Mom whose determined spirit rallied. She joined us for two hours of toasts, presents, grace (prayer), and dinner. What a gift...

The gift opening photo shows Mom (left), Wren (near left), and Amy (right).

Days Not Weeks

Hospice estimates that Mom has a few days of life left. She is resting comfortably at home and not eating, drinking, or speaking much. Her spirit is good.

FLASH: FDA Warns of Safety Concern Regarding Rituxan

The FDA has issued a PML warning for a drug that Mom took during her period of chemo-therapy earlier this year. See the press release.

Native Drum Honors Kay

Four friends of the family visited Mom to honor, pray, and play for her. Words cannot describe the compassion and power conveyed by this Native American drumming custom. Ultimately, Mom was made Little Sister to the Drum and given a blanket meant to hold and warm her...as a friend would.

Mom is increasingly amused by the the ridiculous parade of minor Indignities that precede Death. Andrew, a deep source of love and security, gives her strength to laugh.

Mom is immobilized from the neck down apart for some movement in her right arm. It is increasingly difficult for her to swallow and talk.

Thanks to all who continue to visit: Mom loves it. We offer a very special thanks to Suzanne, Kay's kind niece, who flew in from Chicago.

Please arrange visits with Andrew. The period from 11-12 noon daily is reserved for family visitors.

Kay OKs Hospice Care

A Hospice representative visited today and received Mom's authorization to begin care.

Treatment Has Not Slowed PML

Yesterday's visit to the leading PML physician in Seattle confirmed that the first round of treatment with Cytarabine is not slowing the disease.

Cytarabine does not repair damage already done by PML. So, even if future treatments stop her PML, Mom would still have to cope with the disabilities that she has at that moment in time. As of today, she has lost a lot, including the use of the left side of her body.

Doctors expect Mom to become increasingly disabled in all respects, so Mom faces complex choices in the days and weeks ahead. She qualifies for Hospice care now, if she wishes it. She is not in pain, thank God.

Although Mom is a disease-fighting champ, let's not assume that she will continue fighting PML. Let's just support her.

We thank all who have written, called, and visited Mom!! In particular, we recognize Barbara, Kay's sister, who quickly came from Michigan; Tim, Andrew's devoted nephew, who traveled from NYC; and, Carolyn, Kay's loving niece, who visited from Philadelphia.

Home Again

Mom returned to her home on the mountain following six snowy, icy days with us low-landers. It was perhaps the most valuable time we've shared in decades.

Mom tires easily now and has difficulty sleeping some nights. So much left to do...

Mobility is challenging each day, so a new wheel chair has been rolled into service. Mom invites your suggestions for decoration (e.g., flames) and a possible rear bumper sticker.

I have been asked to post contact info for a Bellingham florist. We like JQ Flower Shop 360-734-4310.

Mom and Andrew encourage visits, which are best kept to 20 minutes. Expect laughter and tears. They'll provide the tissues :-)

Storm

Snowfall has been exceptionally heavy in Bellingham, so Mom has come down from Chuckanut Mountain into our home for two days and two nights. We love having her here.

More than ever, she needs hands-on professional care. Andrew, who has been at her side throughout, is escalating service accordingly. Mom could not have chosen a more dutiful, loving husband. He deserves our support too!

Kay Gives Thanks

Hi, Amy here!

It has been an amazing Thanksgiving. Kay, our blessing, is home (see photo of Andrew, Ann, Wren, Kay, and Cocoa) and gives thanks for her family, friends, and the abilities that she has today.

Kay's homecoming has been filled with family (from near and far), delicious food, much-needed rest, and time with her canine companion, Cocoa. Support from friends and family continues...and we are all grateful! We thank the Gale's for a meal delivery program and the Snowballs for helping us locate professional care providers. Kay likes having professional help, and it lets Andrew take care of other matters--including his own health.

For some reason, Kay's ordeal has given her a greatly enhanced sense of humor. She has us in stiches. Next stop...Las Vegas!

Her grace stops me in my tracks. Despite the fear she feels about the progression of PML, she still asks about how everyone else is doing. She worries that her illness may burden others.

Kay has given so much--on so many levels--to us, and it is a pleasure to give back to her now!

Hospital Releases Kay

Mom will be released from UW Medical Center this afternoon and will return home.

Hoping for Return Home Soon

Mom hopes to return home from the hospital tomorrow, November 21st. She will need help with the most basic tasks, and we are making arrangements. We have little idea what lies ahead...a turkey dinner, at least.

Mom is all too aware of the progressive nature of PML and the loss of key strengths and faculties. We are thankful that she retains the uniquely human abilities to reflect, converse, opine, and emote. We are thankful that the love and support of family and friends surrounds her at all times now.

Please read the updated summary information in the right column. My apologies for the absence of separate paragraphs -- that feature is not easily available.

A recent painting of Mom's is posted above. Mom says that it has come to represent the lesion in her right hemisphere.

Kay Strikes Back

Yesterday the sun appeared in Seattle after a period of record rainfall, and Mom gave the JC Virus its first taste of Cytarabine. It felt to us like a turning point.

Mom receives the drug at 2 PM daily until Monday, November 20th. No side effects so far.

Our valiant Hero is gathering strength for the fight of her life. No one has proven herself better equipped than Mom to prevail under such circumstances. Still, I pray for her.

On a lighter note, Mom wants readers to know that "scootch" is the most commonly used word at UW Medical Center. It's a verb meaning to shift or slide one's keister (to the center of the hospital bed).

Kay Approves Proposed Treatment

Following discussions with a large team of physicians in Seattle and Bellingham, all agreed that Mom should begin treatment with Cytarabine tomorrow.

Doctors Say Kay Has PML

Doctors at UW Medical Center have diagnosed Mom with Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) and say that the prognosis for non-AIDS patients such as Mom can be better than for AIDS patients. They have asked Mom to consider an experimental treatment using an FDA-approved chemo-therapy drug called Cytarabine. The drug is approved for use with cancer patients but has not yet been approved for use with PML patients. The drug is administered by IV (5-day course) with perhaps 4 weeks between courses. The illness may progress until/unless the treatment takes effect.

We will soon speak to an oncologist who will explain the risks of Cytarabine. We want Mom to make a fully informed decision about whether or not to proceed with this treatment.

Meeting with Doctors 1:30 PM Wednesday

Mom's neurologists scheduled a meeting with her and close family for tomorrow, Wednesday, at 1:30PM to discuss progress, if any, on a diagnosis. In the meantime, we have been trying to master the pronunciation of--take a deep breath--Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy. Our hope is that, if successful, her doctors will assign us something harder to pronounce but easier to treat.

Mom thanks all who have posted comments on this blog and those who visited today including B. Rona, B. Ryan, J. Fleetwood, J. Bergsma and S. Hass. The phone in her room rings non-stop, giving Mom hours of pleasure chatting with well-wishers.

Successful Lumbar Puncture

Mom's Lumbar Puncture (LP or spinal tap) is behind her -- pun intended. The delay may push test results to Wednesday.

We have seen no major changes in her condition during the last three days. With two nights of good rest under her belt, Mom was more chipper today. The 4PM LP was a harsh speed bump, however. Is four attempted LPs in five days a record?

Love starts to pour in...

Kay is greatly cheered by today's visits from family and friends including the Goodings, Selfs, and Grays. When sitting with Kay, please be aware that she has lost some peripheral vision on her left side. Position yourself accordingly. And, watch-out when trying to pass Kay on the left;-)

Kay and Andrew had tears of appreciation while reading e-mail messages on Andrew's new mobile phone (see photo above):

Kay gets an MRI tonight. It's meant to update the MRI from late October. On Monday, she gets another spinal tap and will be on robust pain meds -- not a good day to visit.

A re-hydrating IV drip was removed today, leaving Kay without her dance partner, "Fred Astaire." The extra fluids gave her better color and a bit more energy.

Please look at the photo of Kay with her grandchildren, Wren and Ann. It's a good thing that the kids were there to help with the bewildering array of remote control devices that the neurology care unit expects its patients to master!

Hoping for results by late Tuesday

Another lumbar puncture will be attempted Monday using a different technique. Results may come in late Tuesday. More waiting...

The attending neurologist cautions against a rush to judgment on any diagnosis. He will not treat in advance of a diagnosis. He points out that most PML patients are immuno-supressed...and he thinks that Mom is probably not immuno-supressed at this time.

Sent via mobile handheld.

Delay...

Mom did not receive a lumbar puncture as expected last night, and I presume this means a delay in diagnosing her condition. Andrew, Amy, our children, and I will be in Seattle today and overnight.

Contacting or Visiting Kay

Mom is resting comfortably in a private room at UW Medical Center area 4 Northeast. We await her physicians. Not sure how long she will need to be here. Her sense of humor is fully intact. More laughs than tears today.

Prime suspect identified...

Writing this on my mobile phone.......A top neurologist at Evergreen believes that Mom has a rare brain infection called Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML). It attacks the white matter of the brain and is treated with antiviral meds. We are trying expedite a lumbar puncture to test spinal fluid and confirm the diagnosis. She will be checking into the UW Medical Center today at 4 pm.

Wonder Woman...

As some of her family and friends are now aware, Mom (Kay) is finding certain ordinary tasks increasingly difficult to perform. Consistent with her medical history, this latest malady is...another mystery. An MRI shows something in the right hemisphere of the brain, and her local doctors have ordered a variety of tests to determine what it is. It's probably not a stroke. So, does Mom have cancer, chemo-damage, an infection, or what?

Tomorrow, we heighten the tempo of the diagnostic efforts with a visit to a world-class neurologist in the Seattle area:-)