Service Information and a Reflection from daughter Suzanne

We know many of you have been wondering about service information for our mom.

Visitation:

Ottawa Funeral Home

1111 La Salle St, Ottawa, IL

Friday, January 31, 4 pm - 8 pm

Funeral:

Fox River Lutheran Church

2785 U.S. 52, Sheridan, IL

Saturday, February 1, 10:30 am

Here's a link to her Memorial Page...In Memory of Mary Provance.

The past week has been incredibly hard on all of us.  We had to watch her health decline and say goodbye to our Mom here on earth.  We are so thankful she went to be with the Lord yesterday evening and that the burden of her struggles here would be no more.  Praise God for that!  She's taught each one of us SO much throughout our lives...how to love others, what it looks like to serve, how to be there for our children, when to stand up for what we know is true, how to support our spouses, how to not worry about what life may bring but instead to relax and have fun.  The past 5 years she's taught us how to persevere through life's most difficult trials.  She looked death in the face multiple times throughout that time and said she wasn't ready to give up.  She beat every odd placed before her.  She baffled doctors with her strength.  We will all be forever changed and better because of her life.  

I will miss her, dearly, everyday for the rest of my life.  For MANY reasons, but particularly how I could talk to her about anything and everything and she would listen so intently.  She knew how to make her family and friends feel like the most important person in the world while she'd listen about anything and share her thoughts.  Throughout the years ahead, I pray God will remind each one of us to be a friend like she was...to put others first and to love deeply.

Finally, I am strengthened through the promise God has offered to us through His word.  This is part of an article by Jack Kelly that has given me such hope in this most difficult time.

"...for a believer, death is the ultimate healing. Death brings the life we were always intended to live, and would already be living if not for our sin nature. For the “dead” believer, all of this life’s problems, pains, and sorrows are over and a glorious eternal life of blessing and abundance awaits.

The more we know about the life after death the less we cling to the life before. And since only God knows the end from the beginning, only He can know the pain and suffering He’s prevented in calling someone home early. The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.(Isaiah 57:1)"

FULL ARTICLE

The Pathway to Heaven

Trust is a golden pathway to Heaven. When you walk on this path, you live above your circumstances. My glorious light shines more brightly on those who follow this path of Life. Dare to walk on the high road with Me, for it is the most direct route to heaven. The low road is circuitous: twisting and turning in agonizing knots. There the air hangs heavy, and dark, and ominous clouds predominate. Relying on your own understanding will weigh you down. Trust in Me absolutely and I will make your path straight. (Jesus Calling: January 27th)

Mary led the way and had the faith of an army. She faced the battle, trusted in the Lord, and went to be with Him today. Although we could not ask for more and were rejoicing amidst our tears, she is going to be dearly missed. Thank you for all of the love you continue to shine upon us.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you." John 14:1-2

Rest in His peace, Mary, we love you.

Surrounding Mom with LOVE

Mom wasn't able to open her eyes much today, but there were so many non-verbal signals which gave us the clear understanding that we knew she was listening.  Each of us were able to spend some time talking with her, and most importantly letting her know how much we love her and how much she means to us.

Today was a day of holding hands with Mom...sharing a personal moment with her...reading her some scripture...and most of all letting her know that it's ok!  It's ok Momma, it's ok to take the next step...we know it will never be goodbye but like your Mom used to say - "Don't say goodbye, say so long..."

Pastor Kevin and Susan Garner were here today and we had a great time of prayer and reflection.  Pastor told her that it was ok as well, and that when the Lord reaches His hand out to go ahead and grab it...we know that she is feeling a sense of peace about things and her hope is fully in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are taking shifts overnight and all sleeping here at the house, please continue to pray for her peace and comfort until He decides it's His Desire to bring her home... We love you all, we feel your love/support!

Adam and the entire Provance crew

Please watch this video if you get a chance, it's an amazing message from our former Pastor at the Bible Chapel in PA...

http://southhills.biblechapel.org/tag/death/

Blessings

Hi there friends and family!  Cousin Jenni here taking over the blog for a quick minute. I know the Provance family is so thankful for everything that everyone has done to show their love lately!  We just wanted to make things a little easier for everyone and put out a sign up for meals.

The Provance family has been such a blessing to so many people. Lets pour some blessings back onto them by giving our love through meals. This is a busy time for so many, and if you would like to bless them with gift cards instead of meals, I'm sure that would be greatly appreciated as well. Some of their favorites are Bianchi's, Subway, Casey's, Corleone's, & Fergy's. If you have any questions about delivery or your meal in general contact Amy at (815)343-5977.  Click the link below to sign up!
 Enter last name: family password: provance

takethemameal.com


Thanks in advance!  

Momma Update

Hello Everyone,

Things continue to be very challenging for Mom, and that has been the case for the last several days.  She's not able to get out of bed much, if at all, but she is still getting the best care that can be provided both by Julie and some of the nurses that are with her consistently.  We have now added another family member to the "night duty" just to make sure that Julie is never alone with Mom and that is giving both Julie and our overall family some relief. 

We are in a position for the moment that we'll have to hold off on any visitors because of her condition.  She sleeps quite a bit due to her fatigue and also due to some of her medications.  During the time she is awake we've been able to play some favorite songs, let one or two grandkids see Grammy, read some scripture with her, and of course she's still catching a few of her favorite shows on HGTV!!   Even through her challenges we still see glimpses of Mom, whether she's laughing at a story being told by someone in the room or smiling at one of her kids/grandkids...there is comfort knowing that she is able to rest well and feel the overwhelming love/support around her every minute of the day.  Dad is continuing to shower her with his love and care and we know she looks forward to his hug/kiss everyday when he gets home from work! 

I'm sure some of you are wondering what you may be able to do to help...sometimes it's difficult to know what to do.  We have been blessed with some meals that people have dropped off at the house and if that is something you would like to do please contact one of us and find out if there is a night that would work for you.  It's such a nice feeling to know that as we are there with our children or running everywhere with the craziness of our lives that we don't have to worry about making dinner.  Another thing that we may need this week and over the next few weeks is help with the kiddos...and we're not sure how that works at this point but if you're up for helping out with them here or there please let us know.  We are making the best we can out of these challenging times but a few of these little things go a long way to help our family, and we thank those that have already been willing and able to help!!  Love to you all!

Adam

Update From The Entire Provance Family

First, thank you all for the continued prayers, support, meals, and overall care that you have given to our family - none of your efforts go unnoticed and we have all been touched by the ways you have been there for us.  These are tough times...no doubt, but there are a few things that have been there from the beginning of this journey that have allowed us to stay strong, have peace, and be united as a family.  Jesus Christ continues to be at the center of our walk through this situation, it's hard to imagine where we would be without the hope that is offered to us through Him.  In addition to that, we have been touched by so many of you with your visits, cards, texts, phone calls, or a simple offer of assistance. 

Mom's situation remains very challenging at this time due to several conditions.  Her fevers, although they have come down some, continue to cause her problems.  It's very difficult to determine whether she has an infection or if the leukemia is just starting to affect her body in ways that none of us can understand.  She still remains in the best of hands with her team of doctors both at Northwestern Hospital and locally with Dr. Howd/Morris Hospital.  They have been working with our entire family to offer any assistance that either Mom or we need...and we are very grateful for their loving care/support.  It's not often that you can talk to your team of doctors on their cell phones or get instant responses from people in their positions, but that is what we are getting from them! 

Due to the difficulty of what Mom is experiencing currently, we are asking that any visitors please check in with one of us before planning to come by the house.  We are doing our best to honor Mom's wishes each day...some days she feels up for talking and there are other days that she does not really have the ability to handle such tasks.  Just know that she feels the outpouring of love and support from each and every one of you and her biggest request is for you to continue praying for her and our family...even though we all know you have already been doing that!!  All of her children and grandchildren (and of course Dad/Greg, there are not many Dad's or people like him in this world) are continually there with her.

We are not sure what the next week will look like for Mom, but you can be reassured that she is in the best of hands all the way around.  We will be sure to give updates as we know more, and don't be afraid to reach out to us via text or phone call if you have questions or just want to talk.  We love you all and from each of us....Dad, Amy, Adam, Julie, Suzanne, David and most importantly Momma; thank you for everything. 

With Love,

Adam

Infection

Hi all. For those of you who check in often, Mom could use some prayers. She has had fevers and felt pretty awful since Friday. She's stable and her counts are ok, but she definitely has an infection that's knocking her down. Please pray with us that the antibiotics do their job and she can get back to feeling ok.

Thanks!

Still doing fine

Hi all, thanks for checking in. I've been meaning to update, sorry it's taken a while. Mom is still doin quite well!  She's a walking miracle and we are so thankful each day. We had a nice Christmas as a family and mom and dad spent New Year's Eve at her brother Joe's. Since then we've been hiding indoors from all this cold.

Mom gets blood and platelets at least once a week, as she needs them. She's able to get them in Morris now rather than traveling to Chicago. 

She has days that her head hurts or she'll have a stomach ache, but generally her health is much better than expected. She doesn't do a whole lot other than talk with visitors and relax around the house. She has to be careful leaving the house because she doesn't have the cells built up to fight infection. Julie has been mom's main caregiver, giving her her medicine, making her food, and keeping her company. We are always trying to balance what meds mom is taking depending on her blood counts. There are challenges each week but overall it's been pretty calm and enjoyable last month. 

Please continue to pray for mom and our family as we support her. Thanks for all your love. 

Happy Birthday, Mary!

Tomorrow is a very special day in the Provance household.  It is Mary's birthday! 

As many of you can imagine, it has been difficult to come across the right words to say and write as we make our way through this journey as a family.  Each day there are different emotions spilling through; however, I can say (as the outlaw) that I have been so blessed by watching everyone unite. 

If we wrote the full exposed truth in this blog you would be shocked because the truth is hard and scary and sad and frustrating.  Somehow, through all of this, the Provance family has shown grace and love and committment to one another.  I know where that comes from and where it starts.  It comes from our faith in God.  It starts at the top, in a family, with a mom and dad who teach their children what that means and how we display that faith to others.  I was thinking a lot about that this morning.  As Mary's birthday approaches, I was thinking about some of my favorite Mary things.  One of the top on the list is the way she and Greg taught her children to love.  Isn't that one of God's commandments? 

John 13:34 says "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.

I don't know how she did it and yes I do plan on asking her, but she and Greg molded children that genuinely love and support each other and their families above all else.  There are certainly moments of frustration that take place in the Provance household.  We are not unique in that respect.  However, we work hard to communicate, apologize, and forgive.  Our goal, at the end of the day, is love.

So, today, as we turn a new page to Mary's birthday, I want to call you all to love.  You can start by sending a note to Mary and letting her know you are thinking of her on her special day!  She is currently battling a fever and would really love if you all could pray that all away!

XO Bre

Update on Mom (and Dad!)

Merry Christmas!!  

It's been two weeks since our last update and it's safe to say that Mom has had a pretty good 2 weeks.  As you know we had our Thanksgiving a little early but we were even able to gather at Mom and Dad's house on the "real" Thanksgiving Day, which was a blessing.  It was a scene like we all have witnessed so many times over the years...kids running everywhere, aunts and uncles and cousins all catching up, good food and deserts everywhere - Mom had a very good day and was happy everyone was able to join us.  "Thankful" was the perfect word to describe that day...many of us have said or felt, after Mom came home from the hospital, that all we wanted was to have some high quality days for Mom at home - and we've been so blessed to have those since our last update. 

Things were pretty calm until the Friday after Thanksgiving!!  About 7:00 am I received a call from Julie, who obviously has been staying with Mom and Dad, that Dad was hurting pretty bad and that I needed to get into town.  Well, after some very touch and go moments, they rushed Dad to the hospital and we were told that he had a heart attack!  Thankfully they performed a procedure on him very quickly and an hour later he was recovering in ICU.  I wish I could explain how many emotions were involved throughout the entire situation, but I'm sure you can imagine how difficult a time it truly was...but he's doing well at home now and the doctor says that he should make a full recovery!  Over the last week you could tell that Mom was feeling pretty good because she's been scolding him for eating things that he's not supposed to be eating!!!  It's been pretty funny!

The last week has involved Mom and Dad resting at home and all of us (kids, grandkids, siblings, and close friends) spending time with them.  I'll end with this...I talked to Mom's doctor earlier this week mainly just to update her on how Mom is doing as well as to tell her about Dad's situation.  As I was describing how Mom is feeling and asking her questions she said "There is really only one word I can use to describe her Adam...MIRACULOUS!"  She has beaten every odd, every statistic, and there are really no answers as to why she was able to get stronger since coming home from the hospital!  When a doctor says the word "MIRACULOUS" then it gets your attention..and we agree with her!!  Thank you for your continued prayers and support, we love you all and ask that you continue to pray for Mom as her birthday (December 20th) and Christmas approaches.  We know we are getting a miracle right now, pray that it continues for her...it's just that simple!  Merry Christmas to you all from the entire Provance Family!! 

-Adam

Update

Good morning and thanks for checking in.  Mom is doing okay these days.  She gets around the house to do the things she needs to do and has been busy with lots of visitors.  We feel very blessed to have so many people who love and care about us.  She still retreats to her bed throughout the day so she can stretch out.  She's not sleeping a lot during the day, just resting.  She prefers to keep herself awake so she can sleep well at night.

We kept her busy this weekend.  On Saturday Mom went to Adam's alumni football game.  It was raining so she sat in the car with Dad and I, but she was still able to see the first half.  It meant a lot for Adam to have her there.  She yelled and cheered as Adam caught and ran the ball down the field.  We left the game at halftime but Adam's team went on to win, and he even scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

On Sunday we prepared a Thanksgiving meal to have together. 

Mom didn't eat much but we all enjoyed our time together.  After we ate, some of Mom's brothers and sisters in law also came to visit.  These days are very emotional for everyone, but we are going to be thankful for each moment we have together. 

Please continue to pray for peace and strength for Mom and all of us.

Below is a beautiful song Bre shared with us this morning...."How Great Thou Art."

Peace and Purpose

November 14th, 2013

Last night our family met at Mom and Dad's house to go over some very difficult news that was told to Mom at her doctor's appointment at Northwestern Hospital yesterday afternoon.  We realize that the blog may not be the best way to share some of this due to the difficult nature of what has been told to Mom, but we feel it's the right thing to do being that all of you have been praying for Mom everyday based on information you have read here on her site. 

Dr. Jessica explained to Mom, as well as Dad, Julie and Amy who were in attendance with her, that leukemic blasts are showing up in her bloodwork now...and what that means is confirmation that leukemia is still present in her body.  After the last two weeks in which Mom was having some very good days we were all still hopeful that the chemotherapy she had over 2 months ago would have eliminated her leukemia another time.  It did eliminate some of the leukemia at the time but not all, and she is again faced with the reality that her leukemia will just not go/stay away.  Her body, soul and mind have been through SO much, more than any of us can understand...so as you can imagine it's been a very difficult time for her and for our family. 

We ask that you keep praying for peace...peace for Mom as she goes through the most difficult days of her life.  All of us gathered with her last night...we held her and hugged/kissed her and told her that we are going to be there with her through any of the fears or emotions that she has...and even though none of us have ever gone through anything like this we will stand together, united in our faith in the Lord and our love for one another...she has taught us that and she has been the best example by living her own life in that fashion. 

The thing we ask most is to be praying for her and for our family.  We also ask that if you would like to visit please just reach out to one of us before you come to the house.  There are times where she feels like company and as you can imagine, there are also times that she's just wanting to get some rest or enjoy a quiet home.  We can assure you that she is getting the best care, support and love that can be provided...and we will all continue to give her that as we go through this situation together.  Thank you for your continued prayers, support and love...your letters/cards have meant so much to us.  Love to you all and we will try and keep you informed, thank you,

Adam and the entire Provance Family   

Great Perspective on Life

Please take a few minutes to watch this video that my Dad found and shared with all of us.  This woman has an amazing perspective on life and what she's on earth for.

Mother Dying of Cancer Gives a Godly, Life-Changing Final Speech from untilweflyaway on GodTube.

A good calm week

Mom has been doing pretty well this week. She has gained a little strength and has been able to enjoy her visitors a little more. She still needs a lot of rest and help around the house, but has shown us she's giving it everything she has to grow stronger. 

Last night Mom's sister, Sue, hosted our annual Kaufmann girls' shopping trip (which turned into a sleepover and no shopping). We had it in Seneca so Mom could be a part of this fun night she loves every year. Dad and Julie took Mom up to get blood yesterday, but then Mom and Julie were able to make it back to Sue's for the evening fun. Everyone loved having Mom there and Mom stretched herself to stay as long as she could. I think it meant a lot to Mom to be surrounded with all the love.

We don't know much else at this time, but we celebrate everyday that Mom feels okay. She will have an appointment this week and we'll do our best to keep you all updated as you pray for Mom. Thanks for all the love and support every step along the way. 

Blessing

From last Saturday to today, we got to see a nice change..a positive change in mom's energy, eating and mood! (Thanks to her being off the anti-fungal antibiotic & her determintation, drive & fight) It's been quite a blessing! Last Sunday-Thurs have been some of her best days in a very long time! We had a lot of visitors last week and then with Halloween - lots of cute little ones bringing the exitement and joy to the house!

(If you look closely you can see mom in the window)

Sometimes, I know we tire her out with all the company...but we can't stay away! Grammy's house is a favorite place to be for all..and you just can't stay away! We've really enjoyed the blessing of her having a good week!

We saw Dr. Jessica last Wednesday, and the appointment went well. The visit 10 days prior to that one proved a drastic change for the better and Dr. Jessica was very pleased! There still hasn't been a blast in the blood with the leukemia, but numbers are still slow to move & have fluctuated too much, so unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done on someone with such a compromised immune system and with a journey like my mom has been on - and actually, more treatment can actually make things worse and not better.  The love and support we receive from Dr. Jessica and her team is just amazing!  They truly love mom and our family, so we know that as hard as this is for us, it is just as hard for them..

You see, Dr. Jessica has made if very clear every time we see her how amazed she is by mom! The fight she has put up, well..she's just never met anyone like her before. I know I am blessed by it..and my grandma had it too! We are fighters. Thankfully, I've got that trait in me too! We fight and we pray and we trust God with our everything...because that's what we were taught and it's what works. A legacy of giving everything you have..a legacy of love..of forgiveness..and of faith. I may be biased, but I think we have something very, very special and I sure wouldn't trade it for the world!

We are unsure of what the future will bring but we are thankful for each day Mom is home and spending time with us.  Praying for the every day..for a miracle..for comfort..for peace. Join us in praying and as always thank you for your love and support!

Quiet Saturday

Mom has been doing ok this week. She's been able to stay home and relax in the comfort of her own bed. She is slow to get around and would prefer to stay in bed all day, but knows the only way to get any better is to get up and move around once in a while. She's tried harder to do that this week even though it's usually a chore. She's switched over to all oral medicine now and her stomach has felt a little bit better. She still doesn't have a desire to eat much but has to take a few bites when she takes her medicine.

I think her attitude has improved some from last week. She's choosing every day to put in all the effort she can to get better and to interact with us. It's good to see her showing us she wants to feel better.  

There is no bone marrow biopsy scheduled at this time. Dr Jessica still believes there is cancer present but it has not shown up in mom's blood work yet. Jessica thinks it's there because of how slow mom's counts are coming back up since chemo.  There's nothing they can do for her at this time other than treat the symptoms she has.

We continue to support her every steps of the way and pray for a miracle to happen. Thanks for all the prayers, notes, meals, and visits. 

Time At Home

Hello Everyone!

Once again, we are sorry for the delay in updating the blog...as you can imagine, it's been a very busy time for the entire family. 

As you know, Mom arrived home last Wednesday night and overall things have been quiet for her at home.  She's continued to have visitors at the house but overall she's still very weak and wants to be either sleeping on the couch or in her bed.  She needs 24 hour care and Julie has been taking on that role since Mom has been home again from the hospital.  I want to call her out because she's been doing an amazing job not only taking care of Mom, but also making sure that things are running smoothly for both Dad and around the house - Thank You Julie! 

As most of you probably know, I am a "Glass Half-Full" kind of person.  My outlook on Mom's situation has always been one that is centered around trust in the Lord to be in control of her situation entirely, and also one that involves a strong amount of Hope that Mom will eventually get better and be healed of this disease.  At the same time we also have to be very real with what she has been through and the aggressive nature of the AML that she has had for periods of time over the past 4+ years.  Her body, both physically and emotionally, has been through more than any one person should have to take...and although it's not fair in any way, that toll is starting to limit the options that we are going to be able to pursue for her.  We are not exactly sure what that means for her at this moment in time, but our main goal right now is to try and make her final days with us (whether that be 1 or 1000) the best they can possibly be for her. 

So what does that mean for you?  I'm going to be direct...I am encouraging you to go and see her, if you are healthy, or to send something to her that can be read to her by one of us (her children).  Mom is weak and may or may not be able to express her appreciation for those things, but if you know her well than you will know that your visit or card/letter will mean a great deal to her.  All you need to do is to reach out to one of us; Amy, Julie, Suzanne, David or myself.  The only requirement for a visit is that you are healthy, and that can be tough at this time of the year, but please be careful and error on the side of caution. 

Lastly, today Mom went up to meet with Dr. Jessica as well as some of the other members of the team at Northwestern.  We are still exploring all options for treatment for her and it appears that later this week they will probably do another bone marrow biopsy to see if the leukemia is officially out of her system or not.  We'll keep you updated on those results and anything new that happens this week.  This morning I went over to see her and she was resting very comfortably in her bed after a pretty good night of sleep.  Her and Dad purchased a new bed about 2 months ago and it's safe to say that she is very happy and content to be in the comfort of her own bed/home.  Thank you again for the prayers, thoughts, support and mostly the love that all of you have continued to show to my Mom and all members of our immediate family.  God Bless and Love to you all!

Adam 

Home :)

Just a quick post to let you all know mom got to come home a couple hours ago! We are so thankful they recognize how important it is to her to not stay at the hospital longer than necessary. We will update more tomorrow but wanted you all to be happy with us, knowing mom is sleeping soundly in her bed tonight.

Back at the hospital for a bit

Mom had to head back to the hospital over the weekend due to a high fever. The high fever means she has an infection of some sort and her body isn't healthy enough to fight it off itself. She wasn't happy to go back because she is much more comfortable at home but they will keep her there again until they get her temps under control. Today her temps have already been better. 

We are still unsure as to the next step for Mom. It's been a challenging week for all of us close to her to face the unknown. We know they don't want to do more chemo because she's been through as much as her body can handle. We believe that if they get her healthy enough she will begin a new trial drug that works differently than anything she's used in the past. We are hoping her doctor stops in soon to clear up what's going on and provides some clarity for Mom. 

In the meantime, please be praying with us. We are praying for God's healing hand to work in Mom and to see a mighty miracle. Thanks for your love and support. 

We will update when we know more. 

Wednesday

Mom is doing ok at home. She is very tired and rests most of the day but has had family and friends surrounding her and keeping her company. She loves being home, even if she can't live normally.

Mom had to go to the hospital today with Julie to get more blood. She goes all the way to Chicago for transfusions. Things are going well with that today. Julie has also learned a lot about helping Mom with her medicine. She hangs my mom's iv antibiotic every 12 hours and gives her the other oral and seringe medicine she needs throughout the day. It's not the easiest thing being home managing all of this, but it's way better than staying at the hospital!

Healthy visitors are welcome to see Mom. Maybe give one of us kids a heads up that you're going to be stopping by. 

Thanks again for your continued prayers, notes, and all of your love.