God called her home....

On Monday July 30, 2012 Kristina took her last breath. She fought a long and hard battle, but in the end God called her home. We ask that you continue to pray for the family. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time. Please contact the family for any questions 912-220-4208.

Thanks for all of your prayers.

 *This page is monitored by Kristina's Mother and Sister Sylvia and Tiffany Williams

Hello all,

Sorry for the delay in posting. We have been very busy the last few days. Since the last post, Kristina received another dose of Chemo and has been moved to another facility. Since the last dose of Chemo we have seen some signs of improvements. On this past Wednesday, I was able to capture on video Kristina moving her left hand! This is amazing because Kristina has had paralysis on her left side since November! Our mother has witnessed Kristina attempting to lift her head and shoulders up off of the bed! We ask that you all continue to pray for Kristina, we know that all things are possible if you have faith.

God Bless

Your Support

Dear family and friends,

As most of you know Kristina has been in the hospital for almost 6 weeks now. During this time she has been able to receive Chemotherapy. She actually received her third dose on Tuesday 2/28/2012. Kristina is battling a rare brain tumor, a brain steam glioma. Currently Kristina has paralysis on her left side, her right side is weak (I'm assuming it's from muscle mass loss with her being on bed rest for so long) she's unable to move her right side now. She's only communicating by blinking her eyes at this point. She's depressed, she cries a lot. She tries to speak, her mouth moves occasionally but nothing comes out. We were unable to find a long care facility for her because of her prognosis. We REFUSE to put her in Hospice because we are NOT giving up on her. We believe and trust in God. We pray over Kristina daily and ask her to repeat in her mind and spirit that she will live and for her to declare her healing. Kristina will be able to go home soon, but that is where we have another issue. Kristina will require around the clock care, she will need various medicines, a hospital bed, a respirator, and of course your love and support. The only insurance that Kristina has is Medicaid and it will only cover but so much. We are by no means rich. Our mother and myself have been out of work for almost 6 weeks with Kristina from morning until sometimes the wee hours of the night comforting, praying, and lifting her spirit. Today we ask that you make a small donation that would be able to assist the family at this time. By donation that could be monetary, items that we would need for Kristina, your support, or most importantly prayers for Kristina's healing. We are thankful for all of your support.

Please pass this letter on to others who may be able to assist the family. We are trying to raise awareness to anyone who will listen!

God Bless,

Tiffany Williams <3

(Kristina's little sister)

Psalms 91:14-16

The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."

Peaceful Day

Today Kristina has been resting peacefully. We tried to wake her, she has her days and night confused. She sleeps much during the day and awake at night. Which is not good. We usually leave the hospital around 9pm at night, after visiting hours. Sometimes Kristina is up when we leave and becomes sad and cries. It'll be best if she slept when we aren't here and awake during the day so we could keep her company. Kristina's respiration and vital signs are all good.

Thanks again for all of your calls, texts, emails, and prayers.

Our family appreciates all of the love and support.

A Letter for Kristina

Dear Christian friends,

I am a doctoral candidate at Emory University, and am writing to you to introduce you to my wife's niece, Kristina Jones, 27yrs, who is being currently treated in Atlanta, Georgia, for a brain stem tumor, a Glioma. Kristina was diagnosed in 2010, and underwent radiation therapy treatment in Savannah. The tumor responded to said treatment, and shrank. About a year later, in September 2011, incredibly, the tumor was back. Kristina’s Savannah and Atlanta doctors have advised her family that surgery is not an option, and they are disinclined to do any more radiation, since she was given the maximum dosage allowable, last year. At Emory University hospital, Atlanta, in January 2012, Kristina was able to see one of the top neurosurgeons in the world, and a top-notch oncologist, who suggested chemotherapy. She was administered her first dose of chemotherapy on Friday, January 20^th and seemed to do well. Unfortunately, she was rushed to a hospital the next evening, with breathing problems—which she had experienced before—possibly due to complications from the tumor, and, or the chemotherapy.

Currently, Kristina is in a Critical Care Unit near Atlanta, fully conscious, mentally, but being assisted by a breathing machine/life support system. The tumor, located at the junction of Kristina’s spinal column and the base of her brain, is adversely affecting the nerves that control Kristina’s breathing, among other things. She has near-paralysis on her entire left side and her right side is weak. She can responds “yes” or “no” to questions by shaking her head and blinking her eyelids. While the doctors and nurses at all the hospitals so far have been very helpful and supportive, it has become apparent that their general disposition is that the family might do well to consider removing Kristina from the life support system, provide her with “comfort measures,” and let her pass on. This is, of course, a very difficult situation for her family to consider—Kristina is young, and a mother, herself, of two young boys, aged nine and six, who need her alive! She also has sisters and a brother, aunts, uncles, grandparents, nephews, nieces, and a mother and father, all who love her! Given the fact that Kristina’s mind is still as aware of her surroundings as you are, reading this letter, it seems unconscionably cruel to have to consider “letting her go,” as the doctors and nurses euphemistically advise us!

It has become apparent that IF Kristina had been covered by regular medical insurance (she has Medicaid/Medicare), she could have access to, perhaps, an indefinite time on the life support system, at a long-term care facility like Kindred Hospital, also in Atlanta, while her family tries promising, new, emerging treatments, and, or Kristina receives a miracle. Her brother recently found out about a treatment called oncolytic, for just her type of tumor—something the family would like to try. We need to “buy time” for Kristina, and to be able also to buy the medication. There is also a doctor that we would like Kristina to see in Texas, Dr. Burzynski at the Burzynski Clinic. The family has been told, in many ways, that her time at the hospital where she is now is just about over, they having done all that they can, and they have encouraged us to seek care at a long-term care facility. We have been advised that IF she is admissible at the long-term care facility, she has only twenty days there—that Medicaid/Medicare will ONLY pay for twenty days of her care on a respirator/life-support system!

Hence our letter to you—we would like you to consider helping the family in any way that you can, to facilitate getting the time and medication for Kristina. You might be able to help financially, or you might have access and connections to medical personnel, facilities and equipment; or you might be able to spread word about Kristina’s situation through your church, organizations, families and friends, or social networks. Above all, we ask that you keep Kristina and her sons, especially, in your thoughts and prayers. As a family, we look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity, and thank you in advance for your kind consideration. Below are appended additional “letters” from other members of the family, including Kristina’s siblings, parents, aunts and uncles, and other family members and friends. Again, thank you, and may God bless you and yours.

Sincerely,

Kwesi J. DeGraft-Hanson

Peaceful day

Today has been a very relaxing day for Kristina. She's still on the vent, some days they attempt to ween her off the vent. The longest she has been off the vent has been 9 hours, praying tomorrow would be longer. Yesterday we massaged her legs and arms and painted her toenail bright orange. I think she enjoyed that. Please continue to pray for Kristina, prayer changes things.

Psalms 91

~We read Psalms 91 to Kristina everyday.