Tankersley Enterprises, LLC

2/11/08
Mark's Uncle, Bela Samuel Hamilton, 79, of Leavenworth Kansas, died Monday, February 11, 2008, at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He will be missed by all his family and friends. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008, at the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home.  Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, at St. Joseph Church with Rev. David McEvoy.  Burial will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery.  Memorials are suggested to Immaculate High School. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6/22/07
Loss of my uncle, Tom Thimis. Uncle Tom had been dealing with cardiac problems and lost his fight on 6/22/07. I will always remember weekends at Bethel Island or Clear Lake with Uncle Tom, Aunt Bea, and my cousins Linda and Sandra.  Uncle Tom always brought the boat out for everyone to ski. He also built a really cool Model "T" cars that he took us for rides in while we were growing up in Rohnert Park.

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February 2007
A Sad note: A VERY dear friend of the family recently lost her husband, Dave, to cancer. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Elsie Gallagher, and her children Leslie and Marty.  Dave was a police officer in the Rohnert Park PD.  After an on-the-job injury, Dave & Elsie retired and moved to Oregon.  On a personal note: Dave was the first officer to pull me over after I got my driver's license (at like 16).  I didn't get a ticket but he totally scared me straight!   I still remember how Dave would wash and wax his Impala on the weekends.  We will miss you, Dave!!

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August 2007
Things are really looking good for Kira.  her PET scan continues to be negative for Hodgkin's lymphoma!  She has a new place, room mate with a friend of hers near SRJC; she's going to SRJC and is finally able to pick up where she left off over a year-and-a-half ago.

12/20/06
Kira continues to recover well from her stem cell transplant at Stanford.  Her blood tests show marked improvement in her counts and she's as strong as ever!  Kathy Gowan (Kira's Aunt) has been instrumental in her recovery - keeping her on track! If everything goes well Kira will be returning to Sonoma County shortly after Christmas.

11/27/06
Kira is being released from Stanford hospital today. YEAH!!! :) The apheresis took 11 hours to harvest and only 10 minutes to replace!  Her white cell count is a little below the normal threshold but she's doing so well!   She is staying with her Aunt Kathy -- Kathy is a Respiratory Therapist and has been invaluable in taking care of Kira during her stay at Stanford -- and after! BIG HUGE THANK YOU to Kathy!

11/15/06
This is Kira's new 'birthday' where she is getting stem cell transplant. This comes after some serious intensive chemotherapy at Stanford.  Please join us in wishing Kira a new 'happy birthday!' And a HUGE THANK YOU to Paul & Agnes Vinci (Kira's paternal grandparents) who are funding the apartment at Stanford where Kira and Kathy have been staying ... and where Kira will return when she's released following her stem cell transplant.

10/18/06
Kira has had a new catheter installed, replacing her portacath. The intent is that she will be going to Stanford for Stem Cell therapy in a couple of weeks. According to her oncologist this is a safety measure for her immune system. She had blood drawn today for admission into Stanford. So Kira will be at Stanford for about a month or so. Her aunt Kathy (a respiratory therapist) has already taken an assignment there to be available for Kira, if need be. A big THANK YOU to Kathy!  We'll keep you posted as things progress.

10/11/06
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIRA!  And such good news for her 22nd birthday! Her last CAT scan came up clear and only 2 small 'suspicious' spots on her latest PET scan (her oncologist said they could be scar tissue). We are so GLAD (serious understatement) that her latest tests have been so positive! Thank you to everyone who has kept Kira in their thoughts and prayers.

We do not know what the next step is, but will keep this page updated as we find out what's next!

9/15/06
Kira has undergone another 3-day chemotherapy session at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Another round is scheduled for 9/29 - 10/1/06. There will probably be more intensive chemo sessions ... stay tuned!

8/16/06
Kira's chemotherapy did not totally destroy the Hodgkin's. Two weeks after her last chemotherapy session (what we had hoped would be her last), the cancer has returned. She will have another surgical biopsy and bone marrow exam early the week of Aug. 21st. Then she will undergo more intensive chemotherapy in a hospital in Santa Rosa. On Thursday (Aug. 24th), through Saturday (Aug. 26th), she will be hospitalized for chemotherapy. After that there is the possibility of regular weekly chemotherapy in 24-hour sessions, again in a Santa Rosa hospital. Also a possibility is stem cell therapy and/or bone marrow transplant, but that is uncertain at this point.

Right now Kira is very tired, sleeping a lot of the day, and not eating very much. Keep up the fight, Kira! You can beat this!!!

7/27/06
KIRA GOT TO RING THE BELL!!! HER CHEMO IS OVER!!! The next step is another PET scan to see where they need to direct the radiation therapy. Once that is resolved, it's onto radiation therapy, Monday - Friday for an as yet undetermined period of time. We will keep you posted! YOU MADE IT THIS FAR CHICKLET!!! YEAH!!!!

6/18/06
A BIG thank you to everyone who took time to attend the fundraiser for Kira on Saturday, June 17th.  And a very special Thank You to Kiki and everyone else who helped put the event together.  What a wonderful support group she has in her friends! You all put so much joy into her life by being there to support her emotionally - her spirits were lifted up so high by your being there and all you love and positive energy-- how awesome!!

Also, thank you to everyone who has made a financial contribution to help Kira with her medical bills. Her chemotherapy, radiation therapy (if needed), and prescriptions will add up to an obscene amount of money. Insurance is great but it won't cover everything.

Again, thank you one and all for giving her such a wonderful day!

5/11/06
Today, chemotherapy began for Kira Marie Vinci, our daughter living in California, who is fighting Hodgkin's lymphoma.  She has been staged at a 4B, meaning that the cancer has spread and invaded her organ(s) as well as outlying lymph glands. Her treatment is a Stanford5 regimen for the next 3 months, then there might be radiation therapy.  Her treatment is being administered at the Redwood Regional Medical Group at 3555 Round Barn Circle, Suite 100 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Kira is a vibrant 21-year-old who absolutely loves life. She is a Certified Master Hypnotherapist, Certified Hypnotherapist, and a Certified Massage Therapist.

Her friends in Santa Rosa, CA, have set up a fund at herbank, Patelco Credit Union, for donations to help pay the astronomical costs of her treatment.  If you would like to make a donation to help her pay for prescriptions and non-covered expenses, feel free to contact her bank:
Patelco Credit Union
1-800-358-8228
PO Box 2227
Merced, CA 95340

They will instruct you on how to best make your donation and will ensure that your generous donation goes to the appropriate account. If you are local to Santa Rosa, CA -- you can stop by any Patelco Credit Union branch and make a donation using the above information.

We thank you in advance for your time in visiting this page. If you are so inclined to make a donation, please let us knowso that we can thank you personally. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers! For more information on Hodgkin's lymphoma, please visit: http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org

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Breast cancer survivor Barbara Price (June's mother) is a master doll maker. Look for some of her dolls coming soon to "Mom's Attic."

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Breast cancer survivor Betty Tankersley (Mark's mother) is the inspiration behind "Mom's Attic." Keep your eyes open Mom ... we need more stuff!

9/8/06
Betty had a pacemaker implanted on an emergent basis today for her bradycardia. Betty is recuperating AMAZINGLY well! Thank you to everyone who sent flowers and cards wishing her a speedy recovery.

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8/28/06
Keith "Tank" Tankersley was taken to a Jonesboro, LA hospital with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The doctors found blood clots in both lungs! He was in the ER ... then sent home.  He went back to the ER, was admitted and his condition stabilized thanks to Coumadin and other pharmaceuticals.  From there he has been relocated to a Jonesboro nursing home for rehabilitation/physical therapy which will enable him to return to his home.  His wife, Louise, has been at his side!  She would even sleep in the hallway on a tiny cot - for 3 weeks!  Steve Tankersley flew in from Indonesia  on his birthday to visit Tank, as well as making a stop in Carmel, IN to visit Betty after her pacemaker surgery.  "Tank" has been doing really well in his therapy/rehab.  Louise made a stop in Salem, MA to bid farewell to her son-in-law "Charlie" who passed away on 9/15/06.  She is returning to "Tank" today (9/22/06).

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9/21/06
We had to say good-bye to Charles "Charlie" Welsh (7/20/38 to 9/15/06), loving husband of Kathy Tankersley for 30 years, in Salem, MA today.   Charlie lost his battle with bone and lung cancer - he will be missed by so many people whose lives he touched!  A big thank you to everyone who gave support to Kathy in her time of need -  emotionally, spiritually, and/or physically!  And thank you to Frank from Murphy's Funeral Home in Salem, MA who was a great support for Kathy.

Here's an Irish blessing in his memory:

"May the road rise to meet you.  May the wind be always at your back.  May the sunshine warm your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields.  And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand."