You might not think that battling a rare form of brain cancer could be what it takes to find your sense of humor, but that is what’s happened to Orion resident Joan Eberle.
Joan, the wife of Karl Eberle of Karl’s Place Cafe on Baldwin Road, was diagnosed in January with Glioblastoma Multiforme, a rare form of brain cancer. The Lake Orion Review recently did a story on Orion resident Zachary Shaffer, who has the same type of cancer.
To help cover medical expenses, of which Joan and Karl say their insurance is covering very little, Karl’s Place manager Teri Armstrong and others in the community are putting together a fundraiser for April 3, to be held at the Gingellville Community Center.
Joan said she first knew something was wrong when she began sleeping 18-20 hours a day.
‘I was tired all the time,? she said from her home in Orion Township, where she has been since leaving the hospital two weeks ago. Joan receives radiation treatments and chemotherapy (in pill form) five days a week, to be done for another 4-6 weeks.
Joan said her doctor looked at just about anything that could be wrong with her, except for brain cancer.
She was coerced into going to the emergency room when she began loosing control of her facial muscles and slurring her speech.
‘My doctor pulled the ‘mom card? on me,? she said. ‘He called my mother and she said ‘You better go.?
‘I went to see (the doctor) the first time on a Wednesday…by Saturday I was in the hospital,? she said, adding that she was told if she had waited two more hours to go to the hospital, she could have ended up in a coma.
Joan was admitted to St. Joe’s, and a tumor about the size of an orange was discovered. Her surgery was scheduled for Jan. 23, and she said her daughters, Alicia, 25; and Angela, 21; flew home immediately.
‘All we did was call…they flew home on the next flight,? she said.
Alicia, who was studying at Harvard, and Angela, who was at the University of London, have both left school until next semester in order to be home to help their mother and to help their father run the family business, Karl’s Place Cafe.
‘Where ever we need them, they have been,? Joan said of her daughters. ‘And Karl has been with me almost 24 hours a day.?
Most of the large tumor was removed during Joan’s surgery, but some small ones remain and are being treated by the radiation and chemotherapy. Joan said she has noticed a few changes since her surgery, including her sense of humor.
‘She got a new one,? said daughter Angela.
‘She’s never been like this before,? she said of her mother’s jokes. ‘Before she was shy.?
‘There are some changes I’ve noticed,? Joan said. ‘Now when I eat, I have a full button. It’s strange to be eating and say ‘I can’t eat anymore.??
Joan said the chemotherapy and radiation have been ‘rough.?
‘It’s wicked, that’s what I call it,? she said.
Originally, Joan’s doctor wanted her to be transferred by ambulance for her treatments, but the family found that would cost $900 a trip.
‘So they had us promise to do the transfer ourselves, from the car to the chair and to the table,? Joan said. ‘So Karl and my girls transfer me.?
Joan said she is exhausted a lot and sometimes physically ill after the radiation and chemotherapy.
‘Once or twice a week we have a nurse come in,? she said. ‘Karl is doing my medication for pain…he’s got me very well controlled for pain, and for nausea. He’s a good nurse.?
Joan said her husband of 31 years has also been cooking for her and making sure she eats at the right times.
‘I can’t eat after 5 p.m. because of chemo,? she said.
Joan said she misses the cafe and her job as a real estate appraiser.
‘I really love that job,? she said. ‘I miss going out.?
She is grateful for the support she’s gotten from the customers at Karl’s and from the rest of the community.
To show their support, Karl and daughter Alicia shaved their heads when Joan got her head shaved for surgery.
She requested that Alicia dye her hair different colors for the holidays, and it is currently a bright green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
‘I was all for it,? Joan said of the head shavings.
‘Angela said she is saving her hair in case the family has a need,? she joked.
Joan said she has received a ton of cards, and that people have been stopping to pray with her in the booths at Karl’s Place, and even coming by the house.
‘The support has just been wonderful,? she said. ‘I want to thank everyone for the prayers. There’s a lot of love pouring out of this community.?
The Eberle’s neighbors even pitched in to put together a wheelchair ramp so that Joan could get in the house after her surgery. She is paralyzed right now on her left side.
‘We’ve sent in an application to Extreme Home Makeover, because we heard they are looking for someone in the Detroit area,? she said. ‘So the house can be more accessible for me, and I could go upstairs to shower. Right now I can’t.?
The Detroit Pistons are even pitching in, donating some memorabilia for the silent auction, which will include gift baskets and a 50/50 raffle, on April 3.
‘They might even send someone out to do autographs,? Joan said.
‘My church, Christ the Redeemer might do a benefit for me also. They usually don’t do that.?
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards covering medical expenses like the $13,000 that Joan’s chemotherapy will cost, not covered by the family’s insurance.
‘They didn’t cover my rehab in the hospital either,? she said. ‘That was $550 a day.?
The Joan Eberle Benefit Dinner will be at the Gingellville Community Center, 1801 Waldon Road in Lake Orion, April 3, from Noon-3 p.m.
There will be a silent auction and a buffet dinner. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available at Karl’s Place Cafe on Baldwin Road.
For more information, call Teri Armstrong at 391-2711 at Karl’s Place, or 391-4329.