Welcome to the journal of love and hope for Valerie Lopez-Robinson. This website chronicles Valerie's journey in healing.
Valerie was diagnosed with Grade 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme. Her Mom, Bernice, explains how this diagnosis was reached below:
Valerie was having headaches that started as one a day. We thought they were stress induced or part of her shoulder problem that she was getting therapy for.
The headaches started to get worse and was thought by her pediatrician to be sinus's and she was started on a sinus medication. She advised to try that for
one week and if that did not work we would get a CT done. Fri. 01-27-06 was the end of the week and her headaches were not being prevented by the sinus medication,
in fact, they were getting worse. They were lasting all day with no relief. We tried to get through the weekend to go back to her Dr. However she started vomiting
and having pain in her neck. It then sounded like meningitis, so I took her to Childrens Hospital on Sun. 01-29-06. When we got to the ER she was thought to have
migraines by the triage nurse and we waited for 2 1/2 hours in the waiting room. Then she got a CT done in the ER and it was clear, so they did a spinal tap that
revealed that she had too much spinal fluid in her head that was causing her headaches. They said sometimes this happens, so they removed the extra fluid and thought
this would take her headaches away and she would be fine. When her headaches did not go away they admitted her to the neuro floor of Childrens. For the next few days
they were running all kinds of tests, trying to find out what was the cause of the spinal fluid building up. Every day they were ruling out all kinds of stuff and as
time went by we were facing more and more serious problems. Her MRI's showed some abnormal areas in the brain and spine, she under went a biopsy of one of the spots
in the lower spine on Fri. 02-03-06. This told us right away it was cancer, however they could not tell us what type of cancer it was. They said it would take a few
days for the final diagnosis. During this time Valerie was given pain medication and a drainage tube for the spinal fluid along with some other medications for infection,
diuretic (water pill) and steroids for inflammation. We got her final diagnosis on 02-07-06 The drainage tube was taken out and she was discharged from the hospital on 02-08-06
Valerie is feeling much better now, she does not have any headache's. She has been going back to school. She will start chemo and radiation next week and then will be
home schooled. Her spirits are very high and she said she is going to fight this!! So let us all pray she win's her battle.
Thank you to everyone for the love and support and most of all their prayers.
Bernice
Arrangements for Valerie are Below
It was one of Valerie's wishes that any of her friends may bring a small token that would remain with her.
Monday, October 23, 2006Viewing
Raymond Funeral Home
5635 Washington Ave.
LaPlata, MD 20647
301 934-2920
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Tuesday, October 24, 2006Service
Trinity Baptist Church
2671 Mattawoman-Beantown Road
Waldorf, MD 20601
301 645-7889
11:00 am
Burial at
Trinity Memorial Gardens
3221 Mattawoman Road
Waldorf, MD 20601
Reception to follow.
For directions, please use Mapquest at
http://www.mapquest.comValerie's obituary will be in the Washington Post on Sunday, October 22 and in the Maryland Indpendent on Wednesday, October 25.
It is the family's wish that all eulogies be approved prior to the services. If you would like to speak, you may contact Teri directly at
teri@babychatter.com or 301 751-5234 and she can get the message to Bernice.
10 Comments:
Dear Bernice, thank you so much for this website - we followed it faithfully and had an entire prayer group that we updated across the country about Valerie. I know her spirit will live on in all that love her and who was touched by her story. I know our family will forever be touched by her! Our prayer now is that God be with you and your family as you endure this incredible loss. May you find comfort and know that Valerie is in a better place with no pain. May God bless you and walk with you now in your hours of need.
Forever Val will be in our hearts!
Mudd Family - BNS
I am sorry to hear about Valerie's passing. I knew her since middle school and she was definately one of the nicest girl I've ever known. I loved her. She was like a sister to me. I know this is a tough time for everyone, but now Val is in a better place and is no longer in pain. She will no longer get sick and she will watch over all of us until it is our time to join her in the after life.
My deepest sympathies,
Ryan Browne
im sorry about what happened. i didnt even kno her, but i heard her story and tears came to my eyes. i know shes with the our Lord and savior. she is in a better place and she will be missed.
Reading your journey about your daughter's illness has been the most inspiring story I have ever read. You, Bernice, and your dghtr, Valerie are special people. The amount of courage and strength you and your dghtr have shown is something that will always be remembered. Her faith and courage tells me that high in the sky will be a shining bright star showing everyone that she is where there is no pain, and you will see her when you look up every night. God Bless You, Bernice. You have been a Wonderful Mother and CareGiver.
I will really miss valerie..although we were never extremely close i always knew she was a person i could count on and she never seemed to judge anyone and she most definatly had me laughing at all times...she will truly be missed..my heart goes out to her family..her experience as a whole has made me a better person and if i ever had to endure such thing i can only hope i take it like a trooper like valerie she is honestly one of my heros...her heart lives on..i cant wait to see her agian..my favorite memory of her is when i visited her in the hospital and she was smiling the entire time and was cracking jokes the entire time...i love you girl and i miss you dearly!!!
Love Always And Forver
Katie Daye
I cannot explain the sorrow I feel for Valerie's passing. She was a wonderful person, a saint compared to most others. The fact that we knew the end was near has not helped at all to ease the pain.
My only comfort is that she now walks beside the Lord and that he takes good care of her.
I'm sure she is smiling down from Heaven at all those who feel the pain of her passing.
I'll keep her and all those who mourn her in my prayers.
-Matthew Clodfelter
Dearest Neighbor Bernice, It's Michele next door. My mother had been keeping me updated on Val's condition. I did not know about this site. It was too hard for me to see her, I wanted to, but I just prayed for her everyday. I was so extremely emotional when i left for work the other day and found out that she had passed. she fought a good fight. And now she rests. I remember Val and her friends sun bathing in the driveway and she would have such a beautiful tan. I would say looking good girl!We will miss her and I will continue to pray for your strength for I know the real struggle begins now as you go on with your life. Please call us if you need anything. Val will be deeply missed...
I am really going to miss Valerie. She was a really sweet person. I could always count on her. I've known her since sixth grade and even though we werent close we did talk from time to time and she always had the sweetest things to say. Most of all I am so sorry to hear about her passing and her family along with Valerie are in my prayers each and every night.
Love Always And Forver
Chelsie Dunn
I had Valerie in my 6th grade math class! She was a joy and made many of my days! I had sent a letter to Valerie over the summer telling her just that! As a teacher, you hope that you will get a classroom full of students who love to learn and laugh. Valerie was just that....always doing the best she could and laughing all the way. I learned that she attended Trinity and we spoke about our both being Baptist. Her Christianity always shined through....and it was clear that Valerie would have her place in heaven one day. This day has come....and I know that she is shining down on us! I only hope that I can be a half as good a teacher as Valerie was a student! Moreover, I hope my Christianity shines bright as Valerie's did. She was a gem and everyone that met her knows this! I know she is swimming from cloud to cloud....sharing her smile with all she meets! God's plan cut her earthly life short....but s he is blessed with an eternal life with our Lord!
Mrs. Kim King
I have known Valerie since 7th grade. She was one of my closest friends and I will miss her dearly. Her story, and her courage is an inspiration to us all. I don't think I would have handled something like that so well. Not as well as she did. She's truly my hero! To endure what she did and still have such a wonderful outlook on life. She was never scared either. Always had a smile on her face. I think my favorite memory of her is when she first started coming back to school. She looked so sick to me and the biopsy scar on her spin made me want to cry. I almost did. But she told me not to cry over her, b/c she was ok, and that she would be ok. That same day at lunch she took a picture w/ me and my friend April. I know she's looking down on us today and smiling that we're all ok. And she is too. She can walk again, and she's no longer suffering. As I said in that poem I left w/ her, and Bernice I gave you a copy at the viewing. I really hope you liked it. It was a beautiful funeral by the way. But Valerie was like a sister to me, and I truly did love her. I will miss her and she will always be in my prayers. And will always be w/ me b/c I still wear the angel locket she gave for christmas in 8th grade. She is always in my heart. Good luck to you Bernice and the rest of the family, also other who are grieveing over her passing. We all love her!!
Love always,
Niki Murray.
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