A fund has been established in Mike’s name for a memorial park bench at Taku Lake Park. (Mikes favorite walking area) Donations are being accepted online at:
http://www.AnchorageParkFoundation.org/projects/memorialfunds.htm 

or checks payable to:
Anchorage Parks Foundation – Memo Line:  “Mike Kagerer Fund”
400 L Street, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 88501

Thank you to all who have already donated.

Love,
The Kagerer Family

We had a wonderful Celebration of Mike’s life today in Anchorage, Alaska. Thank you to all who attended to make this a nice tribute to Mike on what would have been his 53rd birthday.

We’ve posted pictures from the event for all to enjoy:
http://mikekagerer.com/gallery/anchorage

A fund has been established in Mike’s name for a memorial park bench at Taku Lake Park. (Mikes favorite walking area) Donations are being accepted online at:
http://www.AnchorageParkFoundation.org/projects/memorialfunds.htm

or checks payable to:
Anchorage Parks Foundation – Memo Line:  “Mike Kagerer Fund”
400 L Street, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 88501

Again thank you to all who attended, and all who have sent their condolences.

Love,
The Kagerer Family

Please come and join our family as we honor and remember Mike on what would have been his 53rd birthday.

When:  Sunday October 28, 2007
Time:    Noon – 4:00pm
Where: Viking Hall, Anchorage AK  Maps & Directions

Viking Hall
8141 Briarwood St
Anchorage, AK 99518
907-349-1613

Please bring a dish to pass, and join us for a Potluck meal.

For details call John or Barbara Kagerer
Home: (907) 345-6954
The Horn Doctor Music Store: (907) 272-4676

This is Joe, Ann is on her way back to Fowler with her family, it’s been a very long weekend for us. I thought that I’d blog, and give her a break.

Today we had a beautiful Funeral Mass and Celebration of Mike’s life. I would like to thank all the people that came from across the country to share this time with our family, it was truely a special time and a great tribute to Mike and a testimonial to the impact he’s made on our lives.

Many of you have expressed your desire to be here, but couldn’t make it. I know that all of you were with us in spirit and thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers.

I have posted the photos of Mike that we had on display. I hope you enjoy these and remember the good times we had with Mike.
Mike’s Photo Gallery

Thank you all for reading and following Mike’s story.
Love,
The Kagerer Family

Visitation
Mike will be at Dodds-Dumanois Funeral Home in Flint Michigan
901 Garland St.
Flint, Michigan 48503
(810) 232-0187
http://www.doddsdumanois.com/

Saturday, September 22nd.
The family will be present at the visitations from 2-4pm and 6-8pm.
(John and Barbara and their boys will not be at this visitation as they will arrive in Michigan that night.)

Sunday, September 23rd at Dodds-Dumanois.
The entire family will be there between 1-4pm and 5-6:30pm

Rosary
A Rosary will be recited Sunday, September 23rd at Dodds-Dumanois at 5:30pm.

Funeral Mass
Mike’s funeral Mass will be on Monday, September 24th at 11am
St. John Vianney Catholic Church
2415 Bagley St
Flint, Michigan, 48504
(810) 235-1812
http://stjohnvianneyflint.catholicweb.com/

Funeral Lunch
A funeral lunch will be held immediately following the Mass at the Church. All are welcome to stay for the lunch.

It is with extreme sorrow in my heart that I am telling you that Mike died on Tuesday, September 18th at 1:25 in the afternoon. 

My husband, Bruce and our cousin, Sara (from Ohio) and I arrived at UofM Hospital around 9am Tuesday. Mike was in the ICU.  He had been put on life support the night before after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a proceedure to change the tubes to his kidneys.  Deacon Tom came to be with us and called the Hospital Priest to come and pray with us and say the Last Rites and annoint Mike.  After the Priest left the doctors came in and very gently and with great compassion removed all of the life support from Mike.  Mike lived for about two hours after that and Sara, Bruce and I stayed with him throughout that time holding him and talking to him and telling him how much he was loved by so many.  Mike was very peaceful when he died.

Mike will be at Dodds-Dumanois Funeral Home in Flint Michigan on Saturday, September 22nd.  The family will be present at the visitations from 2-4pm and 6-8pm.  (John and Barbara and their boys will not be at that visitation as they will arrive in Michigan that night.) 

Visitation will also be Sunday, September 23rd at Dodds-Dumanois.  The entire family will be there between 1-4pm and 5-6:30pm with a Rosary being recited at 5:30pm. 

Mike’s funeral Mass will be on Monday, September 24th at 11am at St. John Vianney Catholic Church with a lunch immediately following.  All are welcome to stay for the lunch.

Mike will be buried later that week since he chose to be creamated, which will take place after the funeral Mass.

I want to express, once again, my gratitude for all of the support and prayers that have been shown over the past four months.  I have read every comment that has been written – they were wonderful!

Mike was such a kind and gentle man and he was so humbled by everyone’s care and concern.  He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him, especially his family. 

With much love, Tanny, Rick, Sally, Ann, Bruce, John, Barbara, Joe and all of Mike’s nephews.

I got a call today from Mike’s nurse.  They put the feeding tube back in today and he was having a rough time not pulling it out!  She told me they did put some soft restraints on his wrists.  I told her that I understand.  He needs the tube in to get his nutrition and his meds.  He isn’t able to realize what he is doing at this time.  He is confused and not able to verablize to much at all. 

She also said that he does have GVHD of the skin.  They are still waiting for his tests results to come back and are hoping that he doesn’t have GVHD in his liver.  That wouldn’t be good.  Actually any infection at this time wouldn’t be good.

So, hopefully when I get down there in a couple days the results will be in and we may have a better idea for his care. 

Please keep praying.  We appreciate all of the support so far.  It has really gotten us through!

love, Ann

No big changes today for Mike.  Our cousins, Ron and Sara and our brother Rick visited him today.  I’ll see him mid-week. 

Mom is doing great.  She is wearing her pj’s all day in rebellion since they used to get her up and dressed at 5am!!!!  It’s great that she is home.

I’ll keep you posted – keep praying!

love, Ann

MOM IS HOME!! Yea!  I sprung her this afternoon.  She said last night that she wanted to go home so she did!  She is relaxing this evening with a game of Freecell and Scrabble and watching her own TV.  I am going to stay overnight tonight.  I need to go get her new meds this evening.  Her friend Joyce went to the store and brought her some food.  She seems to be her self again and that is such a blessing.

Mike, on the other hand, had a traumatic day today.  His liver counts are still on the rise and so they wanted to try a feeding tube – not the usual NG tube but a smaller one. They are hoping that with the nutrition going into his gut his liver will get a break.  The IV feeding is harder on the liver.  They got it in and it was there for about a half hour and Mike pulled it out.  He is just not aware of what is happening right now and I’m sure it felt bad so out it came!  The nurse felt really bad and she said they may try again tomorrow but tonight they were going to let him be.  He has been through so much lately.

Tomorrow I think Ron and Sara (cousins from Ohio) are going to try and see Mike after the UofM game.  (I hope they win this one!)  Hopefully their visit will go well. 

I wish I had more positive things to report but I don’t right now.  I am hoping to hear about the test results maybe early next week.  I will probably go on Tuesday or Wednesday to see Mike.  I really wish I could be there all the time, but such goes life!

Thanks again for your support and prayers.  Mom is much stronger and doing very well and it is just great to have her home again.

love, Ann