ReamersEvents

Nick / Heath Blood Drive Week of Feb 23rd

2009-02-14T18:11:00.002-06:00

2009-02-14T02:39:00.009-06:00

Another long time since I have posted.

Nick has since been to Houston Texas to the MD Anderson Cancer Center to see Dr Peter Anderson a renowned Osteosarcoma expert and placed on L-MTP-PE and Gemcitibine for the next nine months.

But new scans showed another tumor at the same site of the lymph node that he had removed in November so on January 19th he had another Thorencotomy to have that removed along with additional lymph nodes. Pathology reports came back that there was still cancer cells in the margin area that was removed.. So good thing they had already planned for radiation to his whole back area to kill any cancer cells - and hopefully not damage his spine or other organs.

I have more new pictures from this last surgery;

More info on upcoming Blood Drive to follow.

Missing events

2008-11-08T17:01:00.003-06:00

Since my last entry... wow thing have happened.

Nick went into the hospital on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008 and had two Thorincotomy's on both sides to remove a tumor on the outside of his left lung, a tumor the size of a golf ball in a lymph node in the center of his diaphram near his spine and a golf ball size tumor that was just under his only incision from the last time he had a tumor removed from one of the small incisions that were used. They also put in another double lumin Portacath for future chemo and blood drawings.

He was sent to ICU for a day and a half, then up to the 8th floor of Children's hospital in Mpls. The doctor's figured he would be there for a good two weeks. He had a drain tube on both sides of his chest to drain off the fluid and blood from surgery. The surgeon was very surprised to see that he was moved to the 8th floor so soon after surgery and also to not be on a ventalator also. He was on oxygen, but really doing very well without, he was constantly taking the air out of his nose so they got him a face mask as his nose was getting so sore. Then he started getting nose bleeds very bad - we are not sure if that was from the oxygen or we think from one of the meds they gave him, so after one day on that stuff - they were no longer going to give it to him, just in case that was the cause. He never had a nose bleed after that - so we would then figure that was the cause.

The drain tubes were taken out way ahead of schedule also - this was a whole lot worst then the last surgery when they removed that tube. First of all the surgeon had a hard time finding the stitch and had to dig around - causing pain - then when he started pulling the tube out - it would get stuck and Nick was by then groaning and tears were rolling down his face. The surgeon then said - That hurt!. With the second one I went and grabbed his hand and same thing couldn't find the stitch and then when he pulled .. it got stuck and this does not stop him from pulling.. and hurts like hell. Nick yelled and just about broke my hand, then cryed for about a half hour in major pain. They had only given him some Valium - last time they gave him a pain pill that took all that pain away. Don't know why this time they didn't.

Nick was then free of those machines and could get up and go for walks which he did right away .. then found out how weak he was and would get light headed easily. But he continued to go for several walks a day. This helped in him being able to get out of the hospital, way before they every planned on him even being ready to get out.

On Sunday after getting home, Nick noticed that the bandage covering his port incision was a little pink from drainage, we removed the bandage and noticed that part of the incision had come open. So we cleaned the area and re-bandaged it, figuring that it would heal anyway. NOT. The next day when he got up he said it was bleeding pink stuff even more, so I said maybe he should think about going over to urgent care and have them look at it. So Me and Amanda went and ran errands and then I was going to take her to the airport for her flight back to Oregon at 2:40. We had no more then got on the road to the airport, when Nick called saying that Dad had taken him to urgent care and Dr Kuku said to get him to the Emergency room at Childrens immediately. The incision had come open completely. So I turned around and went back and got Nick ... took Amanda to the airport - stopped long enough there to give her a hug and back on the road to Children's. Parked and into ER we went, we weren't in there but a few minutes when Dr Nelson comes walking in - he knew we were there because Tim had emailed him that we were on our way. So he saw him before the Emergency staff did. The doctor on call then came and check on him, then said the surgeon Dr Nelson had called would be coming to see him. When the surgeon came in he said that there was no way he could save the port - the hole in Nicks chest you could see the edge of the port and the plastic tube that went up his neck into his artery. Very scary! He said that it had to come out. So he had looked at the surgical schedule and the OR was booked all evening and all the next day and he didn't want this to wait that long - so he said because he was on call that night and had a surgery at 7 pm he would just stay and do Nick right after that. So we then waited for a while until he could be taken up to a room on the 8th floor to wait to go to surgery.

Once taken to the 8th floor, all the nurses had to come and see the hole in Nick's chest - they were all amazed at how clean it was and no infection to be seen or smelt. We had a room we have never had before - the 8160 which is normally a double but they said they weren't putting anyone in with us. This is the room with the daybed .. was very comfortable.
Jazmine got there shortly after we did, in fact when I was down in the garage getting our stuff I ran into her there. Nick was then taken down for Emergency surgery at 8:30, went into the OR at 8:40 and at 9 O'clock the surgeon was in talking to us that everything went well he was doing okay .. that he would have a big hole in his chest that needed to heal from the inside out. That they were taking into recovery, then he would go to his room. He went into recovery at 9:01 and by 9:30 was heading up to his room. After so many popcycles and Ice and water - he was then aloud food - so I ran over to McDonalds for a Fish Sandwich for him and a coffee. Think he also ate a Chicken sandwich also.

The next day - some surgical assistant came into the room (When I was Not there) and with out warning ripped off the bandages (chest hair and all) and then pulled out the packing from his chest. Leah Nicks nurse just stood there agasp in shock- she said she has never seen that guy before and had never seen any one treated like that.

He was not there very long .. and I ran into him in the haul and he said that we needed to learn how to pack the wound area with benedine soaked bandages - then he left. Nick was still in major pain - Leah went and brought in a couple other nurses and they gave him some morphine and a good dose of it to hurry and take away all his pain. She then went and called Dr Muelstedt Nick's surgeon and told him what had just happened .. then came and told us that he was coming up to personally apologized for this and to see the wound.
When he came up he apologized to Nick and said that he could not believe it was he mad, then he looked at the wound - told us that he was pretty sure that there was something wrong with the port from the beginning that is why his body was trying to get rid of it. Said this one had a plastic back and all it would have took is for a needle to have gone through it then all fluids would have gone into his chest area instead of where they were suppose to. GLAD we got that taken out... Chemo in the chest would have been very bad. He then explained that all Nick needed to do was wet a bandage and put that kinda in the hole and then cover it with another bandage. Twice a day - very easy and we would start to see a white stuff in there - and said that is not pus of infection that is the white blood cells doing what they are suppose to be doing healing it from the inside out. Then he said we could go home.
The doctor on the floor and his nurses all thought he would have to stay another day until they had his pain under control and they had taken care of the wound another time, But the surgeon said.. No they can go home. So home we went.

Here are some pictures from the hospital and Halloween.. for some reason it would not let me use some pictures.

A little slow at updating I see

2008-09-17T00:13:00.002-05:00

Wow can't believe it's been this long since I last updated.

As of right now, Nick has another nodule that has grown in his left lung and they need to re-check a lymph node in his back that was enlarged at the time of those scans. So he is scheduled for a CT scan on Sept 24th fot a new scan and then a appointment with Dr Nelson.
Then he is scheduled for surgery on October 14th to have these removed, if the lymph is still enlarged they will be removing that also - which then would mean a chest tube in both sides of his chest. Also Dr Nelson continues to say that No added treatment is needed after they are removed.
So we wait and we continue to Pray.

Scans are still Cancer Free

2008-05-23T00:16:00.002-05:00

We received the reports back from the specialists, and they say that his PET scans have not shown and change at all. In fact in a email between Dr Nelson and Tim, the doctor said that Nick's tumor has never shown any new growth from the very beginning of treatment - only shown calcification of the tumor (tumor turning to bone). Also his CT scans of his lungs - show No new growths and of the small spots that have been there all a long, they are showing no growth and/or no change. In fact, the PET scan does not show any thing in the lungs or lung area at all.

Today is Nick's 18th Birthday ) YEAH. Woo Hoo. We will be celebrating his birthday up North, He has some friends stopping up at our place and he also found out that one of his friends cabin is just down the road from us. Also, Nick's girlfriends parents and brother will be joining us on Saturday for the rest of the weekend. So it should be lots of fun for all. Jen and Mark and kids are not coming up because of the cost of gas right now, which is okay .. we have all summer for them to join us up north. Besides Jen has to work on Monday.

Then the next event coming up is on June 3rd, when Nick graduates from High School, this year has been full of events that just a short time ago - we never thought would happen. But with God's help, Nick is surviving and living. We will be having a Grad Party on June 21st to celebrate his Graduation but also His Life - This is also Jen's 25th Birthday .... another reason to celebrate life.
I was also thinking that this date is a very fitting day, because Nick was baptised on Jen's birth date way back in 1990, so what better day to celebrate his Life - then on his baptismal day. WOW huh. I will update then with lots of pictures.

OOPS .. Didnt know it had been so long.

2008-04-24T22:26:00.005-05:00

Sorry - just checked not realizing how long it has been since the last time I wrote on here.

Things have been going very good, Nick has been doing really good. He has had bouts of colds and sinus stuff - but then hasn't everyone this time of year. He has been in physical therapy twice a week at Nova Care, and boy have we seen a difference. His left calf muscle is now the same size as his right calf which is large and his thigh muscle is hard and big like the other leg also. We have also notice - that his limp isn't as pronounced as it was before, and I think his pain level has decreased also.

He just went to Prom with his girl friend Jazmine, they had a great time - He danced all evening and of course was sore the next day. Just part of life.

Nick is scheduled to go into Children's on May 16Th for new scans and his next appointment with Dr Nelson. So looking forward to this with continued ... Lots of Major Prayers as we are not out of the woods.

We have seen two people - now relapse and this is very scary.

Heath is back on Chemo with tumors in the plural sac around his lung, he goes in next week for more scans now to see if the new protocol is getting rid of these tumors.

Then there is Yo Yo - who is 3 yrs old and had gone out to Boston for Proton last summer, Her tumor had been in her chest. Well she just recently relapsed.. and they took her in and removed several limp nods that they had noted as enlarged besides a large tumor again in her chest. They removed the nods - not the tumor. The nods just came back as not being cancer .. YEAH.... so yesterday they went in and removed the tumor or as much of it as the doctor could - because some had gone into a vertebra.... she is now in ICU at Children's and then will be moved to 8Th floor when able to. Then she will be going back on Chemo and I understand Radiation also.

So lots of prayers are being sent to both of these Great People and their Families.

Here is a couple Pictures of Nick before Prom, and Miranda and Lil Nick of course.

Pictures from Hospital

2008-02-03T18:21:00.001-06:00

Still in hospital

2008-02-01T19:12:00.000-06:00

Yes we are still in the hospital.... what was suppose to be only a few day stay ... is now going on four days .. and possibly getting to leave sometime Sunday. WE HOPE.

This is all because of the amount of air that got into and around Nicks lung while they were doing the surgery, also the amount of bleeding and liquid in there also.

They are telling us that tomorrow they will be back in for another x-ray, then turning off the oxygen on the machine and switching it to a water seal. Not sure how long after that before they can then pull the tubing out, I am not looking forward to seeing that either... the tube is very long and goes from the incision site at bottom of his ribs up to his collar bone. He is now on two pain medications because he said he has pain every time he breathes because he can feel the tube pushing on his lung and rib cage. I will have pictures of the stuff they did and the nodule once I get home and can scan the picture I was given.

Some have asked how Tim is doing lately, well the answer to that is that things have not changed for him at all. He did go in to have a EMG test done, he will get the results back when the doctor has the results typed up or figured out. He said the doctor did say that in some areas he does have significant nerve damage, but what else.
Tim is still unable to sit down (AT ALL), if he drives he has to have the truck seat laid down and then he has to lean to the side so that his lower body does not go into a sitting position. Otherwise he has extreme pain and then spasms in legs, hip and back. (His only time driving is to go about four blocks to get a coffee - this is his only way of having some independence of the norm - and that is not always a daily event). His only other way to go anywhere is to have someone drive him, so he can lay down in the backseat of his truck or theirs. He spends his days laying on our bed on a wedge to elevate him, with his laptop on a bed table, he has to eat his meals either standing by the sink or counter .. or kneeling on the floor on his knee - and only can kneel on one leg, this puts to much pressure on his hip on the other leg. He can only stand for short periods of time - before his left leg starts to have pain, the feeling of swelling in foot .. numbness is leg and foot and other stuff too. Hard to keep track of it all. So he is better off laying, but in this he still has pain, numbness, spasms also. So life can be a challenge... he spends a lot of time looking forward to going to bed... (where he has spent all day) .. then taking all his pain med's, sleeping pills.. and still laying there for hours until sleep comes. Quite the life.

While Me and Nick are in the hospital - its just Tim and the dog and cat at home.. the cat is no big deal .. she says in the basement .. and as long is there is food and water he don't show his face around. The dog is another story .. he has been whining non-stop looking for me, Tim has had to stay down in the living room most of the time .. near him and he still goes and sits by the stairs and cries. Not much he can do about that.

Yesterday I went over to Abbott Northwestern . through the tunnel to visit a good friends Mom who is there for a bladder infection, but they were running other test as well - just to be on the safe side.
Today, I went back over and my friends brother was there whom I haven't seen in years, we chatted got kinda up to date. Then after he left, they brought her her dinner just put it on the table and left... She was sitting in a chair.. I put the table so she could reach it.. but after she gave it one try and all the food dropped off. I took over and feed her, she apologized for me having to help her when I just came to visit her. I told her not to even think of it, I didn't even give it a thought - I did it for my mom - I could do it for her.

I did mention that I had always wanted to go into nursing right from High school, but then life got in the way .. and I had my kids and they then came first. Who would have known .. that I would be nursing all of those I hold dear to my heart and love now. Should have gotten that nursing degree years ago. They should give you a degree also based on experience - I think I qualify. Life is full of surprises.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

2008-01-01T23:03:00.000-06:00

MySpace Comments & MySpace Backgrounds

We spent a very nice New Years Eve with Fran and Roy Fredrickson, we started out the evening with Dinner at Miller's and then back to our home - where lol we spent the evening watching Amanda and Dan's wedding video's and then we played several board games without the boards. They spent the night here, seeing how the kid's were all over at their home for a New Year's Eve party with all their friends and siblings.

Hoping all out there who take the time to stop in here and read to catch up on us, have a healthy, happy New Year. We are praying for a Healthy New Year for us All.

Thanksgiving's come and gone!

2007-11-26T20:13:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving at home this year was just Me, Tim - Nick and Jasmine and Jen, Mark and Miranda and Nick. Nick did the two thanksgiving dinners in one day, first at Jasmine's aunts home around 1 pm and then back here for dinner around 6 pm, were I had made a 20 lb turkey and stuffing, mash potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, rolls green bean casserole and homemade Apple pie and homemade pumpkin pie crust and all. We then also did web cam with Amanda and Dan out in Oregon - so in a sense they were here also.. Miranda entertained all singing at the top of her longs to Amanda on the computer... was very noisy here.

I think back to last year - when Nick wasn't feeling to well - we had just recently gotten out of the hospital from a round of chemo, and it was just the two of us - but I still made everything - just on a smaller scale - even had apple pie. The family back home had packed up and taken Thanksgiving dinner up to Fargo to spend it with Amanda because she had to work, so they all went up there. We were all miles apart, but together in our hearts. Now we prepare for Christmas and Nick's next set of MRI's and CT Scans in mid December.

Another thing to note - Tim lost his lawsuit against the insurance company of the person who struck him in their car - while he was out walking. I guess they say he was partly to blaime because he was walking on the wrong side of the road - geez he decided to walk on the wrong side for several good reasons 1. the other side was glare ice (from the car wash at the gas station) and he didn't want to fall and hurt himself - he was recovering from back surgery. 2. You would have had to taken your life in your own hands to even walk on the otherside with all the vehicles going in and out of the gas station... this was the sunday morning after Thanksgiving.. and the station was overly busy. By looking at the picture of the car that had hit him... you could see her tracks - as she cut the corner and then hit him.. so it wouldn't have mattered she would have more then likely hit him on the otherside also- seeing how she started out on that side of the road then crossed and hit Tim. She even gave testimony saying that she when she hit the ice - instead of pumping the brakes she slammed on them .. and then seemed to go even faster when she hit him.

So when looking for a lawyer - I would have them double checked - Tim supposedly had really good lawyers.. they have many commercials and everything.. Very well known and all - But I have NO RESPECT for anyone.. that after all the time they have put into a case... when they lost... They couldn't even show Tim the respect or whatever to call and tell him... They emailed him that he lost. I'll bet that if they would have won they would have been on the phone in nothing flat..... but a email... talk about losers. When they lose they drop you like your nothing. Amazing.

So with this loss... things will probably get a little tight around here... just another obstacle we are going to have to figure out how to handle. The first to go is my car, I still have a payment on it - So I figure that without that payment and the insurance on it .. that should help out a little. I take care of the kids during the day - so there is no income coming that way - Jen and Mark our on a waiting list for help in that area. I'll try to find work .. in the evenings and weekends to help make ends meet. But I have found - that when you reach a certain age - they don't really want to hire you, especially without a college degree.

Sometime Life really Suck's...... these last few years are starting to add up and are taken there toll on a person and a family. Will things ever turn around ?

Make A Wish - Truck Overhaul

2007-11-13T00:17:00.000-06:00

Nick got his truck back tonight - Make A Wish has been having Hooze 4x4 do a Overhaul on it. It is Awesome.... Nick is so excited - there are No words.

Check out these pictures.

Wow has it really been this long

2007-11-11T01:17:00.000-06:00

Wow can't believe it's been this long since I did a update here. Nick is still doing really good, all tests have all come back again Cancer Free, he goes back in December for MRI and CT scans.

We are waiting for the return of his Truck - which is getting a overhaul from Make A Wish - I will have pictures when he gets that back.

Here is a random group of pictures from the past couple months - from Amanda and Miranda playing in the leaves - to our New addition a Golden Retreiver Puppy - to Halloween - pic's of Nick and his girlfriend to Miranda and Nick and also some pictures from out in Oregon of Amanda and Dan's home that they are renting - and some of the sites that are within ... a few miles from there home - to Amanda ready for trick or treaters. I will add new pictures shortly and more news on how Amanda and Dan are doing out in Oregon.

Amanda and Dan's Wedding

2007-09-17T02:47:00.000-05:00

Amanda and Dan's Wedding was GREAT 9/14/07

Here are the pictures... they go on for ever.. I know..... but then so do weddings... but this one was a BLAST!~

Labor Day weekend

2007-09-03T19:12:00.000-05:00

Actually .. pictures from all summer....of our place up north.

Lots of Good memories... Wish I remembered to get out the camera when all our company is there... had a house full this past weekend....

Us - Tim, Jill and Nick and Miranda Weds thru Saturday then Jen and Mark and Nick joined us ... followed soon after by ... Amanda and Dan... and then later that night by there friends Leah and Nick....

Then on Sunday afternoon .. Jill's brother Jim and friend Kathy .. came out for the day. The day was spent over at the club house .. for a carnival and to the petting zoo then the kids all went swimming, then the boys went golfing again (they had golfed most of the morning also, girls also had went and golfed at the mini golf in afternoon also. Later in the day .. Amanda and Dan and Leah and Nick .. went to the casino in Hinckley... then later amanda and Dad came back for the night.

Amanda and Dad left early in the morning to go to the statefair... Jen and Mark left somewhere around 1:30 and then we left after getting everything put away, closed up and everything. Good weekend!

Pictures from up North

2007-09-03T18:24:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share some pictures from our place up north, these were taken last fall, will add new pictures from there as I gather them.

Jen and Mark's Wedding

2007-08-10T19:29:00.001-05:00

Wednesday August 8th, 2007

Jen and Mark got married down at The Coon Rapids Dam Park by the Anoka County Judge.

After the ceremony, we had a picnic dinner under the pavilion there, which turned out very well considering - first of all we forgot to bring charcoal so Mark and Glen had to run for some. And then after getting the fire started .. realized we had NO utencils for flipping the hamburgers or hot dogs... NO FEAR ... I haven't been camping all of my life for nothing..I made do with a long stick and a butter knife until the fire was too hot in which I then broke the stick in half and then used both halfs for flipping the hamburgers and even managed to rescue a couple hamburgers from falling between the grill posts. I managed to amaze many... Travis was so mesmerized by it that he stood there and watched me the whole time, I even heard Starr tell Jen and others that I was her hero... that there wasn't anything I could not handle. Putting all of this together after just coming home to a basement that was flooded and having just pulled all of the carpet in Nick's room out of there.. and still pulling off making all the salads for this wedding without even a second thought.

Now onto ... Amanda and Dan's wedding next month on September 14th.

CANCER FREE!

2007-07-23T23:51:00.000-05:00

The results are in on Nick's latest PET scans, CT Scans and X- rays. The radiologist said that if he didn't know there was a large calcified remnant's of a tumor in Nick's left sacrum and Iliac bone, he would say that his scans looked perfectly normal. He does have some small amounts of glow still from the radiation and there is a small soft tissue area inside of the calcified tumor. But otherwise everything is looking really really good.

So NO more weekly blood drawings or check up's. This will take some time to get use too, when we have been at the clinic weekly for a year.

Nick does go back in the end of August to have another CT scan of his chest area - this area they will be checking on a regular basis to watch the nodules in his lungs - that at this point still do not appear to be cancer or never were - but they still want to watch them to make sure they do not turn into cancer.

We are also at this time waiting to hear from Nick's doctors out in Boston, His doctor out there was very happy to hear from us and to know that Nick has had great news... he also sent word that one of his other patients that had the same tumor in the same area is now 51 months cancer free. He was going to get back to us - when he wanted us to head out there for a check up with them, still waiting on that one.

But the end of July is fast approaching and the month of August ... we seem to have something scheduled every week and weekend. Then September will bring back to school and Amanda's Wedding on the 14th, and we would just like to head up north for a while and just chill. Winter will be upon us way to fast as it is.

2007-07-05T19:12:00.000-05:00

Wow, didn't realize its been a month since I had a blog entry.

Since the last time on here - Nick had his last treatment of chemo which was 5 days of Ifos/Etop given at half dose. Since that date ... he has been feeling pretty good, his counts have dropped like every other time - you go in and they come back as critical low.... It's pretty sad when even that doesn't scare us anymore. But he is done. Now he will go in on July 10th (my birthday and the day he was dianoised last year) and have all new scans. We start out with a PET scan at 7:45 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital and then at 11 am back at Children's for MRI's, Chest X-rays and CT scans. Then he meets with Dr Nelson at 1 pm - wow long day! So we are all praying for good news after all he has been through.

On Saturday June 31st, we (as in Me, Tim and Nick and we also brought up with us Miranda) went up to our place at Pathfinder Village - with plan's of getting the bunkhouse screened and the railing put on the deck of the camper. Well, most of that got done. LOL.
We got up there an first thing that needed to happen after unpacking both trucks was I needed to mow both lots - grass was knee high in places. Then in the middle of the yard we had ordered a load of wood - in which they had dumped in a big pile in the yard - Soooo I then had to stack all of this and get it out of the yard. Then finish mowing the yard. By the time I was finished .... it was time to get a good fire going so that we could have dinner cooked on the fire. Miranda entertained herself by playing in the sand and just roaming around the yard, and looking for Nick.
Then on Sunday, we started working on screening in the bunkhouse - managed to get most of it done - Got word from Jen that her water had broke around 3 am, and she had been at the hospital since before 6 am and was in labor ALL DAY. I asked if she wanted me to come down there... she said no stay there with Miranda... she said that Mark was with her and Amanda and Freddy were there also. Starr had been there for a while and also Aunt Pam. So I stayed where I was. ----- Then got the call at 9:25 pm that she had delivered at 9:05 pm after they also needed to induce her to speed things up because her blood pressure was going to high.
So at 9:05 pm Nickolas Allan was born weighing in at 7 lbs 1 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. She is spelling his name this way for a reason.....First of all she is naming him after his uncle because of the strength that his Uncle has shown to us all this past year and then the reason for his name spelt this was is because - When Nick was in 8th grade and he received a certificate from football it was spelled this way and when I mentioned that it was spelled wrong... Nick says... No its not! and I said thats not how you spell your name....LOL... turns out this was how he had been spelling his name all a long. Took until 8th grade to find out that his name wasn't spelled Nickolas but Nicholas... he was amazed. So Jen decided to name him the way Nick always thought his name was spelted.

On Monday, we awoke to rain and lots of it... so go thing I had planned to take Miranda and head for town and to the hospital so that we could see the baby and she could meet her new brother. There were times on the road - where the rain was to hard that I could not see to drive .. but once we hit Pine City... there was only hit and miss rain...
Picked up Amanda and our house and headed to the hospital...... Miranda was very excited when she saw him, which was a surprise. She wasn't happy with her parents though...
After visiting for a while we left and went back to the house so that Amanda could get all of her clothes and then we headed back up to the camper - stopped for grocery's at the Pine City Walmart and then on to camp.

Tuesday, I was going to start putting up the railing... but after I went and picked up one of the posts... something happened in my lower back.... and that ended that plan for the day... been to much work I quess.
Freddy came up after he got done with work, and he and Amanda took Miranda swimming at the pool... then I walked over and got her after they had been there for a while... figured she would be done and then they could swim some more.

Wednesday, Not much got done today - my back and Nick's stomach ... and it was really really hot so we all just laid low. Amanda and Freddy went swimming in the afternoon, I took Miranda to the park where she went full speed on everything there for about a hour... then we walked back and got our suits on and went back and joined the others in the pool. Then came back to camp... and said in the sun for a while and then moved to the shade and just hung out.
In late afternoon - My brother stopped in for a visit on his way home from his place in Grand Marais, and right before we were going to go look at some of the other bunkhouses in the park - Jen and Mark and Little Nick pulled in. (Jen was all emotional) Had to be with family on this holiday day. Me and Jim then went for a ride in the Golf cart around the park.... then back to camp... and sat and visited for a while .. then he headed home. The kids spent the whole evening with us, we grilled out and then once it was dark... the fireworks started just through the trees and across the park from us... so I kept the baby in the camper and the kids headed out to watch the fireworks... then they headed home after feeding the baby around 11pm. Miranda stayed with us.
Thursday, after eating a big breakfast and cleaning up and putting all of are stuff away - we packed up and headed for home.
Nick goes into the clinic to have his labs drawn tomorrow. Then we will know how much longer before his stomach starts to heal... because as long as his platelet levels are low, his stomach or intestines will be sore.

Check out some of the pictures fro

m this week.

NICK Donor Day

2007-06-08T23:32:00.000-05:00

Second to last round of Chemo! Yah!

2007-06-06T20:06:00.000-05:00

Just came home from Nick getting his last dose of Methotraxate - YAH!!!!

He had a tough time of it this time around also, was nauseated from the time they started the IV fluids. So we learned that the next time, they need to start all nausea med's when they start the IV fluids. It then took him longer then the normal 6 hours of fluids to get his ph up to 7, before they could start the chemo, so that meant a start at 9:30 pm and then this bag being so huge it ran until 1:30 am. Then he felt all clammy and seating like crazy, but instead of running a temp he was cold and couldn't get warm. The nurse took all of his vitals and everything was normal, so she monitored him off and on all night. So the last time I looked at the clock it was 5 am and I had not slept yet.

All day yesterday - Nick slept and was still sweating and clammy and Cold! hmmmmm

I finally turned up the thermostate for the second time to almost 80, this after he had taken off his socks to see if that would make a difference ( It didn't) then took off his sweatpants - that he had put on because he was so cool - nope that didn't work had to put them back on a little while later, also more blankets.

We still have no idea why he was so cold, he is now laying on the couch in his clothes and hoodie. They had drawn blood also .. not sure if they checked that for infection ... but I would think they did.

We are just so HAPPY that this is almost all done, I am sure a lot of it is - that his body is just tired of it all. His doctor said that it is normal for teens to react more so with nausea and other things the farther along in chemo they are and I think that is happening.
Below are pictures from after the chemo before this one and then from this time in the hospital.

Third to Last Chemo

2007-05-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

We just got home from Nick's third to the last chemo (Only Two More) YEAH.

He spent the whole time in the hospital this time sleeping, in fact I had to wake him today - by saying that if he woke up the Doctor could come in and examine him for his release. Then he woke up... we just say he is in his Zone, when he does this and everyone at the hospital agrees that its probably a good place to go when going through this stuff.

Nick came home on a IV pump - We will run IV Fluids until the chemo level in his blood comes down to below 0.01, so until then every 6 hours I will be giving him three pills of leucovorin, which protects the kidneys and every 12 hours I need to change the IV bag to a new one, so that will be like around 2 AM but then he will be getting his leucovorin at 1 am so I may just change it around 1:30 somewhere in there. Then more leucovorin at 7 AM and so on, the home care nurse will be her sometime between 8 am and 10 to draw his blood labs, and if his chemo has dropped I then can take him off the IV, if not we go another 24 hours and they come out then on Saturday morning and draw labs again, then hopefully by then I can take him off the IV pump.

We do have Starr's grad party from College to attend on Saturday - So I am sure Nick will want to be off this pump by then.

I am also adding one of several pictures that they did at the hospital - like a month or so ago - totally forgot all about them. They are all really good!

Will also take a picture of Nick's IV fluid bag and pump - to give you all an Idea of what it is like - It is in a backpack - to make it easy for carrying around the house. But it is also heavy too.

Just for laughs

2007-05-14T01:44:00.000-05:00

Create Your Own PaloozaHead - Visit Lollapalooza.com

Miranda's Second Birthday

2007-05-01T14:31:00.000-05:00

Today after getting home from ESA.

We had Miranda's 2nd birthday party here, it was so warm I set up tables in the back yard so we could eat out there... and she opened all her presents on the porch.

Guest's - Ruth and her son Cliff - she works with Jen
Uncle Jim, Starrsha, Aunt Pam, and Sara - Mark's sister
Uncle Tom (Sam) also was there hanging out with Nick.

She got lots of clothes and some cool presents. But she sobbed when we all sang to her before blowing out her candles.

She wasn't feeling good anyway - later after everyone had left and they were getting ready to go home - they decided to drop off all her stuff at home and then take her to Unity hospitals ER ... Jen called on there way home, on top of her croup she also has a ear infection which would explain her not wanting to eat anything.

Weekend At ESA State Convention

2007-05-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was Mine and Amanda's ESA State Convention, it was held at the Doubletree Hotel in St Louis Park. The weekend started out on Friday evening with our MN Love Fund Auction and a Mexican Fiesta Mixer Party, which included a Social hour, Mixer Snacks and Games and then a Membership Presentation and then all Canididates running for a spot on the board had there groups preform a skit. Ours was great we danced to the Marcarna while Nicki sang for everyone to vote for Fran for Coorsponding secretary. Then Julene and Kathy had a major surprize for Fran - It was Fran's 50th birthday and they had a (we thought haha stripper- he was just sand to her - he was dressed as Zorro - It was really fun! Poor Fran! (Then thats all she heard all weekend) Saturday morning started at 8:00 am with breakfast (the morning theme was Valentines so most wore red), there was the First Gereral Assembly (and Opening Ritual - Presentation of the Flags and Pledge of Allegiance and then Lighting of the Memorial Candle. Then we had a call to Order and then our meeting. We then adjurned for Hearts Aflutter Lucheon . Then back into room for Achievements and Awards more reports were given. We had a afternoon break - Amanda and Beth went swimming - some took naps the rest of us just hung out in our hotel rooms. We had a afternoon speaker - was great fun... she had everyone singing and even managed to get Barb and Nicki up there for backup singers. Then it was change clothes for out evening (the theme was a Hawaian Luau - So we got ready then had to be down in the room for several of us to first receive our first pearl at the Jewel Pin Ceremony. Then after that ceremony - we were across the hall to the dining hall that was set up for the Social hour, the first hour was drinks and then the steaks and salmon were brought out... and then the Let's Luau Banquet Dinner along with the Installation of Elected Officers for the new year. There were hawiian dancers there for the entertainment and they got many up on the stage to dance and then managed to get some of the husbands that came for this event up on the stage also. From there we went back to our room and then went into Julenes room across from ours where many had also joined for drinks and just hanging out and catching up - with those we haven't seen in a while.
Sunday morning they have a 8 am memorial service - That at this point in my life I am still not ready for.. couldn't go to it last year either then it was to close to losing mom. So we all didn't go down until 9 am for our morning breakfast and then on to our closing ceremony's. Then we were on our way home....

Where I hurried to get set up for Miranda's second birthday..........

Was having problems

2007-04-26T21:35:00.000-05:00

I have been having problems for two days - and sent repeated helps out there... but for some reason ... after trying all of there suggesions... and none working... I decided to change the template... and Whala.... Its back.

So for all of you out there that have tried going here... It is working now.

Our stay in Boston

2007-04-24T22:58:00.000-05:00

For many of you who followed our daily journals on caringbridge of our time in Boston for Nick's Proton Radiation treatments- I have heard many times from several people that they wished they could have seen more pictures then the ones we placed on caringbridge.

So I started this site so that I can share with all of you some of our pictures of where we stayed and the town and also the hospital.

We were in Boston from October 29th 2006 until January 20th 2007 - when we left there we drove the 1400 mile home. We rented because of all the stuff we had accumulated and filled a Trailblazer from the back or our seat to the back door right to the roof. We left there on a Friday at 1:30 pm in the afternoon and we were home the next night on Saturday night we pulled into the driveway at 11:45pm. It was quite the drive, we rotated driving... but the closer we got to home ... there was no stopping us, and as we drove into Wisconsin ... Nick took overdriving and headed straight for home.... like a lost puppy he could smell home and there was no stopping him.

Relay for Life - Keep on Truckin Nick

2007-04-22T23:26:00.000-05:00

We (me and Fran) went to Fargo on Friday to help the girls with setting up and where ever they needed us. We left here around 1:30 and we were just 15 minutes out of Moorehead when the rain started.... Didn't look like a good sign.
Got to the girls apartment - then started calling them trying to find out where they were, then decided that a trip to the local dollar store for some rain ponchos was in order.
Went to the dollar store - purchased several bags of ponchos and also some munches as well. Then headed for the park where the Relay for life was to be held. It is now pouring.
Get there and find the girls - then put some stuff of there's in our trunk. Gave the girls the two heavy ponchos that I have had in the trunk from football games. They of course had gotten soaked earlier and then put on poncheo over their wet clothes, so they switched to these since they were out in the rain more then anyone else. Then we decide to head back to the apartment and put our stuff in their apartment and then see what the guys are up to. At the park they are trying to find a place to move it in doors. But are having NO Luck!
We get to the apartment - put our stuff in the girls appartment and then go down to the guys apartment and hang out there until 7:30 then we all pile in my car and head back to the park - all of us then put on ponchos and head out into the pouring rain. We head over to the tented area... then after the opening ceremony - and the survivors start doing there the first round then all the others start walking behind them, so after they have made a round and I have taken some pictures ... Me and Fran start walking..... one half of the track is now almost completely covered in water... fun.... then by 10 pm it starts to lightning off in the distance.... and by 10:30 the lightning is all around us... so we all are in a mad dash to pick up all of the luminaire bags - by seperating the candles and sand into separate containers and throwing away the bags as they are mostly in pieces.
Once done their... we all haul stuff to vehicles and then get into our cars and head back to the apartment and get into dry clothes and then head to Old Chicago for dinner - it is now midnight.
All and all - besides the rain ... it was a Great success. They had a good turnout and raised lots of money for Relay for Life - they raised close to $43,000.00 - three times more then they expected.