Good evening-
Nick is feeling a little better tonight- the new pain regimen is helping I think.
He still can't really talk much because he is really loopy.
Tests confirmed a big, bad, ulcer. In the stomach where it connects to the small intestine. That is all we know for right now- no meeting with his oncologists has occured to discuss the plan. For now he can't eat and you know how he loves food!
He will be in the hospital for at least 2 more days.
His red cell count is low- his platelets came up.
It's been and continues to be a roller coaster ride.
Love,
Kimberley
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Good morning,
An update on Nick- which is to say there is no update.
He is still at OHSU and waiting results from an MRI and
baruim scope. They are trying to change his pain regimen
to something that won't make him ill. The morphine he's been taking has made him nauseus all along. Only recently did it become uncontrollable.
His doctor's don't believe this is attributable to chemo, but rather something physical.
As his wife, I am totally heartbroken for Nick.
It is nearly unbearable to watch him suffer so much, so bravely.
Pleae continue to pray for Nick
Love you, thanks for caring!
Kimberley
An update on Nick- which is to say there is no update.
He is still at OHSU and waiting results from an MRI and
baruim scope. They are trying to change his pain regimen
to something that won't make him ill. The morphine he's been taking has made him nauseus all along. Only recently did it become uncontrollable.
His doctor's don't believe this is attributable to chemo, but rather something physical.
As his wife, I am totally heartbroken for Nick.
It is nearly unbearable to watch him suffer so much, so bravely.
Pleae continue to pray for Nick
Love you, thanks for caring!
Kimberley
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Hey a quick update on our Nick.
He took a trip to the ER last night and was admitted to OHSU.
They are treating him for dehydration and observation for unexplained stomach pain.
No doubt he will have a story to tell about this experience with the dreaded OHSU ER!
I told a big nasty nurse to leave our room and not to come back!
Boy DID THAT FEEL GREAT! His name is John and he should NOT be a nurse he should be a prison warden.
Love you, thanks for caring,
Kimberley
He took a trip to the ER last night and was admitted to OHSU.
They are treating him for dehydration and observation for unexplained stomach pain.
No doubt he will have a story to tell about this experience with the dreaded OHSU ER!
I told a big nasty nurse to leave our room and not to come back!
Boy DID THAT FEEL GREAT! His name is John and he should NOT be a nurse he should be a prison warden.
Love you, thanks for caring,
Kimberley
Sunday, September 27, 2009
,'Hope in a Jar'-
It's face cream of some sort-
came as a sample with my latest purchase from Sephora
vanity, vanity....
I set the sample down and I have been walking by it and looking at it every day- thinking to myself- 'how convenient, if only....!
Hope in a jar,
Love in a jar,
Peace in a jar,
Health in a jar?
If only life were so easy
Upon further inspection there is a tiny quote on the tiny label:
Where there is Hope There can be Faith
Where there is Faith Miracles can occur
Thanks for caring, thanks for keeping the faith with us~
XOXO,
Kimberley
It's face cream of some sort-
came as a sample with my latest purchase from Sephora
vanity, vanity....
I set the sample down and I have been walking by it and looking at it every day- thinking to myself- 'how convenient, if only....!
Hope in a jar,
Love in a jar,
Peace in a jar,
Health in a jar?
If only life were so easy
Upon further inspection there is a tiny quote on the tiny label:
Where there is Hope There can be Faith
Where there is Faith Miracles can occur
Thanks for caring, thanks for keeping the faith with us~
XOXO,
Kimberley
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Today we took Nick to OHSU Center for Health and Healing for a CBC count.
When I got home from work yesterday he had a fever of 101. He is supposed to call the doctor and go to the emergency room but given his HATRED for OHSU's emergency room, he refused.
Can't make that old horse take even a sniff of water.
So today we called our nurse Iris and were asked to come in.
Arriving at the Center we had a surprise-just as I entered the parking garage- the lights went out. The garage is 2 floors below ground and it was freaky dark!
The generator lights came on after about 30 seconds-(felt like 30 minutes)
The elevator worked fine, but the entire building was without power.
The computers didn't run on generator nor did the imaging machines so we walked into a room full of patients waiting to get checked in. We made ourselves comfortable and waited.
The Center for Health and Healing is a really beautiful building with
gorgeous views of the Willamette river and downtown Portland from every room, every floor. They have granite walls everywhere- even in the elevators. So, it's not a bad place to hang out- if Nick felt better.
We took the tram to the hospital, had lunch at the cafeteria and waited for the results of the tests. I heard that some lucky people got stuck in the tram for about 5 minutes when they lost power. I am so jealous!
It would be awesome to be swinging from that tram... and I would have a much cooler story to tell...
We received a call during lunch: low platelets. So his blood isn't clotting. The bad news is, he can't take ibuprofen- which is the major relief factor for his bone pain.
The good news is: I don't have to give him the Lovenox shots!
Hallelujah. We both really didn't care for those.
Well, that is our update for today.
Love you so much, thanks for reading, thanks for caring.
Kimberley
When I got home from work yesterday he had a fever of 101. He is supposed to call the doctor and go to the emergency room but given his HATRED for OHSU's emergency room, he refused.
Can't make that old horse take even a sniff of water.
So today we called our nurse Iris and were asked to come in.
Arriving at the Center we had a surprise-just as I entered the parking garage- the lights went out. The garage is 2 floors below ground and it was freaky dark!
The generator lights came on after about 30 seconds-(felt like 30 minutes)
The elevator worked fine, but the entire building was without power.
The computers didn't run on generator nor did the imaging machines so we walked into a room full of patients waiting to get checked in. We made ourselves comfortable and waited.
The Center for Health and Healing is a really beautiful building with
gorgeous views of the Willamette river and downtown Portland from every room, every floor. They have granite walls everywhere- even in the elevators. So, it's not a bad place to hang out- if Nick felt better.
We took the tram to the hospital, had lunch at the cafeteria and waited for the results of the tests. I heard that some lucky people got stuck in the tram for about 5 minutes when they lost power. I am so jealous!
It would be awesome to be swinging from that tram... and I would have a much cooler story to tell...
We received a call during lunch: low platelets. So his blood isn't clotting. The bad news is, he can't take ibuprofen- which is the major relief factor for his bone pain.
The good news is: I don't have to give him the Lovenox shots!
Hallelujah. We both really didn't care for those.
Well, that is our update for today.
Love you so much, thanks for reading, thanks for caring.
Kimberley
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
My friend Hudson sent me this link below regarding health insurance companies and health care reform. It's funny- come on it's Will farrell-
of course it's funny.
We've learned first hand how unfunny health care can be in our country if you are uninsured. Although we are so lucky to have good insurance through Nick's employer, but we have constant fear of losing it. I don't think Insurance companies are the only bad guys but they have far too much power.
of course it's funny.
We've learned first hand how unfunny health care can be in our country if you are uninsured. Although we are so lucky to have good insurance through Nick's employer, but we have constant fear of losing it. I don't think Insurance companies are the only bad guys but they have far too much power.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Today is day 5 after Nick's first chemo treatment.
Well, it's not been easy.
He continues to be plagued with a myriad of troubling malfunctions and pain and physical challenges that would bring hurcules to his knees.
My husband ROCKS!
He is so strong and brave and he refuses to hold a pity party.
No sir, not in this house
Friends comment on my strength, I don't feel strong at all, but if I am it's because Nick is.
He feels like he was beat by a baseball bat all over and left for road kill.
He is nauseus and weak and in pain due to his many spinal tumors.
Not sure if you know how many... but our oncolgist said 'too many to count.
So you can imagine the pain that stems from having many 'broken' bones in your spine, neck, hips and arms.
He is wearing a neck brace due to the fracture of his C1 vertebrae- he's had that thing on for 2 months and it appears he will be required to wear it indefinitely.
However, we are hopeful that the nasty drugs that are making him feel so beaten up (NOT down mind you)-are doing the same to those nasty, mean cancerous tumors.
Goliath, prepare to have the fight of your life 'cuz Nick is not giving up.
XOXO,
Kimberley
Well, it's not been easy.
He continues to be plagued with a myriad of troubling malfunctions and pain and physical challenges that would bring hurcules to his knees.
My husband ROCKS!
He is so strong and brave and he refuses to hold a pity party.
No sir, not in this house
Friends comment on my strength, I don't feel strong at all, but if I am it's because Nick is.
He feels like he was beat by a baseball bat all over and left for road kill.
He is nauseus and weak and in pain due to his many spinal tumors.
Not sure if you know how many... but our oncolgist said 'too many to count.
So you can imagine the pain that stems from having many 'broken' bones in your spine, neck, hips and arms.
He is wearing a neck brace due to the fracture of his C1 vertebrae- he's had that thing on for 2 months and it appears he will be required to wear it indefinitely.
However, we are hopeful that the nasty drugs that are making him feel so beaten up (NOT down mind you)-are doing the same to those nasty, mean cancerous tumors.
Goliath, prepare to have the fight of your life 'cuz Nick is not giving up.
XOXO,
Kimberley
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Hi there- Nick has his own blog at: nicholasoc.wordpress.com
but I thought I would address this challenge in our life in my own blog.
I'm not one to random post events- I'm terrible with facebook. Really who cares that I am going to the grocery store and then washing my car....?
I live a mom's life- work, making lunches, trying (without success) to help Lucas with his homework, and the daily cycle of keeping us all moving:
Wash, lather, repeat
But now we have this new challenge and it's added a new dimension to life at the O'Conell's.
I want to say first thing- God is Good! I am so grateful for my faith and the faith of my friends who keep us in their prayers. I feel the strength of that support and I am so blessed by people with compassionate hearts who reach out to us daily with affirmations of their faith and love.
Some of us have had a time where we blamed God for allowing this to happen. My own doctor warned me about relating this to Job's story. However, being one who loves nature and the beauty that God surrounds us with, I recognise the biological facts of life, the circle of life and the enivitability of human fraility.
God gets us through the passages of humaness that are unavoidable.
He gives us power to endure and and peace in knowing we are not now or ever alone.
I will write more later about my experience and reflections on the first chemo treatment.
God bless you for caring enough to read this and for loving us-
XOXO,
Kimberley
but I thought I would address this challenge in our life in my own blog.
I'm not one to random post events- I'm terrible with facebook. Really who cares that I am going to the grocery store and then washing my car....?
I live a mom's life- work, making lunches, trying (without success) to help Lucas with his homework, and the daily cycle of keeping us all moving:
Wash, lather, repeat
But now we have this new challenge and it's added a new dimension to life at the O'Conell's.
I want to say first thing- God is Good! I am so grateful for my faith and the faith of my friends who keep us in their prayers. I feel the strength of that support and I am so blessed by people with compassionate hearts who reach out to us daily with affirmations of their faith and love.
Some of us have had a time where we blamed God for allowing this to happen. My own doctor warned me about relating this to Job's story. However, being one who loves nature and the beauty that God surrounds us with, I recognise the biological facts of life, the circle of life and the enivitability of human fraility.
God gets us through the passages of humaness that are unavoidable.
He gives us power to endure and and peace in knowing we are not now or ever alone.
I will write more later about my experience and reflections on the first chemo treatment.
God bless you for caring enough to read this and for loving us-
XOXO,
Kimberley
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