I hesitate to say it out loud, because I'm so superstitious (knock on wood :)), but Nate did so well during this last round of chemo!!! We added so many new meds that we aren't exactly sure which one (maybe all) made the difference, but whatever it was, we are grateful! One thing I do know for sure is that our prayers are being answered!
Nate was able to work 4 out of 5 days this week. That's the best week he's had since February 2nd when this all began. His employer has been so patient and kind during all of this. Another blessing!
Last night our dear friends took us to the Jazz game for our birthdays, and Nate actually felt well enough to go! We had dinner, dessert, and popcorn and he did great. It felt almost normal! I think Nate might need a break from me when this is all over because the mother, wife, caregiver, nurse, hypochondriac, worrier in me finds it so hard to believe that he feels as well as he claims. I'm constantly hounding him..."Any nausea? How's your pain? Really, are you sure? Don't overdue it! Do you need a nap? Just take one pill, just in case."....and these are just a few of my favorites. He has an amazing attitude, and I'm so thankful!!!
So many good people have called, texted, Facebooked, and visited with us to check on Nate and our family. We consider ourselves very blessed to be surrounded by so many good people. Yesterday, a sweet friend dropped by with a beautiful bouquet of yellow tulips and an equally beautiful quote, "The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring". LOVE it! There are angels all around. Thanks to all!
Our Family's Journey with Appendix Cancer
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
So far, so good...knock on wood!
It's 11:00 Wednesday night and Nate has 12 hours to go with his chemo. As I mentioned before, we added a few more meds to the regimen, and I hope they're working! He's definitely doing better than he was at this point during the first round so I'm keeping my fingers crossed, knocking on wood, and spending a little more time on my knees.
Nate is such a great patient, and I couldn't feel more blessed to have him for my best friend. He's sitting here doing our taxes....what??!!! He usually likes to have taxes done in February, but that's life, right?
Tomorrow he'll go in to get disconnected from his pump, and he'll get a liter of saline spiked with Zofran. Hopefully it'll sustain him over the next 2 or 3 hard days.
As always, thanks for the prayers!
Nate is such a great patient, and I couldn't feel more blessed to have him for my best friend. He's sitting here doing our taxes....what??!!! He usually likes to have taxes done in February, but that's life, right?
Tomorrow he'll go in to get disconnected from his pump, and he'll get a liter of saline spiked with Zofran. Hopefully it'll sustain him over the next 2 or 3 hard days.
As always, thanks for the prayers!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Chemo...Round Two
It's funny how this past month and a half seems like a year and a half, but it seems like just yesterday that we were sitting here in the infusion lab doing Nate's first round of chemo. I guess time flies when you're having a good time, right?!
We had the opportunity to visit with Nate's Oncologist for about 25 minutes before chemo, and he is a great person. He's very willing to work with us and whichever surgeon we choose. He admits his shortcomings and limitations, which we've found is kind of rare when it comes to some doctors. He's always willing to take suggestions and recommendations. He's willing to listen to us, explain things to us, and offer straight forward advice and treatment. We know we were led to him. One of the lessons we've learned from this is that there is no such thing as coincidence. The way we were led to him, and the way we were able to get an appointment with him was a direct answer to prayer.
The Infusion Room is completely full today. There are about 20 patients in here. You might think that this would be a sad place to be, but it's a place full of people who are full of hope! I love to see all of the family and friends who come and offer love and support. There are patients who have 5 or 6 people sitting with them! I love it! I'm grateful that Nate allows me to join him here. I know I'm a bit of a distraction from his work, but I think it's therapeutic for me to be here with him. Plus, I don't need any nurses flirting with him.
We've taken more steps to hopefully lessen the chemo side effects. His doctor gave us some more drugs to put in the arsenal. Nate isn't thrilled about adding more meds to his pill box. He's starting to feel a little feeble. Before all of this started, I could barely even get him to take an Ibuprofen let alone a multivitamin that he'd have to take everyday. He's done a great job with this whole transition. He's a really good "patient". He rarely, if ever, complains. He's full of courage and strength and hope. He's a wonderful example to me and to our children.
Nate's done an amazing job of keeping his life relatively normal. He's been going to work as often as he can. He doesn't always feel well, and still deals with pain, but he always manages to put on a smile. I admire him more and more every day.
Last week I found myself a little overwhelmed and feeling a little weary of this whole thing. I was in a funk. I was talking with a friend and she said something to me that really brought my perspective back where it needs to be. She has an amazing amount of faith, and has had her share of hard trials. We were talking about life, and she said, "You have to hope for the very best, you just have to!". I know that sounds easy, and I know it sounds like common sense, but I'm here to tell you that it has, at times, felt like an impossible thing for me to do. Hope can be scary.
I went home and thought about what she said, and realized that I was wasting my time being scared of what 'might' happen. When Nate was in the hospital, our good Bishop brought us a quote and hung it on the wall. It's from Henry B. Eyring:
"Faith is not to hope. Faith is not simply to know God could do something. Faith is to know He will. And I testify to you that our Heavenly Father is prepared to bless."
I think I'm finally starting to get it. There is no other choice but to hope for the very best. My friend was right..."you just have to". As soon as I gave myself to that, with faith, I've felt a new sense of peace in my life. It's good to be humbled from time to time and I'm grateful for the calm moments in my days. I know we have angels all around us, and I know that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. We have to learn to find joy wherever we find ourselves.
We appreciate everyone who's following Nate's adventure, and still marvel that we have so much genuine support. We're grateful for all of the prayers that are offered on our behalf. Please pray for Nate as he endures this second round of chemo. Go Nate!!! We love you!!!
We had the opportunity to visit with Nate's Oncologist for about 25 minutes before chemo, and he is a great person. He's very willing to work with us and whichever surgeon we choose. He admits his shortcomings and limitations, which we've found is kind of rare when it comes to some doctors. He's always willing to take suggestions and recommendations. He's willing to listen to us, explain things to us, and offer straight forward advice and treatment. We know we were led to him. One of the lessons we've learned from this is that there is no such thing as coincidence. The way we were led to him, and the way we were able to get an appointment with him was a direct answer to prayer.
The Infusion Room is completely full today. There are about 20 patients in here. You might think that this would be a sad place to be, but it's a place full of people who are full of hope! I love to see all of the family and friends who come and offer love and support. There are patients who have 5 or 6 people sitting with them! I love it! I'm grateful that Nate allows me to join him here. I know I'm a bit of a distraction from his work, but I think it's therapeutic for me to be here with him. Plus, I don't need any nurses flirting with him.
We've taken more steps to hopefully lessen the chemo side effects. His doctor gave us some more drugs to put in the arsenal. Nate isn't thrilled about adding more meds to his pill box. He's starting to feel a little feeble. Before all of this started, I could barely even get him to take an Ibuprofen let alone a multivitamin that he'd have to take everyday. He's done a great job with this whole transition. He's a really good "patient". He rarely, if ever, complains. He's full of courage and strength and hope. He's a wonderful example to me and to our children.
Nate's done an amazing job of keeping his life relatively normal. He's been going to work as often as he can. He doesn't always feel well, and still deals with pain, but he always manages to put on a smile. I admire him more and more every day.
Last week I found myself a little overwhelmed and feeling a little weary of this whole thing. I was in a funk. I was talking with a friend and she said something to me that really brought my perspective back where it needs to be. She has an amazing amount of faith, and has had her share of hard trials. We were talking about life, and she said, "You have to hope for the very best, you just have to!". I know that sounds easy, and I know it sounds like common sense, but I'm here to tell you that it has, at times, felt like an impossible thing for me to do. Hope can be scary.
I went home and thought about what she said, and realized that I was wasting my time being scared of what 'might' happen. When Nate was in the hospital, our good Bishop brought us a quote and hung it on the wall. It's from Henry B. Eyring:
"Faith is not to hope. Faith is not simply to know God could do something. Faith is to know He will. And I testify to you that our Heavenly Father is prepared to bless."
I think I'm finally starting to get it. There is no other choice but to hope for the very best. My friend was right..."you just have to". As soon as I gave myself to that, with faith, I've felt a new sense of peace in my life. It's good to be humbled from time to time and I'm grateful for the calm moments in my days. I know we have angels all around us, and I know that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. We have to learn to find joy wherever we find ourselves.
We appreciate everyone who's following Nate's adventure, and still marvel that we have so much genuine support. We're grateful for all of the prayers that are offered on our behalf. Please pray for Nate as he endures this second round of chemo. Go Nate!!! We love you!!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Omaha
Have you ever been to Omaha, Nebraska? We have. Nate and I flew out there on Sunday afternoon for a consultation Monday morning with a surgeon who specializes in Appendiceal Cancer and the HIPEC Procedure.
We started bright and early and left the hotel at 6 a.m. for a 6:30 check-in at the hospital for an MRI. Note to self: Don't fly into the Central Time Zone on Daylight Savings Sunday for an anxiety ridden appointment with a surgeon who only speaks "surgeon" language. It's funny how long a day can seem!
We met with the surgeon for about an hour and a half. He's a very focused guy who does the HIPEC Procedure exclusively. He has patients from all over the United States, as evidenced by his giant map with little black pins representing his clientele. We even got to add our own little pin which we proudly stuck right in the middle of Farmington! We liked him, and we liked his Nurse Practioner who functioned as a much appreciated interpreter. We received some good information and felt the trip was valuable. We'll continue to pray and ponder about the direction we need to go.
We flew home a couple of hours after the appointment. It was a very quick trip but I'm amazed at how 24 hours seemed like a week! So glad to be home!
Nate went to work this morning and put in a full day. It's good to see him feeling well. When Sydney woke up this morning, at 10 (lucky!), she thought Dad was up in bed. When I told her that he had gone to work before she woke up she said, "Yeah! That means Daddy feels good!". I love how she can find the joy!
We started bright and early and left the hotel at 6 a.m. for a 6:30 check-in at the hospital for an MRI. Note to self: Don't fly into the Central Time Zone on Daylight Savings Sunday for an anxiety ridden appointment with a surgeon who only speaks "surgeon" language. It's funny how long a day can seem!
We met with the surgeon for about an hour and a half. He's a very focused guy who does the HIPEC Procedure exclusively. He has patients from all over the United States, as evidenced by his giant map with little black pins representing his clientele. We even got to add our own little pin which we proudly stuck right in the middle of Farmington! We liked him, and we liked his Nurse Practioner who functioned as a much appreciated interpreter. We received some good information and felt the trip was valuable. We'll continue to pray and ponder about the direction we need to go.
We flew home a couple of hours after the appointment. It was a very quick trip but I'm amazed at how 24 hours seemed like a week! So glad to be home!
Nate went to work this morning and put in a full day. It's good to see him feeling well. When Sydney woke up this morning, at 10 (lucky!), she thought Dad was up in bed. When I told her that he had gone to work before she woke up she said, "Yeah! That means Daddy feels good!". I love how she can find the joy!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Well, Round One didn't end as well as it began...but we learned some good lessons about how to avoid the nausea and vomiting that we'll apply for Round Two. I also know for sure that our Doctor has never experienced this chemo!!! However, we do appreciate his encouraging and positive attitude. :) All that really matters is that Nate's feeling much better today.
Tomorrow we're heading to Omaha, Nebraska for a consultation with a surgeon at Creighton University Medical Center. We'll start the day with an MRI followed by an hour and a half appointment with the doctor and his nurse practitioner. We've prepared a lot of questions, and are hoping and praying for some very clear answers. Choosing a surgeon isn't something we're taking lightly. The tough thing about it is that we just don't know how to choose a surgeon!!! Anyone with some spare time and spare faith, could you please say a little prayer for us that we can make this important decision? It makes my head spin thinking about it!
Thanks again Everyone! We love our family and friends, and still can't believe all the love we feel from you all everyday. Thanks for your continued prayers on Nathan's behalf. Hope to have another update soon. Love to all...
Tomorrow we're heading to Omaha, Nebraska for a consultation with a surgeon at Creighton University Medical Center. We'll start the day with an MRI followed by an hour and a half appointment with the doctor and his nurse practitioner. We've prepared a lot of questions, and are hoping and praying for some very clear answers. Choosing a surgeon isn't something we're taking lightly. The tough thing about it is that we just don't know how to choose a surgeon!!! Anyone with some spare time and spare faith, could you please say a little prayer for us that we can make this important decision? It makes my head spin thinking about it!
Thanks again Everyone! We love our family and friends, and still can't believe all the love we feel from you all everyday. Thanks for your continued prayers on Nathan's behalf. Hope to have another update soon. Love to all...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Chemo...Round One
I guess we're really doing this! We're at the clinic for Nate's first round of chemo. Up until now it's just felt like a big waiting game. Maybe in hind sight I won't think waiting was so bad...hmm?
Cancer stinks. Blaaahhhhh!!!! We're still smiling though. Nate's got to be the most positive guy I know! It used to really tick me off too...you know how misery likes company? :) Now I know that it's one of his God given gifts. He's been carrying me through this more than I'd like to admit, but I'm learning! Glad he's mine!
He's doing well so far. His chemo is every two weeks. He spends about 3 to 4 hours at the clinic getting the first 2 chemo drugs and labs. Then they start the third drug and hook him up to a pump that will infuse at home over the next 2 days. He'll then come back for them to disconnect the pump from the port and be on his way, until it's time for the next round that is.
Hoping and praying that Nate will tolerate the chemo well, and that it'll get in there and kick some tumor can! From what we hear, he'll probably be pretty fatigued and have some neuropathy issues like numbness in his limbs and cold sensitivity. They say that his immune system probably won't be affected as much as some of the other types of chemo, but we'll still be careful. The kids will be happy about that! Heck, I'm happy about that...I could use a maid as it is!!! He probably won't lose his hair either....which is good because as Sam put it, "Well that's good because Dad already has that little bald spot!" But seriously, it'll be good that the kids won't see a big physical change. Hopefully it'll make Nate seem a little more "normal" to them.
Thanks again for all the well wishes and prayers on his/our behalf. We're mindful of all the love coming our way and hope you all know how much we appreciate our family and friends!
Love to all of you from the Hardy's.
Cancer stinks. Blaaahhhhh!!!! We're still smiling though. Nate's got to be the most positive guy I know! It used to really tick me off too...you know how misery likes company? :) Now I know that it's one of his God given gifts. He's been carrying me through this more than I'd like to admit, but I'm learning! Glad he's mine!
He's doing well so far. His chemo is every two weeks. He spends about 3 to 4 hours at the clinic getting the first 2 chemo drugs and labs. Then they start the third drug and hook him up to a pump that will infuse at home over the next 2 days. He'll then come back for them to disconnect the pump from the port and be on his way, until it's time for the next round that is.
Hoping and praying that Nate will tolerate the chemo well, and that it'll get in there and kick some tumor can! From what we hear, he'll probably be pretty fatigued and have some neuropathy issues like numbness in his limbs and cold sensitivity. They say that his immune system probably won't be affected as much as some of the other types of chemo, but we'll still be careful. The kids will be happy about that! Heck, I'm happy about that...I could use a maid as it is!!! He probably won't lose his hair either....which is good because as Sam put it, "Well that's good because Dad already has that little bald spot!" But seriously, it'll be good that the kids won't see a big physical change. Hopefully it'll make Nate seem a little more "normal" to them.
Thanks again for all the well wishes and prayers on his/our behalf. We're mindful of all the love coming our way and hope you all know how much we appreciate our family and friends!
Love to all of you from the Hardy's.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
He's back! Nate did great during the procedure. He's all doped up on Valium and I'm learning that this is the time to get him to talk....he gets super chatty!
He's over on the bed now taking pictures of his incision. What I love about Nate...he can take a bad situation and still find joy in it. Ever the Optimist!
He's over on the bed now taking pictures of his incision. What I love about Nate...he can take a bad situation and still find joy in it. Ever the Optimist!
And It Begins....
It's been a crazy month to say the least! It'll be one month tomorrow that our lives turned upside down. We've been through a lot and we've learned a lot (mostly about things we never wanted to know about), but we know we haven't come through this alone. It seems like every time we're faced with a new challenge, a tough decision, or a conflict of time we've had help come in all sorts of unexpected ways. We continue to feel the presence of angels all around.
Today we find ourselves back at the hospital. Nate's having a procedure where they install a "Power Port" under his skin, just under his collar bone. The port is a little bigger than a 2 liter soda bottle lid, and has a line attached to it that runs into his jugular vein and sits just above the right chamber of his heart. The purpose of the port is to more quickly disseminate the chemo by dropping it right into his heart, which will pump it through his entire body. They'll also be able to draw his labs from the port, so he won't have to be poked so much. The type of chemo he'll be getting is very caustic to smaller vessels, so the port will help eliminate a lot of damage and discomfort.
He's starting his first round of chemo on Tuesday afternoon. He'll spend about four hours in the infusion room, where the first two drugs will infuse, then they'll give him a pump to wear in a fanny pack (yes, Nate gets to wear a fanny pack...don't be jealous) that will infuse more chemo over the next 48 hours. He'll then have to go back to the clinic to have the line removed and give the pump back. He'll repeat the process every two weeks. The plan for now is to have about 4 rounds of chemo then have scans to track progress. Depending on how the scans look, we may be able to schedule his big surgery at that point.
We're hoping that Nate will feel well enough to go into work through the chemo, or at least be able to work from home. The doctor said that he should feel ok, maybe a little tired, but that he should feel good enough to work. I hope he's right! The chemo causes an extreme sensitivity to cold, so he'll have to be careful getting into the fridge and having cold drinks. Hoping that he fares well...he could use a break!
We're making some progress narrowing down our choices for our out-of-state surgeon. We've had some really great experiences throughout the process. I could call them coincidences, but I've learned better. I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and watches over us. I try to record all the little miracles, and it's amazing to look back and see the Lord's hand in our lives.
Thanks again for all the prayers and service. We still feel overwhelmed with gratitude and are thankful for all the wonderful friends and family we have in our lives.
Today we find ourselves back at the hospital. Nate's having a procedure where they install a "Power Port" under his skin, just under his collar bone. The port is a little bigger than a 2 liter soda bottle lid, and has a line attached to it that runs into his jugular vein and sits just above the right chamber of his heart. The purpose of the port is to more quickly disseminate the chemo by dropping it right into his heart, which will pump it through his entire body. They'll also be able to draw his labs from the port, so he won't have to be poked so much. The type of chemo he'll be getting is very caustic to smaller vessels, so the port will help eliminate a lot of damage and discomfort.
He's starting his first round of chemo on Tuesday afternoon. He'll spend about four hours in the infusion room, where the first two drugs will infuse, then they'll give him a pump to wear in a fanny pack (yes, Nate gets to wear a fanny pack...don't be jealous) that will infuse more chemo over the next 48 hours. He'll then have to go back to the clinic to have the line removed and give the pump back. He'll repeat the process every two weeks. The plan for now is to have about 4 rounds of chemo then have scans to track progress. Depending on how the scans look, we may be able to schedule his big surgery at that point.
We're hoping that Nate will feel well enough to go into work through the chemo, or at least be able to work from home. The doctor said that he should feel ok, maybe a little tired, but that he should feel good enough to work. I hope he's right! The chemo causes an extreme sensitivity to cold, so he'll have to be careful getting into the fridge and having cold drinks. Hoping that he fares well...he could use a break!
We're making some progress narrowing down our choices for our out-of-state surgeon. We've had some really great experiences throughout the process. I could call them coincidences, but I've learned better. I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and watches over us. I try to record all the little miracles, and it's amazing to look back and see the Lord's hand in our lives.
Thanks again for all the prayers and service. We still feel overwhelmed with gratitude and are thankful for all the wonderful friends and family we have in our lives.
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