One Week Post-Op

Today marks one week from Nate's surgery. It's been a week of ups and downs. Nate began his recovery well and felt like he could leave the hospital within a few days. He had lots of visitors over the weekend, which was a really nice way to pass the time. Our kids came on Saturday to watch a football game on T.V.  Even though they are apprehensive about being in the hospital and seeing Nate in this condition, they did well and cheered up their Daddy!

His pain has been well controlled with an epidural. They finally removed it on Monday and started him on oral pain meds. The downside to that is that they are given every three hours so he doesn't get any real sleep. True to his nature, he doesn't complain. The nurses like him and everyone seems cheerful when they come in his room.

Nate had to have the dreaded Naso Gastric (NG) tube in until Thursday night. That thing makes him crazy! I think he was having flashbacks of the nine days he had it in Massachusetts. He was so happy to get that thing out!

He is a man of mystery, as we learned back in Massachusetts. After surgery, his white blood cell count (WBC) jumped up to 22, then steadily decreased all the way to 14 on Monday. He had steady vital signs (except his crazy low blood pressures, which probably resulted from the epidural) until about 6:00 every night when he would start to get a fever. It would last into the early morning hours and break, all while his WBC count kept going down. They finally started him on an antibiotic on Saturday, just in case. Monday they started him on a heavy hitting antibiotic and decided that if he had one more night of fevers, they would order a CT scan for Tuesday morning. You can guess what happened...no fever. No scan. However, his WBC count went back up to 16.5. Nice. I've decided that Nate just likes to keep us guessing.

Last night during rounds, they told Nate that they would order the CT today to check for an abscess or a leak in his newly reconnected colon. Insert freak out by Natalie here. I'll bet you can tell what happened next...WBC count back down to 14.5, so no CT scan. I can't decide if I'd rather just have Nate get the scan or not! You would think that after the summer we had, with repeated rides on the roller coaster of doom, that we would be as cool as cats by now. Not so. Of course I am only speaking for myself as Nate is always as cool as a cat (unless he has the dreaded NG tube).

Yesterday as they were examining the incision, they decided it needed to be drained so they punctured it with a Q-tip and removed a staple so all the fluid could escape. And escape it did! Does! Is! Just keeps draining and draining. The fluid looks good, and hopefully will stay that way. 

So here we are in the hospital for at least another day. Nate's bowels aren't as "active" as they need to be, and our doctor wants to see what will happen tonight with his temp, his labs, and his bowel function. The last thing I want is to take Nate home and have him decline. It's a very helpless and scary feeling! The kids can't wait to have him home, and we all miss him being there. Praying that all goes well tonight and that everything heals and mends and works the way it should. He is one tough guy, but I don't want to see him suffer any more.

Thanks for all of the calls and texts. I'm sorry that I haven't updated here since the surgery, I've been a little frenzied and probably a little superstitious too. Silly me. We appreciate all the love and kindness coming our way! Here's to a "well functioning" night! Go Nate!

Snow Day!!!

What a great surprise to see the beautiful snow outside this morning! School was called off, and the kids are all out playing in the snow! The only thing that could make it better is if Nate and I could be home playing with them. I'm so glad they have today!

Nate did well yesterday. He had an elevated temperature most of Wednesday night and very low blood pressure which makes him nauseous and dizzy. The epidural he has for pain control is probably the culprit, so it becomes a balancing act. He got up once yesterday for about 5 minutes, and took a nice long walk (about 20 feet each way) today. He had a little fever again last night but it went away quickly. His BP is still low but not low enough, I guess.

I picked the kids up after school and brought them to the hospital. They were a little nervous, but I could see that they were relieved to see their dad. He still had the NG tube in so nobody was quite sure about that, but after some coaxing I got them to sit on his bed for hugs and kisses. We're both so proud of the way our kids have handled all the trials they've faced this year. I'm amazed at their resilience and the way they have had such simple faith. They are great examples to me, and are often what keeps me going. It was great for Nate to feel their love and support.

It took us an hour and 15 minutes (30 minutes usually) to get home in the snow! When we arrived, we found that our driveway had been cleared and a friend was working on our front steps. This morning I woke up to another clear driveway. Thank you, thank you!

Nate's white blood cell count was elevated to 22 Wednesday night but was down to 18 this morning. We continue to pray for his bowel to mend together and to wake up. Thank you to all of our angels, both seen and unseen who we feel watching over our family.

NED

I'm so grateful that I can honestly say, "Today has been a good day!" January 9th marks exactly 7 months since Nate's last surgery in Massachusetts, and 11 months and 7 days since this all began back on February 2nd. I know that we have a long way to go to get Nate feeling "normal", and the possibility of complications still exist, but I choose to celebrate this day.

I'm 99% sure that I'm not dreaming, I'm 50% superstitious (knock on wood), but I actually feel so much relief that it scares me a little! I think I'm so accustomed to getting discouraging results that I almost stopped believing that the kind of news we received today was within my reach. I was completely ready to hear that Nate did great through the surgery BUT...

We said goodbye to Nate at 7:15. He went to sleep at 8:15 when they started the procedure, and our surgeon came to talk to us at 11:55. The procedure lasted a little over 3 1/2 hours, and of course, Nate did great! We were given a very thorough report, and I was glad that Lynn, Nancy, Destry (sister-in-law), and Don (friend) were there with me to get the good news.

Most of the time was spent working on the area where Nate had the abscess from where his bowel ruptured in July. The abscess needed to be drained again and there was a lot of adhesion in the area. The large colon in the area was encased in scar tissue and was very compromised so she had to remove about 6 more inches of the transverse colon. Nate has about 1 1/2 feet of colon left which should be enough for him to adjust to. After working to free up the colon, she was able to bring the small bowel over to rejoin the two ends. She said the small colon looked very healthy, and she was hopeful that the joining site would hold up well. Nate's liver also has a lot of scarring, which was expected since it was covered in tumors and had to be scraped clean in the HIPEC procedure. She said that if it hasn't caused problems so far, that he should be ok with it. His liver function was all back to normal before this surgery as well. She also said that there weren't many adhesions anywhere else in the abdomen, which is great news!

They were able to get a pretty good look at 2 of the 3 spots in question on the latest CT scan, with an "ok" look at the spot up by the liver. But they were able to biopsy all 3 areas. Our surgeon said that they all looked like scar tissue to her, but she sent biopsies to be sure. Praying for good results there.

As we sat in the little room discussing the surgery, I had the mixed emotions of hope, relief, anxiety, and fear. I was waiting for the "punch in the gut" news we always seem to hear, but it never came! I finally got the courage to ask the doctor if her news meant that Nate would receive the always hoped for "NED" (No Evidence of Disease) status. When she said, "Yes, I saw no evidence of disease", the feeling of relief was completely overwhelming. It felt as if I'd held my breath for a year and was finally able to breathe again. It was one of those times when you realize you'd been missing something only because you'd found it again.

As I sit at Nate's bedside, I'm grateful for the miracle that we received today. Nate is an amazing man with an amazing spirit and a determination that has seen him through some pretty rough patches. He has always been optimistic, grateful, faithful, and patient. I'm overwhelmed for the blessing he is in my life, and for the blessings my Heavenly Father has granted us today. I'm thankful that my children have had the faith to pray for their dad every single day. I'm thankful for all our dear family and friends who remember the Hardy Family in their thoughts and prayers.

As we look ahead, we are praying that the connected bowel will be healthy with no leaks, that the large colon will wake up soon and cooperate, that no fistulas form, and that Nate's elevated temperature and low blood pressure will normalize very soon. I don't know how to thank everyone, but I hope you know how much we appreciate all the love we feel coming our way.

Today has been a good day!

1st update

Just received an update from the O.R. The first comment was about how pleasant Nate was while they were getting him ready...love it! Love him! He was doing well and they expect to be done by noon. We should get to see him around 1 or 2:00. Of course, they don't give any details in the updates but I feel like things are going well.

The Big Day...Haven't we done this already?

I did it! I finally got to hear Nate complain about something! When he found out that his arrival time at the hospital was 5:30 a.m., he let out a big groan and actually complained! I knew he had it in him, and I'm so proud.

Determination

All joking aside, I write this as Nancy and I sit in the waiting room. They took him to anesthesiology at 7:15 and we said our goodbyes. Surgery should start by 8:15 or so. They have him scheduled for 4 hours. I'll update the blog as we get updates.

We had a nice visit from our Bishopric last night, and Nate received a Priesthood Blessing from his dad and brother the night before. Nate is optimistic about the procedure and knows that everything will be ok. His surgeon came to see us this morning and she was very kind and reassuring. We know there are angels watching over Nate, and are grateful for our blessings.

Surgery # 6...and hopefully last!

Trying to get back into the "regular schedule" after Christmas break is such a bummer! It was so great to have the kids and Nate around the house. I'm always a little sentimental when school starts back up and Nate goes back to work. I even get a little sad to take down my Christmas tree. Alas, we must move on with the New Year!

Nate had his pre-op appointment with his surgeon last Thursday, and everything is set for him to have his sixth, and hopefully last, surgery this Wednesday, January 9th. This date falls exactly seven months from his last surgery in Massachusetts. It will take place at Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) in Salt Lake City. The main objective is to reverse his ileostomy and get him all hooked back together. The surgeon will also try to get a look at the areas we saw on the last CT scan that looked suspicious. We are praying that she'll be able to access the areas with ease, and either remove them, or at least get biopsies. Nate also has an abscess that is left over from his previous surgeries that will need to be drained and removed if possible. The procedure will take 3 to 6 hours depending on what they find. We are praying with all our might that they won't find anymore disease (tumors, mucin), and that the scarring and adhesions from the HIPEC will be minimal. The HIPEC is basically a chemical burn all over the abdominal cavity, so you can imagine how much scarring can occur. They say it is different with every patient, but they always expect that they'll have to spend a large amount of time carving through the scar tissue and adhesions to get where they need to be. We like our surgeon, and trust that she'll do all she can to bring Nate through with a good outcome.

Preparing for another surgery really stinks! I can only imagine how excited Nate is. It's sad to think that he's done this five times already. Have I heard him complain? Nope. He admits he's apprehensive about the recovery, but he is full of faith that everything will be ok. I don't know how he does it. I guess all these years being married to me have made him a very patient man. Or, maybe I hoard all the "crazy" around here. Either way, he's an amazing example to me.

We're grateful for our good families. Nate's mom will be with me in the waiting room again, and my mom and dad are coming down to stay with our kids. If any of you have a minute and would like to drop by the hospital for a visit, please do! It's a welcome change to be close to home where Nate can have a few visitors to help move the time along. We estimate that he'll be in the hospital for 7 or 8 days. He will be in building #5 at IMC.

Thanks again to our family who joined us as we fasted for Nate this past Sunday. We're so grateful for the many prayers given on Nate's behalf. We know we've received great blessings because of your faith. I'll update the blog as soon as I can on Wednesday. Here's to a successful surgery, and a quick recovery. Love to all!

Merry Christmas!

What a year we've had! I have to say that 2012 has not been our favorite year, but through all the trials, we've been blessed to have friends and family who eased our burdens, and just plain loved us. This blog is typically used for updates on Nathan’s “happenings”, but I thought I'd give an update with a little info about our kids...we can't forget them!

Nathan: Mr. Positive; feeling well; back to work full time; getting ready for next surgery January 9; enjoying time with the kids; coaching Seth’s basketball team; glad to be done with chemo; looking forward to a fresh start in 2013; loved by all.

Natalie: a little bit crazy; busy with kids; grateful to be a mom; grateful for Nathan; grateful for friends and family; hoping for less crazy in 2013.

Seth: 12; almost as tall as Mom; loves 7^th grade; great golfer; can't wait for basketball and baseball season; has an uncanny ability to recall sports trivia; earning excellent grades; has great hair (don't touch it!); keeps us on our toes.

Emma: 10; 5^th grade; creative; artist; beautiful dancer; getting really good at piano; loves her friends; awesome big sister and babysitter; plays volleyball and basketball; approaching the tweens but still as sweet as ever.

Sam: 7: 2^nd grade; loves math; budding artist; rough and tumble; loves friends; plays baseball, soccer and basketball;  Mom’s little helper; still gives the best loves.

Sydney: 5; Kindergarten; loves to read; artist and coloring extraordinaire; loves her friends; quite a sense of humor; learned to whistle and make crazy eyes; loves to dance; rides a two wheeler; loves her Daddy.

We hope this Christmas season finds you and yours well. We're grateful for the blessings we've been given, including the miracle of Nate's resilience, our wonderful children who have "muscled" their way through the hard times, and all of you who love Nate and our family. We feel the love of our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, as they watch over us and send angels to bear us up. We're grateful to celebrate our Savior's birth, His life, and the gift of the Atonement in our lives. From the Hardy Family to your family, We wish you a Merry Christmas!

What a Week!

True to his nature, Nathan tolerated round 6 really well. We were able to have a very nice Thanksgiving Day with family, and Nate enjoyed his turkey dinner! My heart almost burst as we sat around the table, each person telling what they were grateful for. I've never been more grateful to sit down to a meal with my husband at my side.

In my last post, I laid out the plans for Nate's CT scan, consultation, and next surgery. Well, I spoke too soon. When will I ever learn? Nate did have his CT scan on December 3rd, and we followed up the next day with his surgeon, Dr. Bowles. Unfortunately, the scan didn't come back "clean". We didn't get the NED (No Evidence of Disease) status that we were so hoping for. We were both pretty heartbroken.

Our surgeon in Massachusetts, Dr. Lambert, warned us that Nate's scans would look pretty crazy to anyone not used to looking at post-HIPEC patients, and that they might be misread, but we weren't anticipating the bad news. We were so hopeful! There were some areas that looked suspicious for remaining tumor, or mucin. All of the areas in question were areas where Nate had a lot of tumor removed during the HIPEC procedure, so Dr. Bowles wasn't sure if they were scar tissue, abscess, mucin, or tumor. She talked about re-staging the disease, getting more scans, biopsies, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. She was very apologetic and kind, but all I wanted to do was run away from her office and the hospital. Nate was much more level headed and, sadly, had to comfort me. We agreed that it was very important that Dr. Lambert see the scan as soon as possible so we could make a game plan. Dr. Bowles told us she would call her right then and overnight the scan. She hoped for a response by Thursday.

We were hesitant to let the news out before we had more information. Our kids were aware of the scan and the follow-up appointment, and we had no idea what to tell them. It's a tricky thing to hide your emotions from your kids when you feel your world tumbling down. We told them, and many of you the truth, that the scans were being evaluated by Dr. Lambert because there were a few questionable findings. To make a long story short (it was anything but short for us!), Dr. Lambert didn't receive the scan until Monday afternoon. Nice overnight job! We spent the entire week with our hearts in our stomachs, and our stomachs on the floor every time a new email arrived or whenever the phone rang.

After reviewing the scan, Dr. Lambert said that overall she was quite pleased. She had the benefit of comparing this scan with one from July that the radiologist here didn't have. By doing so, she could see that two of the questionable spots were significantly smaller than the July scan, and the other spot was exactly the same size. We found some hope in these findings. It may suggest that the areas are scar tissue or something else as a result of the prior surgeries. She agreed that it was disappointing to see these areas, but also said that it was "exceedingly unlikely that the scan would have come back clear considering all that Nate had been through". She recommended that Nate go ahead with the next surgery to reverse the illeostomy, but encouraged him to wait until January as the surgery would be a long and hard one with high possibility for complication, and a hospital stay of at least a week. She didn't want it to interfere with Christmas. We trust Dr. Lambert and we know that she always has Nate's best interest in mind, so we will defer to her recommendation. She discussed the scan with Dr. Bowles, and she has agreed to go ahead with the procedure. If she can get a look at the trouble spots, through all of the scar tissue and adhesions from the HIPEC, when she opens Nate up, she will try to get biopsies and/or remove or drain the tissue depending on what she finds. The procedure is currently scheduled for January 9th.

Needless to say, we've had an emotional week. Waiting for news is hard, but I know from experience that sometimes knowing the news can be even harder. We both felt a lot of relief after hearing from Dr. Lambert, but every time something like this happens, it gets harder to let our guard down. Nate is much better at this than I am, and I'm grateful that he reminds me that it's still ok to hope for the best. He reminded me that we really don't even know that the best hasn't already happened. I pray that the best has already happened, and that he will just be on a road to recovery from here on out. I admire his faith and confidence in our Heavenly Father.

We're praying that Nate's upcoming surgery will have a positive outcome, and that Dr. Bowles will be able to get a good look at the areas in question and take care of whatever is needed. We would love to have some resolution and peace of mind after this long hard year. We appreciate all of Nate's cheerleaders (if you're reading this we consider you a part of the squad), and are grateful for the faith you add to ours as we pray for continued miracles for Nate. We're excited for Christmas and the opportunity we have to spend it with our children and family. We're ever grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the gift he is in our lives. As I've learned to recognize my blessings every day, no matter how small, I've been amazed at how often I see that Lord's hand in my life as he blesses me through others. I'm amazed at the goodness I see in others, and their willingness to serve and love my family.  Thank you for loving and supporting us. Merry Christmas!

Round 6...Celebrate!

As we were walking into the Infusion Clinic today I saw a good friend of ours walking toward us and headed for the same building. My first thought was, "Is that Don? Is he sick? Why is he at the Cancer Building?" I was relieved, and touched, when I realized he was here to help us celebrate Nate's final round of chemo. When we checked in at the front desk, the receptionist had a delivery for us! Another good friend had delivered a gift this morning to help us celebrate. Nate looks pretty good in his party hat, and he loved the candy bar poster! Thanks Don, and the Kohutek Family!

We are both so grateful, and ever mindful, of the kindness and generosity of others. We've been the recipients of countless blessings and we thank our Heavenly Father everyday for these blessings and the gifts that are ours. We know we are loved.

Nate is so ready to be done with this. We're so happy to be done (almost) with chemo. When Nate disconnects his pump on Wednesday there's going to be a serious celebration at our house! The next step is a CT scan on December 3rd, and an appointment with our surgeon on the 4th to go over the results. She'll look at the scan and will hopefully feel comfortable enough to schedule the next surgery. Nate's hoping that he can have the surgery the week of December 10th. It will be followed by a hospital stay of 5 to 8 days if all goes well...and all WILL GO WELL! Nate will then be home recovering and should be ready to ring in the new year and get back to life! We're looking forward to a very merry Christmas!

Nate's labs all look great! All are within close to normal range :), but close enough to be able to proceed with the surgery. He gained 6 pounds in the last two weeks, and that's the biggest gain he's had since we've been home from Massachusetts. As for the hair loss, he's thinned a little bit, but it looks like he dodged that bullet for the most part. Nate's just an over achiever like that. I'm so proud of my husband!

After the surgery and recovery, Nate will go into "surveillance" mode. He'll have a scan every 6 months, and blood work to look at his tumor markers every 6 months. We'll alternate the scans and labs so we will see Dr. Whisenant every 3 months. I'm thankful that we'll see our doctor on a regular basis. I don't think I'm ready to be set free yet. Nate might have a different opinion, but it gives me some comfort to know he'll get checked out every 3 months.

I can't believe that the holidays are upon us! This has been the longest year of my life, yet somehow the holidays have managed to sneek up on me. I have some serious Christmas preparation ahead of me. I need to have everything ready before Nate's surgery, so say a little prayer for me!

How fitting it is that this week is Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for! Sometimes I feel completely overwhelmed with gratitude, and this is one of those times. I'll spare you all the long list, but please know that if you're reading this, I'm grateful for your support. I'm grateful to be married to a man who is loved by so many. It's a testament to his character that he has so many cheerleaders. I know there may be more obstacles ahead, but I've learned that with good friends and family, we can get through anything! Love to all! Happy Thanksgiving!

Round 5

So far, so good! Nate is almost done here at the Infusion Clinic. We had an appointment with a PA today...everything still looks good. Labs are all normal, Nate gained two pounds! The nurses here are great and so respectful of our time. Today they moved us through faster than ever. Maybe they're tired of us? Nate has a great support team here.

Well, the nurses rushed us through so fast that I didn't have time to finish my post! It is now a week later, and I'm happy to report that Nate is doing really well. Last Tuesday, he had to fly to Portland for a meeting. It was just a day trip, but considering that he was attached to his chemo pump, I was concerned. The airport security wasn't a problem, and he did well on the flights. When he returned home with ice cream for the kids in hand, I knew he was feeling ok! Nate never sleeps well while on chemo and for a few days after, so we always try to let him sleep in the mornings. He did sleep in on Wednesday and was able to disconnect the pump when he woke up. It was a beautiful day so we went on a walk, and he did great! I'm constantly amazed at Nate's determination to live his life despite the battle he's facing. He's an inspiration to me.

He's now one week away from starting his last round of chemo! I know he's looking forward to being done. He has a CT scan scheduled for December 3rd, and an appointment with our local surgeon on December 4th. He's hoping that she will agree to schedule his next surgery for the 2nd or 3rd week of December. The hope is that she'll be able to reconnect all of Nate's plumbing and remove his port. We're praying for a good looking scan, good labs, an agreeable calendar, and a healthy Nate! We'll keep you posted! Love to all!