Where to begin?
You know the old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover". Well, that fits Ron well. Outwardly, he looks good, however if you look inside, you'd know how awful it really is the majority of the time. And how depressing it is to deal with this day after day after day!
The last couple of months have been quite the roller coaster...the highs of promising new ideas and the lows of hopes being dashed.
My sweet hubby has had some especially "dark days". I am so proud of my guy....it takes alot for him to come out and say, look things aren't going well and I'm really struggling here. He's not a complainer; and if you ask how he's doing he will typically say ok. The disappointment of hopeful changes, along with the increased mental fatigue from resuming classes, resulted in even more physical fatigue which really did a number on him. After much prayer and conferring with doctor, decision was made to step back and regroup.
You know how you feel when you have the worst flu ever...you can hardly function, you feel like you're in a mental fog, unable to focus on anything, you have no appetite and are just bone weary...well that's what he's been experiencing. And with the exceptional fatigue he's experiencing, he's definitely been regressing...feeling weak and rundown; no appetite, stomach churning along with nausea all day every day
He admits his number one priority needs to be on getting healthy but has been at a loss as to know how to go about this. After much prayer and conferring with doctor, they agreed it would be best if he dropped his classes this semester.
Right now, the overriding concern is his lack of sleep. Poor guy deals with so much reflux he gets no rest because he wakes up all night long choking. He can't take any kind of a sleep aid as this would dampen the automatic reflex to protect his airway (gagging/choking, then bolting to an upright position to keep things from coming up). If this reflex were to be dampened, he would aspirate with the potential of developing pneumonia or even literally suffocating due to blocked airway. Remember, due to a myriad of surgeries, procedures, etc. the flap between the esophagus and the stomach that should close to keep backflow from occurring is permanently open for him.
As of last Thursday, Ron has discontinued the latest medication and has backed off on eating (other than the fabulous fajitas at an anniversary celebration for some good friends today!) to see if he can get a little bit of a break. Although the new medication has helped a little, he may yak daily for 4-5 days and then have a break for a couple of days; the side effects have been troublesome.
So, there ya have it....may be more information than you'd like; but please use it as intended; to know how to specifically pray.
I've been listening to Beth Moore recently as she has been speaking on Isaiah 32:2 :
"Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land"
And my thoughts turn to each of you. Thank you for loving us; as well as your willingness to stand in the gap and be a refuge to us during this stormy time of life.
Much love,
Christie
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Long time no update...
...I know; but since I've started back to school (August 16) I feel I meet myself coming and going.
Ron's classes began last Monday. He is taking Algebra and English Lit and already the work is consuming a great deal of his time. It's been difficult for both of us to get back into the swing of things; actually, I'm not quite sure we're there yet!
Praise God for this three-day weekend! I took full advantage of the cooler weather to get some much-needed yard work done including trimming the shrubs; seeing this in type doesn't sound like much, but I tell ya, it was a beating! My right arm still feels like it's vibrating from the hedge trimmer and I have sore muscles in places that I never knew muscles existed! I was quite the taskmaster and even made Ron get out and help pick up the trimmings...poor guy, it wore him out!
But the highlight of the holiday was getting to spend time with our sweet girls. Oh, how we miss being with them on a regular basis!
On to the news I know you all really want...how is Ron doing? Well, we're excited to say his blood levels are staying consistent on the IV Lovenox and were just told last week that he can now go to anti-factor Xa checks every 6 weeks, yippee!!!! Even though he still has to have blood draws every 2 weeks to keep an eye on all other levels for TPN purposes; this is an encouraging step.
The new medication he began Aug 11 has helped some; he has gone a couple of different times for 5 days without yakking. WOO HOO!!! Unfortunately, this is usually followed by a spell of 3 or 4 days in a row of daily yakking. Very frustrating to him seeing as how there are no variables on the days he does or doesn't yak. It wouldn't be quite so discouraging if we could put a finger on what makes the difference. The trade off is the side effects from the medication. It leaves him feeling weaker, more lethargic than usual. We continue to remain hopeful and will take any good day we get.
We're constantly asked what we need...really, can't think of anything other than your continued prayer support and encouragement.
Specific things to pray for:
- longer stretches of time with no yakking; this is the only way his esophagus will heal
- increased strength and stamina
- consistent, dedicated time in prayer and Bible study; as life gets busy, this becomes the first thing to be neglected
- for my attitude; as I adjust to being back at work along with all the other responsibilities of being the primary caregiver and head of household duties; when I'm tired, I can get quite grumpy and say things I wish I could take back. For instance, after an extremely long week trying to juggle work, home, etc. I was frustrated with it all and blurted out "I want my husband back" Oh, how I wish I could take back those words! They were very hurtful and left Ron in quite a funk for a couple of days. I know he badly wishes to be his old self and would give anything to be able to do the things he used to do (even mundane household jobs) and to have me voice this was absolutely awful! Pray I will keep my tongue in check and when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I will vent to someone (anyone!) else.
(I'm sure I must have burst a few bubbles here, I know most of you think I'm so sweet, kind, compassionate,...but I tell ya, God sees my heart and knows what I'm really all about. What? No burst bubbles? Was it just my wishful thinking that someone thought I was all these good things? Haha) - And the biggie....as the new school year begins, so does our new insurance year... which means starting over with meeting all new deductibles, as well as increase in our premiums and increase in all co-pays. We know we'll have all Ron's maintenance medications, TPN and routine blood draws, but an otherwise a medically uneventful year would be fabulous!
So there you have it; the good, the bad and the ugly. It's humbling (and often embarrassing) to be so transparent but know this is what God has called us to and anything less would be lack of obedience on our part. Thanks for loving us in spite of who we really are!
Much love,
Christie
"And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others." 2 Cor 9:8 NLT
"What's more, I will be with you and will protect you wherever you go...I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you everything I have promised." Genesis 28:15 NLT
"I said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing' " Psalm 16:2 NIV
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Half Year Birthday!
Is it really possible? Yes, our sweet girls are 6 months old today!
The pictures below were actually taken at 5 months, but I tell ya they just keep getting cuter and more fun by the day!
Sweet Ella~
The pictures below were actually taken at 5 months, but I tell ya they just keep getting cuter and more fun by the day!
Sweet Ella~
The Divine Miss M~ 
Double the blessings! Double the fun!
I may be a little biased...but aren't they the most adorable things you've ever seen????
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Plan B
I'm sad to report the increase in the new medication did nothing but cause Ron to sleep...ALOT! Poor guy was totally out of it, sleeping off and on in his recliner throughout each day (even though he had slept 12-14 hours the night before!) Yet the daily yakking continues. Dr. A had him discontinue the Baclofen Monday afternoon, however he will continue to take the Gaviscon (seaweed-based antacid), along with his other maintenance medications.
Today began Plan B; a medication named Bethanechol. Bethanechol is typically used for treatment of urinary issues; however, is also found to stimulate the GI tract to increase motility. Dr. A also says it may cause confusion, bladder spasms, muscle spasms, as well as a host of other COMMON side effects. He really wanted Ron to start on it while I am still on summer break so I can keep an eye on him. YEEHAW!
I'd be lying to say we weren't disappointed in the lack of any progression while on the Baclofen; however, we remain confident in our belief that God does indeed have a plan, and He IS at work as we expectantly wait.
Christie
Today began Plan B; a medication named Bethanechol. Bethanechol is typically used for treatment of urinary issues; however, is also found to stimulate the GI tract to increase motility. Dr. A also says it may cause confusion, bladder spasms, muscle spasms, as well as a host of other COMMON side effects. He really wanted Ron to start on it while I am still on summer break so I can keep an eye on him. YEEHAW!
I'd be lying to say we weren't disappointed in the lack of any progression while on the Baclofen; however, we remain confident in our belief that God does indeed have a plan, and He IS at work as we expectantly wait.
Christie
Thursday, August 5, 2010
New Plan of Action
Forgive me for taking so long in getting this out...other than our email server being down a couple of days, I have no excuse!
We saw both Dr. M (hematologist/oncologist) and Dr. A (GI) last week.
Dr. M was pleased with Ron's blood levels staying consistent over the last month, so he's now going to have his anti-factor Xa (that's 10a) checked monthly. (Although, we got a call this week saying there was a major problem with his draw from when he was there and they wanted it rechecked ASAP. We should hear something back in the next couple of days; hopefully it was just a lab error). Good news is: Ron only has to see him every 3-4 months now...unless a problem shows up on routine lab results.
Dr. A was excited to add a couple of new medications with some definite goals in mind. With the number one goal being to get the yakking under control so Ron's esophagus can heal! And number two, to be able to return to more normal eating (without yakking).
One of the new meds is an old muscle relaxant (Baclofen) which has also shown to have the opposite effect on the GastroEsophageal Juncture (valve connecting the esophagus and the stomach) causing it to clamp down instead, thus keeping stuff from coming back up and hopefully reducing yakking. He is to take 1/2 dose 30 minutes before meals and at bedtime.
The second one is an over-the-counter antacid (Gaviscon) which has a seaweed base. This is taken after eating (whether it be a meal, snack, etc). The seaweed expands and acts as a barrier to keep food, bile, acid, etc from coming back up.
Ron says the Gaviscon is nasty to take. He feels like it's "growing" as he chews it...Yuck!
We were given a time table of two weeks...if it's going to work, we should see definite improvement within two weeks.
The first couple of days were really rough ones. As with most muscle relaxants, Baclofen can have a sedation effect; and it really knocked Ron on his tail! He was sleeping until noon, then getting up and sleeping in the recliner all afternoon. This combined with overall lethargy and stomach pain had him feeling quite puny. We ended up having to reduce the dose to 1/4.
Unfortunately, thus far, he has had no changes. Still yakking daily, along with major reflux. Yakking so violently last week, that he pulled a muscle; ugh! But hey, the muscle relaxant helped with that!
Tomorrow, Friday, we are to try to increase back up to 1/2 dose and see if his system can handle it. If not, they will have no choice but to discontinue this medication since it is obvious the 1/4 dose is doing nothing.
Please pray for an uneventful weekend for Ron, with no added side effects. We'd also love to see some clear improvement.
Much love,
Christie
A couple of Sunday's ago, our church was incredibly blessed to have Charles Billingsly lead us in worship. Below is one of the many songs that spoke to me.
Lord I Run to You
Lord I run to You
No one else will do
Lord in troubled time
I will run straight to You
Though my heart and flesh may fail
You're my ever present help
My tower of strength
My portion ever more
Lord I run to You
No one else will do
Lord You said we'd face
Trouble, pain and fear
But to be of good cheer
Be of good cheer
For You have overcome
Overcome the world
I lift my eyes up
To the mountains
Where does my help come from
It comes from You Lord
You are the Maker of heaven and earth
And there's nothing that's too hard for You
We saw both Dr. M (hematologist/oncologist) and Dr. A (GI) last week.
Dr. M was pleased with Ron's blood levels staying consistent over the last month, so he's now going to have his anti-factor Xa (that's 10a) checked monthly. (Although, we got a call this week saying there was a major problem with his draw from when he was there and they wanted it rechecked ASAP. We should hear something back in the next couple of days; hopefully it was just a lab error). Good news is: Ron only has to see him every 3-4 months now...unless a problem shows up on routine lab results.
Dr. A was excited to add a couple of new medications with some definite goals in mind. With the number one goal being to get the yakking under control so Ron's esophagus can heal! And number two, to be able to return to more normal eating (without yakking).
One of the new meds is an old muscle relaxant (Baclofen) which has also shown to have the opposite effect on the GastroEsophageal Juncture (valve connecting the esophagus and the stomach) causing it to clamp down instead, thus keeping stuff from coming back up and hopefully reducing yakking. He is to take 1/2 dose 30 minutes before meals and at bedtime.
The second one is an over-the-counter antacid (Gaviscon) which has a seaweed base. This is taken after eating (whether it be a meal, snack, etc). The seaweed expands and acts as a barrier to keep food, bile, acid, etc from coming back up.
Ron says the Gaviscon is nasty to take. He feels like it's "growing" as he chews it...Yuck!
We were given a time table of two weeks...if it's going to work, we should see definite improvement within two weeks.
The first couple of days were really rough ones. As with most muscle relaxants, Baclofen can have a sedation effect; and it really knocked Ron on his tail! He was sleeping until noon, then getting up and sleeping in the recliner all afternoon. This combined with overall lethargy and stomach pain had him feeling quite puny. We ended up having to reduce the dose to 1/4.
Unfortunately, thus far, he has had no changes. Still yakking daily, along with major reflux. Yakking so violently last week, that he pulled a muscle; ugh! But hey, the muscle relaxant helped with that!
Tomorrow, Friday, we are to try to increase back up to 1/2 dose and see if his system can handle it. If not, they will have no choice but to discontinue this medication since it is obvious the 1/4 dose is doing nothing.
Please pray for an uneventful weekend for Ron, with no added side effects. We'd also love to see some clear improvement.
Much love,
Christie
A couple of Sunday's ago, our church was incredibly blessed to have Charles Billingsly lead us in worship. Below is one of the many songs that spoke to me.
Lord I Run to You
Lord I run to You
No one else will do
Lord in troubled time
I will run straight to You
Though my heart and flesh may fail
You're my ever present help
My tower of strength
My portion ever more
Lord I run to You
No one else will do
Lord You said we'd face
Trouble, pain and fear
But to be of good cheer
Be of good cheer
For You have overcome
Overcome the world
I lift my eyes up
To the mountains
Where does my help come from
It comes from You Lord
You are the Maker of heaven and earth
And there's nothing that's too hard for You
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Waiting on God's Best
Continuing my current ponderings as I read The Life God Blesses
Jim Cymbala states:
The challenge before us is to have faith in God, and the hardest part of faith is the waiting. ... To receive the blessing we need, we must believe and keep on believing, to wait and keep on waiting. We need to wait in prayer, wait with our Bibles open as we confess His promises, wait in joyful praise and worship of the God who will never forget our case, and wait as we continue serving others in His name.
We've come to realize Ron's medical issues have been going on for so long now; the seemingly endless waiting causing us to grow so weary, we no longer know what to pray. As we discussed and pondered, we were reminded that throughout the New Testament when people came to Jesus He would point blank ask them "what do you want from Me?"
Reflecting on His directness has caused us to step back and evaluate...what do we want from Him? Seems like an easy enough question:
- We want Ron to be healed.
- We want a "normal" life....one where we don't have to be tied to a schedule that revolves around home health, lab draws, doctor visits, PICC line maintenance, medication schedules and TPN management/administration.
- We want to put behind us the overwhelming financial burdens brought on by continued medical issues.
- We want our children to not have to worry about school loans they've had to take over due to our inability to help out.
The list of wants could go on and on!
There's nothing wrong with wanting these things. Hey, even Jesus wanted things to be easier.
"My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me...." Matthew 26:39
And it's recorded in Luke 22:44 that:
"He was in such agony of spirit, that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood"
before concluding in Matthew:
"Yet I want Your will not Mine"
As we examine this question, what do we truly want from Him, we find:
as hard as the last few years have been, (we would not wish those trials on anyone!) we can honestly say we wouldn't trade what we've learned, how we've grown, the blessing of experiencing God at work and the encouragement and provision we've received through His people, for anything!
C. S. Lewis so profoundly wrote:
"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."
Ouch! We resemble that!
And still, we have the waiting...
Yet, just when it seems we can't take it any longer; God sends a glimmer of hope! We received an e-mail message from Dr. A (GI):
"I had a great discussion with one of the US experts on reflux disease regarding you and have great ideas to move forward with. I am very hopeful and excited about the new options."
Ron already had an appointment scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) with the hematologist/oncologist at Presby, so Dr. A said to come by to see him while there and he'd go over these exciting new options with us.
We are cautiously optimistic. We're trying not to get our hopes up too much, but we want to believe God does have a plan for Ron's complete healing. Could it even begin this week?
Please join us in praying. Oh, how we want Ron to be healed! But, above all else, pray that no matter how things turn out; we will continue to keep the faith. We will continue to believe His sovereign will is truly what is best for us, no matter how painful it may be at times. And that our desires, will fall in line with His will.
Oh, and please be patient with us in getting out an update...though we meet with Dr. A tomorrow, it's to go over a new plan of action; we most likely won't have any definitives for a while.
Much love!
"On You I wait all the day" Psalm 25:5
"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14
"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1 NLT
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Engraved on the palms of His hands
One of the books I've been reading this summer is The Life God Blesses by Jim Cymbala (pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle). Though it is a very small, short book; it is packed with wonderful nuggets of truth that speak volumes to my heart.
Many thoughts to share, but for now...chew on this selected (condensed) excerpt:
Throughout history men and women who trusted the Lord have had to learn the importance of "the last half hour"; one of the lessons we learn from Isaiah 49:8
"This is what the LORD says: 'In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you.' "
God affirms the fact that He will answer and will help His people. But notice the time of His help and answers: "In the time of my favor...and in the day of salvation." God has a designated time when His promise will be fulfilled and the prayer will be answered. It is a [time] He knows is best for the help to arrive and the deliverance to be accomplished. His answer is absolutely sure for those who trust Him, but it is not yet.
Herein lies the battle of faith - to hold on and keep believing God despite what our natural senses tell us. Our challenge is to wait in faith.
How many times have we battled this seeming contradiction? We pray with all our hearts and take our stand on His Word. But then...nothing, absolutely nothing seems to change. No miracle comes; no dramatic change occurs in our difficult situation. In fact, sometimes our circumstances seem to worsen!
God knows our tendency to give up during these seeming times of silence from heaven. "But Zion said, 'The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me' " (Isaiah 49:14).
Because the people of God back in Isaiah's day didn't see the fulfillment of the promise, they felt abandoned. "Where is God in all this?" they asked. "How can His promise be true? He must have forgotten or forsaken us..."
God, who is always grieved when His people fail to trust Him, responded immediately: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before me." (v. 15-16)
We should shout with joy when we read, "I have engraved you on the palms of My hands."
No matter which difficulties we face or how badly life seems to be going, we must cling to God's unchanging promise "I will not forget you!" We need not be discouraged by what we see or distracted by how we feel emotionally; this truth is forever settled, "I will not forget you!"
More on this to come... :-)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Remembering Papa
It's been a very busy, exhausting week (both physically and emotionally). A time of honoring Papa's home-going with both sadness and joy. The majority of the CAN clan members were able to gather, share and reminisce. Grandma did pretty well. She was confused at times, but on the whole understood what was going on.
Tuesday's visitation/remembrance was a sweet time with family and friends. The funeral home made a very nice DVD, from photos we had provided of Papa, which played throughout the time we were there. These photos were a reminder that no matter what was going on, you could always count on Papa to flash that great smile when called upon! He could be in the grumpiest mood and yet could turn on a that smile for the camera!
Wednesday's military burial was beautiful; including a pleasant breeze under the shade of the pavilion. I'm so proud of my hubby! I wish all of you could have been there to hear him eulogize his dad.
He began with Colossians 3:5 -
"For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is."
A very fitting verse that epitomizes what Papa would hope for each of his family members; to be orderly and to be firm in their faith.
And then he read Psalm 23 and shared his thoughts (with special emphasis on verse 4):
"even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me"
It was incredibly moving to hear him share his experience with this particular subject. He related how during one of his "dying spells", as he lay at death's door, how evident it was that he was not alone. He had an incredible peace in knowing God was with him; there was no fear, no anxiety...only peace. Having this knowledge gave him much comfort in knowing Papa was able to experience this same peace as he was ushered home.
Laurie's husband Tony shared as well, challenging us to carry on what Papa had begun. Two of Papa's most used phrases were "carry on" and "take care of it". And we do, Papa, pledge to "carry on" the character and values you instilled. We will "take care of it"...our families, our friends, our jobs, our faith and all that God has called us to; and do our best to uphold the legacy you have entrusted to each of us.
And then Ken led us in singing Amazing Grace.
It is isn't it? God's grace is so amazing! Sometimes we get bogged down by the busy-ness of this world and it takes a life-changing event to remind us of just how amazing God's grace really is.
Thank you for sharing in our time of grief, even if you were not able to be with us physically. Your words of sympathy and encouragement in cards, e-mails, texts, etc., have been so thoughtful. I apologize for not returning messages and phone calls, hope to remedy that soon.
Tuesday's visitation/remembrance was a sweet time with family and friends. The funeral home made a very nice DVD, from photos we had provided of Papa, which played throughout the time we were there. These photos were a reminder that no matter what was going on, you could always count on Papa to flash that great smile when called upon! He could be in the grumpiest mood and yet could turn on a that smile for the camera!
Wednesday's military burial was beautiful; including a pleasant breeze under the shade of the pavilion. I'm so proud of my hubby! I wish all of you could have been there to hear him eulogize his dad.
He began with Colossians 3:5 -
"For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is."
A very fitting verse that epitomizes what Papa would hope for each of his family members; to be orderly and to be firm in their faith.
And then he read Psalm 23 and shared his thoughts (with special emphasis on verse 4):
"even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me"
It was incredibly moving to hear him share his experience with this particular subject. He related how during one of his "dying spells", as he lay at death's door, how evident it was that he was not alone. He had an incredible peace in knowing God was with him; there was no fear, no anxiety...only peace. Having this knowledge gave him much comfort in knowing Papa was able to experience this same peace as he was ushered home.
Laurie's husband Tony shared as well, challenging us to carry on what Papa had begun. Two of Papa's most used phrases were "carry on" and "take care of it". And we do, Papa, pledge to "carry on" the character and values you instilled. We will "take care of it"...our families, our friends, our jobs, our faith and all that God has called us to; and do our best to uphold the legacy you have entrusted to each of us.
And then Ken led us in singing Amazing Grace.
It is isn't it? God's grace is so amazing! Sometimes we get bogged down by the busy-ness of this world and it takes a life-changing event to remind us of just how amazing God's grace really is.
Thank you for sharing in our time of grief, even if you were not able to be with us physically. Your words of sympathy and encouragement in cards, e-mails, texts, etc., have been so thoughtful. I apologize for not returning messages and phone calls, hope to remedy that soon.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Charles Arthur "Papa" Nordell
Good morning!
I've been trying to get this out since Friday but it's been difficult, both physically and emotionally.
Thursday night at 10:15 we received a call from Ron's brother, Ken, informing us their dad (Papa) had been found unresponsive with very low oxygen rate and was being taken by ambulance to Baylor All-Saints. We headed there immediately...such pros at this that we beat the ambulance there!
It was evident Papa was in very bad shape. Unfortunately, his DNR paperwork had not been sent with him and they immediately intubated him and put an external pacemaker on him. After an hour and a half, we were informed the doctor wanted to meet with us in the family conference room. Fortunately, Ken, Shar, Laurie and Tony all arrived just as the doctor was coming to meet with us.
We were told Papa was heavily sedated to keep him from fighting the ventilator, as well as all of the other treatments taking place. He had pneumonia, he was not able to maintain an adequate heart rate and/or blood pressure without the intervention of meds and he looked to be in septic shock. They were also doing a CT scan to see if he had a stroke or a brain bleed of some sort. The doctor was informed he had DNR paperwork in effect. Being that he was on full life support, his wishes had definitely been violated.
We contacted Kathie and Leonard and were all in agreement this is NOT what Papa would want. We chose to keep him on life support until family could arrive. Once he was settled in CardioVascular ICU we headed home (4:30 AM) to get a couple hours of sleep.
Ken & Shar arrived early enough to meet with the doctor who informed them he was definitely in septic shock as well as acute renal failure on top of the other issues, however he had been taken off the pacemaker before transporting to CVICU and his heart had been maintaining on it's own throughout the night. They did begin to wean him off of sedation and he was aware and responsive to questions...squeezing hands and nodding to yes/no questions. Ryan arrived and was able to communicate with him as well. The rest of the family was scheduled to arrive around 9:30.
At 8:45, we received a call from Ryan telling us Papa had gone into complete heart failure.
Typical of Papa, he determined to do things his way and continued to have automatic reflexive breathing (even though there was no heart or brain activity!). What a blessing for the family to arrive and see Papa as though he were sleeping, complete with snoring. He drew his last breath at 10:45. There was no pain, no prolonged suffering...he peacefully went to sleep, surrounded by his loved ones. We were so thankful he went this way, without us having to take him off life support; what a comfort to us.
We all went together to talk to Mom (Grandma). We weren't sure how she would respond but she did very well considering. She was a little confused at first, thinking we were talking about her Dad (she has dementia) but after going over things again, she understood.
The siblings and spouses met at the funeral home Saturday morning and had a very easy (although very lengthy!) time making arrangements for Papa. Everyone was in agreement as to what Papa would have wanted. What a privilege to go through Papa's Bible and choose some things that were obviously meaningful to him. He was a man of few words; however he was consistent in his thoughts and beliefs whether they were popular or not!
We then took the opportunity while everyone was around to clear out Papa's room and disperse his belongings.
Papa could be a stubborn old coot, but his family was EVERYTHING to him and he leaves behind a wonderful legacy, as well as a very large family. He dubbed his family the CAN (Charles Arthur Nordell) clan!
wife, Ruth...they would have celebrated their 65th anniversary August 1.
first born:
Kathie, husband: Terry, of Whitehouse and children:
Jason, wife: Christie, children: Max & Taylor of Abilene
Josh of Tyler
Kristin, husband: John, kids: Kayla and Carson of Houston
Michael, wife: Rachael, daughter: Esther in transit to mission work in Brazil
Ken, wife: Shar; of Jacksboro and daughter:
Nikki of Lubbock
Leonard, wife: Nancy of El Paso and children:
Davis, wife: Ashley of Albuquerque
Lianna, husband: Blake of Tucson
Laurie, husband, Tony of Mesquite and children:
Jeremy, wife: Julie, children: Jonah, Hudson and Malorie Kate of Austin
Whitney, husband: Jorden of McKinney
Zach of Austin
and the baby:
Ron, wife: Christie of North Richland Hills and children:
Ryan, wife Stacee and daughters: Mila and Ella of Fort Worth
Aaron of Addison
Siblings (Papa was the second oldest of 5):
Louise, husband, Gordon (Louise passed away this same afternoon after a lengthy illness)
Mildred, husband, Glen
Yvonne
Dean, wife: Char
Couple of things found in Papa's Bible:
"Let all things be done decently and in order"
I Corinthians 14:40
This verse fits Papa perfectly!
Papa had written this in his Bible:
Christian:
CHRIST- is all
I- I
A-am
N-nothing
We love you Papa! You are greatly missed!
We Will Remember!!!
FORT WORTH -- Charles Arthur Nordell, 90, passed away on Friday, July 16, 2010.
Service: 10:15 a.m. Wednesday in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Visitation: 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Laurel Land Funeral Home of Fort Worth.
Chuck was born Dec. 4, 1919, in Greeley, Colo., to Arthur and Irene Nordell. He married Ruth Love on Aug. 1, 1945, in New Jersey. He served as a Major in the U.S. Army during World War II. He retired as a Civil Engineer with Texaco.
Survivors: He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Ruth Nordell; children, Kathie Koch and husband, Terry, Ken Nordell and wife, Shar, Leonard Nordell and wife, Nancy, Laurie Apel and husband, Tony, Ron Nordell and wife, Christie; 20 grandchildren and spouses; 10 great-grandchildren; one brother; and three sisters.
I've been trying to get this out since Friday but it's been difficult, both physically and emotionally.
Thursday night at 10:15 we received a call from Ron's brother, Ken, informing us their dad (Papa) had been found unresponsive with very low oxygen rate and was being taken by ambulance to Baylor All-Saints. We headed there immediately...such pros at this that we beat the ambulance there!
It was evident Papa was in very bad shape. Unfortunately, his DNR paperwork had not been sent with him and they immediately intubated him and put an external pacemaker on him. After an hour and a half, we were informed the doctor wanted to meet with us in the family conference room. Fortunately, Ken, Shar, Laurie and Tony all arrived just as the doctor was coming to meet with us.
We were told Papa was heavily sedated to keep him from fighting the ventilator, as well as all of the other treatments taking place. He had pneumonia, he was not able to maintain an adequate heart rate and/or blood pressure without the intervention of meds and he looked to be in septic shock. They were also doing a CT scan to see if he had a stroke or a brain bleed of some sort. The doctor was informed he had DNR paperwork in effect. Being that he was on full life support, his wishes had definitely been violated.
We contacted Kathie and Leonard and were all in agreement this is NOT what Papa would want. We chose to keep him on life support until family could arrive. Once he was settled in CardioVascular ICU we headed home (4:30 AM) to get a couple hours of sleep.
Ken & Shar arrived early enough to meet with the doctor who informed them he was definitely in septic shock as well as acute renal failure on top of the other issues, however he had been taken off the pacemaker before transporting to CVICU and his heart had been maintaining on it's own throughout the night. They did begin to wean him off of sedation and he was aware and responsive to questions...squeezing hands and nodding to yes/no questions. Ryan arrived and was able to communicate with him as well. The rest of the family was scheduled to arrive around 9:30.
At 8:45, we received a call from Ryan telling us Papa had gone into complete heart failure.
Typical of Papa, he determined to do things his way and continued to have automatic reflexive breathing (even though there was no heart or brain activity!). What a blessing for the family to arrive and see Papa as though he were sleeping, complete with snoring. He drew his last breath at 10:45. There was no pain, no prolonged suffering...he peacefully went to sleep, surrounded by his loved ones. We were so thankful he went this way, without us having to take him off life support; what a comfort to us.
We all went together to talk to Mom (Grandma). We weren't sure how she would respond but she did very well considering. She was a little confused at first, thinking we were talking about her Dad (she has dementia) but after going over things again, she understood.
The siblings and spouses met at the funeral home Saturday morning and had a very easy (although very lengthy!) time making arrangements for Papa. Everyone was in agreement as to what Papa would have wanted. What a privilege to go through Papa's Bible and choose some things that were obviously meaningful to him. He was a man of few words; however he was consistent in his thoughts and beliefs whether they were popular or not!
We then took the opportunity while everyone was around to clear out Papa's room and disperse his belongings.
Papa could be a stubborn old coot, but his family was EVERYTHING to him and he leaves behind a wonderful legacy, as well as a very large family. He dubbed his family the CAN (Charles Arthur Nordell) clan!
wife, Ruth...they would have celebrated their 65th anniversary August 1.
first born:
Kathie, husband: Terry, of Whitehouse and children:
Jason, wife: Christie, children: Max & Taylor of Abilene
Josh of Tyler
Kristin, husband: John, kids: Kayla and Carson of Houston
Michael, wife: Rachael, daughter: Esther in transit to mission work in Brazil
Ken, wife: Shar; of Jacksboro and daughter:
Nikki of Lubbock
Leonard, wife: Nancy of El Paso and children:
Davis, wife: Ashley of Albuquerque
Lianna, husband: Blake of Tucson
Laurie, husband, Tony of Mesquite and children:
Jeremy, wife: Julie, children: Jonah, Hudson and Malorie Kate of Austin
Whitney, husband: Jorden of McKinney
Zach of Austin
and the baby:
Ron, wife: Christie of North Richland Hills and children:
Ryan, wife Stacee and daughters: Mila and Ella of Fort Worth
Aaron of Addison
Siblings (Papa was the second oldest of 5):
Louise, husband, Gordon (Louise passed away this same afternoon after a lengthy illness)
Mildred, husband, Glen
Yvonne
Dean, wife: Char
Couple of things found in Papa's Bible:
"Let all things be done decently and in order"
I Corinthians 14:40
This verse fits Papa perfectly!
Papa had written this in his Bible:
Christian:
CHRIST- is all
I- I
A-am
N-nothing
We love you Papa! You are greatly missed!
We Will Remember!!!
FORT WORTH -- Charles Arthur Nordell, 90, passed away on Friday, July 16, 2010.
Service: 10:15 a.m. Wednesday in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Visitation: 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Laurel Land Funeral Home of Fort Worth.
Chuck was born Dec. 4, 1919, in Greeley, Colo., to Arthur and Irene Nordell. He married Ruth Love on Aug. 1, 1945, in New Jersey. He served as a Major in the U.S. Army during World War II. He retired as a Civil Engineer with Texaco.
Survivors: He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Ruth Nordell; children, Kathie Koch and husband, Terry, Ken Nordell and wife, Shar, Leonard Nordell and wife, Nancy, Laurie Apel and husband, Tony, Ron Nordell and wife, Christie; 20 grandchildren and spouses; 10 great-grandchildren; one brother; and three sisters.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Results are in...
Sorry we're just now getting out an update, we were waiting for official report from Dr. A who was waiting on pathology reports. May be more information than you want to know, but some wanted details and I only wanted to do one mass e-mail.
Findings from endoscopy and colonoscopy:
1. Severe erosive esophagitis from the upper esophagus to the lower esophagus – no evidence of fungal infection or viral infection. Biopsies consistent with severe esophagitis related to reflux of gastric acid. (Dr. A remarked his esophagus is worse than on last study and looks like raw hamburger meat...YIKES!)
2. Significant amount of retained fluid in the stomach consistent with gastroparesis (paralyzed stomach or poor gastric motility)
3. Moderately sized hiatal hernia – allows more reflux from stomach into esophagus
4. Small ulcer in stomach with nearby polyp. Biopsies reveal acute and chronic gastritis – inflammation of the gastric lining without evidence of bacterial or viral infection.
5. The pylorus (valve between stomach and duodenum) thickness as noted on Upper GI, was likely related to nearby ulcer.
6. The small intestine lining look healthy with normal looking villi (finger like projections). The beginning of the duodenum as it leaves the stomach had an abnormal configuration due to previous surgery and scars but not significantly blocked.
7. The small intestine appeared to move but there was reflux of digestive juices from dilated portions of the small bowel. Biopsies from the small intestine were normal without evidence of infection or inflammation
8. Altered folds in the colon on the left side of the abdomen, likely related to scars, possibly from previous drains in that area while transverse section has sharp angles (zig zag effect) making more prone to blockage.
9. Dilated superficial veins in the colon in the right side of the abdomen related to extensive previous surgeries and scarring that altered the route of blood return from the colon to the inferior vena cava. Nothing to do about but be aware; due to blood thinner therapy, if any rectal bleeding occurs seek medical attention immediately.
10. Small polyp in the ascending colon in the right side of the abdomen. This polyp was a tubular adenoma. Not cancerous but if left in, could develop into cancer in 5-10 years. Therefore, need repeat routine colonoscopy in 5 years.
Plan:
1. Continue Nexium twice daily for acid suppression
2. Trying to get answers about using Misoprostol to help protect the stomach and assist with GI motility; greatest concern is the effect on kidney function. In other people, it would be less of a concern, but with only one kidney, concerns for possible detrimental effects are raised. One nephrologist said no concern, another said don’t use, another said he had never thought about it. Not reassuring, so still polling colleagues
3. Continue Metoclopramide for now but increase dosing to more frequent use to increase GI motility and hopefully lessen reflux/vomiting.
4. Another option is Erythromycin. An old antibiotic that would make everybody nauseous, now use it at lower doses to spur stomach motility. Inexpensive but dosed like metoclopramide – 4x/day.
On a better note; we've kept quite busy the last couple of weeks with lots of time spent with family. We had a great 4th of July spent at the lake. Since Ron had to be off the blood thinner for 5 days preceding EGD/Colonoscopy, he was able to really enjoy his time there. He rode the jet ski and played a little water volleyball. It was so good to see him have fun! It totally wore him out for several days, but he says it was well worth it. Unfortunately, he started back on the blood thinner Wednesday so play time is over.
Last weekend we enjoyed more fun with family in town. We were so excited to get tickets to the Friday night Ranger game (yippee for $10 ticket nights...complete with fireworks!) but with all the rain we had, the game was delayed until 9:30 PM. We took advantage of the delay by inviting the family to our house for homemade ice cream and a hilarious time playing MadGab. We did go out to watch the game in it's entirity (until 1:30 AM) only to find they cancelled the fireworks, announcing it after the game was over!
Saturday, the guys golfed and the girls enjoyed spending the day with our sweet Mila and Ella while Stacee and Ryan both worked. Ron was able to sleep in a little and then meet up with the guys for lunch while I grocery shopped and caught up on some household items before all joining up for dinner and an evening visit with Mom and Dad Nordell.
It's always good to have the family around, something we've too often taken for granted over the years. We are incredibly blessed to have such supportive, encouraging family members and the opportunity to see the majority of them throughout the last month has indeed been a treat.
Alot of information to take in. Ron was disappointed they didn't find something that they could "fix". Please continue to pray for wise discernment as to treatment; as well as complete healing, along with patience and hope as we wait!
Much love, Christie
"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not but rejoices for those which he has." Epictetus
"Godliness with contentment is great gain." I Timothy 6:6
"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." Psalm 13:5-6
Findings from endoscopy and colonoscopy:
1. Severe erosive esophagitis from the upper esophagus to the lower esophagus – no evidence of fungal infection or viral infection. Biopsies consistent with severe esophagitis related to reflux of gastric acid. (Dr. A remarked his esophagus is worse than on last study and looks like raw hamburger meat...YIKES!)
2. Significant amount of retained fluid in the stomach consistent with gastroparesis (paralyzed stomach or poor gastric motility)
3. Moderately sized hiatal hernia – allows more reflux from stomach into esophagus
4. Small ulcer in stomach with nearby polyp. Biopsies reveal acute and chronic gastritis – inflammation of the gastric lining without evidence of bacterial or viral infection.
5. The pylorus (valve between stomach and duodenum) thickness as noted on Upper GI, was likely related to nearby ulcer.
6. The small intestine lining look healthy with normal looking villi (finger like projections). The beginning of the duodenum as it leaves the stomach had an abnormal configuration due to previous surgery and scars but not significantly blocked.
7. The small intestine appeared to move but there was reflux of digestive juices from dilated portions of the small bowel. Biopsies from the small intestine were normal without evidence of infection or inflammation
8. Altered folds in the colon on the left side of the abdomen, likely related to scars, possibly from previous drains in that area while transverse section has sharp angles (zig zag effect) making more prone to blockage.
9. Dilated superficial veins in the colon in the right side of the abdomen related to extensive previous surgeries and scarring that altered the route of blood return from the colon to the inferior vena cava. Nothing to do about but be aware; due to blood thinner therapy, if any rectal bleeding occurs seek medical attention immediately.
10. Small polyp in the ascending colon in the right side of the abdomen. This polyp was a tubular adenoma. Not cancerous but if left in, could develop into cancer in 5-10 years. Therefore, need repeat routine colonoscopy in 5 years.
Plan:
1. Continue Nexium twice daily for acid suppression
2. Trying to get answers about using Misoprostol to help protect the stomach and assist with GI motility; greatest concern is the effect on kidney function. In other people, it would be less of a concern, but with only one kidney, concerns for possible detrimental effects are raised. One nephrologist said no concern, another said don’t use, another said he had never thought about it. Not reassuring, so still polling colleagues
3. Continue Metoclopramide for now but increase dosing to more frequent use to increase GI motility and hopefully lessen reflux/vomiting.
4. Another option is Erythromycin. An old antibiotic that would make everybody nauseous, now use it at lower doses to spur stomach motility. Inexpensive but dosed like metoclopramide – 4x/day.
On a better note; we've kept quite busy the last couple of weeks with lots of time spent with family. We had a great 4th of July spent at the lake. Since Ron had to be off the blood thinner for 5 days preceding EGD/Colonoscopy, he was able to really enjoy his time there. He rode the jet ski and played a little water volleyball. It was so good to see him have fun! It totally wore him out for several days, but he says it was well worth it. Unfortunately, he started back on the blood thinner Wednesday so play time is over.
Last weekend we enjoyed more fun with family in town. We were so excited to get tickets to the Friday night Ranger game (yippee for $10 ticket nights...complete with fireworks!) but with all the rain we had, the game was delayed until 9:30 PM. We took advantage of the delay by inviting the family to our house for homemade ice cream and a hilarious time playing MadGab. We did go out to watch the game in it's entirity (until 1:30 AM) only to find they cancelled the fireworks, announcing it after the game was over!
Saturday, the guys golfed and the girls enjoyed spending the day with our sweet Mila and Ella while Stacee and Ryan both worked. Ron was able to sleep in a little and then meet up with the guys for lunch while I grocery shopped and caught up on some household items before all joining up for dinner and an evening visit with Mom and Dad Nordell.
It's always good to have the family around, something we've too often taken for granted over the years. We are incredibly blessed to have such supportive, encouraging family members and the opportunity to see the majority of them throughout the last month has indeed been a treat.
Alot of information to take in. Ron was disappointed they didn't find something that they could "fix". Please continue to pray for wise discernment as to treatment; as well as complete healing, along with patience and hope as we wait!
Much love, Christie
"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not but rejoices for those which he has." Epictetus
"Godliness with contentment is great gain." I Timothy 6:6
"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." Psalm 13:5-6
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