Tyler was put back on the pain drip the other day and it has brought his pain back down to the 0-1 levels! He is also back on the 7th floor with his favorite nursing staff, namely Pam and Erin. The plan is to keep him on this medication for as long as his body can tolerate it. Thank you for your continued prayers!
Love,
Team Tyler
Tyler - 17 year old fighting cancer!
Ready for Battle!
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Ugh! The pain is back!
Unfortunately, Tyler's pain did not stay down. It shot back up to a 10 by yesterday afternoon. His stomach was swelling as well. They took some x-rays and found that he has air in his bowels again. It's where it is supposed to be, but just too much of it, which is causing excruciating pain. They put a tube through his nose, to the bowel, to try and alleviate some of the air. They also gave him some medicine that calmed him and allowed him to rest. He's sleeping this morning, which is a good thing.
Thank you for your continued prayers for his healing and comfort. Please also pray for Michelle and family, as it is so very difficult to watch him when he's in this kind of pain and there's nothing you can do to help.
As a follower of Christ Jesus, I found this blog post, at Desiring God, very encouraging in light of the suffering we've been walking through over the last 10 or so months. Take a few minutes to read it: Jesus Has Overcome this World.
I will continue to rest in Him!
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
Thank you for your continued prayers for his healing and comfort. Please also pray for Michelle and family, as it is so very difficult to watch him when he's in this kind of pain and there's nothing you can do to help.
As a follower of Christ Jesus, I found this blog post, at Desiring God, very encouraging in light of the suffering we've been walking through over the last 10 or so months. Take a few minutes to read it: Jesus Has Overcome this World.
I will continue to rest in Him!
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Pain levels down!
Tyler has been on the pain drip since the other night. The awesome news is that his pain levels were down to 0 while on the drip! Praise God!!
The real test will be to see if they will remain low after the drip is turned off. They took him off the drip early this morning and so far, he's still maintaining a pretty low pain level...saying he's at a 1 right now.
Please pray that his pain stays controlled and low! Thank you for your prayers. Praying for continued comfort for Tyler.
Much love to you all!
The real test will be to see if they will remain low after the drip is turned off. They took him off the drip early this morning and so far, he's still maintaining a pretty low pain level...saying he's at a 1 right now.
Please pray that his pain stays controlled and low! Thank you for your prayers. Praying for continued comfort for Tyler.
Much love to you all!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Back in the ICU
Tyler's pain has not been able to be controlled. He is miserable and uncomfortable. So, they have decided to try a lidocaine drip on him. Because this method of giving this drug has bad side effects on the organs, they have to regulate him more closely, which means he has to go to the ICU during the administration of it.
He went in the ICU last night and they were planning on starting it then. We're hoping it will only be a few days in the ICU and then he can move back to his room on the cancer floor.
Thank you for your continued prayers for comfort for Tyler and the family.
2 Corinthians 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
He went in the ICU last night and they were planning on starting it then. We're hoping it will only be a few days in the ICU and then he can move back to his room on the cancer floor.
Thank you for your continued prayers for comfort for Tyler and the family.
2 Corinthians 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Just a quick update
Tyler is still in pain and at the hospital. He had air in his bowels again, which looks to be getting better. But now he has "free air" in his abdomen and they are trying to figure out where that is coming from. He's getting really uncomfortable again. Please pray they can find the source and "fix" it, and get him comfortable again.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
A little conversation time
Tyler is still in the hospital. He does have an infection, for which he's receiving antibiotics. He hasn't run a fever since Sunday night, though. Thank you for those prayers!! They are mostly concerned about his pain levels right now, and trying to get that under control.
When I was there on Monday night, he was having a pretty good night. His pain was "sustainable", he said. It makes a world of difference when they have it under control. I had seen him the week prior and he was in excruciating pain...blotchy skin, gritting his teeth, hiding his face under a sheet, moving constantly to try and get comfortable. That will cause anyone to cry...not just me, being the sap that I am.
Anyhow, I was pleasantly surprised at how conversational he was while I was there. He wanted to let me know that he had broken a record. I asked which one and he said, "the highest dose of methedone that they have ever given a patient (adult or kid)". Yikes! I'm not sure that's a record worth breaking!! Poor kid! He continued to talk for the couple of hours I was there. When I first offered dinner, he said no, like usual. Until he smelled it. Then he said, "It smells like italian". I said it was and he asked what I brought. I told him "spaghetti with meatballs and lasagna". He replied, "I have a sweet spot for lasagna. Save me a bite. I know I'll have to fight my mom for it!". She saved him some, of course, and he ate it. :) He also carried on with his nurse, Erin, about how he used to love spaghetti and meatballs as a kid. And that he would only go to restaurants that had that. He looked at me and asked if I remembered. I smiled and said I did. I told him I mostly remembered how much he loved chicken fingers when he was a kid. He then went on to tell Erin about a phase of loving only cheese sticks, but that he wouldn't touch them now. Then he started telling stories of how his papa was always trying to get him to try gross things...like deer and liver. I told him how my Aaron was always sneaking venison into our food at home too, and we laughed. He talked about how his papa will eat absolutely anything! He's right about that one too! So I just sat there smiling as he told all of these little stories. We talked about how much we loved being only children because we got super spoiled, and still are! He went on and on about how his grandma bought him so much stuff, he could barely fit it in the car to take it home, at Christmas. He talked about how he figured out Santa wasn't real when he heard his mom going up and down the stairs at Christmas one year. And how, after that, he would peak at his hidden gifts, even though his mom wrapped them as soon as she bought them. And now, he only got a few gifts because they were more expensive ones...but he misses the days of opening tons and tons of gifts.
I don't remember what all we talked about, but those few things stick out. Before I left that night, I prayed with him. Then, like I do every time, I told him I love him. This time, I got a vocal "I love you too, Aunt Jettie" back. Sometimes he's sleeping or in too much pain for that. That was the" icing on the cake" for my visit!
I'm not sure why I'm sharing details of this somewhat insignificant conversation with you. I was just so relieved to see him comfortable and talking. For those that know him, I hope you can picture his little witty ways of conversing. And remember those times when he was a kid and would go on rounds with his papa and get chicken fingers at the coney, for breakfast :) For those that don't, maybe it's a chance to get to know him a bit more. Just a regular kid, but one we love a whole heckuva lot!
At any rate, he's in enough pain today that they aren't sending him home. Michelle texted me and said "he's miserable", which makes my head go to pictures of the previous week I visited. So please, pray that he'll be comfortable and that the doctors will be able to control his pain. Pray for strength for Michelle and his grandma Didi who are by his side, night and day.
Much love to you all! Hug your loved ones today...have an "insignificant" conversation with them. It might make your day, or theirs!
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.
When I was there on Monday night, he was having a pretty good night. His pain was "sustainable", he said. It makes a world of difference when they have it under control. I had seen him the week prior and he was in excruciating pain...blotchy skin, gritting his teeth, hiding his face under a sheet, moving constantly to try and get comfortable. That will cause anyone to cry...not just me, being the sap that I am.
Anyhow, I was pleasantly surprised at how conversational he was while I was there. He wanted to let me know that he had broken a record. I asked which one and he said, "the highest dose of methedone that they have ever given a patient (adult or kid)". Yikes! I'm not sure that's a record worth breaking!! Poor kid! He continued to talk for the couple of hours I was there. When I first offered dinner, he said no, like usual. Until he smelled it. Then he said, "It smells like italian". I said it was and he asked what I brought. I told him "spaghetti with meatballs and lasagna". He replied, "I have a sweet spot for lasagna. Save me a bite. I know I'll have to fight my mom for it!". She saved him some, of course, and he ate it. :) He also carried on with his nurse, Erin, about how he used to love spaghetti and meatballs as a kid. And that he would only go to restaurants that had that. He looked at me and asked if I remembered. I smiled and said I did. I told him I mostly remembered how much he loved chicken fingers when he was a kid. He then went on to tell Erin about a phase of loving only cheese sticks, but that he wouldn't touch them now. Then he started telling stories of how his papa was always trying to get him to try gross things...like deer and liver. I told him how my Aaron was always sneaking venison into our food at home too, and we laughed. He talked about how his papa will eat absolutely anything! He's right about that one too! So I just sat there smiling as he told all of these little stories. We talked about how much we loved being only children because we got super spoiled, and still are! He went on and on about how his grandma bought him so much stuff, he could barely fit it in the car to take it home, at Christmas. He talked about how he figured out Santa wasn't real when he heard his mom going up and down the stairs at Christmas one year. And how, after that, he would peak at his hidden gifts, even though his mom wrapped them as soon as she bought them. And now, he only got a few gifts because they were more expensive ones...but he misses the days of opening tons and tons of gifts.
I don't remember what all we talked about, but those few things stick out. Before I left that night, I prayed with him. Then, like I do every time, I told him I love him. This time, I got a vocal "I love you too, Aunt Jettie" back. Sometimes he's sleeping or in too much pain for that. That was the" icing on the cake" for my visit!
I'm not sure why I'm sharing details of this somewhat insignificant conversation with you. I was just so relieved to see him comfortable and talking. For those that know him, I hope you can picture his little witty ways of conversing. And remember those times when he was a kid and would go on rounds with his papa and get chicken fingers at the coney, for breakfast :) For those that don't, maybe it's a chance to get to know him a bit more. Just a regular kid, but one we love a whole heckuva lot!
At any rate, he's in enough pain today that they aren't sending him home. Michelle texted me and said "he's miserable", which makes my head go to pictures of the previous week I visited. So please, pray that he'll be comfortable and that the doctors will be able to control his pain. Pray for strength for Michelle and his grandma Didi who are by his side, night and day.
Much love to you all! Hug your loved ones today...have an "insignificant" conversation with them. It might make your day, or theirs!
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Hospital again...
Saturday night, Tyler had to go back to the hospital because his drain tube from his liver came out. They replaced the tube on Sunday, but he had a fever and his white blood counts were up, so they are keeping him. He may have an infection in his PICC line. He's getting blood and platelet transfusions and hoping to go home over the next couple of days. He has to be fever free for 48 hours before getting sent home. They are also working on managing his pain while he is there. Please keep him in your prayers.
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