That's All Folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well today we went in and the results were not in for the Colonoscopy, but the prelims suggested that the GVHD is present, just not measured. We for the most part have had an up and down roll a coaster with how Nikki feels from one day to the next. We have done this blog since the 1st of August every night we have been in the hospital. Now that we are hopefully done I will be discontinuing the input and updates. Several of you are part of various prayer chains in my family and they will be updating the prayer requests. If you would still like to get updates I can put you in touch with one of them or you can email me directly @ tnnnjw1@yahoo.com. Please everyone continue to pray unceasingly for Nikki, as she has a very long journey in front of her. We understand the power of prayer is a crucial measure as God is in the drivers seat. We have been overwhelmed with the out pour of cards and prayers we have received and hope that every one of you have a blessed holiday. We now have a bitter sweet ending. Bitter because this form of communication will stop and sweet because we are not in the hospital. With God's unfailing Love we wish all of you the very best CHRISTmas season. God Bless.

P.S.
I cannot find a link for copyright reasons, but if you can google "Michael Buble" the song is, "Home" we played that the last day in the hospital over and over.

Out to Lunch

Well yesterday was a very, very, very long day. I will not bore you with the details just know that my not doing the blog was because I checked out mentally at 6pm. The day was full of activities with the biggest one being Nikki's Colonoscopy which was par for the course. The running around yesterday just caught up with me and the icing on the cake was being stuck in rush hour traffic for over an hour. Today was the first time we got to spend a full 24 hours at home without having to do something hospital related. It was a blessing. Nikki today had a good day and was just thankful to spend the whole day with Ryker. Aunt Nancy and I did some errands today and we are just going to have a relaxing evening. Tomorrow we are going in to check Nikki's Blood Levels. We will get the results of her Colonoscopy on Monday and then we will let everyone know what is going on. I will pass on tomorrow's entry and update everyone on Monday. God Bless and enjoy your Sunday.

Round and Round We Go

Today was supposed to be a quick in and out at the clinic with some platelets but it ended up being over 5 hours. Nikki today was checked out to see if she was okay and they found out she had some bleeding in her upper GI track. That could be because her platelets were at 4 and the normal range is 150-450. Tomorrow we have a very long day and our appointments start at 730am. Please pray that Nikki gets through the procedure and the diagnosis is manageable. Please keep up the prayers and I have decided to do this blog until Nikki reaches a plateau or we understand what her baseline will be. Overall today was a down day and so went the rest. We pulled through it and are hoping for a better day on Saturday and are bracing for another rough day with the procedure tomorrow. God Bless.

These are the Days of our Lives.

Well so the soap opera goes. Today we went into the clinic to find out that we have a great deal to do this week as Nikki prepares for her Colonoscopy. We have to go in and get platelets for the next couple of days and the errands just continue to mount up. We are getting through each day hour by hour. There is just a lot to deal with. The good news is that Nikki seems to be regaining her spirits and feels better. We don't know if it is the drugs or her body that is making her better, that is the reason for the procedure. Please pray that Colonoscopy results are such that Nikki can stay at home and they can do it from an outpatient protocol. Also keep in your prayers the mindsets of all of those helping us out over the next 100 days as Satan would love to cause strife. God Bless

The Comeback Kid

Nikki today went into the clinic for the first time and got to be seen as an outpatient. Last night she got to sleep in her own bed and without getting up constantly. Her gut issues are still lingering but today the doctor gave her some more medication to help out. She is scheduled to have a Colonoscopy on Friday to see how her stomach is doing. Later on today she started to have less cramping and that was great to see. Please pray that she can stay healthy and out of the hospital. Please also pray for me, I had a pretty rough day today, the mental side of this is getting to be pretty difficult and lonely. God Bless and I will continue to do the blog until we can get this stomach thing under control, with the hope she is not re-admitted.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Well today we did go home. I will explain the title now. Yes, she is home which is a good thing. The bad part is she is having very bad cramping and stomach issues, which could be the GVH in her gut. The ugly would be that when we go in tomorrow for her appointment at 11am that they might find that it is too serious that they need to admit her again. Nikki has a very high pain tolerance but she has been wincing in pain frequently tonight. Please pray that they can manage this from an outpatient setting. God Bless and we will keep everyone posted and I will continue the Blog until we get through this bump.

The Final Countdown!!!

Well we are in the home run stretch. Her numbers today for the ANC reached 2656, she put any question to rest. We are being told that she will be going home tomorrow. Today we gave the bike in our room to another patient here that did not have one, so we are hoping we will not need it any longer. Today was a day of rest (being Sunday). Nikki slept most of the day and we watched some football and got some things organized in the room. We are going to have a busy day tomorrow if we are discharged because there is a great deal to do with the staff and outside arrangements. Please pray that the Lord would bring things together and that the day would have smooth transitions. God Bless and check back tomorrow to see if we are home. Please listen to the link to see our mantra for the day. This might bring back some memories for some of you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_IKcMl_a9A

Mr. Clean

Today started out with Nikki and I waiting for the Doctor to arrive to find out what their plan of action was going to be for Nikki. Late last night we found out Nikki had a dip in numbers and that was unexpected, her number were 944 ANC's. I was planning before that to go home today and clean for 12 hours in preparation for Nikki's return home on Monday. She wanted me to stay here at the hospital until the the team came in and gave her the news. Praise God they kept us on schedule, however today was still a mentally exhausting day for Nikki and I, as we approach a possible discharge with the way she is feeling. I did go home and clean all day long, and now the house is spotless. For those of you that don't know Nikki personally, her dirty days are most peoples clean days (She is meticulous with cleanliness). She did get a neupogen shot today to help her WBC's and ANC's. We had a tough day but not a bad one. Thank you all for your support during this process and we are praying that she goes home soon and we can get out of this deadly place (literally, patients here are having really rough days). God Bless and can everyone say a special prayer for one of our neighbors (Dave Godby) here who backsliding with his cancer.

Nervous Nellie

Nikki today is doing well. She is approaching her discharge date, and is getting a little anxious. Her blood pressure was elevated tonight, as it usually is, it's just tonight she is getting nervous that something will come out of left field and delay her departure date. As soon as she told me that we said a prayer, and I explained to her that the fear is coming from one place and it is not God. Please pray that Nikki stays focused on the goal and not on things she cannot control. Have a good day, God Bless.

Give Thanks

Nikki and I have a great deal to be thankful for this year. One of which is the miracle that Jesus has performed in Nikki's life. Nikki today had a boring day, which is a good thing. Her numbers today were 1482 ANC's. She has moved one of her IV's to a pill form, and we are looking to move the last one tomorrow. This day is a time to reflect on what God has done for us and to us. We were reminded that amongst all the, "Things" and blessings in our lives we should put the most cherished of those gifts, "Jesus at the top". Click on the link to understand our vantage point. Have a great weekend, God Bless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtxmSAqMtDA

On the Eve of Thanksgiving

Her ANC's today were 1311, Nikki continues to do amazing things. We got word today that Nikki will probably be released from the hospital next week. Wow, this is something to be thankful for. The Doctor informed us that Nikki has set a record. There have been over 1500 transplants done here at PSL, and out of all the single cords transfused, Nikki is the fastest to recover her counts. Praise God. It is an amazing thing to witness, first hand, one of God's miracles of today. I can say we are truly blessed in many ways, but this one seems to top them all. Nikki is getting around well and tonight for the first time in a long time, she got to walk the, "Green Mile" without He-Man (IV pole plus two pumps). We are very thankful that she is doing as well as she is. We hope everyone stuffs their face and enjoys the fruits of their labor. Just eat some for us. God Bless.

Grand Slam

Well today Nikki does not disappoint. She hit 1141 for her ANC's and that is a fourth day in a row of doubling up. She is doing an amazing job. For the first time today we heard our Doctor say an encouraging thing. He actually said, "I have never met anyone that has the where withal that you do." Praise God. We are just waiting patiently for them to let us know when we can get out, but we are careful not to judge the intelligence of these Doctor's. Nikki's rash is getting better and she is eating very well. Thanks for the prayers and we will let you know just as soon as we do as to the prognosis for discharge. God Bless.

Double Up!!!!!!

Nikki had another great jump in numbers last night. She continues to amaze the physicians as her numbers doubled yet again (Praise God). Her ANC's are now at 652. Her body rash is subsiding however she had a little spike in fever today, but it went away quickly. Her spirits today were good and the hope of going home now seems to be getting closer. We are really not sure as to when and we don't really want a specific date, because we don't want a disappointment to deal with. We just want to know that she is doing well, and as she approaches her discharge date, there will be four key indicators:
1. Fever free for 24 hours
2. All of her IV fluids need to be converted to a pill form.
3. Her ANC's need to be at a 1000 for two days in a row.
4. The GVH needs to be under control.
Our prayer request is that she goes home soon, but that when she goes home, we stay there. Nikki and I had a great talk last night and we both agree that she needs to get as healthy as she can in the hospital, so she has a greater chance of long term success and survival. God Bless.

On the Straight and Narrow

Nikki started out the day around 1030am and ate breakfast. We are doing what we are told to do each day, which is eat, and workout. She is back on her routine and as far as we can guesstimate, we are on the straight and narrow when it comes to the path she is on with here healthcare. Today she had another jump on her ANC's, which are now at 335, that is over a 100% jump from yesterday. We are looking forward to talking with a Doctor tomorrow to get their take on what that means as far as her overall health needs. We saw some of her family today, which was nice and are thankful to get through another weekend. Nikki is clearly getting better and we believe that her road to recovery is now on the permanent upward climb, and we are done going down hill. Pray that her recovery stays on the same trend, and that she gets to go home soon and will stay there. God Bless and we hope everyone has a great kickoff to the week.

And....They're Off!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Nikki today had her ANC's jump out of the gate with a burst. Yesterday they were 20 and now they are 141 that is over a 700% increase in one day. It is now official that Nikki is starting to engraft. I have included a link of a song that is spot on with its message and to were Nikki is mentally. Over the last couple of days we have been active with different things (One of them being a brand new Nintendo DS that was donated to help her mind to stay active and tonight she gets to try out her new white noise maker that was also donated). Her spirit is doing well. She still has her full body rash, but the Doctor's are now giving her steroids to help that out. The engraftment is doing what it is supposed to. Part of the process with the engraftment is that she could have rashes and stomach issues. The engraftment is fighting her body which is what they want since it will also be eradicating any leukemic cells that could be lingering around. The Doctor's will play a balancing act with her body to make sure the Graft Vs. Host disease (GVH) does not run out of control. Please pray specifically that her counts continue to come in and she stays infection free. God Bless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfZMKfu86z0

Eye of the Tiger

The song says it all and lets you understand Nikki's mental mindset (Click on the link on the bottom). The first part of the song states, "Rising Up". Today we had our first breakthrough of WBC's, they are on the rise. The doctor's say it is to early to see if engraftment is happening, but at least it is a move in the right direction. Nikki today, like yesterday, had a tough day of fever's and fatigue. She remains determined, and has the determination of a pit bull in a dog fight. If you know Nikki that analogy would not make her smile, but it is the best depiction of her drive. We are going into the weekend with a great deal of activities, so hopefully those happen and we get the guests we are expecting. Please keep the cards coming and thank you for all the cards thus far. Our donation website is gaining some momentum so thank you all for spreading the word. God Bless and have a wonderful weekend.
CLICK THIS LINK
http://musicremedy.com/audio/index.cfm?fuseaction=showaudioplayer&audioId=5838&quality=5

It's Getting Hot in Here

Well today was another day of just getting through the day. The night ended with Nikki getting another fever. She was at 101.9 and this is just part of the process, so we are told. Tonight her father came up and visited her. Nikki is just plugging along. Her mindset is wavering, but the staff is constantly reminding her of how well she is doing, and not to get to discouraged. Please pray that Nikki remains strong in her mindset, which with Jesus's support she can do. I believe she is in a good mindset, just a little concerned. Nikki is doing better when it comes to keeping things down and that is a great thing, since her body needs fuel or fertilizer to help the cells grow inside her bone marrow. Please keep up the prayers. God Bless.

Momma Said There'd Be Days Like This

Today was Nikki's first day of having a fever. She was feeling a little bit lethargic and she had the chills for most of the day. Having a fever is a normal thing when she is in this state. We would call this a bump in the road, but at this point nothing to be overly alarmed with. Please just pray that she recovers from the fever soon and that she continues on her normal regimen so we can get home healthy and soon. Last night was a very rough one. We did not get to bed until 530am due to several different factors and woke up at 130pm. We got through this day but it was a difficult one to push through. We are signing off early tonight.

Change out

Well today was the first time my Aunt Nancy came up to the hospital to see Nikki since arriving here in Denver, and she experience her first change out with me. Nikki today had a good day for the most part. She walked up and down the halls today with a passion. The staff commented that she walked at a pace that was very unusual for an ICU patient. Aunt Nancy walked for 30min with her and commented that she was surprised herself at how fast Nikki walked, and sweat some herself. Nikki had a little set back halfway through the day and took the rest of the day trying to get back to her baseline. The night for the most part was uneventful and we just sat around trying to keep Nikki's food down. We look forward to tomorrow and her regaining her strength and determination. Today was also the first day of her Nuprogen shots, which helps stimulate WBC's.

Sleeping Beauty

Today was a day of rest for Nikki. Last night she got her first transfusion of platelets. She got down to 7. Overall today was a good day but it did not come without more emotions. Nikki today got a report from the doctor that her organs looked good so far. We are coming up with new activities to help the time go by. We are having a difficult time doing that, but God is providing viable options. The thing to pray for today would be that Nikki would have a refocus on the good that is happening, and not be frustrated with all the regulations. She is doing amazing it is just hard when you have less freedom here than an inmate would have in prison. God Bless and we hope you all have a great day.

The Rope Tightens

Today we were given more rules to follow. We know these rules are to protect Nikki but it is really difficult to adapt to because it totally goes against the rule of quality of life. Oh well, this too shall pass. Overall today was a good day. Nikki continues to amaze the staff with having no problems. Just to let everyone else know that is not familiar with this process, it is not normal to be 6+ days into transplant and have nothing wrong. We have spoken with nurses that have been doing this for 10 years and they say Nikki is in the 99% with how good she is doing. Nikki is strong and determined and leaning on God every chance she gets. It is neat to see how well she is doing considering everything that could be wrong at this point(As that is apparent with all the other patients we see here). Please keep the prayers up as they are really doing a great deal for us. God Bless and everyone hopefully has a blessed week.

Delayed

Just like in the airport this posting is delayed. Last night got kind of crazy with emotions and I will leave it at that. Yesterday, Nikki ate well and exercised like she was supposed to. Her Dad and Sherrill came up in the morning and stayed for a few hours. I went home to do laundry and came back in the evening. Nikki is at a WBC count of zero and she is now going to be down here for awhile. Please pray that she stays infection free and recovers her counts quickly. God Bless.

Computer Day

Today Nikki and I spent a great deal of our time working on the blog, and the donation website. People have been asking me for months if there is anything they can do to help, and we now have been able to get the link up and running, thanks to Nikki's Cousin and her husband. (Ken & Brandie Smith) Thank you. Feel free to pass on the link or the blog address to anyone that you would like. We have also placed a song on the side that we listen to and it keeps us focused on what really matters. Nikki today had a much better day than the previous two. Her spirits and attitude had a little bit of pep. She was active and engaged for most of the day. We are going into the weekend again, and those are always tough. As last weekend, please pray that the activity we do this weekend would help the time pass quickly. God Bless and everyone have a wonderful weekend.

What goes up, Must come down!

The update for today has everything to do with keeping things in her stomach. Nikki has a rough day today, and is just trying to keep things down. Most of the day was spent laying and sitting around. Nikki got to see Ryker on the Web-cam this afternoon and that was a joy for her. We had a good talk with the psychologist today and reaffirmed with her that we want to got her home as soon as we can, but safely. Her numbers have almost bottomed out to zero. Her spirits are doing well. I wish I had more to say but, it was just one of those days. God Bless and thank you for the prayers.

Shift Change

Today Nikki's Mom went home and my Aunt Nancy arrived and they tagged each other at the airport, literally. I spent most of my day doing errands and being a courier. Nikki today had her Dad with her all day and they made many origami cranes. She now has them hanging on a string separated by 8inches and there are 4 on a string, dangling from her headboard above her. She had somewhat of a rough day because she has fallen to low's she has never experienced. At BCH foothills her lowest WBC day was 330 and today she has reached 180 WBC's. She did not have much energy today, but that is to be expected. During the day I had a discussion with my Uncle and I informed him that Nikki's blood type would be changing through this process and he asked, "What would be her new blood type". I told him, "She is currently O+ and going to B+". He commented that being a B+ is a good thing because it reminds him of how he needs to be in life and that is his mantra. I shared this with Nikki because, Nikki has always been very pessimistic about things and through this tragedy she has taken a new outlook on her life and also the way others perceive her. God has shown her to be more like him and "Being Positive (B+) is something she can take away from this. God is teaching us new things each day. We have had many blessing in our life and many tests to work through. Today our epiphany was as Forest Gump says, "Life is like a box of chocolate: You never know what you're gonna get". God Bless.

Climax

Well today was it. We have reached the climax. Nikki now has the new cells in her body from a little baby girl. Thank you everyone who prayed and fasted. Nikki today was asleep most of the day and because of that I do not really have a lot to report. She got her cells around 11:15am MST and then she was out. They gave her a great deal of medications to make sure that the cells would not react poorly. Nikki only weighs a buck and change so any medication that hits her main blood line knocks her out pretty quick. Later on in the day she awoke and we ate dinner together around 7pm and then she was somewhat alert. She is still a little tired so she should sleep well tonight. I know that all of the prayers and fasting that took place today was an awesome thing and we really appreciate it. Please now just pray for boring days. The way we look at it now is that she is done with the brutal regimen, and now we have only an upside to go for. We have all been at this since July 31 and now we can look forward to good things in the future. God Bless you all and thank the Lord Jesus for his unfailing comfort in a time like this.

A Day of Rest

Well the title says it all. We today just sat around and did nothing. Today was a boring day, and they say boring is good. We both are feeling a little stir crazy and the days seem to be dragging on. Nikki is doing well with her regimen and she is still healthy considering all that has happened to her. God has truly blessed her with a strong body and we are looking forward to her getting through the next couple of weeks just the same. The one thing that I request tonight, is that if you have the ability to fast tomorrow please do so. This is going to be a monumental day in the LIFE of Nikki, and everything anyone can do tomorrow would be greatly appreciated. I don't know all the religious beliefs of the people reading this blog are, but please do anything you can for her. God Bless and to God be the Glory.

All Pau!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The title means, "All Done". The title is how they say that in Hawaiian. Nikki is all done with her Chemo. Today was the last dose, and she got through it yet again with no side effects. The power of prayer is huge. Thank everyone so much for keeping Nikki in your prayers and being specific. Today marks the last day, Lord willing, that Nikki ever has to do any Chemo if the transplant does what it is supposed to do. We are so grateful that God has his hand on Nikki. Today when we were walking the Green Mile, I asked her how she was doing mentally now that the treatments are all done. We also talked about what is ahead and looking at what could happen after the transplant and her response to me was, "I know that someone (God) is watching over me and that is why things have gone as smoothly as they have and that is what I expect for the future". Tomorrow Nikki has a rest day and nothing happens, as her body gets ready for the new cells. We hope that everyone is ready to go into this week refreshed from this weekend. God Bless you and please continue lifting Nikki upward to our Father.

Tough as Nails

Well it does not come as a surprise that Nikki made it through the first day of the strongest Chemo with no problems. Today's Chemo was supposed to be the most brutal of them all and she passed with flying colors. We walked, and she ate well again for a second day. We got through today with somewhat of an upbeat mental state and hope we can get through one more day this weekend without loneliness. Nikki is a little more tired than normal but she is still pushing along and last night got her best sleep. We will sit around tomorrow and watch a lot of football on my computer. We are needing one more day of success as she takes the same Chemo tomorrow as she did today. As far as her and Ryker are going, she is doing as good as can be, but misses him a great deal. God Bless and enjoy church.

Focus, Daniel Son!

Today was or first semblance of a good day. We finally worked out a schedule and can focus on exactly what Nikki needs to do while here in the hospital, which she controls (eating and working out). Nikki completed her four days of radiation, twice a day today. She in all had eight treatments and so far is doing well. Nikki remains physically and mentally strong thus far. We walked about 2.5 miles today in a hall that consists of 91 feet one way (I will let you do the math as to how many round trips up and down the hall). We watched a movie tonight and she hit her calorie input needed to keep the dietitian away and keep her continuing to eat normal food. We are going into this weekend with a positive beat and pray that we can maintain that feeling for at least a day. Nikki started making some cranes out of origami. If you don't know there is a myth that started with a young Japanese girl. An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. We don't really believe in this myth but, it is something that we never new. Please send cards as you have, so we can continue encouraging Nikki through this journey. We specifically ask that everyone pray that Nikki gets through this last stint of Chemotherapy flawlessly. God Bless and everyone enjoy their weekend.

Getting it Right

We today had a struggle of getting Nikki to eat the right foods and to get on a good workout regimen. Nikki and I had a day that was a battle of the wills. I had to work with the staff to get her to eat. She had some nausea today and it was difficult to eat. We are also working on her getting into a walking schedule. She has a new friend and she nicknamed him He-Man. The pole has a an, "H" in the middle of it and it is very bulky. We are headed into the weekend and this will be a tough saga to re-enter into. Please pray that the Lord give us things to occupy our time here. I wish I had more to say but it is getting hard to get motivated to keep this up, but I know that I need to, as it is a huge avenue for prayers. Thanks to all and please excuse my shortness.

Getting in the Groove

We started out the day with radiation again. We are beginning to understand the groove of the hospital and what to expect. Nikki had a very routine day, for a hospital day. During the afternoon she took a nap and woke up with a very small appetite, which is to be expected as she goes through her treatments. Today for me was a brutal day psychologically. I am amazed how middle class Americans are being eaten alive by outrageous health care costs. I won't get into the details just please pray for me to go home and find a tree that produces green leaves :). We finally nicknamed the hallway that Nikki needs to walk up and down every day, three time a day, back and forth. It is named, "The Green Mile". We are blessed to have a wonderful support team made up of family and friends that support us through this time. We are grateful for the family we have that all pull together and do what they can for Nikki. God is truly amazing when you call on him, and have him at your side. God Bless and have a great rest of the week. Boo Yankees.

No Turning Back

We started out the day @7am with Nikki going down to get her first dose of radiation. The procedure marks the realization that there is no going back. The radiation will destroy all of Nikki's bone marrow that she currently has. So, she has to get the transplant now because her current bone marrow would never recover by itself. Kind of a scary day for both of us. Her mother came up today later on in the day, as I went home to hang out with Ryker and gave Nikki a chance to see Ryker on our webcam. Nikki's spirits today were a little mixed with ups and downs. We are ending the day with good feelings and no sorrow at this point in the day. We would ask that you pray for Nikki to get through these next couple of days of immune suppression, with little to no negative effects. Please ask the Lord to start preparing her body to accept the new cells without a glitch. We hope everyone has a blessed day and we will talk tomorrow. God Bless.

The Jury has Reached a Verdict

We found out this morning that Ryker will not be allowed in the hospital at all during Nikki's time here @ Presbyterian St. Luke's (PSL). A care team of about 8 people today entered our room and informed us that they have decided it is not in the best interest of Nikki to be possibly exposed to a bacteria that could be acquired in the hospital. On the BMT unit they have safety precautions and Hepa filters (high end filtering system) to protect Nikki from infections. Nikki needless to say had a very difficult day as did. Nikki, as most of you know, is very strong and is determined more than ever to get home ASAP in conjunction with what the Doctor's recommend. The strength of the Lord for Nikki needs to be omnipresent with her as her mental reinforcement (Ryker) has been withdrawn from her arsenal. Please everyone continue to do as you do and PRAY. The power of prayer for us is so important and we thank you in advance. Please pass this message onto whomever prays and has the ability to lift Nikki up. God Bless you and we are praying that tomorrow's first round of radiation goes without a hiccup (No pun intended).

We the People

Today started out a little rough, as I expected! Nikki woke up this morning and was feeling really depressed due to the fact that she could not see Ryker in his crib, which she had become so accustomed to doing. After we talked for a while the nursing staff started to come into the room and could tell Nikki was upset. After numerous people came into the room, to include the Doctor twice, they realized something needed to be done. Tomorrow, some of the executive at the hospital are going to meet and discuss Nikki's situation of not being able to see Ryker, and see if they can figure out how to accommodate her seeing Ryker in a safe manner. The main concern they have is the spread of the H1N1 virus in the hospital. They do not want Nikki to stop this procedure due to her not being able to see Ryker, but they have a protocol in place that does not allow anyone under the age of 18 in the facility. They are concerned for her mental well being as well as the physical well being of other patients on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit (BMT). The prayer would be that the staff have a compassionate heart and find a way to accommodate Nikki's needs, as well as being cognisant of the other patients health care concerns. We hope that are concerns and negotiations are heard. Please continue to send cards and prayers upwards. Thanks and God Bless.

Back in the Saddle

Well here we are again. Today was extremely difficult for Nikki. She had to leave Ryker @ home with the knowledge that she will not be seeing him for 30+ days, which is going to be an extremely difficult thing for her to get through. We are in our room and situated as well as we can. We also began to meet the staff, so far so good. The emotions of today were overwhelming and I just pray that they get better as we progress through this long journey. The one thing that I would ask everyone to say numerous prayers about is the ability for the care team to make some sort of exception to allow Nikki to see Ryker somewhat. Sorry I don't have more to say but it has just been a long day full of emotions and I am numb myself. God Bless and please send many prayers upward. Thank you!

The last weekend

Nikki, Ryker and I are enjoying our last weekend together at home. This week will be a difficult on us due to the fact that we will be dealing with a great deal of emotions as we approach the day of admittance. Nikki got bad news that Ryker will not be allowed up at the hospital during her stint due to the H1N1 pandemic. We are going to be taking every minute we can and enjoying our time at home. The only request we have for everyone before we go in on the 30th is that everyone would be praying unceasingly that Nikki would make it through the transplant successfully and that she will not be wasting 40 or so days away from Ryker for nothing. We also pray that Nikki would remain in remission for many decades. Thanks to all and, God Bless. We will be going back in as I mentioned on the 30th of October and if you could resume sending cards and things to the address listed on the top, we would be thankful. P.S. once we are admitted we will be updating the blog daily again.

Add on.

I forgot to mention to pray for us this week. Monday we are going in for a 12 hr day of multiple appointments to include a lumbar puncture. On Wednesday Nikki has to go back in and get a bone marrow biopsy done. So this week is going to be full of emotions and pain. Thanks all.

Back to the Norm

We had a good week overall. We do know that we will most likely be in the hospital starting on the 30th of October. We did get some matches in for the cord transplant and we will be going in this week for a multitude of tests. We are really enjoying are time at home with one another over the last couple of weeks. I have been able to stay local in Denver for most of it with a few travel days here and there. We are thankful that every night we are together. We have called on the Lord for strength numerous times and he does not fail. We already have people starting to set there itineraries to come help us our over these next few months, which is awesome. God is GREAT that we have the people in our lives willing to serve us. Thank you so much. I do ask that people start to send cards again starting on the 29th or so. Nikki will most likely be in the hospital for another 40 days during this stint so all the encouragement we can receiver would be awesome. God Bless and we will be in touch next weekend.

What a Week

Well this week was a week of ups and downs. Nikki got the results of her matching with her siblings and all three came back as no match. We had a really tough day on Wednesday. Nikki and I were expecting one of them to be a match since she had a 75% chance. After that we had to go into the National Registry and we found no luck there either. They are looking into the Foreign pool to see if there is a match since she is 1/4 Japanese it will be tough. The fact that she has a minority strand in her DNA makes the probabilities less likely. The good news is that they did find several matches in the cord pool and have put them on hold. Which means she can use an umbilical cord for her transplant. This cord comes from a baby that was born and they saved the cord after birth. They will be able to use the stem cells from that baby's cord to help Nikki fight her cancer. We are still hoping to make the October 30th timeline since the cords are readily available, and that would mean we would not have to do another consolidation as well as be home for Rykers B-Day and the holidays. We know God is at work, it is sometimes hard to see the trees through the forest though at times. Please continue to pray for Nikki and specifically that we can keep the date of 10-30-09. We are pleading with God to make this day happen as we would like to enjoy his B-Day along with Rykers at home. God Bless you and we will update you next weekend.

Home Alone

Well today was a good but sad day. We took my Aunt Nancy back to the airport, after staying with us for 3 weeks. She absolutely was a blessing for us to have around for that time, but it will also be good for Nikki, Ryker and I to have these next couple of weeks just the three of us. This week we did get an answer to prayers as to where to go for the stem cell transplant, Praise God. We still need prayer for a match as Nikki's siblings will be tested this week. Nikki and I are currently in the hospital for her to get a transfusion of platelets. We are taking one day at a time and thankful that the Lord has blessed us with her health (all thing considered). We are enjoying this time at home and her spirits are doing well, but I don't know how long they will be this way since the ominous day of leaving for the stem cell transplant is on the horizon. She is doing all of the things that a mother and a wife do everyday, which is a wonderful sign of her psychological state of mind. Christ is by our side everyday and he has been there to pick us up on the days that we are down. Thank you to all of you for your prayers. I will update this again in a week to inform everyone of any dates that we know moving forward in the up and coming months. God Bless.

T.G.I.F.

The phrase says everything. We are back to the homestead in the morning. Today was another day that drug on. We are grateful for all the staff here at Boulder Community Foothills Hospital, they have made our time here an experience to remember. We today watched a movie and played crosswords and finished yet another puzzle. We have asked Aunt Nancy to stay another week and she thankfully accepted our request. Nikki today read through about 8 cards this morning and we started packing up for the morning. We have been playing the song, "Home" from Michael Buble and it's is our theme song during this journey. (If you have not heard the song, google it and listen, you will understand). I will be giving updates once a week on the Blog over the weekends. I will put all the information we find out during the week on there and also let you know when we are scheduled to go back into the hospital in a month or so. The prayer for this month is that Nikki would find a match with her siblings, we pick the correct hospital for the procedure, and that I would just figure our how to manage life during this time, as it is very overwhelming. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and cards. God Bless you until we talk again.

Time is Taking its Toll

Well today was a very long day. Nikki and I are both just getting mentally exhausted by all of the things ahead of us we have to go through. We both had spats with one another today just out of pure anxiety of what we have to deal with in the up and coming months. Nikki did however get a boost when someone from our church came up to the room today to spend some time with Nikki. I would like to add a prayer request that we are praying for specifically. The request is that one of her siblings are an exact match for her with the stem cell transplant and also that we would make the right decision as to where to go to get the procedure done. We are both looking forward to getting out of here first thing on Saturday morning and excited that tomorrow is our last full day here this time. Thanks as always for your support and prayers. God Bless.

The Long Road Ahead

Well today we found out that we are going to have another long road on the horizon. When Nikki goes into the phase of a stem cell transplant she will most likely be hospitalized for 30 days. Though this time we believe there will be times when Ryker is not allowed, which will be hard to deal with, but we know that the long term will be well worth it. It does not make it any easier but we know it is the right thing to do. Nikki today is at the hump day and she only has a few days left. We are kind of just going through the motions, but I guess this is better than dealing with a fire drill. Boring is good, we are told. We continue to read cards every morning and we have stock piled enough so we have some for every morning, as everyone thought as well as us that we would be here last week. We should be home for a month or so and then if everyone would not mind, please start sending cards again during that time. I will keep everyone posted on the process as we approach it. The prayers are working because Nikki is feeling well and so are her spirits, God is good. Thanks as always and God Bless each and every one of you.

A New Arrival

Today was the first time that Terry's Aunt Nancy was able to spend some time with Nikki in the hospital today. They got to talk for hours in between Nikki's treatments. She came into town to help out with Ryker while we are in the Hospital. Nikki today has adopted a new friend in the way of her infusion device pole. The other day a paitents needed to use Grover due to their form of treatment and Nikki reluctantly let Grover go. They brought her in another IV pole and we have nicknamed this one Johnny 5 (Short circuit the movie, there are some similarities). We are just plugging along here in the hospital. The best way I can compare to what she is going through is by saying that her induction Chemo therapy was like dropping an Atom bomb on her immune system and this is more like Scud Missiles. The treatment is not as nearly severe and she is responding well. We don't expect anything to go aloof lord willing. We have fit right back into the routine of hospital life and are just anticipating going home on Saturday morning. God Bless everyone and Thank for all of your support and prayer during this difficult time in our lives.

We're Back!!!!

Well hello everyone. We are back in the hospital for a week. Nikki started her first part of Chemo today which called ARA/C that is what she will be going through for 5 days and then we are gone. The first day back was fitting back into the routine which unfortunately we know very well. Everyone that was here today was very nice as usual to Nikki and I. We don't have a lot to report on other than she remains in good spirits. Please everyone just pray for a smooth time here and we always will accept cards and prayers. Thank you all and God Bless.

The Results Are In

The results from the consultation today were very informative. We spent an hour and a half with the doctor and found out that we will need to have a bone marrow transplant or stem cell. We found out that Nikki will have to get one because of the FLIT3 results. We are thankful however that the news tended to be reassuring that the survival rate once administered is favorable. We also found out that Nikki will be going in for her consolidation on Monday and that she will not need to go through all four consolidations if we are taking the road of the transplant. How many of the consolidations that are needed is still up in the air depending on how quickly we can get the data that we need from Nikki and her siblings. I will be updating the Blog again on Thursday if we find something new out from her Doctor, otherwise if there is no entry we are status quot until we get to the hospital on Monday and then we will update everyone again. If anyone has any questions please feel free to email @ tnnnjw1@yahoo.com

Holding

Just as in the NFL we have a case of holding. Nikki's numbers last week were not high enough to be readmitted into the hospital for her first consolidation. She is going in this week on Thursday to find out if she can go in on Monday on next week. Today we are going to a local hospital to consult with a Bone Marrow Transplant consultant to get information and data on the process, should it become necessary. Nikki this week and last has enjoyed being at home with our son Ryker. She is a little weak but overall she is doing very well, she just wants to start the process and have one less consolidation to do. I will give an update on today's meeting if we learn anything on interest but the post will be brief. Until then God Bless.

The Great Escape

First let me start out by saying that we did not break out for those of you that have seen the movie. Nikki was released today from the hospital, Praise God! Her ANC's today reached 513 and that was enough for a discharge. Our time in the hospital was finally over for now and we got to go home. Needless to say Nikki's spirits today were in great shape. After we got home for a few hours we went over to her father's house for a little celebration. For those of you that don't know Nikki personally for her to request a little party was a big thing. Nikki never wants to have a party for herself. Maybe this is part of the new Nikki. It was great for to get together and celebrate Nikki's home coming. I am sure all of you wish you could have been there as we wish you were as well. After 40 days in the hospital we are home for 7 days. Both Godly numbers. Nikki will resume her hospital stint in a week from now for her first consolidation, but the good news is she will only be there for 5-6 days guaranteed, which is a breeze after 40 days. As always I cannot thank everyone enough for all the prayers and support you have given us. Please keep in mind that we will still need those prayers as we resume treatment next week and please keep the cards coming. I will be updating this Blog in a few days with the current score and how things are on the home front. Until then we love you all and may God bless each and everyone one of you.

Ground Hogs Day

Well needless to say we did not get out today. The day started out as a real drag. Nikki did not want to get out of bed nor eat. It took me an hour and a half to convince her to get up and eat and then a nurse came in and talked with us for an additional hour and half before our day got started. When our day finally began it was 1:30pm. Being here yet another day has been a drag because it is like we are having to redo yesterdays events about getting prepared to leave. (Ground Hogs Day) The only good thing that came out of today was that we had conversations that will help Nikki out once she leaves here and that was well worth it. We should have better numbers by tomorrow but Nikki and I are planning on being here tomorrow, and hopefully our reverse psychology will work out and not to our detriment. I hope everyone has a great labor day and hopefully when I write this blog tomorrow it is from our home. God Bless.

Oops

Here is the video. Sorry for the confusion.

The End in Near

Today we got the results of her CBC and we were not surprised to see a little dip. The good news is that today even though her ANC (Absolute Nuetrafill Count) was down, the building blocks are in place for tomorrow to have a big blow out of her ANC's. We are preparing for our discharge hopefully in the morning. Today we spent time writing in some cards that we got for our dream team. (5 core nurses that touched Nikki heart) These last 38 days have been difficult but the nursing staff here, along with all the cards, and Jesus by our side have made a huge difference. We will be updating the blog as usual tomorrow even if we go home to alert everyone of the good news. Today I made a little video of our room with all the cards and the layout for everyone to see. (Please see attached) In total we have had the pleasure of reading through 138 cards from an amazing group of people. I say this with the deepest heart, thank you very much for making a difference in this journey for Nikki and allowing her to exprerinnce the genuiene love that each of you share for her. I want to especially thank my family for the support and prayers and the network they brought together in this time of need. I would also be re missed if I did not metion how Nikki's family here in Colorado have pulled together each and everyday to allow Nikki, Ryker and I to have a few hours everyday togehter. Nikki's Mom and Stepfather have lived in our home for the duration, and have unselfishly given of themselves to take care or most prized blessing on this earth (Ryker). At the crux of all of this is our Lord and Saviour and we have been truely blessed by his presence here in this journey. The way he has lifted Nikki and I up is unexplainable but I know this peace that we exude can only come from One God. God Bless.

"300"

No, this is not going to talk about the movie or how the spartans held of the entire persian army so that christianity was not overthrown by eastern religions. (God is awesome) We mean that her absoulte nuetrolfills reached the level of 300 today and that she is 200 points away from discharge or should I say lift off (previous blog entry). Overall today Nikki was in good spirits and we got a chance to pretty much spend the entire day together, one on one. The doctors are optiistic that she will be able to go home sometime this weekend just not sure when. I wonder if they are playing on the fact that this is a three day weekend? :) We are now at 136 cards to date how awesome is that! Please pray for us as we go into another quite, slow weekend that we would find things to do that would be different from the everyday routine. God Bless.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Today we were hoping for a good pull of numbers and when the results came in we were bummed out. Nikki has not jumped up like we hoped she would and her WBC has been slow and steady. On a brighter note however, Nikki and I had a great discussion about life after this hospital stint. That is why I am typing this an hour and a half later than the usual time. This time we had tonight was very productive and will ultimately play an important role in helping Nikki along with her recovery. Thank you to everyone for keeping us in your prayers during this time and for those who have been praying for protection for us in a spiritual sense, double blessing are hopefully bestowed upon you. Having a great special teams has made all the difference in the world during this trying time, and Jesus is calling a great game thus far. The last statement is a precursor to updating the score of the game once we are discharged. Thanks again to everyone and God Bless.

It's All In The Numbers

Today was a very surprising day. We started out the day with the infection Doctor coming in and going through the normal routine. As usual everything looks good and Nikki has no sign of infection. Then a few hours went by and the Oncology Doctor came in and stated that she is doing well but her numbers are dragging. He then elaborated that the team of Doctors general consensus was that they are contemplating sending Nikki home when her absolute nuetralfill count reaches 500 and not 1000. They are realizing that Nikki is not like most of their patients (Surprise) and she is off the schedule. The probability of her going home sooner is now looking optimistic and we are really praying for a release date sometime this weekend. As the title states, "It's all about the numbers."

"What not to wear"

Today we just tried to pass the time by as quickly as possible. We woke up to the news that her absolute nuetralfil was up to 110. That was a great thing due to the fact that yesterday they were at 30. We hopefully are in the zone of her numbers climbing steadily now. Later on in the day Nikki put on a fashion show for her Mom, Dad, and Stepfather. Nikki likes to watch a lot of those designer shows on TV and one of her favorites is, "What not to wear". Nikki modeled her hat selection and her halo hair pieces today for her family. She had a moment that was emotional for her but moved through it with the support of her family. She says, "I have a hard enough time figuring out what to wear with hair, now I have to include a hat in my wardrobe makeup. I am in trouble." She will do fine and the nice thing is she looks good in mostly everything she wears. We are praying for a good number tomorrow so we can get enthused about going home shortly. We are hopefully on the home run stretch. Everyone have a good hump day tomorrow. God Bless.

One Month Anniversay

Today marked the one month date of being here in the Hospital. Hopefully this is our last week here. This is one anniversary that we do not want to celebrate again. Being in the hospital for a month now has been a mental drain for all of us, especially Nikki. I can only say thanks to each and every one of you for your support during this time. Nikki's mental stability during this time has been amazing and we have no doubt that God is helping her through this because she could not do this on her own without going stir crazy. The Doctors are just waiting around to have her absolute nuetrofills register 1.0. Today overall was a drag, due to the fact that we have missed the whole month of August. On a better note, some of Nikki's hats arrived today, she got to model them, and I must say, "She looks fabulous!" I hope everyone started the week off well and please say a special prayer after reading this that her WBC's recovers quickly. God Bless.

T Minus _______ To Lift Off

Well today we had our first sign of recovery. Nikki had her first blurp on the radar screen which signifies the beginning of her Seg Nuetro's taking off. Today on her CBC report she showed her first account of that category, it now reads 0.1 We need in to read 1.0 before she can be released. Our understanding is that once it starts climbing that it increases at an elevated rate so we know we are on our home run stretch. We are through another weekend and will now just be watching those numbers each day so that we can go home. Please pray for those Seg Nuetro's to climb quickly so we can launch.

Putting Together the Pieces

This day started out with breakfast as normal and then the day kind of went through the motions. Nikki today spent a large amount of time working on a 750 piece puzzle, she went on a walk, and watched some TV (News) which she never does. Her spirits today were doing very well and as the day progressed she continued on that same path. Overall today was a good day for Nikki and she is doing well considering we are still here in the hospital. The doctor had no reports, other than no news is good news. We are hopeful that her WBC's will recover here in a few days. Please pray that Nikki does not come down with a cold (she has the congestion in her nose). Have a good day in church all.

The Closing Bell

Well today was the end of the week which we hoped we would be at home. So that in itself is a tough thing to swallow. Today when the closing bell rang in symbolized the beginning of yet another weekend here at the hospital. Nikki is doing her best to keep her spirits up going into this weekend. Today we went online and ordered a bunch of hats and hair pieces. This is the first physical need that Nikki has so for those of you that inquired about how you can help, this would be a possibility, if not I am sure there will be other ones. If you would like to you contribute to what she has picked out then do so by sending it to the address listed on the header of the blog. We did get news today that the doctor is optimistic that she will be going home here shortly and as soon as we get a sense of that, we will immediately update this blog. We hope all of you have a great weekend and please continue on lifting Nikki up to our Father who is definitely beside her. God Bless.

Full Circle

Well today started off pretty rough. Nikki was flirting with a low grade fever, no result from the bone marrow biopsy yet, and she was loosing her hair in big chunks. As the day progressed her fever subsided. Later on in the day Sherrill came up with Nikki's cranial prosthesis's (Wigs). Nikki then got the news that the preliminary results of her bone marrow biopsy are still clean and they are beginning to see the early generation of healthy WBC's. Praise God. The last part of the day or should I say early morning hours (1am) she made the decision to shave her head. I did my best job to date and it looks great (GI Jane). So when everything was said and done the day came full circle. Nikki today got through a big milestone, as I am sure all you women can appreciate. She had a tough time letting go of her hair, but after talking for an hour and a half she was ready to make the transition. This will help her emotionally in a big way by not having to look at the inevitable of loosing her hair slowly, and the mental anguish that accompanies that process. Thanks to everyone for the prayers regarding her bone marrow biopsy and please keep the cards coming, we look forward to opening them every morning. God Bless everyone and lets just pray for those WBC's to develop.

Another Knockout

Nikki went through her 3rd bone marrow biopsy today. She was given a heavy dose of darvaset and adavan which knocked her out for most of the day. The procedure was successful and they got what they needed. We should know the result within 48 hours of what is going on inside her body. We will continue to keep plugging along. Nikki is being such a warrior through all of this and even though she has been inside this hospital for almost a month she is still strong. (Only person I know that could do this). She did however have a tough day as her hair is starting to come out in chunks and I think in a day or two we are shaving it. (This is devastating to her, as she said, "I now look like a cancer patient. w/tears) Her family is doing an amazing job taking care of our physical needs while we are going through this. Thanks to everyone for our spiritual needs. Please pray specifically for a Leukemia Free Bone Marrow. God Bless

The Ringer

Nikki was put through the ringer today, she started out with one of her lowest RBC counts since she was admitted, which makes her very weak. She was given 2 units of blood and a unit of platelets today along with numerous drugs to protect her from any reactions when you get transfusions. Needless to say, Nikki does not do well with any medications during the waking hours. Most of the day she spent in bed and her day over all was very groggy. She is getting prepared for her 3rd bone marrow biopsy tomorrow @10am MST so please pray. If for some miraculous miracle the WBC counts recover in the morning then the biopsy will not be needed. We have hit the century mark today with the amount of cards we have received, so thank you to all that have sent them and keep them coming. The cards have meant an awful lot to Nikki and every morning we open up the cards and start each day off with all the positive thoughts and prayers, which is awesome, and at the end of each day with the teachings of our Lord.

Hang on!

Well today was one of those roller-coaster rides where we went down a on the tracks. Nikki today received notice that her WBC are not recovering the way they should be and we are possibly facing a bone marrow biopsy again to see what is going on. (This is painful for Nikki). We had a rough day emotionally again and we are probably not going to be able to be release by the weekend as we had hoped. The one thing ironically that did cheer her up today was sitting out in the rain. She has always enjoyed the smell and sight of it. Please keep us in your prayers and the days just seem to be dragging and we don't know when she will be going home, yet again.

Possible fever on the Horizon

Today was a normal day and we just went through the motions. Nikki and I got a little short tempered with one another today and after wards we both took a step back and attributed it to cabin fever. We need to get out of here soon. The day continued on, later on that evening Nikki pulled a temperature of 99.5. That is normally okay but if you are nuetropenic (low WBC's) it is considered a possible looming fever. We will continue to watch it through the night but can everyone please pray the she stays infection free as she begins her recovery of the WBC's. Thank you everyone and have a great week.

Hair today gone tomorrow!!!!!!!!

First let me say Nikki came up with today's title. Well today was a day of haircuts. Last night and early this morning I shaved my head bald. Then this afternoon Nikki had a lady from a local salon show up and cut her hair. I will let you know she went with a bob look, and it looks amazingly Asian. If I could depict a picture of her I would compare her to a little China doll (Japanese though). It really makes her Asian features pop. It was tough on her emotionally and I must say that with only a few bumps she has handled it well, and is beginning to embrace her new look. Those of you that know Nikki know that she hates change but in this instance she knows it is part of the process. At the end of the day she looks stunning as usual, now just in a more distinctive, sophisticated Japanese look. As always say a few extra prayers tomorrow in church that this is our last weekend at the hospital. God Bless.

Just another day

Today was just another day, we don't have a great deal on news to report other than we received another allotment of cards. Thanks as always and this is the road we will be on until we get out of here. I will keep you posted as her WBC recover each day. We should begin to see the climb hopefully start tomorrow. At this point no news is good news.

Par for the course

Well today was for the most part just a normal day in the hospital. We are still very excited about the previous days news. We now unfortunately just have to sit and wait unit her Seg Nuetro counts start to climb. I hope everyone enjoyed reading our analogy with the football score yesterday and we hope that soon we will score again when we get out of the hospital. Today I have been told that we have a huge shipment of cards and gifts arriving tomorrow, so thanks to everyone yet again. The Lord never seems to amaze me with all the people out there that are sending their prayers above. Have a great day tomorrow and finish out the week. God Bless.

Score 20-10

You are probably wondering why we have a score for the title. First let me start off by saying that the news we got today was good. Now I will describe the journey/score. Her Father, Nikki and I came up with an interesting way to discuss where she is today. When we came into the hospital back on July 31 we were in the preseason and we came out of it with a losing record because she was diagnosed with Cancer. The next day we took the field in the Hospital and the score quickly jumped up to 7-0 (Cancer) because we found out it was AML. Within a few days from that we found out it was M1 which was a field goal for us. (7-3) The next few days went by and we found out that Nikki had no abnormalities with her cytogenetics which brought the score up to 7-6. A few days later we got news that Nikki had a positive FLT3 (10-6). We then had a time out and waited for the results of the second bone marrow biopsy and found out that Nikki had no trace of leukemia in her bone marrow which does not happen very often. We scored a touchdown coming out of a timeout making the score (10-13). We thought we were in good shape but I was reminded that we have something else to consider with the score. We have the best special teams in the game and on a kick off we scored a touchdown (20-10) without the opponent knowing (Cancer). There is a great deal to be said for all of the support and prayers that everyone has been offering (keep them coming this is only the end of the first Quarter). We have had a long 20 days but it was great to get this refreshing news and what this means is that Nikki has 7-14 days left and then gets to go home and start her journey there. The Doctors and nurses are not surprised (since they know Nikki) that she has gone through this part of the process with flying colors. We now are just waiting for her WBC (SEG Nuetros) to climb to 1000 so lets get back to doing what the special teams do best. Thanks again everyone and God bless.

Another day for the books

Today was for the most part uneventful. Terry went home to do yard work and manage life. Nikki was joined by her mom and her husband and Taylor. They spent most of the day together. Her father and his wife came by for a few hours and then left. There was no news today other than continue to wait for the results tomorrow. Nikki recieved a bulk amount of cards (in the double digetis) so thank you to all those that are sending encouraging words, they mean a great deal. Nikki and I are looking forward to some good news tomorrow as these past 19 days have begun to take a toll. Nikki is feeling better from the procedure yesterday and her spirits are in good shape (It is amazing, God is great).

Down for the count

Today started out with a bang. Nikki got woken up in the early AM from a new Doctor that had high energy for the morning. She was quickly prepped for the biopsy and and then heavily sedated. The procedure was a success and she spent most of the day sleeping. Her body is in the process of recovering and is a little sore where the procedure took place. Her spirits however are positive and she is looking forward to a positive result that the bone marrow is without leukemia, however if it is not, then we are up for the next challenge. Getting rest for her today was important to her overall recovery and her RBC are beginning to show growth, that tells us she is producing those on her own and that is a great thing so early on. We hope to know the results from the biopsy in two days.

Surprise

Today Nikki got surprised by her Brother from St. Louis and was in good spritis most of the day. Later on in the day we found out she had acquired a minor infection. She received a beautiful comment from one of the nurses that have been caring for her. We had an upbeat day but no new news as we are finishing up the weekend. The big day is tomorrow when she goes in for her next bone marrow biopsy. Please keep her in your prayers and we will update you as soon as we find out what the test shows. We hope that everyone starts off their week well and have a blessed day.

Crossword overload

Today there were not many new developments. The Doctor came in and had no new news. Nikki and her father spent the majority of the day doing crosswords as I went home to take care of the yard. Her spirits today are average and she and I are just praying for a good result from her bone marrow biopsy that she will get on Monday that all the leukemia cells are out of her body and she can begin to start the healing process from HOME. She received another bulk amount of cards today which are always joyful to go through. Everyone have a great day in church tomorrow and lift us up as usual.

Quiksilver

You are probably wondering why the Title reads Quicksilver. Today was a quick day in the sense that it flew by. The silver part plays in because despite being in the hospital we found the silver lining in many of today activities that brought a sense of joy. This morning I surprised Nikki with having her friend bring up her dogs for a few hours. That was followed immediately by someone from our church showing up and talking with Nikki and I for a few hours. Nikki and her got a chance to have some one on one time for about an hour and she was able to share some precious moments with Nikki and help her discover what she is learning on this journey. Midway through the day Nikki received notice that she does not have to be attached to Grover anymore unless she is receiving her antibiotics. That is a big weight of her shoulders (no pun intended). Her family showed up afterwords for the rest of the day and we had many laughs and good times. Nikki received numerous cards and a few gifts today along with some great pictures. Thanks to everyone for sending the words of encouragement. Every day I am challenged with where I am going to post the new cards, but I welcome the challenge with open arms (how awesome). I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and we will keep you informed as events occur. Thanks again for the prayers, keep them coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clarification on older posts

I recently heard that someone was not able to look at older postings. All you need to do is scroll to the bottom and click on older posts. As far as the address to send cards and gifts I have edited the top section in the header and it now includes the address to send things. Sorry for the confusion.

Rebound

Today was a day that we were informed more about how the FLT3 works and what the recent news really meant. The information helped us gather our thoughts and realize that we still have many options available and we know that one of those options, God will bless us with. Nikki and I had a much better day today regarding our spirits and we are continually grateful for all the love and support we receive from family and friends here and abroad. Nikki knows and truly believes that at the end of this journey she will get home. Please continue to pray and encourage Nikki along, through cards. Thanks.

Rough Day

Today we started the day finding out that the FLT3 was positive and not negative as we had hoped. We had a rough day in parts but by the end of the day we finished on a positive note by talking to one of the night nurses and finding out we did not have all the information and she was a blessing for us. Nikki learned a valuable lesson from several different people today. She needs to take control of her mind and have it think in a way she has never pushed herself and we know that she will take care of the physical side of things. The day had many lows and a few highs but all in all she will continue to persevere through this difficult journey no matter what is thrown at her so she can go home to Ryker and Terry. Today started out bad but finished out with a positive vibe. If you want to know more of the details of this, I would encourage you to contact Sherill at the number listed in a previous posting. We received more cards today and thank you all for showing your continued support and keep praying.

A New Day

Today was the first full day without the Chemo. Her Nuero crat. today reached 0 which means she has no white blood cells to fight infection. Her red blood cells have not yet plummeted but that will soon happen. Her Gastro Doc stopped by today and he is the one that first discovered the disease. Her main Doc stated that not much was difference and that so far so good in reference to how her body is accepting the treatment.

That's all she wrote

Today was a very good day for Nikki. She, for the first time since the beginning got to leave Grover behind. She went through her last day of treatment on Chemo. The induction period is over and now we wait to see how effective the treatment was. She got to take a shower today for the first time without having to bring Grover with her. We are now expecting her red blood cells to follow on a downward trend with her WBC. Today she registered 236 WBC and today she also saw the first decline in her platelets which is also expected. Overall today was one her best days to date she was upbeat and talkative and alot of that had to do with the fact she is now done with the first phase of this long journey. The other reason is Nikki received numerous cards and gifts from various people so thank you, and please keep the cards and memento's coming as much as possible it makes a huge difference. Take care all and God Bless.

Independent Nikki

Today was the first time Nikki was on her own. I left @ 840am to do some yard stuff and Brock showed up @ 10am. She was asleep during that time but it was the first time she was independent of anyone being in the room with her. The only thing to report today of any significance was the fact that her H and H count (Hemoglobin and Hematocrit) were actually up today vs down which is were logic would say it would go. Her platelets continue to go up each day which is another weird thing, I guess I should say God thing. Her spirits today were a little sluggish but that is to be expected as we enter in the Nadar days (7-10) which is when she will be at her weakest. Thanks to everyone for the suppport and we will talk again tomorrow.

Rough one

Today was one of Nikki's toughest days to date. She slept most of the day and did not have a lot of energy. Her blood counts are beginning to drop along with her immune system. The Doctor had no change and she will continue to fight even when she is exhausted. Please pray that Nikki find the strength to continue to eat and also to go on her 3 daily walks. Nothing else to report this time everyone have a great Sunday and for those that go to church say a couple of extra prayers for us. Thank and God Bless.

Update

Today we found out there were no abnormalities with the cytogenetics which is a good thing but we still need more information, the only thing that I think it tells us is that stem cell research so far is an avenue we do not have to go down. WBC are now down below 100 and her immune system is reaching the lows that we expected. There was a little bit of drop off in energy today but Nikki is still in good spirits. We got a bouquet of balloons today which brightened up Nikki's day and she got to spend a good amount of time with Ryker tonight. She said, "Nikki out"

Cards

We talked to several people today that have had Chemo and one of the things that they said was important were cards, from loved ones and friends to post in the room. The address is on a previous days posting. It is important to Nikki that she know you all are here with her in spirit. Overall today was another good day (a little drop off). The one thing that is positive is as her WBC count drops her RBC count has remained consistent. The big prayer moving forward would be to specifically pray for FLT3 to come back negative (that would be huge). If anyone wants to know how they can help or what they can due I would recommend calling Sherrill @ 720-890-2970 and she can elaborate on what is needed. Again thank you for all the prayers and cards ahead of time.

Stunning

This is my favorite picture of Nikki!

Contact Info and Update

For those of you who want to send something for Nikki, the address for that would be her Father's House and that is:
Willie and Sherrill Williams
897 Marfell St
Erie, CO 80516

An email is:
tnnnjw1@yahoo.com

Nikki today had another good day and we found out she can eat vegetables and fruits. She had her last push today and now is in her third day of Chemo. Today she told me (Terry) to go out and get some fresh air and energize and go see the dogs and Ryker. It was a good day for me as well. Nikki spent time with her family today and went on a walk around the grounds. We are grateful for another good day and are wishing for more although we realize it is probably going to get a little tougher as she reaches her Nader days (7-10) the lowest white blood cell counts.

August 4, 2009

We got our first good news today that she has AML M1 and not M6 or M7. She had a good day today and was in good spirits. We walked around the hospital today and she did not have to bring Grover (Triple Infusion Pump) She successfully completed her first 24 hour cycle of Chemo.

Nikki's Recovery

The Blog will be updated by Terry to give family and friends an update on Nikki's recovery. We ask that you do not leave any comments at this time.