We saw Dr. Ottenheimer/Roseburg Tuesday afternoon for blood test. Dr. Nichols was very concerned over Steve's hip pain and his trouble walking. So he confered with Dr. Nichols and we headed back to Portland Tuesday night vx. our supposed chemo treatment date on Thursday.
Steve's hip pain as advanced to the severity he had in December. And we haven't been able to control the pain with our pain meds. Plus he is having trouble walking and we are using the wheelchair more. He is dragging his foot as well. So added up, Dr wanted to see Steve asap.
He arrived Tuesday night late (midnight) and a battery of tests were scheduled. But only the CT-Scan was done, due to his hip pain and his inability to lie still on the bed for tests.
Thursday AM:2/28/08
Still no news on the CT-Scan-Dr. Nichols came in to see Steve, but he didn't address the results of the findings. He wants to do more testing.
In the meantime, Steve started having very bad pain about 9:30 p.m. last night and we've been up all night fighting the pain. He's hooked up
to a morphine drip machine, they give him oxycodone every hour, and they put shots of morphine into his IV every 3 hours. He's in such pain
that he can't lie in bed--due to the pain in his hip. So I figured out how to arrange pillows in one of his hospital room chairs. So for the past hour
he's sleeping in the chair, with his legs outstretched onto the bed. He's probably gotten around an hour of sleep the entire night and only 2-3 hours
in the past 48 hours. We are both so exhausted and that isn't a good thing!
So the nurses are calling the doctor on call for more pain meds and different ideas of how to control the pain, since it has come on so fast!
They may try accupunture and other alternative ways of pain management. They are calling in a pain management guy today.
I finally left the hospital at 5:15 a.m and he looked like he might be sleeping. So I am asking for continued prayer that the DR figure out
how to control the pain, what is the cause (other than cancer in the hip area) and how they are going to treat it.
Steve is in room 713 in the new Cancer Care unit at Providence, but I really don't want him to receive phone calls until he gets more
sleep and they get the pain managed.
God is on the Throne and I do not know what the future holds, but I do know who holds Our future!!
Thanks so much for your prayers and wonderful loving support. As I get more information I'll let all of you know.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
List updates from Sunday--Praise the Lord He continues to bless us!!
OK--so I added some information to the blog and ran out of time to finish and edit. So I will try to make additions to you all and then edit the blog site:
Re; the list--here are the updates on that:
We have received many phone CARDS--& calls- so we thank Matt, Deana, Ellis & Mary for their generosity.
Jay & Cheryl Northam have consented to making a concrete addition to our sidewalk near our back driveway. Which will make it easier for Steve to navigate his
wheelchair and/or walker. Thank you so much!!
My wonderful girlfriends, Patti Long and Barb Moore came over Sunday afternoon and we decorated for Easter. Thank you both for making my heart smile!!!\
Easter is a time of re-birth and life--so I want to celebrate that event, by surrounding myself with Easter items. (It's a girl thing, I imagine..........)
The ESD is planning the Blood Drive on April 4 @ the ESD in Rsbg and are also planning a Garage Sale on Saturday, April 5 as a fundraiser for Steve.
Poor Steve is so overwhelmed with everyone's generosity & he is having trouble comprehending it. We are both so awed by the very love we feel from our friends & family.
RE: the kitchen table & chair set--still no picture to share with you--it is a wood round pedestal table w/leaf and it had very whimsical chairs. I know-- who describes chairs as whimsical?? Remember I'm under stress--so just bear with me. Deana (my sister-in-law) checks craigslist daily trying to find something that kinda resembles it--but no luck yet. So I still have the round kitchen table set on my List--but who knows I may go to my grave--with that set on my List.
Steve is getting weaker and more frail each day as the chemo starts wearing on his poor body. We are only at round # 3--so I pray that the Lord will give him added strength to withstand the next coming treatments. His hip is starting to hurt him--so I'm nervous about that. The doctors reassured me that the pain in his right hip would subside after the chemo and it did, but it's returning. There was cancer found in his right hip bone, in addition to the Central Nervous System.
But through all of this, he is very positive, says he feels good-- just fatigued and weak. He loves to have company and even though it tires him out--he really enjoys seeing his friends!!
Still plan on leaving Thursday for Dr. Nichols appt and hopefully be admitted to start the next round.
good night,
mj & steve
Re; the list--here are the updates on that:
We have received many phone CARDS--& calls- so we thank Matt, Deana, Ellis & Mary for their generosity.
Jay & Cheryl Northam have consented to making a concrete addition to our sidewalk near our back driveway. Which will make it easier for Steve to navigate his
wheelchair and/or walker. Thank you so much!!
My wonderful girlfriends, Patti Long and Barb Moore came over Sunday afternoon and we decorated for Easter. Thank you both for making my heart smile!!!\
Easter is a time of re-birth and life--so I want to celebrate that event, by surrounding myself with Easter items. (It's a girl thing, I imagine..........)
The ESD is planning the Blood Drive on April 4 @ the ESD in Rsbg and are also planning a Garage Sale on Saturday, April 5 as a fundraiser for Steve.
Poor Steve is so overwhelmed with everyone's generosity & he is having trouble comprehending it. We are both so awed by the very love we feel from our friends & family.
RE: the kitchen table & chair set--still no picture to share with you--it is a wood round pedestal table w/leaf and it had very whimsical chairs. I know-- who describes chairs as whimsical?? Remember I'm under stress--so just bear with me. Deana (my sister-in-law) checks craigslist daily trying to find something that kinda resembles it--but no luck yet. So I still have the round kitchen table set on my List--but who knows I may go to my grave--with that set on my List.
Steve is getting weaker and more frail each day as the chemo starts wearing on his poor body. We are only at round # 3--so I pray that the Lord will give him added strength to withstand the next coming treatments. His hip is starting to hurt him--so I'm nervous about that. The doctors reassured me that the pain in his right hip would subside after the chemo and it did, but it's returning. There was cancer found in his right hip bone, in addition to the Central Nervous System.
But through all of this, he is very positive, says he feels good-- just fatigued and weak. He loves to have company and even though it tires him out--he really enjoys seeing his friends!!
Still plan on leaving Thursday for Dr. Nichols appt and hopefully be admitted to start the next round.
good night,
mj & steve
It's Spring and Time for a Rummage Sale!
Here is a great way to clear out your old and make some money for the Smiths! The ESD is holding a Rummage Sale on Saturday, April 5th in their front parking lot. The first sign of spring brings in fresh air, flowers and money exchanging hands! Help them out by donating some goods and a chat for a worthy family.
Please contact Andrea at the ESD at 957-4849.
Please contact Andrea at the ESD at 957-4849.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Rita's List
Rita with ESD has been working hard to get some projects under way. In addition to the blood drive, she is also heading up a few groups:
Yard work crew
Money collection
Water and snack collection
If anyone is interested in helping, please contact her at 957-4838
Yard work crew
Money collection
Water and snack collection
If anyone is interested in helping, please contact her at 957-4838
Praise the Lord the following items are no longer needed:
***Wheelchair--thank you ESD!!
***Yard work is being accomplished as I am writing this to you--thank you Sue & Tray Williams
***Phone Calls have arrived almost daily--thank you Deana & Matt.
***Protein bars are arriving and wonderful recipes included. Thank you Bob & Diane Dunas, Joan Forbess, Gail Francis, & hopefully I haven't forgotten someone else. Stay tuned and I will thank you!!!
***Gas money from Church on the Rise (Nazarene Church, Roseburg)
***Financial gifts--We'll thank you personally.
***Blood Drive at the ESD on April 4 & if you can't go to the ESD on that date, the Red Cross in Rsbg is holding a Saturday Blood Drive on March 15. You can give blood "in honor of Steve Smith"--somehow he is given credit for the blood received in his name. As we are using blood twice a week, he is using alot of blood. More information follows. Call Rita Snyder at the ESD for more information. 957-4838.
***House cleaning periodically by Staci Just--thanks--you are such a dear for remembering me.
***Re: table and chair set. It was a wood round pedestal table with 4 chairs--
***Yard work is being accomplished as I am writing this to you--thank you Sue & Tray Williams
***Phone Calls have arrived almost daily--thank you Deana & Matt.
***Protein bars are arriving and wonderful recipes included. Thank you Bob & Diane Dunas, Joan Forbess, Gail Francis, & hopefully I haven't forgotten someone else. Stay tuned and I will thank you!!!
***Gas money from Church on the Rise (Nazarene Church, Roseburg)
***Financial gifts--We'll thank you personally.
***Blood Drive at the ESD on April 4 & if you can't go to the ESD on that date, the Red Cross in Rsbg is holding a Saturday Blood Drive on March 15. You can give blood "in honor of Steve Smith"--somehow he is given credit for the blood received in his name. As we are using blood twice a week, he is using alot of blood. More information follows. Call Rita Snyder at the ESD for more information. 957-4838.
***House cleaning periodically by Staci Just--thanks--you are such a dear for remembering me.
***Re: table and chair set. It was a wood round pedestal table with 4 chairs--
Steve's possibly heading for Portland 2/28
We have a doctor appt at Providence in Portland on Thursday--no idea if we'll stay for the next round or not.If blood counts are not to their liking--they will send us back home and we'll have to wait to start Chemo #3More news to come on website. When we get a room phone #--we'll post on this site.thanks for prayers,
love,mj and Steve
love,mj and Steve
Friday, February 22, 2008
Much Needed Items
So many of you have responded with overwhelming kindness to my "list assignment". So many of you told me that you had been waiting to help and needed help with how you could help us. It's been hard--trying to be open and honest with our needs. God has been good to us, but we know that He is using you as His hands.
First I am going to list the very practical needs that the lymphoma society said that every cancer patient who is going through chemo needs (esp. ones that go out of town for their treatments, as we are going to Ptld routinely)
**Gas Cards are very practical and extremely useful--as we travel to Portland and back many times during the months for treatments.
**Gift Cards for restaurants, as Mj is living in Ptld for 7-10 days at a time -- this would offset our expenses
**Gift Cards to Stores, e.g. Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, for the 101 needs of being away from home and for items needed during this stressful time.
**Phone cards--so Steve can use to call out of hospital.
**Give Blood --if you can. The ESD is trying to set up a Blood Drive, where blood can be donated "in honor of Steve Smith" Blood is always needed and it truly is a gift that "keeps on giving"
Mj's list:
**A list of men that I can call on to take Steve to Dr.'s appts in Roseburg or Portland.
**Dasani bottled water --Steve's favorite brand of water. I try to purchase it on Sale. If somone could purchase it on sale, I could reimbuse them.
**Protein bars, granola bars, fruit bars with nuts--anything with protein that might taste good. Steve desperately needs protein.
**Wal-Mart brand of pretzels with peanut butter inside--he just tried them and really liked them. Steve's appetite is still good and we try to make him eat 5-6 small meals daily. He cannot eat fruit without a peel. And no fresh vegetables, only cooked ones. Plus he craves sweets, so the Walkers baked us their healthy cookies, that Steve devoured. So Oatmeal Raisin cookies, are a good bet.
**Help in cleaning our swimming pool this spring.
**Yard work--cutting roses back, trimming trees, mowing lawn etc.
Steve's list:
**Help Mj with housework. (Even if she says she can do it, please insist that she except your help!) Vacuuming, dusting, mopping floors esp. during the remodel we have lots of added dust bunnies. Boxes are stacked everywhere until we get the remodel finished. (Ask to help with Easter decorations--she'll balk, but insist!)
**MJ loves flowers--she loves geraniums, and lost all of her baskets of flowers due to the cold and frost this winter. She plants dozens of pots around the patio and pool area. Her free time in the spring is digging in the dirt. That is one outlet, I'd like her to be able to continue.
**As many of you are aware, MJ had her heart set on a round table and chair set for our kitchen. The lady promised it to her before we left for the hospital and while we were away, the woman gave it to her sister-in-law. Even though MJ tried to give her a deposit,etc. She still elected to give it away to someone else, knowing MJ was caring for me in hospital with chemo. MJ has been searching craigslist for months trying to find the "perfect set"and she finally found one ( then destroyed my Valentine gift to her in the process!)
So if any of you hear about an unusual round table and chair set for sale would you please think of MJ and let us know. The set was antique and unusual--no brand name given. Sorry I'm not much help. I only saw a picture.
Our emotional/spiritual/financial needs:
**Please pray for strength to fight the battle. Courage to not give up Hope. Pray for our girls as they wrestle with the seriousness of their father's illness.
**Please pray for Lynsey at NNU--she is so conflicted about staying vs. coming home. Please pray for financial resources to pay for the final few months of college. ( MJ had planned on working this spring to handle the remaining tuition payments. )
God is in control and knows our needs, please pray that this need will be a handled in such a way to give Him honor.
**Please pray for MJ as she continues to care for Steve. Give her strength to know when to ask for help and more importantly, to take the help. She cannot go 24/7 taking care of me.
**(Only those of you who ever owed an old house will understand this request): Please pray that we can get assistance from plumber to help find the pipe under our house. We need to replace the old clay pipes under the house, before we can proceed with the remodel job. The floor cannot be finished until the pipe is found and new one is secured. This has been an ongoing problem and we are on borrowed time. If the tree roots start growing into the clay pipes, we'll have major problems. We are so blessed to have had Project Smith go so well, we just need to have the final piece in place, so we can finish painting, papering, etc. to get this final project finished. (This is a major emotional issue for MJ--we have talked about getting this done this Spring for months and now with my illness, it is taking a much longer time to finish!)
**Pray that the enemy doesn't set up camp in our midst, with discouragement, doubts, major household repairs, illness, etc. Please pray that our home can be a sanctuary during this very difficult time.
**Pray for MJ's back pain, the more stress she endures, the greater the pain. Enough said.
We will continue to share with you the answered prayers and how God has shown His love to us as we obeyed by presenting our needs to His peope.
love,
mj and steve
First I am going to list the very practical needs that the lymphoma society said that every cancer patient who is going through chemo needs (esp. ones that go out of town for their treatments, as we are going to Ptld routinely)
**Gas Cards are very practical and extremely useful--as we travel to Portland and back many times during the months for treatments.
**Gift Cards for restaurants, as Mj is living in Ptld for 7-10 days at a time -- this would offset our expenses
**Gift Cards to Stores, e.g. Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, for the 101 needs of being away from home and for items needed during this stressful time.
**Phone cards--so Steve can use to call out of hospital.
**Give Blood --if you can. The ESD is trying to set up a Blood Drive, where blood can be donated "in honor of Steve Smith" Blood is always needed and it truly is a gift that "keeps on giving"
Mj's list:
**A list of men that I can call on to take Steve to Dr.'s appts in Roseburg or Portland.
**Dasani bottled water --Steve's favorite brand of water. I try to purchase it on Sale. If somone could purchase it on sale, I could reimbuse them.
**Protein bars, granola bars, fruit bars with nuts--anything with protein that might taste good. Steve desperately needs protein.
**Wal-Mart brand of pretzels with peanut butter inside--he just tried them and really liked them. Steve's appetite is still good and we try to make him eat 5-6 small meals daily. He cannot eat fruit without a peel. And no fresh vegetables, only cooked ones. Plus he craves sweets, so the Walkers baked us their healthy cookies, that Steve devoured. So Oatmeal Raisin cookies, are a good bet.
**Help in cleaning our swimming pool this spring.
**Yard work--cutting roses back, trimming trees, mowing lawn etc.
Steve's list:
**Help Mj with housework. (Even if she says she can do it, please insist that she except your help!) Vacuuming, dusting, mopping floors esp. during the remodel we have lots of added dust bunnies. Boxes are stacked everywhere until we get the remodel finished. (Ask to help with Easter decorations--she'll balk, but insist!)
**MJ loves flowers--she loves geraniums, and lost all of her baskets of flowers due to the cold and frost this winter. She plants dozens of pots around the patio and pool area. Her free time in the spring is digging in the dirt. That is one outlet, I'd like her to be able to continue.
**As many of you are aware, MJ had her heart set on a round table and chair set for our kitchen. The lady promised it to her before we left for the hospital and while we were away, the woman gave it to her sister-in-law. Even though MJ tried to give her a deposit,etc. She still elected to give it away to someone else, knowing MJ was caring for me in hospital with chemo. MJ has been searching craigslist for months trying to find the "perfect set"and she finally found one ( then destroyed my Valentine gift to her in the process!)
So if any of you hear about an unusual round table and chair set for sale would you please think of MJ and let us know. The set was antique and unusual--no brand name given. Sorry I'm not much help. I only saw a picture.
Our emotional/spiritual/financial needs:
**Please pray for strength to fight the battle. Courage to not give up Hope. Pray for our girls as they wrestle with the seriousness of their father's illness.
**Please pray for Lynsey at NNU--she is so conflicted about staying vs. coming home. Please pray for financial resources to pay for the final few months of college. ( MJ had planned on working this spring to handle the remaining tuition payments. )
God is in control and knows our needs, please pray that this need will be a handled in such a way to give Him honor.
**Please pray for MJ as she continues to care for Steve. Give her strength to know when to ask for help and more importantly, to take the help. She cannot go 24/7 taking care of me.
**(Only those of you who ever owed an old house will understand this request): Please pray that we can get assistance from plumber to help find the pipe under our house. We need to replace the old clay pipes under the house, before we can proceed with the remodel job. The floor cannot be finished until the pipe is found and new one is secured. This has been an ongoing problem and we are on borrowed time. If the tree roots start growing into the clay pipes, we'll have major problems. We are so blessed to have had Project Smith go so well, we just need to have the final piece in place, so we can finish painting, papering, etc. to get this final project finished. (This is a major emotional issue for MJ--we have talked about getting this done this Spring for months and now with my illness, it is taking a much longer time to finish!)
**Pray that the enemy doesn't set up camp in our midst, with discouragement, doubts, major household repairs, illness, etc. Please pray that our home can be a sanctuary during this very difficult time.
**Pray for MJ's back pain, the more stress she endures, the greater the pain. Enough said.
We will continue to share with you the answered prayers and how God has shown His love to us as we obeyed by presenting our needs to His peope.
love,
mj and steve
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