snow, rain & tears

The snow and Rain seem to fit with the mood of the day.  Adele's health is deteriorating and because of this we as a family have put a do not resuscitate order into affect.   A do not resuscitate (DNR) order tells medical professionals not to perform CPR. This means that doctors and nurses will not attempt emergency CPR if Adele's heartbeat stops.   

The DNR was chosen after speaking with the doctors last night.  The chemotherapy was not successful in shrieking the tumor, instead there has been growth.  The tumor is causing extreme havoc within Adele's frail body.  This enables her to live the life that we all know she wants to live.  So if her heart did stop and CPR was successful in restoring a heartbeat this would only allow her to resume the lifestyle she is currently living.

Also with Adele's illness, CPR may not work or may only partially work, leaving her in a worse medical state than before her heart had stopped.  This is why the DNR was chosen.  We know that she would prefer to be cared for without aggressive efforts at resuscitation.

Some additional symptoms Adele seems to be experiences...

• Changes in the shape of your fingers and nails called finger clubbing
• Swelling of the face caused by a blockage of a main blood vessel (superior vena cava obstruction)
• Swelling in the neck caused by enlarged lymph nodes
• Shortness of breath caused by fluid around the lungs (called pleural effusion)

She remains under sedation in the ICU.  But does respond occasionally to friendly visitors with a flutter of her eyes, moving of her lips and movement in her arms and legs.


Thorns and stings
And those such things
Just make stronger
Our angel wings.
~Terri Guillemets

No Trach

After weighing all the pro and cons we, along with the doctors have chosen against a tracheotomy.  For now Adele will remain on the breathing tube.  She continues to be heavily sedated for both comfort as well as pain management.

We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way.  ~Author Unknown

About the same

Today Adele is doing about the same as she has been.  This is not a good sign or a bad sign it just is.  We will post more later if things change.

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.  ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995

A ray of sun on a rainy day

Sometimes it's difficult to remember why the dark rainy days are just as important as the sunny ones.  Without the rain there would be no rainbows, no kids splashing in puddles of water and no purple tulips to remind us that despite the darkness life will always find a way to go on.

Thank you for all the rays of sun you have sent during our rainy days! 

The only "get well soon" gift basket we have ever gotten that has
beer and chicken noodle soup side by side!
Thank you Cusimano Family!  Doug and I are feeling much better!

Thank you for the juice and water bottle Brenda.  This worked out great!

B and his amazing balancing bunnies (Thanks Yvonne)

YUMMY!!!!

Our wonderful neighbors made us dinner!

A box of love from Uncle Jake and Aunt Jean, with a BB on top!

Better than a box of love it's a box of food!
Thank you SO much, you guys are the BEST :)

The food was great but Tyson and Bryce
 found Mommy's dry ice trick
to be a whole lot cooler!

Casting spells over their box of dry ice!


It takes a lot of work from the face to let out a smile, but just think what good smiling can bring to the most important muscle of the body... the heart.  ~Author Unknown

April 3, 1975

36 years ago today Adele gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.  Douglas Robert Burdick gave her the most amazing gift, motherhood.  A few years later Michael David Burdick once again opened up her world to the joys of becoming a new mother.  Doug and Mike are Adele's heart and soul, she loves them with everything she has.  She is an amazing mother and I am personally honored to be the recipient to the years she spent investing in her son's upbringing.  Her compassion, love and dedication have been felt by us all and we are all better people for it.

Happy Birthday Doug!




You wanted toys right Dad?!?!?!?

 

Mike, Adele & Doug




Tyson's face with Bryce's hair....Little Doug



Mother, son & pony

 A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.  ~Irish Proverb 
  

Trach

Today Adele remains in the ICU at Community Hospital.  Her breathing tube is beginning to become more of a concern due to Adele's strong desire to have it removed.  Since her arms can no longer reach to pull it out she has gotten creative and found a way to wiggle it lose with her tongue.   Unfortunately completely removing the oxygen support is not an option at this time.  The doctor spoke with us this morning about performing a tracheotomy.  With a tracheotomy the tube will go into the windpipe and deliver air directly to the lungs.  They are hoping this will be more comfortable for her than the breathing tube currently is.  

Tracheotomy consists of making an incision on the neck and opening a direct airway through the trachea. The opening can serve independently as an airway or as a site for a tracheal tube to be inserted; this tube allows a person to breathe without the use of her nose or mouth.   

Completed tracheostomy:

1 - Vocal folds
2 - Thyroid cartilage
3 - Cricoid cartilage
4 - Tracheal rings
5 - Balloon cuff

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/tracheotomy#ixzz1ITYD4rvV

 

 

"If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell."   Lance Armstrong

Strength

The breathing tube remains in place, not that anyone is very happy about it.  Adele succeed in removing the tube yesterday so nurses made the choice to restrain her arms just enough so she was unable to pull it out again.  She has been heavily sedated with the hopes of making her more comfortable while the tube is in.  However, when she is not sleeping or heavily medicated she has been able to give her thoughts a voice with a simple pen and pad of paper. 

Adele has also developed anemia which is most likely due to the chemotherapy.  This is a very common side effect of chemotherapy.  Anemia (also known as "low blood" or "iron poor blood") is defined as a decrease in the number of red blood cells or hemoglobin, making it difficult for the blood to carry oxygen to body tissues.  Anemia is usually defined as a hemoglobin less than 13.5 grams/100 ml in men, and less than 12 grams/100 ml in women.  Adele was given some medication to help with the anemia.  Below is some additional information on symptoms and treatments of anemia.

Symptoms you may experience with anemia include:

• Fatigue
• Lack of energy
• Lightheadedness or dizziness, especially when sitting up rapidly, or standing
• Shortness of breath
• Headaches
• A pale appearance
• Rapid heart rate or palpitations
• Chest pain

Treatment of Chemotherapy Induced Anemia

Most of the time, mild anemia can be dealt with by simply altering your lifestyle a bit and waiting for your body to make more red blood cells. Insufficient rest, standing up rapidly, or drinking beverages with caffeine or alcohol can worsen your symptoms. At other times, especially if your red blood cell count is very low, or you are experiencing symptoms, your doctor may recommend treatment.
Options for treatment include:

• Transfusion –- The fastest way to increase red blood cells is with a blood transfusion. Side effects can include a fever and chills, and the small risk of having a blood transfusion reaction or contracting an infectious disease such as hepatitis.
• Iron supplements (oral or IV) -– Oral or intravenous iron might be recommended. Iron taken orally can cause stomach discomfort. Common side effects of intravenous iron are a transient feeling of flushing, a metallic taste, headaches, and joint or muscle aches a few days after treatment. Occasionally, iron injections can cause allergic reactions that can be serious.
• Medications to stimulate formation of red blood cells -– Medications are sometimes used (often along with intravenous iron) to stimulate production of red blood cells in your body. There is currently a lot of controversy about this treatment, and your oncologist will discuss the benefits and possible risks if this is recommended. These medications include Epoetin alfa (Epogen, Procrit) and
• Darbepoetin alfa (Aranesp).

 Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.                                                      
                               Corrie Ten Boom