Put down your poison pens. OMC needs us all right now.

[jgraz]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=6956220&mesg_id=6956220

[midnight]

1. Thanks for the updated post alert. I was hoping that today would

be more hopeful.

[mcscajun]

2. Thank you for the heads-up.

This is truly awful. :(

[Kajsa]

3. Thank you, Jgraz.

Yes he does!!

He's going through one of the hardest things
anyone can go through. :cry:

Thanks for rallying up DUers.

:hug:

[cali]

4. Thank you. n/t

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

5. Thank you. I was not aware of the decline. :(

[jgraz]

6. Please rec this up and keep it kicked.

Thanks.

[TomInTib]

7. I just rode that white cell rollercoaster with a dear friend.

My best friend (outside of Family), as a matter of fact.

I cried all the way through OMC's post.

My heart goes out to him.

Thanks for the post, jgraz.

[Bluebear]

14. ...

:hug:

[BlooInBloo]

8. Thanks.

[uppityperson]

9. k&r, damn, I was hoping today would be better

OMC and I have gone round many times, but I wish the best for him and his family.

[JeffR]

10. Thanks jgraz

K & R.

[Vinca]

11. OMG - that is the most heartbreaking post I've ever read. nt

[tammywammy]

12. k&r

[tom_paine]

13. K & R. let's rally 'round OMC with support. He needs all he can get now.

n/t

[cali]

15. kick for OMC

[crispini]

16. White light and peace to OMC's wife.

Sending healing energy and hope.

[EFerrari]

17. Kick

[mmonk]

18. Thanks jgraz.

[Buns_of_Fire]

19. k&r

[The Doctor.]

20. I had no idea.

[Subdivisions]

21. Oh my. Thanks jgraz. n/t

[uppityperson]

22. 1

[MrCoffee]

23. we're with you OMC...stay strong, love your family, be with your wife.

[Catherine Vincent]

24. ....

:-(

[earthboundmisfit]

25. Healing thoughts, OMC

:hug:

[ancient_nomad]

26. Thanks!

This is so very sad.

[Frustratedlady]

27. Can You Please Keep Us Updated?

She is on my mind so much and I'm hoping and praying she will turn around and beat this. My heart goes out to the family.

[asjr]

28. I did not know about this. It is heartbreaking.

[PA Democrat]

29. Sending prayers and best wishes.

[Mnemosyne]

30. A kick for Energy and Hope for OMC, Stacey and their loved ones. n/t

:grouphug:

[LaurenG]

31. Good vibes and healing thoughts to Mrs. OMC and love to the whole family

:hug:

[tammywammy]

32. kick

[joe_sixpack]

33. Heartbreaking...

I don't know what I would do in his situation. I wish there was something to say to convey how bad I feel for him and how much I hope for good news.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

34. ((((((Jgraz)))))) thank you. eom

[flashl]

35. K&R n/t

[Raksha]

36. Sending prayers and healing thoughts to Mrs. OMC and her family. n/t

[NastyRiffraff]

37. Crying and feeling helpless

I wish I could DO something! All I can do is pray, and I'm not very good at that :( Love and prayers to OMC and his family.

[me b zola]

38. k&r

[LeftishBrit]

39. All my very best thoughts and hopes and healing wishes to OMC and Stacey

[democrank]

40. So glad you did this.

Thanks.

[pacalo]

41. Thanks for the link.

How heartbreaking...

[tandot]

42. Thanks for letting us know, jgraz.

This is so horrible. I hope she is getting better soon.

[qanda]

43. That's so hard

I'm just hoping and praying OMC has more time with his wife and she has more time with him and the kids.

[AmBlue]

44. Sending prayers

And hoping for a miracle. Blessings and healing thoughts to Mr. & Mrs. OMC and their family.

[zippy890]

45. all my love to OMC

thanks for posting this.

[Canuckistanian]

46. Kick for OMC.

Any news?

[Evoman]

47. Poor guy....

I wish him all the best.

[kestrel91316]

48. Hugs and kisses for them both........

Can anybody fill me in on the backstory here? How old is she? Is she on cancer chemo? How old are the kids?

[WinstonSmith4740]

49. Good thoughts and prayers

To OMC and his wife. Stay strong, and lean on us when you need to.:grouphug:

[countmyvote4real]

50. I watched their wedding video. What a beautiful couple.

And from all of OMC's previous posts, she seems like such a fighter. I do hope that her body catches up to her mind. They are in my thoughts.

[frogcycle]

51. oh, man

theres nothing I can say

[Bossy Monkey]

52. OMC has updated again; litttle progress, but some:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=6958336&mesg_id=6958336

[mmonk]

55. Thanks

[Katherine Brengle]

53. OMC, you and your wife are in my thoughts.

We've not always agreed, but I am so sorry for your pain and your wife's pain and suffering.

[spanone]

54. with you pal

:grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug:

[jackster]

56. Thanks ....

OMC we are here for you.

[sinkingfeeling]

57. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I hope for peace and health to both.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

58. National Marrow Donor Program

http://www.marrow.org/

[AZ Criminal JD]

59. Thank you ...

[bluescribbler]

60. Thanks for the heads up

K&R

[lastliberalintexas]

61. I can't tell you how angry that makes me

People in their position should NEVER have to worry about how they will pay the bills. That should be the last fucking thing that an ill person or their family is concerned with. All their energy and focus should be on getting treatment and getting better, and instead they (like so many others in this country) have to worry about the money issues instead. I just don't understand why we continue to allow such a travesty in this country.


I hope she has a speedy and full recovery and that the OMC family finds comfort.

[Postman]

62. Hoping OMC's wife and family find strength, good health....

good luck.

[blondeatlast]

63. K-ing. Thanks, jgraz. nt

[Bossy Monkey]

64. Updated again, this time with good news! (link below)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=6959336&mesg_id=6959336

[pacalo]

66. Thanks -- good to hear!!!

[helderheid]

65. UPDATE! Keep the positive vibes coming!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=6959336&mesg_id=6959336

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

67. Thanks Jgraz. All Of These Threads Have Meant The World To Me Through This.

I just saw this one now, and it touched me. Thank you.

As a quick update for everyone, nothing much to really report I guess. Some positive signs today but we've still got a long way to go to get out of the woods and she still isn't really fighting anything off yet. But she's not really getting any worse either.

I'll start with the bad first, though nothing today was really overly bad:

As stated in one of my lounge posts, her kidney function was becoming a concern because of an elevated creatinine level (1.8). That's obviously not a good thing but it isn't something that imminently alarming either. The doc said it concerns him a bit, cause he doesn't need her getting other problems on top of what she's already facing, but that right now nothing really needs to be done about it. It's just something he wants to keep an eye on.

Her bronchoscopy cultures came up with a virus, so the main culprit in her lungs has been viral. That's why the antibiotics have basically done diddley squat. But he said it isn't just viral, but that she then acquired bacterial infections on top of it. Her CT scan showed significant fluid in both lungs and they're still consumed with pneumonia, but they don't feel the need to drain them right now because her blood gases (O2, etc) are good and the fluid doesn't seem to be affecting that right now.

For the good signs today:

Her blood counts FINALLY started climbing! (yippee!) Her WBC's this morning went to 1.7 and her absolute neutrophil count to 1.5. I got word just a short time ago that the one done this evening shows another point gain so that it is now 1.8 and 1.6 respectively. That's a good thing, and it needs to keep climbing.

Now granted, that isn't the be all end all, but it's a step in the right direction. She needs her immune system in order to fight this off. She may not be getting better yet and there's not really been a significant sign yet that she is, but hopefully her counts going up means that the process will hopefully begin. No one knows for sure though, so we just have to wait and see.

Also, her blood pressure has continued to stabilize. Though she still requires 2 BP meds, they were able to SIGNIFICANTLY reduce one of them today that they wanted to be able to do yesterday, but couldn't. Yesterday, any time they tried to reduce it her BP would plummet. Today, she tolerated it well and one of them was substantially lowered. For example, on the IV pump machine the setting yesterday was 20-25 or so. Today, they were able to drop it to just 2 for that medicine.

The last little positive blip is that she hasn't spiked a fever since yesterday afternoon. I'm hoping that's a really good thing, and continues. She hasn't gone 24 hours without a fever since this started. Not sure what it means, but hopefully something good. I say that because septic shock can also cause a dangerously low body temp as well. I'm hoping this isn't heading that way, but instead is just the first sign that she's beginning to fight it.

Anyway, no one really knows for sure right now. All we know is her counts have come back a bit, but her infections are still as rampant as ever. I am just holding on to hope that tomorrow brings no worse news, but only encouraging signs that she is finally beginning to fight it off.

As a side note, I also brought a cd of her 'fight song' in for her today. The song 'new attitude' by patti labelle. She's used this song as a rallying cry throughout her breast cancer fight and it really charges her up. So I have the nurses playing it for her whenever they can, and I just know it will help her fight harder.

So anyway, we're hanging in there and still really scared. But hopefully the positive signs will continue and in the coming days more and more good news will come. I know she has such a long way to go and know she still has to start fighting this thing back, but I'm hopeful she will and will somehow make it through this. She has to come home. I refuse to accept she won't.

So thank you all for everything. You have touched me and it has meant the world. I'm exhausted and off to bed, but I wanted to just give a quick update anyway, while I could.

Nite all,

OMC

[jgraz]

68. I'm just glad you're getting some good news

Get some sleep. We'll all be here tomorrow.

Seriously, we have no lives. We'll be here.