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I need your Prayers

MrDuke
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MrDuke Newbie

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Update:

 

It's been a little hectic over the last couple of weeks. Danielle's counts were high enough to start the worst of her chemo. She got sick Wednesday morning and did not feel well overall but still managed a big smile and told me, "just a little bit of sick, daddy, just a little bit".

She gets a deep muscle shot 4 days this week and 4 days next week which usually cause more nausea/vomiting.

She was sick yesterday, we'll see how today goes.

I think we only have to get through next week and, from what I understand, the absolute worst of the worst is over. So, next Friday is the 'trough' and it can only get better from there. I have to set a goal and that's the best I can come up with.

 

Kel's grandfather passed away on Monday so that adds a little more chaos to the mix. She's really hurtin' right now. I really feel bad for her and her mom.

 

We feel the family support drifting away and feel pretty isolated, but we were warned this would happen. The counselors said it's human nature and it happens to everyone. That explains it but doesn't make me feel any better. I'm just counting each day and labelling it as another day towards better times.

 

As for me, I get so tired I end up falling asleep around 8pm which causes more stress between Kel and I. I can't explain why or how...it just happens. I just feel like I've got nothing left in the tanks and I crash. I get up around 6 and, slowly, get the day started. I come home, eat, talk to Danielle a bit, put her to bed...and then crash again. Because of this, I don't get to play much CS so my only hope is caffeine or maybe the daylight savings time change.

Who knows...

 

We're still trying to open hat packages. If you sent something, please don't be offended if I haven't posted anything yet... I handle one crisis at a time. :biggrin:

 

Thanks for all of your prayers and support. Again, we couldn't get through this without the GC. You guys rock!

 

That's all I got, more when it happens.

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gOOters Newbie

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sounds like you need a day to wake up late and play some CS. Im sure your vacation time is pretty valuable now though...

 

Im still right with you guys buddy, from across the country ;)

 

Tell your wife that "gOOters" said to hang in there. Look at it this way, the next week, that cancer is gonna get the donkey kicking that has been coming it's way. Be strong, let the docs do their thing, and you get with God and I will to and lets finish this thing strong. Time for the donkey whooppin to really begin!

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MrDuke Newbie

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I've only seen this today. Boy do I feel noob! Read the entire thread and cried through much of it. Stay strong. I will commence my prayers for Danielle immediately. P.K. :thumbsup:

 

 

Thanks P.K.! It's the posts and prayers that keep us going.

I'm sure Mrs.Duke will see this and smile.

 

Update:

 

Danielle got through last week in good shape. We've been going through the anti-emetics ($50/3day's worth) and it's worth every penny. She's in good spirits, as are we. This Tuesday starts another hard week. After that, things should get easier.

 

Our cancer friend Caitlin had her surgery today. She had 7 masses in her lungs and has a 20% chance to live. Pray for her.

 

My heart feels heavy after the Pope passed. I don't know why. I'm not Catholic so I never followed his actions. My initial thought is that I know he's accomplished much for the good of man and I was too wrapped up in the day-to-day stuff to appreciate what he did. Well, I try to notice the efforts of people now.

 

My initial thought was--wouldn't it be great if The Rapture occurred at the moment the Pope passed? I listened but nothing came to be. Wishful thinking...

 

That's it from Duke's Hillbilly Homestead!!

 

Go hug your kids...

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gOOters Newbie

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Yeah Java, his strength and attitude are a tad inspiring, no?

 

Duke, glad she is making it through these two tough weeks well. I am heartened at this news. You guys are really socking it to the enemy lately! Keep it up, I will keep praying. For Caitlyn too.

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MrDuke Newbie

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KICK BUTT NEWS!!!!

 

The great news- Caitlin found out the masses in her lungs are infection. NO CANCER!! She should survive.

WOOHOO!!! Sorry, but that is just terrific news!

 

The ok news-- She's a little grumpy after going through major surgery to find out she has an infection, but she will heal.

 

Oh yeah, Danielle's doing ok too.

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Update:

 

Danielle is recovering nicely from the rough round she went through. She is bruising quite a bit due to a low platelet count but that should be fixed on Tuesday when she gets a transfusion. She is laughing and playing and enjoying life.

 

I am so scared to say it because I'm afraid my hopes will be dashed but I can't help it--I think the worst is behind us.

I pray that it is.

 

I already did this but I'm feelin giddy so I'll do it again.

A special thanks to Clueless, Shep and Bigshaw for the hats and gifts for Danielle.

 

And thanks again to Bubblegum, Rev, Aug, Playaa, Fatty, Gooter (heh,heh, gooter), and the rest of you GC'ers who kept Keli and me going. We're not done yet, but I'm confident we'll come out at the end with our little girl.

When you come to FF05 I'm giving each of you a great big bear hug (And BGB will get his big sloppy kiss from Kel).

 

God Bless,

 

Duke

 

 

BTW, stop calling me "Mr" Duke in game, Duke is fine. You make me feel old.

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Clueless Newbie

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Great to hear that she is still handling things well, and that you and Keli are as well. I'm glad she is enjoying the packages, that's what it's all about, a happy little distraction for her, can't wait to see the pics.

 

This community is definately one of a kind. ^_^

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gOOters Newbie

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Dukey, I get down on my knees and pray for Danielle and your family pretty often. But Caitlyn, I feel like I have lacked strength in prayer...almost scared to ask because it seemed so terrible. I do pray, but it isnt with conviction. Anyhow WHAT AN ANSWER!!! God is powerful and loves us.

 

You made my weekend Duke. I will keep praying for you guys. Still might be rough times, but you now have hope...and that is powerful!! Keep kikin butt!

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MrDuke Newbie

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The wife just scolded me for not posting up.

Danielle is trying to recover from delayed intensification, the worst of the chemo roadmap. She needed platelets and a transfusion last week but this week her numbers are pretty good.

 

The next 2 months are a little bit easier, but dangerous nonetheless. Interim maintenance lasts 2 months and she's scheduled to get more nasty drugs but in 10 day increments.

I pray she does well. She's so strong and so brave, I can't tell you how much I draw from her. It's conflicting when she teaches you important lessons of life without her knowing it... and then you have to turn around and scold her for being bad, which isn't too often.

 

I was just told that a little boy in our cancer clinic died. He is 7. I say 'is' because it hurts to write past tense. I feel so much pain for that family. I feel a lot of fear right now. I'm crying as I write this.

 

Kel is going stir crazy because Danielle's counts are still CTD (circling the drain). That's some dark humor from my intern days. We tagged anyone as terminal as 'CTD'. Not very funny now that I look back, but it stuck with me.

Anyway, because the counts are low, they can't go anywhere so they are stuck in the house. Tensions are high as you can imagine.

 

I'm a little grumpy to say the least. I usually take it out on my wife (I know, not fair) or CS. I don't play as much as I admin and I'm not very patient. I'm sure I've dealt some bans that should've been warnings. I'm gonna have to re-eval my thoughts on how I handle the punks.

 

We got a reprieve from cancer earlier in the week when we went to see Mr. and Mrs Fatty and the newest addition to their family. It was by far the strangest hospital visit I've ever had (would you expect anything less from Fatty?!).

We walk into the maternity ward and we are greeted by non other than Mrs. Fatty. She's dressed, up, walking and talking like any other day. In fact, she was chasing her kids around the ward. We walk into the room and Fatty is the one in bed (must've been a rough day of golf, it hospitalized him). So picture it: We're walking down the hall with the person who gave birth hours ago and it's the golfing husband we see in the hospital bed.

On a side note, sign-ups for the 8 hour seminar "How To Be King of Your Castle, by Fatty" is $199 and will be held at the Hilton in Cleveland, Ohio. Once you attend, you too can go golf while your wife is in the hospital with a newborn child...amazing.

We had a good laugh at their expense. It was classic.

 

That's it from the homestead.

 

I'll post more as God hands it to me.

Hug those kids.

Duke

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Clueless Newbie

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Sad news about the little boy, I hope his family finds the strength to get through it. Glad to hear that your little fighter is still holding in there, i'm still amazed everytime I read one of your posts, by just how much a child that young can endure, I don't think I would handle it nearly as well as her. Alot can be said for the narrow attention span of children, they say that is one of the reasons they cope so well, a childs mind works different, they don't dwell on things as we do as adults. Hopefully I will see you in the server this weekend blowing off steam, and if I do, I will do all he admining so you can just pwn the daylights out of everyone, but of course, I will be expecting something in return, like maybe, look the other way when you see me? :P

 

Hang in there Dukes

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Update:

 

Danielle's counts are up so they hammered her with more chemo. Spinal and IV methotrex and vincristine. She was a little nauseous this morning but overall is in good spirits.

 

Yesterday was day 0 (that's a zero, clueless :)) of 56 so our new goal is to reach June 21st with minimal problems. This phase is called interim maintenance and after this it gets easier on everyone.

 

That's it. It's quiet on the homestead.

 

God Bless,

 

Duke

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MrDuke Newbie

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Update:

 

Danielle got her chemo last Tuesday. She only seems to get sick in the mornings and that was for 4 mornings.

Short of that, no problems--Amen.

She's got peach fuzz and a 5 o'clock shadow on her head now. It's cute.

 

I remember thinking (as we all do), "I'm the unluckiest person on the planet. Everything choice I make seems to be the wrong one".

I'll take 'unlucky for life' if we could be 'lucky' in Danielle's treatments and side effects.

 

But is it really luck? The doctor's say it was dumb luck, but I know better...

Our family is so much better off because of this. So many people were touched by this and I pray they've gained something from it. I know I have.

 

That's it,

Go hug your kids

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