Sunday, December 25, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Well I made it to Christmas, which was my second huge goal from the last time I left the hospital (aside from the auction) and I am sooo happy about it!! I'm at my girlfriends parents house right now enjoying some late night pumpkin pie and loving life after a full day of excitement with giving and receiving gifts. Loved loved loved watching all of the kiddies opening gifts, their expressions and smiles said it all and it just made me feel amazing!! Had my ENTIRE family at one place today, so a big thank you to all of them to get together for me and them too, I'm sure everyone had a great time! It'd be hard not to with all of that joy and delicious food that we had all day!! By the way I have eaten like a little fatty boy today too, after like 6 weeks of not being able to eat "real" food I have finally made the leap, especially today, ham, stuffing, Mac salad, roll, noodles, Mexican pizza and some snacks as well!!!!! It's led to a lot of gas but whatever, it's worth it! I'll probably be up a couple of times this evening with having to empty my bag and next time I'll do a little better research on what leads to gas like this!! Ok thank you again to all of you who pray and thinks of me and my family and friends, and keeps good thoughts and vibes coming our way!! Merry Christmas to all of you and also a happy and healthy new year (my newest goal)!!!!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Getting it done!!

I have been able to run around here as of late and I have been freakin loving it and living it up!! Yesterday we did some banking and some shopping and then got to enjoy my 10 year old niece's Christmas play. That was about the most heart warming thing that I have encountered for quite some time!! I loved watching all of their hard work come together and go so smoothly, I could almost feel what it was like for them, remembering what it was like when I did them at new holland elementary school. There was a super weak standing ovation at the end which bothered me that those parents couldn't get out of their seats for one minute and clap for their kids hard work and dedication, I was in like the 30% minority of people who did it... Unreal, shame on those who couldn't do it!! Anyways... Today I was able to make it to the bank once again and get a safe deposit box that we had been wanting for some time now, and then went to momma's work to drop off cookies, a cheese tray with some super rude pepper jack cheese that'll burn your mouth for about an hour and presents to some of her co workers. By the way another big shout out to all of those at her work who have given her this time to help me out and get situated with my new life that I must learn and couldn't have done it without her help!!! And tonight my girlfriend will be coming over to stay and hang out tonight and all day tomorrow and we will have to get some more running done before the holiday hits!! So excited to see her again and spend some good quality time! Haven't been on a date in a while so maybe we can accomplish that as well☺. Until the next one, thanks to everybody who has been praying and and keeping our family and friends and myself in your thoughts and I would like to wish everybody a safe and wonderful and VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Benefit auction success

Well, I made it to the auction!! I was so excited that I was able to as well, I got to see so many people that I knew and hadn't seen in a long while, as well as meet a lot of new people. Everyone was so supportive and it truly was heart warming to be in the presence of all of that love and support! I wish I could put it into words better than I feel like I'm doing right now, but such a big thank you to Emily Craddock who put this thing together along with her amazing family, my amazing family and my girlfriends amazing family!! Not. To mention all of the friends that lent a hand to help the cause Ryan and Vicki to open their restaurant early and get people fed with breakfast and coffee to get it moving early! Just so much love and positive energy in that place all day long once again, I feel truly truly blessed to have been even the smallest part of it. And I am thankful that I was there just to be able to extend my thanks and gratitude to all of the people who made this thing such a gigantic success! We were able to raise $13,710.00!!!!! Please bring on this surgery and chemo please keep working, I'm gonna continue to fight my ass off for everybody who has helped and of course for myself and a long future! Love to all, thank you!!!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Landfill and TJ from mass

While hiking the AT last year we met a lot of people, and we have kept up with some of them too. It's really like an extended family out there and it's incredible how quickly you bond with good hearted people. We met landfill somewhere in Pennsylvania I believe. He was kind of a weird, say whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted type of guy, and he is hilarious. There was never a dull moment with landfill around haha.. So he's from Massachusetts and when we started to get up toward that area his mom came out to Bennington, Vermont and hooked up a delicious round of trail magic with beer and fresh sandwiches and soda and chips, the whole shibang! And then later on we met his buddy TJ when he drove to pick landfill up for a much needed break in dalton massachusetts. So we were separated for a little while and met back up later up the trail. TJ had a buddy who he had worked with named Jim who lived in Franconia, NH who helped us (like a group of 7) tremendously by slacking us through some tough sections and giving us rides and graciously accepting us into there gorgeous 5 level new Hampshire residence! We were also able to lend him a hand as well, we built him a nice drainage waterfall system at the corner of his driveway and fish and I took a trip to his neighbors house to fix up a deck seat and rail that had broken, so it felt good to give a little back too! They fed us extravagant meals and bought great micro brewed beers, so it was the least we could do!! So thank you Jim and Cathy for being awesome people. And our journey continued the whole way to the finish line with landfill. Although I made a push to get done a week ahead of them fish summited Katahdin with that group, which is awesome! Then on Friday night TJ and landfill started their drive to pa (some 385 miles) stopped at a hotel and finished the trip up on Saturday arriving around lunch time I think. We then took another bit of a drive to go and see my Amish buddy John, who wasn't home cause he was out hunting (when he should have been collecting and stacking eggs!!!), but his wife Emma was. These guys have never met a real live Amish before so it was exciting for us to get to meet Emma and have her show us around the chicken farm and answer all of our chicken farming questions. And showed us the reject eggs, one was super tiny, one had no shell, just that inner membrane and the white and yolk inside, but no shell it was so weird to feel. It was squishy and soft and shaped just like an egg but no shell.. So weird, I have a video of it that I'll try to post. Also landfill and TJ got to walk into the chicken house itself which contains 13,000 free range chickens, needless to say the odor was pretty intense! It smells like ammonia and makes your eyes water, but it may have been a once in a lifetime experience and these guys weren't about to miss out on that! Then after meeting with the Amish I took them to joes famous where landfill enjoyed an order of the extra hot wings and TJ had his very first corndog, a famous wiener and an order of mozzarella sticks, delicious!! Then a little while later we came home and had a wonderfull large meal prepared by momma dukes. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, honey garlic red skinned potatoes, asparagus and buttered noodles with some delightful mini potato rolls. Then for dessert she made some homemade no bake cheesecake with cherry topping on a graham cracker crust and homemade buttermilk brownies.. Sofa king delicious. Of course of all of that I had a tiny piece of no bake cheesecake with a little bit of cherry juice cause I can't even have a freakin cherry!! But my company enjoyed it and so did mom and Patrick and that makes me happy. Then Saturday evening we had a group of us (Sean, myself, TJ, landfill, addy and wookie) riding around in Sean's Honda pilot, listening to Christmas music and looking/ critiquing/ criticizing people's light displays lol!! That was a trip, and we were out late!! Then yesterday these guys would've slept all day long I think had I not woken landfill up at like 9:15 and told him breakfast is being made and and will be done soon! Then TJ continued sleeping for another hour or so, despite the noise of breakfast and conversation and dogs barking and his phone going off repeatedly, I think he was tired... Then yesterday fish came back over around 11:00 am and we all hung out all day. We went to Christmas tree shoppes on accident while trying to walk into bed bath and beyond to purchase some rc helicopters. The whole time we were in the Christmas tree shoppe fish and I thought we were in bed bath and beyond and the whole time landfill and TJ never said a word and knew we were in the wrong store!! Man that was embarrassing haha. So obviously this place didn't have what we were after and we went to bed bath and beyond, got what we wanted and rolled out.. Then stopped at GameStop on the way home and got some boredom tools, just in case. And finally headed back home. Tj and landfill helped get rid of some leftovers from the night before and we did a Skype with another hiker that we hiked with for a long time too, Brooklyn, so that was pretty cool. First time for everybody on that deal too I think, and TJ administered my 3:00 pm shot speaking of firsts, he was glad to give it a whirl, and he did a great job too!! Then after that it was getting near dinner time and these guys had a little over a seven hour drive home, so there was just enough time to set off bottle rockets (another first for landfill and maybe tj too) and pack back up for the journey home. All in all a jam packed weekend of fun and I loved having the company of these crazy new englanders!! And I can't wait to be able to visit them and have them show us around their home towns someday!!

Been too long

Ok sorry I haven't written in a while! This past visit to the hospital I thought was going to just be a quick in and out deal. I went in on Thursday the first of December I believe and ended up staying another 8 days. Yes I had to have the ng tube back in for some of that time, but this time it went much much smoother! The nurses there are all really great, I was able to instruct them (and I use that term loosely) on the way that's most comfortable for me to have the tube placed. During my stay I had a lot of great company which made the week go by fast, however in the back of my head I was discouraged thinking about how in the past 4 weeks I was only home for a total of less than 48 hours. Then this past Friday the 9th I had mentioned to the doctor who was rounding that I had company coming in from Massachusetts, and I thought that it'd be really nice if I could be at home to visit with them rather than in the hospital. She started to work her magic and we got the nod to go home that very same day, I was elated!! Then all of the sudden we hit a pretty decent sized snag.... The one shot that I had to take three times a day was going to end up costing like $650 a day plus the cost of buying needles, yikes! So she said hang on I'll talk with Kat over in the office to see what she can find. And this miracle worker/ angel or whatever this woman is found it, the shot, for free!! Wow! What an amazing group of doctors and office workers they have at LCC!! So now with this new news all that was left was to wait on horizon (who showed up early again) and then a visiting nurse to hook me up! This process did end up taking way too long because of the lock level on my pump because it's a narcotic they have to be really careful. Which is good to take precautions, but at the same time, LET'S GO, I WANT TO GO HOME NOW!! So we got everything squared away at the hospital, picked up any and all scripts that we needed, unpacked my hospital room into bags and we were outta there!! This time I felt much more confident with the drug regimen that I was on in the hospital and I'm not taking 15 pills a day anymore because we switched all that we could to liquid. I feel that my body can much more easily accept them this way and I have passed the 48 hour mark yesterday at 5:30pm, so I am stoked about that! If I continue how I'm doing right now there should be no reason for long hospital stays. Chemo sometimes worries me at home, it can really beat me up sometimes. This past time however, I was the one kicking its ass. I was up and walking whilst taking the chemo intravenously, that felt really nice. And I was able to avoid anything cold in my mouth or on my hands, so the side effects were much less severe than in some other cases. So I guess I'll hope for the ladder with this next round of chemo at home and put myself in the drivers seat so that I'm healthy enough to be at the benefit auction come Saturday!! And.... This round of chemo should set me up to be feeling pretty well for Christmas too!! We are going out today to get a tree and decorate it, I am F'ing pumped, mom and Pat decorated the outside of the house all day yesterday and it looks fantastic!! Again thanks to all who read and keep up and pray and help me through all of this!! I will have another blog up directly about my visit with friends from other places.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Still a bit unsure!

When I first arrived back here this time I was thinking that I'd just be here for a few days through chemo and shortly thereafter go home. Well we can't be so sure of that yet, my obstruction x rays have been showing signs of improvement but is not altogether cleared as of right now. Yesterday and last night I had taken in quite a bit of liquids and really didn't have much output, knowing something was up I put myself back on a nothing through the mouth diet (npo) until some of these drugs started to take effect since the mirolax and senna cot stool softeners weren't doing it on their own. Through the evening I did finally get some relief and a decent amount passed through which was great, except that the bag failed on me when I laid down on my back, forcing me to immediately change and resolve that issue! Talk about a rude awakening haha! The pain in my stomach is beginning to subside and I believe that I'll try some hot chocolate today just to simply get some more stool softeners in there to aid the other drugs and hopefully we can get these bowels to move!! Also I hope that it isn't too discouraging to hear that a buddy of mine got his credit card info taken from the lulu site that that great book is on for sale to benefit me! He will get all of his money back, but I'm sure that it's a pain in the ass! I still say the book is fun and adventurous and worth it!! It just takes one a-hole to ruin a good time!! So anyway here's to hoping that these pills and drugs that I'm on clear this damned obstruction as well as they did the last time and I will still have a possibility of leaving here tomorrow!!? Thank you again to all who have been traveling along side of me with well wishes and prayers and time and donations and just all of the ways you all help me to keep going!! And I will keep going as long and as hard as I can, till we are through this shit-show!!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Forgot to mention

Mom and Addy have become quite proficient at administering shots too!! So I have no fear of the potential 5 a day that it could take to keep me home next time!

Caught it early

After I had finally gone home on Tuesday I was super excited/ kind of scared with the change in environments. Losing that nurse call button and all of the iv drugs at my fingertips to take care of any situation, naturally I felt nervous. But after a nice sleepy pill and mom around to calm me down and assure me that she is just a couple of steps away and my cell phone had become my new call button I soon fell asleep. After sleeping most of the way through the night I did wake up having to pee, and had to do so into a bucket, I was up at about 4:30 am and watched some Netflix until I heard mom upstairs. I asked for some pie and my first round of mirolax which she brought for me while my tpn finished up. That pie is so delicious!!!! Anyway I then made it through Wednesday pretty comfortably, although I was a little but worried because my ostomy wasn't having any output and my stomach was very rumbly and grumbly. And this kind of persisted throughout all of Wednesday where I would eat and drink but not really see the same amount coming out as was going in. Then Wednesday night my stomach really started to ache and wouldn't go away, did the tpn through the night as instructed and kept trying to eat and drink as well. Thursday morning I really wasn't feeling "right" and knew that I was becoming obstructed. So I said we have to go back to the hospital and we talked with the oncologist and got orders for x rays and a ct scan before I had even showed up! So as set up as we could be, we headed in and they did their thing in ER. I requested to have the nurses on 8 lime put my ng tube in because they had done it twice already and I know all of the nurses up here. Bad move, I had to wait FOREVER for that tube to be put in because of my request!! And that is what I knew my body NEEDED! So after a first botched attempt at placing the tube (because the tip was too frozen to make the turn towards my stomach) they had to pull it out and make a second attempt. After what felt like an hour of pure torture, gagging, tears and snot everywhere that F'er was in!! It pumped a liter out in no time at all and I felt better almost immediately. My pain level was way up for hours, to what I called an 8-9 out of ten, so to have that relief so quickly was very appreciated! The next few hours I was in and out of sleep from all of the days excitement. I went and got my x rays and ct scan and they found a small bowel obstruction that was causing my discomfort an said that we were lucky to have caught it so early. If you let it go you can easily perforate your bowel which is followed immediately by life saving surgery, so it's comforting to know that I am learning how my body works and that I can be able to say I'm becoming obstructed and we have to do something about it!! And now I am sitting in the hospital waiting for this next round of chemo to start tomorrow, two days early this time, because I am responding well to treatment. It seems every time after a treatment my situation improves pretty significantly. This time we are going to try to KEEP me home when I get home! And with any luck at all that should be maybe the middle of next week. I definitely want to be able to be at my own benefit auction to personally thank everybody who is involved in helping with it. Not to mention just to be out of the damn hospital feels good too, I'm ready to go home and stay home!!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Now I know what I'm doing!

Ok, so I have the app on my iPhone now and can give some updates myself!! Thank you to mom for and Paul for keeping everybody up to date. Also I'd like to thank everybody who has signed my guest book, I have been just posting to Facebook lately because frankly I'm not that Internet savvy and didn't think I could figure this out/ didn't feel like it in the hospital. But now that I've got this app it's super easy and I can do everything from it. Marc, this is the only way I know how to get a hold of you and the family. Thank you for the thoughts and prayers, and I sure did miss seeing everyone on thanksgiving! We'll have to see how Christmas plays out as far as travel and health, but maybe the I can shake some hands and get some hugs then! But until next time, again, a big thank you to everyone who is following here at the website and I will be posting with updates as they come as well now!

Amazing AT themed cake

My girlfriends mom surprised me with this super well detailed cake themed after the Appalachian trail. It's detailed down to the white blazes on the trees, water splashing from the fish diving in, official AT signs, and even a waterfall falling off the side of the thing! I was blown away. Thank you again Deann!!




Stupid tube in the nose

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

HOME!!!!!

FINALLY HOME!!!

We got news today that Jimmy would be coming home early on this morning. Then we were told that Dr would be in to fill out discharge papers and she normally comes around noon... still awesome... we will be home around 1pm!! WRONG- the bomb was dropped that it would be 4pm because we had to wait on Horizon.... bummer. I ran to LCC to get his injection of Lovenox, came back to hospital and the Dr STILL hadn't been there to see him and this was after 2pm. In the meantime got a phone call that Horizon was going to be more like 5pm... ugh, yet another bummer!!

We decided we would go down to the cafe to eat the "hospital food" one last time... Not what Jimmy was looking forward to! :(

Dr came in around 3:30pm. Got the discharge papers filled out and ready to go. Got a call that Horizon would be early.... YAY!! They got there at 3:45... we are singing and dancing at this point thinking wooo hooo... we are going hooome, we are going hooome!!!! The dude dropped off 3 bags and 1 large box of supplies and left. SOoooo, we called the nurse in and said "ok- let's get going!! Get us out of here"!! She said that we had to wait on the visiting nurse from Horizon to come and start the pump of pain meds to go home with. UGH!! Wind out of sail once again! MAN... OK, so we wait another hour plus... ugh! So here comes VNA - a different nursing organization- at 5pm. We were talking to her about our frustrations and she said she was sorry and she could have been there earlier! DOH!! Ok, move on... she gets the subcutaneous needle ready for the pain pump- it has to go into his belly... she pushes the first one in- won't allow flush to move through... grrr. She pulls it out and finds that needle had bent and tried spot number two. I am watching Jimmy's face... this is the FIRST TIME I have seen pain on his face with needles- (Momma is getting a little pissed)... she pushes on the SECOND needle and tries to run flush- GUESS WHAT?! Yep, you guessed it... that one bent too!!! (Momma is really NOT HAPPY NOW). I said can we please wait til we get home quickly and get the numbing gel on him before we try it again.... SOOooo again- THIRD SPOT pushed needle in- watched pain on Jimmy's face (heart breaking).... took a little force, but finally the flush went in- THANK GOD!!!! Ok, time to get this dang pain medicine pumping, because at this point he was unhooked from the hospital line of pain meds. Put the battery in... go through set up. NOTHING- WHAAAAAT?!?! Horizon forgot to send the key needed in order to unlock the pump because after all--- it IS a controlled substance!! We are all but fuming at this point... not hooked up, and we have to wait on someone to show up with the key in order for Jimmy to have any pain meds?!?!!!!! he asked the nurse almost immediately if he could get a dose before we left through his port- she called the Dr and made it happen within MOMENTS!! *Phew*

Packed up and started out of hospital- Jimmy walking and wheelchair filled with supplies!! haha the one nurse HOOKED US UP!! In the one hall Jimmy felt that his gauze that was over his newly removed IV site - he got it out of his sleeve to see that it was completely blood soaked (Heparin doing it's job alright)- the nurse that was walking out with us (same one that hooked us up with supplies) RAN DOWN THE HALL for more gauze and tape... got back a little winded and said - open up that alcohol swab and clean that off. So I did as ordered- haha- and got his arm cleaned up- she proceeded to place the covering on it and she saw that he had it all over his fingers... she ordered him at that point to clean of his hand!! :) MAN WE LOVE HER!! :) OK- NOW can we go HOME?!?!?!?! Got everything packed into car- she gave us our very warm and loving hugs and we were FREE!!!!! We got home and less than 15 minutes the VNA nurse was at the door- YAY. She came in and started the paperwork.... and not long after that the key came for the pump.... YAY!! Got the pain pump started... Jimmy pushed the button for his "extra dose" to be sure that it worked before we would let her leave. WORKED!!! Now on to getting the vitamins injected into his TPN... I open a syringe and 2 viles of vitamins... inject air into vile, and then draw all liquid from that vile- go to next vile and do the same thing. Then inject it into the TPN and do this all under the watchful eye of the nurse who watches my every move and gives me advice. DONE- on to next step- giving Jimmy his Lovenox injection... OH MAN- where to find fat pocket on this boy???- NOWHERE!! He chooses back of arm. I get syringe ready because we have to waste some out of each syringe because it doesn't come in 60- only 80. Now, take the alcohol wipe and wipe the spot he chose- pinch the arm and push in needle... administer Lovenox and pull needle out- look at site to be sure he is not bleeding. Done now until he's ready for bed and then we hook up the TPN. He's now sitting here with one of his very good friends, Ryan. It's GREAT to have him home!!!!!!!!!! Oh, BTW- he's sitting in there eating mac & cheese right now!!! YAY... OMG YAY!!!!!! (I sigh in happiness!!)

Thank you everyone for your continuing thoughts and prayers!!

And NEXT TIME will do injection BETTER- sorry Jimmy.... :(

Monday, November 28, 2011

November 28th

Jimmy is doing pretty well. Doing lots of laps around the hospital. He loves the freedom, and the feeling of having the energy (although pushing it a bit) to go to cafe and such. Today was his first fresh air in TWENTY THREE days!!!! He and I did a little trip outdoors ... it was PERFECT!! The day couldn't have been any better!!! Beautiful blue skies, small breeze and 71 degrees... Oh yeah!! Everything is in line for us to bring him home.... we just have to wait and hope that it all plays out accordingly. Pain pump is ordered and ready... TPN (nutrition through IV) is ordered and ready.... have to stop at LCC for the Lovenox (blood thinner), which will be an injection, on the way home once he is discharged. It will be so GREAT to have Jimmy home. We have LOTS of plans for Christmas dinner this year... I am looking forward it!!! Keep positive thoughts flowing everyone!! <3 :)

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thanksgiving Day

Give thanks on THANKSgiving... yes... Jimmy's obstruction is CLEAR!!! YAY!!!!! This means that he will soon be able to begin his journey back to normal foods. It will take a little while to get back to burgers and such, but this is SOOOO awesome!! We were afraid that it would take another blast of chemo in order to shrink the tumor enough to be cleared!! But thank God- it has happened after THIS blast of chemo!! So thanks to all of you out there praying and even the positive thoughts and vibes sent his way... it's amazing... it works!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

November 23rd, 2011

Well, it looks as if we will be here at LGH for Thanksgiving... which is fine with me, as that means he is still here to fight this battle. Jimmy hasn't had anything to eat or drink for about 7 days now. He does enjoy the stash of hard candy that he has though!! :) Things to give thanks for.... the swelling has not returned to ankles, his blood work for heparin has stayed level (they don't have to up the dose), his vitals have remained steady and he is able to sleep pretty well! ALL of these are blessings. he is now on his third round of chemo- but this is a true learning curve as this is the first round that he has been awake for- the first time he hadn't been taking the correct dose of pain meds (was unaware he was allowed to up dose), the second time he doesn't remember a thing because he was not reacting well at all to the new pain med being administered. He lost 3 entire days from the meds. This time he is aware of his side effects and such. Says he would rather sleep through it again- :P
The nutritionist was here earlier to talk about TPN (nutrition through IV)- I guess this will be his Thanksgiving Dinner?! They will start out with a low dose at 800 calories and see how his body reacts over a 24 hour period then bump him straight up to 2200 calories after the 24 hour period if all looks good.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Update for November 15th, 2011

Today Jimmy was torn with emotion... his ankles have began to swell.. people give us different reasons and different ways to rectify this. After the CT scan this morning he and I went down to the cafeteria to get some "real food" for him. He very much enjoyed getting out of the room and better yet, off of the entire 8th floor. When we got back his nurse came in and let us know that he had developed small blood clots in his lungs- MAN... talk about having the wind taken out of your sail!! Got some reading material on the developing clots and did some of his own research. After speaking to the nurse whom assured us that this is quite normal in patients with cancer and that we had caught it very early, she had no fears that they would break up and be voided by his body- they put him on blood thinners so that the clots would not continue to grow larger. Later on in the afternoon one of his favorite nurses came in and gave us some FABULOUS news.... the CT scan showed that one of the larger tumors has been beaten down a bit!! THE CHEMO IS WORKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This brought the wind back to his sail and it was awesome to see!! I can't even explain the feeling!! :)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Update from Jimmy, November 14th

These past 9 days in the hospital have been quite a roller coaster ride of emotions, thoughts and sometimes some pretty intense pains as well. But with the help of the amazing dr's (dr. DeGreen and Miller especially) and nurses and staff you know who you are, and obviously my devoted visitors you all know who you are too, it has also been quite pleasurable! As pleasurable as a hospital stay can be I believe!! It's because of this support that I can maintain a healthy positive attitude and continue to do my best with what I've got to work with. My brother goes for a colonoscopy this week sometime too, so keep him in your thoughts as well and hopefully he is clear and well! Also a big shout out to Paul for putting this website together and opening up another pathway to communicate with people effortlessly! You have been quite helpful and the site looks great!! Anyway today is Monday 11/14/11 and I'm feeling pretty well, hoping to be home sometime this week!! Keep your fingers crossed again for my brother, thanks everybody I love you all!!
-Jim Faus (Uncle J-Bird)

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Message from Jimmy

I'd just really like to sincerely thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for all of the help, prayers and support that they've shown and given to me. This is quite an unfortunate event that has happened here in my life but I'm staying positive thanks to all of you who have hope and faith that I can do it. it's a struggle daily but that's just like the trail, one step at a time!! And I did say that if I could finish the AT, I felt like I could accomplish anything, you just have to want it badly enough!!! And you had better believe I want to beat this shit pretty badly, sometimes it IS good to be stubborn!! Thanks again to everybody who is visiting and keeping up with what's been going on with my new journey of a lifetime!

Fundraiser Events

Hey everybody, this is Paul, the creator of this web site. Obviously, Jimmy's Mom and the rest of his family are quite busy with everything going on, and understandably don't have much time to dedicate to this web site and events and the like. I am posting to ask that if you have information for an upcoming fundraiser or other event related to Jimmy and his family, you can send me the information and I will get it posted here on the site. Don't forget to include dates/times, location, contact information (if applicable), description, as well as anything people might need to download/print to bring along with them.

If you have any pictures that you think would be good to put in the gallery, you can email them to me as well, and I will post them once they are approved.

Also, if you have any suggestions for this site, or if you find a problem with it, please feel free to email me.

If you have no contact information for me, then please use kpmsites@gmail.com, thank you!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Update for November 10th, 2011

We are in LGH still and will be focusing on pain management in order to get him home. Weening him off of IV to pill form so that his pain will be better managed at home- and hopefully not change this time. They are thinking that the reason it stopped working last time is people's bodies become used to the morphine and it just stops blocking the pain. He will be on a medicine that is NOT supposed to do that. He has gotten his second chemo treatment... This one has been a lot tougher on his body... We can only hope that the next ones will go better. Do keep the prayers and thoughts coming for Jimmy for all of the upcoming events that will be happening!!

Thank You and God Bless

Welcome to jbirdsjourney.com!

Thank you for joining us as we watch j-bird's journey to win his battle. I, Momma Dukes, am so happy and humbled by all of the love and caring that has enveloped Jimmy, not only now, but over the years as well. He has made a lot of friends and these are the true attributes to his fight or flight mode. Thank you to all involved in his life and now in his current battle... we are aware it will be a hard road- but Jimmy is up for the challenge and we have a very steady and STRONG family base!! Visit as often as you would like as the site will change from time to time. Off we go.....

There is still plenty coming for this site, so check back often!