daily life of the deanching family

We’re waiting to for Analise’s doctor to make his rounds and to evaluate Analise. So far she woke up, had some diarrhea, ate very little, but drank juice and milk. She likes fruit loops, but only ate a few. She’s napping and we still need to get her her routine of oral meds.

As long as Analise doesn’t vomit or run a fever, we should be ok to head home. She’ll take those nuprogen shots daily and have 1-2 visits per week to monitor her status.

We like the around-the-clock help from the nurses, but we need to get our family unit back intact at home. Sophia has done ok through the past few weeks, but it’s not something we’d like to keep putting her through. Thankfully our family and friends have been extremely supportive and helpful.

For any questions about the Analise Jordan Deanching Benefit, please email analisebenefit@gmail.com

Let’s see, I was ready to bolt out the hospital to the nearest Toys R Us, but I didnt exactly go over the game plan with Melissa and that’s my alibi. Oh, I felt like sleeping, my actual alibi. Analise did well last night and slept through the night. Reality, Melissa was up with the couple nurses to change Analise and her bedding b/c she had been wearing a pull-up diaper that leaked through. Note to parents with small children in pre-pullup diaper stage. They are easy to wear and change, but won’t hold a glass of water without spilling out. That’s a hybrid quote from Melissa.

The rest of the day consisted of trying to get Analise to eat. Thankfully my father and Auntie Heidi dropped by with some lunch from Appleby’s. Analise actually ate some french fries and pizza bread.

I also made a run to pick up some medicine that we’ll have to administer via syringe at home. Long story short, this Neupogen shots are critical to help boost Analise’s immunity while she’s on chemotherapy. I learned that Neupogen is not your everyday prescribed medication. It’s fairly expensive and not easy to find. I’ll take a break from venting.

Today was a great day with Analise. She’s continuing to talk, dance, joke around, and being a happy 20month old. She’s really become quite a character. Always trying to scare people by saying Boo! or MowMow! (in a scary voice). Each time some music is playing, she’ll wiggle from head to toe or head to butt (if she’s sitting). It’s the cutest damn thing to see.

Also, I must apologize for not mentioning earlier all the help in prayers and awareness Madonna Hollendoner’s family is doing on behalf of Analise. Madonna’s family has been very close to the Lowenstrom’s (Melissa’s family) and they have been very kind in dedicating prayers within their family and extend families. They have placed prayers on Analise’s behalf to Lourde’s. The are also looking into organizing a benefit as well. Samantha, another close friend of ours, is also working on that as well. She and Larry (Dr at Northwestern) have been working on a benefit as well and giving us great advice. I’m embarrassed to say, but I’m clueless to the work they have done thus far in regards to the benefits and such. Melissa and I have been consumed with nearly moment of Analise’s life since 11/15/2008. As more information comes through, I’ll make sure to provide updates here.

Samantha. Now there’s someone who has really gone out of her way to research (via Larry) and to comfort Melissa and I. She’s really an angel and we’re incredibly touched by her drive to help us through this. Thank you.

The Paz family: Rob, Nora, Hannah, and Liam. Honorable mention for Buddy their dog. The have been so kind to have Sophia over for a sleepover last week and then to spend time with Sophia yesterday. Like an extension of our own family, Rob and Nora have been right there, by our side to help us in anyway possible. Sophia just adores Hannah like an older sister and Liam like a brother. Nora loaned us a pin with sentimental value of her mother to help us through the surgery. Thank you.

Tonight (Friday), my parents went to pray with someone who had fought off cancer. Something about her situation has led her to be sought out by those who are sick. Thank you to my parents for taking the time and effort to seek her out for Analise.

I also need to mention to everyone who I have returned a phone call to or a text message. Auntie Ven, Ed Freed, Craig Finkle, and Checo. Thank you for your messages, I’ll call you back as soon as I get a free moment. Checo, I’m sorry that I didn’t call you directly, but hope that we can share that beer or two, next time you’re nearby.

Ok, it’s like 1:20am and we’re in the clear until 6am when the nurse will return to do something with the iv.
Thanks for reading and hope you’re black friday was a success. Keep in mind, cyber-monday is coming. Apparently, the first monday after Thanksgiving is a big event, b/c most people return to work and do a lot of online shopping. Haha. That always cracked me up. People going shopping online during work hours via the internet access at work. At least twice per year, work productivity is jeopardized, during the holiday season due to online shopping and during the ncaa basketball tournament for March Madness.

Have a good weekend.

For any questions about the Analise Jordan Deanching Benefit, please email analisebenefit@gmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone today! My parents visited with us at the hospital today while Melissa’s parents took Sophia out to Melissa’s brother’s home for Thanksgiving and then up to the hospital for a visit. Today really just flew by and Analise had a good day. She ate well and was playful with everyone today. She took a few rides in the radio flyer wagons that the hospital has on each floor. We normally just ride through the hallway to get her out of her room and to visit the nursing stations. She likes to scare them with her scary monster voice or to flash her ‘beautiful eyes’….

The nurses from last night, today, and through tonight have been very helpful.
Here’s the big decision for the evening…. do I actually get some sleep and drag myself out to do some Toys R Us Black Friday shopping?…. Last year, Melissa and I went to Toys R Us in Matteson at about 5:30am and there was already a line all the way around the store to checkout. It took about 1.5hrs to checkout. I’m not looking forward to saving that much to justify losing any sleep… I’m looking online, why leave the comfort of a fabulous room on a pediatric hospital floor…

Jokes aside, I am very thankful for having such a supportive family and 100’s of friends. This thanksgiving may not have been in front of a table with family in the traditional sense, but we’re certainly surrounded by some incredibly good and caring people.

I will single out, whom I consider my closest friend, Jon Cabela and his wife, Nikki. They happened to be on vacation (at home) last week while Analise was initially hospitalized and came to visit each night to bring us dinner and keep us company. Beyond the food, drinks, and conversation, they brought us a lot of comfort especially since Jon being a nurse and having previously worked at Christ Hospital. His experience in the operating room and knowing his way around this particular hospital brought assurance to us to have Analise treated here. And, of course, Nikki, who has worked with and known Melissa longer that I have, is always smiling and cheerful. Their friendship is special to us and we cannot thank them enough.

There were a lot of others who visited us whom I cannot say enough good things about either. Samantha, Ted, Marc, Erwin, Craig, Rob, Nora, Gil, Kevin, Tony, and many more. There are people pulling in all types of resources to help us out which is so touching and overwhelming to think about. Sophia has spent a lot of time with her cousins and the Paz family. Friends of Melissa’s parents have been taking turns with coming by our home to cook, clean, take out the dogs, and whatever to pitch in. Our neighbors have done the same. Our neighbors, whom I’ve only known for ~2yrs, were cooking us dinner and taking care of our dogs.

Despite all the bad in the world to complain about or be fearful in the world, there is a lot of good. More good than what I used to believe existed.

Happy Thanksgiving.

For any questions about the Analise Jordan Deanching Benefit, please email analisebenefit@gmail.com

Well, timing for eating went well, b/c she digested her food and filled a diaper around midnight. Unfortunately, whatever she drank after midnight didnt stay down after 330am. She’s thrown up about 3x now. We’ve gone through 1set of bedding and she’s dryheaving & spitting any liquids left in her. This really sucks to see. Her right eye is still a little swollen and she’s tearing up each time she has vomitted. The nurses didnt understand why no antinausea meds were prescribed in this first run of chemo, but they have some on order and waiting for it’s delivery from the pharmacy here. Also, with chemo agents and etc, they not only get you the dosages that should begin to kill the tumors, but then stuff to help combat the effects of the cancer killing agents, ie chemicals to help spare effects on her kidneys.

Before I forget, thank you to all the kind words and support. It really helps to hear positive thoughts. All the facebook.com postings and messages are helping us through this. Speaking of facebook.com, I cannot begin to tell you how nice it is to get in touch with so many people from the past as well as keep connected to people you see only so often. While I’ve got accounts with myspace and friendster, it is nice that facebook already adds the essential elements of networking via the web minus overhead of music, web design, and extraneous flash & media.

Yes, in the midst of today’s events, I’ve said my share of prayers. It feels like the right thing to do when there’s down time between eating, playing, cleaning up, and etc. I don’t know if a prayer is any more effective whether I do a whole regiment of prayers or if I can quickly login with the sign of the cross, do an Our Father, and then drop a list of people whom I feel need a blessing or some guidance. Since this initially started, i’ve carried a rosary and a rosary ‘crib’ sheet in my front pocket.

Melissa went back to sleep and Analise has seemed to have settled in herself. Still waiting for anti-nausea meds, but it’s peaceful again in our room. Analise’s nurses have been on top of everything since we’ve gotten to the 4th floor. I must commend there response time to address any of Analise or our needs. These nurses can make/break your faith in the healthcare system. I think they are the glue to keep things together for the patients and doctors’ sakes.

Ok, Im going to try to nap now. Thanks for reading all my rants and I appreciate all the feedback you’ve sent.

For any questions about the Analise Jordan Deanching Benefit, please email analisebenefit@gmail.com

I have to say thank you to Dr Hayani, Laura (nurse), and all those involved in today’s procedures. Though I have mostly let go of the frustration of surgical delays, I’m paying attention to everything. I forgot to mention that I corrected the general surgeon when she was trying to figure out how much of a dosage they needed for something surgically related. I noticed that she flipped a page in her notepad to multiply 25×15. I thought that she was multiplying vs adding, b/c let’s face it, she should be able to add that in her head. But being the overbearing person and ex-mathlete that I am, I had to ask what she was doing with those numbers. I quote, she was calculating some medication and that she is horrible in math and had to calculate it on paper. WELL, I NOTICED THAT SHE DID MULTIPLY 25 X 12 TO COME UP WITH 370. EEEEEEH, WRONG. IT’S 375. AND I WASN’T SHY ABOUT CALLING HER OUT ON IT EITHER.

What if that calculation was overdosed or overestimated some value needed in the surgery? Wouldn’t you say something?

That wasn’t cool and if I could remember her name, I’d totally blast her further. Between her and the operating room failing to give us more realistic and timely updates on the delays, I was pissed off.

Also, I’ll acknowledge that this is a holiday week. But let’s be serious, as you’re reading this, there are a lot of sick people around the world and I don’t recall cancer taking a vacation this week or any other holiday during the year.

So, whether you’re understaffed b/c of the holiday OR saying that you don’t normally have surgical hours on Wednesday doesn’t better the situation of my daughter being hungry and thirsty for an extra 4+ hrs on top of the 12+ hrs of fasting.

Have you ever had to withhold food or drink from your kid(s) ? It’s heartbreaking. Couple this with unexplained delays for surgery and then hearing your daughter begging for juice, I laid into everyone I could.

Ok. So enough about that.

We have had a good experience thus far between the day shift nurse (another Jenny of all things, I swear every other nurse is a jennifer or jenn a or jenn b or jenn c) and our current nurse, Sam. She’s been great about doing the chemo and her regiment of daily meds while keeping Analise is a relatively good mood.

So it’s about 1130pm and I’m taking the 1st shift of watching Analise. She’s fast asleep so I’m relieved that Melissa can sleep herself and I can vent via my blog…

For any questions about the Analise Jordan Deanching Benefit, please email analisebenefit@gmail.com