Mid-week Catch-up
Mood:  cheeky
Now Playing: From John
Topic: Update
The good news is, not much new to report!

Got Gail back on her airplane Monday. Ate somewhere, took pictures. Therapy continues to go well. Biopsy results were excellent. More day trips away from PVCH. Increased independence. Trepidation about Friday. Excited to finally move back home!

As Dad so eloquently puts it: dahdada-dahdada-dah...

His bone marrow transplant evaluation at the U of M is Friday, 8am sharp. Verna is driving Wes to meet Joel in Clearwater Thursday. Joel is coordinating a drop-off-exchange with John. Wes is staying in a hotel that night to avoid rush-hour traffic. I'll be attending the 3-hour eval with him, then driving both of us back up north where we'll "check out" of PVHC on Saturday and he'll settle back into his lake home. Sounds kind of like the baton in a 440M relay at a track meet...?

Dahdada-dahdada-dah.

Weekend News & Notes
Mood:  special
Now Playing: By John
Topic: Update
Wes and Al drove to Fargo Friday to pick up Gail at the airport. Shopping, errands, lunch, and a tour of PVHC ensued.

The Nerstrand crew arrived Saturday shortly before John and his girls. After a quick unloading, we car-pooled over to Spanky's to meet Al & Becky for dinner. The waitress listened attentively to multiple "one check, mine" directives, but eventually Joel & Dori treated before Wes or Al figured out where the bill went to.

Back to the cabin where Cortnie played Santa, distributing presents and Christmas cheer. New clothes, gadgets, trinkets, and cruise supplies abounded. Dad headed back to PVHC via the "Joel-shuttle" a little before 10pm while the girls played on computers and Gail napped on the couch.

Sunday morning came early for those that stayed up late watching Gaffigan on DVD, but it was worth the extra coffee. We were treated to Zion's Sunday School kids' Christmas pageant and play, followed by 'cake' and candy canes in the fellowship room. A long and treacherous Lost Highway 'shortcut' brought us to Vergas for brunch at The Loons Nest, shopping the antique stores, and back to the lake for football (Vikes suck) and eventual goodbyes.

I think we wore him out.

Baby Steps...
Mood:  sharp
Now Playing: From John
Topic: Update
All throughout this, Wes' family has batted around the phrase "Baby Steps." Like in the movie 'What About Bob,' it is meant to remind us that it's the little things - the daily improvements, the small-scale victories, even the minor challenges - that are truly important in the big scheme of things. The impetus of setting a goal (no matter how irrational or pie-in-the-sky) and the process of reaching that goal (no matter when or by whatever means) is what keeps us going forward as human beings. It brings us pride, strengthens our discipline, and builds self-confidence. All from one little Baby Step.

Yesterday, for example, Dad drove for the first time in more than six weeks. You'll have to ask his brother Al, who sat shotgun in the minivan, about the details (and how many drinks he had to have to calm his nerves afterward), but it's yet another example of a Baby Step that seemed impossible even a week ago.

Dad's gained 4 pounds since he arrived at PVHC, now topping the scales at a whopping 164#. Not bad, considering he went from 30# heavier (when they pumped him full of fluids in ICU and he looked a lot like mini-John) to 30# lighter than usual at his Merit Care discharge. Baby Step.

If you ask me, it's all about perspective and expectations. There are those of us that fret about Dad's ability to adequately care for himself once he's discharged from PVHC. There are those that are just happy we have options for his Leukemia treatment and thankful that he'll be around. There are some that worry about Dad becoming depressed from this whole situation, not to mention his being alone over a long, blustery winter at the lake. There are others who are just plain amazed at the outpouring of blessings, miracles, prayers, and support from friends and acquaintances. There are even those that hope Dad's near-death experience will trigger him to reassess what's most important to him and might even initiate some positive changes in his old daily routines.

Truth-be-told, does it really matter?

Baby Steps...

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change (other people, Leukemia, God's plan for me). The courage to change the things I can (my attitude, my health, my habits, my words, taking personal responsibility). And the courage to know the difference...

Baby Steps.

Gameplan, goals and options...
Mood:  cool
Now Playing: By John
Topic: Update
Wednesday's appointment at Merit Care was eventful, to say the least. Lots of tests, what's best, and rest. The highlight was when Dr. Gaba told him that she was at an oncology conference on Monday and Tuesday, discussed his case with her peers, and thinks that he is a good candidate for a "non-traditional, less aggressive" bone marrow transplant. She tentatively scheduled him for an Evaluation at the University of Minnesota's Transplant Center. He's still debating the pros and cons of this treatment option, but since it is only an evaluation and he might not pass their requirements anyway, he's leaning towards having the eval done.

Thursday's Discharge Meeting at PVHC went well. After hearing input from all sides, Dad decided that he's going to say there and take advantage of all the benefits/rehab through Friday the 22nd of December. He will then move back out to his Lake Lida home (YEAH!), but will be meeting with Hospice and Home Health Care between now and then to discuss options for them to help out in this transitional stage.

Doctor Appointment Day
Mood:  quizzical
Now Playing: By John
Topic: Update
Yawn... early-rising day for Dad. Al & Becky chauffeured him to Fargo for a long day of tests, doctor appointments, and consultations: blood work, bone needle biopsy, EKG/EEG, Q-n-A sessions, meeting with Dr. Gaba. We won't have the results for 3-4 days, so we wait and hope there are no further 'miscommunication' this time. We'll know more about his Consolidation treatment schedule once the test results are in and his oncologist narrows his chemotherapy options.

The Cancer Support Group is holding its monthly meeting at PVHC so that Dad can attend this evening. He was instrumental in getting the group to accept spouses of cancer patients into the fold, and it became an important part of Dad's support system for dealing with Mary's death. Now it will hopefully become an integral part of his own battle with The Big C.

Therapy continues to go very well. Craig's got him working a lot on squats and stairs to build his strength and get rid of the wobbly knee syndrome.

Verna is attending the weekly Thursday morning Discharge Meeting with the PVHC staff to discuss progress, gameplan, and support. Medicare has some strict rules regarding their financial assistance for nursing home patients and our family is hoping that Dad takes full advantage of his rehab stint before he attempts to move back out to the lake. It's an ironic situation because every time he's shown progress and makes strides (moving out of ICU, discharge from Merit Care, etc.), the "system" rewards him with less help and assistance. We know he likes to set optimistic goals and that he really wants to be home for the Holidays, but we're just worried that he might back-slide or that he's not quite ready to be on his own... just yet.

The good news is that Gail (Mary's daughter) will be joining us this weekend at the lake for our Christmas celebration! Verna is picking her up from the Fargo airport on Friday. She'll have Dad's minivan for transportation while she's here and has offers from plenty of "lake people" to keep her company. Joel, Dori, and Amy (and possibly her boyfriend) are heading up Saturday afternoon. Myself and the girls will leave the Cities after Samantha's dance team practice on Saturday. Dad's made a X-mas dinner reservation at Spanky's, followed by festive cheer and our traditional 'round-the-tree present exchange back at the lake. We'll attend church at Zion on Sunday with Dad, then do lunch at the Cornfield. Joel's and my family need to depart Sunday, whereas Gail is staying until Monday. Feel free to give us a call at the lake while we're there this weekend (218-863-8119) so say HI, catch up, or visit with Dad, if you want.

How To Contact Wes
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: From Son John
Many people have been wondering, "now that Wes is getting better, can I call him or is he up for visits?"

Dad has decided not to get a phone installed in his room at Pelican Valley Health Center (PVHC). I think it's because he doesn't plan to be there all that long and might also be enjoying the break from his unofficial title as "Mr. Congeniality." I tried to get him to use his cell phone, but he's determined to continue letting Al & Becky hang onto it instead.

At this point, we as a family would ask that, if you call PVHC directly, simply leave a message for Wes, as their nursing staff is tasked with more pressing care matters than tracking down Dad. He will get the message and return the call if time permits.

Best advice I can give is to continue using email for now. Becky is continuing to print emails that are sent to wesonlida@loretel.net and PVHC has a "Contact Residents" section on their web page. Simply 'copy' the following web address into your browser. They'll hand-deliver your message to Dad.

http://www.pelicanvalleyhealthcenter.com/contact_residents.htm

You can also click on "post your comment" on this web blog page, as I forward those to Dad also.

For those of you who are local, visits are wonderful. He's in Room #123, first patient door on the left, if you enter from the red canopy door. Visiting hours are flexible, but we've been told that you may have trouble accessing the building before 7 am and after 9 pm. If you arrive close to meal times, I'm sure he'd appreciate the company at the dinner table. The only other times he's not available are during Physical/Occupational Therapy, exercise times, Discharge Meetings, doctor/dentist appointments, and when he's gone on an occasional Day Trip. All I ask is that if Dad starts to show signs of fatigue, please respect that his energy level isn't what it used to be. Granted, he's become good at expressing when he's worn out, so if he 'suggests' that you "go downtown and grab a bite to eat" it's probably a sign that he's had enough...

Cards and letters can still be sent to his Lake Lida home or to PVHC.

Weekend Update
Mood:  rushed
Now Playing: By John
Topic: Update
Busy weekend.

Al & Becky brought Dad out to the lake for his first "Day Trip," but they had to keep him on a short leash so he didn't overdo it. He didn't say anything about the X-mas decorations I put up, so either they were adequate or innocuous. Bonnie stopped by to help decorate the tree. Dad said "he must not have his strength back yet," because he got tired and wobbly knees from a lot of walking and the stairs, so he had to relax in the recliner for a while a couple of times.

On Sunday, he attended church (two standing ovations for him), followed by brunch at The Cornfield, shopping stops with sister Verna, another quick stop at the lake for his address book, and finally back to Pelican Valley about 7:00 pm. Long day...

Not sure how the cats handled his returns, but I'm guessing they're a bit confused by all of this.

He's still getting night feedings from his G-tube to augment his regular meals. No problems with aspiration. We're hoping the feeding tube can be removed on Wednesday, if the nutrient test comes back AOK. They are supplementing his diet with protein to re-build muscles. His skin is really dry and his palms are flaking (side-effects of chemo), so he's trying to drink more fluids and goes through a lot of moisturizer. They tried Benedryl to alleviate the itching too.

He's making progress on his rehabilitation, visited the rehab room across the hall for exercises, has hand-weights, stretchies, grippers in his room, and knows that all this will help to re-build strength and stamina.

Saturday, December 9th
Mood:  sharp
Now Playing: By John
Topic: Update
The last two days have been busy.

Bob Dahl is working with Dad on his Occupational Therapy. Craig Haugrud and his assistant Colleen have got him on a Physical Therapy schedule. We had a Discharge Meeting on Thursday morning with Laura, Craig and a dietitian to discuss goals, progress, and expectations. Lots of visitors, which he enjoys. Three square meals daily at the "mens" table.

Today Al & Becky are picking him up for the first "day outing" back to his Lake Lida home. I tried to sort through some of his Christmas decorations while I was there and attempted to put a few things out to "season the season," but he's got more tubs of decorations than Carter has liver pills. Hopefully Bonnie Hanson will be there today, as she's got a great eye for decorating. Tomorrow Dad is being picked up by a member of his church choir so he can attend services at Zion.

We've been told by the staff at Pelican Valley that day outings are good for Dad, but that "his butt must be in bed" each night. We'll find out a lot more on Wednesday when he has his next appointment with Dr. Gaba...

Wednesday, December 6
Mood:  chatty
Now Playing: From John
For those of you who don't know yet, I have the most amazing father in the world.

When my step-Mom, Mary, was diagnosed with cancer a little over two year ago, it was devastating. But during her fight she taught me about the true meaning of character, optimism, faith, courage, dignity, and acceptance of one's own fate.

I didn't think it was possible, but my Dad has taken those lessons a step further and shown me even more about how to live a purposeful life.

The stack of printed emails he's received is literally over 2" high. We're on our second basket to hold all the cards he's received. The phone calls, uplifting. The people who have visited are angels. It's a testament to the people whose lives he's touched.

His doctors marvel at the progress he's made, in such a short time. He's already met many new friends since he arrived at Pelican Valley. The nursing staff has crowned him as their favorite patient. His family still worries about logistics, time lines, and prognoses. It all makes me appreciate Dad's steadfast determination, his outgoing nature, and selfless disposition.

He's focused on regaining his strength and health. He's determined to beat the cancer. He's looking forward to spending "Christmas with his boys." He's setting his sights on coming home to the lake. And he wants to make sure that the dream that he and Mary shared does not go to waste...

As I look back on the last six weeks - the roller coaster of emotions, what-ifs, tears, fears, and hopes - I am reminded of one constant underlying factor: The outpouring of love towards my Dad.

Those of you who know Wes Schierman know that the world is a better place because he's here.

Moving Day!
Mood:  cheeky
Now Playing: By John
Warren and Lynn were waiting with Dad for his final release from 7th Floor, Oncology, Merit Care.

A gaggle of student nurses stopped by, probably to see if all of his masculine senses are back to normal? The 7th Floor Social Worker, Cheryl, says that he is walking on his own (no cane, nobody holding the belt) up and down the halls. She says that she's amazed and excited at the progress Dad's made over such a short time. She mentioned that Dr. Gaba would probably determine when his G-tube (feeding) would be taken out, which depends on whether he gets enough nutrients from eating.

Dad's partially dressed (tennis shoes and jeans), watching the weather on TV (dah), but has to wait to ditch his hospital gown until they pull the remainder of his IVs at about 12:30 pm. They're shooting for a 1:00 departure.

Al & Becky took the majority of the bigger stuff from his hospital room back yesterday, so not much left to pack... besides Dad.

He informed me yesterday that he does not plan to get a telephone in his Pelican Valley Health Center room, nor does he think he wants a bunch of stuff from the lake home moved in, because he "doesn't plan to stay there long enough to need it." He hasn't decided whether he will have his laptop, but Becky will be checking his emails regularly (wesonlida@loretel.net) and printing them off for him.

Laura Hagen (older sister of Julie Pierce, one of my old girlfriends from sophomore year at PRHS) at Pelican Valley said Dad should not need a private room, since they have not been full since last spring and it's unlikely he'll have to share a room with anybody else. They are excited to have him there (since everybody already knows him) and are going to to everything they can to help him "get back on his feet," get to a point where he can go home to the lake, and more easily take care of himself. Pelican Valley also has a web page where you can contact residents:

http://www.pelicanvalleyhealthcenter.com/contact_residents.htm

I will be traveling north tomorrow to visit Dad, so the next blog update will probably not be until Wednesday afternoon.

Monday, December 4th
Mood:  lucky
Now Playing: From Son John
Topic: Update

Sister-in-law Becky just called (in tears) with GREAT NEWS!

Turns out that, according to Dr. Gaba, there was a "miscommunication" with the University of Iowa on Dad's most recent bone marrow biopsy...his "blasts" are actually LESS THAN 1%! That means his Leukemia IS in remission!!!

Brother Warren will be transporting him to Pelican tomorrow, then Dad will have another appointment with Dr. Gaba on 12/13 (and another biopsy). It will take 3-4 days after that for the results to come in, but if the "blast" count holds, he will start Consolidation Phase of his treatment shortly after that.

He also passed his Aspiration Test today, which should mean FOOD and DRINK (even if it is "post-tonsil-fare") is on the horizon!

He said he enjoyed his former teaching colleague, Leo Bedard, visiting today.

And when I talked with Dad over the phone, his spirits were high, he was viewing his new available diet of REAL food/drinks, and we said we'd plan a trip to either Reno or Vegas in January (figuring with his recent luck, we'd cash in at the casinos).

Thank you all for your support, thoughts, cards, emails, phone calls, prayers, and help. We've just witnessed another miracle!

Sunday, December 3rd
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: From John
Topic: Update
Joel and I went pheasant hunting and moved the Goose Camp RV with lake friend Shawn yesterday, so no blog update for Saturday.

Dad's had no fever the past few days - good sign that he's recovering and healing internally! Still has discomfort with his feeding tube, but Verna made sure the nurses are checking for infection so they don't repeat the problems he had with the Hickman port during initial chemo treatment. Warren found out that they still have Dad on antibiotics, but his last anti-fungal dose is expected this afternoon. He still is low-energy and tires quickly, but they tell us that is a slow process that takes time. Being fed "beige protein-slush from a hanging sack" isn't helping, so maybe once he starts eating real food again, it'll help.

The Respiratory Therapist has schedule another swallowing evaluation (including a scope down the throat), so we're hoping that the aspiration problem is getting better. They reduced his inhaler from four to twice daily and he's showing progress in the breathing exercises.

His nurse the last couple of days, Amy, says that he's using the mouth swabs to kill/reduce bacteria build-up on the tongue, but really wants a Popsicle instead... maybe tomorrow!

Dad's been up and about a bit, has been reading a lot and using his laptop (including checking this blog page) from his recliner. So remember, you all can simply click on "Post Comment" under each days blog if you'd like to say something.

Still looks like a Tuesday or Wednesday release from the hospital, but won't know for sure until Dr. Gaba sees him on Monday.

Friday, December 1st
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: From John
Topic: Update
Sister Verna was visiting today, along with brother Warren (who we're lucky works at Merit Care). Dad got a bath and has been busy with his respiratory exercises. He's tired and is complaining that his gastric feeding tube is uncomfortable. He is talking much better since they removed the tube from his nose! And once his broken partial is repaired next week, his speech should again improve.

Verna and Becky are busy pre-planning what personal items to bring to the nursing home for a cozy touch and convenience. Still looks like either Tuesday or Wednesday of next week he'll be released. We'll know more once Dr.Gaba returns Monday the 4th. Since they charge $3 per mile for transportation, it looks like we as a family will be drawing straws to see who gets to chauffeur him to Pelican.

Since Dad missed spending Thanksgiving with the relatives, Verna had promised him "a feast that will make Thanksgiving look small" upon his return. I'm not sure exactly what she has in mind, but will keep you all posted on her plans!

Thursday Night
Mood:  not sure
Now Playing: From John
Topic: Update
Just got off the phone with Dr. Gaba, the oncologist... and it's not the news we'd hoped for. The results of Dad's bone marrow biopsy showed that the Leukemia is back. When Dad was first diagnosed, the immature cells (also known as "blasts") were at 60%, which is considered to be Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Acute is considered "blasts" over 20%. His high percentage was why they were so aggressive with his chemotherapy. Dr. Gaba said during his original diagnosis that he'd been in the Chronic stage (under 20% "blasts") for quite a while before anybody noticed the symptoms. Anyhow, when we got the results of his bone biopsy from two weeks ago we were elated that that "blasts" were at 0%. Anything under 5% is considered 'in remission.' The results today showed 10-12%.

So, he will have another biopsy in about 2 weeks - the hope is that the percentage does not climb and the Dr. Gaba can pronounce the Leukemia as Chronic. That's important because, in the Chronic Stage, we at least have some treatment options. Dad's adverse reaction to his first round of chemo (Induction Phase) limits his doctor's choices for treatment in the future.

If his "blasts" were under 5% in this last test, Dr. Gaba would have gone into what is called a Consolidation Phase of treatment, with a different chemo 'cocktail' in shorter batches over 2-3 months. If his health had improved over that time he most likely would have gone into a Maintenance Stage of treatment (lower doses spread even farther apart). Gaba said he would have been a candidate for a bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant at some point if all went well...

However, given that he has over 10% blasts, now all we can do is hope and pray that the percentage does not rise. In a nutshell, Dr. Gaba said "if it does progress back to the Acute Stage, I'm afraid we will have no more treatment options, given his reaction to the chemotherapy..." Dr. Gaba did share this news with Dad (with brother Al and sister-in-law Becky present), he took the news OK, and after a brief time of solitary reflection he was back to his jovial self. Gaba did seem to think that it would be best for Dad to go to the Pelican Valley Nursing Home (versus staying in Fargo at a rehab center) once he is released from the hospital.

We don't know what the outcome will be in two weeks, but I do know that, according to his sister Verna, he has shown a new, brighter outlook the past few days with his breathing and speech exercises. Becky said he is upbeat, positive and looking forward to being released next Tuesday.

Lastly, when my brother Joel and I consulted with Dr. Gaba after Dad's 8-day stint in the Intensive Care Unit, Gaba did tell us that "it is a miracle, and I don't use that word often. What Wes went through, his condition, the septic infection, and everything... people don't recover from that." Your prayers worked everyone! So, please don't give up, Dad, and please keep praying everybody...

Thursday, Novermber 30th
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: By John
Topic: Update
"Best night of sleep in a LONG time" according to both Dad and his nurses. They started feeding through the G-tube today, he had another X-ray of the chest/lung area, and his spirits are high. Still no results of the bone biopsy because Dr. Gaba sent the test off to the University of Iowa for them to look at and verify. No cause for concern, just a second layer of checking according to them. His vitals are good: blood work, nutrients, heart and pressure. However, he's still weak and tired. The best we can do is encourage him to follow his doctors and nurses orders (breathing exercises, speech exercises, no food/luquids via mouth, etc.) and remind him that "in order to get out of the hospital, you need to do what they say!" Yah, easier said than done.

Wednesday, November 29th
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: From Son John
Topic: Update
Wes returned from having his gastric tube installed about 10am today and has been sleeping since. They are resting his stomach and will not be starting feedings until tomorrow. He will be taken of "house arrest" (his term) at 3pm today and has been moved to Room # 750 directly across from the Nurse's Station so they can monitor him. His new phone number is (701) 234-5750. The results of his bone biopsy will be shared with him this afternoon by Dr. Gaba - look for another "blog post" after we hear the results.

Tuesday, November 28th
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: From Son John
Topic: Update
Verna was there at about 5 pm when Dr. Gaba (Wes' oncologist) was visiting with Wes. His catheter was removed today. They also did another bone biopsy to check on the remission of the Leukemia, but the results will not be known until tomorrow. Tomorrow they will also be removing his feeding tube from his nose and re-routing it directly into his stomach. The spetic infection is gone and so is the fever, but he said he felt "clammy" today. We are still battling excess fluid build-up around his lings and heart. Wes is hoping to be released from the hospital sometime early next week and would like to check out the Pelican Valley Nursing Home for some convalescing time.