Feb 07, 2009 02:29 pm Sheesh, brotha. I'm very sorry all that has to happen to good people. :( If there is ever anything (I'm sure) some of us could do for you, let us know.
Why I suddenly had to quit visiting HRC
Posted on Feb 07, 2009 01:38 pm
Nightcap
Veni, MIDI, Vici
Member Since: Jul 02, 2008
First off I'm sorry that I disappeared so suddenly early December last year without any notice. Normally that's not me. Although nobody may have even missed me. :-)
The reason that happened was because my wife was unexpectedly hospitalized on December 1st 2008 and while trying to find out what all was wrong with her, the local doctors couldn't stabilize her. After 3 days she was - just in the nick of time - airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham AL. The doctors there were able to find out what the causes of her failing health were and finally could stabilize her. What they accomplished basically saved her life! We stayed in Birmingham for 7 long and difficult weeks; my wife in the cardiac and pulmonary ICUs and I was living temporarily in the UAB Townhouse. I won't go into all the details, but believe me it was quite an ordeal for everybody.
Two weeks ago we came back home. My wife is now disabled, on oxygen, has 2 incurable (but controllable) lung diseases, PAH (Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension) and only 25-30% of the heart capacity on the right side. (She was in heart failure at the time of arrival in Birmingham). Last Tuesday we went back to UAB for a follow-up and a second chemo treatment. All the reports were good and she responds well to the medications, so there is hope.
Despite all this my wife is optimistic and grateful to be alive and able to do little things in the house. After you have looked death straight in the eye, your perspective on life truly changes.
All this means that my "lazy" days are over. I'll have to bring in more money and of course take care of her. That probably won't leave me with much time for music anymore. We'll have to see how things develop. For now I'm just glad that she's still around!
Before all this happened, I was working on a few songs and I posted them today as they are. Let's just hope it won't be my musical swan song.
The 2 songs can be found in my profile:
- "Holding On"
An electric blues song and very basic: drums, bass and an electric guitar. The song is meant to give the impression of a live performance.
- "Gimme a Break"
An older song that was just eating dust on my computer. I worked on it again in November, yet more mixing and/or mastering may be needed, but this is it for now.
Thanks for "listening" to my story and yep, it's good to be back!
Nightcap
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Feb 07, 2009 02:29 pm Sheesh, brotha. I'm very sorry all that has to happen to good people. :( If there is ever anything (I'm sure) some of us could do for you, let us know.
Feb 07, 2009 02:48 pm Wow, what an ordeal...glad there is hope, stick with the doctors treatments and I'll keep ya'll in my prayers.
Very sorry to hear this.
Feb 07, 2009 02:54 pm Good God Nightcap. So sorry to hear all that you and your wife are going through. My wife and I will keep you in our prayers.
UAB has a good rep. And I am glad to hear that they were able to stabilize her in time.
I don't know if you have checked into other treatments out there. Here around Browns Mills NJ, there is a place called The Deborah Heart and Lung center. Their web site has tons of information on life style living with your wife's condition. www.deborah.org/ They may be worth a look at.
Feb 07, 2009 03:56 pm Very sorry to hear nightcap. Although I know the priority is to take care of your wife but you have to try and take care of yourself as well. Wishing you and your wife a most favorable outcome.
Lonnie
Feb 07, 2009 06:35 pm Ah Man, glad to hear she's on the mend... another reason to say "F U 2008!" :)
Feb 07, 2009 08:50 pm Thanks for the support and kind words guys. God knows we need it! Prayers are always welcome and we appreciate every single one.
Cynic, I will remember y'all in case it would ever be necessary. I can't think of anything right now, but who knows.
dB, yes we follow the doctor's orders to the letter. There is no room for "free wheeling", her life would be in jeopardy.
Rob, I checked the "Deborah" website earlier this evening, It seems they specialize in other fields than what my wife has. She has the limited and systemic forms of scleroderma. Nevertheless, thank you for trying to be helpful. It's much appreciated.
[quote]Scleroderma is a rare, chronic auto-immune disease which afflicts an estimated 300,000 Americans, primarily females who are 30 to 50 years old at onset. The overall occurrence is 1 per 1,000 (.001% of the 310 million U.S. population) and the ratio of women to men is about four to one.
Scleroderma is both a rheumatic disease and a connective tissue disease. The term rheumatic disease refers to a group of conditions characterized by inflammation and/or pain in the muscles, joints, or fibrous tissue. A connective tissue disease is one that affects tissues such as skin, tendons, and cartilage.
sclero.org/medical/about-sd/a-to-z.html
[/quote]
Lonnie, your advice, as always, is very sound. It is kinda difficult to do though, but I realize that I'll have to think of myself too.
Zeke, you can't imagine how appropriate your "F U 2008" statement is. Having such a bad year has one big advantage, 2009 just has to be better. ;-)
Feb 07, 2009 09:01 pm I'll post the songs part of my initial post in the Mixing forum too, if that's OK. Should have done that in the first place. Just wasn't thinking straight. :-)
Feb 07, 2009 09:06 pm Keep your chin up bro, these things are sent to test us.
and yeah, i was wondering where you got to.
hope everything works out fine for you mate.
Feb 07, 2009 09:39 pm Thanks Deon! I know what ya mean, it's all part of the mystery of life. Good feeling to know that I've been missed as far away as Australia. :-)
Feb 07, 2009 09:46 pm we Aussie's are universal man!!
Feb 08, 2009 04:20 pm Wow, sorry hear to hear about your Wifes illness. Glad to hear She's responding well to treatment, I'll keep the both of you in my thoughts & prayers.
Dan
Feb 08, 2009 06:19 pm Hey Nightcap, sorry to be late on this. As usual up to my forehead in stuff going on. Sorry as well to hear of the bad things ending 2008. But glad to hear things are working for the better for 2009.
I was listening while I was writing, cool stuff indeed. I liked Gimme a Break for its cool bass line and the freaky bit of effect on the drums. I'll comment in the other thread more later.
But you can know you are getting good mojo sent your way from here as well. Prayer's as always.
Feb 08, 2009 10:33 pm Thanks Dan, your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
No worries Noize, I know how busy you are. Good mojo is always welcome, can't get enough of that. :-)
Feb 09, 2009 07:06 am Prayers here too for both of you. That has to be rugged to go through.
Feb 09, 2009 10:11 am I'll keep you in my thoughts man.
Even though they're totally different conditions, my better half if disabled too.
One thing I've learned over the past several years of treatments, doctors, medications, pharmicists, hospitals, surguries, tears and pain: There's no medicine better than a good attitude and always keeping your eyes on the future. Hope can be such a valuable treatment in and of itself. Never lose hope!
Feb 09, 2009 11:06 am Thanks Walt, all the prayers are giving us strength. It is rugged indeed, but you can only find out how strong you are, until you get tested.
Sorry to hear about your wife Tadpui, I didn't know. The way it normally works on forums is that you see just names and in most cases the story/stories behind the names never come to the surface.
Yes, it's easy to lose hope. Both of us have been there a few times. It helps realizing what we still have and that we are guided through life.
Feb 09, 2009 08:04 pm Hi Nightcap. I'm truly sorry to hear about what you're going through right now. While I can't say I know what it's like having your significant other disabled, and being under strict observation and medical aids, I do know what it's like to have hardship.
My dad was diagnosed with a non-Hodgkins type lymphoma a few years ago, so he had to go in for radiation therapy. The prognosis was good, in that they had a 50% chance of either completely eradicating it, or at least sending it into remission. So, they nuked his upper half, and pretty much dried up all his saliva glands. He's much better now, but he still has to drink a lot when he takes his meals.
Just to be certain, they went ahead and did his lower half as well, which made him green as a gourd for a pretty long time. He still goes back for checkups every once in awhile, but he hasn't had to have any further treatments thankfully.
However, now he's a type 2 diabetic, so he's constantly having to monitor his sugar intake after meals, which he does a good job of keeping the levels down.
Anyway, I know things can get pretty glum on the outlook, but that's where you just have to force yourself to look past that, get angry and cranky at your illness if you have to, and refuse to back down. Don't give in to the situation. Look forward, keep fighting, and stay determined.
I'll certainly keep you and yours in my thoughts. Best wishes, and best of luck to you both!
-Jim
Feb 10, 2009 07:43 pm That's pretty heavy what your dad went through J-bot. I'm sure he can teach us a lesson or 2 about getting angry and cranky. :-) You're advice is well-taken and we try the best we can to stay positive and to not let anything bring us down.
Your thoughts and wishes are very much appreciated!
Feb 11, 2009 12:29 am Nightcap, I'm not sure if I have any outstanding words to offer you. But I would like to offer my condolenses for your wife's condition. She is lucky to have you, and I'm sure, you are lucky to have her as well. Here's to keeping your head up.
Feb 14, 2009 04:31 am Sorry to hear about your wife so more of that
Mojo stuff from me too.
Feb 14, 2009 01:10 pm Hey coolo, words don't have to be outstanding to be helpful! Your reaction shows that you care. Thank you!
It's appreciated Hujambo.
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