Great Weekend!

What a great weekend!  We left Friday morning for Indianapolis, Indiana.  The ride went well.  We didn't run into to very much traffic.  We found our hotel and wow it was gorious!  Each room had it's own refrigerator, stove top, sink and dishwasher and TV and couch that turned into a bed.  The other room  had two queen beds and a  TV and desk.  Our second suite was across the hall. 

Friday night we went out to eat after we got settled in.  Downtown Indianapolis had a party  that night.  Christmas tree lights.  There was some kind of lighting ceremony  put on where a lot, lot of people came. It was the night they turn on the large Christmas tree and we were there to see the lights go on!!

Matt, Casey, Christine and Becky sitting on the bed at the hotel.

We saw the Christmas tree lights go on.

Went out to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe Friday night.

Then we went home and went swimming for a little while.  We stayed up talking and finally we went to bed. 

Chad, Nate, Mike and Gavin swimming

On Saturday we got up and walked to the middle of downtown to see the Christmas tree in the day light and to see all the other sights.

We took an elevator up twenty four floor of the monument and this is what we saw. You could do the steps, all 331 of them or for $2 take the elevtor.  We did find out that there were still 3 flights of very narrow stairs to do when we got to the top.  That kind of tired Matt out.



Group shot in front of the War Museum, where the lighted Christmas tree is decorated around.

Matt, Casey, Gavin, Nate Becky, Mike, Jenny, Colton, Chad, Christine and Kitty and Brian.

Then we went shopping at the Mall downtown and ate a late lunch at.......

We had a good lunch!

Casey and Matt enjoying a meal at Hooters!

Then Matt went back to get a quick nap before we had to go to the Jeff Dunham show.  We had to get to the show early to pick up our passes to be

able to meet Jeff after the show. 

A friend from my work was able to contact Jeff's Dunham's manager and he said he normally doesn't do meet and greets but he would do it for

Matt.  We got to the show and got our passes so we can meet Jeff Dunham after the show.  We found our seats.  Our seats were on the floor, second row!

They were great seats!! Jeff Dunham put on a really good show.  We were

laughing so hard our cheeks were hurting.  When the show was over we

waited to meet Jeff.  Here are some pictures.

Here is Mike, Matt and Nate standing in front of the stage.

                      Myself (Kitty), Nate, Jeff Dunham, Matt and Casey

Jeff Dunham and Matt

The show started at 8:00 and it finished close to 10:30.  Then we went and met Jeff so we didn't get back to our hotel until 11:00.  Our hotel was one block away from the field house so we were able walk to the show.

It was a great weekend!!  The ride home was long and it rain all the way home.

I am so thankful that the weather was in the 60's the whole weekend so we were able to walk every where we went. It was a great week seeing all the family for thanksgiving and then spending time with the family in Indiana!!

Thank you, thank you to everyone for all your continued thoughts and prayers for Matthew!

Doctor Appointment & Thanksgiving

Matt saw Dr. Holen yesterday for a check up.   He said that Matt's site where his nephrostomy tube is looks good.  The tube is doing it's job for Matt.  He still continues to get up at night every few hours to go to the bathroom. They took Matt's vitals and they were good.  Matt still has a little higher blood pressure compared to normal. Matt still struggles with trying to gain weight.  He would like to get in the 120 range.

 Matt continues to have  pain in his pelvic region.  Dr.  Holen is going to check with Dr. Anderson.  Matt might be able to have radiation in that area somewhere.  He can not have the radiation in the same spot he had last time but they might be able to radiate a near spot to help with the pain.

Matt spent this last weekend with his brother Nate and his Uncle Keith.  They went out
to eat Friday and then went and saw a movie.  Then the three went back to Matt's house and watch another movie and fell asleep.  On Saturday they got up and decided to split wood for Matt's Grandma and Grandpa and for his in-laws.  Matt likes going to Jerry and Linda's and sitting by the fire place to keep warm!!

This Holiday weekend Matt and his family are taking a road trip.  We are going to Indianapolis Indiana.  We have a hotel for Friday and Saturday night.  On Saturday
night we are going to a show.  We are going to see the "Jeff Dunham" the Ventriloquist.
He is a great comedian.  His puppet "Walter, Peanut and Achmed the Dead Terrorist" are our favorites!! We can't wait to see the show.  Matt, Casey and Nate are lucky enough to be able to meet Jeff Dunham after the show!!   Can't wait to go!!  I pray
that we have good traveling weather! Our goal is to leave Friday morning around nine and return home Sunday around supper time!  This was a good weekend because Casey, Christine, Nate are all out of school for the weekend.  Brian, Mike, Becky, Chad and I were able to get off of work Friday to be able to make it!! 

Thursday we are having my whole side of the family to our house for Thanksgiving.  We have a lot to be thankful for!  We are so thankful to have Matt for another year and pray to have him for another year!!

Thank you to everyone for all their cards and prayers for Matt!

Check up on his Nephrostomey tube

Matt had an appointment yesterday to check his nephrostomey tube.  The doctor said everything looked good. No signs of infection. The doctor changed the dressing and took x-rays.

Dr. McKabe and Dr. Holen had talked early in the day.  They called the doctor that was doing Matt's check up on his tube and asked if he would do x-rays to see where the blockage was. 

Matt's ureter is blocked right at the bottom where it meets the bladder.  The tumor on his bladder is blocking the tube down there.  We took that as a
good thing.  We were thinking the ureter was completely block.

Matt still has leg pain that continues to bother him all the time.  He is getting
used to having the tube in his back.  It is very important that the incision site
get check regularly to make sure there is no infection starting.

 Matt has been doing some cleaning and cooking at his home to keep busy.
Hospice still comes in a few times a week to check Matt's tube and to check his blood pressure.  Matt's blood pressure is slowly getting back to normal.  Matt's brother-in-law has also barrowed him a recliner to sit in.  Matt finds it more comfortable sitting and taking a nap.  This way it feels better on his back and the tube hangs better and is more comfortable.

Thank you to everyone for all you support and prayers!

Matt is feeling better

Matt is feeling better since his procedure.  Hospice came on Saturday and helped cover Matt's bandages so he could take a shower to go out that evening.

Friday after the procedure was a hard time with pain.  Saturday the pain was more tolerable and Matt felt like cleaning.  He cleaned the upstairs of their home.  Then he thought he should rest up.  Hospice came in and helped Matt cover his bandages so he could shower and then when he was done they changed his dressings. He even took a nap so he would be rested up for the Marine Ball Banquet.

On Sunday he slept in and got up and cleaned his garage.  He did mention
that he had more blood in his bag than urine.  I told him he needs to slow
down and let his wound heal.  He promised he would.

Today Matt has a Doctor appointment.  They are going to do an ultrasound to make sure the tube is in the right place and everything is healing good.

Thank you to everyones prayers.  Matt is feeling better and I pray that continues for a long time.

Procedure Went Well

Matt's procedure went well today.  It only took an hour.  The doctor said Matt did real good during the procedure.  Matt now has a tube coming out of his back and attached to a bag he wears strapped to his leg.   Matt is in a lot of pain right now.  He is taking his current pain medications to help control the pain.  

Tomorrow Rainbow Hospice will come.  They are going to have to change the dressing around Matt's tube and check the incision to make sure there is no infection.  Matt is still trying to figure out how to sit and lay with his new tube.

Rainbow Hospice will come every day to check Matt's tube.  They are going to teach Matt and Casey and myself how to clean his wound and how to clean his bag.

We are planning a family trip at Thanksgiving time so it is a good idea for Casey and myself  to know how to  care for Matt's Nephrostomy tube.

Matt has a Dr appointment Monday.  He will have an Ultrasound to make sure the tube is placed properly and everything is healing the way it is supposed to.

Dr. Lesniak is going to talk with Dr. McKabe next week.  Dr. Lesniak believes he can go through Matt's new tube and stint his ureter.  If he is able to get through cancer and get a stint in his ureter and Matt's body is able to handle a stint then Matt would not
have to have the bag.  The doctor would like to try and cap the tube for a week or so to make sure Matt's body handles the stint then he would be able to take the tube out.  This would be a great out come it would reduce the possibility of infection.

I pray that Matt's pain goes away and his blood pressure continues to go down.
People ask what they can do.  I truly believe in the power of pray.  Please Pray for
Matt is feel better and for his body to handle this new tube.  Also to pray for a miracle would be great!! Thank you to all our family and friends for all their support!!

Another Procedure Tomorrow

Tomorrow Matt is having another procedure at Watertown Hospital.  Dr. Robert Lesniak will be performing  a procedure called, Paercutaneous nephrostomy.  He will
putting a tube into Matt's back into Matt's right kidney.  He is going to drain the kidney.
They will test the urine to see if it is infected.  The tube will stay in Matt's kidney. The doctor will attach a bag to it.  The kidney will be able to drain into the baf.

Matt's right kidney will drain into the bag for several weeks.  They will have to watch
that around the tube doesn't get infected.  Matt's left kidney will continue to function as normal while the right kidney will use the bag.

This bag can be temporary or permanent.  Dr. Lesniak think he could go through the tube and put a stint in Matt's ureter.  He has done this before with cancer patients that have their ureter filled with cancer.  Matt has had bad experiences with stints and not
sure he wants to try this procedure.  If he decides he doesn't want to try puttting the stint in  then the bag for his right kidney will become permanent. 

The procedure tomorrow with take a hour and half.  They will numb Matt's back around the area they will put the tube in. Matt will come home the same day.

I pray that the tube goes in and that Matt's body will accept this tube. I hope this helps to take away some of the pain Matt is experiencing.  Also that this helps to lower
Matt's blood pressure.  His blood pressure has been running a little high.

Thank you for all your continued prayers.

Not the Out come we were looking for.

Matt and Gavin while Matt was checking into Fort Hospital

Matt went to Fort Atkinson Hospital for a procedure to put some dye up through the ureter into Matt's right kidney.  Dr. McKabe was unable to see through the ureter.  She said his ureter was completely blocked with cancer.  She was unable to even think about a stint.  Matt's Diagnosis is Hematuria: Hydronephrosis of right kidney. He has
lots of urine blocked in his right kidney.  Matt's blood pressure is high.  They said due to the kidney problem it will make his blood pressure go up.

Dr. McKabe got out some debris but was not able to help Matt.  Dr. McKabe
scheduled Matt to have a procedure in Watertown on Friday.  The Radiologist
is going to fill Matt in on the possibility of rerouting the right kidney or giving Matt a
urine bag.  Matt will decide tomorrow exactly what he wants to do when he finds out his options.

Please God help Matt to understand all his options and to decide the best option to help him feel better.

Thank you for all your continued prayers for Matt!

Ultrasound Results

Matt met with Dr. McKabe today.  It was decided that he definitely has blockage in his
right kidney.  Tomorrow Matt is going to Fort Atkinson Hospital for a day surgery at noon. Dr. McKabe is going to shoot dye down into his right kidney to see if she can find the blockage.  She said it could be a kidney stone, or some kind of debris blocking so his urine can not come out like it should.  If it is not that it could be a tumor on the outside of the kidney pressing on his ureter so then Dr. McKabe said she would put in a stint. 

Hoefully all goes well tomorrow and Dr. McKabe can fix Matt's kidney so he can feel
better. 

Please pray for Matt to come through the surgery with a right kidney working better!
the maybe Matt will feel better!!

Thank you for all your continued prayers!

Last week.

Matt and his niece, Sophia and nephew Luke at the Zoo


  Matt has been trying to keep busy. Last week he went to work Tuesday for a few hours to sweep up and put things away. The next day, Wednesday he was really tired.  You know Matt!  He wants to keep busy and help.  So he went to work on Thursday and drove to pick up some parts and he was a little tired on Friday. So he rested Friday and Matt and Casey  came to Ixonia to have fish with me and the family to celebrate Casey's and my birthday.

Then Matt went home to try and get some sleep.  It seems no matter how tired he is he wakes up every few hours from pain or to go to the bathroom.  Saturday we had our niece's baby shower so Matt came along and went to the Milwaukee zoo with Uncle Mike, Luke and Sophia.  Matt was really tired on Sunday but he did get up and met with Grandma Aud and Grandpa Boy and family to go to the snowmobile breakfast.  Then Matt went home to rest for a while.

Today we are following up with Dr. McKabe to see if she read Matt's Ultrasound results. I hope to talk with his Dr. McKabe sometime this weeks.

I pray that Matt gains some weight so he doesn't have pain in his pelvic region and his back!  Thank you to everyone for your continued support and prayers!