Steve Ernest

Address Correction

2007-03-15T08:11:00.000-05:00

Many of you have discovered that the address listed for memorial contributions to the Harmony Foundation was incorrect. We apologize for this inconvenience. Unfortunately, we did not verify the address prior to Dad's passing and have since discovered that the address he had in his files was long outdated. If you would still like to make a contribution, you can either send it to Mom or me and we can forward it for you, or you can send it directly to the Harmony Foundation at this address:

Harmony Foundation, Inc.
225 W. Washington Street, Suite 2330
Chicago, IL 60606

You can also make a contribution online if you would prefer.

Again, we apologize for the error.

On another note, I will keep this blog up for a little while longer and then it will be deleted. If you would like to continue to keep track of us, you are welcome to view my own blog here. We aren't always that interesting, but anyone is welcome to check it out anytime.

More Details

2007-02-19T13:00:00.000-05:00

Stephen Lee Ernest 60, Greenwood, Indiana, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, February 17. Steve was born November 13, 1946 in Findlay, Ohio, the eldest son of Dale and Doris (Halbgewoks) Ernest. He was a graduate of Arlington High School and Indiana University.
He was an industrial sales recruiter with Sales Consultants/Management Recruiters for 20 years. He later worked as a payroll services sales representative for 8 years, before retiring in 2006. Steve was a member of Center Grove Presbyterian Church, Kappa Delta Rho fraternity, Masonic Lodge # 685, Indianapolis, and the Johnson County Chapter of the IU Alumni Association.
Steve became interested in barbershop harmony singing while a student at Arlington. He was a 33-year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and sang faithfully every Tuesday night with the Columbus-Greenwood Chordlighter chorus. He sang with several barbershop quartets through the years, most notably the Sharpshooters comedy quartet, performing shows in communities throughout the Midwest and Southwest United States. The Cardinal District of the Barbershop Harmony Society recognized Steve as the 2005 Barbershopper of the Year for chapters in Indiana and Kentucky.
Mr. Ernest is survived by his parents, Dale and Doris Ernest; his wife of 37 years, Beverly Cade Ernest; and their daughter Angela Thompson (Michael). Also surviving are two brothers, Gregory Ernest (Shirley) and Timothy Ernest (Cindi), brother-in-law, J. Kevin Cade; his two beloved grandchildren, Chelsea Noel Thompson and Noah Michael Thompson; one niece, Abby Ernest; one nephew, J. Kyle Cade and many aunts, uncles and cousins from the Ernest and Halbgewoks families.
A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, March 3 at 11 a.m. at the church. Friends and relatives may greet the family before the service, from 9-11 a.m. or during the lunch provided by the church immediately following the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Harmony Foundation, 6315 Harmony Lane, Kenosha,WI 53143. Envelopes will be available at the church.
Arrangements entrusted to Wilson-St. Pierre and the Cremation Society of Indiana.

Sad News

2007-02-18T12:58:00.000-05:00

It was with a heavy heart that I tell you that Steve Ernest passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, February 17. His long journey is over and he can now be happy and at peace. We will post memorial service arrangements here once everything is finalized. Since it will be more of a celebration of Dad's life and less of a funeral, I can tell you that it will not be this week.

We want to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers over these past few months. It has been a difficult ordeal for us all, but now the healing can begin. God bless.

Long time, no see

2007-01-26T08:44:00.000-05:00

I know it has been 2 months since my last post, but I know you will all forgive me. We all got busy during the holidays and there wasn't really a lot new to tell you about. There are some new developments that I will fill you in on.

Dad had another bout with infection right after New Year's that landed him in the hospital for about 9 days. During that stay, the doctors finally decided that it was time to take out his port in his chest. For those of you who don't know, Dad had a port inserted just beneath his skin under his left collar bone right after his initial diagnosis. The port was a way for them to draw blood for testing and deliver chemo, medications, and his nightly nutrition supplement (aka TPN) without having to actually stick him with a needle each time. Because the chemo wipes out his white blood cells, Dad would wind up in the hospital 4 - 6 days after the chemo with a high fever caused by infection. The doctors had suspected that the port was harboring bacteria, but wanted to do everything they could to avoid removing it while Dad was receiving chemo. They can't just drip the chemo into a regular arm vein - it has to be delivered into a main, strong vein like the ones in the chest. But during this last round of infection, they decided they no longer had a choice. Because they removed the port, it was time for Mom and Dad to decide whether they wanted to find an alternate delivery method for the chemo and continue treatments, or not. They have decided not to continue chemo. The chemo was not expected to be a cure, but instead just slow the disease to gain a little more time. Dad has said from the beginning that he would prefer the pursuit of QUALITY of life rather than QUANTITY of life. What good is more time if you don't enjoy it? So he is no longer receiving chemo treatments. He is experiencing a better quality of life because he is not constantly battling infection and the side effects of chemo. But we all realize that the quantity is diminishing. He is in good spirits - he recently found a satellite channel that shows nothing but Western movies all day and night. He is having fun getting to know John Wayne and Bat Masterson all over again!

Your continued cards and prayers are still very much appreciated. Not a day goes by that Dad doesn't hear from a friend wishing him well. He has reconnected with some old high school buddies and former co-workers that he hadn't been able to stay in touch with and that means a lot to him. We are all just trying to continue as normal and make the most of every minute. What else can we do? Please feel free to call to talk to him or arrange a visit. If he is feeling up to it, he would welcome getting to see someone other than Mom or me!

A Lot to be Thankful for!

2006-11-26T07:56:00.000-05:00

Hello all! I know it has been a while since my last post, but we have been busy and I have a lot to tell you. So let's get started.

Last Sunday (yes, I mean a week ago), Dad's best friend from high school, Dan Seaman, and his wife, Alice, drove up from South Carolina and visited with Dad. They hadn't seen each other in probably 20 years! Dad and Dan sang together in high school and Dan was the one that first joined the Columbus barbershoppers after college and got Dad into barbershopping. Some of the guys that Dad still sings with know Dan and still keep in touch with him also. They had a great visit on Sunday afternoon and had a lot of fun reminiscing and catching up. Dad even got dressed in real clothes and shoes! I took the kids over for a short visit while Dan and Alice were there so they could meet the grandkids. Chelsea thought Dan looked like he could have been one of Dad's brothers. They do have the same haircut, after all!

The day after Dad's birthday, Nov. 14, my grandmother fell and broke her leg just below her hip. This is Dad's mom, Doris. She had surgery the next day to replace the hip joint and has been in the hospital ever since. Because of this, Dad's youngest brother, Tim, came up from New Orleans last weekend to stay with my grandfather and help out with things. Now my grandparents are in their early 80's and still work full time and are very active with their church and Masonic Lodge. In fact, they work at my Uncle Gregg's print shop, my dad's middle brother. There are three brothers and now you know them all - Steve, Gregg and Tim (Dan doesn't really count!) So all three brothers had some time to visit together over the past week. Tim came up in August when Dad made his first trip to the hospital, but that wasn't really what you could call a "good visit". Dad was pretty weak after his surgery and kind of out of it from the medication. This was a much better visit.

I hosted the 8th Annual Ernest-Thompson Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday. We had a total of 18 people to seat and feed and it went off without a hitch. Of course, Granny and Ern weren't able to come this year (that's what we call my grandparents), but Tim came for the first time. Actually 18 is a little lower attendance number than I have had in the past. I think it has been up to 24. I always tell people that we are eating around 1:00, but that they are welcome to come anytime after 10:00 a.m. to snack and visit. We usually make a whole day of it. And I don't do all of the cooking. We make it a pitch-in. I do the Turkey and the potatoes and a few snacky things, and then I give everyone their assignments of what to bring. Mom and Dad came around 11:00 with their hands full of food and such. I had reserved my big corner chair and ottoman for Dad where the sun would shine in on him and he would pretty much be right in the heart of the action. The chair sits just outside the kitchen, but in full view of the breakfast table. He snacked just a little on a meatball before lunch and then ate well at lunch. Of course, he had to inspect the bird and tell me when it was ready. He was up and around quite a bit that day. My uncle Gregg carved the bird this year instead of Dad, and in Granny's absence, Mom and I had to attempt the gravy on our own this year. Mom did most of it as I was busy with the mashed potatoes, but it was pretty darn good gravy for a first attempt. I think I could do it again. Everyone had a good time and the food was great! Mom and Dad stayed until about 4:00 and Mom said Dad was tired but not completely wiped out when they got home! He had a really good day and we were all so glad he felt up to coming.

Now for the big news. Dad had a CT scan a week ago Friday and then went to the oncologist on Wednesday for the report. The radiologist could not detect any new or advancing growth of his cancer and the lesion on his liver appears to have shrunken slightly! So the chemo regimen appears to be working some and he will continue it until it doesn't! While it still isn't thought to be a cure, it has definitely bought him some time, and for that we are all truly thankful! So we are making some Christmas plans and celebrating the small things in big ways! My parents are taking us and the kids to see "Happy Feet" this afternoon, which will be Dad's first truly public outing in months. Tomorrow, I am taking him up to visit Granny in the hospital for the first time. They moved her to more of a rehab facility last Tuesday and since Dad has been feeling so good, I thought we should go for a short visit while Mom goes to work.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! This past year has made our whole family sit back and realize what it means to be truly thankful - for our family, our friends and our lives together.

Birthday "Blast"

2006-11-16T11:14:00.000-05:00

The birthday fireworks were great! Dad and Mike both had lots of fireworks left over from July 4th, so we had quite a display. It was a good thing Mom told all of her neighbors about the fireworks plan so no one thought they were under attack. Dad got 40+ birthday cards in the mail over Monday and Tuesday - some were delayed because of the Veterans Day Holiday falling on Saturday, but it just made his birthday stretch out a little longer. Dad's parents, brother, sister-in-law and niece all came down to celebrate with us that night, so after the "show" we all had pizza together. It was a really fun night and a great way to celebrate the big 6-0!

Dad had another chemo infusion on Wednesday and has been feeling pretty good so far. I am hanging out with him this morning while Mom went to work for a few hours. We try to arrange that at least once a week so she doesn't get too far behind and can spend a few hours doing some face-to-face stuff that just can't be done online. And it gives me a chance to spend some extra time with Dad. We talk a lot about memories - trips we took, people we knew, etc. I ask him a lot about his life before me - high school, college, etc. Things I won't ever know about if he doesn't tell me. I have learned a lot and these visits have become really special. So we are just kind of hanging out today, discussing what kind of Christmas shopping he wants me to do for him. Shhh... don't tell anyone!

The Best Laid Plans...

2006-11-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

Well, things did not work out as planned for this weekend.

Dad DID have an oncology appointment on Wednesday that neither he nor Mom knew about. Mom had called the nurse to ask a couple of questions and the nurse said, "We are kind of backed up right now. Can we discuss this at your 11:00 appointment?", and it was already 10:30! So they hurried to the office and Dad did have a chemo infusion Wednesday. As usual, the chemo made him sick on Thursday and Friday. In fact, he was so ill during the night on Friday that Mom took him back to the ER on Saturday morning to try and get the vomiting under control. It's hard to do that with pills. So they gave him an IV injection of the anti-nausea medication, ran a few blood tests, watched him for a few hours, and sent him home in the early afternoon. Needless to say, this put quite a dent in our Saturday evening plans. So it hasn't been a great weekend, but we are hoping for a good day tomorrow for Dad's 60th birthday! I will be spending the day with him and Mom and then return after dinner with the kids to shoot off fireworks for his birthday! One of his favorite things is to "Blow up S--T", as he and Mike always say, so we are going to celebrate his birthday with a literal BANG!!!

Time Flies

2006-11-08T12:59:00.000-05:00

I hadn't really realized that it had been over a week since I last posted. I'm sorry to have kept you all in suspense.

As usual, there isn't really much new to report. Dad had another round of chemo last Wednesday. It always seems that just about the time he is feeling OK and has had a few successful meals, he has to have another round of chemo that makes him sick again. So he was tired and just kind of feeling yucky toward the end of last week. The good news is that he had gained about 7 pounds since he had last been weighed, which I think was 3 weeks prior. So the oncologist was encouraged by his weight gain and so far he has kept it. He has had some pretty wild food cravings lately. Baked beans, fried potatoes and smoked sausage, Dairy Queen coney dogs and split pea soup are some of the more memorable ones. Mom said no to the smoked sausage and coney dogs, but he got the rest. He has also added fruit cocktail with sliced bananas to his regular diet of iced tea and crackers.

While Wednesday is usually doctor appointment day, Dad had no appointments today. No appointments means no meds or chemos that will make him feel bad the rest of the week. He is glad because he is hoping to feel well enough to attend the Indiana Harmony Brigade show on Saturday night. For all of you non-barbershoppers out there, the Indiana Harmony Brigade is a chorus of experienced barbershoppers, hand-picked from all over Indiana (and a few other states too) that learn the music on their own and then get together over one weekend to put together an entire show. Dad sang with the Brigade last year and this past summer during men's International as the mic tester chorus. He was so excited to get to sing on the International stage even as a mic tester! He was like a kid at Christmas! He had been invited to sing with the Brigade again this year but obviously can't, so he wants to go to their show this weekend. Mom and I are taking him if he is feeling up to it. He has even been trying to do a little exercising to work up some strength. He has been taking short walks out the the mailbox and around the court when it is nice enough.

OK, now I need some help from all of you faithful blog readers out there. Next Monday, November 13, is Dad's 60th birthday. For obvious reasons, this is going to be a very bittersweet day for us all, but we want your help in making is sweeter. We are asking everyone we know to send birthday cards to Steve - the funnier the better! We want to try to show him how many people are thinking of him on his birthday (and every other day for that matter). If you don't have his address, please email me privately at angiet719@hotmail.com . I don't want to put it out here for the world to have access to, but I will send it to anyone who wants it via email. If you find a couple of cards that you think he would like, send them both. The more cards he gets, he more it will take his mind off of the gravity of this day. I would love to see his mailbox overflowing on Monday! So many of you have offered your help and this is what we need right now. I will let you know how many he gets and even post some of the funniest ones in the blog.

That's all for now. Hopefully I will have good things to report after the Brigade show on Saturday. Break a lip XQ-ers!

Good Day

2006-10-29T21:31:00.000-05:00

Dad had a pretty good day today. Things have been quiet and fairly comfortable for him the past few days. Today Mike, the kids and I took Maya over for a visit with Grammi, Papaw and Sasha. The dogs played together in the back yard and Dad sat outside in the sunshine and watched for a while. The wind had pretty much died down, so with a jacket he was fairly comfortable. He watched the dogs romp and was very talkative while we were there. Maya has grown a lot since she and Sasha last played together and Sasha doesn't seem to be as tolerant of Maya as she was before. And Maya is bolder and more curious, so she wanted to romp a little harder. But it was good exercise for them and a good way to get Dad out of his bed for a while. He had a breakfast bar for breakfast and baked beans for dinner! Eating is always good and he is trying a little at a time. And he wandered around the house a little bit while we were there - walked up to the kitchen to go out to the backyard, came in and sat in the kitchen to chat a bit, watched from the living room window as Mike and Mom set up their 4 foot inflatable pumpkin decoration for Halloween, walked out to the garage when we left. He was even quizzing Noah on his Cub Scout motto and handshake so he could try to earn his Bobcat badge. Dad was a Boy Scout and he enjoys hearing all about Noah's Cub Scout adventures. The kids took him new pictures they had drawn which always makes him happy. All in all, I think he would say he had a really good day!

On the Menu

2006-10-25T10:59:00.000-05:00

Yes, I said Menu! Dad was actually hungry for a couple of things yesterday and ate! For lunch, he had white rice with soy sauce and for dinner it was pea soup and saltines. He didn't really eat a lot of anything, but he ate decent portions with great success and enjoyment! Everything went down well and stayed there, so that is progress. He has also been drinking a lot of orange juice which is a better source of vitamins and calories than the iced tea he had been drinking. Mom was concerned that the acidic orange juice might not sit well in his stomach, but it seems to be working out OK. Anything to get some extra calories is good.

Wednesday is doctor day for Dad. Usually a visit to the oncologist and then some sort of IV infusion. Sometimes chemo #1, sometimes chemo #2 (the chemo pills he was taking have been switched to an IV infusion because of the difficulty he was having taking so many oral meds), sometimes a red blood cell booster, sometimes an antibiotic, etc., etc., etc. Today it is chemo #2. This may mean that the next couple of days will be tougher than the past few, but we never know. He will be tired after all of the activity, so the rest of today will probably be quiet. Let's just hope it stays that way.

Uneventful is good

2006-10-24T07:11:00.000-05:00

I guess it's good to report that there really isn't anything new to report, although it is kind of boring for you readers. Dad had a quiet weekend as we had hoped. When I talked to him yesterday, he said he hadn't been sick since Thursday. WOO HOO! He is feeling pretty good and is fairly comfortable. Mom said he has been better about taking his meds regularly for the last couple of days, so maybe he has realized the importance of a regular schedule. Or maybe it's just a fluke.

Besides keeping you all informed, this blog has helped reconnect Dad with a high school buddy he hasn't seen in years. They are trying to arrange a visit soon and I know Dad will be excited to meet up with his long-time pal. They sang together in high school, including Dad's first barbershop experience.

Speaking of barbershop, it has been a while since Dad has had any musical visits, so if anyone wants to try out some new music on an appreciative ear, give him a call (hint, hint ;) ). OK, so that was a little shameless, but hey, I've never been one to not just come right out and ask for what I want.

2006-10-20T08:05:00.000-05:00

The kids and I went to visit Dad yesterday while Mom went to work for a while. The kids are out of school for Fall Break so we all went together. We took him some new movies and kind of stayed out of his way. The kids watched cartoons upstairs and Dad had some quiet time to himself downstairs. I met one of the home healthcare nurses yesterday when she came to draw some blood for some weekly tests. Nurses are an amazing group of people. It takes a special level of caring and concern to be a nurse and the home healthcare nurses that visit Dad are really great.

Mom had been battling with the insurance company over one of Dad's anti-nausea prescriptions recently. The insurance company would only pay for a set amount of pills in a month which was not enough to keep Dad comfortable. With the help of the oncologist and the pharmacist, they finally got approval for the quantity he needs, so that is another concern out of the way. And boy are those pills expensive! No wonder the insurance company didn't want to pay for them. Sheesh! But I know that is another relief for Mom and she could use a little relief now and then.

As of today, it has been two whole weeks with no hospital visits. We are knocking on wood and keeping our fingers crossed that the streak continues. We are hoping for a quiet, uneventful weekend. Hope you have the same!

Not much new

2006-10-17T07:35:00.000-05:00

There isn't much new to report. Mom and Dad had a pretty quiet weekend. Dad had some barbershop friends visit this weekend and he watched a lot of the SAI competitions on the webcast. He was actually hungry for sloppy joes and french fries on Sunday evening and ate some, but then had a rough night with his stomach that night. There is no way to know if the food itself causes the vomiting or if the food triggers the production of more stomach juices that then makes him ill. Unfortunately, the resulting reaction causes him to shy away from trying to eat for a while. But the reaction doesn't happen for several hours after eating, so the food has to be getting digested some and doing him some good.

Mom found him a good foamy mattress pad to help make his bed more comfortable and the home health care nurse recommended a gel cushion for under his tush when he is sitting in his chair. So with the help of those two pieces, he is a little more comfortable. He has been through the movies we loaned him from our collection so I will be taking him a few more this week.

Additional Photos from Dad's trip to rehearsal

2006-10-13T10:27:00.000-05:00

Dad showing off his Barbershopper of the Year Plaque. Check out the song that the Chordlighters wrote for him:

Welcome Steve
Welcome, Steve, ‘Cause we believe, The honor they gave you was richly deserved, You got it, you earned it, you ERNEST-ly served, We’re so proud, and singing loud, For you’ll always be PART, of our barbershop ART, We love you, Stev-EN, Love you STEVE!
To the Tune of: Down Our Way

Dad Singing with Chordlighters

2006-10-13T10:22:00.000-05:00

Dad singing "Chances Are" with his ChordLighters.

Photos

2006-10-13T10:09:00.000-05:00

The Chordlighters sang the National Anthem at the Indianapolis Indians game on July 29, 2006.
Dad is on the front row.

Round Two

2006-10-13T07:34:00.000-05:00

Dad received his second round of IV chemo on Wednesday. It seemed to go OK. He got an extra dose of nausea medication and that didn't really seem to be an issue. It of course made him tired and he has been resting a lot, but doing OK in general. I visited with him yesterday while Mom went to work for a while in the morning and he seemed in pretty good spirits. He is still not eating much but getting nightly TPN nutrition. He isn't very good at sticking to his med schedule. He has several medications he is supposed to be taking orally, but his fear of oral consumption isn't helping things. The doctors and nurses have told Mom that all she can do is set out his meds at the right time and tell him they are there. No one can make him take them and he takes even the gentle reminders as an attack. What can ya do?

He has enjoyed watching the SAI webcasts so far. He even planned his morning nap around the starting time of the chorus semi-finals yesterday. A daughter of one of his chorus friends is competing in a quartet that made the quartet finals, so he is very proud of that and wants to make sure he doesn't miss it tonight. Go Stacy and Moxie Ladies! Break a lip!

Mom has received a few offers from friends to come stay with Dad so she can get away for a while and she has decided to take them up on their generosity. I think she needs the break more than she realizes and I just can't be there often enough. I think she doesn't ask me for help as much as she could because she doesn't want to inconvenience my family. It's not inconvenient, but it does require some planning. But that's just how she is. I'm glad to know that she is going to have some more opportunities to just get away for a little while and recharge.

Road Trip

2006-10-10T21:08:00.000-05:00

Mom and I took Dad to his chorus rehearsal tonight. We had a wheelchair so he wouldn't have to walk at all and he brought his BOTY plaque for all to see. He had a great time! When we arrived, the chorus sang a song about how proud they were of him for the BOTY award and how much they love and miss him, to the tune of "Sweet Adeline". He even giggled at the lyrics. Then they took a break and come off of the risers one by one to shake his hand and greet him. He was so glad to get a chance to see everyone again! Dad's VLQ (very large quartet - on account of there are about 7 of them), The Coalition, sang a couple of songs for him, which he enjoyed. They had even brought in food - and Dad ate some of it! They brought in chicken, some cheese cubes, mini sausages, chips and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Dad had some cheese and sausage. He said the combination of all of the smells just really smelled good to him tonight. Mom and I told him that we would take him every week if he would just eat a little like that every day. We'll see how far that goes! We stayed for about an hour just chatting and woodshedding (for you non-barbershoppers out there, woodshedding is the term for just singing whatever part you can find to whatever song someone starts). He was definitely tired when we left, but he said it was lots of fun and that he was glad he was able to go. It was a very successful evening. I think the guys were glad to get a chance to see him and chat with him a little and he was glad to hear some barbershop again! They are a great group of guys and great friends to our family. Mom and I also got a lot of hugs and support and well wishes, which never goes a miss.

I have always known barbershoppers to be like an extended family - there is never anything they won't do for their 'family'. And you could see on their faces that this pains them as much as it does us. When Dad was first diagnosed and we told all of our friends about his disease, we were so amazed at the outpouring of love and support we received from everyone. Dad and I were talking on the phone one afternoon about all of the calls, cards, letters and emails we had both received and he said,

"You know, we must have given our love and friendship to the right people at the right times to get so much of it back now when WE need it."

No truer words have ever been spoken. Thank you, Chordlighters, for another truly selfless and memorable evening! We love you all!

OK, OK, I'm catching up

2006-10-08T18:16:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, you are all anxious to read what's new and I haven't posted in a while. It's been a busy week!

Dad was released from the hospital on Friday. YAY!! He did well during his stay and they sent him home one day early. It wasn't until Friday that they got the cultures back from the original round of testing on Tuesday. One of the cultures identified a bacteria from his chest port that they think probably caused the fever. He is on IV antibiotics for another 10 days to combat the bacteria. He will see his oncologist on Wednesday and he will decide if they have to do something to the port to avoid this bacteria in the future. Dad is still on nightly IV nutrition (which I have learned is referred to as TPN although I am not sure what TPN stands for - I will have to research that) and not really eating much orally. Still trying to make sure he gets enough fluids, but all of his meds expect for the antibiotic are going in orally now and seem to be managing everything quite well. He is back on his oral chemo pills which had been suspended for 2 weeks. This Wednesday is when he is due for another round of the IV chemo, and I think the oncologist will make that decision on during his Wednesday appointment as well. He has had a fairly quite weekend at home. We all went to visit him today to show him our new puppy. Yes, the Thompsons got a new puppy in the middle of all of this craziness. It isn't everyday that you come across an entire litter of the kind of puppies that you have been wanting for free, so we decided to go for it. I still haven't decided whether it was crazy or genius, but sometimes that line is hard to distinguish! Anyway, Dad went outside to meet Maya and to watch Maya and Sasha (Mom and Dad's wiener dog) play together. He got a kick out of watching them romp and it got him out of bed and outside for about 30 minutes.

This week we are planning a visit to Dad's chorus rehearsal on Tuesday night. Dad hasn't been to chorus since early August and the guys want to sing for him. So we borrowed a wheel chair from my grandpa's Masonic Lodge for the trip. Dad can't walk more than about 15 steps at a time because he is just so weak, so the wheel chair will be nice! Keep your fingers crossed that he will be well enough to go. And my friend Teresa's brother loaned us his laptop so we can get it hooked into Mom and Dad's wireless network in their house and get Dad a bedside view of the SAI International Competition next week! Thanks Teresa and Jeremy!! Dad is very excited about being able to see and hear the contest!! And Mom is excited that he can plug headphones in the computer so she WON'T have to see or hear it!! Don't you just love it when a plan comes together??

Hopefully it will be an uneventful week, but we will keep you posted. More often, I promise! :)

Fever

2006-10-03T20:35:00.000-05:00

Dad woke up this morning with a high fever which lead to vomiting. Mom took him to the ER at St. Francis South and they spent the day trying to get the fever to break and determine the source. Fever comes from infection, but they haven't yet found the culprit. He had IV fluids and antibiotics in the ER and they admitted him this afternoon. There was no room for him at the South Campus, so they transferred him to St. Francis in Beech Grove. I went to see him after dinner and Mom went home to rest. His fever had broken and he was feeling much better, but of course the fever took a lot out of him. He was not happy about being back in the hospital, but he was making some jokes and very clear in chatting with me. They are giving him 3 different antibiotics tonight. Once they find the source of the infection, they will probably narrow down the meds a bit. They did not admit him in time to order his nutrition bag for tonight (the order has to be in by 2:00 pm so they can mix it in time to start it at 8:00 pm), but he will get one tomorrow evening. I'm sure it will be more broth, juice and jello for him tomorrow. He was drinking some iced tea tonight and had one small cup done with another waiting when I left.

Mike and I are going to try to figure out a way for him to be able to at least listen to the free audio and video webcast of the Sweet Adelines International Competition next week. He doesn't have access to a computer from his bed, but he has a wireless network router in the house, so I'm sure we will be able to figure out something. He was excited at the idea when I told him about it tonight. You know what they say - "Barbershop: Invented by Men, Perfected by Women"!

Barbershopper of the Year!

2006-10-01T10:43:00.000-05:00

Last night at the Cardinal District convention in Muncie, IN, Dad was named "Cardinal District Barbershopper of the Year"! Mom got a call last week from the district president saying that they were going to give Dad this award and did she think he might be able to attend. At the time, he seemed to be making good progress and we started to hatch a plan to get him to Muncie just for the Saturday evening session of competition. Then he had a few setbacks over the weekend and we realized that he was not going to be able to attend. I spoke to the district president and offered to attend and accept the award on his behalf. Dave Duncan, the DP, said that would be great and he wanted to present the award to Dad personally on his way home from Muncie on Sunday, whether it was at the hospital or at home. Mom and I decided not to tell Dad about any of this so that he would be surprised when Dave showed up on Sunday. So I snuck off to Muncie last night and accepted the award on his behalf. I had not prepared anything to say because I didn't think I would be able to control my emotions enough to say anything dignified in front of the entire district. But once on stage, I did have enough composure to say a short thank you without blubbering all over myself. Once I sat down, I had no recollection of what I had said, but my friend, Marlene, was able to recap it all for me and I guess I did OK. Marlene is a fellow Sweet Adeline and a very good friend who agreed to accompany me to Muncie for a little additional support and companionship. I couldn't have done it alone! Dave will be stopping by the house this afternoon and Dad still has no idea. I will tell you all about it tomorrow.

Dad has had a couple of good days at home. He is getting better rest than at the hospital and he and Mom are successfully managing his pain and nausea with oral meds. They have had visits from the home health care nurses each morning and evening since he has been home to help with the setup of an IV nutrition bag at night and the completion process in the morning. Mom is becoming a regular Nurse Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy with the IV and meds! Dad is eating small meals and doing OK for now. We will keep you posted as always.

Coming home!

2006-09-29T07:05:00.000-05:00

The oncologist called Mom this morning to tell her that Dad was doing well and they are going to release him this afternoon!! WOO HOO!! He decompression of his stomach must have relieved the partial blockage because he has been doing much better with eating the past couple of days. Mom will have to learn how to hook up the nutrition bag at night since he still can't consume much volume and a home health care nurse will probably come out occasionally to check on his port, etc. So she is preparing things for him to come home this afternoon!

More later...

Wednesday, Sept. 27

2006-09-28T06:54:00.000-05:00

Dad was a bit loopy from his medication yesterday. The oncologist ordered his NG tube clamped so that they could get a feel for normal stomach function. When the nurse told Dad they were going to shut down the suction for a while to see what happens, Dad decided to just take the tube completely out himself! This is a tube that runs from inside his stomach all the way up and out his nose!! So they decided to go ahead a leave it out and see what happens. They may have to re-insert it, they may not. Just another "Wait and see" item. He mostly dozed while I was there yesterday and was having various conversations out loud. When he is not so dopey, he will laugh when I tell him some of the things he was saying.

He did have a little bit of food yesterday - some broth and juice. Again, no definite word on anything. We are still in standby mode.

Quiet Day

2006-09-26T20:27:00.000-05:00

Dad had a fairly quiet day today. Still not much to report. Dad's regular oncologist, Dr. Trowbridge, is out of town this week but he left instructions with Mom to speak with his nurse practitioner, Tamika, if there were any questions or issues. Tamika stopped in to see Dad today and was having the pharmacy evaluate Dad's meds to make sure he is maintaining a good balance. His nausea seems to fluctuate so much that it is difficult to determine what a next move should be. So they are keeping a close eye on him and his meds to try and make some better decisions about what is working and what isn't. He still has the NG tube and evening IV nutrition. Mom said she thought he looked better today, but he had also shaved so that always helps. :)

I will be visiting Dad tomorrow morning and taking him all of your encouraging comments. I know he will be amazed at the outpouring of love and support this blog has already generated. By the way, be sure and check the Hit Counter in the lower right corner of the blog screen. It is counting every time someone opens this web page. After just 4 days of operation, the count is already at 245! It's just amazing to see the proof of just how many people care enough to check in with us each day!!!

Monday, Monday

2006-09-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

In staying with the theme of the title, here is an update on my 'Papa'.

He was not discharged from the hospital today as expected. The oncologist and the surgeon suspect another blockage or narrowing of the small intestine due to the lack of digestive output. They inserted a nasal gastric (NG) tube to drain his stomach manually today and suspended his oral chemo pills for today. He had some X-rays done Sunday but we have not heard back from either doc as to what they might have seen and how best to resolve it. Dad slept a lot again today and is not eating due to the NG tube. He still has the IV nutrition and lots of morphine. And something about the NG tube gives him the hiccups. I don't know why exactly but none of the medical staff is surprised by this. So as usual, we wait and see what tomorrow brings.

Thanks to everyone for their positive thoughts and comments. I will be printing them out and taking them to Dad this week. Our family is so touched by all of the prayers and well wishes we have received. If positive energy worked better than medicine, Dad would be running laps around us all right now!

Napping a lot

2006-09-23T20:16:00.000-05:00

Dad has had a couple of really eventless days. He has been very tired and sleeping a lot both yesterday and today. This tends to create a problem with eating regularly when all he does is sleep, but he is still on the IV nutrition. We are hoping the medication slows down a little bit so he will have a little more alert time tomorrow. He hasn't really felt up to visitors other than Mom, so if you are thinking of stopping by, please call first. He is at St. Francis in Beech Grove.

More tomorrow. Go Colts!!

Welcome!

2006-09-22T06:55:00.000-05:00

Hello all!

The Ernest/Thompson families have created this blog to keep all of our friends and families updated on Steve Ernest's condition and progress. We know that so many of you are concerned about Steve and his battle with gastric cancer and we wanted to make it easy for everyone to get the most current information. Angie will be posting updates here hopefully daily and you can check back as often as you want to stay informed. It has become increasingly difficult to remember who knows what information and who WANTS to know what information, so we are hoping this will ease the communication for all. This blog is open to anyone who wants to know, so feel free to pass on the link to anyone you think might be interested. Any comments posted to the blog will be sent to Angie's email and she will pass them on to Steve & Bev.

So, let's get started. Some of this information will be new for some of you and not for others, but in the interest of clarification I am going to start at the beginning. After some trouble with eating, heartburn, indigestion, etc., Steve was diagnosed with gastric cancer in April 2006. There is no chemotherapy known to cure this cancer at this stage, so Steve began participating in a clinical trial of a biological med specifically designed for gastric cancer. The first round of tests after 8 weeks on the meds showed promising results. The lesions they were watching appeared to have been reduced approximately 8%. The clinical trial ran in 8 week cycles and Steve was about 5 weeks into his second cycle when he had a setback. He had developed a blockage at the base of his small intestine that was causing a severe backup resulting in uncontrollable nausea and vomiting. He was admitted to the hospital on Aug. 13 and had surgery on Aug. 17. During the surgery, the surgeon cut off Steve's small intestine just above the blockage and routed it out of his body on his right side to drain into an external illeostomy bag. Unfortunately, the surgery disqualified him from the clinical trial and the oncologist advised chemo once Steve was stronger. After 13 days in the hospital, he came home to recuperate. Things were going fairly well until last week. Steve had been eating regular food (although in extremely small portions due to his reduced stomach capacity), but began to have more and more nausea that made eating a real struggle and none of the meds seemed to even make a dent in the nausea. He went to the ER on Sunday, September 17 and was admitted for nausea and dehydration. He was scheduled to start his chemo treatments on Tuesday, but the oncologist and the surgeon were concerned about the severity of the current nausea and his subsequent lack of hydration and nutrition. After running some tests, the surgeon did not see anything on the X-rays to indicate a new blockage, so the oncologist recommended starting the chemo on Wednesday while he was in the hospital. That way they could keep a close eye on him for reactions, increased nausea, additional nutrition, etc. So Steve had his first round of chemo late Wednesday night and the additional meds they gave him for nausea with the chemo really did the trick. Yesterday, he had no hint of nausea and had even had solid food for dinner, rather than broth and jello. Last night he said he felt pretty good. Of course, he gets morphine when ever he wants it and the day nurse had even convinced him to take a time-release morphine pill while he wasn't feeling any pain to head off any "breakthrough" pain. So even though he wasn't even through his first 24 hours of chemo, he felt great! We celebrate every small victory we can get.

So that is the latest update. Steve is expected to be in the hospital until probably Monday. As of last night, he was still on a liquid nutrition bag through his chest port (a permanently implanted device just below his left collar bone where they can route IV's and blood draws without sticking him in the arm each time) and having solid food. The chemo regimen is a 3 week cycle - an IV drip and oral pills on day 1, oral pills on days 2 - 14, nothing on days 15 -20, repeat. He will have periodic CT scans to monitor the progress of the tumors and determine whether or not the chemo is making any progress. If not, they will try something else. As long as we can keep the nausea under control, Steve doesn't really complain much. He is in amazingly good spirits and still cracking jokes and even poking fun at himself! But I'm sure you aren't surprised at that!

Our family is so grateful for all of the prayers and well wishes and support that you all have extended. We can't thank you all enough for everything. Please feel free to post comments here to any of us - they will be passed on to the entire family. We hope this blog helps you as much as it helps us.