Mike Kagerer

Hi Everyone,

MIKE IS COMING HOME TODAY!!!!  We got a call Tuesday morning that he was going ot be coming home today.  I went to Flint and got Mom and she and I headed for Ann Arbor to learn everything about taking care of Mike once he is home.  Then off to two pharmacies to get his 24 drugs that he needs at home.  Wow, glad we were prepared ahead of time for the costs because it was a very high bill.  Thanks to all who have donated, believe me, it helped!!

Mom and her friend Joyce will go to get Mike today and then I will head to Flint tomorrow to help for the next couple days.  I know that it will be easier once he is at mom’s home.  His spirits seemed much better yesterday just knowing he is getting out of the hospital.  He even walked 5 laps with me before we headed home last night.

Thanks for all the prayers and donations.  Keep up the prayers for this transition.

love, Ann

Hi Everyone,

Bruce and I had a good visit with Mike today.  He got to eat roast beef for lunch and should be having that again for dinner.  He is on the GVHD #2 diet now which means he has some variety once again.  His tastebuds aren’t functioning yet but they should come back pretty soon.  Bruce asked him what his favorite meal is and he replied pot roast, potatoes and carrots – a Kagerer favorite all the way around.  So mom, now you know what you’ll be cooking when Mike gets home!

Mike also walked with me 4 laps and peddled his exerciser for 10 minutes.  I jogged in place with him the last 3 minutes.  Glad that the nurses didn’t come in during that little exercise class!

Mike also was unhooked from two IV lines today and actually had one of the ‘boxes’ on his pole removed.  He has three boxes left where they hook up his drugs but his nurse said one of the other ones may go tomorrow.  He is taking more of his drugs in pill form.  All this points towards him getting out.  Eating, walking, taking pills instead of being on IV’s, etc. will get him home!!!!

Mike smiled today several times while we were there and it was great to see that.  Not his big smile where his eyes close to little slits, but I bet that smile will be back when he gets to go home.

Bruce and I met a Greek Orthodox Priest today whose son-in-law was just diagnosed with a type of lukemia and he asked about Mike and said he would pray for him too.  That was so moving.  I know that Bruce and I will keep his son-in-law in our prayers too.

Thanks once again for all the prayers.

love, Ann 

Hi Everyone,

Well, Mom, Rick and Sally visited Mike today.  He is beginning to get new foods for his meals instead of the old white plain bland noodles.  He had some turkey, beans and some canned fruits today and I’m sure he enjoyed it even if it is hospital food.

He also walked 4 laps and peddled on his exerciser for 10 minutes.  I am planning to go tomorrow and take my son Andy, who is Mike’s Godson.  Hopefully it will give Mike a boost. I am also making him some new leather slippers and I know that he will like them.  His are very worn!! 

He has gotten approved for several of his drugs so that we can get them at a lesser cost which will really help.  Everything seems to be coming together and hopefully it won’t be too much longer and we can bring him home! 

Thanks for all the prayers and support.  Mike will still have some tough days ahead but he has proven to me and the rest of the family that he can do it!

love, Ann

Hi Everyone,

I talked to Mike this evening.  He was going to try and get some sleep.  He did 3 laps today and 10 minutes on his peddle exerciser.

We talked for a short time about how hard this has been for him.  He said if he’d have known he wouldn’t have done it.  i told him that is why we don’t know everything because then we have the guts to do it and get through it.  I told him that we are on the uphill swing now and that the more he walks and peddles he’ll be closer to walking out of the hospital and going to mom’s.  I told him how proud we all are of him and that he needs to hang tough for a little longer because we all want him to be here with us for many more years and this is his chance at that life.  He sounded good after our talk so hopefully he can keep doing what he has to to get well.

Rick, Sally and mom are supposed to go visit him tomorrow.  I am going to try and go to see him on Monday or Tuesday.  He likes to have visitors because it helps to pass the time.  Plus he has someone to walk with for his laps which makes them easier to do.

I’ll continue to keep you posted.  Thanks for all of the prayers not only for Mike but for all of our family.

love, Ann

Hi Everyone,

I talked to Mike tonight. He did 3 laps today and was using his peddle exerciser also. He sits in a chair and then puts his feet on some peddles that are on a base on the floor and peddles. I told him he’d be on his bike again in no time if he keeps that up!!

He talked to Mom and Matt, a friend of his from his years in Flint. He sounded a little better tonight although he sounds tired. He did say that he had to have a decongestant today – may have been due to our outing yesterday. But he did say that it was good to be outside. I told him that at my next visit I would see if we could go out again for a short time.

Thanks once again for all of your prayers. I am seeing some improvements every day and that is so great.

Love, Ann

Hi Everyone,

What a great day today!! Barb (John’s wife from Alaska) and I went to see Mike this morning. He was tired but they were changing his diet to the Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD) Diet 1 – which means he can start adding solid foods one at a time to see what he can tolerate. His tests on Monday showed that his GVHD is under control which is so good to hear.

So, anyway, we wanted Mike to walk after lunch and he was tired. I went into the hallway and talked to his nurse and said I just think he wants out of here and she said his counts are going up, let me call his doctor and see if you can take him outside for a while. I went back in with Mike and didn’t say anything and then his nurse came in and told him she had a surprise and that he was going outside. You could tell that he was a little confused and I said that he could go outside into the court yard and get some fresh air with Barb and me using a wheelchair. We got him all ready and went out. It is very hot these days in Michigan but it wasn’t too humid. We were only gone for about a half hour because his machines started beeping. What a difference that little brief time outside did for Mike. We came back to his room and he was tired. We told him he could rest for now and walk later this evening. But, he said no and got his shoes on and made 4 laps with Barb and me in tow!!!! He said it is so much easier walking with someone.

When we left he was going to lie down but I did feel that his spirits were lifted. Barb was even able to take a picture of Mike and me.

Keep the prayers coming because we are headed in the right direction now!!!!!

Love, Ann

 

Hi Everyone,

I am posting early today since I already talked to Mike.  He is now back on a liquid diet and hopefully eating solid food again soon.  His tastebuds aren’t working right now so that doesn’t help the old appetite – but, being a Kagerer he’ll get his appetite back, believe me!!

Barb and I are planning to go to Ann Arbor tomorrow so I’ll let you know more than.  Hopefully he’ll have his test results back by then.

Please be sure and read the Donations & Gifts page again if you are planning a donation to Mike.  There are some changes on that page. Thanks!!!  Keep up the prayers!

love, Ann

Hi All,

My brother Joe called Mike tonight for an update.  Mike got through the two tests today.  He is very wiped out right now.  He said that a couple friends from Flint stopped by for a quick visit.  

Thanks for all the extra prayers.  Talk to you tomorrow.

love,
Ann

Hi Everyone,

Mike is doing better but was on a restriction from liquids for a couple days. Now he is back on them. The Doctor ordered a Sigmoidoscopy (sp) and Upper GI for tomorrow morning to check on his Graft vs. Host Disease. He sounded really tired but I think it is because he already drank his stuff for the prep for his tests. So, I told him “Good night� and I’d talk to him tomorrow night.

Thanks for all of your prayers. Say an extra one tomorrow morning if you have a chance so that his tests go well.

Love, Ann

Hi All,

This is not a post about Mike.  This is about an important change on the Donations & Gifts page.  We need to have checks made out to the people listed on that page instead of Mike Kagerer’s Cancer Fund.  Apparently, we have to apply for some special thing through the IRS to have a ‘fund’.  So, for those of you who have already donated you have probably heard from one of us if your check was issued to the fund. 

Thanks so much for all of the donations thus far – wow what a show of support beyond all of the prayers that we have received from all over.  It is over whelming to know how far reaching this is.

Thanks again and sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Ann and the Kagerer family