Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Some Great News!

Hey everyone, I know I blogged yesterday but I just had to share with you some great news that I recieved at the Dr. today. I went in for my followup appointment with my rheumatologist concerning my chemo. I had bloodwork drawn to see where my levels were. She was very excited to tell me that my blood work came back excellent and that my Lupus was in remission! The best part is that I had no protein spilling in my urine (which was the worst part of my disease) and that my kidney function was back to normal! It appears the Chemotherapy did it's magic! I am so thankful that God has helped me get through this and has placed his healing hand on me through this medical process. My doctor did put me on a new medication called Imuran to maintenance my disease but it appears I can now come off of the prednisone all together! And the best part, no more Chemotherapy for this guy!! Thank you all for your prayers these last six months, they worked. I will continue to blog on my life so I hope each of you will stay tuned. But for now, I am going to enjoy my remission!
God is Good!
KLN

Monday, June 21, 2010

Greetings from one Tired Banker!

What’s up everyone, I hope you have had a great weekend and you had a chance to checkout Icthus! I am exhausted from volunteering all weekend but it was a great experience and I even go to checkout some concerts. Right now I am sitting in my office watching it pour down rain and I couldn’t help but think about how God just seems to show up at all the right times. Today, the rain started out of nowhere. It was an incredibly sunny day with scorching temperatures when I left for my lunch then out of nowhere, this crazy storm popped up! Now in reality, God is always with us but we seem to “leave” him out of the picture when everything is going well in our lives and then run to him when we need help. I am just as guilty as anyone when it comes to this. I find myself praying less and seeking his word less when everything is going great. One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 6 verse 9. It says “The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer. “ Basically, God never lets me down when I run to him but I seem to forget about seeking him when all is well. In the third chapter of 1st Corinthians, Paul talks about “mere infants in Christ”. “Brother’s, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready, you are still worldly”. Is this you today? Are you still a mere infant in Christ? I think I struggle with this daily. In order to switch to that solid food in Christ, we need to be immersed in his word daily and keep in constant conversation with him through prayer. God wants to hear the good stuff going on in our life, not just the bad or challenging things. Give him praise for his blessings and remember others in need. I think you will be surprised how much more fulfilled you will be when you run to him during the good and the bad of life.

In other news, my cat Chester goes to the vet this week to be “neutralized” (neutered). I hope this calms him down because he spends most of his time with me biting and being wild! Have a great week and I will catch up with you all soon.
KLN

Friday, June 11, 2010

A Crazy Busy Weekend Ahead

Hey everyone, I hope you are well and things in your world are moving right along. Its been a couple of weeks since I have blogged but Ive been busy with different things at the office and at home. First of all, I had my last chemotherapy treatment last Wendsday and all went well. My nausea was very limited and I was only out of work for two days. My next step is to go in for bloodwork and see how the treatment has effected my protein levels and my creatnine levels. I hope that my doctor does not recommend any additional treatments. If she does, I will have to really be shown some evidence that it will be worth it. As most of you know, the chemo has been tough on my body and my appearance. I am ready to get back to a normal routine of life without making concessions for treatment. Everytime I have been out of the office, I have had to find coverage for managing the branch and something has always gone wrong. I do appreciate my staff during these last 6 months as they have been tremendously helpful. Thanks to all of you and to the many people who have called, stopped by, written cards, brought food over, facebook messaged me,or just simply cared for me during my treatment. I could not have gotten through it without each of you.

This weekend promises to be a hectic and crazy weekend. Starting tonight I am "house sitting" for my friends as they are out of town in Pittsburgh. They have two dogs and two cats that I have to care for and let run around. I could stay at my apartment and just go over and feed and let them out but they need to have some time out of their kennel so I will probably just stay tonight and tomorrow. On Saturday I have to work at the Bank then I have a work day at the Icthus grounds preparing for next weeks festival. Then, I have to run back to the house and feed the animals. After that I am have a Harry Potter night with a friend of mine. Yes, I said Harry Potter. Let me just say, I have never been a fan and dont think I will start being one now but I promised her I would give it another try so I am. I will probably need a good bottle of wine to get me through! On Sunday I have church then a CBT softball game. I really hope we can get a win since we have yet to do it so far. Our team has come very close on several occasions but we cant seem to put the finishing touches to the other team.

Well thats it for now, I will update you next week as to my feelings regarding Harry Potter. Dont hold your breath, they probably wont change!

Kyle

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

A big Thank You to my staff at Andover!

Central bank does a really Cool thing by having a employee appreciation month during May. The month is filled with contests, giveaways, a branch lunch, employee appreciate their manager day, and my favorite, managers appreciate your employees day. Tomorrow is the big day that i get to express how absolutely thankful I am for each one of my staff members. I cannot put into words the kindest any sympathy they have extended me during my chemotherapy. Also I am so appreciative that they are a hard working staff that is focused on branch goals and the over all well being of the bank. I have been a success as the leader of banking center because of them. So, for tomorrow I am doing a cookout at the bank for my employees. On the menu are hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, macaroni salad, chips, and soda. Yes, I will be grilling out in a suit and tie during lunch! Stop by if you want a laugh. I have heard it said, you are only as good as the staff beneath you. For me, this makes me a most excellent banker. So in summary, David, Trish, Blake, Al, And Ben,I appreciate you!

Monday, May 24, 2010

A great weekend!

Has anyone ever had on of those blockbuster weekends? I just had one this past weekend filled with golf, poker, and friends. To be quite honest i think I had too much fun because i felt rough all day at work! I believe we all need those kinds of weekends to keep life pumping through our veins. We go from day to day doing the same old same old but never really slow down to enjoy the best things in life that God gave us. We find ourselves in the rat race of life and wake up one day and realize that its 20 years later and we have very few deep relationships to speak of. Essentially we are for the here and now of life! God calls us to live in community with others and this past weekend really reaffirmed this truth for me.

Coming up this week I have a bucket load of meetings and one on Thursday that is especially crucial, please be in prayer for that! I am still feeling great and am looking forward to my last treatment next Wednesday!

On another note, I got a new cat named Chester! Make sure you check out his pics on facebook.

KLN

Monday, May 10, 2010

My random thoughts and experiences from the past week.

Hey everyone, its been a week or so since I have blogged and shared with you my life. The main reason for my absense was my 5th round of chemo took place last Tuesday so I was pretty much out of it for the rest of the week. I have layed out below some of my thoughts and experiences from last week... Check it out.

1. Even though I am glad my chemo will be done after next month, I will miss the time I get to hang out with Adam at the hospital.
2. Earl Grey tea is has become my new best friend when Im battling nausea!
3. The Reds had an explosive week and for the first time in a long time, they are over the 500 mark. We will see how they do next week.
4. Even though my personal life has been rough, it never ceases to amaze me the amount I get accomplished in the office! I am a master at seperating business and personal life and landed several big deals this past week for the Bank.
5. I really really need to vacuum my apartment.
6. I heard it best in this past Sunday's sermon by Jon Weece.."God calls you to not look back but look up"! What an amazing thought. There is nothing we can do about the past and what we have done or has been done to us but we are called to look above to our Father and he will lead us.
7. Had a great Mother's Day. I thought about my Mom alot and wished she was still alive but I am so thankful that God placed my step-mom in my life.
8. I have an incredibly rude neighbor.
9. On Sunday, I ran into two people who I havent seen in ten years. It is amazing how we still recognize people after so long. I ran into one at Starbucks and the other at Baskin Robbins. I was very glad see them again and I am looking forward to catching up!
10. i love watching Youtube videos on my Ipad!
11. My office is filled with guys which means the conversations can lean on the inappropriate side!
12. God has blessed me with some incredible friendships, He knows the right people to put in our path at the right times.
13. I was moved by the honor and recognition of Officer Bryan Durhman. Driving through the town on Tuesday evening, I have never seen the amount of houses with their flags at half staff. Even though traffic was terrible due to the funeral procession, no one seemed to be bothered! We were honoring a man who gave his life for public service and his country!
14. CBT Softball lost again on Sunday! I know the first win is on the horizon!
15. Interesting conversation with an interesting person and possibly an interesting opportunity is ahead. Enough said.
16. I am a stronger person than I thought!

I have too many random thoughts to name but just wanted to share a few of the prevalent ones. As far as my health, I am feeling pretty good and thankfully the sickness from the last chemo has passed. I have one more treatment and then hopefully I am done. It will all depend on my blood counts. Again, thank you all for reading my blog and sharing in my life. I have many of you to thank for helping me get through this last 6 months of chemotherapy and I look forward to blogging well past my treatment and sharing some of the joys that I know are on the way! I have a feeling that the best days of my life are yet to come!
Until Next time,

Kyle L. Norsworthy

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Lessons learned, but a Grace that is unfailing

Has anyone ever learned a really tough lesson in life? One of those lessons that is what I call "hard to stomach"? Maybe you have wronged someone and it shot back in your face and came full circle, or maybe you made a wrong decision and later turned out to be something that would hurt you in the end. I have learned a really important lesson this last week in my life, and even though I do not wish to share the specifics, I would like to expound on God's unfailing Grace that he extends to us in all situations. Romans 8:1 Says that "therefore there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus". This passage basically says that if you are in Christ and he is in you, you will not be condemned for your sins and wrong decisions. Now that does not mean we are free to run around and do whatever we please but it does mean that if we do fail, God forgives us with a Grace that is unfailing. His love is never too much out of reach for us. This gives me quite a bit a hope in my life right now as I am facing some really tough relational issues. Even though my heart is not settled and still hurts, I am secure in the fact that I belong to a God who is merciful and will always protect me and lead me back to a peace in my life. That peace may be some time in coming but I know it will eventually arrive. I have spent many of the past few nights in prayer and through that, God has brought me to several realizations, even apologies that need to be made to certain individuals. (I am in the process of doing that). I do not have regrets about what has happened because I believe God puts people and relationships in your life for a reason and I would never change the time I spent in the relationship because I love this person and always will. I encourage you to exam some of the situations in your life and think about the mercy God has extended you, maybe even realize some bad decisions in your life and learn something from them.

On to my health: I am doing pretty well this week with very few symptoms of my lupus with the exception of being extremely worn out. Most of this fatigue is due from the relational issues discussed above but with Lupus any stress can trigger a flare up in activity so I try to keep the emotions as easygoing as possible. I go for Chemo number 5 next Tuesday so I ask you to keep me in your thoughts and prayers for that. I will be blogging live from the session and describe my experiences as I go through the day so please check back for that. Again, like always, I appreciate you all for letting me express some of my most inner thoughts to you through my blog. Take care and God Bless.
I did want to share one of my favorite verses that provides me comfort:
Isaiah 53:2-5
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. he was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. BUT HE WAS PIERECED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; THE PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US PEACE WAS UPON HIM, AND BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED.
Kyle

Monday, April 19, 2010

Heading on a Roadtrip

Anybody ever took a good old fashioned Road Trip with friends? They are great, a couple of days to get away from the office and just hang out with some guys. Tomorrow, I am going to St. Louis with Adam, Tim, and Daniel to see Hillsong United in concert at the Fox Theatre. I have been wanting to see them perform live for a long time but they hardley ever come to the United States. (they are from Australia.) Hillsong is responsible for many of the current worship songs most us sing in our churches. It should be agreat worship experience. I look forward to hanging out with the guys doing guy stuff and probably having an extroadinary amount of inappropriate converstations (odd since we are going to a christian concert). We are also going to play golf on Wednesday morning before we come home. Please pray for safe travel for us all.

Now, on to my health update. I am doing very very well. Last Monday, I saw my nephrologist for an update on my kidneys. The whole point of the chemotherapy is to fight the nephritis from the Lupus and avoid a transplant (much to the liking of my twin brother Adam, who's kidney is earmarked for me if I ever need it). My labs that were drawn for the appointment came back excellent! My CD3 and CD4 counts were normal as well as my blood compliments. My creatine (kidney function) was almost normal which its not been in a long time and my protein filtration is better! To sum it up, the CHEMO IS WORKING! Also, I have been experiencing very little pain in my joints and have had a good amount of energy. The only issue I am having is with my weight. Now I know you all probably don't think Im fat but my doctor said I need to lose 10-15 pounds. The problem is that I am still on a very high dose of steroids so I stay hungry all the time. I guess I need to learn some better nutrition rather than sprinting for the Totino's Party Pizzas.
Well I hope each of you have a fantastic week and I will blog soon to update you on our trip to St. Louis.
God Bless
Kyle

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Chemotherapy, round 4

Hey everyone, this is round 4 of my prescribed chemotherapy regime. I had the treatment yesterday at UK hospital and all went as planned. My infusion began at 8 and I was checked out of there by 3. It was in stark contrast to my chemotherapy session 3 where I was there from 8-6 because the doctors where checking the results of my lymphatic biopsy, which turned up negative. The nausea has hit me sooner than expected this time because normally I don't get sick until two or three days after treatment. I did manage to get to the office for a few hours this morning so that was a blessing. Hopefully, my nausea won't last long and I will be out causing trouble in no time.
After this session, I only have 2 more treatments to go unless my doctor thinks I need more. The main reason for the early nausea is that my doctor increased my dosage. I know she is trying to do whats best for me, but I'm not sure how much I can take. Thank you all for sticking with me on this wild ride.....I will continue to keep you updated through this blog.
Until next time,
Kyle

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Easter

Easter. A time to remember the sacrifice that was made for all of us on the cross. What amazes me the most is that Jesus was a man with very few earthly possesions and demonstrated what true love really is, the kind of love that is unfailing and unconditional. If we really are honest, do we have that kind of love for anyone in our lives? The kind of love where we would die for someone else? Think about the people in your life that you are thankful for and tell them how you feel, they may not know. I am so thankful that my savior thought I was worth dying for. It makes me want to become a better man and treat people with the kind of love God shows me. Now, I fall way shoot but I strive everyday to get better.
If you are reading this, know I am thankful for you and that you care enough about me to a read my blog and continue to pray for my healing. I don't think I can ever express how much it means to me. Happy Easter and know Jesus was sacrificed for you too!

Easter

Monday, March 29, 2010

Spring, Reds Baseball, Simplier times.

Most of you have a favorite time of year, mine happens to be spring. There is nothing quite like waking up to 40 degree tempatures then driving home from work to a warming 70 degree breeze! Among the many things I love about the spring, the beginning Reds baseball happens to be my favorite. I know.. the Reds are almost always dissapointing but I am truely not a fair weather fan. My Dad instilled a love for the Reds in me when I was just a little boy and that passion continues today. I remember in 1990 (the last time the Reds won the world series) my Dad out in the front yard screaming at the top of his lungs after that final pitch verse the Oakland A's. I remember my favorite players; the like of Chris Sabo, Billy Hatcher, Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, and who can forget the Nasty Boys. I use to love driving up with my brother and Dad to the games and coming over the hill in Cincinnati to see Riverfront Stadium and big city. To me, that was the greatest time. I remember walking across the bridge from Newport and looking down into the water and wondering whether the Reds would pull off the win. I remember always taking in my baseball glove in the hopes of catching a foul ball. I remember driving home after the game with Dad as he listened to 700 WLW and soothing sounds of Marty Brennamen and Joe Nuxhall analyze yet another Reds victory (or loss). I remember the crack of the bat during batting practice and the smell of hot dogs wafting through the air. yes, those indeed where simpilier times. There was no thoughts of Lupus, chemotherapy, kidney disease, and worries about how long I would live. There was no morning sickness from the scores of pills that I have to take, no afternoon lupus fog that impairs my thinking. There was no worrying that I may never find the women Im suppose to be with or whether or not I will ever have a family. Yes, simplier times.
Yet, through everything, this spring season gives me hope. Hope that I can live it to its fullest and enjoy the smells and sounds of the ballpark once again; the hope that I can enjoy a brisk walk on the golf course as I try and keep up with the forever long drives of my brother Adam, the hope that one day I will find that person I am suppose to be with. Through everything, God is faithful and Good. He provides in unimaginable ways and I know if I remain faithful to him, he will make sure that I have everything I need (not necessarily everything I want).
Today, I encourage each of you to exam what God had done in your life and to look forward to this spring for all the good things it brings.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Healthcare Reform.. or as some people call it "Obamacare"

Ok so the point of the blog is not to write on political ideology or opinions but since I do mainly focus on my health when I write, it is necessary to give my thoughts on the sweeping healthcare reform signed by President Obama on Tuesday.
First, let me say this; no matter what your political affiliation or ideology is, it is a widely acccepted fact that our health care system in the United States is severly broken. The only question or conflict is how to fix it. I believe our fundamental flaws with the current system can be summed up in about 3 points.
1. Over-inflated cost of healthcare.
This seems to be obvious. Has anyone gotten a bill from a hospital lately or from a doctor's office after after having a procedure? The cost of care is out of this word. As an example, I had a simple CT Scan with contrast performed about a month ago. The total cost of the scan and the room I occupied at UK hospital for 4 hours was over $3,000! Another example, I had a lung function test around the same time period and was billed $2,400 for that procedure. Now I won't have to pay that entire amount because thankfully I have insurance that will cover a big chunk of the cost but think about people who do not have this privilage. I have even recieved bills for tylenol that I recieved during impatient care that totaled $100 or more for just a few doses!
2. The cost of Mal-Practice Insurance Coverage
This one coincides with my previous point. One of the main reasons that health care is so expensive is because doctors must carry mal-practice insurance with premiums that skyrocket in the tens of thousand per year. This is because many patients sue doctors over unfavorable outcomes during treatments or surgeries that they knew were risky to begin with. Tort reform in this area making it more difficult to sue doctors is a necessary step to decreasing the cost of care.
3. Insurance Company Polices
Finally, the largest disfunction in our system is the Insurance companies. Currently, a company can cap your lifetime benefit leaving someone with a terminal illness with medical bills that must be paid by the estate or by loved ones simply because the care that was paid for by the insurance company exceeded the limit. Another flaw of the insurance companies is exluding people based on pre-existing conditions.

The reform signed by our President will allow people to get the medical coverage they deserve at a price that is reasonable. Still, much work needs to be done with revamping tort reform and the skyrocketing cost of medical care. Luckily, I have good insurance that takes care of my needs. Even with my insurance I am faced with very high out of pocket costs that I still am not sure how I am going to pay. I know that God will provide a way, he always does but think of the people who must file bankruptcy because they were unlucky enough to be diagnosed with a horrible condition? This is unexcusable.
Ok, I think I am done with the political stuff for now. Again, my blog will never be about politics and will mainly focus on my health but I did want to address this.
On another note, Im still feeling well although I have been having trouble sleeping recently (probably from the crazy high doses of steroids im on). Please continue to keep me in your prayers, as I will keep you all in mine.
Kyle

Friday, March 19, 2010

A good week, beautiful weather..

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know what was going on this week. I have felt very good this week in terms of my health and I credit that to high doses of prednisone. At least I have no pain but I stayed wired all the time! This week went by pretty slow at the Bank due to the basketball tournaments going on. Sweet Sixteen and the NCAA's (no one cares about the NIT) so I was glad that Friday rolled around. Get this, I even left a little early today and walked a 9 hole practice round of golf (yeah I actually walked). I think that is a very good sign that my lungs are getting a little better. Tomorrow I am looking foward to no work and playing golf with Adam and his group at Woodford Hills Country Club. Of course, no Saturday morning would be complete without cheese and eggs at waffle house!

Thank you everyone for continuing to read my blog, it proves to be quite theraputic to write. Have a great weekend and I will catch up with you next week.

Kyle

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Feeling Much better, thankfully..../Thankful for Nurses

Hey everyone, just wanted to give you all an update on post chemotherapy. This past weekend was quite rough. I was very nauseated and fatigued from my third round of chemo that I had on Thursday. This was expected because it has happened the last two times. Thankfully I had the weekend to recover. Yesterday I woke up and felt great! No joint pain, No Nausea, No Fatigue. I put in a full day in the office and was actually productive so I am definately thankful. My doctor says that the intent of this chemo is to get me into a full remission and I confident that it will do so. Thank you everyone who called, texted, emailed during the last few days offering enouragement. It truely helps even though I rarely respond with much. (sorry, when Im sick I dont have alot of energy to respond to texts, emails, and calls). But I still enjoy and appreciate getting them.

Thinking back on my experience so far with chemotherapy, I would be remiss to not mention a great influence in my treatment. There is a Markey Cancer Center nurse named Deborah who has been my primary infusion nurse during my treatments. Let me tell you, she is awesome. From giving the I.V. to explaining chemo side effects, she is an exceptional health care provider. My last treatment, she wasn't actually the nurse who did the infusion but she knew I was in the unit that day. She took the time to come in my room and talk to me for roughly 30 minutes about how I was doing and to go over some lab results. I wasn't even her case but she came in anyway to just to see how I was and offer support. I learned something in addition that day, she is also a cancer survivor who has gone through the same cytoxan treatment. Come to think about it, every side effect she told me about came true, even the timing of the side effects. I guess she would know. Now in my course of treatment, I have seen alot of nurses, but she is by far the most caring individual I have come into contact with. The very first treatment, she took the time to sit with me and go over in detail everything about the chemo. This took about an hour even though she had other patients in the unit. During treatment, she always makes sure I am comfortable with plenty of drinks, blankets, etc. Plus, she treats my family as important and attends to their needs as well. I will be writing a letter to the Markey Cancer Center commending Deborah and even though I am going through a tough chemo process, she makes things alot easier.
Sorry to ramble but its been on my mind to mention her in my blog. I am so thankful for her and for every person who is a nurse. They deal with so much and when it comes to patient care, they are at the forefront. I saw this day in and day out with Amber and how she attended to the preemie babies in the UK NICU. Im not sure how she gathered the strength each day to help these babies live in their earliest days while keeping it together emotionally. If you have a nurse in your life, please thank them and let them know that what they do doesn't go unnoticed. In my opinion, the real thanks goes to nurses, not doctors.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Chemotherapy... a long day...

Yesterday I had my third chemo treatment. I arrived at Uk hospital at 8 am which is when my treatment starts but after getting in my room the doctor called and said to wait unitl the biopsy results of the lymp nodes came back (they were suppose to be back on Wednesday.) The results came back as negative for lymphoma so I was very happy with that. The chemo then started around 2 P.M. Fortunately, I was still able to make my 6:30 Walk for Lupus Now meeting.

During the treatment, my doctor came to visit and we talked at length about my condition. She said that only 73 cases have ever been reported for the Shrinking Lung Syndrome so it is very rare. In a couple of weeks I will be starting a clinical trial for this condition that is aimed at better understanding the phenomenon. Basically, I will wear a magnetic device on my sternum and back that track the signals between my lungs and diaphram (which is what causes the breathlessness). Now, what this will help will be nothing but it will help doctors better understand what his happening in this complication of Lupus and how to treat it.

I have also been starting to plan a trip to the Cleveland Clinic for futher evaluation of my lupus and to determine if the treatment I am currently on is the best for me. I will give you more updates as that develops.

In other news, I can't wait for the game today. Unfortunately I have to work but the Bank will be putting the game on all in-branch T.V.s so I wont miss a thing! This is one of my favorite times of year because of March Madness, the warming of the weather, and the new season of the Cincinnati Reds!
Until Next time, thanks for reading my blog
Kyle

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Preliminary Biopsy Results

Last Thursday I had a biopsy on my lymph nodes under my arms. They were found to be enlarged on a chest xray I had so my doctors wanted to make sure I had not developed Lymphoma. The preliminary biopsy reports showed no abnormalities or malignicies but we are still waiting on the final report to come out on Wednesday. Still, very good news.

Based on the biopsy, my doctor decided to push back my 3rd chemo treatment to this Thursday to allow the biopsy site to heal and to get a final report. My breathing is still shallow and we are still determining the best course of action to treat the shrinking lung syndrome.

I was able to play golf on both Saturday and Sunday of last weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful weather and the excellent company. I have found that the best medicine for a broken heart is the company of good friends who don't dwell on the past but help you look forward to the future. (many of you know what has gone on in my life this past week with a relationship but I would rather no elaborate on my blog.) It felt good to enjoy the sites and sounds of the golf course and to get my mind of things I cant control. I hope you all have a great week and I will let you know once I get the biopsy results.

God Bless
Kyle

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The amazing shrinking lung!

Hey everyone, its been a few days since my last post but I wanted to give you all an update about my diagnosis. As posted earlier, I have had several tests to try and come up with a diagnosis for the shortness of breath. My doctors have now diagnosed me with Shrinking Lung Syndrome, which is a complication of systemic lupus (sle). Basically what happens is that lungs become inflammed from inflammation and shrink in size and volume and ability to hold air. There is no cure for this complication, just treatment aimed at stopping the progression of the disease and gaining back a little of the lost function. Right now, I am at about 70 percent function. (so no plans on running a marathon). The treatment is corticosteroids and pulmonary therapy. My doctors had thought about delaying the next chemotherapy treatment because of this but as of right now, we are scheduled for this Tuesday. The chemo is suppose to help. Through all this, I am positive I will get better and I thank each of you for your support and for reading my blog.

In other news, I am going to attempt to play golf today with Adam! Of course I will have to ride in a cart which Im not a huge fan of because I believe walking a golf course is not only good exercise but also helps you concentrate on your game. Oh well, at least I am going to get out and enjoy the weather this weekend. I hope each of you get out enjoy the weather with your family and friends. God is good!
Kyle L. Norsworthy

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

More Tests!

This week I feel like am going to be a human lab rat! haha. As stated in earlier posts, my breathing problems are still trying to be figured out. We have already ruled out the blood clot in the lung so that is definately a blessing. Today I am going for a echocardiogram to check for blood vessel inflammation between the lungs and heart then I am seeing a lung doctor. On Thursday, I go for a lymph node biopsy under my arms. On the CT scan they found the enlarged nodes and just want to make sure nothing is going on there. I am confident that my team of doctors will figure this mess out. I am so blessed to have friends and family who support me through my deal. I appreciate each of you reading my blog because it makes me feel like someone out there cares plus it allows me to vent my frustrations.

These situations remind me of one of my favorite bible verses, Phillipians 4:8. "8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
My brother Adam gave me this verse during a really difficult time in my life a few years back and it has stuck to my memory during rough times. Basically, the verse says through all your trials, focus on things that are good in your life, and I have much to be thankful for. Even though I have many struggles with my health, my life is very very good. I am blessed with a wonderful family, excellent job, amazing girlfriend and most of all, a gracious and loving God. God has never let me down, even in my darkest of situations and I have to daily focus my mind on trusting him. Sometimes its not easy but he has never let me down.
I would encourage you to think about Phillipians 4:8 if you are going through some struggles in your life and focus on the good things as opposed to the bad. Know that no matter what, God will never leave you. This rings especially true in my life.
Until next time
Kyle

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Lazy Sunday Afternoons!

One of my favorite things is a Sunday afternoon that has absolutely nothing going on. Anyone else feel that way? I believe God designed this day for sleep and family and eating absolutely too much. Today, Amber's Mom and Dad came to town and Momma made her famous chicken and dumplings. Now I must admit, Im not much of a Dumpling fan but surpringly, I loved these. To top off the good ol fashion country meal, we had corn, potatoes, and fresh green beans. No wonder since starting to date Amber Ive gained 20 pounds! (some say I needed it)

Tomorrow is back to work after being out last week due to vacation and health issues. I hope that this week my team of doctors can figure out my hyper-inflated lung issues. I am thankful that my company is very patient and allows me to get the best care possible without worrying that my job won't be there when I return. With the economy the way it is, I am super blessed to be part of a company like Central Bank.

On another note, the Vols showed us some toughness yesterday so we didn't exactly "whoop" up on them like I thought we would. Honestly, Im ready for April 5th, Reds opening day! Until next time, see ya!

Kyle

Saturday, February 27, 2010

A Night in the UK Hospital

Last night I spent the evening in the UK Hospital getting checked for a blood clot in my lung. Ever since starting chemotherapy, I have had some trouble breathing so I went to Dr. Crofford and she ordered a chest xray and a lung function test. The xray came back showing a hyper-inflated lung so I was sent to the E.R for a CT Scan with contrast to check for a possible blood clot. Thankfully, the tests came back negative and I was released around 10. Still, we are in a search to figure out why I cant breath. I will keep you all updated as I know more.

On another note, Im about ready to watch UK whoop up on the Vols. I cant believe that the season is almost over and that John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson will be gone next year! But as Dick Vitale says, "UK doesn't rebuild, they reload"!

Until Next Time
Kyle
Hey all, I decided to create blog for all my friends and family who are interested in whats going on with me. Sometimes, its difficult to update everyone on my health and life because of the time so I thought creating a blog would help. For all those who are my friends and family, know that I love you very much and I am so appreciate of everything you have done for me. You have helped me through peaks and valleys and have weather some pretty rough storms. I hope this blog keeps you informed about me.
Kyle