Archer's Alpha Angels | Other
Archer's Alpha Angels
Phone: +61 418 320 256
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24.01.2022 Merry Christmas from our family to yours. May your day be filled with lots of love, laughter, new & old memories, delicious food & drinks. Today more so my love, thoughts & thanks is with our donor angel & hero & family. We will be forever grateful for them giving Arch life. They will never know what days like this mean to us, to experience a pain, stress & fearful free day at home with Arch is what I could only dream of.... Today we will be raising a toast to our donor family, families of our little warriors we farewelled this year, to our warriors still fighting & their families. Also to all hospital staff, emergency & defence services, that have left their families today to keep ours safe & looked after. Cannot thank everyone enough who has created such amazing memories & experiences for Arch & our family, to everyone that supported us through the toughest but also the most amazing year, you have warmed my heart with unconditional support & love, so lucky to have you on our team. We are in Melbourne as a family unit (well Haydo is working but will join us later), so then can be no greater gift then having my family together & celebrating life. Please remember whilst together to have the conversation about Organ Donation, not a fun one, but could potentially create a miracle for another family. Much love, safe travels for those on the road & bring on 2020! Nikks xx #donatelife #donateblood #discussorgandonation #archersalphaangels #familyislife #merrychristmas
24.01.2022 Today is R U ok day! My phone is always to call, text or message me here. For years going through both kids medical trauma & more so Archers in the last couple of years, I held onto everything as I didnt want to seem I wasnt in control, coping or didnt want to voice I was really struggling juggling so much on my own. I felt I had to keep it together as my little people, family, friends & medical teams around me needed me to be. I put on a happy front,didnt want to talk ...about our lives as it seemed so negative nor burden anyone as they were already so supportive. I was very wrong there was people wanting to help I just needed to start the conversation. Once I started it was great to get it out & find different ways to cope in the really stressful times. We all have our own coping mechanisms whether talking, writing it out, exercise, art but if they are not working please reach out. Slightly of topic but still affected me mentally this week I shared a petition on my personal fb, it didnt warrant people to comment, it was simply go in & sign or scroll on. I was having a struggle day where nothing was going right & I was so over being in lockdown. I didnt need to justify it nor need the comments of peoples political agendas, their beliefs or their arguments. Our words & actions have consequences. It would be great if people thought about what they were writing & if necessary to send it, you just never know what is going on in that persons life & how it will affect them. I believe if you cant say it to their face dont write it. It affected my day & it was all unnecessary. However, 2 positives did come out of it, I had many friends messaging making sure I was ok with the unnecessary commentary made & it also forced me to re-evaluate how I am spending my time during lockdown. I deleted my fb except Archers Page, deleted my streaming apps including the news, it was a small but positive change I had a good night sleep,motivation is back, we have gone for walks, sat in the sun, got loads of jobs completed I couldnt find energy for.So please reach out to those close or the numbers listed you are loved, wanted & needed much love Nikks xx See more
24.01.2022 Happy Fathers Day to you Haydo. Thanks for being such an awesome Dad to our little superstars. We are absolutely loving now having you home every night & weekend. Arch is loving having you to hang out & do boy stuff with & Sienna is loving giving you the toughest of cuddles that your head almost pops off. Thanks for working so hard for us at your job & then straight to our new house getting it ready for us move in, new memories & adventures to look forward to. Happy Father...s Day to my Dad Joe & the kids Poppy. Thank you for being our rock when we need you, making us laugh, loving us fiercely & always putting us 1st. We are extremely lucky to have you in our lives. Cannot wait for us to all be back together again, so we celebrate you & Haydo. Happy Fathers Day to all the 1st Dads, Dads, stepdads, uncles or males that step up to guide kids through life. Special thoughts to the defence & emergency services, nurse & doctor Dads, that cant be with their families today but out there protecting & looking after ours. To the Dads sitting with their kids on the wards or waiting for good news, you got this Hope your day is super special, Much love Nikks xx There is always a special thank you to our Donors Dad, a 2nd Fathers Day they have gifted us, but missing their own loved one. Forever grateful & forever in our hearts & thoughts. We are so lucky to have such great make role models for our kids in Haydo, Poppy, uncles, cousins to love & care for them, for looking after them when we need them, to have fun & many happy adventures to come.
24.01.2022 A video from the little superstar This kid amazes me every day, just gets the job done. Today was pumped to go especially for footy jersey day, didn’t want to be assisted walking into school, just wandered in. So proud of him, wish I could just smash into things like he does without letting his anxiety & fears beat him ... Walked into the classrooms with cheers & a big welcome from the kids yesterday, they were stoked to seeing him back after 8 long months . So great to see him happy, excited & full of energy again @chaddy1348 @marcus_bontempelli @jaydenshea__ will need to recruit him 5 goals, 5 points on footy jersey day Just advising again how desperate Red Cross blood service is for donations especially plasma. Plasma can be used 18 different ways & can be donated every 2 weeks. Please head in to your local donor centre if you can. Much love Nikks #archersalphaangels #superproudmum #8monthsawayfromschool #donatelife #giftlife #donateblood #westernbulldogs
24.01.2022 What 36 hours or so this has been since last update. Arch had a rough Sunday night & needed nebuliser over night, as sats were still not good. Yesterday started well but the extra energy from steroids wore off, colour was bad & sats heading backwards again. By late afternoon his BP had crept into 130s, which needs doc review & by night was 139.They capped the cannula,stopped fluids (as extremely puffy) & had me take for sometime out in hospital grounds incase anxiety of bei...ng there was raising it. Returned for it to still be at 136. A few plans were being decided. cannula decided it was not to work & his night of antis were due.amazing nurses tried everything to save it, but was hurting him & was going to cause to much grief. Arch was not remotely thrilled about this, eventually he passed out about 10.30 & me about 12am & then woken at 2am for it to be done.They tried midaz to calm but only got one shot up his nose & then he lost it. So off to treatment room for some laughing gas,arch has never had it before & he was hilarious,although at one stage they had to turn it down as he was too high he was loving it As with every high there was a big low & once back in bed he was not feeling very good from the gas, coughing was out of control & needed the nebuliser, eventually asleep about 4.30 or so We now know from a sample he has haemophilus influenzae (not type b). Was passed on by someone with type b, sneezing or coughing on or near him This morning he turned a corner, colour better, BP stabilised during early morning, little less puffy. Infectious disease team happy for him to go onto oral meds & cannula could be removed & we could be discharged tonight. I had to watch asthma videos & he has come home with an asthma plan.BP needs to be taken in 2 weeks,finger prick to test tacro levels once finished antis & hopefully he continues to go upwards. Liver perfect numbers had the most amazing nurses & they couldnt believe we are almost 1 year & how tall he is. We are tucked up at Ronnie Mac tonight & home to Bendigo tomorrow. Massive thank you to my parents @cheznjoe for stepping up & looking after Sienna this week Much love Nikks x @ Ronald Mcdonald House North Fitzroy See more
24.01.2022 Today Archman & I went to RCH for bloods, catch up with Dr George & his liver ultrasound to check on its cyst. The day started in a rush,woke up when we should have been well on the road,took me 5 mins to get up & be out of the house. Tough when still dark & raining & you want to still be passed out. We were a few mins late for his bloods, Arch was a very upset boy as he didnt want to have vein bloods done & luck was on his side as Dr George came around the corner. Checked... his bloods list & said finger prick will be fine, smile was instant. Fasting started at 10.30 so he smashed in loads of sushi,fluids & a banana to get him through Our meeting with George was all great news, his liver numbers were normal & perfect!i will never get tired of hearing those.Its amazing how much stress is in the lead up days to appointments & still how much I hold my breath expecting to hear bad news at every appointment for it to be the opposite He does have to drink more water, exercise more & continued healthy eating. Had some time to kill, so finally got to see my brother& family & then a walk in the park with other friends. So good to have human contact even tougher to not be close or hug each other. Onto the liver ultrasound, 1hr & 50 mins later it was complete.We wont have the report for a few days. Looks like no further pools of fluid but concern still on the fissure. The sonographer has not been part of Archers last number of ultrasounds post transplant, she was not sure Id still only one fissure or joined other vessels.It takes quite sometime to go through all images etc as so many taken during the examination, so will try not to stress until we have the outcome. We got a call from the team to say Archers tacro was still in the 6s I was stressing & asking if we should go back to liquid form as its normally in 8-9s range, but team said he is exactly where they want him to be Vein bloods have to be taken in 3 months time as more tests are needed that finger pricks cant test. Then 6 months until we see George & another ultrasound, providing all goes well with todays ultrasound today results. Much love Nikks x
23.01.2022 To all the Mummas out there that we have meet along the last almost 11 years of medical trauma, you are all amazing, inspirational, strong & brave. I am so lucky to have you as friends, supporters, cheerleaders & shoulders to cry on Warrior kids with warrior mums right beside through them without hesitation Couldnt do it with our amazing nurses, doctors, surgeons, counsellors, play therapists, support staff, these ladies pay a big part in allowing us to be the best Mummas we can be. Xxx
23.01.2022 Good morning, Hope you are all staying well & safe Tomorrow (Tuesday) this little legend will be turning 9!!! Time is now flying ... The last number of years he was either sick, in a moon boot, broken arm/or recovering from his transplant Thanks to Rona, his big planned birthday plans are shelved, but I would still love to make it as special as possible in Iso. If you have the time, would love if you could do a quick video wishing him a happy birthday?? Can send them to me via this page or my mobile number. So will be a nice surprise for him tomorrow. Arch is having a pizza party via zoom with family & I now have a task of making a minecraft cake (wish me luck, i have changed cake style 3 times & I am not a baker nor creative ) I love Archer’s random chats, generally full of facts or wisdom, like this little gem: he just informed me he will get married at 20, said if he got married at 18 his wife would be doing the housework & he would be playing games & talking to his mates, so best to wait until he is not a teenager Hope you have a great day & to those in Victoria we have got this Much love Nikks xx #archersalphaangels #isobirthday2020 #rona #9thbirthday #wemadeanotheryear
23.01.2022 EDIT: thank you for your calls & messages of concern, Arch is fine & at home, put RCH as location due to Good Friday appeal & reflecting on the staff who helped us through arch being critically ill. There is nothing that can be done, blood tests on Wednesday will show if he needs to adjust his tacro levels, hopefully they are on the way back up. His liver function was perfect on bloods taken weeks ago, fingers crossed it was the way bloods were taken as they cant seem to... do them properly here in Bendigo & they were badly clotted, so rch from now on to be on the safe side. His eyes are perfect white & skin is not showing any yellow signs. Arch team said it was bound to happen & that they were not stressed, so I trust them 100% We received a call from Archers team last week, to advise his tacro levels had dropped to 3.8 (normally sits between 8-9). 3 or 20 is their big concerns as can be rejection at 3.Archers tacro meds have been increased & will need bloods this Wednesday at RCH. Today is the @goodfridayappeal & we do not to tell you how lucky we are to have the amazing RCH hospital, staff & facilities whom have saved both our kids lives a number of times. There is such an enormous amount of people are on our team & I wish I could put a photo of all them. They are our unsung heroes nurses,doctors, surgeons, specialists, play therapists, education teams,mental health,admin, cleaners, hospitality, volunteers & the long list goes on. This time last year we were watching our yellow/green/grey little warrior fighting with everything to stay with us.If we didnt have the phenomenal staff, equipment & this facility as a whole we would have had a different outcome. It is 7 years tomorrow since Sienna our little warrior had her open heart surgery, they found rare anatomy of her heart, which made her operation even riskier.We were lucking we had amazing surgeons that saved her life & allowed her to breathe again on her own.Have lost count of all the operations & procedures she has had there since she was tiny. We will be forever grateful to have all the care, support & love from everyone at RCH they deserve to be well supported. I know times are tough, but If you would like to make a donation, no matter the size, you can donate online today at www.goodfridayappeal.com.au We need this facility to keep upgrading their equipment & facilities & hopefully you wont, but if you need to, you want it to be operating at the best it can be. Due to Coronavirus they are not filming at RCH today,which is so sad as its the day that distracts you from the heartbreaking time kids are experiencing. If able to you please consider donating blood. Take care & wishing you all a safe Easter iso style.Please stay home & protect all our healthcare workers who are risking their lives to save ours. Much love Nikks x #goodfridayappeal2020 #givesotheymaygrow #royalchildrenshospitalmelbourne #archersalphangels @ The Royal Childrens Hospital, Melbourne
23.01.2022 It has been a big day but little superstar has smashed it again so far . The amazing surgeon John was able to close the fistula, John believed it was there pre transplant & that both the cyst & then it’s draining has caused the fistula to reactivate & grow. John requested a ultrasound to be done whilst an impatient & he will be heavily monitored with further ultrasounds as there is a chance it can open again . Arch is on bed rest to ensure no bleeding, was a long day & lo...ts of sleep. We had an amazing team with surgeon, anaesthetist & theatre nurses. Ian the anaesthetist didn’t use medaz this time just some laughing gas & off to sleep & I advised arch always comes out nauseous & he upped his clonidine & he came out of GA perfectly. Lots of sleep today as they wanted him to to keep him rested & still. Unsurprisingly 1st thing he asked for was sushi & then his iPad He ate little bits during arvo but tummy & throat was sore. We are on a different ward to normal, it’s a very busy ward but also we can’t close our door as it’s vacuumed sealed & is a room saved for Covid, so will be a long noisy night I am tipping. In saying that hoping for a boring & uneventful night. At this stage tomorrow there will be bloods & ultrasound & hopefully all going well can come home tomorrow Will also be checking if Arch will be able to return to school on Monday. For this admission Arch asked for his bulldogs blanket a gift from his mate Bentley & his own pillow (hospital ones are just blown up air, not nice at all). Didn’t realise how tall he really is, not much length space left for the little weapon. Our party girl Sienna was determined to not let me have my early night last night as planned, so running on about 3.5 hours sleep, did have a quick nod off but was woken by doctors for question about 20 mins later. Think will be snoozing before my head hits the pillow tonight. Thank you for all the love, prayers, chants & vibes, was greatly appreciated especially being such an anxious day on a new operation/ challenge for Archman Much love Nikks xx #archersalphaangels #donatelife #giftlife #westernbulldogs #batmanpillow #sleep @ The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
23.01.2022 https://www.goldcentralvictoria.com.au//106488-nikki-irwin Arch & I were interviewed by Daniel of Central Victoria Gold radio station, we are so incredibly thankful for Daniels help in wanting to get the message out their for all those recipients waiting
22.01.2022 These videos are still so traumatic to watch, watching arch go through cannulas, port access, port de accessed, bloods taken, bloods given, surgeries, nose & t...hroat swabs time & time again & never ever ending. I am not sure that either of us will ever get over it, probably me more so. No one should have to constantly watch their child battle through this to keep him alive, telling him its ok, we have to do this, it will get better. All the things you probably couldnt care less hearing because it hurts & it hurts a lot for what he went through. Added all ready feeling so terrible, your little battle weary body having to find another gear to keep going. Meanwhile as a parent you just hoping that some poor family that are losing their loved one, can find in their darkest moments to want to be the generous & selfless hero that will give your son life & away from trauma. These are not even the bad ones, they are too distressing to watch again, hearing your child say they are done, dont want to live anymore, that the pain is too much, that blood products are saving him but are causing reactions but having to soldier on to keep him alive. Watching your child dying in front of you & as a control freak not being able to fix him, to change it & going to places in my mind that I never thought I would but now knowing it i was just normalising our situation, is something that will take a long time to heal. Its not only the physical trauma Arch went through, its also mental battles, he will never be the same child, this will always be a battle for him, but with the right help we will get him through it. I would hope there is not a person that watches these videos & does still not think that donating their organs is not what they would like to do. Everyones rights to do what they want with their body, but given you are no longer living why would you take them with you & let a family lose a loved one that could have been saved? Please consider being a donor & discussing it with your loved ones. Much love Nikks #donatelife #giftlife #archersalphaangels #mentalhealth #organdonationawareness See more
22.01.2022 A message from the birthday boy Arch to you Thank you to everyone that reached out to Arch today, he has been very spoilt with lots of love, gifts, videos, texts & calls. In terms of Sienna she is ok, last night she opened a high reaching cupboard & a bottle of my prosecco fell& her eye caught it . She was taken to hospital today due to vomiting, but is doing ok now & just needs to be monitored. Wouldn’t be an irwin birthday without a trip to the hospital ... Thankfully Arch was still able to have his zoom pizza party & I pulled a Steve Bradbury with getting the cake finished minutes before zoom. There was tantrums trying to get it right & gave in, sent haydo to woolies to buy a mudcake but they were sold out lol. Anyways came through in the end. Cake makers I take my hat off to you, it is a tough job to get right! Sweet dreams to all, much love Nikks #archersalphaangels #9thbirthday ##zoomisobirthdayparty #donatelife
22.01.2022 https://instagram.com/p/CDIQBXDFHJF02A4j9SWmDVsKa6w5z5RYZV/ This week is Organ & Tissue awareness week, a campaign we are honoured to still be part of, without hero donors we would not have our boy with us to celebrate. To say Thank you will never be enough for what thousands of selfless donors & their families gift to families like ours every year.... We just have to live each day as best we can to honour our donor & their family. We ask that you take 1 minute to register as an Organ & Tissue Donor at www.donatelife.gov.au Most importantly we ask that you advise & discuss your decision with family & friends, as next of kin has final say on whether the donation goes ahead in Australia. We have had our amazing friends awaiting transplant, lose their battle because of low donation numbers, which is beyond heartbreaking. Will be sharing videos & photos of Archers horrendous, traumatic, painful time whilst awaiting for transplant. Of course will also be celebrating his new life & what one families decision has changed not Archers life, but many people in his life. So when on your next FaceTime, zoom or family/friend/work chat during Iso, lets get those numbers up & save the thousands of people waiting for their 2nd chance to live Much love Nikks xx #archersalphaangels #donatelifeweek2020 #organdonation #giftlife #wearamask #ittakes1minutetoregister
22.01.2022 For the last day of Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness week, we say Thanks To our Donor’s family making their selfless & generous gift in their darkest, scariest & heartbreaking time, they said yes. Our donor & family will always have a piece of my heart, we think of them every day, talk about them often & thank them for the smallest to biggest dreams & goals Archer smashes. These videos are from pre-op before transplant to Friday helping dad in the yard at our new plac...e. Arch was as cool as a cucumber knowing his new liver was on the way, I was a mess of emotions on the inside not just thinking of us but our donor family now going their grief & heartbreak. Watching Archer’s ICU videos showed his true self tough, honest, determined, brave & mostly importantly inspirational.Many speak of their heroes across many areas, but Arch is my 100% hero Our hearts & thoughts are always with ours & thousands of donor families that say yes. We would also have not go through this tough time with the support from Alana Jones & Phoebe Storey of DonateLife Victoria, thank you for all the hard work you do in getting the message out into the community but also for the support you give to families like ours. There is an army of medical teams that made all of this happen & we are so lucky to have this dedicated, skilled & amazing superstars getting our loved ones through. Thank to everyone that has shared the message, registered as donors and discussed plans with their families. It takes 1 minute to register but you could change the lives of upto 10 people & all those that surround the recipient. Can be no greater gift then the gift of life. To those in Victoria it’s scary & uncertain times but please stay safe, follow the restrictions so we can all get back to living. Also, by following the rules you are saving our frontline staff & emergency services lives as well. These staff deserve to be thanked, protected & respected. Even without covid these staff work so hard & in mostly a thankless job. Take care, much love Nikks #organdonation #organdonationawareness #archersalphaangels #giftlife See more
22.01.2022 Friday 4th September is Jersey Day, raising Organ Donation awareness message. This day/initiative was started by Nathan Gremmos family to raise awareness for @Donatelife today. Nathan died at the age of 13 after a tragic accident in 2015. Nathans family donated his organs saving 5 people including a baby, knowing if the roles were reversed they would want his life saved by a donor. For more information please go to www.jerseyday.com.au So it would be great if you could wea...r your jersey ( can be any team or sport jersey, can be your local, national or international) to work or school tomorrow.If in Victoria could be a good day to dress up & make the day a but more exciting.. *Arch has out grown all of his @westernbulldogs jerseys, so doggies PJ top it is. Please share your photos on your social media pages with these tags #donatelife #archersalphaangels #jerseyday #nathangreemo #westernbulldogs & your sports club name An update on Arch: we had a tele health conference with his new respiratory specialist this afternoon. Long story short he will be starting 4 weeks of antibiotics, as they believe the short IV & take home antis was not enough when treated for his pneumonia admission earlier this year. Arch has had a persistent wet cough all year. So there will be a follow up xray, lung tests & consult in 2 months time. Was due to be earlier but it appears his fissure surgery has been put back until November thanks to Melbs lockdown & Covid . Will be following up with his team tomorrow. We are also awaiting more clarification on some of Archers blood tests results. Hopefully will know more in the coming days. Otherwise he is fit & loving life, not school life, but happy, he is smashing me in our continuous monopoly game, thinks he is Trump owning lots of property we are cooking & doing different activities as his anxiety with how far behind he believes he is in his learning is massive.No point us stressing & causing more anxiety & mental health issues over it. He is a smart boy & we will get him where he needs to be when he can get back to school. If there is an retired teachers or teachers on maternity leave etc & would love to do some online learning with him please message me. Take care,stay safe & sane. Much love Nikks & Arch x
20.01.2022 Archman has still be fighting left over pneumonia/chest infection & is back on antibiotics for the time being, it just wont go away We have decided with info from our team to withdraw Archman from school for the time being. Its each parents decision as team said its a really big grey area given we cant guarantee all kids will follow the correct hygiene practices. We need to protect him especially as his body is struggling to fight what is already on board, he is too pr...ecious to risk. Also, at each families discretion we will be avoiding Arch going to shops, anywhere with big crowds, sporting games, festivals etc plus obviously our normal rules of staying away from sick people So whilst a lot of peoples opinions is its just another virus we beg people to think of Arch & all the immunosuppressed people, cancer patients etc who are unable to fight any virus like healthy people can. This hits them hard & fast & we do not want to lose our boy from it, let alone this unknown one. Were advised our family will need to get the flu shot as soon as available & as Arch is under 1 year post transplant will require 2 shots time separated to cover him for longer. Next Friday we finally will have the keys to our rental cannot wait to finally unpack all our belongings & leave them there for 12 months (26 weeks of RACV carnage & no end in sight is really putting a massive stress on us) PLEASE practice proper hand hygiene (washing all sides of hands & in between fingers for 20 seconds (singing happy birthday twice out loud or in your head is correct timing ) & have hand sanitizer on hand. Covering mouth & nose with tissue or sneeze cough into your elbow. if you are sick please stay home, if you have travelled please follow correct practices with isolation, if tested please stay isolated until you know results, we need to slow down this beast, so we all get through it & can have life return to normal Take care, stay healthy, much love Nikks xx #archersalphaangels #buggeroffcoronavirus #immunosuppressed @ Bendigo, Victoria
20.01.2022 Arch & I bravely ventured into Melbs today lol Arch had his right arm x-ray & meet with RCH orthapedic team.Due to 2nd cast causing more damage & Arch still not having correct rotating movement in his wrist, means surgery is a must Arch has been warned to not fight over S & V chips or fall over baby walkers ever again A few weeks ago we were on a big high as purchase on our new Bendigo house went through.Then the rollercoaster ride smashed us,when Dr George called that ...night to say there was a meeting of many specialists & liver team that Arch has to have surgery on his liver Due to Archers liver cyst surgery 12+ months ago, a fissure was created.Unfortunately, it has not disappeared as hoped & it will cause major issues to his portal vein,liver,spleen & heart if not addressed.Archers transplant team want it done ASAP so they are hoping within next 2-5 months, can be stretched 6-12 months but that is not ideal. So due to the liver surgery the orthapedic team will see Arch in 12 months as his liver is obviously priority. We made the decision to not send Arch back for the remainder of term 2,he wasnt happy & now given Victorias numbers going up daily & with school holidays starting today we will monitor his return to school. For those that remember our little friend Benji (dad donated part of this liver to him last year in NZ), has after days of being horrendously sick & many invasive tests was diagnosed with PTLD (post transplant cancer). Benji is currently in ICU & yesterday started his 1st Chemo treatment .Please keep Benji, Ashleigh & Matt in your thoughts, prayers, good vibes. Benji is only 2 & been through so much in his little life, its not fair he has to fight another massive battle. Transplant is lifesaving but it comes with risk & complication, this being the main one, that is constantly monitored in transplant patients. Please continue to follow health warnings,wash hands, stay home if sick or waiting for results & keep your distance so we can return to a somewhat normal life sooner than later.The world is a bit too crazy at the moment, so back into our bubble we go Take care & much love Nikks x
18.01.2022 Archman has not been well this last week & Friday & Sat he deteriorated & we had consulted with his liver team a couple of times. As we were already coming to Melbs yesterday, they wanted to see him. Very long story short, they admitted him as they were unable to get his sats & heart rate to a safe number & his little body was working way too hard so his team wanted him monitored. He had also been vomiting due to his cough, so was hard to keep his tacro down. As a result of b...lood work showing both his viral & bacterial markers at extremely high or low numbers & the fact ventolin couldnt get his oxygen levels they admitted him. A chest X-ray showed some coverage on his chest, so they werent sure if it was viral chest with gastro bug on board or pneumonia with gastro bug. A decision was made to put a cannula in for fluids but also so if he spiked a fever they could get meds on board. This was not news he wanted & made him physically sick before & after it happened Today he was severely struggling to breath & numbers were not good, they had to give nebuliser & it helped but still had a big wheeze & crackle on his chest. Thankfully Dr George came in to see him today & pthey planned on aggressively targeting the asthma, ordered swabs & depending on those potentially steroids. Planned changed again to steroids & they already seem to be helping. Whilst still numbers are right they are better than the worst of this morning. Unfortunately he spiked a fever about an hour later & he is now on IV meds & will also be seen my Infectious Disease team as he is immuno compromised so need to make sure whatever is happening is been treated by right Meds. Major positive is his liver numbers are pristine & hopefully stay that way. More bloods will be taken tomorrow & will now more of a plan then. His colour is back to not looking good & is definitely flat & not himself. Hopefully this is just a little bump in the road & we will be home together ASAP. Massive thank you to my parents for arriving in Bendigo tonight to look after Sienna, so haydo can work this week. On another positive, our friend Aya is recovering after her recent heart transplant Much love Nikks xx @ The Royal Childrens Hospital, Melbourne
17.01.2022 So today my little superstar/hero smashed through another massive milestone & I couldnt be prouder & my heart is absolutely full Arch started at his new school in Bendigo today, there has been a few anxious & emotional days leading up, he just wanted to be back in Wodonga with his great little mates. Archers best worry was being bullied again, not thinking anyone would want to be his friend but also not knowing 1 single person in the school ... Hopefully sooner than later his mental battles become non existent & he realises what a brave, resilient, sweet, funny & caring boy he is. His little life has been a never ending battle of so many factors & hopefully he just keeps pushing through to enjoy all his hard work. Arch held it altogether until he had to go on a tour with some of his classmates & say bye to me & Nan, the tears rolled for the 3 of us. Then he got on with it. Not only did he make a great new little friend as well as his tour buddies but he made it through the WHOLE day!!! This has not happened since his 1st few months of originally starting school. His teacher said he was really tired & wanted to finish for the day, but being told he only had 20 mins to go & said oh I can do another 20 We are extremely lucky as Archers teachers partner has had a transplant, so they understand what he has been through & his recovery that he has ahead. Which helps reduce my anxiety of leaving our amazing WPS & knowing he is going to be in great hands. Was also introduced to one of the well-being officers today that will also help Arch transition & he knows that he can go to them for anything & will be listened to & assisted. Yesterday my parents surprised the kids to be here for their 1st day at their new schools, wishing they would stay for a number of years instead of days Thankfully, they are staying for a few days, as we took Sienna to school but she doesnt start until tomorrow I knew I was too organised lol Anyways, hopefully tomorrow is an easier drop off for him tomorrow Hope all kids has a great 1st day back or starting out x Much love Nikks xx #archismyhero #transplant #archersalphaangels #strong #brave @ Bendigo, Victoria
17.01.2022 MYTH: You wont want my organs because of my lifestyle choices FACT: People who smoke, drink or have an unhealthy diet can still donate. You dont have to be i...n perfect health to save lives, theres every chance that some of your organs and tissues may be suitable for donation. #DonateLife #DonateLifeWeek #DonateLifeWeek2020
17.01.2022 Well my little warrior went on for surgery at 9.10am. For once we were an hour early & the child in front was not ready, so was all very quick & off he went, hopefully I haven’t jinxed him by being too early for once Positive for Archman is he didn’t have too fast for too long The surgery is much bigger than was explained with many different scenarios that I wasn’t prepared for Some quite complex & if too difficult to reach the fistula today the surgeon will stop the surg...ery & will investigate how he would proceed next time. So today the best scenario is that the fistula has disappeared since last ultrasound or not as large & concerning as what the images are shown on the ultrasound or they will fix the fistula if in a great position & safe to do. They may have to puncture the liver to get to it. Failing any of those the surgeon will stop the surgery & will investigate other ways to do this whether via opening him up again or see what medicines could reduce & then attempt more surgery. The risks today are a reaction to the iodine they have to inject into him or bleeding with fistula or groin entry if he can’t be kept still for a number off hours after the surgery. Hopefully the best & safest scenario can be completed today with a quick recovery, my little superstar warrior deserves a big bloody break from this trauma. You won’t be surprised to know he wants as much sushi as I can buy when he is in recovery lol Prayers, chants, positive vibes are all requested for best outcome for him today. Will keep you updated once I know how he has gone. Stay safe & well, much love Nikks #archersalphaangels #donatelife #giftlife #moresurgeriesthenbirthdays @ The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
16.01.2022 Good morning, Hope you are all staying well & safe Tomorrow (Tuesday) this little legend will be turning 9!!! Time is now flying ... The last number of years he was either sick, in a moon boot, broken arm/or recovering from his transplant Thanks to Rona, his big planned birthday plans are shelved, but I would still love to make it as special as possible in Iso. If you have the time, would love if you could do a quick video wishing him a happy birthday?? Can send them to me via this page or my mobile number. So will be a nice surprise for him tomorrow. Arch is having a pizza party via zoom with family & I now have a task of making a minecraft cake (wish me luck, i have changed cake style 3 times & I am not a baker nor creative ) I love Archers random chats, generally full of facts or wisdom, like this little gem: he just informed me he will get married at 20, said if he got married at 18 his wife would be doing the housework & he would be playing games & talking to his mates, so best to wait until he is not a teenager Hope you have a great day & to those in Victoria we have got this Much love Nikks xx #archersalphaangels #isobirthday2020 #rona #9thbirthday #wemadeanotheryear
16.01.2022 Yesterday we travelled to Melbourne for Arch to see the amazing Dr Amanda to prepare him for todays appointments. This morning Arch has to have vein bloods, which is something he hasnt had for 18 months. It was extremely distressing for Arch, all his coping tools were out the window & his past trauma reared its ugly head. It took 2 collectors to get it done, the ladies were amazing & very compassionate. We then had our appointment with Dr George & it was amazing. As Arch s...aid in the video he is now only on 2 meds in tacro (anti rejection Med) & magnesium His cyst has fluid but all teams want it left without intervention. A new ultrasound will be on 22nd Jan Bloods by finger pricked will be in 6 weeks locally & if all is good with those, he will have vein bloods on 22 January. We will next see George on 22 January. One month ago we had to move out of our home due to mould in the bathroom it has been a very stressful time for the kids especially. Just when life was cruising & drama free this through a spanner in the works. There has been too many short term accommodations, not enough houses in town for people needing them we are moving into our next home in next few days & hopefully we can get back on track. Yesterday we were told one of our little liver friends had passed away. This little angel was the sweetest of little girls, who made my dark days bright on the ward. She was a fighter, had a smile that lit up her whole little face, she had everyone wrapped around her little finger & had us singing & dancing with her. They were home & going so well but an infection was too hard for her to beat. My heart is shattered but there will always be a special space just for my dancing girl. Fly high sweet angel, you watch over that amazing mumma & sister of yours . There is a bond made with families on the ward or Ronnie mac house that speeds up friendships & you become a family, the loses are extremely tough & we were days away from this being our story. Tonight give your loved ones big hugs & love, we never know what tomorrow will bring. Will update on Arch port removal when we get the date looking like close to Christmas time. Much love Nikks
15.01.2022 This was such a special day, Arch was not feeling so flash & zero energy as was close to him being hospitalised for the last time. Archman found some to go & meet Gary. Just 2 superstars for different reasons hanging out & having a kick together. Arch was very sure to point out he was a @westernbulldogs boy & couldn’t be swayed , but was super stoked to meet him. I don’t think Arch didn’t understand what a great of the game he is. Gary was such a lovely guy & interested to... know about Arch & what was happening with him. We wish him well on his retirement & the medical rollercoaster his sweet little boy is on. We are cheering him & the Cats on tonight & hope he goes out on a career high. Arch is supporting them as one of his fav transplant nurses & @hutchycraig go for them. Arch also loving that he has ran through the banner on the ground that AFL Grand final is being played 1st time out of Victoria. Hopefully everyone outside of Victoria is enjoying the AFL parties or pub time, is definitely a different day to previous years, next year hope to be watching the doggies at the MCG Stay safe, much love Nikks xx
15.01.2022 These videos are still so traumatic to watch, watching arch go through cannula’s, port access, port de accessed, bloods taken, bloods given, surgeries, nose & t...hroat swabs time & time again & never ever ending. I am not sure that either of us will ever get over it, probably me more so. No one should have to constantly watch their child battle through this to keep him alive, telling him it’s ok, we have to do this, it will get better. All the things you probably couldn’t care less hearing because it hurts & it hurts a lot for what he went through. Added all ready feeling so terrible, your little battle weary body having to find another gear to keep going. Meanwhile as a parent you just hoping that some poor family that are losing their loved one, can find in their darkest moments to want to be the generous & selfless hero that will give your son life & away from trauma. These are not even the bad ones, they are too distressing to watch again, hearing your child say they are done, don’t want to live anymore, that the pain is too much, that blood products are saving him but are causing reactions but having to soldier on to keep him alive. Watching your child dying in front of you & as a control freak not being able to fix him, to change it & going to places in my mind that I never thought I would but now knowing it i was just normalising our situation, is something that will take a long time to heal. It’s not only the physical trauma Arch went through, it’s also mental battles, he will never be the same child, this will always be a battle for him, but with the right help we will get him through it. I would hope there is not a person that watches these videos & does still not think that donating their organs is not what they would like to do. Everyone’s rights to do what they want with their body, but given you are no longer living why would you take them with you & let a family lose a loved one that could have been saved? Please consider being a donor & discussing it with your loved ones. Much love Nikks #donatelife #giftlife #archersalphaangels #mentalhealth #organdonationawareness See more
13.01.2022 EDIT: Thank you for all of your concern, we have returned home, which is helping the kids process it. We were extremely lucky to have the Emergency Services attending so quickly. The fire spread so incredibly quickly and the luck was with us in the winds not changing direction towards our houses. Urge all to download the Emergency Vic (for those in Vic) app, from initial notification to when we left was no more than 15 mins. Time to grab meds, clothes that were on the table ...and charges. Lives are so much more important than possessions. Our hill still has smoke coming off it, but can see fire trucks are still doing their thing & the wind appears to be starting up again, but hopefully it all stays contained. Thank you to the firies, SES and police for responding so quickly and for the amazing work they do to keep everyone safe xxx For those in the fire zones & brave firefighters, please stay safe will be thinking of you through this extremely terrifying time xxx ------- Hey guys at about 7.30pm tonight we were evacuated safely from Leneva. It happened so quickly, we made the call to go & about 10 mins later heard on radio too late to leave. We are at my folks, the winds are intense & crazy, but we are safe. Arch was upset once we had been at folks for a bit, scary driving past flames were bigger than those in the photos. Thank you to all firefighters, SES & police for running in when we were legging it out of there, true heroes! Stay safe to everyone in fire zones & will keep you updated xx
13.01.2022 For the last day of Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness week, we say Thanks To our Donors family making their selfless & generous gift in their darkest, scariest & heartbreaking time, they said yes. Our donor & family will always have a piece of my heart, we think of them every day, talk about them often & thank them for the smallest to biggest dreams & goals Archer smashes. These videos are from pre-op before transplant to Friday helping dad in the yard at our new plac...e. Arch was as cool as a cucumber knowing his new liver was on the way, I was a mess of emotions on the inside not just thinking of us but our donor family now going their grief & heartbreak. Watching Archers ICU videos showed his true self tough, honest, determined, brave & mostly importantly inspirational.Many speak of their heroes across many areas, but Arch is my 100% hero Our hearts & thoughts are always with ours & thousands of donor families that say yes. We would also have not go through this tough time with the support from Alana Jones & Phoebe Storey of DonateLife Victoria, thank you for all the hard work you do in getting the message out into the community but also for the support you give to families like ours. There is an army of medical teams that made all of this happen & we are so lucky to have this dedicated, skilled & amazing superstars getting our loved ones through. Thank to everyone that has shared the message, registered as donors and discussed plans with their families. It takes 1 minute to register but you could change the lives of upto 10 people & all those that surround the recipient. Can be no greater gift then the gift of life. To those in Victoria its scary & uncertain times but please stay safe, follow the restrictions so we can all get back to living. Also, by following the rules you are saving our frontline staff & emergency services lives as well. These staff deserve to be thanked, protected & respected. Even without covid these staff work so hard & in mostly a thankless job. Take care, much love Nikks #organdonation #organdonationawareness #archersalphaangels #giftlife See more
13.01.2022 Little legend has smashed it again! Today we travelled from Bendigo to RCH. Arch had to have full bloods the old way, so I had Haydo go in instead of me, so he didnt try & drag it out like he can with me ... Did the bloods within 5 mins even with them having to do 2 arms. Only cried for a bit in between Dr George: extremely happy with Archman. We were talking about his tacro & Arch is now able to take tablets. Life will be far less anxious not having his Med in a glass bottle , that can only be ordered through rch with a weeks notice + travel time. So will finish this current bottle & then switch to tablets. Will do blood test 2 weeks after starting & see where tacro level is at & adjust accordingly. Will see Dr George in 4 months. Will do bloods & another liver ultrasound that day. Ultrasound: couldnt see any fluid where cyst was & has most likely disappeared on its own The Arteriovenous fistula is still there doesnt look like it has grown any further, but they will compare stills taken & what they saw live today. Arch couldnt get to the sushi restaurant fast enough, he was absolutely starving & so thirsty after fasting for the ultrasound which didnt finish until 3.20pm. Since transplant Archman has grown about 20cms!!! So an awesome day & whilst I am not ready to leave all our loved ones in Wodonga, it was so nice to be in the car for half the time travelling back from Bendigo xx Both Archer & Sienna start at their new schools next week, hopefully all goes well & that Haydo & I have chosen well. If anyone has real estate contacts for Bendigo, Golden Square, quarry hill areas we would love to hear from you xx Much love Nikks xx #archersalphaangels #archissmashingit #donatelife #littlechampion @ Bendigo, Victoria
12.01.2022 This little legend just had his 1st & hopefully only Covid test. Due to Melbourne’s lockdown all kids going in for surgery need to be tested. Archer’s surgery date changed a couple of times due to Covid & is now on this coming Thursday. We have been away from hospital since his pneumonia admission in Feb, so a good 8 month break but my anxiety knowing the surgery is coming up returned very quickly.... Archman’s surgery is to repair a fistula that was created during his surgery to drain his liver cyst last year. Due to the fistula not disappearing as it should after 12 months, they need to stop it before it grows or spreads any further as it can cause major issues to the blood flow & he would go back to pre transplant issues. Arch will be admitted overnight as there is high chances of him suffering a bleed, so everything crossed it goes as smoothly as possible & we are back home & preparing him for starting school again next week. We have settled into our new house & absolutely loving it. Haydo has worked so hard to build us an awesome temporary kitchen, painted, restored our beautiful floorboards, fences up to keep our explorer Sienna safe & not out of yard & across the road to to her favourite shop toy world We were lucky to have my parents here last week to help us move & keep the kids entertained so kids could settle quickly. Whilst we are extremely lucky in regional Vic to have restrictions eased we have kept to home & I have only gone to the shops when absolutely necessary. So good to see Bendigo so busy again but we are still wanting to keep Arch protected as much as we can. Lucky we are so used to being in iso Will touch base again when on Thursday when the little warrior has hopefully had his last procedure for some time. We have a couple of our little liver warriors going through some big post transplant battles at the moment, so we are hoping that they get some positive news soon, so this little superstars & their families can get back to their lives away from hospital & trauma. Love you guys Arch was a very sad boy last night watching his beloved @westernbulldogs bow out of the finals.Bring on 2021 x Much love Nikks
12.01.2022 A little video from Archman for McHappy Day tomorrow. Thank you to @rileyroseharper of @hittheborder who interviewed me today to promote McHappy Day, your time was greatly appreciated x https://omny.fm//alb/why-you-should-buy-a-big-mac-tomorrow... Wednesday Arch will be having his port removed. Glad it will be coming out as it is no longer working as well as pre transplant, plus cuts risk of infection for him. The next struggle will be mentally getting him over the line with the old way using his veins. It was very traumatic last time & is made harder due to his veins being overused in last 8 years. Hopefully the blood tests become fewer to lessen the trauma. Arch is doing longer hours at school & will continue to increase as his concentration fatigue lessens. Arch is so lucky to have an amazing school to help through & he has made beautiful friends. His school work is improving & he can now write 2 pages, insignificant to most but he could barely write a couple of words pre transplant due to being so exhausted & sick. Super proud mumma bear! On Sunday it is Remembrance Day for all the hero Donors. We will be lighting candles for our angel & their family & giving extra thanks for keeping our boy with us. Will probably be some photos over these days for McHappy Day & Remembrance but will give next update following Archers surgery on Wednesday. For those asking about our little friend Aya, she is still awaiting a heart transplant & is currently in hospital & not well. So please pray, chant, good vibe her & hope her lifesaving gift comes sooner than later. We are still out of our home, has been a complete nightmare & looking like our 1st happy & healthy Christmas will not be in our house . Positive side is that we have both our kids to celebrate with, will still be a special day but different location Much love Nikks xxx #mchappyday2019 #ronaldmcdonaldhousecharities #archersalphaangels #family
11.01.2022 This morning Archer & I surprised the legend & our hero, my Dad & Archer/Siennas Pop, Joe Owens * Today was a new way to honour dad, those fallen & present defence heroes. Tough not to give him a hug, but still honoured to be with him on this special day. I have to say it was emotional driving up their court to see everyone out on their driveways with candles burning, listening to the broadcast It is normally a day we attend the dawn service & proudly watch Dad/Pop march ...with all his mates, to hear their stories good & bad & to enjoy those cold beers & 2 up. This time last year Arch was in hospital, I was already an emotional mess but they were added when Dad walked through the door medals proudly on his chest & placing his war dog tags on Archers pillow. Both so brave for different reasons but never giving up the fight,Arch very much takes after his Pop.we were lucky to see you on tv marching with your mates Dad, Arch cant wait to be by your side next year, proudly wearing your dog tags, hearing your stories & hanging out with family & friends We had our traditional breaky, not the same but still special. Hopefully today whilst completely different will still be a day to remember your friends, reflect on your time & know that we will always be proud of you, you will always be a hero to our family. Love you & cant wait to give you a great big tight hug soon. Our thoughts & love is also with the 4 police officers families & all VICPOL who also put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe & protected As this is a different day for the veterans please reach out too any that you know that maybe on their own & not dealing with not being with their mates today. *we had to travel to Wodonga in regards to our house repairs, so not travelling unnecessarily Great news also that Archers tacro levels have risen to 6.5 & bloods will be taken again in 4 weeks. Much love Nikks & Archman x #lestweforget #anzacday2020 #drivewaydawnservice2020 #superproudfamily #ourdadisahero #ourpopisahero @ Wodonga, Victoria
11.01.2022 A message from the birthday boy Arch to you Thank you to everyone that reached out to Arch today, he has been very spoilt with lots of love, gifts, videos, texts & calls. In terms of Sienna she is ok, last night she opened a high reaching cupboard & a bottle of my prosecco fell& her eye caught it . She was taken to hospital today due to vomiting, but is doing ok now & just needs to be monitored. Wouldnt be an irwin birthday without a trip to the hospital ... Thankfully Arch was still able to have his zoom pizza party & I pulled a Steve Bradbury with getting the cake finished minutes before zoom. There was tantrums trying to get it right & gave in, sent haydo to woolies to buy a mudcake but they were sold out lol. Anyways came through in the end. Cake makers I take my hat off to you, it is a tough job to get right! Sweet dreams to all, much love Nikks #archersalphaangels #9thbirthday ##zoomisobirthdayparty #donatelife
11.01.2022 Happy Mothers Day to my beautiful Mumma & Im feeling so incredibly honoured to celebrate the day with my 2 amazing kids. We got Archman over the 1st year post transplant date , best Mothers Day ever! This time last year we were newly post transplant & still so fragile, this year my gorgeous boy was so excited to treat me to a 3 course breaky in bed . My heart & belly were extremely full. Arch also organised a treasure hunt & the treasure at the end was 1 hour of quie...t in the Granny Flat . So gutted to not spend today with my Mum, but cannot thank her enough for choosing me & being with me through the high & very lows of my life. Cant wait to give the tightest & longest hug @cheznjoe when we can see you next. Thanks for being the best Nan & MIL to my kids & Haydo, we are all so lucky to have you in our lives This past few months of iso has been great but lets be honest also testing & emotional at times, the highlights have been celebrating our amazing Siennas 11th birthday & also her 7th year open heart surgery anniversary. I had big plans to celebrate Archers 1 year anniversary, but we went iso style & zoomed with close family & friends. I forgot to take a photo of the cake before cutting, so we put it back together in a rustic form (hence the weird red cakee photo lol). I thanked my kids for choosing me as their Mum today. These amazing kids have taught me how to be strong, selfless, brave, to never give up, to laugh through the toughest of times & to just be yourself. They have been my inspiration to get up every day & to keep battling on. I cant imagine my life without them & they have given me more than I can ever give them. My heart, thoughts & love today is with our amazing donor & their family, going through another special day without their precious loved one. Arch & I blew some bubbles upto the sky today & hope they reached our angel. Love & hugs to all the mums celebrating their 1st Mothers Day, those that have lost their mums or children,dreaming of having their own, holding their kids hands in hospital praying for another day, recovery or discharge or stepping in & taking on a mothers role, you are all amazing Hope your day has been filled with lots of love & rest, much love Nikks x #archersalphaangels #mothersday2020 #isomothersday2020 See more
11.01.2022 What a beautiful birthday present for me today! My little warrior received an award at his year 2 assembly. Was a bit emotional (could have also been my brunch mimosa ), but so damn proud of this superstar! Not only has returned to school & doing so well, he has made new great mates & is loving education side of school. Arch never ceases to amaze me. I knew he would do well & can now start to loosen the helicopter mum strings.... In other big news our little family is moving to Bendigo. Haydo will be working for the same company & role just a different hangar. Many many emotions as we dont want to leave all our amazing family/friends, the kids schools but also our amazing & large support base that we have be so lucky to gain on our terrifying rollercoaster ride. 2020 is about new beginnings & adventure & finally being a constant family unit, with no more time of Haydo travelling extensively . Arch is not taking our news well & has decided he is moving in with his Nan & Pop so he doesnt have to leave them or any of his friends & amazing aides & teachers at his school . Another hurdle for him to get over but hopefully having Haydo home every night & weekend will get him over the line. If there is anyone that knows great public school for Arch & special development school recommendations for Sienna, would love to hear from you x Unfortunately, our house mould remediation work was not completed correctly & 3 months along they are about to rectify that & hopefully repair work will start sometime in Feb . Has been a complete nightmare but hopefully will be sorted soon. So will be a quick move but hopefully we will get to say farewell in some form before we depart. To finish off my birthday we are off to Siennas school concert, its my fav time of year for a non verbal kid she certainly owns the stage! Cant wait to watch her in action xx Bring on 2020, Much love Nikks xx
10.01.2022 Red Cross needing more donations as donor centres are closed in NSW due to the bushfires. Please take 30-60 mins out of your day to donate blood or plasma. Much love Nikks
08.01.2022 Wow, 548 heroes and their families gifted life to 1,444 warriors awaiting their 2nd chance at life. Thankfully when we were days away from not being part of this these 2019 positive statistics, an angel and hero saved Arch. Please continue to support and share the Organ Donation message and awareness. We wish everyone could see what an amazing gift this has been to not only Arch, our family but everyone supporting us. We are living and loving life with our boy with us. Much ...Love Nikks #donatelife #giftlife #donorsareheroes #donorfamiliesareamazing #archersalphaangels
08.01.2022 Archman has his port removed yesterday & absolutely smashed it as always.The pre Med knocked him around a little bit,slept for hours in recovery, very pale & had a vomit but today is all back to normal, we didnt even have to stay on the ward no school this week & monitoring the incision for infection, swelling or redness & will be checked next Wednesday. On Tuesday Arch & amazing Dr Amanda created a plan to get through yesterdays op, as they couldnt use his port for anaes...thetics. Dr Amanda consulted with the anaesthetists & the plan went so smoothly, he didnt even fight the gas & I didnt walk away an emotional wreck . Forever grateful for this amazing lady being in our life, not sure how we would have got through without her As always we were extremely well looked after by the beautiful recovery nurses, anaesthetists & admin staff. So lucky to have the @rchmelbourne Arch will have blood tests next week & if all is ok we will not see Dr George until 22 January Which will be bloods plus ultrasound on his liver to monitor the cyst. So incredibly proud of how quickly Arch is recovering & how he is smashing through life. Arch is one amazingly brave & resilient little boy, hoping all continues to be on the up for him, he deserves it so much. We caught up with @jaydenshea__ @carlaliberato_ & @lindascott7374 at the doggies, he loved seeing his friends & being in his happy place! Arch packed his doggies blanket for recovery room,new bucket hat like Jaydo & his bont socks for the operation . Also, saw our beautiful friends in Fay,Aya,Ayesha & Amina.Aya is still in hospital with no end date,as to dangerous to operate with the plan they had, so hoping a heart gift comes sooner than later . We also caught up with @alanajacqueline & Phoebe of DonateLife & Arch was stoked as he was in heaven at @kokoblackchocolate always great to see these hardworking lovely ladies. Will update if any pathology issues,but hoping how good he feels, never ending appetite/energy,non stop growing, whitest of eyes & beautiful pink cheeks means all is still going well with his liver Much love Nikks xx #donatelife #archersalphaangels #royalchildrenshospital
08.01.2022 Our first win at The Gabba in 8 Years. Time to Sing! And a special moment for young Archer...can you spot him in the circle?
08.01.2022 Ever wonder how organ transplants work? The recipient takes immune-suppressing meds every 12 hours for the rest of their life so that their body doesnt try to ...fight the foreign cells, putting the patient into "rejection". This is what is most life-threatening to a recipient. If their body does detect the organ it will destroy it, if the rejection is mild and caught early, it is typically treatable. If not, the patient can die, very quickly. If medications are not taken on time, or missed, it may cause rejection. Rejection is a transplant patients worst nightmare. Beside missed meds, most rejections happen as a result of a prior illness, which revs up the immune system to fight it off, and while in full-blown attack mode, it finds the foreign organ. This is why it is so important for patients to stay healthy, and why parents of transplanted kids may seem a little crazy when they ask you to use hand sanitizer whenever you come into their home (dont worry, theyll supply it, every one of them I know has a giant bottle by the front door) or cancels a play date if your kid has a runny nose. Besides our kids taking twice as long to rid themselves of any and every infection because theyre fighting with a sad and puny army, any illness can easily grant them a hospital stay, and at the risk of sounding dramatic, potentially cost them their life. #youjustgotalittlesmarter See more
07.01.2022 Today is Thank You Day to living & deceased donors or as we refer to Archers as our angel or our hero. If it wasnt for our angel we wouldnt have our amazing boy with us, we wouldnt hear his never ending chatting, see his happy delicious face, watching him run, going to school, losing & growing new teeth, has turned 8 an age her longed for, had him for another mother & father day, experiencing a family holiday, climbing hanging rock (pre transplant would have been 2 ...steps), spending time with his cousins & family, making new friendships at school, making life long friends at Ronnie Mac & hospital, eating & loving new foods especially vanilla slice, breaking his arm because thats what normal boys do apparently lol, learning & making great progress, time with his girl Hanko whom he desperately missed when in Melbs, watching his beloved doggies get to the finals, meeting amazing people/experiences with them, precious time with sister, Dad & Mum. Most importantly he is alive, living & loving/smashing life! Our angel & their family are in our constant thoughts with never ending love & thankfulness, although thanks never seems enough for the brave & courage gift they have given us. The rose is an Australia Transplant thank you rose, Incredible colour & a precious gift from @montom, that will be treasured forever . We can now start planning our new normal life & many hopes & dreams we didnt think possible. We were so close to losing him & thanks to our angel its all upwards & onwards from here. So if you light candles, pray, having a beverage today & so inclined please send a special thank you to our amazing & 4,000 other amazing Donor Heroes & their families in the last decade. Thank you to the amazing & supportive team at Donatelife Vic/Tas for never ending time & support you have given our family including putting his delicious face everywhere. Special thanks to the amazing Donatelife coordinators that help hero families through their deepest grief in hardest times of their lives, would be a hard & heartbreaking job to be part of. Thanks to everyone that has signed up as donors, every message I get to say you have gives me happy tears & makes my heart full. Please help us always share this important discussion. Much love Nikks xxx #donatelife #thankyouday2019 #archersalphaangels #giftalife #organdonation #becomeahero #donorangel #donorheroes See more
07.01.2022 It has been a big day but little superstar has smashed it again so far . The amazing surgeon John was able to close the fistula, John believed it was there pre transplant & that both the cyst & then it’s draining has caused the fistula to reactivate & grow. John requested a ultrasound to be done whilst an impatient & he will be heavily monitored with further ultrasounds as there is a chance it can open again . Arch is on bed rest to ensure no bleeding, was a long day & lo...ts of sleep. We had an amazing team with surgeon, anaesthetist & theatre nurses. Ian the anaesthetist didn’t use medaz this time just some laughing gas & off to sleep & I advised arch always comes out nauseous & he upped his clonidine & he came out of GA perfectly. Lots of sleep today as they wanted him to to keep him rested & still. Unsurprisingly 1st thing he asked for was sushi & then his iPad He ate little bits during arvo but tummy & throat was sore. We are on a different ward to normal, it’s a very busy ward but also we can’t close our door as it’s vacuumed sealed & is a room saved for Covid, so will be a long noisy night I am tipping. In saying that hoping for a boring & uneventful night. At this stage tomorrow there will be bloods & ultrasound & hopefully all going well can come home tomorrow Will also be checking if Arch will be able to return to school on Monday. For this admission Arch asked for his bulldogs blanket a gift from his mate Bentley & his own pillow (hospital ones are just blown up air, not nice at all). Didn’t realise how tall he really is, not much length space left for the little weapon. Our party girl Sienna was determined to not let me have my early night last night as planned, so running on about 3.5 hours sleep, did have a quick nod off but was woken by doctors for question about 20 mins later. Think will be snoozing before my head hits the pillow tonight. Thank you for all the love, prayers, chants & vibes, was greatly appreciated especially being such an anxious day on a new operation/ challenge for Archman Much love Nikks xx #archersalphaangels #donatelife #giftlife #westernbulldogs #batmanpillow #sleep @ The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
06.01.2022 Thanks to Coronvirus, the Memorial Day for Organ Donors & their families etc has been cancelled, so from that this message of thanks was started. We have our front light on & I will also be lighting a candle not just for our precious Angel, but every angel & their families, that have gifted life in their deepest of grief. We also will be thinking of our sweet transplant friends who are now our special angels. We would not have our boy or precious transplant friends alive w...ithout them. They are our true heroes. I think of our angel all the time, thank them for the smallest or biggest of goals Arch reaches & will always talk of them with the greatest of respect & love. They dont just change Archers life but our family & friends & all those around us. Please continue to talk, share & spread the organ Donation message. Always a thank you to all that have signed up as Organ donors, if you have a spare minute & inclination please go to www.donatelife.org.au to register Much love Nikks xx #donatelife #donorangel #donorfamiliesareheroes #putalightonforourdonors
06.01.2022 After 8 LONG months of being away from school & a new one at that, this little legend started back today. This weekend has been emotional & anxiety filled for him & probably even worse for me. This little legend forgets how amazing he is, the massive battles he has fought, but when he has continually had to start over again & again, it does take its toll. Added he was only at his new school for a couple of weeks before having pneumonia. Hoping he remembers our chats this week...end & this morning, that he has got this, he is brave & strong. Archman will catch up on his learning but getting his mental health on track is most important thing. Arch was meet at the gate by his old teacher who has moved into a new role & he just happily walked off ready to get started on the day. Will be shorter days to manage his fatigue but sure he will be back into within weeks. In terms of his surgery, ultrasound showed the fistula has been closed & there was no blood flow going through, which is awesome. Surgeons opinion stated the same in that he believes it was there pre or during the plumbing time of transplant & that the cyst reactivated & hid it until after draining. The Friday was a day I wanted to restart as one disaster after another, but a positive from it was Arch had to get blood veins done in Bendogo last Saturday & he nailed it. Straight in & got the job done with haydo supporting him. Hopefully that continues so we don’t have to go to RCH for bloods each time. Such a champion. There will be a repeat ultrasound on 29th October to check his liver & the fistula closure. Whilst there was days/weeks/months of me just wanting time out from the worlds craziness, Groundhog Day, battles with homeschooling etc, moving, renovating & arch surgery I am now missing my babies like crazy So many jobs to catch up, still unpacking & trying to close our insurance claim only ongoing 14 months now Is it too early for a champers??? For all mums & Dads who now have kids back at school & looking to fill some gaps the Red Cross Blood bank is in desperate need of blood donors. I will be booking in for this week as I can now get there. Stay safe, much love Nikks x
06.01.2022 Heres a thought for those that say its just another virus. So whats life like for those that are immunosuppressed? Constant Isolation, air purifiers, hand s...anitisers, masks, gloves, cleaning, (yep never ending cleaning), careful cooking, no playgrounds, shared toys, visits outside and sadly very few hugs and kisses if any at all. Why? Because of two words and no it isnt corona virus. Its called opportunistic infection An opportunistic infection is an infection caused by pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa) that take advantage of an opportunity not normally available, such as a host with a weakened immune system. Like the sort of thing chemotherapy, inhibitors and other immunosuppressants do. Welcome to their world where everyday and everything is life threatening. Where toilet paper and pasta isnt on the list of concerns. So when you say its just another virus, please know that for some any virus at all is terrifying.
04.01.2022 Today is R U ok day! My phone is always to call, text or message me here. For years going through both kids medical trauma & more so Archer’s in the last couple of years, I held onto everything as I didn’t want to seem I wasn’t in control, coping or didn’t want to voice I was really struggling juggling so much on my own. I felt I had to keep it together as my little people, family, friends & medical teams around me needed me to be. I put on a happy front,didn’t want to talk ...about our lives as it seemed so negative nor burden anyone as they were already so supportive. I was very wrong there was people wanting to help I just needed to start the conversation. Once I started it was great to get it out & find different ways to cope in the really stressful times. We all have our own coping mechanisms whether talking, writing it out, exercise, art but if they are not working please reach out. Slightly of topic but still affected me mentally this week I shared a petition on my personal fb, it didn’t warrant people to comment, it was simply go in & sign or scroll on. I was having a struggle day where nothing was going right & I was so over being in lockdown. I didn’t need to justify it nor need the comments of people’s political agendas, their beliefs or their arguments. Our words & actions have consequences. It would be great if people thought about what they were writing & if necessary to send it, you just never know what is going on in that persons life & how it will affect them. I believe if you can’t say it to their face don’t write it. It affected my day & it was all unnecessary. However, 2 positives did come out of it, I had many friends messaging making sure I was ok with the unnecessary commentary made & it also forced me to re-evaluate how I am spending my time during lockdown. I deleted my fb except Archer’s Page, deleted my streaming apps including the news, it was a small but positive change I had a good night sleep,motivation is back, we have gone for walks, sat in the sun, got loads of jobs completed I couldn’t find energy for.So please reach out to those close or the numbers listed you are loved, wanted & needed much love Nikks xx See more
04.01.2022 Join the Bont @marcus_bontempelli at 9:30am tomorrow for a 5 minute fruit break, as he discusses all that is happening in his world at the moment. To be access this please join Active Attitudes FB group & dont forget the piece of fruit for the kids @activeattitudes has now launched an online program for the kids, great activities to keep kids active & not boreddddddd ... *this is one of our most treasured photos, that night Arch was admitted for what would be the last time before his transplant @adstreloar. @activeattitudes will always love the special day you organised for Arch & I
03.01.2022 Day 3 of isolation we are all still sane (well I am just ) Must say its greatly distressing & makes me angry to see so many people flaunting the rules to suit themselves against all medical advice.Not only are vulnerable people like Arch in grave danger but normally healthy people are suffering or dying from this virus. 100% can tell you, you do not want to see your kids or family members on life support it is hell & nothing you can do to fix it. So Its pretty simple if y...ou dont need to be out for essentials stay home especially if you are not feeling well! If you sneeze or cough & dont have a tissue go into your elbow. Wash those hands all over for minimum 20 seconds or hand sanitizer if you have to be out. For when I have had to go to Archers bloods, chemist or supermarket, I have mask & gloves on. Please think of emergency services who are putting their lives on the line to protect YOU!These heroes may not see their own families for months to protect them. Our amazing health system is already under the pump without this beast, so stay home & protect them. Arch had to do 2 lots of bloods this week, as they dont do finger pricks well in Bendigo.team said he may need vein bloods going forward, so he is in meltdown mode today about it. So far liver function is perfect, awaiting other results. There are so many people offering fantastic supports to kids to keep them entertained & parents relatively sane.We have been using: @andytomlee reading his books live, @mymindfulyear having great ideas for mental health & kids activities @activeattitudes about to launch online activities for kids & check in @lovemeloveyoufoundation for those struggling mentally with all this uncertainty & PE with joe. Please support your local businesses where you financially can,they are really hurting right now. Girlfriends & I have set up weekly video calls to have chats & a wine. So important for people to check in, as if is all a lot to take in & a whole new world that is changing constantly. For those looking for Hand sanitizer we purchased from @eucalyptusoilcobathlane. It is a local Bendigo company. It is 72% alcohol based & I have purchased other products to keep this house as germ free as possible. If not in Bendigo you can order online. Please stay safe, stay home & take care, much love Nikks x #stayhome #staysafe #archersalphaangels #emergencyservicesareheroes #bekind #thinkofothers #listentomedicaladvice
03.01.2022 EDIT: Thank to everyone that has messaged or donated. There is still a desperate need for the following: Items needed: Ice Towel / Cooling Towel P2 Masks Eye Wash... Soft drink Bottled Water Gatorade/Powerade Sunscreen Hydralites 3B Cream Tinea powder or cream Hand pump soap Hand sanitizer Baby Wipes Window cleaner - clean trucks Armourall - clean yrucks Rags - clean trucks Truck wash Thank you for all the Donations... We have been inundated with items, its so generous. Right now we do not need anymore toiletries, snacks, meat, clothes, shoes or linen. The address is: Lavington Rural Fire Service - 627 Krautz Street, Lavington Animals are also needing Hay & fodder which can be purchased from Parkside Produce & Pet barn in Wodonga & a drop off point is Wodonga Racecourse. Furniture, white goods, cooking items, clothes, toys etc (must be in good condition) can be dropped off at Lavington Sports Club - Saturday between 9am-12 noon. There is a number of online fundraising promotions as well. If not in our area there are plenty of relief centres in NSW & VIC that Im sure would be grateful for any donations. Much love & strength to the brave firefighters out there saving peoples properties & lives, true heros xx
01.01.2022 Cmon doggies Good luck to @marcus_bontempelli on 1st game as captain. We know you will smash leading the boys this year. #wearewatching #westernbulldogs #afl
01.01.2022 Arch update: We are at RCH today due to a request from Respiratory team during our Telehealth on Thursday. So the 1st video is of Arch having his lung function test, then they did ventolin waited 10 mins & did the testing again. Then to do chest X-ray & sputum test. Dr Katherine (respiratory) has started him on another month of stronger antibiotics as his wet cough has come back. Depending on today’s results & if these anti’s don’t do the job Dr Katherine will do a lung CT &... will admit him to do a strong course of IV antibiotics. Also, found out on Friday that the concerns of his portal vein & flow during his liver ultrasound 2 weeks was founded, but have to wait until 18th nov for Telehealth with George to know what plan is going forward. Never ending for the poor little warrior He has not been in a good head space since Thursday’s Tele health & told me he wanted to die as he is over just going to hospital, school & home. He feels he is still behind in his schoolwork (teacher is not of same opinion but they were getting testing done sat week so may have been adding stress) & he doesn’t have friends here (he actually made 3 new friends last week plus 2 other friends from start of the year). Have advised his new & old teacher as Emma is now mental health/wellbeing officer & asked if he can have some time with her this week. Arch was very excited to decorate our house & dress up for Halloween & give out some treats for trick or treat. Weekend before last we did a day drive to Kyneton, Trentham -went for a walk & they had a play ground to themselves which they loved, Trentham falls, Daylesford, chocolate factory & Castlemaine for an artist Market. Was so great to be out & about. On Saturday we were very excited to travel to Echuca to meet my parents Joe & my brother Stumps (they are still in a travel bubble for a few more weeks but Echuca is part of it), Arch & Sienna were very excited to see them & Sienna had to touch Nan’s face to make sure she was real & not in a screen . We did a paddle steamer cruise, pub for lunch (I was very excited ), horse carriage ride & to finish with a yummy ice cream. Arch has started going for walks with haydo at night & the girls got to go with them Friday night & explore a mining site near us. Hopefully we can keep Victoria’s numbers at zero we can get out more with him so he can be mask free at school & out & start to feel normal again. Fingers crossed Archman’s results & Meds today do the job so he can be back at full pelt & the portal vein issue is something that can self rectify itself (not likely but have to be positive & hope that the fistula has not caused serious damage ) Stay safe, keep up the great work to Victoria & we can’t wait to see more family & friends soon, we have missed all of you greatly x Much love Nikks xxx
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