Nicholas W. Reamer aka Nickadeamous
B. 05/23/90. D. 03/05/10

Nick was diagnosed on my (mom) birthday 07/10/06 with Osteosarcoma of the pelvis/sacrum with a 10 cm tumor at 16 yrs old.   This was 6 months after a football injury to this area where we had ct scans down at that time that just showed no damage just brushing from helmet hit to kidney/pelvic area.   (No tumors were there at that time)

He started chemo at Childrens in Mpls, MN, was sent for a surgical consult at the UOfM Masonic Childrens hospital.  The surgeon told us and him, that in order to remove his tumor they would need to remove his left leg, half his pelvis, 4 vertebrae and he didn’t think he would survive so he refused the to preform the surgery.   He also told Nick not to bother with physical therapy for his leg that had started to atrophy.   We left that appointment feeling loss and dejected.   
Nick refused to loose hope, and no one was gonna tell him not to work out.  He came home, got on the computer and started doing research on cancer treatments and for his leg, he went out in the pool every day and swam and walked in the water and rebuilt his leg muscles, which that doctor told him would never happen.  He found Proton Beam radiation therapy in Boston was doing trails on his cancer.  He went back to his oncologist at Childrens talked with him, gave him the info he had found.  His doctor was all for helping search for anything that would help.   His doctor contacted the head doctor in charge of the Proton Beam therapy protocol.   He had him send all of Nicks records, then their group met and agreed that they felt this would work and Nick was excepted to their trial.    He did three months of chemo here in Minneapolis and then after much fundraising, the two of us (mom Jill and Nick) flew to Boston, Ma leaving Dad and sisters at home.  To live for the next 3 months of daily, Proton beam radiation treatments, he also received chemo while there also.   We did have family come out to visit, right before Thanksgiving Moms sister and brother nicks Uncle and Aunt flew out for a few days and stayed with us.  As we were renting a two bedroom townhouse and had room, then beginning for December Nicks sisters and a niece and future brother in law was able to come out for a extended weekend to visit.  Only person unable to come out at all was Dad who could not fly because of a spinal cord injury that prevented him from being able to sit upright in a planes seats.  We were able to fly home for Xmas which was a nice break from treatment.   Then back to daily treatments, where we road subways daily to get back and forth to the hospital.   Rented a car and drove home when done with treatment.   

Nick then continued to with chemo for the next 7 more months, PET scans showed him NED, tumor was completely dead.  The Proton treatments worked. 
I should mention Nick Missed his whole 11th grade of school, he did some classes from home but his dean, said she was more concerned with him just healing and worry about school later.    So yay, he went back to school for his senior year, all caught up and finished school with his class.   During his senior year, he developed a nodule in a lung, they said no big deal they would do a Laparoscopic surgery to remove this tumor.   Not knowing any different, he had this surgery only missing a few days of school.  Easy three little incisions (Big mistake).     Only to 6 months later have a egg sized tumor under one of the incisions.   Nicks doctor got on the phone with a fellow doctor he knew that was head of Osteosarcoma at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas a Dr Pete Anderson, he had worked with him when Dr Pete was here in Minnesota.   Dr Pete informed US you never do laparoscopic surgery on osteo tumors.    They had dropped cancer cells all the way out, and cancer was now in both lungs and he ended up having a double thoracotomy to both lungs, which they rarely did at one time.  Then more chemo, and radiation of areas around back and lungs. Then more time passed he was clear, but then back in another lung, had a third lung surgery. Then off we went to Houston we went and Dr Pete put Nick on a clinical trail they were doing with LMTPPE, which was a med he did nightly on a new machine..  Another clinical treatment  he was able to do weekly at our home hospital and Nick would go to the hospital have a treatment and go into rigors every time, sleep for 3 hours, come home shower and go and coach his girlfriends softball games, with more of his friends not knowing anything was wrong with him.    We evened up traveling down to MD Anderson a few times.    Nick looked healthy, felt good.   Then developed a bump on bottom of his foot, all doctors and PET scans showed it not cancer.   So he was sent to a general foot surgeon.   He didn’t know what it was and admitted that but said he’d remove it.  
It turned out to be osteo again, to everyone’s shock.   Then he was going to a chiropractor who said he through Manipulation could cure a person of cancers (bull..). 

Nick told him to consult with his oncologist before adjusting him.   This guy said he talked with nicks oncologist and knew of his cancers.    After a few weeks of adjustments, Nick went in on a Monday, got a adjustment, went back on Wednesday cause he said something just didn’t feel right.  The chiropractor adjusted him multiple ways and finally up against the wall, by that night Nick had tingling in his legs and by Friday he could not walk.   We took him immediately to Childrens they did a scan and found that the guy had shoved a unknown tumor into his spine and paralyzed him from chest down.   His doctor here, advised us to get him to MD Anderson and Dr Pete as fast as we could get there we flew out the next night.   Nick was in patient for 30 days in MD Anderson, received Highest doses of methotrexate and daily radiation, he met with a surgeon, Dr Pete came to this meeting also, the surgeon told Nick he needed a miracle to which Nick told him “I am a Miracle” to the under breath chuckle from Dr Pete.   Who agreed!     We flew home, Feb 11th.   Nick ended up on hospice at home and went into the hospital one time because of dehydration and that was when he was told he had only a few weeks to live.   He came home from hospital on a Friday and passed the following Friday night at 10:10 pm, surrounded by his family.   

The house filled as word got out that night with all of his friends, and some of their parents, hospice nurse and pastor from our church and aunts and uncles, they all stayed until 4 in the morning, Nick stayed in his bed, mom sleeping in bed next to his until morning then the funeral home came and removed him.   Nick was 3 months short of his 20th birthday when he passed away.    The funeral has so many in attendance that the procession to the cemetery ended up on the news, because of the number of cars, at the cemetery someone asked who the star was because they had never seen so many cars they counted over 250 vehicles full.   
He’s been gone now coming up on 13 years, feels like yesterday and is missed every single day.   His nieces and nephews are now starting to wear some of his clothes, his rooms still the way he left it, but sometimes used for guesses.   One of his guitars a nephew is now learning to play as they all want to be like there Uncle and to have something that was his means so very much to everyone.   His Aunt owns his big blue truck that Make a wish overhauled, and one of his best friends since grade school bought his motorcycle that he says he will never get rid of, when he drives it he feels a special angel riding with him.   Nick had a large upper arm tattoo of a Eagle with his nickname Nickadeamous written under Eagle which had great meaning to him.  

We did have a foundation for several years, but lack of help and me just doing it all and my husbands injuries it got to be more then I could handle, so that has been dormant for several years now.  

Missed daily and Loved by All.   
Www.caringbridge.org/visit/NicholasReamer