Thank you to all those past and present that work at Overclockers.

rebel rebel said:
I'm about to start dialysis in a few weeks. I'm going down the transplant route, but it's a long journey to get there.

Your wife sounds amazing, helping people in the hospital, I also try to do that when I can. I think it's a way of taking my mind off my trouble. I have met some interesting people and had some amazing conversations in a hospital ward. I believe the situation makes for great candor.

Respect to both of you.
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I agree met some really interesting people in the Renal Ward, good luck.
 
Stories like yours really put things into perspective, lovely to see an account of people fighting against the worst adversity but still making the most of what they have and treasuring each other. All the best to you both and keep enjoying your gaming :)
 
Warning! this will be detailed.

Just to explain my wife's situation, honestly its like a plot device for a book or film the way all the marbles stacked against her.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (A childhood illness rare in adults and much harder to cure in adults) Philadelphia chromosome (a rare Chromosome that makes some cancers easier to fight but with A.L.L makes it never go away) No bonemarrow match 20 years ago so we had what was called an A-typical transplant, as a Doctor once put it, we are going to throw your wife off a cliff and when she hits the bottom we will try to bring her back (remove a sample of her bone marrow clean it, hit her body with maximum chemo and then full body irradiation, once all her bone marrow is dead then inject the cleaned marrow and then this is the kicker try to jump start the marrow, if it doesn't turn back on then no white cells, no platelets, no red cells) 6 people went into the trial only my wife survived the treatment.

Then the medication interferon alpha 2b (if you are feeling morbid read up on the side effects) to keep the cancer in check.

It was all a hail mary because simply put no one thought she would survive, A.L.L is really nasty and fast.

Then in her 6 monthly checkup it showed that it was failing, the test is called BCR ABL and 0-3 is okay but if it goes above then not good.

She was put on 3rd gen Imatinib known as Gleevec (even scarier side effects if you read up on them, the kind of thing you say NOPE! but when the other choice is a 3-6 month lifespan with 100% death)

Concern about her Kidneys began almost immediately so they ran tests (called taking stock) including a kidney biopsy our big meeting was 27th December last year. (yep between Christmas and New Year), you know its bad when the Consultant takes an apologetic tone right from the start, First Bombshell, is you now have diabetes, second bombshell your Kidney's are at 62% and failing, nothing we can do to stop it but with proper help you have 1-2 years before dialysis.

Unfortunately and still no one knows why maybe the medication we will never know 8 weeks later her Renal functionality EGFR had dropped to 6% and every day she was gaining 500ml of liquid weight to her body (the kicker was she could not reduce her fluid intake because the medications she was on required between 1000-2000ml intake a day or toxic stuff happened) by the time she went into hospital she had gained 20.2kg her normal weight being 50kg and an Xray of her lungs showed it as 60% liquid infused.

Usually takes them months to get you on dialysis, they had days, she went for Peritoneal Dialysis which is where they use the lining in your abdomen as a filter, fill you up every night with a glucose based liquid and it draws out toxins and liquid (remember though she has diabetes and they are pumping a glucose based 1500ml into her stomach cavity) so you balance it, limit liquid, draw out what you can and slowly tweak it all. I never realised how much a persons kidneys do, it is a hack job fix but it kind of works everyone is unique so you have to balance the fluid cycles (20L in bags cycle through her cavity at 40-50mins cycles, keep it in too long and it reinfuses toxins back in the body, take it out too quickly and it does not do its job).

So every night at 10pm she goes on the machine and sleeps through most of it till 9am, I do all the cleaning and setting up, the keeping exit site clean (we have 6 different cleaners, the house is like a medical supply ward).

That is where we are now, PD nurses visit and take bloods every week or so, district nurses every month, lots of help given just wish she wasn't so ill to need the help.
 
I came into this thread expecting to roll my eyes at the opening post and leave again, however it was a heartwarming and inspirational read. Well done to both you and your wife on coping with this dreadful situation and all the best to you both in the future.
 
Calranthe said:
To most people gaming computers is a luxury a hobby something to spend extra cash on but since 2000 this company has been a lifeline to us.

In 1998 a couple of young people in love were going to conquer the world, our plan was simple she would finish her college degree and I would finish my Bsc in Computer science at Staffordshire University.

Still just BF and GF renting out a drafty little terrace house hell we didn't even have a real bed for 6 months, then she fainted on the way to college.

6 months of misdiagnosis and in the end close to death we found out it was not only cancer but incurable, the best chance offered was forced remission from chemo plus full body irradiation then on to a new at the time medication to keep the cancer in check, we got married while she was still in treatment.

After all the treatment we came home to the realisation that she would be disabled for the rest of her life no matter how long or short that was, I gave up my place at university and became her primary carer (she was 21 and I 26), while the medication worked as in it kept the cancer away it came with some life changing side effects, imagine flu like symptoms all the aches and pains but forever, arthritis, a weakening of muscles and whole body meaning at 22 she needed a stick to even walk around the house, side effects stacked and became worse over time.

You would think that would be enough but 17 years later the medication stopped working we still do not know why and thus a 3rd generation medication took its place, yes it kept the cancer in check but hit her like a truck, diabetes, eye damage and then complete renal failure early this year as her kidneys died.

Transplant will never be an option due to the cancer complications and thus we just carry on, she is an amazing woman, never complained even though in constant pain, always trying to help others, for example when she was in hospital because her kidneys failed and had gained 20kg of excess liquid (if your kidneys fail no way for liquid to leave your system) around her legs and lungs, she dragged herself across the ward to cheer up other patients she thought looked lonely.

Now what does this have to do with Overclockers?

Both myself and wife are avid gamers, we started in Muds, Meridian 59 and her first single player game was Daggerfall, being stuck in the house 24/7 for 20+ years means computers and technology was our link to the outside.

Early on I built my first two computers but that was just the start.

Once I found out about Overclockers they became our go to place for anything network or PC related Sometimes online but also in person, live in Shelton so visiting the shop was easy.

I built AMD games machines back when they were the best, switching to Intel when the Core Duo was released, built the first liquid cooled system around my beloved Q6600 with advice from Overclockers.

I build a Nas and upgraded it many times which now holds 4000+ movies and 2000+ series episodes so that my wife can view them on tablet, laptop, phone or pc even in the hospital, the pain sometimes makes it impossible to sleep.

The evolution of upgrades all focused on making the best out of a sucky situation.

Money was never easy to save I couldn't work as she needed 24/7 care but neither of us smoked, drank or owned a car so the little money we had spare always went into the Technology evolution.

This year I turned our lounge into a bedroom so she could have dialysis at home, she has a 4k 55" TV (due to where she sits in the room it is comparable to a 28" monitor) an Oculus rift, a gaming pc, Xbox and the whole house is blanketed in 5ghz wifi.

Nothing is cutting edge, I usually have to go more towards the budget end of the spectrum of parts but probably spent over 50k in the last 15 years.

Please forward this to the people at Overclockers, know that your advice customer service and general help has been amazing, these parts which we rely on more than most and which in some small way may a bad situation more bearable really do matter, we would both be in a far darker place without a place like Overclockers to rely on.
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Hello,

I want to thank you again for the kind words on how we have helped you over the years, we would also like to thank you for all the custom over this time too. I have a little offer for you and your wife.

Depending on how mobile you both are how would you like to come to OCUK for a behind the scenes tour done by myself?

I can show you all the high end systems we build in the technical department, check out all the stock in our warehouse, see all the offices, try out VR/racing simulators in our VR room and park your bum's on and try out all our best noblechairs.

If you are both not too mobile then perhaps another option would be a virtual tour around the company with you but obviously it would be better in person :)

I'm sure I can sort out a few freebies for you both as well.

Let me know

Bailey
 
Bailey said:
Hello,

I want to thank you again for the kind words on how we have helped you over the years, we would also like to thank you for all the custom over this time too. I have a little offer for you and your wife.

Depending on how mobile you both are how would you like to come to OCUK for a behind the scenes tour done by myself?

I can show you all the high end systems we build in the technical department, check out all the stock in our warehouse, see all the offices, try out VR/racing simulators in our VR room and park your bum's on and try out all our best noblechairs.

If you are both not too mobile then perhaps another option would be a virtual tour around the company with you but obviously it would be better in person :)

I'm sure I can sort out a few freebies for you both as well.

Let me know

Bailey
Click to expand...

Oh wow that would be amazing, is it wheelchair friendly?
Her Wheelchair is 63cm width.
 
Bailey said:
Hello,

I want to thank you again for the kind words on how we have helped you over the years, we would also like to thank you for all the custom over this time too. I have a little offer for you and your wife.

Depending on how mobile you both are how would you like to come to OCUK for a behind the scenes tour done by myself?

I can show you all the high end systems we build in the technical department, check out all the stock in our warehouse, see all the offices, try out VR/racing simulators in our VR room and park your bum's on and try out all our best noblechairs.

If you are both not too mobile then perhaps another option would be a virtual tour around the company with you but obviously it would be better in person :)

I'm sure I can sort out a few freebies for you both as well.

Let me know

Bailey
Click to expand...
what a wonderful gesture. well done OcUK
 
My eye was leaking after reading this, it made me think and put things into perspective, you both have so much strength and courage and I wish you both all the best.
 
Wow, that pulled at the heart strings.

Technology to help you through a difficult time. I can relate, although nothing in my life compares to that story!

Best wishes to you both.
 
before this I liked OcUK now well to help those people .. you just rock
great to see a company giving back ... respect !!
 
Lost for words. heart strings well and truly plucked.

Both my wife and I are survivors having both been through the cancer journey. Totally get what the OP is going through having been both the recipient and provider of care to a loved one. Respects to you both.

OCUK really get it. it's not all about the money. It's about people.
 
Bought a tear to my eye this morning reading this with my morning coffee.
Best wishes to you both.

Sometimes this place is like a community & the business behind it.

Best wishes again.
 
Hey there,

Sorry I didnt reply sooner I had a manic monday afternoon :(

Downstairs in the tech department, shop, VR, racing sim and warehouse is all Wheelchair friendly but I will measure the doors just to make sure they are wide enough, I will let you know asap on that one.

Upstairs is all the offices but there are stairs and no lift so that would not be accessible for wheelchairs I am afraid.

When would you be free to come up to us?

Thanks

Bailey
 
Overclockers community has always been amazing not only for computer based knowledge, we have all had that moment when putting a PC together it does not work and nothing seems to fix it but also extended far beyond computers.

I remember once at the old shop, I had saved up £1500 in six months, went to the store with a huge list of parts (two games computers and a server minus the cases as I was getting my money worth out of the old ones) came out of the shop with a huge box of items and sat it outside of the business park then realised I had forgot my phone and couldn't call a Taxi, a customer who had been behind me stopped his car and offered me a lift home.

Hi Bailey,
No worries on yesterday I can only imagine how busy things can get, okay so Monday 5th is our big meeting with the Professor (he is great knows a lot but very humble a bit wierd like house but without the edge, always willing to listen) we will tweak her Dialysis because at the moment it is taking out enough liquid but leaving in certain toxins which is making her very tired, on Wednesday 7th is our Haematology appointment to check the Cancer. So end of next week is looking good or the week after, I will know more after Monday, Me I could come up anytime (Have a great neighbour) but with Paola it all depends on how much energy she wakes up with.

She would really love to visit, it will all depend on her energy levels if that makes sense.

Sorry I can't give an exact date.
 
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