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June 2006

May 2006

April 2006

March 2006

February 2006

January 2006

December 2005

November 2005

October 2005

September 2005

August 2005

July 2005

June 2005

May 2005

April 2005

March 2005

June 2006

June 6, 2006

Hi, sorry it's been so long since I last updated. We've been busy with end of the school year activities  over these weeks. Megan graduated from Kindergarten. They had a ceremony in which the students sang some songs and received a diploma. They did a great job. Aaron had a Luau in which they learned to Hula dance, Limbo and use hula hoops. They had a blast. School ended on the 25th and Kevin is home for the summer also.

Monday we drove to Knott's Berry Farms in CA. We went to Huntington Beach Monday evening. Aaron  was so excited to go in the sand. It was cool there. I had the kids in pants and jackets, but it felt great compared to our weather here!! Tuesday we went to the Knott's Berry Farm amusement park. It wasn't as Snoopy themed as I though it would be. We did get our picture taken with Snoopy!!! We all had fun on the rides, Megan was more daring than Aaron. Tuesday night for dinner we experienced the Knott's Berry Farm's famous chicken and boy was it delicious. On Wednesday we went to Soak City Waterpark. Megan had a blast going on the tube rides with Kevin. I  went on a couple of them but the stairs to get to the top really wore me out. Kevin and I went on the newest ride the Pacific Spin. The lifeguard turned the tube so that I had to go down backward. It was a blast, you go down this large funnel. Aaron  had fun in the Beach House area where you could spray others and get a large pail of water dumped on you. We also had fun in the wave pool. It was the best time for vacation as the C.A. kids were still in school and we didn't have any lines.

May 2006

Sunday May 21, 2006

Hi we're having a great but busy weekend here. Yesterday we put up our new tent and the kids and Kevin slept in it last night. We also had a reunion/ potluck with out old church in the afternoon. It was great see how the children have grown over the years. I also went to the Foothills retirement party. The food was delicious and the company was outstanding. It was terrific to see all of my co-workers again. Thank you all for your many prayers and support. It' been quite a year hasn't it? I'm looking forward to returning to work in the fall pending Dr's orders. This morning we went to church and now I need to finish typing so I can go outside and help take down the tent. Best wishes and God Bless -Kim

Tuesday May 15, 2006

       Hi, I tried to update this site last week but it didn't work sorry. I'm doing fine, feeling a little stronger and have more energy. I had a great Mother's Day weekend. Our church had a Tea on Saturday. I took Megan, mom, grandmother (G.G.) and mother-in-law. We had a good time. G.G. even won a door prize!!! Kevin and Aaron waited on us and did a marvelous job. I was surprised at how serious Aaron took is job. They also look mighty handsome dressed up. I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

     The Dr.'s office changed my appt. so instead of going back on Thursday I go next Monday. That's ok with me I'm doing fine anyways.

      Today is laundry day and cleaning. Tomorrow Aaron has a pizza party at lunch and I'm getting the pizzas for the teacher. Oh I forgot to tell you Aaron's teacher put on a Mother's Day Tea last Thursday night. The kids did a nice job of reciting poems together and singing songs. We also had muffins and made bracelets. It was nice of his teacher to do that for us. 

     I hope you have a great Tuesday!! love-Kim

Thursday 5-4-06

Hi  all, I went to the Dr.'s this morning and y blood tests all looked good. He reduced two of my medications which is always good news! I'm feeling stronger and don't hae to take naps in the afternoon. I didn't sleep well last night. I didn't nap yesterday either ??? I fell asleep at 9:00 or so and was wide awake at 2:30. I stayed up and folded some laundry and searched the web. I came across this site Justinelaymond.com. Justine is in the hospital waiting for a lung transplant. Please pray for her -that a donor is found and the transplant is successful.  I was able to sleep a little bit between Kevin alarm going off and the neighbor's dog barking from 4:30-6:00. I had some weird dreams though.

I've been busy planning Megan's 6th birthday. It seems like yesterday that I was walking around the block trying to entice her to enter this world. We're going to have her party at the local park near the water play area. I have some fun activities and games planned. I really haven't done that much else exciting this week just blessed to be here and out and about. God Bless-Kim

April 2006

Friday 4-28-2006

Wow, the week went by fast! Monday and Tuesday I didn't do all that much. Wednesday, Megan and I  meet  friends at McDonald's for lunch and a play date. We had a fun. We also went to Sun City West to see my parent for a short visit until I had to  get Aaron at school. Megan feel asleep in the car two minutes after I left my parents and sleep until we got home. I guess all the playing wore her out. She was so cute sleeping with her mouth open!!!  Yesterday was clinic day. The blood work was all ok. My red count went down a little but it's nothing to worry about. My next appointment is  next Thursday.

Last night I went to a Memorial Service for my dear friend Jan. It was a beautiful ending to a caring and selfless women's life. She will truly be missed by all. It was nice to see friends I haven't seen in a while but I wish the circumstances were different.  I'm going to try and organize a bike race in her honor as she was an avid cyclist. If you are willing to help, e-mail me/send me a message and I'll keep you posted.

This weekend we have a busy Saturday. The kid have their last T-ball game  and then Megan has a  birthday party to go to. I hope to finish painting the living room as I have clearance from my Dr. to paint again. I hope you and your family have a memory making weekend. Love and God Bless -Kim

Monday 4-24-06

Hi, All is well. Sorry I really need to update this more frequently. At my last Dr. appt. he eliminated two prescriptions and reduced another one, which is good news. I feeling like I have more energy and I'm sleeping better. I still have the neuropathy in my feet. It's a weird feeling kind of like I having an ankle support on and my toes are numb. I lost my balance and fell own the other day. I'm fine though. I was laughing so hard it was hard to get back up. Before the fall, I asked Aaron to get me my shoes and from out of nowhere he found some sandals with a heel that I haven't wore in a long time. I didn't want him to have to go back and get another pair when he tried so hard in the first place, so I just wore them. I did ok for a little while. Oh well, at least now I know not to wear those shoes again.  I go to the clinic again on Thursday. I 'm back on a weekly schedule because they're reducing my medications and need to monitor my blood counts. 

I've been  enjoying time with the kids. Today on the way home from school, I took them to the Rio Vista Park and they had a blast. They played on the playground equipment and then I let them play in the water section to get each other wet. Luckily I had a towel in the car. Megan is getting to be quite the rock wall climber. All for now- Kim

Monday 4-10-06

Hi Sorry It's been awhile. We had a good week. Thursday I went to the Dr. and we're reducing some of the medicine I'm on. Which is always good news. Everything else is as it should be at this time since my transplant. I'm at 240 days past transplant. I need to remember to stay out of the sun as I still might have a chance of getting Graft vs. Host Disease (GVH is when my body fights off the transplanted cells that I want to keep). I have to watch out for GVH up until about day 400 or so. We'll just pray that I don't get it!

Thursday afternoon I crashed a Foothills early release meeting. It was great seeing everyone from work for a little bit and the food wasn't bad either. Hopefully I'll be released to go back to work by August.

This weekend the kids had a T- ball game. It's always fun to watch the kids play. Alot of the kids had trouble hitting. They would swing with all of their might and miss making them spin around. I was so funny to watch. Sunday, I went to church early to help sign up for the Mother's Day Tea. We are having on it on May13th. If you're interested in going let me know. Then in the afternoon the whole family went to the airport to pick-up my parents. The kids really enjoyed seeing the planes land and take off.

Today, I really haven't done that much. I have a touch of a cold from the kids last week. I didn't sleep well last night so  I'm tired today. I did manage to put together a board to tie thera- bands to so that I can exercise my feet/toes. My toes are still kind of numb feeling/ like when your leg goes to sleep. I need to do more walking and stretching to strengthen my legs. Well that's about all for now. I hope all is well with you and you're family.

God Bless -Kim

Saturday 4/1/2006

Happy April Fools Day-- watch out !!!!  Overall, it has been a good week. The kids have had a bad cough so they were out of school on Thurs. and Fri. They're feeling much better now. Today we have a T- ball game this morning and then time with G.G. and Opa this afternoon. I'm feel like I have a little more energy today. I got up and moving early and I amazed at a I have done already this morning. I hope you have a great weekend. I'l try and write more this week. God Bless-Kim

March 2006

Sunday 3/26/2006

Wow, what a beautiful weekend it was!  We had a great and relaxing week off with the kids. We went to Flagstaff on Wed. for the night. We took the kids to the Meteor Crater and then at night we went to the Lowell Observatory and saw Saturn. It was cold at Lowell but the kids really enjoyed it. When we got home Kevin ordered a telescope for them off the internet. The kids are excited. Thursday we took the kids sledding at a spot ten miles past the turn off for Snowbowl. It was a great spot and the kids had a blast. Megan had no fear and flew down the hills. Aaron on the other hand liked to go at his cautious pass and kept putting his feet out to slow himself down. They also built a really cute snowman. I was able to take a few pictures before the camera batteries died. I'll see if Kevin can post them this week. I haven't learned that process yet. I was wiped out when we got home so Thurs. and Fri. we just did stuff around the house. I feel a lot better today and have some energy. It was nice to sit outside and read today --now only if the weather could stay like this all year.

I have to call the Dr. tomorrow and hopefully I can drive again. I'm still on a low dose of some pain meds for the shingles which I hope I don't have to take anymore.  My chauffer is on vacation for the next two weeks so it would be really nice if I could drive again. I'm feeling really good today!!! 

Aaron is coming down with something. He has a bad cough. I put the humidifier on in his room and vicks on his chest. We'll see how he feels tomorrow if he goes to school or not. All for now I hope everyone had a great spring break (if you had it this week ) and a fantastic weekend. Live for the moment and pray often!!! :) kim

Sunday 3/18/06

Hi, I'm feeling better today. I'm still taking meds for the shingles but I'm not contagious anymore. They bother me at night. I get itchy  and my armpit hurts but the medicine helps. I'm glad to be home. Hopefully I don't have to go back in to the hospital again. I go see the Dr. again tomorrow and maybe he'll let me drive again. I've been enjoying the time at home with the kids. They have this coming week off for spring break. We're going to spend a night in Flagstaff and go play in the snow. We might also go to the Botanical Gardens and see the butterflies and maybe some other day trips around town. I hope you all are doing well and if you have break enjoy yourself with your family!!

Sunday 3/12/06

Kim was able to come home yesterday afternoon. Her shingles seem to be healing even though they are still painful. She is happy to be home and spending time with her family. She is sleeping in this morning.

Wednesday 3/8/06

Not much new. Still trying to work out the pain meds. Seems like it is either too much or not enough. Kim is tired and resting as best as she can.

Tuesday 3/7/06

The doctor has been working on a better pain medication for Kim. The shingles have been especially painful under her arm area. Kim misses being at home and hopes she can leave the hospital soon.  She is trying to keep her chin up!

Monday 3/6/06

So far all the blood tests have come back negative. Kim's temperature is back to normal but the doctors want to keep an eye on the Shingles in case it spreads to the lungs or eyes. Consequently Kim may be in the hospital a few more days till things clear up. She is itchy and in a little pain but is being well taken care of.

Sunday 3/5/06

Kim's temperature spiked to 104 last night and this morning was 102 again. We are awaiting results from last night's  tests and the doctor is scheduled to be in this morning. Kim feels tired and continues to rest a lot. She may have to spend an additional night at the hospital.

Saturday 3/4/06

Kim was admitted to the hospital today because she had a constant fever that topped 102. The hospital is running all the usual blood tests and chest x-rays to make sure nothing serious is brewing. Kim feels fine except for the fever and hopes to go home tomorrow. (Sunday)

Friday 3/3/06

Good morning!! Looks like another great sunny day here in AZ. I went to the Dr.'s yesterday and he put me back on Oxycodone and Oxycotin along with Neurotin. These meds are for the my nerves so that the shingles is less painful. The down side is that I can't drive again.  Hopefully we caught the shingles soon enough that it won't be too bad and will go away quickly. I took the medicine yesterday and it has taken the pain away. Thank God!! I was also able to sleep well last night. Now I just have to organize the times I take  the meds and get on a schedule again. I'm feeling pretty good this morning. I hope that God gives you a little delight today!! Love ya- Kim                

Wednesday 3-1-06

Wow!  What a rain storm we had yesterday !!! A whole three drops!! LOL  We had a great weekend here. Saturday we meet friends of ours and ventured out to the Glendale recreation truck show. The kids had fun climbing in the vehicles and I got my walking in. Then we went to the Peoria Sports Complex for the kids baseball day. Aaron and Megan had fun jumping in the Pump-it up display and throwing baseballs.  We also started redecorating  the living room. I took us three tries to get the right paint color but it looks nice now. We have half of the room finished. I found curtains for the window and french doors at of all places Home Depot. It's a nice change in the room.

 Just when I was beginning to feel connected with the world again. I noticed a rash on my back Monday night. Called the clinic they said to come done in the morning. I did and sure enough I have Shingles. I was put back on some medicine that makes me sick and I have to take it five times a day for two weeks. I haven't gotten sick yet and I hope not to. Maybe now that they reduced other meds. I won't get sick on this one now. Last night I had a tough night sleeping. I have Shingles in my right arm pit and it really hurts. I also take Benadryl for the itchiness. Please pray that the pain gets manageable and that the medicine doesn't make me sick.

"Casting all of your care upon  him , for he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:7

God will get me through this and I'll be shopping again before you know it. I hope you all receive a little delight from God today. -K

P.S. Quite the appropriate Verse of the Day today!!!

February 2006

Wednesday 2/22/06

       Hi, Things are going well here. I'm feeling stronger and I'm driving to get the kids at school. Sometimes we get stuck in traffic on Bell but overall it's not a bad ride to Country Meadows. Next year maybe they'll be closer. My feet still feel funny. Sometimes it's like having heavy hiking boots on. I'm starting to use the time at home to redecorate. We're thinking of painting and such. I picked up some paint today. We'll try it out and see how it looks. I need to find out if I can paint or not from the Dr. I have an appt. tomorrow for a breathing treatment so I don't get pneumonia. The kids are finally feeling better but are still on meds.  I hope you're having a good week.

Friday 2/17/2006

     What happened to all the sun and ten degrees colder.??? I guess I can't complain about one cloudy day when friends back east are shoveling snow and driving in freezing rain. Sorry!!  HA! HA! You know I love you guys!

     I've been doing well. My friend Denise came out to visit for the week. She's been a great help around the house and with the kids. She's even a good chauffeur!! Too bad she has to leave tonight. We were busy getting the kids to school and back. Megan came down with Strep again!!! My dad brought Aaron in for me yesterday and he's on medicine also. Luckly, I didn't get anything so far  - knock on wood. I had a Dr. appt. on Thursday and all is going as planned. I have to go back next week for another breathing treatment (Pantamine- I think) It's so I don't get pneumonia.  I also had a Physical therapy appt. and the therapist tested me and thinks that I only have to come back one more time--YEA!!! 

      Kevin fixed my bike so now I can go riding with the kids and build up the strength in my legs a little more. I still get tired in the afternoons but I'm sleeping better at night.

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since my first hospital visit (2/12/2005). What a year--but a blessed one at that!!! I hope all of you take time for the important things family, friends, walks in the park. Have a great weekend. -K

Tuesday 2/7/2006

Wow! What a gorgeous day God has blessed us with today. I just returned from a walk around the block and it's 75 outside!! It felt great to get out. I've been inside most of the weekend and yesterday trying to fight my cold. Boy am I tired of blowing my nose!! I'm sure Kevin is tired of hearing me. I feel much better today, a little more energy and I'm trying to do more. Saturday I went to church for a little while in the morning to help sew some quilts. I was thrilled that my sewing machine was working perfectly. The sewer however made a few mistakes. After I went home and rested. Sunday I was bummed to see the Seahawks lose. There were quite a few close calls that could have gone their way but didn't. Oh well!! Yesterday I sat in front of the TV and watched 24 for the first time. Now I see why my co-workers like the show so much- I was hooked on it. All for now. Spend time enjoying the beautiful day.

Thursday 2/2/2006  New pictures have been added to the Photo Gallery!

I went to the clinic today and I have some good news and some bad news. Good news: I can drive short distances as long as my feet feel ok. Bad news: I can't volunteer in my children's classrooms until the flu season is over. Bummer!!! I volunteered in Aaron's  classroom this week and it felt great to be with the kids again!!!  I guess I'm not quite ready for groups of people yet. I have a touch of the flu and the Dr. gave me antibiotics and cough medicine. Please pray for my friends Jan and Rosanne. They are both going through chemo and are suffering with mouth sores. Thank you for all of your continued prayers and notes of encouragement.

January 2006

Wednesday 1/25/2006

Hi, sorry it's taken me so long to update the site. I'll try to be better. I'm feeling well. I occasionally take a ride on the nausea/vomiting rollercoaster but I'm not a regular customer anymore. I wish I had more energy. We had a great weekend. The kids went to a birthday party at Pump It Up and had a blast. On Sunday, Megan and I went to church. It was nice to see everyone again. I hope you're taking time to enjoy the wonderful afternoon weather we're having. God Bless-Kim

Monday 1/16/2006

   I went to the Dr.'s today and all is going as expected. I don't have to go back for weeks!!

  Saturday, we all went to the Stillman Railroad Park. We met friends from Kev's work and their families. We had a great day riding the train and playing in the park. Sunday I woke up with sore legs and feet so I was a couch potato most of the day. Kevin did a great job cleaning up all of the Christmas decorations!!! I helped alittle.

   I hope everyone had a relaxing day off!!!! I did.

Thursday 1/12/2006

Sorry, I haven't updated this lately!!! I'm doing fine. I had a short ride on the nausea/vomiting roller coaster this weekend. I went into the Dr. on Monday and he took me off of one new medication and I'm doing much better.

     Over the weekend I went to my friend's daughter's wedding. It was beautiful!! The whole family went. My friend did Megan's hair in an up do and it looked great. Aaron looked handsome also in his dress shirt and matching tie. Kevin looked especially handsome in his blue shirt and tie. I'll have Kevin put the pictures in the gallery. We had a great evening!!

      Today, Aaron had a stomachache so he stayed home but is feeling much better now. We're going to walk to the park in a little while. I need to get more walking in for my feet. My feet are still bothering me. They tingle like when your foot falls asleep and are kind of numb feeling. I also need to improve my balance but it is getting better according to the PT.

    Well that's about all for now. I hope everyone is having a good week back to work--one more day !!! Love ya and God Bless-Kim

Tuesday 1-2-06

Welcome 2006!!! We hope this year sees everyone healthy and happy with lots of special new memories. Praise God for all of his blessing this past year.

I'm feeling well today, still a little tired. I slept in this morning and have been lounging around. We might take the kids to the movies his afternoon. Tomorrow were planning on doing a little fishing. We hope you new year has started off well--now what was that New Year resolution that I made ???

December 2005

 Friday 12/30/2005

      Today has been a pretty good day. We've been busy clean -up the house and laundry. I started tackling the bedroom as the mess is all mine in there.  I have a touch of a runny nose and I'm tired. I was able to get Megan in to see the Dr. and she has strep throat. So I've been keeping my distance and wearing a mask. She wants her Dad anyways so it's working out ok. Aaron seems ok so far. He's probably the one who got the rest of us sick.  Hopefully, we can all get well quickly so that we can do some fun things next week (Roller skating, challenger center, or the  Zoo).

Wednesday 12/29/05

  The children spent the night at my parents so I was able to get caught up on some sleep yesterday. I've caught a little touch of the flu- runny nose all the time but I took Claritin today and it helped a lot. Megan had a fever yesterday and a low grade one today. She took two naps today so hopefully the rest will fight the cold.

     We had a very blessed Christmas!!!  We didn't go to church because I was concerned about catching the flu with all of the people there. The kids had a great time opening all of their presents. We were blessed with gifts from a family at the hospital. Their generosity was overwhelming. I have to say that whoever designs the packaging for the toys must have something against parents. They make it so hard to get the toy out of the box with all the twisty ties, plastic wraps, and small stickers to attach. AUGH!!!

     I was able to have lunch with a group of co-workers on Tuesday afternoon. It was great to see everyone and get caught up on things.

    I received a web cam for Christmas so if you have one I'd love to talk with you over MSN messenger --- let me know.

   It's been nice having Kevin home. He doesn't have to go back to work until the 9th. He has been doing projects around the house. Today, he put up security motion detector  lights on the patio. They look nice!!

   All for now. Take care and God Bless -Kim

Thursday 12/22/05

I had a Dr.'s visit this morning and all of the test results are positive!! Praise God!!  The blood results all look the way they should be at this stage of the transplant process. I was also given the ok to have some diet changes. My wonderful husband took me out to Olive Garden so that I could finally enjoy one of their salads!! It was delicious!

I'm looking forward to attending the Foothills' Holiday breakfast tomorrow. It will be the first chance that I'll be able to see all of the teachers at once and thank them personally for all of their support. God has blessed us so much!!!! Remember to take the minute and marvel at the little wonders that God provides for us like the beautiful sunrise this morning! It made it all worth getting out of bed early.

Tuesday12/20/05

A lot of you must have been praying for me-I had a great nights sleep last night and I'm feeling fantastic. Not much planned for today. Just getting the final presents purchased and then begin all the wrapping. I hope you have a great day. Remember to sit back, relax and think about all the blessings God has given you and thank him. -Kim

Monday 12/19/05

Saturday I had a little scare. When I woke up, I had chest pains that wouldn't go away. I called the clinic. they took a long time to call back so we just drove down to the hospital. The pain went away when we got into the parking garage. We still went in and they said the it was just heartburn.!! Oh well!  I've never had heartburn before and it really hurt. The trip to the hospital and out to Sun City West for the kids wore me out. The kids wanting to spend the night at Nana and Papa's which gave us an evening to relax hot bath and bed early. Sunday I baked cookies and went to a Christmas tea party/cookie exchange. It was great to see my co-workers. At nigh, I was tired but when it came time to sleep I couldn't. Sleeping through the night has been a problem lately. Please pray that I sleep better. I sleep for a couple of hours and then I'm wide awake.

Today I felt tired this morning and was hot and cold but in  the  afternoon and this evening have been feeling much better. We were blessed with the Foothills Christmas Carolers this afternoon as they sang Christmas messages to our family. Thank you for putting us in the Christmas spirit.

Friday 12/16/05

Hi, I'm having a good day. I was able to sleep in and get a little more rest this morning. I've been having trouble sleeping at night lately. Aaron is coming down with a cold so he stayed home from school today. Hopefully the extra rest will help him. Last night, we were busy little elves. We made popsicle foam puppets for Megan's class activity. Megan also decorated a sock for class. She's quite the creative one. So, last night was craft central here. We had alot of fun and boy does that foam glue stick to everything!!  Today, I'm trying to finish up my cards.

 If anyone out there knows how to make labels from outlook please let me know.

All for now-hope you're day is going great. God Bless- Kim 

Monday-Tuesday 12/12+13/05

Today I've been baking cookies and shortbread. Now it's time for a break. I went to the hospital clinic yesterday for my weekly check-up. The doctors are pleased with my progress. They didn't get any further results from last weeks testing. They should have the results by my next appointment (12/22). All news so far has been good. Praise God!!!

Friday-Saturday 12/9+10/05

All is going well. I've been sending out cards, decorating the house and taking care of presents. Tuesday night, I was able to visit with some coworkers at the McDonald's Foothills night. It was great to talk to all of you. I'm looking forward to see you again at the upcoming Christmas events.

 I've been a little tired lately. I need to remember to slow down and rest. My hair was growing but it seems to have stopped at the one centimeter marker. I'm anxious to find out the rest of the testing results on Monday. The Dr. said that they can tell how much of the cells are the donors and how much are mine along with other details. It should be interesting. Well that's all for now the kids are calling---when did they get so big?????

Thursday-12/8/05

Kim was scheduled to have a doctor's appointment today but it has been changed to Monday. The doctor will let us know how much of the new donor cells have reproduced in Kim's blood. Everything else is going fine and Kim is trying to get a few things ready for the holidays.

Tuesday - 12/06/05

Kim has been in charge of the website recently. The good news is that she has been feeling so good she has found others things to do rather than update the website. Kim had a bone marrow biopsy on Thursday and the preliminary report is good. She will find out more this Thursday on the specifics.

Kim has been busy writing Christmas cards, baking cookies, and decorating the house. Her appetite has improved dramatically. She is working on improving her strength. She can walk for a short periods without resting.

November 2005

Monday- 11/28/05

Last night we received a "Heart Attack" from our church friends. They decorated our front door with hearts and special messages of love because they miss us. I'll take that kind of heart attack any day!! Love you guys-thanks!

Today was another great day of shopping and being Mom. I made a dent in my Christmas shopping and was able to pick the kids up from school. The house is starting to look a bit like Christmas. All for now- prayers and love to all.

Friday-Sunday

I have been feeling much better. I've even turned back into my old partying self!!!  Bridal shower on Saturday and Baby shower on Sunday. I guess I'm as clean as can be now!!! ha! HA! It was great to get out and visit with friends. My personal chauffer has been fun to ride with. We've seen more cops this week that I have in the last month!!

I haven't been riding the nausea rollercoaster for about four days now and I don't want to try that ride again. The Dr. has even given me a holiday break and I don't have to go back until Thursday. Last Tuesday the Dr. removed the Hickman port that I had in and now I don't have to fumble with the lines anymore but I have to drink a lot more now. Since my personal caretaker (DAD) has been on a leave of absence I've had to get up earlier and work like a slave all day. Dad you start back to work on Tuesday- Thank God!!!!

Wednesday/Thursday

Today is Thanksgiving and Kim is directing the turkey cooking today. She is enjoying all the time with the kids and she appears to have more energy. We will have family over this afternoon to celebrate. Our family would like to wish everyone a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Sunday/Monday/Tuesday-11/22/05

Kim is still feeling pretty good. She did some shopping on Monday and has a doctor's appointment today. She should have her IV port removed if all checks out okay. We are getting ready for Thanksgiving and we have a LOT to be thankful for!

Friday/Saturday- 11/19/05

Kim has had a great couple of days. She is feeling pretty good and eating better. She went to Surprise Park today and went fishing with the family.

Wednesday/Thursday -11/17/08

Kim has had a good couple of days. Her appetite has increased and she has had a bit more energy. She will see the doctor again tomorrow for a checkup.

Tuesday 11/15/05

Today Kim has a doctor's appointment to make sure she is doing okay. She ate pretty well last night and got lots of rest. She has been fatigued for the past couple of days.

Monday 11/14/05

Kim is resting today and the kids have gone back to school. She is doing okay and trying to get some more fluids into her body.

Saturday-Sunday 11/13/05

Kim has been resting for the past couple of days. She seems to have a good day or two and then needs a a couple of days to let her body rest. Her stomach is bothering her this morning.

Thursday-Friday 11/11/05

I'm having a great day! My stomach has settled down and I have a bit more energy to do things around the house. This morning I was able to go out to breakfast with my girlfriends. It was great to get out of the house for a little bit. I'm enjoying sitting out front in this gorgeous weather we're having. The Dr. eliminated one of the seven pills that I have to take. Yeah!!! I'm going to enjoy spending time with the kids tonight. All for now. Love and prayer to all.-Kim 

Wednesday-11/09/05

We have seen an improvement in the past couple of days with Kim's eating and her energy level. She is walking more and eating more. Thanks for your continued prayers!

Tuesday-11/8/05

Not much has changed for today so far. Kim is feeling pretty good and enjoying time with her parents and grandmother.

Monday-11/7/05

Today was a good day for Kim. She felt much better in the morning and went to her appointment. She was dehydrated and received some fluids. She was able to eat more today.

Sunday-11/6/05

Kim had some trouble sleeping last night and slept in this morning. The children are playing with dad and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Saturday-11/5/05

Kim's stomach was bothering her in the morning. She felt much better in the afternoon. She spent the day with her family and enjoyed time with Aaron and Megan.

Friday-11/4/05

Kim's fever went away yesterday. The doctor took some cultures to see if any infection is present. Kim is doing okay and has had some success in eating more food.

Thursday-11/3/05

Kim woke up with a fever this morning. She may have to go to the hospital to have it checked out. We are awaiting the doctor's orders on what to do next.

Wednesday-11/02/05

Kim is enjoying the weather today. She had a chance to sit out front for awhile and get out of the house. She is visiting with her mother and grandmother. She is doing pretty good today.

Tuesday-11/01/05

Kim had a good night yesterday. She spent time with her family and saw a few friends. She is resting up today.

October 2005

Monday-10/31/05

Doctor's appointments are scheduled for today. Kim probably will have more physical therapy and then head home for some rest. She is feeling okay today.

Sunday-10/30/05

Kim had a wonderful birthday yesterday. She felt good and enjoyed having family over. She had trouble sleeping last night. Maybe it was all the excitement from her birthday. She slept a lot today and is feeling a little tired overall.

Saturday-10/29/05                New photos are in the Photo Gallery!

Today is Kim's birthday and she is having some family over to celebrate. She had a decent day yesterday and seemed more like old self. She is enjoying spending time with the kids and relaxing around the house.

Friday-10/28/05

Things have been better the last couple of days. Kim has been able to eat more and get around better. Sometimes she feels like she is on a roller coaster having her up days and her down days. We are praying she has more up days!

Thursday-10/27/05

Kim has a doctor's appointment today along with Physical Therapy. She had a good night's rest and is looking forward to spending time with her parents today.

Wednesday-10/26/05

Today was a repeat of yesterday. Kim is resting most of the day and has a little energy at dinner time. She is trying different combinations of food to see what works best for her stomach.

Tuesday-10/25/05

Kim has been feeling a little better. She is able to eat a little bit. Her stomach was too upset for Physical Therapy yesterday.

Monday-10/24/05

More doctors appointments are scheduled for today along with Physical Therapy. Kim was able to eat better yesterday but woke up with an upset stomach this morning.

Sunday-10/23/05

Kim spent most of the day in bed because her throat was sore and she is hoping if she takes it easy and rests it will not develop into anything serious. Her stomach still is bothering her but she has been able to eat a few things.

Saturday-10/22/05

Yesterday went a little better for Kim. She was able to eat a little bit and she had more energy. She is enjoying her time with Aaron and Megan this weekend.

Friday-10/21/05

The doctor's appointment went fairly well. Kim has a little bit of the Thrush, sore throat, coming back and is back on antibiotics. She had a rough day trying to keep food and liquids down. She is also running a slight temperature.

Thursday-10/20/05

Kim wasn't too successful with eating yesterday. She was finally able to keep some pizza down for dinner. She has a doctor's appointment today along with Physical Therapy.

Wednesday - 10/19/05

Kim is doing good today and slept really well. She has a quiet day at home planned with goals of drinking more fluids and keeping more food down. Her appetite is better.

Tuesday-10/18/05

The doctors continue to be pleased with Kim's progress. She did not need any fluids during her visit. She was very tired from the Physical Therapy. She had a good day today and was able to increase her food and liquids intake.

Monday-10/17/05

Kim had French toast in the yesterday morning and had no problems keeping it down. She ate a little for lunch and some for dinner. She seemed to have a better day and a bit more energy. She has some doctor's and physical therapy appointments today in the afternoon.

Sunday-10/16/05

Kim is really tired this morning. She is resting while Aaron and Megan play at home with dad. We are hoping she will be able to eat more today and regain some strength. She will see the doctor tomorrow.

Saturday-10/15/05

Kim was able to spend time with Aaron and Megan. Kim's friend Jan stopped by yesterday and brought her a Race for the Cure t-shirt. Please pray for Jan, she is an 8 year cancer survivor and was just told new cancer has been found.

Kim had more trouble with keeping food down. She was inspired to cook a delicious dinner for all of us though!

Friday-10/14/05

The doctor's appointment went well yesterday and everyone is happy with Kim's progress so far. She is eating just a little but is keeping it down. She continues to rest and have her body recuperate. She is looking forward to spending some time with Aaron and Megan this weekend.

Thursday- 10/13/05

Today Kim has a doctor's appointment in the morning. It should be a routine appointment where they check her vitals and her blood counts. She had a good night's sleep and is feeling a little brighter today.

Wednesday- 10/12/05

Kim had a better day today and was able to eat a little. She still is not eating all that much but at least she heading in the right direction. She still rests quite a bit and has limited energy.

Tuesday - 10/11/05

We were at the doctor's office from 10:00 to 4:00 yesterday. The doctor changed a couple of medications and gave Kim some fluids to keep her hydrated. The blood tests were all normal. Kim has been resting today and trying to eat more.

Monday - 10/10/05

Kim will meet with the doctor today at 10:30 and they will check her out and see what else can be done to help the nausea along with the usual blood tests and such. Kim had a rough morning with her stomach.

Sunday - 10/9/05

Kim spent most of the day in bed trying to rest her stomach. She is still fighting nausea and getting up and down starts the process all over. She has managed to keep some a little food down. 

Saturday- 10/8/05

It has been hard for Kim to keep food down again. She is eating toast and other bland things lately. She is resting and trying to keep fluids in her so she doesn't dehydrate. She has an appointment on Monday.

Friday- 10/7/05

No doctor's appointments are scheduled for today. Kim did not need any IV's yesterday when she saw the doctor- that is good news!  Kim will be relaxing at home and spending time with her parents.

Thursday 10/6/05

Kim's appointment is at 10:00 this morning with the doctor. We are hoping for a good report. She ate some yesterday and was able to keep it down. She got a good night's sleep and will get to see Aaron and Megan later this afternoon.

Wednesday- 10/5/05

Yesterday was better day for Kim, she was able to keep some food down and spend some time with my mom and dad. She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow and we'll see how her latest blood counts are doing.

Tuesday- 10/4/05

Kim has been sleeping a lot and trying to let her body recover from all it has been through in the last few months. She is trying to eat more and is slowly making progress.

Monday -10/3/05

Kim had a doctor's appointment and everything checked out okay. She has no more appointments until Thursday. She is tired because she didn't sleep well last night and is having trouble keeping food down.

Saturday/Sunday -10/02/05

Kim was able to come home on Saturday around 2:00 pm. She was able to eat dinner and spend time with Aaron and Megan. She enjoys being back home with her family and is sleeping in this morning.

September 2005

Friday 9/30/05

The doctors are taking Kim off of antibiotics today and will monitor her for the next 24 hours.  We are planning on having Kim come home some time tomorrow if all goes as planned. Her throat is much better.

Thursday 9/29/05

Kim sounds a lot better today. She is able to talk more and is having some IV's removed so things are looking up. Her stomach still bothers her at times. She thinks she will get to go back home this weekend.

Wednesday 9/28/05

Kim's temperature was normal last night but her throat continues to hurt quite a bit. She has a fungal infection called Thrush in her mouth. She is receiving antibiotics and is trying to eat some food. She was nauseous this morning and is having difficulty talking.

Tuesday 9/27/05

Kim was running a fever of 101.5 last night and had to go to the hospital. She was admitted and had some tests done to find the source of the fever. Her fever has gone down to 99.5.

So far some of the tests have come back negative. We are waiting on throat cultures. In the meantime she will get antibiotics to fight the infection. Hopefully she can come home in a day or so.

Monday 9/26/05

Kim woke up with a sore throat this morning. She went to the hospital to see the doctor, get some more medicine, and have tests done. The doctors did find out she is dehydrated and gave her fluids.

She is returning to the hospital tomorrow to get the results of the tests and plan the next course of action. She is resting from her busy day.

Saturday/Sunday 9/25/05

Kim has managed to eat a little bit of food but still is having problems keeping everything down. She got to spend some time with the kids and enjoy playing with them. They really love being with their mommy! Kim will rest and try to get some more fluids and food into her.

Friday 9/23/05

Kim is home today and trying to keep food and liquids down. She did fairly well last night and was able to eat a little. We are trying to keep her hydrated so she doesn't need to go into the hospital. Megan and Aaron are coming home this evening to spend the weekend with mom and dad.

Thursday 9/22/05

Kim had physical therapy again today and they made her do leg exercises and ride a stationary bike. Her lab results look good and the only real concern the doctors have is her inability to keep food down. If this continues they may need to put a tube down her throat and get a picture of what is going on. Hopefully things will clear up before that is needed. She is resting from her busy day.

Wednesday 9/21/05

No doctors appointments today! Kim is looking forward to kicking back and relaxing with her parents at home. She slept very well last night and feels good overall.

Tuesday 9/20/05

Kim has physical therapy for her weak leg muscles and they worked her pretty well. She is very tired. The doctors are still adjusting her medications to control her nausea. Kim has been sleeping and resting well and enjoys being at home as much as possible.

Monday-  9/19/05

Kim had trouble keeping food down yesterday. She is feeling better today and has better success eating food. Her diet is still quite small but she is trying to eat more. She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning to check her overall condition.

Saturday/Sunday 9/18/05

We have enjoyed having the children home and they certainly have enjoyed being with Kim. She is feeling pretty well and is trying to not get herself too tired yet spend time with Aaron and Megan. The children have learned how to be good nursing assistants to their mother.

Friday 9-16-05

Kim got a few days off from hospital visits. She doesn't have to go back until Monday morning so it should be a very nice weekend with Aaron and Megan.  Kim has been getting Physical Therapy and is a little sore and tired. She has been sleeping and resting quite a bit.

Wednesday/Thursday  9-15-05

Aaron had a birthday yesterday and he really enjoyed seeing his friends and hanging out at Chuck E. Cheeses. Kim wanted to go but the doctor and her family told her to play it safe and stay home. She is doing well and her blood numbers are looking good. She has an appointment today and might even get a day off from the hospital tomorrow.

Tuesday 9-13-05

Kim is still going to the hospital everyday for antibiotics. The doctors believe her IV line may be infected and are hoping to fight that off with a round of antibiotics. If that doesn't work the line will need to be removed and a new one will be placed in her chest. Kim had a good day and misses all of you!

Monday 9-12-05

Another routine outpatient visit for Kim today. She is getting some nutrients that are low and having her blood work checked. We are waiting for results from the tests. she will go home later today.

Sunday 9-11-05

Kim enjoyed a peaceful night resting in her own bed. She got to play with Aaron and Megan until they wore her out. This morning we have another routine outpatient hospital appointment.

Saturday 9-10-05

We are still awaiting news from the doctor to see if Kim can return home today. She is feeling better and has managed to keep some food down. She is anxious to get home and see Aaron and Megan.

Test results are in and the tests show negative for any serious problems. Kim is expected to come home after 3 pm today.

Friday 9-9-05

Kim is spending an additional night at the hospital and is hoping to come home early on Saturday. So far everything has checked out okay but the doctors are playing it cautious and want to observe her for an additional night.

Thursday 9-8-05

The doctors decided to send Kim back home yesterday and put her on a special diet called the BRAT diet. No joking here! It stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. She slept better last night but is still tired.

Kim found out this morning she has bacteria in her blood and will be admitted back into the hospital to start antibiotic treatments.  Hopefully it will be a short stay and she can come home soon.

Wednesday 9-7-05

It was a rough night for Kim because she was restless and couldn't sleep. This morning she had diarrhea and had to go back to Good Samaritan Hospital. We are waiting to see if they are going to admit her. Please keep her in your prayers today!

Tuesday 9-6-05

Kim spent the morning at the hospital getting some fluids and having her blood work done. She didn't sleep that well last night due to leg pains. She is getting in the routine of going to the hospital part-time and being home part-time.

Monday 9-5-05

We had an early morning appointment at the hospital. Kim was low on magnesium and needed an IV transfusion to bring her level up and we got home around 2 pm. She is a little high in creatinine, a breakdown product produced by the muscles and released into the blood stream. The kidneys' job is to filter out most of this product. One of the medications is partly the cause for the elevated level. Tomorrow Kim will get some fluids via an IV to lower this level.

Kim was anxious to return home today and though the hospital staff is superb, she prefers her time at home!

Her blood counts today were:                                 White Cells  2.7 (Normal range is 4.0 - 11.0)                                                                                   Red Cells 3.84 (Normal range is 3.70-5.40)                                                                        Platelets 77 (normal range is 130-450)                                                                                         

Sunday 9-4-05

It has been a nice day here for Kim. She slept much better last night and is getting on a schedule to take all her medications. She has kept all her food down and enjoyed a few hours with Aaron and Megan.

She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning at 8:00 am.

Saturday 9-3-05

Kim found it a little difficult to sleep last night because she kept waking up and looking around for a nurse to take her vital signs. Other than that she had a nice first night at home.

We went to the hospital today and we learned how to change her IV port dressing properly. The nurse took some blood and sent it to the lab. The results were very good. Kim's counts are almost back to normal. The doctor was so pleased he decided she can skip coming to the hospital tomorrow and instead come in on Monday.

Kim is resting this afternoon and is looking forward to sleeping through the whole night.

Friday 9-2-05

Today is the big coming home day. At noon I talked with Kim and she had to finish an IV bag and then they would start the release process. She is very excited, but a bit tired. She will have to go back to the hospital everyday as an outpatient for some time.

The next few days we will be trying to settle into a daily routine. The hospital gave us a long list of do and don'ts.

August 2005

Wednesday 8-31-05

The official news is that Kim is coming home this Friday. The doctors are so pleased with her progress. Her blood cell counts continue to improve and her overall condition is good. Kim is excited and wants to thank all those who have prayed and supported her.

Tuesday 8-30-05

More IV's have been removed from Kim. Her ANC count is near 700 today-that is good news! She didn't sleep too well last night and is tired. But other than that she feels pretty good.

Monday 8-29-05

Kim continues to make good progress. Her ANC count was 24 on Thursday and today it is over 400! The doctors are very pleased with her progress and are talking about sending her home earlier than expected.

Sunday 8-28-05

Today has been a good day for Kim. She continues to improve her strength. She is eating a little and will be taken off of IV nutrients today. Her white cell count is 1.4, up from .9 yesterday. The doctors are pleased with her progress.

Saturday 8-27-05

Kim is doing okay today. Her fever is down and everyone is watching her closely. She needed some insulin today; which isn't too unusual. She is not eating that much and mostly gets her nutrients through an IV which can mess up the glucose count and require insulin.

Her white cell counts are going up and that is terrific news!

Friday 8-26-05

Kim has a  slight fever today. The doctors and nurses are watching her closely but are not too concerned. She had a good night last night and slept a lot. This morning she has been resting and answering a few phone calls.

Thursday 8-25-05

Kim had a really good morning. She sat up in a chair for most of the morning. The Physical Therapist came in and worked her legs. After all this excitement Kim was tired and slept for most of the afternoon.

Kim's total blood count or ANC is 24 and will need to rise into the thousands before she is allowed to come home.

Wednesday 8-24-05

Kim had a visit from my sister's family from Oregon today.  They came to give her support and encouragement.

Kim is in good spirits today and is continuing her course of resting and recuperating.

Tuesday 8-23-05

Kim is hanging in there today. Her mouth is sore and she has difficulty speaking but she is enjoying reading some books. Her body continues to need lots of rest and recuperation.

Monday 8-22-05

Yesterday Kim was able to saw Aaron and Megan for a few minutes. It has been hard on both Kim and the kids to not see each other often.  Kim is losing her hair again; she had a little bit growing before the transplant started.

She is weak and feels yucky today. She tried to rest this morning but was having strange dreams that woke her up. Please pray that her strength comes back and that she is able to get rest for her tired body.

Sunday 8-21-05

Kim is feeling better this morning. The doctors gave her pain medication for her body aches and that has helped. Her voice sounds stronger and she is able to talk more. She still finds it hard to keep food down and continues to receive liquid nutrients. She is thankful for all the cards and emails from all of you!

Saturday 8-20-05

So far today is a repeat of yesterday. Kim's throat is still sore and it is hard to eat anything and it is difficult to talk. Her body still aches all over and Kim says she feels okay as long as she doesn't move too much. She did get a good night's sleep last night. Please continue to pray that her body heals quickly.

Friday 8-19-05

The chemo/radiation effects are starting to manifest themselves. Kim's whole body hurts and she has sores in her mouth and throat. It has been hard for her to swallow anything but liquids. She gets nauseous easily and is trying to remain still and rest. She is fighting the battle and continues to have a positive attitude.

Thursday 8-18-05

Kim had trouble sleeping last night and is very tired. She has a sore throat from the chemo/radiation treatments and enjoys eating popsicles. She is hoping to rest up today so she feels better tomorrow.

Wednesday 8-17-05

All is going well today. Kim received some blood products and no complications this time. She is eating a little and has some strength. The doctors are very happy with her progress so far.

Tuesday 8-16-05

Kim had some trouble with blood transfusions yesterday. For some reason she begin having an allergic reaction and the transfusions were stopped. The doctors have come up with a couple of solutions and she will get more blood products later today. She ate a little this morning and is awake and chipper.

Monday 8-15-05

Kim is having a good day today. She is recovering from last week's chemo and radiation treatments. Her spirits are good and she is even a bit bored! Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts!

Sunday 8-14-05

The transplant happened yesterday at 12:30 in the afternoon. The bone marrow stem cells were delivered via a blood transfusion and all went as planned. Kim is feeling okay and has been resting and resting. The doctors will watch Kim now to see if her body starts to reject the donor cells or if the donor cells start to reject her body. The next 100 or more days is a very vulnerable time in this process. Please pray that the new immune system finds a happy home in Kim!

Saturday 8-13-05

Kim is doing well this morning. Her stomach is feeling better and her voice sounds stronger. The donor cells arrived too late yesterday to be processed so the transplant will take place at noon today.

The bone marrow donor cells will be given to Kim by a simple blood transfusion and the process should not be painful. After the transplant the doctors will give Kim some medication to make her sleep for most of the day.

All of our family would like to say a big "Thank You" to whoever donated their bone marrow stem cells!

Friday 8-12-05

Today is the big day! The transplant is scheduled for late in the day or possibly early tomorrow morning. The scope of Kim's colon confirmed it is inflamed but all else looked fine. Several biopsies were taken of the inflamed area and we should get results today from them.

Kim is exhausted from the chemo, radiation, and multiple tests she been through. She takes frequent naps and has limited energy.

Thursday 8-11-05

The pains have continued and the doctor believes Kim's colon may be inflamed. Antibiotics have been given and a scope was used to investigate the problem. We are awaiting the results.

On the good side, today was graduation day for Kim's radiation treatments! She is officially "ready" for her bone marrow stem cell transplant tomorrow. Kim is exhausted and has been sleeping most of the time.

Wednesday 8-10-05

Kim's stomach has really been hurting her and the doctor ordered a CT scan last night. An infection doctor has been called in to check things out too. Kim has not been able to eat much because of the pain. Kim will have radiation today, tomorrow, and then on Friday will have the transplant. No more chemo or radiation after tomorrow; the next phase will be recovery.

Tuesday 8-9-05

Last night Kim had an MRI because a blood test came back positive for bacteria and the doctor wanted to make sure it was not causing problems. Kim had radiation again today.

Monday 8-8-05

Kim had a rough night yesterday. Today has been better for her. She went through her three radiation treatments and Kim reports they were not bad and shorter than expected. The goal of the radiation and chemo is to knock out her immune system so the donor's immune system can take over.

Sunday 8-7-05

Aaron and Megan were able to visit Kim today. She is very tired and has been sleeping a lot. She continues to have trouble with becoming nauseas. The chemo drugs are most likely the culprit.  She will have her first radiation treatment tomorrow morning at 6:00 am. She will have three treatments a day for the first three days.

Saturday 8-6-05

Kim was able to get a good night's sleep at the hospital. She began chemotherapy last night and seems to be tolerating it okay. She is nauseous today and is running a slight fever. Some of the medication makes Kim drowsy and she takes frequent naps.

More chemotherapy is planned for today and hopefully tomorrow will be a day of rest.

Friday 8-5-05

Today was "move-in" day for Kim at Good Samaritan Hospital. We arrived very early at 6:15 am. Kim had a tough morning. It was not easy to place an IV in her arm. She took it like a trooper and didn't complain. At 10:00 am a triple catheter was placed in her chest in preparation for the upcoming chemo treatments and other fluids that will be needed for recovery. The procedure was a little painful and her neck is sore. She is tired and will rest in the afternoon. She has an incredible view of the Phoenix area from her 12th floor room.

Thursday 8-4-05

The family is going bowling this afternoon. Kim is preparing for her hospital stay and is almost packed. She is anxious but ready to begin the transplant program.

Wednesday 8-3-05

Today we went to the hospital again. Kim was measured and her lung and heart blocks were checked to prepare for radiation treatments next week. She will be getting total body radiation and the blocks are designed to minimize the exposure to her heart and lungs.

We are excited that tomorrow we have a day with no doctor appointments! Kim is planning to spend this day with the kids since she will be admitted into the hospital very early Friday morning.

Tuesday 8-2-05

The past couple of days have been very busy as Kim prepares to go to Good Samaritan Hospital. Kim has had multiple appointments so she can complete her pre-transplant screening. She was measured for her radiation treatments that start next week. She also has had an EKG, pulmonary tests, chest x-ray, and a CAT scan. Tomorrow we have more appointments with the radiology department and with the transplant department. Kim will be officially admitted into the hospital early Friday morning. She will get chemo treatments on Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Thursday of next week she has radiation treatments and on Friday, August 12th she will have the transplant.

Monday 8-1-05

It was nice to see so many people come out to the blood drive. The church had the biggest turnout ever for a blood drive. Thank you so much! Kim was able to visit with everyone there and enjoyed being around her friends and church family.

We have a doctor's appointment this morning to prepare for the radiation treatments.

July 2005

Sunday 7-31-05

The blood drive is today and Kim will be out to talk to people. She is thankful for those who are giving blood today and those who have given blood in the past.

Kim is scheduled to be admitted into Good Samaritan hospital on August 5th or 6th. She will begin with a couple days of chemo followed by several days of radiation. The transplant will be done August 12th and Kim will be in the hospital for an additional 4 to 6 weeks.

Saturday 7-30-05

My sister and her children arrived today for a week visit. I'm feel pretty good today a little tired. My toes are tingling a little more lately - maybe they're getting back to normal? I hope to see you tomorrow at the blood drive. 

Friday - 7/29/05

Kim went to a couple of doctor's appointments today to prepare for the stem cell transplant. She had several lung tests and is resting this afternoon. Monday we have more doctor's appointments for further tests.

She is feeling pretty well and is getting ready for the transplant.

Thursday-7/28/05

I had a restful night and plan to have a relaxing day. I don't have any news that will top yesterday's. I haven't heard from the transplant coordinator yet but we'll call later to see what she has scheduled for us. I hope all is well with those checking in. 

Wednesday -7/27/05

Praise God!!!! I'm still in remission!!! I had 3.8% lymphoblasts anything less than 5 is in remission. The last BMB results were 4.7%. The Dr. also told me that my day Zero will be August 12th. It's my understanding that day Zero is when they do the transplant. As of right now, it looks like I'll be seeing everyone at the blood drive on Sunday! Don't forget you can sign up ahead of time by clicking on the link in the top right corner.  Thank you - prayer warriors!!!

Tuesday - 7/26/05

Kim is recuperating from her bone marrow biopsy yesterday. It went very well and the doctor was able to draw fluid. We should get results from the test tomorrow. We are also waiting on information from the donor. He had a meeting yesterday to get more information about the transplant process.

Monday - 7/25/05

I'm getting ready to go get another bone marrow biopsy this morning to monitor the Leukemia while I'm waiting for the donor. I'm praying that I'm still in remission so that I can stay home while I wait. Thank you to all for your prayers. I know that God will get me through this in his timing. I pray you receive a little delight from God today!

Sunday - 7/24/05

Kim got a pretty good night's rest and is feeling a little better this morning. Our plans are to go to church in the morning and spend time together as a family. Tomorrow Kim has another bone marrow biopsy to see if the Leukemia is out of remission. She also has an appointment with another doctor.

Saturday - 7/23/05

Kim has been more tired the last day or so. She wants to do more but her energy level is not there. Her temperature has remained normal and she is feeling okay. It will be another quiet day around the house.

Friday-7/22/05

Aahh! I slept like a baby last night in my new bed!!! It's going to be another hot day here in AZ.  We're going to get out of the heat and see a movie. I'm feeling great today ! A good night's sleep does wonders.

Thursday-7/21/05

This morning I am doing well and learning how to update the site myself. I woke up early to get the bedroom ready for the delivery of our new mattress and box spring. They arrived and are sooo comfortable--- I think I'll take a nap after lunch and officially try it out. Now all I need is for Kevin to hook me up with satellite for the TV and I won't even have to get out of bed!!!   (I'm just getting things ready for when I return home after the transplant.) I'm not a total couch potato yet. I want all of you to know that I appreciate all of your prayers, e-mails and cards. They arrive at God's timing- just when I need to read them. Thanks!!! You've been a real encouragement.

Prayer requests: Please pray that the bone marrow biopsy on Monday show's I'm still in remission and that the donor will proceed with the transplant. Thank you-Prayer warriors

Birthday group picture

Wednesday - 7/20/05

Kim had a slight fever yesterday and was very tired. She also went to the doctor's office to have blood work done. Her temperature is back to normal this morning after a good night's rest. She is planning on doing some paperwork and other little things.

Tuesday - 7/19/05

Kim was a bit tired last night and went to bed early. She woke up without a fever and feels pretty well. She is having breakfast with a few friends from work and then will be resting and relaxing around the house.

Monday - 7/18/05

It was a quiet day today. We did a little shopping and looking around for a few things. Kim is feeling okay, a slight fever here and there. Our doctor called and said the donor will meet with his doctor this week for an information meeting and then go through some medical tests. It has been frustrating waiting for information about the donor. The system is set up so that our hospital communicates with the national marrow organization and they contact their local marrow chapter and finally the donor gets contacted. It has been hard to be patient during the whole process.

Kim's doctor called and said she is just barely in remission. Kim will get another blood cell test tomorrow and another bone marrow biopsy on Monday.

Sunday - 7/17/05

Kim is doing well. She hasn't had a fever in awhile. She still tires easily but she was able to get out and about yesterday. We are going to church this morning and then heading out for haircuts.

Saturday - 7/16/05

The bone marrow biopsy was done yesterday. It was a little painful at first for Kim but she weathered through it. Kim got a new prescription for antibiotics and so far her temperature has remained close to normal. She has a follow up appointment on Tuesday.

Good Samaritan Hospital called to say they are still waiting for information from the donor about the transplant schedule. Hopefully that will happen soon or Kim may have to undergo another round of chemotherapy.

Friday - 7/15/05

The doctor called yesterday afternoon with the results of Wednesday's blood tests. Kim's white cell counts are dropping and the doctor is concerned. We have an appointment this morning for a bone marrow biopsy to check the progress of cancer cells in the bone marrow. The biopsy results will most likely be in on Monday. Kim continues to run a temperature off and on- most likely due to the lower white cell count. 

Thursday - 7/14/05

The doctor's appointment went well yesterday. Kim got some new medicine for her stomach and the nurse took some blood tests. The doctor was pleased with Kim's progress.

We hope to hear something today or tomorrow on the transplant schedule.

Wednesday - 7/13/05

We have a doctor's appointment this afternoon so the doctor can look at Kim to see why she still has a temperature. Kim had a dentist appointment yesterday and everything checked out okay. The appointment was part of the bone marrow stem cell transplant pre-checklist.

Tuesday - 7/12/05

Kim had a few friends over yesterday afternoon. She enjoyed catching up with them.

Kim's temperature comes and goes. We will contact the doctor and see what plan of action they suggest. Otherwise she feels okay and is enjoying being home.

Monday - 7/11/05

Kim was running a temperature last night and was very tired. This morning her temperature is back to normal. However, her stomach is bothering her some. She will try to eat and see if her stomach feels better.

Sunday - 7/10/05

We are going to church this morning and Kim is feeling pretty well. She slept well last night and woke up refreshed. She is going to take it easy today and enjoy her family time.

Saturday - 7/9/05

We took a short trip to Young's Farm yesterday. It is about a hour and a half drive from the house. We got to feed some animals, play on the tractors, and enjoy the cooler temperatures. We also picked up some fresh vegetables and an assortment of taffy. Kim enjoyed the time and was able to get around fairly well with her cane. On the way back home we visited Kim's grandparents in Cave Creek.

Kim is resting up from all the activities yesterday. She plans to play with the kids today.

More pictures have been added to the Photo Gallery.

Friday - 7/8/05

Kim is resting this morning and watching Aaron play on the computer. She found it hard to go to sleep last night thinking about everything we learned at the doctor's office yesterday. She is feeling okay and we hope to get out for a little while today.

Thursday - 7/7/05

The big appointment was today. The plan is to get the transplant rolling as quickly as possible. It all depends on the donor's schedule. The hospital would like to do the transplant as quickly as the end of this month. That would be a very quick turnaround for all involved except Kim who is willing to do it tomorrow. Kim would be back in the hospital on the 22nd if the proposed schedule is okay with the donor. 

The transplant stay will be around 4 to 6 weeks with many of the same complications as her previous chemo rounds. The process starts with knocking out Kim's immune system. The process involves radiation treatments and some chemo drugs. The transplant is the boring part; just an IV transfusion and the stem cells work their way into the bone marrow and take over as a new immune system. Kim will be getting the donor's immune system and her blood type may even change.

We hope to find out more about the donor's schedule next week and how quickly things will proceed. Kim has some doctor's appointments in the meantime.

Wednesday - 7/6/05

Kim woke up feeling pretty well today. All the rest the last couple days seems to have made the difference. She made breakfast for the family and it was delicious. We will be taking Megan to the doctor today because she is complaining about a sore throat.

Tuesday - 7/5/05

It was a great July 4th for our family. We all snuggled together on a blanket at a nearby baseball field to watch the fireworks. The children got to play with friends; both new and old. We all slept well last night after all the excitement.

Kim is feeling good today. She plans to take it easy and spend time with the kids.

Monday - 7/4/05

Happy July 4th! Kim slept in today again and has some pains in the back of her head. She plans to spend time with the kids and to watch fireworks tonight.

Sunday - 7/3/05

Kim slept a lot yesterday. Her temperature is back to normal and she feels pretty well. We were fortunate to catch an early fireworks display last night in Youngtown. Everyone enjoyed the show.

Today we are hanging around the house and having another day of rest.

Saturday - 7/02/05

Kim is having a relaxing Saturday morning. She slept in and then had breakfast with the family. Her temperature is slowly returning to normal and she is taking some antibiotics.

We all went out for ice cream last night to celebrate the good news about the donor match. We have a doctor's appointment with Good Samaritan Hospital on Thursday of next week to learn about the next step in the transplant process.

Friday - 7/01/05

We received very good news at the doctor's office yesterday! A bone marrow stem cell donor has been found that is, according to the doctor, "a perfect match". We meet with Good Samaritan Hospital next week to start the process. The only info we have on the donor is that it is a man. Kim will be undergoing some tests soon to make sure everything is okay with her body. The donor will also be given a complete physical. We will find out more information next week and pass it along. Thank you for all your prayers!

June 2005

Thursday - 6/30/05

Today Kim has a doctor's appointment for a bone marrow biopsy. We should get the results from this test on Monday. Hopefully Kim is still in remission. She ran a temperature last night but is close to normal this morning. She is tired and her arm is aching.

Wednesday - 6/29/05

Kim is still running a low grade temperature and is a little tired. She plans to rest some more and then spend some time with the kids at the movies.

Tuesday - 6/28/05

Kim is running a slight temperature today and spent most of the afternoon in bed resting. Her feet are hurting again. She went to the doctor so they could draw blood to see what her latest blood counts are. Thursday she has an appointment to have a bone marrow biopsy done to check the status of cancer cells in her bone marrow.

Monday - 6/27/05

We are enjoying some time at home today. Kim is also setting up some doctor's appointments for this week. She is feeling okay; a little tired. The kids and Kevin are busy putting things back in place since we had to move everything to put in the new flooring last week.

Saturday & Sunday - 6/26/05

Kim was able to go home on Saturday evening. She is resting, relaxing, and enjoying being at her house instead of a hospital room. Her back and neck are hurting her and that is probably due to the shot they gave her to increase her body's white cell production.  Her family is very happy to have her home.

Friday - 6/24/05

The results came back from the bone marrow biopsy and we are very happy to report that Kim is now back in remission! Kim may get to go home in a couple of days according to the doctor. The search is still on for a bone marrow donor. The last two possible matches resulted in one donor not being eligible and the other donor is classified as "only in an emergency". Two new possible donors are being looked at right now and we are hoping they are better matched to Kim's unique genetic makeup.

Kim is extremely happy that she is in remission and so is the rest of the family. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Thursday - 6/23/05

Today was a quiet day for Kim She went for a walk with her father around the hallway and watched college basketball. She also had a new treatment to stimulate the nerve endings in her legs and feet. Hopefully tomorrow we will get the results from the bone marrow biopsy.

New photos have been added to the Photo Gallery.

Wednesday - 6/22/05

Kim had the bone marrow biopsy done yesterday at 4:30 pm. All went well with the procedure and we expect the results on Friday. This test will let us know if Kim is in remission.

Kim had a good day and spent time watching sports with her father and visiting with Aaron and Megan.

Tuesday - 6/21/05

Today the doctor is scheduled to do another bone marrow biopsy to see if Kim is back in remission. Kim is optimistic that the results will be good and she will get to go home soon. Please pray that the results are good! Kim is continuing her daily walks and getting stronger each day. She has even been able to use her fingers more and email a few people.

Monday - 6/20/05

Kim had a busy day yesterday with visits from Megan and Aaron, her mom and dad, and a couple of friends. She walked the hallway a couple of times and really has gotten so much better in walking and standing. She also got platelets yesterday. The doctor is hoping to do a bone marrow biopsy on Tuesday. Her attitude is great and she really hopes she can go home soon.

Sunday - 6/19/05

Happy Father's Day! I'm often amazed how well Aaron and Megan are adjusting to having their mom in and out of the hospital. I must give credit to my dad and Kim's dad for all their support during such a difficult time. They are always there for us even before we ask for help. We could never say "Thank You" enough for all they have done!

Kim had another platelet transfusion yesterday and was able to take a couple of walks around the hospital hallway. She will get another platelet transfusion today. She only has a couple more days of chemo left and then another bone marrow biopsy will be done to see if the leukemia is in remission.

Saturday - 6/18/05

Kim continues to feel better physically and mentally. She has been up and about this morning walking around the hallway with her mask on. She enjoys the views of the White Tank Mountains and of Sun City West. She is almost done with this round of chemo and then we will find out if she is back in remission.

Friday - 6/17/05

Kim had a platelet transfusion yesterday. She is also walking the halls more each day and feels more stable and stronger. She is growing tired of being in the hospital and is looking forward to going home for a little while soon, if the doctor approves. Her vitals are good and she feels pretty good overall.

Thursday - 6/16/05

Kim starts chemo again tonight. She had a short break away from chemo for a few days. She continues to exercise her legs through physical therapy. Kim's fingers are getting better and she is able to write with less difficulty. She has started a little scrapbook and is enjoying doing some creative things. Aaron and Megan are enjoying swimming with their grandparents. Next week while Kim is in the hospital we are planning to remove the flooring from the house and replace it with wood laminate flooring.

Wednesday - 6/15/05

Kim is neutropenic now, which means her white blood cell count is too low to fight off common infections. Anyone who enters her room now is required to wear a mask and gloves. Kim had a blood transfusion yesterday and everything went well.

Her hair is starting to grow back. We are not sure what color it will be. She has some light peach fuzz and some darker hair coming through.

Tuesday - 6/14/05

The lumbar puncture went okay yesterday. It was a little more painful than normal but Kim is recuperating well. We got the results from the previous lumbar puncture and there were no cancer cells found in the spinal fluid. This indicates the cancer has not spread; which is good news!

Kim is up and about today. She has taken a walk around the wing with the her physical therapist. She is trying to strengthen her leg muscles and improve her coordination.

Monday - 6/13/05

Another lumbar puncture or intrathecal is planned today. This is a routine part of the chemotherapy treatment. Pray that Kim doesn't get any headaches or backaches from this procedure.

Kim is feeling pretty well and has been taking short walks down the hospital hallways to build up her leg muscles. She has a nice view since she is on the 5th floor.

Sunday - 6/12/05

Kim had a nice day yesterday. She was able to go downstairs and have lunch at the hospital  cafeteria with her family.

She is a little nauseous this morning but was able to keep her breakfast down. We are waiting on her latest blood cell count numbers to see if masks and gloves will be required for visitors. Kim has decided to work on scrapbooking to occupy her time.

Saturday - 6/11/05

The results are in from the bone marrow biopsy performed on Monday. Kim is no longer in remission but the good news is that only 8% of the blood cells were cancerous. After Kim's first round of chemo in March her blood cells contained approximately 70% cancerous cells. The doctor told us in the beginning that achieving remission would not be the real problem but keeping this type of  Leukemia in remission would be difficult.  It is doubtful the chemo treatments will be able to put her type of Leukemia in permanent remission and the best hope still is a bone marrow stem cell transplant.

Kim was sad after hearing the news but is focusing on praying and keeping up the fight. It is hard because overall Kim is feeling better than she has in months. Please keep praying and encouraging Kim.

Friday - 6/10/05

It was another restful night for Kim last night. The neurologist evaluated Kim and ordered some physical therapy, occupational therapy, and a vitamin treatment for her. Kim's reflexes are not very responsive and and hindering her movements. An occupational therapist was in this morning and gave Kim some exercises to build up her hand muscles. The doctor believes this is only a temporary condition brought on by the chemo drugs. The doctor is also switching one of the chemo drugs which they suspect is causing this condition.

Kim is close to being neutropenic, which means her immune system is not strong enough to fight ordinary infections. This is a normal side effect of the chemo treatment. Special precautions are necessary when she is neutropenic. All people entering her room will have to wear a mask and/or gloves and Kim will not be able to eat fresh fruits or vegetables.

Thursday - 6/9/05

Kim is doing fairly well today. She had a restful night and a quiet morning. The doctor was in and was concerned with the way Kim is walking. A neurologist will come in and look at the numbness in Kim's right leg. We do not have any results from the bone marrow biopsy yet.

Wednesday - 6/8/05

Kim is resting today and recuperating from the busy day she had yesterday. The lumbar puncture took a little while to get started. A machine used in the procedure was not cooperating and after a delay everything went smoothly. Kim has a little back pain from the procedure but no headaches.

Today is day 3 of the Kim's current chemotherapy treatment. This round is called Hyper-CVAD with Gleevec and lasts for a total of 14 days. During chemotherapy the doctors keep close watch on Kim's blood cell counts. Her counts today are:

•  White cell count was in the good range,  7.5, (normal is 3.6 to 11.0)
•  Red blood count was in the low range, 3.11, (normal is 3.80 to 5.20)
•  Platelets was also in the low range, 111, (normal is 150 to 450)

The chemotherapy will eventually bring all these levels down very low and then Kim will need blood and platelet transfusions.

Tuesday - 6/7/05

Yesterday afternoon Kim had an PICC line placed in a vein in her arm. (Click here to learn more about a PICC). This device is used to administer chemo drugs and to draw blood. The procedure to insert it took awhile. The technician inserted it in her arm and then we had to wait for an x-ray to verify its position. The first try showed the device was headed toward Kim's neck instead of her heart. After a quick repositioning the line was headed toward the heart.

Kim thought she could rest after this procedure but she found out her doctor had arrived and was ready to do a bone marrow biopsy or BMB. (Click here to learn more about this procedure). The BMB went well and was not too painful. The doctor was able to withdraw fluid from the marrow which is a good sign. When Kim was first diagnosed with Leukemia the doctor was not able to withdraw fluid. We will find out the results in roughly 48 hours. This test is used to determine if Kim's Leukemia is in remission. After all of this the chemo treatment also started last night.

As you can imagine Kim is very tired today. I talked to her this morning and she told me she did not sleep too well. She also told me the doctor scheduled a lumbar puncture or intrathecal. (Click here to learn more about this procedure) Chemo drugs are injected into the spine to prevent the bad cells from spreading to the brain and spinal cord region. Kim usually does fairly well with this procedure. I believe this will be her fourth or fifth lumbar puncture. She sometimes gets bad headaches or back pains following the procedure.

Monday - 6/6/05

Kim is now back at Del Webb hospital in Sun City West. She was admitted around 11:00 am and is settling back into the hospital routine. It looks like it will be a very quiet first day. Her doctor is planning to do a bone marrow biopsy soon to check the growth of the cancer cells in her body.

Kim was a little sad because she had to go back in the hospital. She does feel blessed that she was able to be so healthy the last three weeks and was able to spend a lot of time with her family.

Click on the link to get more information about Del Webb Hospital.

Sunday - 6/5/05

Kim had some trouble with her stomach yesterday and spent most of the afternoon napping and resting. She has been sleeping very well lately, which is a blessing. We are preparing her hospital bag for tomorrow and getting things set for the fourth round of chemo.

Saturday - 6/4/05

Kim got to spend some time with a few friends from work yesterday afternoon and also helped Aaron organize his room.

Today has turned out to be a quiet day so far. Everyone slept in and enjoyed some extra rest. Kim is feeling good today and is treasuring her time with her family.

Friday - 6/3/05

The family all enjoyed their time at the movies yesterday. Kim was able to talk with some friends on the phone and prepare some things for her upcoming hospital stay. Kim was able to take a nap in the afternoon is sleeping better at night.

Today Kim has some lunch plans with a couple of friends and will be spending time with Aaron and Megan.

Thursday - 6/2/05

The news is in from the doctor. Kim will be heading to the hospital this Monday, June 6th for another round of chemo. The doctors are still discussing the transplant and donor situation. The consensus so far is the search should continue for a better donor match.

The family will be going to the movies today and spending as much time together as possible until Kim returns to Del Webb. Kim is in good spirits and is making the best of the situation as she always does.

Wednesday - 6/1/05

Today we will be going to the doctor to find out what the next course of action will be. We are hoping that Kim will be able to stay at home for a little while longer before going back into the hospital.

Kim slept and rested for a good part of the day yesterday. She is feeling a little stronger each day.

May 2005

Tuesday - 5/31/05

It was a quiet day for Kim yesterday. She spent most of her time playing with Aaron and Megan. Later in the evening she was able to sit outside and enjoy the cool weather while the children helped their dad plant new flowers.

She is feeling pretty well overall except for a low-grade fever she experienced last night.  She still has difficulty walking and using her fingers. She was able to email some people but her fingers quickly bother her when she types and that is frustrating for her. She really loves to hear from people and hopes to respond to more people soon.

Monday - 5/30/05  

Kim spent yesterday with her family and friends at home. Kim's cousin Lori and her boyfriend Mark came out to visit from California. Everyone had fun catching up on the latest happenings, reminiscing about old times, and encouraging Kim to keep up the fight.

This morning we are celebrating Memorial Day at home, explaining the importance of the holiday to Aaron and Megan.  Kim is trying to pack as much time in with her children as she can before she has to return to the hospital.

New pictures are in the Photo Gallery.

Sunday - 5/29/05

Kim got to go to the pool yesterday and found it challenging to walk in the water. Next, she tried out the spa and found that more relaxing. We rounded out the afternoon with a barbecue with family and watched the Phoenix Suns lose to the San Antonio Spurs.

After all the activity yesterday Kim is feeling a bit tired today. She is planning a relaxing, restful day at home.

Saturday - 5/28/05

Yesterday was a quiet day for Kim. She spent time with Megan organizing her room and watching Aaron and Megan playing in the sprinklers. Kim rested a lot and felt okay overall.

Kim has a cookout planned at her parents house today with some family from California.

Friday - 5/27/05

Kim got to go out yesterday and do a little shopping at Target and have lunch at a local restaurant.  We got a call from City of Hope, Good Samaritan Hospital, concerning the bone marrow donor search. The search has found some donors that share some of the genetic markers. City of Hope would like to continue searching for a better match. The better the match the less likely Kim's body will reject the donor bone marrow stem cells.

I left a message with the local bone marrow donor program at the United Blood Services to see what the procedures and cost are to join the bone marrow donor program. When I hear from them I will post the information on the website. For those of you that don't live in Arizona you can go to www.marrow.org to find out about the donor program in your area.

Thursday - 5/26/05

It was a day of rest for Kim yesterday. She spent most of the day in bed and sleeping. She felt nauseas most of the time but managed to keep all her food down. She was able to spend some time with Aaron and Megan.

She is hoping she will feel better today. She wanted me to tell you that she has really loved everyone's cards, letters, and website messages. It does a lot to help her spirits especially during the down times.

Wednesday - 5/25/05

Kim got a special treat yesterday. A few friends came over for lunch with her and she realized how much she has missed being away from them these last four months. Kim got to spend some time with Megan while Aaron and Kevin ran a few errands. We rounded out the evening watching "Herbie Rides Again".

Kim is feeling pretty well overall. She is sometimes frustrated with the numbness in her fingers and her feet. We have been told this is caused by the chemo treatments and