Kimberly

Kim was diagnosed with AML Leukemia on July 22, 2009, just after she finished high school. She'd been feeling well, just showing a few bruises when she went to Primary Childrens Medical Center for a heart surgery to fix a relatively minor condition she's had since she was born. A blood test before the surgery showed that her blood had been completely taken over by the cancer. They admitted her that day and began treatment right away. She went through five long rounds of chemotherapy, doing relatively well, with the exception of one infection that led to a very scary stay in the Pediatric ICU. She spent almost all of that time in the hospital, with just a few breaks to go home. By the end of March 2010 she was allowed to go home for good- officially in remission! She was so excited to finally go to USU Fall semester, and got strait A's in all of her classes! Psychology, Humanities, Family Finance and ANATOMY. Not a week after finals, at a regular check up at PCMC, her blood tests showed that her cancer was back. And thus began round two- Kim's goal was to make it to a bone marrow transplant. We had found a donor, so all that was left was to get her in remission once more. After three rounds of chemotherapy, her body was no longer strong enough to keep fighting, no matter that her spirit was. She will always be with us. 7:48 pm, March 31, 2011

Thursday, December 17, 2009

again

I am sorry that I have been sort of crazy with the posts. I am not really sure if I'm making sense half of the time.
Kim is doing worse. They put her from just oxygen flow tubes to a CPAP machine- one that fits over her mouth and nose and is more forceful about blowing oxygen into her.
The results from her scans came back, and we found out that her lungs are 3/4 filled with fluid. When I put my hand on her ribs, I can feel them crackle when she breathes. She is practically panting all of the time- has been for days now. They don't want to put her on an actual respirator unless it is absolutely necessary, because with her immunity so low, the risks almost outweigh the benefit.
They stopped giving her the medicine we thought was making her loopy last night. So what has her totally delirious now is most likely the fever and exhaustion. She hasn't been able to rest much at all since this hit her on Saturday.
Leaving her was very hard. She has been having a lot of pain in her abdomen, and it hit again just as we were about to go. I think it is from being so tense trying to breathe for so long. That's when they gave her the breathing mask.
Hopefully the mask will help her lungs. Hopefully she'll be able to rest more tonight to help herself heal. Hopefully the medicines they are giving her will start to kick in and help the infection and fever. Hopefully the blessing she received earlier helps. Hopefully she'll be okay until mom can get there again in the morning. Hopefully the rest of us can keep it together while she is going through this. Hope and prayers.
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2 comments:

  1. dianna mDecember 17, 2009 at 11:19 AM

    Emily, our prayers are with all of you. I admire your strength. I think that we need to have another fast for Kim. Maybe Fri. or Sat.
    Love, aunt Dianna

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  2. Krista LynDecember 17, 2009 at 2:20 PM

    Hello
    I have been reading this blog because the fifteenth ward told me about it. You don't know me but I know how it feels to be just waiting and living in the Hospital. My mom in law got pancreatic cancer back in April and was in the ICU for at least three weeks. Just keep hanging in there. Keep praying and keep your hopes high! I am really sorry for everything that has been happening to Kim, and I will keep her in my prayers.
    A Happy ending will come someday, Miracles do happen!! My mother in law is alive today because of blessings, many prayers and wonderful Doctors and nurses!

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