Update

Dear Friends, thank you all for caring about Kim even as she is through the worst of it all! (Finally!)
Having Kim at home is so wonderful. It is interesting, though, to see her as she is now. She still has a lot of recovering to do, and is taking so, so much longer than she ever used to before. It's like this whole experience truly has taken her right to the brink of what her body could physically handle.
Her ANC is still just at 300. She isn't allowed to "leave the house" (go places, anyway- going outside is fine as long as it isn't Snowing!) until her ANC is at 500. She went to Logan regional hospital on Thursday to have a transfusion of platelets, as she has been very low. She is still very weak. On one of the two walks she's been on outside, she pulled a muscle in her leg and had to spend the rest of the day laying down. And, as you know, this is still just killing Kim- she wants to be out there working out and building her body back up again. It's hard for her to still be having to do so just by resting.
She went back to PCMC on Monday for a check-up. Aside from being slow, they think things are going well.
The biggest problem she is facing right now is in regards to medication. She has been on so many, that her body has become dependent on them. It's been very difficult trying to figure out the best way to get her off of them completely, even for her doctors. Today has been very difficult for her. And it is very frustrating, when she wants so badly to just throw everything out the window, to still have to be taking medicine, just because her body is used to it, and not necessarily because she needs it.
But, overall, things are amazingly better. I will try to get some pictures on soon- I know how much all of you care about her. Thank you!
Love, Emily

KIM IS HOME!

Hey Everyone! Yesterday was a wonderful day: Kim was able to come home! Her blood counts were looking good enough to the doctors, so they decided she'd be alright to finish her recovery at home! She's already doing so much better now that her blood is 'beefing up'. Her bed sore and ankle wound are making leaps and bounds in their recovery, and she has more energy every day.
She's still on quite a few medications, including those through her central IV line. She won't be able to have that removed until after she goes in for her bone marrow test in a few weeks (once her blood counts are high enough.) As soon as they've double checked that her leukemia is still not coming back (which the doctors are sure it won't, just because she's done such a great job of beating it back up to this point) they'll remove the lines, and she'll be a free woman!
Until then, it's still the same old routine of being careful about germs, avoiding crowds and sick people, etc... but it's all so much better now that we've finally come to the end of it all.
I expect that we'll wait until we have the final bone marrow test results, and Kim is allowed a little more social freedom... and then you should all be expecting some wonderful party invitations!
Thank you all for everything! We did this together.
Love, Emily

EXCELLENT NEWS!!

I HAVE 200 ANC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D !!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm super stoked! I get to come home soon!!!!!! Maybe Monday. SQUEAL!!! YES YES YES! :) Ok breathe Kim breathe. My ANC went from 0 to 200 today. It was a total shock. I just can't believe it. I'm almost done! So so so SOOOO close! WOW! Oh my goodness! My bed sore is looking so much better, maybe I won't need plastic surgery after all. It's made more progress the past few days than it has the past couple months. Amazing. I'll be out of here before I know it.
This weekend so far has been a real treat. Both my mom and dad have been staying down here with me since Em is in Zion's National Park with her Relief Society Presidency (which she is a part of). It's been a balst being together :). I just love my parents so much I want to squeal just thinking about it. Man I'm hyper.
I'm so ready for Spring, I can't wait to go hiking, biking, running, and soaking up sunshine. Happiness :). I also need to get a job. If any of you know of a job I could get please let me know.
You guys have been so great. Thanks for helping me get through this trial. *HUGS*!! I love you all!
Kim

Hola amigos!

Things are getting better for me today. My bed sore hasn't been hurting as much and it has started to look better. My doctors are thinking my bed sore might need plastic surgery for it to heal properly. Yikes! It's still extremely painful when wound team changes the dressing on my bed sore. The wound nurse has to scrape and dig at it to try to get out the dead tissue that's preventing the sore from healing. The sore on my ankle hasn't changed at all for months. They also dig at that one too. An anesthesiologist has been coming to see me the past few days. Dilaudid had stopped working for me. He's trying to find new things that'll help take the pain away.

I was given an air mattress yesterday to try out on my bed to see if that would be more comfortable for my pokey bones. I'm still not sure if I like it or not.

Mom and I had a fun St. Patrick's day. We delivered festive cookies to the other patients here in the ICS and to the staff. From what I've heard, everyone loved them. Yay! One nurse told me that one of my cookies helped calm down a sad, crying toddler. That made me feel good :) I dressed up very festively.



Today I had fun on my walk. I found a cute little wheelchair. I also found out I fit in it. Hehe so I wheeled myself all around the unit.



Dad came down last Sunday and stayed with me till Wednesday morning. We had lots of fun :) going for walks, watching movies, playing games, talking in the middle of the night etc. I just love spending time with my dad :).

a note from Emily

I haven't been posting much lately, as Kim has been taking care of it herself every now and then. I know all of you like hearing from her, but I just felt like posting a quick hi as well.
I was able to go down this last weekend to see Kim and mom. I can't tell you how happy I am that she is doing so (relatively) well. Knock on wood. It's strange... knowing that in just a couple of weeks, she could be through all of this. Ever since she got so sick that last round, but finally started getting better, I almost haven't wanted to write here. It's like it's still too good to be true. I know it's thanks to all of you that she's been able to get to the point she is at now.
She's still having a rough time with some things, but continues to get better, bit by bit. I am really looking forward to the day she finally gets to come home... and I can shout the news from the rooftops. I'm sorry if any of you have felt like you are out of the loop recently. We love and appreciate you very much.
Keep praying for Kim, and in the back of your mind... start getting ready for a party. We'll be having one for sure when she's feeling up to it. :)
Love, Emily

It's still boring

Waiting waiting waiting. I'm almost out of here I just know it. My counts are still not coming up but hopefully they will soon. The past four nights I've thrown up. My doctors are wondering if maybe my stomach isn't digesting properly. I've stopped itching though so that's good.
Yesterday I reached a new low in my weight, 96 pounds. AY CARAMBA! I gained a little more today thank goodness. I haven't weighed this little since 6th grade I believe.
The wound team has tried a new approach to treating my sores. The bandages they put on them are like little wet pillows. I like to draw faces on the ones they put on my ankle.



It's starting to look nice outside, I can't wait to go out there :) spring is on it's way!
I'm starting to think of what to do when I'm released from this place. I want to take this CNA class at Bridgerland. It's starts on March 29th, registration is on the 15th. I don't know if I'll be able to get out of here in time to sign up :(
I've had Irish as a nurse the past few days, He's crazy :) very entertaining. The other day he stuck a rubber glove over his head. Don't ask me how he didn't suffocate. Oh what that man doesn't do to make the kids here laugh.



I wrote to a few missionaries the other day. To one of them I tried to draw a leprechaun face for him for St. Patrick's day.



Well that's about it :) enjoy the rising temperature!