Keep Running! -Kim

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

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Yesterday's Surgery

Just wanted to let you all know that Kim's operation yesterday went very well, and she is now officially no longer "part robot" as she liked to say. (Or, "powered like Iron Man": non-human devices coming out of her chest. Anyway...)
Her central line was removed, and all went well. The area is a little sore, but within a few days she will be able to take off the bandage, and in two weeks- hot tubs, here we come!

It's so wonderful that she is finally well enough to have come to this point. She still, of course, has quite a ways to go (we don't even know when we will be able to schedule the heart surgery, though we hope it will be soon) but it's so wonderful how much progress she has been making. It's a little strange to think that she really is finally over it all. Cancer free. Yay!

And, once again, if you want to come celebrate with us, the first event we're planning on is the Relay for Life at USU this Friday night. Come to the Nelson Field House around 6 pm, and stay as long as you like! (We'll be there all night!)

Thanks everyone! We love you!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Test Results and Relay Rank

This is a picture of Kim, wearing one of our fun wigs and a dress that mom made and wore when she was first married to dad. She gave it to our aunt, Dianna, who also wore it quite a bit, and then passed it back to me when I was old enough to wear it.

We got the Bone Marrow Test results today: 100% clear! I knew she would be, but it's so wonderful to have it official! This was the last one she'll have to do (I think- for a long time, anyway,) and this means that she gets her IV line taken out on Tuesday! Hot Tub party, here we come! (And Kim says, "hastle-free shower, here I come! She's going to love not having to worry about keeping it from getting wet ever again!)

Also, great news about our Relay for Life team! We are currently ranked #5 of all the teams registered in fund raising! Isn't that amazing? For such a disorganized, last-minute (my fault) affair, all of YOU have come through so beautifully! I am so proud, and once again, touched by the love and care all of you have shown. I am especially grateful, because even though we are doing this in honor of Kim, it is going to benefit many others who will face the same trials that she has. They all need as much help as they can get.

So, once more, thank you all.

*We have to use a "special vocabulary" with Kim these days. In this picture, she's not wearing leggings, she's wearing "jeans". When she does yoga, she's really "working out" and going for a walk around the temple is "a hike." Just so you know. :) Don't worry, Kim- you'll be back to your rough, tough old self before you know it. Come on, you beat cancer! You can do anything!