Running Low

After a week of fighting c. difficle Kim's blood is slowly building back up but not fast enough so today she is getting more blood and platelets. Hopefully that will make her feel better and have a little more energy. We really appreciate the people who donate blood and plateletes. The nurses, techs, and doctors here at PC are amazing. Even those not assigned to Kim will come in to visit and say Hi and are positive and encouragingand they enjoy visiting with Kim. Yesterday she wrote letters to her missionaries and shared her testimony with PC branch via e-mailand crossed one more day off the calendar. Thanks so much for your love, faith and prayers in her behalf she has truly been blessed.

Kim's Weekend

This weekend, Kim's friend Melissa stayed at the Hospital with her (Friday and Saturday night.) It's so hard to leave her, but she they had a really fun time together despite Kim feeling pretty awful with her stomach bug. And I think this was the first Sunday that Mom and Dad have been able to go to church together for quite a while.
Though the C-Diff (see last post) stomach bug that Kim has officially takes two weeks to treat (that's how I know she will be in the hospital for at least that long) her stomach doesn't hurt nearly so much. She had extremely painful cramps that even morphine wouldn't clear up for her. All they could really do is give her things that made her sleepy, so she wouldn't have to be awake for it.
Also, this weekend she started to get a slightly runny nose, and the doctors have been worried she might have somehow picked up a virus. But, she tested negative for that, thank goodness! Maybe she's just developing an alergy for hospitals ;)
Overall, I think she is through the worst of the chemo effects now, and will hopefully only feel better over the next couple of weeks until she is able to come home again for a while. (Lets hope that the marrow test she'll have before she goes back for round three shows her cancer percent to be at zero through and through!)

Thursday Update~ Sister Time!

Hey Everyone! I finally got to spend another day with Kim- and lucky me- we're even turning it into a sleepover! I came down after school today, and will drive back to Logan in the morning before my classes.

I got here to find out that Kim's chemo is finally starting to catch up with her. She's been feeling great this whole time, but just yesterday started feeling tired, sick to her stomach again, and her hair- the little bits that hadn't fallen out last time and were starting to grow back- pretty much bit the dust. The worst of it all though is that between the chemo that is killing a lot of cells, and the antibiotics that they are giving her because her ANC (Immunity) is down to zero, have wiped out most of the bacteria in her digestive system. As I'm sure most of you know, some bacteria is very imporant- both for digestion and for warding off "bad" bacteria that also lives in everybody's system. Because she doesn't have much of the good anymore, some of that bad bacteria is starting to run out of control. It causes a sickness called C-Diff. They are treating her for it already (it pretty much involves a special kind of antibiotic, special precautions regarding immunity) but if you would like to learn more, here is a great website with some easy to understand information:

http://www.cdiffsupport.com/aboutcdiff.html

Because Kim's remaining, short hairs have been falling out all over her pillow and such, she was patting at her head with bits of tape to help pick it up (and wishing for a lint roller!) For fun, I stuck a piece of tape to her head waxing-style (for those of you lucky ones who have never tried it- it pretty much consists of pressing down the sticky side in the direction the hair grows, and then supporting the skin while you rip the tape off in the opposite direction of the hair. Just in case you wanted to know.) Anyway, though it was only masking tape (basically the weakest there is) I was very shocked when I ripped it away and most all of the little hairs came away with it- there was an actual really bald spot in the place it had been. I was so worried I hurt her, but she said she didn't feel anything. (Dead roots.) She wanted me to do her whole head this way- and so I did. Just for fun I took some pictures, and I'll add them here:

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Crazy, huh? Anyway, Kim is especially vulnerable right now, and really isn't feeling very well, but we're hoping that won't last long. She should be able to come home in about two more weeks. Until then, she's really glad to hear from you (you can still send emails through the PCMS link- look to the info on right of screen) and if she's feeling well, would love company. Please check with her/us first to be sure that she's up for it that day. Thanks everyone!

Dad, dog and fun

Dad's perspective (Sunday 20Sep09)
I get to take my turn this weekend with Kim, I've actually been looking forward to this, I enjoy my time here with Kim. I got here Saturday afternoon as I was busy getting things done around the house, (computer maintenance, laundry, vacuuming, dishes, moping, yard work, etc. etc.) I didn’t want the house to look to bad when Julie got back.
Kim is continuing to do well, the only problem I can see is some pain with jaw and head aches. This round of chemo has been much less severe than the 1st round. Her ANC blood count is now zero, the chemo has done its job killing out her cells in the bone marrow, now back to the re-building faze. So her immunity is back to nothing and she is confined to her room. Kim and I watched a few videos Saturday evening. Sunday morning, I hiked for an hour on the Bonneville Lake Shore Line Trail, then took a short-cut coming back coming down the steep mountain slope and over the “U”. The “U” is made from a big slap of cement with embedded lights. Sunday I attended the sacrament service provided here at PCMC, and then the branch brought in the Sacrament and lesson to Kim. Kim and I have had a fun afternoon visiting and reminiscing about how good our lives have been. Kim got a special visit from a beautiful dog, a King Charles Cavalier. He was the most friendly-loving dog you could imagine. I want one now, what a beautiful dog. Thanks all for your food, love and prayers in our behalf. (Ward members have been bringing in food for Emily and I at home while Julie and Kim are at PCMC)