Have a Blessed Thanksgiving...

                  Today,  I am thankful for the memories...

                     The laughter, the tears.  Holding hands and holding each other.  The travels and traverses.  The beaches we walked on and the stars that caught our attention.

                     Her eyes, the way they sparkled when she looked at me.  Her passion and enthusiasm.  The way she believed in me.

                     Thank you Kimberly.

                     

11/22/2010

"Hi Everyone...it has already been 5 weeks since Kim went into St. Joseph's for gall bladder surgery and was found to have lung and liver cancer...! I feel as though we walking through a thick haze and time has come to a slow grind. We sure have made some progress over the last few days, since Kim was released from the hospital after a one month stay there (did I ever mention that Kim actually enjoyed the food there? Her surgeon, Dr. Atkinson, once turned to me and said 'you know, she doesn't have to eat that...you can bring her food from the outside...I wouldn't eat that'). Kim's oxygen flow, which had been as high as 5 liters while she was in ICU, is now down to 1 1/2 liters! She still gets exhausted and cannot walk on her own, but seems stronger and happier everyday.

Big day tomorrow, as Kim will have her PT scan in the a.m. - not sure how long it takes to get the results, but we will know what she is up against.

Today, I grabbed Tonio and Autumn (who stayed after school with her teacher, Mrs. Rudzena, and completely finished her book report that is due Wednesday!! Thanks Mrs. Rudzena!!) and we went down to In & Out Burger (Jodi and Kyle, you will be pleased to know they opened a new one on the east side of Tucson!). The kids love the burgers and I was showing them, how on the bottom of their cups, it says 'John 3:16'...one of my favorites...today, I noticed on the burger wrappers, was a Revelations verse #...I tore it off to check what it said, but alas, lost it in transit.

 Thank you all for following along with Kim's progress. And thanks for the ongoing support, love and powerful prayers! Through Him, all things are possible!!

    Here's the blog where I will do a couple of posts, as we hear things... conca5.blogspot.com - it's a little rough right now, my first attempt and thank you Jen Corbelli, our good friend all the way up there in Iowa, who gave me guidance on setting this up. I hope this helps all of you that want to continue to follow along as Kim takes her stand - she has been amazing through all of this! The blog can not do justice her positive attitude and how she continues to touch the lives of others, even in her time of need! If I've left anybody out, please pass on the blog address (if I've included anybody by accident...sorry!).

Thanks for the inspiration,

                        Love, Dave"

             Today, last year, marked the launch of Kimmy's Blog!!  With the help of Jen Corbelli and Ami Bunch, Kim and I worked on its creation together...Kim giggling the whole time, somehow flattered that I would go to the 'trouble' of building a blog for her and to keep those who needed to know how she was doing informed.  The time we worked on it, our heads together, Kim dictating feelings, expectations, symptoms, etc, were close knit times.  It is small irony that her blog has become cathartic for me...and yet, an important vehicle for me to be able to share all of the wonderful memories that Kim and I shared, and that I now cherish.

              If you were to have asked Kim what her five favorite places in Tucson were, I would bet that the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum would be one of the top two positions.  I know I've written about our visits there.  There were so many, having been members since 1994.  And you could break it down into segments of memories; Before Marriage.  Married.  Married with one child.  Married with two children.  Married with three children.  And, I suppose, Visiting the Desert Museum with friends/family.

           Today, I was honored to accompany Tonio's class field trip there, as I had for Cody and Autumn when they were in third grade (despite the now famous 'ice cream incident', of which I was playfully reminded over the last few weeks).    Here is our group...

            Lupe was also going, so her group and my group of children walked the grounds together, enthusiastically led by Antonio, making his 470billionth visit in his short 8 year life, he knows that place like a Sonic cheeseburger!  Right away, he led us to the cave, pictured above, (Kim and I used to call it the 'Cave of Wonders' after the Disney Aladdin movie).  He knew all of the little back tunnels, crawl spaces and features (like the giant bat ear exhibit) and showed our group each one.  And I would turn and tell Lupe a Kim story, as we passed different places - and, it seems, I could have easily told one at nearly every exhibit along the way and some for between exhibits, as well!

Monsi and Tonio work to free a fossil from this block of something really hard...

                               Lupe marveled over the beauty of the wooden bridge that transitions from roughly the wolf/owl exhibits and leads you to a desert path to javelina and coyotes.  I told her, that last October, I had taken Kim's picture with my Dad and Stepmom...KIm thought that bridge was incredible, too, and liked to take pictures from it.

                       I wanted to show Lupe this beautiful plant (obscured in this photo by this beautiful woman!), the Crimson Star Addenium - Kim's all time favorite plant/flower.  It had been just west of the art gallery entrance since we moved here in 1994...and just not there today...

                    We had a great time with the kids, who all loved seeing the animals and being outdoors on another stunning day here in Tucson.

bambini up, we came home to try to conquer another of Kim's famous recipes...Pumpkin Roll! 

                         The bambini worked together to mix all of the ingredients.  Here, they are coating the cake with the cream cheese filling.

Ready to roll!  There were pretty excited...this was actually their second attempt.  They helped make and bake one cake for the roll, and, while it was on the counter cooling, the nefarious Bella, decided she should 'taste test' it!!  So, we made a second one.

                                   The kids were excited to help bake.  Especially their favorite Thanksgiving food.  I told them how their Mama cooked a full out banquet, pretty much by herself, every year since 1993, except for two years...last year being one of them...They felt good about the way the pumpkin roll came out and Tonio did not want to wait until Thursday to try his baked goods out!

                                  In the end they waited...

                                  And then, due to lack of stairs, Cody and I set off with Bella on a run through the desert...

                                      Love,

                                         Dave

Sometimes, it's the oxygen that haunts me....

11/21/2010

"Whew, busy weekend here at the Conca household. Kim keeps improving, slowly, each day. We've been able to knock her oxygen intake down to 2 liters (and unplugged it once, just for fun). Saturday, we kept Kim entertained with movies and worked on helping her be able to regain some independence. She can now do her hair after I help her shower, as we have placed a chair in the bathroom - sounds like such a small thing, but it gives Kim a sense of accomplishment. She continues to have a good appetite and loved the ham, focaccia bread and turtle pie that my sister, Laur and her family sent out to us. It is amazing how fast the time goes, as we go from breakfast, shower, into lunch, nap, into dinner, meds in between, a nice shot of Lovenox to the stomach and off to bed!

Today, Kim felt even stronger...we were able to venture outside, despite it being perhaps the coldest day of fall, so far, at around 67 degrees and blustery. It was her first walk outside since being admitted to St. Joseph's on Oct. 19th. She cried tears of joy, once again, relishing every moment of her time outdoors, the smells, the trees, beautiful mountains and the brilliant blue sky. Of course, she took a long nap following the walk. Dinner was delivered by Sarah Stoner, who was Cody's first grade teacher - a dish the kids could not wait to try...Dorito casserole! It was tasty indeed. Later, our friends Rose, Vito and their son Joe and wife Deanna stopped by with a pantry load of pasta, canned tomato products, olive oil, several types of vinegar, eggplant, peppers, all sorts of biscotti and, to the bambini's delight...a whole case of lupini beans!! The kids LOVE these beans - hard to describe them if you've never had them, but they are a great snack.

Kim is working hard to get off of the oxygen. Tonio has become her little coach. Tonight, as he kissed her goodnight, Tonio picked up Kim's flowmeter and asked what her personal best was so far. Kim told him '750'...Tonio told her 'take a deep breath and you can hit 1000'. Kim explained that she had a long day and was too tired, Tonio persisted and Kim did it! A personal best. Tonio had her repeat it and promised to help her with it again tomorrow. These little guys are such blessings, and when we hit a tough moment in our day, it seems one of them will do something that puts a smile back on our face.

Quiet weekend for the kids...we started our day this morning, by going to church at St. Rita. Our friend, Suzanne Roelike, who works there, had the 9 a.m. Mass dedicated to Kim and was very nice. Jim came along with us and Grammie stayed home with Kim. Jim treated us to breakfast burritos at Nico's, perhaps the best breakfast burritos available and the kids weren't hungry again until dinner! Our neighbors, Tom and Amy took Cody out for some ice cream...Autumn spent the weekend working on her science fair project; 'are dogs color blind?'...Bella is not very interested in partaking in her project, but she is working diligently to get Bella on board. Autumn is also working on a book report, which kept her busy. Tonio loved watching movies with Mama and fell asleep watching the Eagles game with me tonight, which was kind of a nail biter, so I can't believe he didn’t wait up for the final result! Andrea and the girls checked in for a visit today, making Kim smile...  Again, the kids are happy Mama is home and enjoy making her salads, bringing her icy drinks, pillows, etc. The kids also played a great deal of Yahtzee with Grammie and Grandpa Jim...who noticed that the boys often take a few extra rolls, which really helps increase the number of Yahtzee's that they get!

Time is still moving very strangely for us, as we are still in the early stages of this journey, as Kim likes to call it. I find that now, we do have an extra hour or two during the day to just relax, but the rest is packed with taking care of Kim's needs and the bambini's. We keep focused on the day's victories and take each moment at a time. Tomorrow, it gets busy, as Kim gets her power port reactivated and we hope to learn the results of her blood test that will tell us how her kidneys are holding up. Tuesday, an early start with the 6:45 a.m. PT scan - to mark the areas/organs affected by cancer for Dr. Taetle to create his road map and course of action. This test will take several hours and Kim will need to lay flat for an extended period of time...something she has not been able to do since 10/19, so it will be a challenge for her. Later in the afternoon, she has an appointment with her personal physician, Dr. Struthers.

Well, almost time for Kim's pain medication - I just want to say thank you again for all of the positive thoughts and prayers - we're getting there!

Love,

Dave"

 

          Oxygen...we kind of take it for granted, don't we?  I think, in the back of my mind, I felt that if we could just get Kim off of oxygen, everything would be allright...I kept thinking "What the hell?  Why can't she catch her breath?  Why is she still on oxygen?"  Perhaps a small part of me suspecting the worst, but not wanting to believe...wanting to have faith. 

 

          And, I wrote to you that this was the 'early stages' of Kimba's journey...except I was wrong.  It was late and I just didn't see it.  Or know it.  I still thought I had this.  I still thought that I had some sort of control, that I could do this.  Maybe not cure Kim directly, but help her back to health.

          Rereading this now, I see the irony in my statement 'personal care' physician...who turned out to be anything but.  Perhaps our doctors, these days, in an effort to outrun insurance costs, overbook patients, preventing them from any real personal care.  In any case, we were blessed that Mario's sister worked in Dr. Struther's office and helped us get in and out of the office much quicker and smoother.

 

          But, dear reader, the one constant, throughout this whole journey, was you.  And your prayers, well wishes and support...without it...what would we be?

 

          Rincon Vista PTA:

          

"Hi Lorraine,

Kim and I just wanted to say thank you for having the PTA donate $100 towards our kid's lunches! That was so generous of you and we really appreciate your help during this challenging time for our family. Kim is improving a little each day. Today, we were able to get her outside to walk for the first time since she was admitted to St. Joseph's back on 10/19. Thanks again for your support! Dave"

 

          Our neighbor, Amy, had a lot to do with this and was so focused on getting school support for our family.

 

          From Patti, then the attendance clerk at Cottonwood (mom of Casey Rudzena, Autumn's teacher!);

         

"Hi Patti, great photo - how did you guys do? Kim had a good day again today - we were able to walk outside - her first time walking outside since being admitted to St. Joe's back on 10/19!! Thanks again for the visit and everything Friday! Dave"

 

               FIRST walk outside!!!  In over a MONTH!!!  I can't even begin to describe what I feel when I think about that...

 

              To my sister Laur and her family:

 

"Hi Laur, Jas and kids,

Thanks so much for the big tub 'o food! I've never seen such a thing! This huge, styrofoam, container arrived and I couldn't imagine what it was. Inside, a beautiful ham, foccacia bread and a pie!! We ate mightily last night and still had some left over for today! Thanks so much, that was so thoughtful of you guys. Also, thanks for all of the prayers, even Jason's parents have been in touch with inspiring words. We appreciate it! Love, Dave"

 

          And now we send our positive thoughts and prayers to her family, as Jason's mother, Barb, is on her own journey and battle against cancer.  Barb sent us many prayers and well wishes...

 

         Check this out from Fred Fagliano, fellow Knights of Columbus brother who worked tirelessly for our family:

 

        

"Wow, tell Anthony thank you so much! Hope he did well today and had a fun, safe time. You sure have helped span the country with prayer for Kim, Fred. We sure appreciate it! God bless, Dave"

Dave, it sounds like Kim is doing better and she has a huge week coming and then Chemo a week from Monday again. The power of prayer is amazing. My middle son Anthony is racing in the Tour De Tucson today (60 miles) He has been practicing and doing the full 100+ for conditioning for a few weeks now. Although he does not consider himself an elite rider we consider him one and he told us he is dedicating his tour ride to Kim. That was pretty special when he told me that. We are all dialed in to Kim and with prayers coming from NY to Kansas City to Tucson I know we have the landscape covered. God Bless Kim and all of the Conca clan. we love you guys!!!!!

Vivat Jesus,
Fred and his extended family"

 

       To Vito and his family...Viro's, our safe haven in this storm...

"Vito,

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to stop out and see us. It was so nice to see you and Rose and such a surprise to have Joe and Deanna come over too! Those two are such a nice couple, we love to see them.

Jim and I worked to rearrange the small closet that we call a pantry to be able to store all of that food you brought to us!!! It so nice, because none of it will spoil and it will last us a long time! Of course, the kids ate a jar of lupini beans right away and really like the Baresi brand. Kim was so excited you brought rubarb pie, her favorite and had a nice big slice - in fact, we polished off both pies!! That was incredibly generous of you guys, as always, and such a help to us right now. We cannot thank you enough.

Like I said, it was great to see you guys - you all really brightened Kim's day!

Take care,

Dave"

            We lived on what he put in our pantry in the weeks after Kimmy passed away...

 

            And the Corbelli family...Jen and Kim once cooked an Italian feast together for the entire Cottonwood teacher/staff team!!

 

    

"Thanks so much Jen - you're family has inspired ours, too, and we so appreciate the positive words and all of your prayers! Thanks for the blog link, I'll get working on it and let you know if I need help! Take care, Dave

Hello Dave, Kim & Kiddos,

Please forgive my delay in this email as I've been trying, hoping, and praying to say the words I wish to convey. First and far most, I can not begin to express my joy in the fact that Kim is home now. Home is where the heart is and also where we feel most comfortable. Miles between us has nothing to do with prayers as I hope they have all reached you daily. You are truly an amazing couple, family and friends to many. You have always inspired me to be a better person with the love and happiness that your family emits. I have held you in my heart and in my prayers and will keep you all there always. We often ask...or maybe speaking from myself, WHY? Only HE has the answers. To make us stronger, wiser, more loving? You have already answered that. You're family is strong. You're wise in your guidance and your love is overwhelming. So, how do we overcome? Simply...family and more prayers. Family is a root that runs deep and can never be broken. Prayers are miracles waiting to happen. I write this in hopes that you know, how much we carry you close to our hearts. Speaking for myself, I have held off in writing in the simple fact that words can't express what great expectations I have for all of you. Know that I have prayed, asked my family to pray ( my grandma & mom seem to have a direct line ) and yet prayed some more.

So with that being said, I will leave the link that should be helpful to start a blog. If for any reason you questions or ANYTHING at all...you know where to find me. The blog steps are pretty simple to follow. If you wish to be a bit creative in the process, I'd love to help.

With that being said, Goodnight Conca Family & God Bless!

 Love, Jen"

 

                   Jen helped a lot with getting Kimmy's blog up and running!!

 

                  These were the thank you's I was sending out last year this time...

 

                    ....And I am still thankful for all of the help we received while Kimmy was sick...

 

                  Tonight, we started prepping for Thanksgiving...the bambini told me "we hafta have Mama's pumpkin roll...and cranberry sauce!!".  I've never made a pumpkin roll.  But I'm about to try.  We did make her cranberry sauce tonight.  And the bambini proclaimed that it was perfect!

 

                   Ingredients:

 

                  1 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries

                  1 cup of sugar

                  1 cup of water

                  1 can of mandarin oranges

 

                  Combine sugar and water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Add the bag of cranberries.  Reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temp.  Add in oranges and refrigerate.

 

 

 

 

                           Love,

 

                                    Dave

 

Sundays...a lot less scary...

I've come to realize, over the last year, that Sunday's, for me, had become the day that I feared the most...it had been the best of days, yet, went terribly wrong, deep into the night.  I had become fidgety, restless, distracted...and sleep?  Well, I didn't want to think about sleeping...I wanted to avoid the dreams, reliving that night, nearly a year ago...
...and here, on this Sunday, we had two more weeks to go...had we known...Well, I do believe we made the most of our time together, but still.
    However, my Southwest Family has made Sunday's a day that my family looks forward to again.  Beginning with church together, Viro's and then a day for the bambini to relax and play together.

Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2010 23:01:38 -0700

Well, it was another pretty good day for Kim! Now that the drain is gone, having been threaded through her rib cage, she had a pain free day (thanks for the prayers on this one)!! She has been assigned a nurse to stop by twice a week to check her vital signs and ask questions to see if any new symptoms are cropping up. His name is Jim, and, as Kim and I like to associate her medical team with people we know, actors, etc, we both said 'Steve Buscemi', as soon as Jim left. He looks like he could be Steve's cousin and sounds a lot like him, too. Buscemi just might be one of the most underrated actors of our time and we like his films, so it was a fun visit. Jim said Kim's vitals looked good, her heart rate is still accelerated, but her breathing has improved, so we cranked her oxygen machine down from 3 liters to 2!

Now, it is going to get busy for Kim! Nothing scheduled for the weekend, but, Monday morning, she will have her power port re-accessed. Tuesday morning, her PT scan has been scheduled. This will give Dr. Taetle a 'roadmap', so to speak of where the cancer has infected Kim's body. I guess this is where we need a lot of praying - we pray for good news from this test. The test will take several hours. Later that day, Kim will have an appointment with Dr. Struthers, her personal physician, last seen when Antonio was born back in 2003.

Kim has truly enjoyed being home. We just got done watching a bunch of old Columbo episodes. He always figured out how the bad guy did it. I love how he would face the murderer, without fear and explain how they had committed the crime. She really loves that show. It is more of a challenge here, as we second guess possible symptoms, but are quick to call for consultation. Without the Dr's, nurses, techs, cooks and cleaning crew, it is a fast paced day here (I need a stunt double!). But, as you can imagine, Kim is an amazing patient and has gotten back into helping the kids with homework, watching movies with them (Autumn and Kim watched 'Letters to Juliet' together tonight - thanks Andrea!) and spending time with her mom and Jim.

Ah, and the bambini's had another amazing day. Tonio and Autumn stayed after again and their teachers, Mrs. Schrantz and Mrs. Rudzena, helped them with homework (teachers that are willing to stay late on a Friday? We are blessed with hardworking leadership in this district!). The brought the kids home, along with Mrs. Rudzena's mom, Patti, and presented Kim with a beautiful charm bracelet, with charms to keep her strong, that the teachers at Cottonwood put together for her. She also received an autographed copy of Jane Seymour's 'Among Angels', from the store manager, Andy, of a Barnes & Noble up in Scottsdale. She had a nice time, but, due to the oxygen and her lung complications, she is pretty tired tonight. Cody had a good day in school, getting some extra help from Mrs. Paton, his science teacher and scoring a 100% on his test today. We all ate dinner together (Autumn leads us in prayer, she is so sweet), thanks to Melissa for the delicious enchiladas and tamales! It was the first time Carole and Jim had ever had them. I remember, shortly after we moved here, Kim and I went to Casa Molina for our first mexican meal. We ordered the tamales and I bit into mine, without unwrapping it. When the waitress stopped by to see how things were going, I told her 'how do you eat these things, they are so tough?'...she didn't even laugh at me as she explained that you had to unwrap the corn husk cover first... The kids played a rousing game of Yahtzee with their grandparents and then a little Guitar Hero, which I found that I am not so talented at. Tonio is quite the singer.

Kim seems to improve a little each day. Again, having her home has been wonderful and, we feel, re-energizing, as we focus on getting her strong enough to kick the oxygen and be able to walk on her own again! So many people approach me during my day and tell me that they have added Kim to their prayers, their prayer groups, their church's prayer list, etc. etc. I have noticed, that every time someone tells me that, something good happens for Kim. Thank you all.

Cast all your burdens to the Lord, and He will sustain you...always

Psalm 55:22

God Bless,

Dave"

      Here's the thing.  In Mass this morning, with Andrea, Lupe and Manny, the Homily was all about how we do not know when our time will come "we do not know the hour or the day"...and we don't.  Over dinner tonight (I made marinara, meatballs, angel hair, etc for Andrea, David, Lexy, Breanna and the bambini), Andrea and I talked about how Kim may have known she had little time left, but did not want to get too deep into it.  She would tell us 'that is not important right now', so that we might enjoy the moment.  Andrea recalled how she seemed to have a bigger picture type of view, too - not just enjoying friends and family, but somehow focusing on EVERYTHING, like the sun, the birds, the mountains, the clouds, etc, etc.

         Talking to Angie tonight, she fondly remembered how when she walked into the room, Kim would hit her with a cheery "Hi Angie, how was your day?" and still cherishes a shower thanks to Kimmy.

        At Viro's, we focused on the big picture, as Kim did, we did that.  Today was an incredible day.  The type of day that makes us truly appreciate living in Arizona. 75 degrees and sunny...blue skies. And Vito and family visited with us, making us feel appreciated.  The bambini feasted.  One of Vito's newer team members, Tiffany, made her second ever cappuccino for me and her first ever white chocolate latte for Andrea....and they came out good.  The cannoli cake was amazing...but, it was the company that makes Viro's such a nice way to start our week!

       

           I do not know what tomorrow will bring...but I truly enjoyed today, and appreciated all of the sharing, caring moments...church, breakfast with family...the bambini playing...cooking  dinner for family (there is no such thing as lunch on Sunday's after Viro's!)...watching the Eagles win (remember, Dec 12th 2010, Kim and I watched them beat the Cowboys together) with Autumn wearing her Desean Jackson jersey...

           I will not fear the night tonight...and for that, I am thankful...

                      Love,

                          Dave

        

Pancake Breakfast

Last year, this time, the 2nd annual pancake breakfast and classic car show was about to take place.  Kim had done a neat job the first year - it was a fun event for Rincon Vista and the community.  She was in the planning stages last year, when she got sick.  And, being Kim, she was so worried about someone else having to do her work.  She had me make phone calls to all involved on what she had done and what she still needed to do.  She had a meticulous notebook that she had me drop off at the school.  And still...she worried and so wanted to finish what she started.

11/19/2010
"Hi Dave!

Tell Kim that all the artwork and posters were inspired by her! We took everything she had done and put it in a few different formats, but the genesis is all hers. We have our fingers crossed that the whole Conca family will be able to come share in what would be a very special morning indeed.

Brent

PS: Look at this photo from last year!"

And there we were.  It was so much fun!  So, mark your calendar, because the 3rd Annual Kim Conca Car Show and Pancake Breakfast will be on Saturday, Dec 3rd, from 8a.m. to 12p.m. at Rincon Vista Middle School just east of Houghton on Bilby Rd!!!

And good folks from Rincon were keeping our hopes alive and our spirits up with emails like this one:

"

"Dearest Kim and David,

You're in our thoughts and prayers and am praying as fervently as I can for both of you. I specially thank Our Lord Jesus Christ for you David. You're an extraordinary and remarkable husband, father, and provider!! I'm always praying for you so that Our Lord Jesus Christ continues to give you the strength, persistence and patience to take one one hour at a time. I will forever be grateful for allowing us to be part of your new and challenging journey and kindly letting us know how our beloved and amazing Kim is doing.

Cast all your burdens to the Lord, and He will sustain you...always

Psalm 55:22

May Our Lord continue to give you peace and fill your hearts with His Divine Love and Hope,

-Veronica"

  

         And from wonderful Cottonwood teachers...

"Hi Sarah, Thanks so much that you and the rest of our Cottonwood family
have been doing during this challenging time for our family. We so
appreciate you all! Sunday would be great - we should be around all day, so
just give us a call -  and let us know when is
good for you.
Thank you for the prayers, too - they are helping Kim get stronger every
day!
It seems like a weird year for the NFC East - I thought the Eagles would
be at the bottom with the 'Boys and Giants fighting for the top. I'd
actually like to see McNabb do better in Washington, as I'm still pretty
upset the Eagles let him go.
Talk to you soon, Dave

--------------------------------------------------

> Hello wonderful Concas!
>
> I know that you are totally overwhelmed with stuff right now but I was
> planning on bringing you some dinner on Sunday. Is there a good time I
> can swing by? Just let me know. Our thoughts and prayers are with you
> constantly. Henry and I say our prayers together every night and you are
> all a big part of every prayer!
>
> Enjoy your weekend! Sarah Stoner
>
> P.S. Dave, can you BELIEVE the year the Cowboys have been having?!? "

  And from Barnes & Noble managers...

"Hi Andy,

Kim received the book you sent her today. Thanks so much for thinking of her. She had seen a special with Jane Seymour, talking about the events that led to her writing her book. It meant a lot to her that you took time to have Jane personalize it for her. Gave her a good smile, which we both needed! Kim's improving daily, but it's 'baby steps'. I've never been terribly patient, so it has been difficult for me. She's still on oxygen and can't walk by herself and her heart rate is accelerated. Kim has a PT Scan scheduled for Tuesday a.m., that's designed to let the Dr. know exactly where else the cancer has infected, besides her lung and liver. We're hoping for some good news.

Thanks again Andy, I appreciate your thoughts, prayers and the book, which is very positive! Dave"

        Andy, who runs a store near Scottsdale, AZ had sent Jane Seymour's newest book 'Angels' and had her personalize a copy for Kim...she LOVED it!!

        More Cottonwood teachers...

"Jen, Mary, Jill, Denise, Yvonne, Allison, Diana, Casey, Chrissy, Deborah, Apryl, Patti and Kristine,Ami,

Thank you so much for the charm bracelet that you all lovingly put together for Kim, to help bring her smiles and sunshine during this particularly dark time in her life. You are all angels. She loves the bracelet and she is going to enjoy each charm every day. That was so thoughtful of you all.

We have been so blessed by the love and support our Cottonwood family has provided our family! Especially for Autumn and Antonio, who really needed your help during the time Kim was hospitalized and I truly feel that they are just fine, thanks to all of you!

While words can never express how thankful we are, please know how much you mean to all of us.

Thanks again,

Dave"

And Volunteer Coordinator at Cottonwood...

"Hi Melissa,

                Speaking of pancake breakfasts, we had one here this morning.  Really.  Janene's son, Brendon had slept over and Andrea and Breanna came over.  I made pancakes (of course), bacon, eggs and hash browns.  Cody and Brendon finished first and went to load up the Expedition, popping open the garage door to find...a rattle snake!!
                Well, I am no snake wrangler...and have deferred to the fearsome snake hunter, my neighbor Brian the last time one was on our porch, hiding behind St. Francis...so, I sent Brendon and Cody down to get him, while I used a shovel to slide it out of the front of our garage. 
                The snake did not take kindly to this.  It reared up, ready to strike.  Meanwhile, Betsey came down the walk and told us that Brian was not home.  However, snake hunting runs deep in their family and Betsey took a shovel, pinned the snake down and I lopped off its head.  It was not pretty.
                I'd love to show you a photo, but I recently smashed my phone.  It fell off of the kitchen counter top, falling straight down and landing totally flat on its face...smashing it. And the photo of the snake is trapped inside...

The snake banished, we went to the Foothills Mall, where they dumped several tons of snow in the parking lot.  We met up with Lupe, Manny and Monsi and Kim, Rahson, Mariah, Micah and Maleah.  The bambini had a blast hurling snow balls for several hours!!  Their cotton gloves quickly becoming wet and useless, but this did not slow them down at all!!

I took some great photos...but, I smashed my phone.  You know, as it fell off of the kitchen counter, it did not tumble, or turn even a little bit.  It simply fell, flat as a pancake.  Fblapp. Like that.

When the snow melee had ended, we went inside to the Barnes & Noble Cafe, where the kids had hot chocolate and pastries.

In the evening (and after Brendon and Cody spent 4 hours at the skate park), we went to Pizza, Wings and Things and caught the first half of the U of A v ASU game..which the Wildcats hung on to win, the Sun Devils making it down to the 15 yard line as time expired!! 

Good day.

Love,

Dave

Fixing Kimmy's Bike

11/18/2010
"Another good day for Kimmy, as she had her final visit with her surgeon, Dr. Atkinson. She'll miss Dr. Atkinson, he has been good to us and we were blessed that he was on duty when Kim was admitted to St. Joseph's. He reminds us of the actor Ed Norton, and on the day she was released from the hospital, our favorite Ed Norton movie, Fight Club, was on...we had some good Philly sports conversations, as he hails from Bristol, PA in northeast Philly. He had cultured some of the discharge from Kim's drain, found no infection and felt it was time to be removed. He was able to take it out right there in his office. The drain has caused Kim the most discomfort and, hopefully, she will have some pain free days. She wept with joy in the parking lot and said 'that's one more thing off of my checklist!'. We stopped at Target on the way back so I could get her a celebratory mango smoothie! She's pretty tired after her big day and sleeping right now...but it seems, each day, she is making small steps towards feeling better. We are now waiting on the results from the blood tests Dr. Taetle ordered to check her values and to see if her kidneys are strong enough to handle her next round of chemo - so please pray for strong kidneys for Kim!

The bambini's had another good day, too. Obviously relieved with their mom being home, they are certainly a little more energetic than usual...our friend, Andrea, picked up the kids today after school, took them to Costco, where her husband Mario works, and they bought the kids pizza and hot dogs. Then, they went to Eegees, a kind of southwestern Italian ice/deli chain in Tucson, and had Eegees (Autumn and Andrea's daughter, Lexi, had soft pretzels, too). Next, they went to see her son, David's, soccer game at Udall park, a large, beautiful park, where Kim and I used to run, take our first pup, Cajun to play, as we lived in apartments right across the street from it when we first moved to Tucson in 1994. David's team won 5-2 and David scored a goal.

Now, we are hoping Kim's lungs can gain some strength, to be able to get her off of oxygen. She walked from the car to the Dr's office today, and made several bathroom trips, but is exhausted at the end of each walk. Still eating well (Thanks Mary Montes for the awesome chicken spaghetti and thanks to her sister, Ami Bunch, for the strawberry salad!!), which should help her get stronger. No more appointments until 11/29, when she has more blood work scheduled and then her next chemo is scheduled for 11/30.

Other than that, we are working on the cornucopia of paperwork involved in coordination with her condition - having signed up for ACCHHS, Social Security Disability and researching many other avenues(I need a secretary!) - Kim's school has been helpful in exploring some of our options and is even looking to make an exception for her to allow her to 'borrow' sick time from other school district employees!! They have been so supportive!

Thank you all, once again, for the support, bambini help, food (I love food...I could practically live on food!) and prayers!

Love,

Dave"

  We were getting there right?  Getting there.  Being out of the hospital and the trips to the Dr. appointments, gave Kim and I opportunities to do fun things together that we never got to do over the last 14 years or so - like grab a mango smoothie at Target.  The small things meant the most.  I cherish the memories.

    And the memories of the wonderful food - like the dinner that Mary and Ami made us this day.  It was so nice, giving more time with Kim and the bambini, as cooking takes a lot.

     Here are some more email exchanges from 11/18/2010:

      From Tonio's teacher...

"HI Dave,

I hope that Kim's appt. went well today and she is drain-free now! It was great seeing Andrea Castillo today and catching up with her-it's such a small world! She said she got to spend some time with Kim this morning and that Kim's spirits were good-I'm glad to hear that. She is such an amazing, strong person (as are you!!).

I wanted to see if Kim would be up for a few visitors tomorrow around 3ish. Patti, Casey, and I would love to bring her the charm bracelet that we've been working on for her. If not that is totally fine-we 100% understand. However, if it does work out, the kids can stay with us after school until about 3 and then we can bring them home.

Hope you get some rest tonight!

Apryl"

A thank you to Mary Montes:

"

Hi Mary,

Thank you so much for the delicious chicken spaghetti and rice krispy treats! I have a weakness for rice krispy treats!! Kim's stepdad, Jim, who is 100% Italian, and I were discussing the chicken spaghetti. Neither of us had heard of it before, and prior to trying it, we agreed that we have never met a pasta dish that we did not like..your pasta was fantastic, we both agreed!! That was very thoughtful of you and our family truly enjoyed the meal and dessert!! We are blessed to have you in our lives and to have your support during this challenging time.

Thank you too, for the card and generous check that was presented to us from our Cottonwood family...where would we be without all of you?

Again, we appreciate all you do!

Take care,

Dave"

        Mary and her husband Emilio (and now Brinley!) continue to be a part of our lives, helping us through and inspiring us!!

        Ditto her sister Ami Bunch, her husband Brian and their triplets.  Yes, TRIPLETS!!

"

Hi Ami,

We wanted to thank you for the delicious strawberry salad and raspberry dressing that you put together for our family - it was so good! I was emailing to Mary, what an inspiration your family has been to ours for many years and how blessed we were to have you as a teacher for Cody and as friend of our family. You, Brian and your little ones are incredible!

Also, we were overwhelmed with the card and generous check that our Cottonwood family presented to us and are very appreciative. I do not know where we would be without the support of wonderful people like yourself.

Thanks again, Dave"

Started the day here, at Mary's Chapel, lighting a candle for Kimmy and cleaning her picture, before 8:30 Mass...and breakfast with Lupe and Manny at McD's after Mass!

Met with Carondelet, administrators of Kim's Foundation, to discuss who needed help from Kim's fund and they caught me up on the progress on the chapel being built at St. Joseph's Hospital, with assistance from Kim's Foundation!  We also hammered out the wording about Kim's Foundation for her cookbook - I submitted the edited proof today!! 

Met the manager of Starbucks, who has provided Andrea with gift cards as raffle prizes for Kim's Foundation, a syrup pump and sugar for my iced tea, prayers, etc for the first time today!  Her name is Kim, too!

Rode out into Fantasy Island, solo, to fix Kimmy's memorial out there...

Made it through in a half hour, pressed for time to go pick up the bambini from school!  The bambini noticed that red overspray on some of my fingers (I'm no Kim, you know!) and asked me what happened.  They were so happy when I told them that I repainted Mama's bike. 

There is a certain freedom in hurtling through the desert on, essentially, slightly widened cow paths...until, sudden sobriety hits you in the form of half a dozen cattle, literally right in front of you as you make a corner!!  Shocks you back from the beauty - veering around jumping cholla and other assorted cacti, I managed to out maneuver them, get back on their path and speed away...telling myself that they were just as startled as I was...

Love,

Dave

 

 Comfort Food

 

You're Never Over

"You're Never Over"
"The days are cold livin’ without you
The nights are long, I’m growing older
I miss the days of old, thinkin’ about you
You may be gone, but you’re never over.

God just help me out while I fight through this grievin’ process
Tryin' to process this loss is makin’ me nauseous
But this depression ain’t takin me hostage
I’ve been patiently watchin’ this game, pacin’ these hallways
You had faith in me always

And instead of mourning your death, I’d rather celebrate your life.

 It was just the other night, had another dream about you
You told me to get up, I got up, I spread my wings and I flew
You gave me a reason to fight.

Not many are lucky enough to have a guardian angel like you.
Lord I’m so thankful, please don’t think I don’t feel grateful, I do
Just grant me the strength that I need, for one more day to get through"
                                                                     Eminem

11/17/2010

"Wow, we've had an amazing couple of days! Once Kim got home, she received a heroes welcome, complete with the chalka estrada, and the bambini's would not leave her side. This has been good for the kids...they have done so well, with the help of our friends/family and are so relieved to have mom home. They immediately settled in to helping mama with whatever she needs. Thankfully, their teachers are still making extra time with them to help them keep up with their studies (progress reports arrived - Autumn has straight A's!! Cody has A's in all classes but one, and that teacher is the one giving up her lunch hour to help tutor him! And Antonio has all A's except for two subjects, which are high B's!) they would have been pretty lost with the leadership and compassion found in the Vail School District!!

Kim still has an uphill road to walk. Her oxygen intake is still pretty high and she cannot walk alone. But, she had some BIG wins today, getting to take a shower, as we placed a chair in the bathroom (it took us two hours, between prepping her power port, drain and arm that had the thrombectomy, giving her time to rest and then getting her in, but she felt like a new person when done). She also sat at the dinner table with us all for the first time in one month!! Again, this was great for the kids. We had her follow up with her oncologist, Dr. Taetle today (Google him, any thoughts of 'Mayo' or 'Cancer Treatment Centers of America' will immediately dissipate, as they did for me when I did my research on him the first day I met him). Kim absolutely loves Dr. Taetle. She feels he resembles her 'stepdad' Jim and his mannerisms are similar, too. He feels she is making some progress. Her coughing is decreasing, so he believes the bleeding in her lungs is slowing down and he felt able to schedule her next round of chemo for 11/30. As I mentioned before, the primary chemo is called alimta, a newer, so costly form of chemo. It filters through the kidney, rather than the liver, which is already compromised. They drew blood on Kim today to check her kidney values to be sure they are strong enough to handle the alimta (please pray here).

The little bambini's stayed after school today to get tutoring from Mrs. Schrantz (Tonio) and Mrs. Rudzena (Autumn). They were dropped off by Mrs. Rudzena' mom, Patti. The kids had such a sense of accomplishment when they got home, showing us how much homework they were able to get done with their teacher's help (and Tonio proudly proclaimed 'and I had popcorn with hot sauce with Mrs. Schrantz!). I picked up Cody and our neighbor Amy took him to see her son, Alex's, basketball game and then took them to Subway (Alex's team, Rincon Vista Middle School, won). Tomorrow, they will all be picked up by our friend, Andrea, and taking to see her son, David's, game, while Kim has an appointment with Dr. Atkinson, to evaluate her drain for the abscess where her gall bladder had been and, hopefully, remove it (please pray here, too). It is her remaining source of pain.

We are so appreciative of all of the help and support you all have provided, beyond our imagination. We are so blessed and each time we face a hurdle, God has blessed us with one or more of you stepping in to help us. From the absolutely huge check presented to us by our Cottonwood family to the incredible team that I am blessed with at Barnes & Noble, who have enabled me to take a month off and counting to be by Kim's side and to help my family...everyday someone comes forward to touch our lives - some have told us they had lost faith at some point in their journey and have rediscovered it. Some have told us that they have reprioritized their lives...some have said they've reconnected with a family member or friend that they lost touch with...everyday, we are blessed by you all...I am so humbled and appreciative. My family is in good hands. 
         Thank you, Love, Dave"


          Kim getting to take a shower...Yes, it took a few hours to get her ready - but, for her, and for the appreciation she showed, the look in her eyes.  On her face.  The tears...it was worth it.  And to sit with the family at the dinner table...amazing...

         Speaking of sitting at the dinner table with family...

                      We chased away any lingering dark clouds with a huge dinner at Viro's!  Angie, Andrea, David, Lexy, Breanna, Kim, Rahson, Mariah, Micah, MaleahBrinley, Cody, Autumn and Antonio...

Angie, Rosa and I...

              
                                                       Lexy and Autumn, happy and full...

Breanna and Tonio enjoyed gelato for dessert.

                     We spent about 3 hours together, talking, eating, the bambini playing - customers came to the table to compliment how well behaved the little ones were...

                                      Italian Wedding Soup...Pasta...Gelato...Friends...Family...

                                      Love,

                                            Dave


                    

Kimmy's second homecoming

11/15/2010...was a wonderful day.  Exciting.  Refreshing and full of hope.  I knew Kim being at home was a lot more work for me, but I was looking forward to it.  Just being able to have her home was a tremendous feeling!

Here was one of Autumn's emails to a friend:

DUDE, GUESS WHAT?! MY MOM IS COMING HOME TODAY!! WOO HOO! ISN'T THAT AWESOME?! OF COURSE IT IS! WOO HOO! TTYL!

11/15/2010
Well, she's done it again! Digging deep, Kim was deemed well enough to make it out of St. Joseph's again...we're praying it is longer than the 20 or so hours that she was home last time!! All of Kim's Dr's. agreed she is well enough to make it home. She can walk to the bathroom on her own and can sit in a chair for several hours now. She was sent home with oxygen and has several tanks for travel to Dr appointments, which she has nearly daily the rest of this week and a large home unit that plugs into the wall and makes oxygen for her (and makes a great white noise that I'm looking forward to falling asleep to). She still has her drain, too, which we are hoping will be removed at Dr. Atkinson's office on Thursday afternoon. It is producing less and the drainage is being tested to see if there is anything funky growing in there. I will give her a daily Lovenox injection to control blood clotting, flush her drain three times per day, and give her pain killers, anti-biotics, etc throughout the day. All of Kim's Dr's and nurses were sad to see her go...she sure touched the lives of many while in that hospital, as Kim tends to do.

We loaded up the back seat of our Toyota Tundra to capacity, with all of the items collected from well-wishers and then had to fit two tanks of oxygen! We stopped by Walmart to get her syringes of Lovenox and Kim waited patiently in the truck for about an hour while I got that prescription filled (no one shops at Walmart for their service!). When we arrived home, the kids had once again decorate our driveway with side walk chalk...if you've ever had a chance to make it to San Diego for their Columbus Day festa in Little Italy, they have this incredible 'chalka estrada', a sidewalk chalk art gallery right on the streets and sidewalks, where artists make beautiful murals on the street - well, our kids brought a little of that festa to our neighborhood, on our driveway for Kim, creating a beautiful mural welcoming her home. As we got inside, she was very tired and I noticed her tank had run out of air! Upon further inspection, I noticed it was not turned on!! Either the tech from the hospital who loaded us up forgot to turn it on when he transferred her from the hospital tank to ours, or, when he placed it in the back of our truck, the handle somehow got turned off during transit. We are not sure how long she was without oxygen, but quickly hooked her up an she had instant relief and quickly fell asleep.

The bambini's were so happy to have her home, they came streaming out of the house at terrifying speeds, and smothered Kim with love. Bella behaved very well, containing her 'Tigger' like demeanor. Betsey had  picked them up from school for us, as Kim and I endured the grinding process of hospital check out, which began around 8 a.m. and saw our freedom come around 3:30. Grammie and Grandpa Jim had spent the day as 'white tornadoes', cleaning our home for Kim's arrival and then taking the kids and Bella across the street to the park. We all ate dinner together, for the first time in nearly one month.

It sure has been a long, surreal month. Kim still has a long journey ahead, and today marked a significant step forward. This week, we have appointments with her surgeon, her vascular specialist, her generalist and her oncologist, who will determine what and when we will be able to go after the tumors that Kim has. We pray that her lungs are ready...her mind is set!

Thanks again for all of your support, the daily dinners that are being delivered, help with the kids, happy thoughts and the prayers, mostly the prayers!!!

'If today your hear His voice, harden not your hearts'...you have all heard and helped!! Thank you and God bless,
Love, Dave"

          I remember being scared - not having the nurses and techs help...and not having a Dr. close by had me on edge.  Giving Kim her lovenox shots, twice a day, hurt me.  She was so sweet and gracious saying things like "Ok, go ahead and give me my shot.  I'm ready!", knowing that I had just injected her, but pretending that I was so good at giving them, that she didn't even feel it!     
          We quickly got on a schedule, lining up a notebook for Kim's medications, monitoring oxygen, scheduling visits with Bayada Nurses, who would come every few days to take Kim's vitals, meals, showers - I took one of our patio chairs and fit it in the shower.  I would move her oxygen down the hallway so her line could reach and she could sit in the shower - something she found such a luxury and cried grateful tears!  She was such a great patient...
          And our first dinner together, with her parents here, was so moving and meaningful...Carole and Jim worked so hard around the house, helping keep it clean, helping prepare meals, helping with the bambini

           I can't describe to you the mish mash of emotions we went through.  On one hand, sheer joy and relief to have Kim well enough to come home.  On the other, feeling a frightened, over the enormous responsibility, with medical back up so far away.  We found 'quality' time in being able to sit together in our own home.  And working for Kim, trying to save her, and any comfort I could provide her, gave us both intimate time together...

          Have I mentioned how much I miss her?


      

Gnocchi...and the 'nice pot'

             Tonight, I entered the closet.  I did not want to.  It still, well, speaks to me.  I feel it telling me Kim is ready to start her day and here are her shoes!  And her slacks!  And her pretty dresses!  Getting cold?  Sweaters!  Blouses, hats, bathrobes, etc, etc, etc.
             But, as it gets chilly, I think of the less fortunate, recall my blessings, and know that Kim would want to help those that need her things...
             Andrea and Janene's sons, David and Brendon, are working towards their Confirmation at Our Mother of Sorrows.  They do a tremendous amount of community service and are energetic and enthusiastic about it.  It is truly heart warming.  They are collecting for a woman's shelter, here in town, called Casa Maria.  This is the same shelter that Autumn and Antonio helped make sandwiches for early this year - Kim and I had helped with this project each year for the last several at Cottonwood.  It is a great cause.
             And yet, here on earth, we become attached.  To our 'things'.  It was like walking into a long tunnel, as I filled one, then two, then three, than four boxes of Kim's pants and tops.  Each one had a story for me.  Each one a special memory.  Thankfully, Autumn has gone through Kim's things several times and we have about 3/4 of my dresser full of clothes for her.  Plus, there are many shirts she wears as night gowns!  And, so far, we have had Angie, Andrea, Janene, Kim, Amy, Betsey and Mary, choose some of Kim's things.  It is hard to express how much that means to me, to have them have some of Kimmy's clothes.  It brings comfort.  And I feel honored that they have them and that they mean something to them.
            Inside the 'tunnel', I felt a myopic effect and I hurried to complete the task...again, having that feeling from Mark Danielewski's book "House of Leaves", about the sentient house...I still have a lot of work to do, but not yet.  Not yet.

             I received the rough draft of Kimmy's Kitchen today!  93 pages, so far.  I dove into the proofing and editing phase of this adventure and made it through the entire book!  I realized that A.  I had forgotten a recipe for gnocchi, and B. I needed to tell the story of the 'nice pot', complete with photos.  Still hoping to have the completed cookbook by the first week of December!!

             Missed the Viro's brunch-a-thon photo from yesterday morning:

              Andrea was busy getting Italian Wedding soup from the buffet...


             As for this time last year, it appears that I did not send out an update on Kimba...but had a lot of 'thank you's' to send out...

             

"Hi Suzanne,

I wanted to say thank you for all of the wonderful food you sent to our family!! The casserole was well loved by all and we had plenty for the next day, too!! That was very thoughtful and generous of you. Kim is doing better today, and if some tests she has tomorrow go well, she may get to come home. It's been nearly one month and we are ready to have her back.

Thanks again for helping our family during this challenging time in our lives.

Dave"

 

"Hi Monica,

I wanted to thank you for the delicious meatballs you sent home for us! We ate one tray and have the other two frozen for later. They were so good - that was so nice of you to cook for us again, we really appreciate it! Kim had a good day today, and, if all goes well on a couple of tests she will have done tomorrow, she may get to come home!! We sure miss her. She is so strong, and has gone through so much over the last month - she is amazing! Generous people like you have really given her inspiration to fight! Thank you again, Dave"

 

"Hi Suzanne,

Thank you for the card you sent our family and for setting up the Mass for my wife, Kim. That was very thoughtful of you! Kim had a good day today, and, if she does well on some tests tomorrow, may be able to come home. She has been at St. Joseph's for nearly one month and we sure miss her. If she is doing well enough, I will try to attend the Mass on Sunday.

As Kim was in the hospital, I was unable to clearly follow the election results...did you get a seat on the school board? Fortunately, Kim and I both mailed in our ballots, prior to Kim being hospitalized (two votes for you!).

Thanks again,

Dave"

 

"Hi Dave

You are very welcome, although it was not much! I wish we could do more to help you guys, but know that Kim and your family is always in our thoughts! I appreciate the updates you send and am glad to hear that she caught a few breaks today, receiving some good news! I know she is anxious to get home, so I hope it works out! We are only a few streets away, so Please do not hesitate to call if you need anything!! (Even if it is just a good street hockey game to take your mind off things:) I know a few hockey guys I will send over! take care and I hope to see you soon!

Love

tara

 

---

---

 Tara, Doug and boys,

Thank you so much for the beautiful card and the Bruegger's

 

Once again, the teachers at Cottonwood, where our pillar of strength!

 

"Hi Apryl, Casey and Patti - Would Wednesday work for Casey and Patti for a
homework session? If so, could you bring them by our home Patti,
afterwards? That has worked out so well for us AND especially for Tonio and
Autumn, to be able to keep up with their homework.
Apryl, thanks for your help with the Christmas project - whatever fabric
you choose will be great!
And if I cannot make Stone Soup day, and it works for you Casey, I know
Tonio would love to see his big sister there - if all goes well with Kim's
tests tomorrow, though, I should be able to make it.
Thanks for everything you guys have been doing for us!
Dave

--------------------------------------------------

> Dave,
>
> I just read your email and it sounds like today's news was an answer to
> your prayers-I'm glad that Kim had a good day and I will say extra prayers
> tonight that her lungs do cooperate so she can come home.
>
> Wednesday seems to be a good day to keep the kiddos after school-does this
> work for you? I have so enjoyed spending extra time with Antonio. He is an
> incredible little boy. He is truly such a loving, caring boy and
> definitely such a trooper. I'm so proud of how he has handled this whole
> situation.
>
> In regards to the "surprise project" that offer absolutely still stands-I
> would love to help out! Do you think Kim (and you!) would like Christmas
> themed fabric for this special present?
> One last thing and then I promise I'm done! For our Stone Soup day, if
> you can make it great. If not that's okay too-I was thinking that if you
> can't make it maybe I can ask Mrs. Rudzena if Autumn can come over and
> join Antonio for our special lunch. Just an option! I am also going to
> send home some Stone Soup and the book with Antonio so he can share it
> with Kim.
>
> Let me know if you need anything else this week. Kristine Impellizzeri and
> I are working on a special project for Kim this week! Can't wait to give
> it to her. It's just to remind her that she is so loved and supported! :)
>
> Have a good night,
> Apryl"

 

And our neighbors, too...

 "No Amy, I have not slept so well lately...luckily, thanks to all you have
done for us, I have had more time to research. Speaking of which, thanks
for packing the kids lunches!! Dave

> Dang Dave! Have you slept at all? Or are you researching constantly? I
> am glad that they will refer you to mayo if and when the time comes. I
> hope she comes home tomorrow! Goodnight and get some sleep!>
>
>> Thanks Amy, Kim has had several treatments of lasix (spelling?), which
>> is designed to remove fluid from around the lungs and the heart. Believe
>> me, I've looked into Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and really felt
>> they may be the best place for Kim. Then, I talked to Kim's surgeon
>> about alternatives (he feels Mayo Clinic has the advantage over CTCofA,
>> simply because they have a better pulmonary team).
>> Kim is sold on her oncologist, Dr. Taetle. If you google him, I'm
>> sure you will feel the same. He has had an excellent education, has
>> several patents for cancer treatment and is world renowned. Dr. Taetle
>> and Dr. Atkinson have assured me, that if they become 'baffled', they
>> will recommend Mayo. UMC is not an option. Although they have an
>> excellent cancer treatment facility, they would not measure up to Dr.
>> Taetle and their expertise is not in adenocarcinoma.
>> Don't feel like you are overstepping your bounds by wanting the best
>> for Kim! We value all you do and you are a very smart person, so we
>> value your input. I've done a lot of internet research, in fact, the
>> advice I most often get from survivors and Dr's, is to stay off of the
>> internet!
>> The x-rays and tests show that the nature of Kim's tumor is
>> deteriorating the artery that is feeding it. Additionally, the tumor is
>> cavatized, and the hollow interior has enlarged blood vessels that will
>> naturally weep. Factor in the blood thinners that are preventing life
>> threatening clots, and you have a delicate balancing act!
>> Kim had a better day today and hopefully gets a great nights rest and
>> has an even better day tomorrow!
>> Thanks again Amy, we appreciate you, your family and all that you
>> have done for us!!!
>> Dave
>>
>>> Hey Dave,
>>> I am sure you have been doing your research. But I was reading about
>>> these alternate forms of treatment on Cancer Treatment Centers of
>>> America's website. Also, in the section about lung cancer it talks
>>> about treatment for fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion). Maybe
>>> this is also causing Kim's shortness of breath, etc... Have any of
>>> Kim's doctors mentioned this? I hope I am not over-stepping by asking
>>> or mentioning this. I just want Kimmy to get the best and get better.
>>> Amy"

     And, of course, Rose and Vito...

"Hi guys, Hope Rosa is feeling better! Kim had a better day today, and your cookies really cheered her up! We all enjoyed them today and managed to save some for tomorrow, despite eating way too many!! Again, providing us breakfast was so generous of you guys!! Kim's folks really enjoyed it - they had been asking if we could go there, they remember meeting you both last time they were here, which was 3 or 4 years ago. I bought a jar of the Baresi lupini beans you are carrying now for the kids. They are really good and I think the bean is a little larger than the Pastene brand!

Anyway, thanks again for all that you guys do, Dave"

 

You know I could go on and on with the thank you's...I often said "I'll never be able to repay you..."

 

The cool night air smelled so fresh as we spilled out onto the back patio, Cody lighting his Mother of Guadalupe candle as he left the brick to cross the grass to the Nitcho...deftly handing the lighter to Tonio, who expertly sparked his candle and gracefully hopped up the garden wall to place his St. Jude candle into the Nitcho (yes, Andrea and Janene, two months of use and the candle you got us for the Nitcho are going strong!)...the nightly ritual...the bambini do not go down easily without saying goodnight to their Mama...

 

           Love,

 

                    Dave