Kimmy Sunday

    Kim had a pretty good day today at St. Joseph's.  Dr. Taetle said he would confer with Dr. Nammany to see when Kim could go home and how they would handle the Lovenox, the blood thinner, which has been tricky, due to Kim's blood clots and her resistance to traditional thinners.  Plus, the adenocarcinoma cancer naturally coagulates the blood, working against thinners.  This will be the challenge, going forward, to balance along with chemo.
    Plenty of company today, as I got the bambini's down here for breakfast.  They were excited to tell their mom that they had decorated the Christmas tree last night and show her pictures!  Our neighbor, Amy, helped them and got me caught up on wash and dishes! They spent the morning, once again, reading, coloring and playing with a color Nook that Jaimelyn, who is helping run Barnes & Noble to allow me to take care of Kimmy and the kids, brought over for us to try out.  We ate lunch in the cafeteria, too, which always ends with a traditional foot race up the stairs to the 5th floor.  I can never do better than 3rd place.  Today, Tonio and I took a different set of steps to the 2nd floor and cut across the hospital to our the stairs that take us to Kimmy's floor and surprised Cody sneaking a ride on the elevators!  Busted!  Later, we ran down the stairs and out to a little garden area at that we have looked at out of Kim's window for many days.  The kids raced around the paths and burned off some energy.  It was in the mid-70's today and beautiful.  There is a nice statue of St. Joseph holding Jesus as a baby in the center of this desert sanctuary. 
     Andrea and her daughters, Lexi and Brianna, came down to pick up the kids (and bring me ice tea and a nice snack of cheese, crackers, apples, alomonds) and spent some time with Kimmy.  Jon, the cafe manager over at Barnes & Noble came by and brought us all magazines, books and some great pastries from the cafe - high octane stuff!  Andrea took the kids with her around 5 for dinner(our neighbor, Amy made chicken adobo and rice for us!) and to have some fun with her little ones.
     Again, the support from everyone has been overwhelming and so appreciated!  When I got home last night, I had received a letter from Kim's niece, Sara McDonald, who lives in Texas.  Sara wrote 'Recently, we had a boutique and I sold baked goods with the purpose of half of my profits going to your family.  I know it isn't much but I hope that it helps some!'  She had enclosed a check for $85.00.  Kim was moved to tears by this hard working, sharing young lady's gesture.
     Forgot to mention the hula hoop contest at Tonio and Autumn's school, Cottonwood, on Friday...it seems Patti, was eliminated before getting to the championship round due to some questionable hula hooping by other contestants.  So, she had Tonio call Ms. Bryson, the principal, while they waited for their flu shots at CVS that evening and leave her a message: 'hello Ms. Bryson, this is Tonio.  I'm calling to let you know, that Miss Patti was pushed during the hula hoop contest and should have won'...Anyways, the kids enjoyed that contest and congrats to Mrs. Montes (Autumn and Tonio's kindergarten teacher!), who won the contest fair and square.
     So, Kim should be able to go home tomorrow!!  That was the good news Dr. Namanny gave us to a large audience as Andrea, Brianna, Lexi, Cody,Autumn, Tonio, Jon and I cheered him...I think he was a little embarrassed by our overwhelming emotion - perhaps he felt we had placed him on a pedestal, our hero of the moment (Jon pegged Dr. Namanny as a Cary Elwes look a like).  Kim says, 'despite his youth, I think he is a genius!'.  Thanks for all of the prayers you prayed to make this possible!!  Next, we pray that Kim can get her next round of chemo...soon!
    Through Him, all things are possible!
     Love, Dave