My Story

       Today, has been an invariable roller coaster...I kept the bambini as busy as possible - they have been bringing up the anniversary of Kimmy's passing more frequently - they have lots of questions and concerns...
       Julie Shivonanda, 6th grade teacher at Cottonwood, who worked last year at Rincon Vista with Kim, posted this YouTube video to FB.  I can tell you, that 2010 was without question the worst year of my life, but, viewing this young man's story, puts things into perspective. How courageous he is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dgadTcVu60&feature=player_detailpage

We made more biscotti...the bambini are getting good at it...

Then, we ran steps...yes, we were back at St. Joseph's to visit Aimee Snyder.  Aimee was a teacher at Rincon - Kim loved her.  She has been very inspirational to our family and has been very involved in helping to plan and promote Kim's Foundation fund raising events.  Aimee found that her leg was getting larger...and larger...and thought of Kim's blood clots.  She also remembered how much we have raved about the team at St Joseph's, so that is where she went when she decided it was time to get checked out.  Turns out she had blood clots up and down her leg and in her lungs!!  We went to visit her today and she proudly told us she had a vent put in, just like Kimmy's, to prevent any remaining clots from reaching her heart.  She has had a great experience at St Joe's and, like Kim, has left a legacy as a positive, upbeat patient.  She's on the 4th floor - Kim had spent a little time there - now, but had been in ICU.  Autumn wanted to run down to ICU to say hi to the doctors and nurses who helped Kim, specifically Vivian and Deborah.  We got to see Vivian, but, unfortunately, Deborah was off today.  When I told Vivian that we had come to visit Aimee, she lit up "Oh, she is wonderful...and funny!".  Inspirational!  We ran up the remaining stairs to the 5th floor, where Angie's daughter Kim is an RN, and got to say hi to several of Kim's nurses.  Autumn won all stair races today. 

Vito had live entertainment tonight, invited us down and the house was cold, shadows growing longer, so we thought it would be good to get out...taking Janene's son, Brendon with us, the bambini had fun and almost had Tonio talked into asking the singer to do some Dr. Dre.  He had a lady singer with him and they wanted her to sing some Rihanna.  The duo did sing some Louis Armstrong and Nora Jones, however.  And the Croce family helped us chase some of those shadows away.

          And I am grateful for the blessings that I have.  I think often on those five wonderful final days I got to spend with Kimmy.  And I am thankful for the family and friends who have continued to stand by us, even as we struggle and adapt, and who keep us smiling....