another update

Hi Everybody!

I just wanted to let you know that my step-mom Robin is still doing
very poorly. She's still bleeding internally. They did another test
yesterday and the results came back today. The same artery that was
bleeding the first time that they sewed up. There aren't a lot of
options to stop the bleeding because her condition is still so weak.
Please continue to pray for her as she fights though this terrible
time. My dad is still going to the hospital every day after work and
he's tired of hearing so much bad news.

I got a lovely email from the Children's hospital that I was not
chosen to advance in the application process. Since I don't have a
job to return to Atlanta for there is a chance that I will return to
NM to help support my dad. Please pray for wisdom for me as I am
making this decision (and as I continue to look for a job).

I love you all,
kapande

updates, updates and more updates

Hi Everyone!

I hope this finds you all doing well.  It's hard to believe that I have already been with my family for almost a month!  Spending my days in the ICU waiting room has really made the time fly!  I wanted to give you a few updates since I have been such a slacker lately.  

My step-mom

Robin is still in the ICU.  They finally decided that she wasn't at risk for more bleeding and that the swelling had gone down enough to suture her abdomen yesterday.  They  were hoping to be able to take her off the ventilator today but since they had to increase her sedation for the surgery yesterday they say she isn't ready yet.  She has definitely turned the corner though and Dad was finally able to get a full night of sleep last night (the first time since her first surgery a month ago!).  Overall she is still ill but she is improving.  It will be hard to leave Saturday with her still being in the ICU.  Please continue to pray for her healing and for my dad as he deals with the stress of caring for her.  

Travel plans

As my time here in New Mexico comes to a close, I thought it would be good to remind everyone of where I will be heading to.  Below is my itinerary.  Please contact me or the person I will be staying with to see what the plans are for my time in each place!  There is a chance that I will switch the Tulsa/Shawnee dates, but I still need to discuss that with Heather and Paige.  

3/21- drive to Carlsbad Caverns and enjoy one of God's beautiful creations, stay the night in a TX Motel 6 :-)  (Pecos or Fort Stockton)

3/22- drive to Austin- stay with my Momma

3/29- drive to OKC- stay with Jenny

3/31- drive to drive to Tulsa- stay with Heather

4/3- drive to Shawnee- stay with Paige

4/6- drive to Birmingham- stay with Meredith

4/8- back to Atlanta- settle with Teresa

Financial Support

I'm sorry that I have been focused on other things and have been a total slacker in writing to you about what you should do regarding financial donations.  According to AIM, they will continue to support me for 8 months so that I can get on my feet and get settled.  However, I have asked them to limit that to only 4 months, March-June.  So, if it is possible for those of you that support me financially to continue making payments through June, that would be a huge help to me!  I have already had a few people say that they can't continue the payments, which I totally understand and respect!  However, this puts me in a shortage.  If there are any of you who do not support me financially that would be willing to make a one time gift or a monthly payment for the next 4 months, that would be wonderful.  Remember all donations are tax-deductible.  If you have questions about making donations please email or call me.  Thanks!

A hunting I will go

I have already submitted an application to the Children's hospital that I was working at before I left and have heard back from them.  They are eager to work with me to find me a position.  There are no positions available in the Neonatal ICU, which would be my first desire, but there is one in the Pediatric ICU.  When they called me they said there is only one position and that they might want to go with someone who has had more recent ICU experience.  There are other positions available in the hospital though so it sounds like they will work with me in finding me something!  :-)  

Car hunting

Two Saturdays ago I asked my dad to take me to look at some cars.  I told him I was only interesting in looking.  However, at the anniversary sale at Rich Ford, they made me a deal that I couldn't refuse (and would have been an idiot if I had!)... so, that night I drove home in a barely used 2009 moss green Ford Fusion.  It's a lot bigger than what I am used to driving and I still have problems parking it straight, but I love it.  It's got lots of fancy features that I am still trying to figure out.... I think the car might be smarter than me!  God really blessed me with a great car!

I hope this finds you all healthy and happy. I can't wait to see you guys!

love,

kapande

update on my step-mom

Hi all...
I would like to say that thing are going well, but so far they haven't
turned out that way. The bleeding started again yesterday morning so
they took her back into surgery for almost 5 hours to find the spot.
They said they found it but still left the abdomen open just in case.
This morning we just got a call that she is bleeding again (more
slowly this time) and they are going to try to find it through an
angiogram (putting dye into the arteries to see where the blood is
traveling). We are headed back up to the hospital now. Please
continue to pray. Thank you.
love to you all,
kimmie

My step-mom

Hi Everyone...
I haven't been keeping up with emails lately because I have been
spending time with my family and helping to watch over my step-mom who
you have been praying for because of her recent surgery. I wanted to
give you an update on her. This morning (Sunday) she started vomiting
blood and telling us that her heart hurt. My dad called the ambulance
and they whisked her off to the ER. My dad and I spent the whole day
in one waiting area or another as they stabilized and cared for her.
To make the long story short, they found that she had some bleeding in
her small intestines so they took her back to surgery tonight. They
thought they had found exactly where with the endoscopy, but once they
got got her on the operating table they couldn't find the spot. They
are left the surgical site open for easy access in case it starts
bleeding again. I imagine that they will keep her sedated over the
next few days. If there is no more bleeding in the next few days they
said they would take her back to the OR and close the surgical site.
Please pray for her healing, wisdom for the doctors, and stamina for
my dad. We'll both be spending a lot of time at the hospital this
week I am sure. Thanks in advance for your prayers.
much love,
kimmie