Well, Kyle is going downhill....just kidding!!! He's doing awesome!!!!!!! Sorry, that was mean! I was just in a joking mood, getting back to my old self again!

He is standing up quite a bit these days now! He still needs a little assistance, but he's doing a great job! They stand him up to weigh him now and to change his bed too. He has been told they will no longer help him into the chair from his bed and so he has to do it on his own. He does it too!! They hold his arms because he is still a fall risk, but he does it all by himself! Then he sits in the chair for most of the day!

I am sooooo proud of him! You have no idea what kind of pain he has had to push through to get this far. He's such a trooper! He's my hero!!!!

I managed to get to Jerry for a visit! I used donated miles and I suprised him in LA at work. So, we're hanging out on the ocean waiting for the wind to die down so we can go catch some fish! I'm so excited to be here, I needed a break desperately! I think I deserved one too! I wish I was home, but here down south with Jerry on the boat is nice too. My favorite place to be is the ocean and that's where I'm at. It calms me and centers me and gives me back my peace. It's a great place to pray and get back to God. Getting away from the rat race at the hospital for a bit is exactly what the Dr ordered!!!! I'm feeling great and so is everyone else!

Kyle should be getting out of the hospital soon, and it will get plenty hectic then, so this is perfect timing!

Kyle is drinking all sorts of things, this is a very good thing. He is still on dialysis sometimes, but not everyday like he was before. His kidneys are starting to sputter to life and we're hoping they continue in the right direction! His bladder is great too, it finally healed up from all that mess before.

Kyle tried to use the comode once, but it was too painful getting there and back and sitting there I think, so he doesn't want to try again. We'll see. We have to keep pushing him on some things and others he pushes himself.

He keeps trying to eat things, but the chemo has really done a job on his taste buds, things that smell great, he wants to eat, but when he takes a bite, they don't taste how they smell and that's as far as he gets. It's sad really. He just doesn't have the taste buds for anything anymore. I'm not sure how we're going to combat that. He's still being fed through his IV and his nose tube that goes into his stomach. He gets plenty of nourishment, I just wish some of it was going in his mouth.

His lungs continue to heal, it's a slow process, but they're doing it. He practices breathing exercises throughout the day everyday to help strenghthen them and hopefully it's working. He's still not on any oxygen, they just have it laying on his chest as a blow by for an extra boost. Nothing is hooked up to him though and most of that just goes out into the room anyway. He's pretty much breathing on his own completely room air!!!

He does Physical Therapy everyday, they work him out to keep him from getting anymore stiff than he already is. He does ok, it's pretty painful and it takes a lot out of him, but he works through it and cooperates with them most of the time. It all depends on the mood he's in when they come. Bad mood means bad session.

Well, that's about it for now, as always, I'll keep you posted! I'll be back on Friday and Kyle should be out of the hospital soon after that!!!!!! Then we'll be making trips back and forth to the clinic for labs and dialisys on a regular basis and then who knows......home?????

State: beachfeet13@yahoo.com

I forgot to tell you that my wonderful volunteers are staying with the kids while I am gone! Aren't they sweet!!!!!! They're the best! Dan Barber is carrying the brunt of the load and we so appreciate him! I don't know what we would do without our volunteers! I hate to go home, we have no help there, all my family has to work, so there's not really anyone to help out! We're going to try and stay in MN as long as we can until Kyle is weaned from going back and forth from the hospital, so we don't have to make the 4 hr commute to UCSF hospital with Kyle and the babies very often. It may mean a longer stay, but worth it in the long run!

State: beachfeet13@yahoo.com

Dear Katrina and Jerry,
I'm so happy, I could dance for joy. What great news...not, of course, about the struggle Kyle has with some things, but the general direction everything is moving sounds great. And what a blessing that you two have time together in CA. By the way, Kat, you picked a perfect time to be away. It's SO cold here today and tomorrow promises to be worse...then it will start to warm up again. We continue to pray for all of you.
Love and prayers,
Jan and Art--hugs around...

State: jskauge@frontiernet.net

HALLELUJAH!!!! This is great news!! We continue to pray for continued success with Kyle! Words cannot express the joyfulness that I feel for you and your family! Enjoy your break w/Jerry and relax during your time w/him.

Lots of "High Fives" from Tennessee!
Amy Chesney and Crew

State: achesney@ornlfcu.com