There's No Place Like Home!

Hi All,

First let me just say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your calls, cards, emails, and blog postings. I have really loved hearing from each of you. Your love is felt.

Mike has been a rock. He put together the blog and I think/hope that it has been a good outlet for him. There is a lot of stress when you get sick and I am thankful again for Mike's calm way, strength and endless love and support.

I got home yesterday afternoon, Monday and it was nice to get back to my own place where people are not coming in every few hours to wake me up and ask me how I am doing! Miss Kitty, in the picture to the right with me in the back patio, did not even ask me where I had been. Does she not know who feeds her and cleans her litter box?!?

Mike told me that when he did the blog it should be a place where I really shared, so I want to share my thoughts with all of you. I want you all to know how thankful I am to God. I may not say this as much as I should or as publicly as I could, but I am very thankful for all that I have been given in life, thankful for each opportunity and for each challenge. My nurse, Sharon, and I had an interesting conversation about why perhaps God sometimes throws someone a certain challenge - not to punish, but to remind them that they need to remember to turn to God more often.

So, I just want to say that I am thankful in a way for this bump in the road - really I am. This has really been a time when I have slowed down and been reminded that life is really good. That I have many more good things than bad in my life. I have more people who love me than most. And, when I think of the small boy in the elevator in his pj's with a drain tube down his front, or the young bride who is just trying to walk down the hallway as she recovers from stomach cancer - I am thankful.

So, we move through the next few weeks each day making progress. And yes, many of you girls noticed - I really did have the best looking docs in the hospital - just keeping MIKEY on his toes.

Much love to all. xoxox-kd

A Birthday Celebration!

It's hard to believe looking at this picture this is a woman who just underwent a five hour surgery three days earlier! Simply amazing how fast she has recovered. Last night we all met in her hospital room for a pizza dinner to celebrate the anniversary of my 29th birthday, as my mother used to say. Well the best present I received that day is word Katie would be able to go home Monday cancer free! She is now comfortably resting at home (Dana Point).

I'd like to thank everyone for their emails, blog posts, calls and most importantly prayers. I know Katie will be reaching out to you soon too. The surgery team did an outstanding job. The photo to the left is the lead plastic surgeon Dr. Koybayashi in the middle paying a visit and his residents in training that assisted (nurse Monica on far left!) When even the doctors are high five'g each other you know it was a success!

Katie will pretty much be immobile for the next month while everything gets reconnected. It didn't stop her from watering her plants in the backyard today and brushing Miss Kitty. I guess its the small things that make you feel at home. Like falling asleep watching her favorite soap opera All My Children. Go figure!

As we were leaving the hospital a young boy in the elevator was attached to some type of portable device which reminded us both that cancer knows no boundaries. It does not discriminate. Yesterday, for my birthday, I road my bicycle from Angel Stadium (next to UCI hospital) to Del Mar with good friends Bennett Dorrance and Rick Kuhle. Rick "earned" a Livestrong bracelet for completing his first century (100 miles). Just like Sara and Terry Lee in this photo wearing the Livestrong bracelet in support, it's a constant reminder of what Katie and other cancer patients have gone through. Go Lance! Go Katie! Go little boy in the elevator! - Mike