Please pray for KAIDENCE!

Please pray for Kaidence. We will be fasting today, if any want to join in. Kaidence's stint has moved form her LPA to her RPA. They are taking her back into cath to place a new stint and try to stabilize the stint in the RPA. If they cannot do so they will take her in for Open heart surgery to cut out the stint and then patch her artery. This would be her 3rd time on bypass. It gets more risky each time you do so. She will be going to cath around noon. Please pray for my little princess. We will keep you posted.

A NEW TYPE OF HEART STENT.....COOL!

The heart cath went well. She went in at 7:30 and was out at 10:00. They said that everything went perfect. Primary Children's just got some new types of stents. Today they decided to give it a try for the first time, on Kaidence. I heard that Dr. Gray was pretty excited about it. Anyhow, this new stent is pretty cool. It is lower profile, therefore it doesnt need as much room to maneuver. It comes with the stent already attached and therefore you have less problems with it pulling away and ending up some place you don't want it. The coolest thing about is that normally, years from now after all the expanding they would eventually need to place a bigger stent. To do so they would have to go in and surgically remove the old one and then patch things up. However, with this new stent, it will grow with her into adulthood. Meaning it will never need to be replaced....AWESOME!!!!

I feel that once again the Lord was watching over us and what was best for Kaidence. I was frustrated that we didn't get it over with during her last cath, but it just didnt feel right at the time. I asked Dr Gray is it was a blessing that we didn't do it in November and he said 'most defiantly'. He said that with where the stent was needed and the angle it would have been much more risky of a procedure with the old type of stent. This one just worked perfectly for Kaidence.

We will stay the night and go home in the morning. Thank You for your prayers, we can sure feel them in moments like these.

MONDAY, MONDAY.....PLEASE BE GOOD TO ME!

I am such a slacker!!!! I almost dread logging on because I know that I am so behind. However, we are all doing very well. Happy, healthy and all that involves. I have some pictures that I want to post from Kaidence's first day of Sunbeams. She came home the first day with her crown that she made that read "I am A Child of God"....... how true that is little girl. I cant believe this day has come. She turns 3 next month and starts preschool in the fall. Wow!!!!! I didn't plan this far ahead.

Kaidence will hopefully be going in first thing on Monday to have the stent placed in her LPA. However, to keep with the tradition of cath lab.......Kaidence yet again has a cough and runny nose. We would like to have this done before her Birthday on the 23rd. So we are praying that if it is meant that Kaidence have this procedure on Monday that things will clear up. You hate to be sent home from same day surgery when you leave for the hospital at 5AM. Also FYI, if your child goes into the sameday surgery registration and the NP decides that for some reason the procedure cannot be done that day due to cough, ear infection or whatever........you get stuck with a $200-300 bill that will NOT be covered by insurance. The hospital told me it was new protocol and they now make you sign a paper regarding it. Just thought that all of our buddies that are also frequent fliers would like to know.

Life is good here and we hope that same is with everyone. We have some special friends that need some extra prayers at this time. Please pray for Ellie and Jude.

NO HEART CATH TOMORROW

I only have a second to post, but I have had people ask about Kaidence's heart cath tomorrow to place her stent. It will NOT be happening tomorrow. She has had a junky cough and her lungs are very wheezy. We have her on breathing treatments and steroids, so hopefully we can reschedule soon. Too bad we will now miss having 100% covered by insurance. We have hit catastrophic until December 31, but it January it will start all over again. That is ok though, either way it will go toward our out of pocket. We are just SOOOOO thankful that we do have good health insurance. That itself is a blessing. I hope that everyone had a great Christmas, I will update when I have some time.

2 Years Tomorrow!!!

Today, I cannot stop thinking about Kaidence's sweet Donor family. In fact, I think of them all of the time on a daily basis. My prayers are with them as always, but especially today. It was 2 years ago tonight that we got "the call" that Kaidence would have a second chance at life. Therefore, it was 2 years ago tonight that they said goodbye to their little boy. It will be 2 years tomorrow, December 23rd in the early morning since Kaidence was given her beautiful new heart. What an amazing gift to be given, especially at Christmas time. However, I cannot help but wonder if it made it that much harder to lose their child just days before Christmas. With this in my heart it makes this time of year a very bitter sweet time of year. I am so thankful for them and their gift to us.

Little Miss K, Tomorrow is your 2nd Heart Birthday. The last 2 1/2 years have been crazy, heartbreaking, miraculous, humbling, faith promoting and so much more. Today you are happy, thriving, into everything and feeling very independent. You have come so far and had so many wonderful people caring for you. You have been loved and cared for by so many up at the hospital, in your family, ward family and many prayers have been given in your behalf from all around the world. To all of these people, we are grateful for you. To all of our friends in the "Heart World" Thank you for sharing your stories, your love, support......we know that we are never alone and that others are walking similar paths.

Little Miss K, Thank You for your journey and for teaching us and opening our eyes to life. We love you and are glad that you are ours. May your new heart continue to grow and beat within you for many, many, many more years to come. May it be at home within you and may you continue to follow the plan that your Heavenly Father has for you. You have been blessed. Happy Heart Birthday Tomorrow!

To all of our cherished friends and family, Thank You, you are amazing. Have a WONDERFUL and VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

FYI: Kaidence will go in on December 28th to have the stent placed in her left pulmonary artery and will hopefully only have to stay the night.

A NEW HEART FOR MADISON......AND A FLOOD OF EMOTIONS!

It is amazing that every time I hear of someone getting the second chance at life, how it jut floods my heart with so many tender and sweet emotions. It is almost like it personally happens to me all over again. Our little friend Madison is getting her new heart this afternoon. I still am amazed by those that give our children this gift.

Kaidence, Camden and I were able to "personally" meet her parents and twin brother on Thursday. We know them through their blog. What a kind family and how blessed they are to get a new heart for their little girl so quickly. Please keep them in your prayers this day, as well as those that lost their little angel.

Thank you to all of you that read this who have given this gift to another. Our hearts ache for you. Please know that you have given the most amazing gift. As a mom of a little girl who is alive because of another family like you, I can tell you how words are so inadequate for what you have given. It is hard to express because the most sincere and heart felt 'Thank You' just doesn't seem like enough. It will never be enough. But know that every time my little girl gets to do something like riding a tricycle, laughing with her brothers and celebrating another birthday.... You are ALWAYS in our hearts! My heart is full of such love and gratitude for you, although we have never met.
Each night as I listen to the heart of an angel beating within my daughter I am humbled, blessed and amazed by your gift.

I NEED YOUR OPINION PLEASE-ASAP.

I need some opinions and figured that this would be a great place to turn. Our family car decided that it could no longer drive Sunday evening on the side of I-15. Needless to say we are in a rush to sell Mikes Dodge Dakota so that we can purchase another family car. We have been looking at Toyota Sienna's. My question for all of you is how well do they do in the snow. I have always driven a 4 wheel drive vehicle and so the thought of a front wheel drive scares me a little. Also, we have the WORST driveway in the winter. I have to use 4 wheel drive to get in it when it snows. It is always pure ice. I have been told that front wheel drive with snow tires should do the job, but will it really? Will it work well on those beautiful mornings when a storm hits and I have to be to PCMC early in the morning with yucky roads? I know that the Sienna's do come with AWD, but they are so hard to find and we are buying used. We have found one of both. And just wanted to know if those that own this vehicle (I think maybe 3/4 of Utah) has had good luck with the Front wheel drive. Will you respond and let me know asap, since we need a car badly.

It is between a 2006 Front wheel Drive 40,000 miles
or
A 2004 ALL Wheel Drive 65,000 miles. (is 65,000 a lot of miles for Toyota?)