Lights, Camera! Action!

The phone rings and she's expecting it to be Mom, Me, Paige, the kids, yet another bill collector.... It's Friday, she met with her Surgeon (AKA "The Man who saved her life") on Thursday. He gave her the once up and down, commented on her well worn boots, hugged her and said "I'll see you in April". She loves him. We love him. He saved her life. And in doing so, he melded into our circle...arms out, cursing when necessary, hugging when needed.

The phone rings again, incessant ringing, she snatches it and is surprised to find it's his office. "Kim, what are you doing on Monday?" Her heart stops. Did he see something reflected in her scruffy boots, the shadow of a scare. Did he have second thoughts and the whirlwind, go here, go there, do this, do that is going to start again? Did she forget and leave her purse there or walk out without half her clothes? "Chemo brain" can leave you ditzy. "I'm not doing anything, I don't think" She forgot for a second that she has returned to work five hours a day and Monday is not a holiday. "Well, we're filming an infomercial on Monday Morning and he wants you to be in it" "Oh my God, what do I wear?" "You mean you'll do it?" "Are you kidding me? He saved my life. I'll be nervous, but I'll be there. And ummm, I guess I'll just wear, you know, jeans and my bandana and boots."

"See you Monday, Kimbies".

Love grows. And grows. And grows.

Five O'clock Shadow

It started with the first round of chemo. Those dark "liver splotches" that just popped up over night. Like old age smearing itself onto the surface of her baby bottomed skin. On the top of her hands. Splattered here and there. Tiny little kool-aid stains. Chemo stains. Over the last few weeks they have faded. Or maybe we just got used to them, and in their familiarity... they disappeared.

She's never worn her wig. Beautiful in her hippie bandana, she's never needed to. And it's HOT here in Florida! And she's hidden from the Sun, the warming, cleansing, healing Sun that she adores... except for Saturday. When she and Butch drove to the beach.... to the "place" where they fell in love, celebrated milestones and tragedies.... to the "place" where they became we... so many times. They slurpped up butter soaked scallops and guzzled ice cold beer, and Kimbies leaned just so..... into the Sun!

And then it began.
The reverse tan.
The tattle tale shadow under her bandana......

She scrubbed.
And scrubbed.

And finally....asked Butch to look. Her whole noggin was kool-aid stained. Bless his heart. He had to put his glasses on. And adjust her head just so. Examine his beautiful wife's stained crown, and somehow make her feel better.

"IT'S HAIR!"

"STOP SCRUBBING IT!"


We are feeling the healing. Thank you all!!

Happy Anniversary Sweet Kim & Dear Butch!

Happy Anniversary!!!

Locks of Love

Kimbies, year after year, grew her thick, auburn-brown hair out. Then she'd go down to the local salon & whack! 10" or more, she'd give them a pony-tail for Locks of Love
Of course, she did this long before cancer came knocking on her physical hearts' door.
Last year, I did the same for the first time.
Now, I find myself popping strange vitamins trying to grow my hair even faster, so I can do it again. (The girl at the salon said that it takes about a year[ha!] to grow the minimum required 10 inches)
My husband is growing his hair out too. (How does his seem to grow so fast?!)
This week-end we went to a party of old friends...people I've known for 25 years.
We talked about being hippies, getting older and growing long hair.
One guy said that finally working for himself, he would love to grow his hair long & with a smile, he pulled his baseball cap off to reveal his shiny bald head.
That's okay. Locks of love needs volunteers, sponsors and donations, as well. they need us to hang signs and pay for ads, promote their good cause.
Spread the word, pop your vitamins, grow your hair, contribute your time, your energy, your hair and/or your money.
Check out the pics...A little bit of hair goes a long ways with these kids
BTW, Hair Cuttery charges you not one cent to get your hair cut, when donating to the Locks of Love. Aren't these children beautiful?

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Ok, so it is no secret that our Dear Kimbies doesn't really 'do' pink.
Nonetheless, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Because of that & because of Kim...me & my staff will all be wearing Pink this Friday to work. Please Join Us.

Tidbits to Know about Breat Cancer...
~About 2000 MEN will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year
~Well over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with INVASIVE breast cancer, this year
~Over 2 million women have been treated for breast cancer
~Over 40,000 women will die from this disease, this year

~Early detction is key, breast cancer can grow rapidly...perform monthly self-exams, have annual mammograms if over 40, discuss with your doctor any family history of breast cancer, changes in your breast(pain, swelling, redness or discharge), exercise, eat good, laugh often & hard & share your love, spirit & thoughts!
Please access link to the right for further information on Breast Cancer.

Kim in Bandana, the Staff in Pink...

So many times, so many lives, so many thing left unsaid...until it's too late.
But not THIS time, not THIS life, not THESE words.

'We All Love You.'

Kimbies, my sister & so much more to me and to many of you, is also a lunchroom lady...among 101 other things.

She doesn't 'do' pink and she doesn't 'do the pink ribbon thing.'

But, oh, that crew up at her school, they got her.

Just as they had gotten her week after week, they got her this week too.

They got her right where they want her... in their hearts, in their thoughts, in their prayers & in their lives.

...and they got that girl to wear pink!

A couple of weeks ago, they said 'Kim, wear green on Wednesday, we are all going to do it.'
Then, it was 'Kim, wear blue on Wednesday, we are all going to do it.'
Pink Wednesday, lazily rolled around & she thought nothing of it.

She didn't even have a pink shirt! But that's OK, they provided them.

Who are they? They are the ones that know sides of Kim that I do not know, that you may not know & that she may not even know herself. They are the ones that work with her. They are the ones that love her in ways that only they know.

All of our love in individual & divine....and they have a very special love for Kim.

A love that calls on 900+ students, all their teachers, the nurses, the helpers, the groundkeepers, the maintenance men, front office staffers & cooks to all come together & keep a secret. They are An Army of Love.

And they had a surpirise for Kimbies.

But I will let her, in her own time, tell you about that.

In the meantime, War has been declared, Kimbies is kicking butt & the Army is ever-growing.

High Times

September 18, 2006
UPDATE!
Second round of Chemo is magic stuff! Kimbies is doing wonderful! Has had two doses of the dreadful stuff already and her reaction to this potion is.....Have a beer, a baked potatoe, a steak, some sea scallops, turn the music on and dance! We are Lovin' Life and Livin' your prayers!

Letters From the Seawall

Thoughts to you girls .
(Email from our "new best friends" and we knew it the moment we met!)

Please forgive me for not writing sooner or commenting on the site for Kim. I haven't been able to after reading it over and over and crying all the time.
I just don't have the right words for all of you; I am so saddened by Kim's taunting illness and could not find the courage to write.

After reading your stories time after time, I finally realized that you have inspired me to give in to my weakness and fear of not finding the right words or way to convey them to you and Kim.

The strength and courage you have is never ending. The love you and your family generates is felt by all surrounding you.

Kim is such a trouper and I know she'll get through this with great strength and prayers .
The family bond is remarkable; your Mom and Dad are to be pinned with the #ONE Award!! They have done a fine job. God Bless all of you.

I know you are so very busy and consumed with loving and giving of yourself to Kim and the families. Please take care of yourself.

I am so amazed at your writings but not shocked!!! I could read between the lines in our email!! Who ever knew we'd meet up with gals of your talents with writings and paintings!!! I am so excited for you in that way and saddened in another . I feel helpless for you.

Please give the kids our love and thoughts and Kim a great big hug.
She will get through the second phase..God is with her.

I love you and miss you. God be with you.
Corinne and Stan

Never-Ending List of Things To Love About Kim

Of course there are all the traditional things to love about her, but this list will focus on some of the not so traditional things....
1-She doesn't care if her socks match or not
2-Even when she thinks she's losing her patience, she's really patient
3-She's read all of the Willy Wonka & J.R. Tolkein Books
4-She's given CPR to a goldfish
5-She wears clogs & somehow can make one pair last twenty years
(she probably needs a pair right now, size 10, soft leather ;)
6-She knows how to go gigging...that is spearing for flounder
7-She learned to drive in a car that didn't have a floorboard
8-She's terified of the Golden Arm & the Chicken Man
9-She took Jewelry making in H.S, when the other kids were taking Home Economics
10-She once tried to make a fish tank out of an old commode
11-She can sing any song from the Rocky Horror Picture Show
12-She has been mistaken for Raquel Welch in the 70's & Julia Roberts in the 90's
13-She loves okra & sometimes grows it in her yard
14-She's raised three girls with only one bathroom
15-At the age of 30, she still wasn't sure what exactly 'circumcision' meant
16-Repeatedly, she has grown her thick, brown hair out, just to give it to Locks-of-Love
17-She prefers her coffee instant
18-She lied about her age to get her first job & didn't get caught for 2 yrs., when she turned 16
19-She scrunches her shoulders together when driving over bridges...like it will make her vehicle more narrow.
20-She once oiled her bicycle chain with Oil of Olay

Round One!

Just want to keep you all posted! Round One is done, over with, see ya. Rough Stuff. (Actually, no words quite poisen enough to describe ) Next round starts Wednesday. Fourteen weeks. Thanks to all for praying, for sharing, and for being there. WE LOVE OUR KIMBIES!