Sunday, December 21, 2014

Happy 36th Birthday!

Yesterday was Kel's birthday!  We were planning on going to Cheesecake Factory then go look at the candy windows and the lights.  Heidi called at 3 and they said if we were there to put our name on the list right then we wouldn't be seated till 7 :)  well that changed those plans.  We just went and ate in the food court which was it's own chaos!  The last Saturday before Christmas, at the mall, by temple square=madness!!  I have every intention to get pictures but at the time it's so crowded and crazy do you think I did?  Nope!  As a matter of fact we got ahead and left half way through the lights because it was as if you weren't even moving at some points!  Not sure when everyone else left but was pretty late when we got home for Zola's schedule and she was up late the night before so we missed cake and ice cream after at Kel's house but gratefully J posted a picture!

 
We are so grateful we got to spend her birthday with her and now treasure everyday we have with our family.  This was not only a blessing but a reminder how precious life can be and never take that for granted!
 
 

Monday, December 15, 2014

December 15, 2014

Wow!  It has been a LONG time!  Trust me that is a good thing even though I have left you all hanging!  Nothing big has been going on and if anything has come too I can't relay the information as good as Kel!  She did a Facebook post last week that I have been told to post on here and hey I think a week out isn't that bad!  Thank goodness for naptime and all the presents I can wrap are wrapped at this point! 

Kellies update:

It's hard to believe I've been home from the hospital for nearly two months! The #1 question I get is, "How are you doing?" and so far I haven't come up with a great answer. I remember thinking I wouldn't be able to wash my hair when I left the hospital due to lack of energy and strength and now that seems so long ago!
I feel good most of the time. Fatigue and adjusting to my new normal (weight lifting restrictions, energy conservation, checking sodium levels on anything I want to eat, and taking pills twice a day) are probably my biggest changes. A close second is not getting worried about every little feeling I have in my chest - stretches, tinges, hollow aches, light pressure, etc. (I should be an expert at describing the variety of feelings I have!). My cardiologist had me on an event monitor (2 sticky leads on my chest and abdomen that attached to a box I clipped on my waistband) for 30 days to track my heart rate due to the assortment of things I was feeling and I was happy to finally take that off last week. I will get results from the monitor this week. My weekly physical therapy (3x/week) helps; and, I still don't do much around the house. Amazing people are all around us that do household chores, help with the kids, drive carpool, chauffeur me to appointments, pick up groceries, bring in meals and provide moral support.
We met with my interventional cardiologist (artery surgeon) last week and he suggested we schedule surgery in January to try and stent my LAD one more time (the two attempts on 10/2 after the second heart attack were not successful). This is the most effective way to help my heart and I pray that I have recovered enough to successfully receive the stent. I have another appointment with my heart failure cardiologist this week and I look forward to his confirmation of my improvement. We increased the dose on one of my medications by 3x and my heart rate and blood pressure are tolerating it (these days, I hang out around 90/60). My pumping function (ejection fraction "EF") has increased from 28% on 10/12 to 35% on 11/24 (normal EF is 55% - 60%). The need for a pacemaker is usually at or below 35% and I still have about six more weeks to show improvement before a decision is made on that device. There is more healing to do, but all signs are positive.
I can't express my gratitude for the prayers, fasting, positive thoughts and well wishes that are continually made on behalf of my family. There isn't a day that passes that I'm not overwhelmed at the outpouring of support we are receiving from all of you and I firmly believe it plays a hand in the improvement I have made and the strength my family has been blessed with.

Many thanks,
k.

We were planning on getting family pictures after Kel had Mila and so they got postponed a bit.  We have been trying for a couple weeks but of course Saturdays is when the weather decides to make a turn for the worse!  This past Saturday we got two different locations, one that worked outside, one that worked outside but under a roof!  Right when I came to get on and write this we got the pictures so I decided to post how the pictures went when we first started(thanks to Kel she is keeping up her fashionably late status and this is what the picture resulted in right when they got there :)

























I'll save the under cover ones for later so that my parents get the chance to share it on their Christmas card :)

I'll be sure to take some pictures during Christmas and post them so I have something to post about for the time being.









 

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Kellie's Facebook Post

I should have posted this long ago but have been slacking a lot so I apologize.  Things are staying calm right now she is still doing therapy three times a week and we don't have any updates on what is to come yet they just want her body to keep recovering as much as it can with what they have done so far.

Kellie posted on Facebook about what happened and explains things really well so for any of you that don't have it here is her post:

On Wednesday, September 24 we welcomed our third baby girl, Mila (mee-la) to our family. The labor was short, easy and smooth. She weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces and was 20 inches long. She is healthy, beautiful and has a full head of dark hair.
Four days after her birth (three weeks ago tonight -- 9/28), a major artery of my heart dissected (tore) resulting in a heart attack. I was rushed to a local hospital and then air lifted to the U of U Hospital in SLC. My condition is Spontaneous Coronary Heart Dissection (SCAD) and was likely a result of pregnancy. It is speculated that the combination of increased blood flow, thinner veins and arteries and post partum hormones created the perfect storm inside my heart. This condition is RARE and there are 160 reported cases since 1931 (a quick google search of "SCAD and pregnancy" will give you all the detail you never knew you wanted to know).
Over the course of the next week, a temporary heart pump was placed through my left femoral artery (groin) [Tuesday -- 9/30], two more arteries dissected, which caused another heart attack and resulted in another surgery to place two stents in my heart and a second temporary pump in my right femoral artery [Thursday -- 10/2].
The pumps that were helping my heart were slowly turned down and on Tuesday (10/7) the pump in my left groin was removed. Unfortunately, a blood clot had formed in my artery. I went in for 4 hours of surgery to remove the clot. At the same time, the second pump was removed which was originally planned to occur a day or two after the removal of the first pump, but given the clot the doctors felt this was the best course of action.
I was slowly weaned off of other IV medications that were helping my heart and on Tuesday (10/14), Jason drove me home after two and a half weeks in the hospital.
We feel extremely blessed to be where we are today. I am on several medications, have strict physical restrictions and multiple weekly appointments to monitor my progress. The hope is my heart will recover enough to be managed with medication, diet and exercise. Modern medicine is amazing and if I don't heal enough there are other options that will treat my condition (heart failure). These options range from internal pace makers to LVADs and heart transplants.
We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that we have received from family, friends, neighbors, work colleagues, and people we don't even know. The prayers, fasting, well wishes and positive thoughts have absolutely helped us get where we are today. Jason and I believe that hope inspires when life's storms beat upon us and we are grateful for every victory we receive no matter how small. We will continually be paying forward the generous acts of kindness we have received during this time and thank you for all you have done for our family.

She also posted this a couple days ago:

The first two weeks of October I told myself I would be home by November 1st. And look at me now, on the couch with this lovely lady. Life is good!

Thursday, October 16, 2014

October 16, 2014- I'm Coming Home

 
"I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Tell the world I'm coming home"
 
I'm a couple days behind but I'm sure you already know what this post is about, Kellie is home!!
She got home Tuesday late afternoon and by that time she was exhausted from all the doctors signing off, giving instructions, and setting up future appointments.  I know she has been resting a lot because even though she is home she can't do normal day tasks but she does get to see and watch her kids when she wants now. 
Yesterday she went to her first cardio therapy appointment and did some walking, and riding the bike for 15 minutes I think is what Heidi told me.  She was VERY tired after that and is having Heidi and I keep Mila for the time being so she can regain her strength and get all the rest she needs to keep her heart healing.
They will continue to do blood work and monitor her as well as start doing other tests to see if her heart function is improving to see if any other action will need to be taken in years to come.  So just from the beginning it is still a wait and see type of situation.
 
 
This little lady is 3 weeks old now! Don't you want to just pinch her cheeks?!  She is getting a lot better at night, still has her times she loves being held only, still does great at pooping (especially when Heidi has her :) and is starting to crack a few smiles we haven't caught one on camera yet!
 
 
I have never got to spend a lot of time with little Ev cause I had Zola 6 months after she was born but when we were getting their pictures done with Mila she was being my little buddy.  She has quite the spunky personality and holds her own :)
 
\
 
Some of the cousins hanging out during lunch time at grandmas during the 1st week of this crazy roller coaster ride
 
I will try to keep updating as much as possible but won't have a lot to say until tests start and when they make some decisions which would be weeks or months away.  Thanks again for everything and continue the prayers I know it's not as scary now but there is still a lot more obstacles to get through and we will need just as much support then than we needed at the beginning!.
 
 

Monday, October 13, 2014

October 13, 2014- Stars Can't Shine Without Darkness



I know I haven't been good at posting this weekend but it's because things have been really good and stable so I don't get any updates really to relay to anyone. 

Heidi and I went in to see Kel on Saturday with Mila.  She was in bed but when we walked in jumped up and got right in her chair to hold Mila.  She moved so fast I almost missed it all and didn't expect her to be moving so fast.  We sat and talked for awhile, laughed, and Kellie educated Heidi and I about things we weren't too clear on.  It's amazing to me how much she remembers and actually knows of what went on.  I did learn she got two new tears that Tuesday when she had another heart attack and that is why when they put the stents in two worked but one didn't take.  If I had known more about it I would have caught on to that meaning she had three tears now.  The doctors said it would be okay that the one didn't take because a lot of times your body and other parts of your heart can figure out how to get what needs to go to that part of the heart.  Isn't that amazing?

J came shortly after we were there and joined in on our conversations saying Kellie has a few years on him after this because it took it's toll on him :) At one point we were laughing so hard I was thinking this has to be good on her heart :) She also told us that when she was out walking the halls one of the doctors that was working on her the first few days she was in the ICU was there and she said "hi" to him and she said she could tell he was looking at her like who are you?  And she goes "it's me Kellie".  She said his face was in complete shock that she was out walking around like nothing had happened.  Hearing that shows how amazing it is where she is at right now.

Today my husband Shea went up to see her on his lunch break and she told him she had done two 1/3 mile walks and would do one more this evening to reach one mile!  Like I said my sister is a rockstar! She is so determined and isn't going to give up or miss a beat to get right back to where she was before. 

The only kind of update I have, is they are determining when they think she can come home! :)

To sum up this post my quote does have a meaning to it for me at least. 
First off, my sister is one of the brightest stars I have met.  I knew it already but now having this small dark time she has become even brighter in my sky than I ever thought. 
Second, everyone around my family.  We have said thank you a million times and will continue to thank you all.  People have been so supportive and helpful that  you guys have added to our sky of stars and we will never forget you and what you have done for us all.  So continue to shine bright and just remember at times of darkness you will shine brighter than before.

Friday, October 10, 2014

October 10, 2014

There isn't a lot to write today because things are still going great! Kel got to see two special little girls it's been almost two weeks since she has seen them.  I wasn't there I have my little friend for the weekend :) But my dad was able to send me a couple pictures of this happy reunion!


 
enjoy :) I know they will bring a smile to everyone's faces!

Thursday, October 9, 2014

October 9, 2014

So basically my sister is a rockstar!  She is doing awesome and even walked 15 yards today!  My Dad emailed last night and said all her "hardware" is out according to how the nurses put it.  She showered and was able to sit in a chair.  If you haven't noticed she has been laying flat for a week and a half now so this is a huge step and probably feels so good for her!  She had told my mom over the weekend that she had a plan and it was she needed to eat to gain more strength so she could get out of there sooner than later.  If you know my sister that shouldn't shock you.  Out of all of us siblings she is the one always going to the gym and eating healthy and I feel like makes things I have never even heard of (because they are healthy :)  They talked to a doctor about what the next steps were and he said they will get her on medication to regulate the heart.  Kellie is in great spirits and of course is very positive. 

 
Mila went and visited last night as well and Kellie got to actually hold her.  And as you can see she is sitting up like I said she is awesome!
 
 

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

October 8th, 2014

I had a busy night last night so sorry I didn't do an update.  I had work and then picked up Mila for the night so when I got home I had miss Mila to get ready for bed :)  All I can say is this week has been SO much better than I expected which I am so grateful for!  My nights with Mila are just like they were with Zola.  I would watch an episode of Private Practice then go back to bed.  So with Mila it's Pretty Little Liars, probably not the best middle of the night show if you watch it you probably know why it can cause you to be a little jumpy :)  J sent me a update and message last night from what happened yesterday so I will finally get to the updates you are dying to read!

Today was an action packed day but good.  Here is the latest:

Today they successfully removed the impella pump from Kellie's left leg.  Following the pump removal she had blood clots in her femoral artery that was restricting flow from her left thigh to her toes.  Four hours of surgery later they restored flow and also removed the balloon pump (#2).  She is now pump free and her stats are currently stable.

In true Kellie style she was able to get local anesthesia instead of being put all the way out.  She is awake, sharp and ready for a good nights sleep.

If her stats hold tonight and no further issues arise they will have her sit up for the first time tomorrow and she will be able to bend her legs.  We are hoping for more boring days for the rest of the week.

One more step forward that we are so blessed to take.  The power of prayer and a mother's will is truly amazing.  Please help us keep up the prayers and let's get this mama home :)

Thanks for your love and support,
Jason and Kellie

This morning has been a little crazy at my house well I guess now it's almost afternoon.  This little lady wants to be held after sleeping so good for her aunt Jod last night :)



 
 
Isn't she the cutest?  She is also now Two weeks old!  Did great getting her pku at the doctor the other day and is almost back to her birth weight.  So growing like a champ!
 


It's a little hard to tell but she has forehead fuzz that is so cute!  Defiantly has her moms hair!
 
 
I got a text from my mom just now since she is up with Kellie while J gets some rest and she said that they have taken out what they call the swan (tube that went in her neck and down to her heart) she still has the catheter in her neck, but not as much hooked and hanging from it.  They sat her up in the bed and let her legs hang, she got a little light headed so she didn't go to the chair.  She is rest after those big steps today and it is only getting better from here!

Monday, October 6, 2014

October 6, 2014

Fortunately we had a non eventful weekend which gave Kellie's heart a chance to rest which is just what it needed.  The doctors have still been reducing medication and pump dependency and in doing so her heart is performing well.  If all goes to plan, they will remove one of the two heart pumps tomorrow morning then monitor her longer.  If her heart isn't too weak without the pumps she might make it out of the hospital without open heart surgery and a heart pump.  Praying and hoping that is the outcome!

From J:
We are so grateful to be surrounded by so many amazing people helping us through this!  We can't say it enough Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!

Remember to keep Kel in your prayers tomorrow that taking out the pump will go smoothly and her heart will remain to gain strength without it.  This is another chance to make another miracle happen!

Sunday, October 5, 2014

October 5, 2014-Quiet weekend

This weekend has been a really good one.  Kellie has been doing great and the doctors are very impressed with her.  Today they had a meeting with the doctors and she is continuing to make good progress despite lowering the pump out put and her medicine.  We are continually praying that her heart will continue to strengthen to a level where they can remove the temporary pumps. 

Continue to pray and keep her in your thoughts as they continue lowering the pump this week.  We are so blessed to have such caring people around us that are willing to do so much.  We are in awe at how many people have came to our needs and are so happy to help. 

Friday, October 3, 2014

October 3, 2014- A Update and Note from J

I talked to J last night about what has been going on and we decided that I would do a post every night with everything that happened that day hoping it helps the amount of texts and calls of people confused or with more questions to him and family so we can concentrate on what's going on at the time.  Things change so fast that 8 hours later the outcome can be completely different than what we thought was happening.  So J is having me give a current update and make some stuff more accurate and add a few more things.

From J:

Yesterday was supposed to be a boring day, but in the AM Kellie had another heart attack, successfully received 2 stents(a huge feat given the location and possible complications) and received another temporary pump (2 total).

Although the day started off rough, it ended with happy tears, smiles and laughter (both Kellie and I).

Today her stats look very good.  The pumps are doing their job and allowing the heart muscle some time to rest and hopefully gain strength.

It's a constant roller coaster with some harsh curves but we are doing well.  Kellie is coherent, talking and sharp as can be.  All the doctors, nurses, and U of U med team love her.  She has a great attitude and if it is up to her she will get better.  She is my rock!

There is an article(that we have shared with our family) we would like everyone to read that does a great job summing up our thoughts and beliefs regarding trials and life in general:
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/09/the-healing-balm-of-hope?lang=eng

We can't explain how grateful we are for the prayers and infinite service that is done on our behalf.  Miracles have been and are happening on a daily basis.

Again, we are so grateful for all the prayers and amazing people in our life.  We are hoping for a boring Friday and weekend!

-J

Thursday, October 2, 2014

I'm One Week Old!

I have to share something cute to keep smiles on our faces along the way. Little Miss Mila was one week old yesterday!  When I got her I made sure to snap a few pictures so we can see her grow!



 
I am so glad I have had the chance to be with this little girl.  She has been nothing short of an angel and has no idea how much joy she is bringing to our whole family.  Her sisters love her as well as all her cousins.  She LOVES to be held at night and she is so dang cute it doesn't even matter what time it is.  She is a great burper and even better pooper :)
 

October 2, 2014-Road blocks but back to miracles

When they took Kellie in for the LVAD they found that where they would put it was 100% clogged.  So the step they had to take was putting a stent in.  They got the first one in and it is working perfectly the second one they got in but the last I heard it hasn't taken.  The doctors said keep your fingers crossed and pray.  The second one wasn't a major factor with that part of her heart dead.  We have made it one step closer to the end.  Keep up the prayers they are working as you can see each step there is a miracle involved.

October 2, 2014

Last night I had the privilege in having Mila over!  That is a happiness boost she is the sweetest little girl and if you ask me I think she looks like Kellie :)  I got a call from J at 7:55am but I'll be honest I was dead asleep, but woke up also with a text from Kellie.  She wanted to know how Mila was(I think since this was the first time I have had her Heidi has taken on the newborn parent roll like a champ) and who would be watching the other two girls.  I got a call from my dad at 9:50am to hear Kellie is in surgery.  Another shocking moment you know will come but aren't totally expecting it right this second.  The impela pump didn't make her heart strong enough and as it was slowly turned off she started getting chest pain again.  Poor J was at the hospital alone so my dad didn't have too much information since they weren't there to soak up the information.  I called my friend Heather who works for the heart surgeons there to get more information.  I will tell it the best I can with all the medical terms and how much I got told and had to take in so here is my summary at best:
Our hearts I don't remember the term but us 75% of a certain function where Kellie's is still only at 20%.  Because of this, they had to take the next step which is the LVAD(Left Ventricular Assist Device) this is open heart surgery.  What they do is put the pump in her abdomen which then has a cord that goes to her heart to pump for her(I hope I explained that as right as I could) she will carry around a little purse where ever she goes that is part of the LVAD.  My friend knows both surgeons in with Kellie right now and the main doctor she works for is one of them.  She said Kellie is now under the care of the LVAD team from here on out.  She did explain to me the reason why they didn't go in and fix the tear.  Once you have done surgery on the heart it is even more risky the next time you go in and in Kellie's case she would need a heart transplant even if they did get the tear fixed her heart is too damaged.  So for now she will get this surgery, recover we hope the best that you can from this could be anywhere from 3 weeks to months and will be put on the heart transplant list and wait.  I was reassured people live on the LVAD for years and I know Kellie is a very sensitive sick case that she will get one sooner rather than later.  Keep her in your prayers today and if you haven't this will reassure you how important it is to be a donor in my eyes.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

October 1, 2014

Today is a wait and see type of day as of now.  The pump they have in is doing its job so far but can only be in for 48 hours which will be tomorrow mid morning.  They are slowly decreasing its output and will watch very closely what her heart will do.  The projection for now is that she will be in the ICU for the next 2 to 3 weeks. 
When they met with the doctors yesterday they said that her case is such a different one from most others that they have to approach it differently which is why we don't have many answers to what they will do next. 
Because the cardio artery bypass graft is so risky where her tear is, they have said some of the alternatives would be a heart transplant or a mechanical assisted heart.
When they ultra sounded the heart and the placement of the impela pump after moving her back to the ICU they said that she has an excellent body for the ultrasounds.  This is such a big advantage because they can see things that they can't normally see in other patients.  He could see her coronary artery, which he said he had not seen before on any patients. 
Thank you again for all the help, prayers, texts, meals, and thoughts.  We will be needing all of that for so many more weeks to come and know everyone will be there to help us after seeing all the out poor of love we have received in such a little amount of time.

September 30, 2014

We started a fast Monday night for any friends/family/ward members that wanted to participate.  I woke up Monday thinking oh man I'm so hungry I hadn't eaten much since Sunday night to now.  But then I got notified that she was in the Cath lab and was getting ready to get a pump put in her heart and the hunger went away.  The reason why they had to do the pump was explained by my mom in a email:

This morning as they reduced the medicine that was helping keep Kellie blood pressure up and the blood pumping through her heart. Her pressure started to drop and she started having pains in her chest and arm.

The surgeons have decided she is too young to have these pains and have decided to do the first medical procedure that was told to us at the beginning.

They have taken her in to the operating room (10:30) to insert through her groin a pump called an impela?. As they do this they will also be able to see other views of her heart and start trying to make a plan of what will come next.

They feel good about her progress so far and feel that this will help us move forward to a hopeful and good recovery.


We all continued our day I went to Heidi's with all the kids that weren't with friends and neighbors who have been extremely helpful and we will forever be grateful for everyone that has helped.  I went to work that night and while I was there Heidi had text me to call her when I was off.  Luckily I moved my colors to be double booked so I could be done early.  Kellie has had the most spectacular nurse taking care of her, her name is Katie and they have a lot in common.  They both married their high school sweethearts, are about the same age, got married two months apart from each other, and both have kids.  She took the time to wash and braid Kellies hair and the biggest blessing was she pulled enough strings to allow us to bring little Mila into see Kellie.  I was able to go with Heidi, my parents and Mila.  Deep down I was terrified, I am a very closed emotional private person and since Sunday have randomly just cried with that dreadful hopeless feeling and I was scared when I saw her it would all come back but I knew since I had the chance I needed to go see her.  When we walked in the room I was shocked my sister looked amazing.  Besides all the tubes and machines surrounding her just looking at her you would never expect her to be as sick as she is.  She was so excited to see Mila we got her out and laid her next to her so she could cuddle her the best that she could.  I took a couple pictures and am kicking myself for not getting one with Kellie and the nurse Katie so hopefully we see her again.
 
After talking with the nurse we learned a little more of what we have been dealing with and why we are calling Kellie a true medical miracle.  Where the tear occurred in her heart is in a place that the medical practice calls "the widow maker" which means no one should or does survive it.  And somehow my fighter of a sister has went against the odds.   She has the fight of her life still yet to come but so far has done a better job anyone could ever ask for.  The fast we did was one of the true miracles that has happened, we didn't know she would be needing to get a pump and it happened when so many people were praying and fasting for her that it went awesome.  I have fasted in the past but I have never fasted so hard if that is even a way to explain it as hard as I did today.  When we were sitting talking to with Kellie she told us that at Lakeview when they were sedating her for the breathing tube they didn't have her all the way under but didn't know that due to everything going on inside of her body but she was paralyzed enough she couldn't tell them that she felt the them put the breathing tube down her throat and that she threw up during it.  And she remembers being wheeled out to the helicopter and rain hitting her face and that the nurse flipped the blanket over her face so she didn't get wet.  While she was getting loaded they smashed her hand but she couldn't tell them due to her being paralyzed from the sedation.  Nurse Katie found out and made sure to tell those flight nurses what happened so it doesn't happen again. :)  She remembers flying to the U but once she got there she couldn't remember anything else and was fully sedated.  I have a client who works in the Cardiology department at the U so I have been able to text her and ask questions and she has been able to fill me in on information.  She has reassured me numerous times that my sister has a very sick heart but has the best doctors around helping her and she would feel the best that she could knowing that if someone in her family was in my sisters spot.  So we are beyond grateful of not only the support we have felt but the many nurses and doctors that are educated enough to help my sister get better.

September 29, 2014

By morning at 10:45am we got a text from my dad saying:
She had a bisection tear of the artery which caused a heart attack. They have her on meds trying to help the heart recover.  She is considered critical-stable.  The results for the last few tests show it is improving, so they are going to keep treating with meds.  They haven't given a timeline, but as long as there is improvement this will be the regiment.

My mom sent an email at 11:52am:

So here is the best update I can give you.  Bear with me cause there has been a lot of things told and thrown out at us.

She has a dissection (tear) on the arteries that feed into her aorta.  She also had a blood clot but it dissolved from the drugs that they gave her at Lakeview.   So she did have a heart attack from the blockage.  They are treating her with meds to try and strengthen her heart.  She has been slightly improving and as long as it keeps going that way they will continue with that scenario, however if she starts to decline they will need to do surgery which would be coronary artery bypass graft.  That involves grafting where the tear is.  Right now she is not in the best shape to have to have that done.  She will have to have that surgery eventually, but they want to do it on a walking patient not a sick patient.

There is no explanation how this tear occurred.  The doctor said this is the third one he has seen this year.  Her nurse has seen around 4 of these in 2 years.

As the team of doctors talked to us the main one said that she came in dying, so where we are now is good.  She is still in critical condition but stable.

They checked her numbers at 10:00 and they were holding.  They will check them again at noon.

She is very heavily sedated, but when the nurse talks to her her eyelids flutter a tiny bit.

This is very confusing and I have tried to tell it the best way I can remember.  Will try to keep you posted as often as possible.  We sit with her for about 2 hours, but are now in the waiting area.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and offers to help.  I think we are good right now, but this is going to be a long ordeal so the need for help may arise.  Keep praying!!


Mom email at 1:23pm:

They lowered the amount of sedation that they are giving her and she has responded some to our voices.  She moved her feet a little and mildly squeezed our hand.  When I said something her eyes just barely tried to open.  As long as she stays calm and still they will not increase the sedation.

I failed to mention before that the tear is in a very critical spot.

Her numbers at noon were still okay, they will check them again at 2:00.

Don't know what I told before but when the heart attack occurred it stunned the
Left side of her heart and that is what they need to try and bring it out of shock and to heal


Mom email at 5:51pm:

I have just spent the last couple of hours in with her, while j went home to see the girls and to shower.  She is improving and has really came along well.  Of course she still has a long ways to go.

The doctors came in and said it is possible that they may take the tube out of her throat tomorrow.  They are cutting back on some of the meds which is keeping her a little more aware of some things.  So the tube is starting to bother her.   She has stuff in her lungs from when they inti bated her which is causing her to cough it up, which in the long run is good.  She attempted to spell with her finger into my hand and has made perfect sense.

When the doctors were there she wanted to talk so they gave her a clipboard and she wrote questions.  All of this is very encouraging.

Her nurse has been so wonderful and we will never be able to thank her enough.  She gets off at 7:00 tonight, but Thank goodness we get to have her tomorrow morning at 7:00 until 7:00 at night again.

I feel more hopeful after this afternoon, but need to remind myself that it isn't over yet.

Thank goodness Kellie is a strong girl.  I am sure that is in her favor.

Thanks again and keep her close.


A few things that were told me were that when she was writing in my moms palm she ask:
panic attack
My mom asked oh do you want to know if you had a panic attack at your house? And she nodded yes.  My mom said no you didn't this was very serious you are sick. 
The next thing my mom remembers she asks:
Heidi wreck
My mom asked did you want to know how Heidi is holding up? And she nodded yes. 
My mom told her she is doing very good and is taking care of the girls so good.
When she was writing on the clip board to the doctors my mom said it was pretty hard to read because her writing was so small and she was kind of writing the letters on top of each other.  But she did ask about medications worried about her breast milk.  They are pumping for her but have to dump it due to the medication but are trying to keep her milk supply up.
She ended up getting her breathing tube out that evening which was a big relief for her and another mile stone.


September 28th, 2014-The Beginning

I decided someone needs to document the events that have taken place over the last couple of days for Kellie to look back on when everything is over and she is healthy.  I am her youngest sister Jodie and am definitely no writer so bare with me.
On Wednesday, September 24th Kellie got induced into labor with their third daughter.  At 6:26pm(I think) Mila J Robbins was born at 8 pounds 5 ounces and had cheeks to die for.  I was at work but was able after to go up to the hospital with my dad, mom, and other sister Heidi.  Kellie had just been taken to her post partum room and was getting settled, J had went home with their other 2 girls so we were able to sit for hours and talk to Kellie and see sweet Mila.  Everything went great and they came home Friday mid-morning.  Just like any mother your sleepless nights catch up to you but that is normal after just having a baby.  She text me and Heidi either Friday or Saturday asking if she just didn't remember with her other girls but that her feet were really swollen.  I was of no help since I was swollen almost my whole pregnancy and so my swollen feet after were a given.  Heidi said hers got swollen after so she must have just forgotten.  This could have been a sign things were going to go wrong but we may never get the answers to that.

On Sunday, September 28th everything changed.  My brother Jason had text that they were having ice cream cake for his daughter to celebrate her birthday that was that prior Friday.  We went over at 6pm and my parents had been at Kellies house taking them dinner.  They brought the two oldest girls to the party to give Kellie and J a little quiet time.  I left my brothers at about 7:30pm and I think everyone else left shortly after me.  We got home and bathed Zola and gave her a bottle it was probably 8:30pm by this time.  Shea had her sitting on the couch while I was picking a few things up.  Anyone that is close to me knows once Zola is bathed and winding down I don't answer my phone for anyone :) and once she is asleep I don't answer it because the beginning of the night she is a little bit of a sensitive sleeper and our home is quite small.  As I was walking by the couch I noticed my phone lighting up.  I didn't even think twice about not answering it and it was my sister Heidi I didn't at the time think why is she calling me I was just with her so I answered as fast as I could.  All I remember about the call was "I'm up at Kellie and J's I don't want to stay here alone mom and dad are going up to the hospital" trying to register what I heard I said "what's going on"  she said "she is having a really hard time breathing so they had to take her to the hospital in the ambulance"  I honestly don't know if she said Kellie or if I was blanked out so I said "the baby can't breathe??" and she said "No it's Kellie".  I said okay I'm on my way.  I grabbed my keys and wallet, Shea was still on the couch with Zola and all I could get out was I have to go Kellie had to be rushed to the hospital Heidi is at her house with the kids and ran out.  I was completely terrified driving over there.  That is the most helpless I thought I have ever felt little did I know in the next days to come it only made my helplessness feel worse.  I got to Kellie's to my mom talking to Kellie's nanny with tears in her eyes.  I went to the bathroom where Heidi was bathing the oldest kids and so I started helping.  My parents left to go to the hospital to see what was going on and to also give her a blessing.  Once we got the girls down for bed I could finally ask Heidi what happened.  Kellie's oldest girl Sloane is very smart and picks up on a lot of stuff so we didn't say anything while she was awake.  All she told me when I got there was "my mom is sick so my dad told me I needed to take Evie to my room shut the door and baby sit her so that's what I did".  She never opened the door to check on things my mom said which my mom made a comment the holy ghost had to have been there to make that happen because the last thing they needed was her seeing Kellie being taken out on a stretcher.  After we got settled I asked Heidi what was going on.  She said that my parents dropped the girls off and when they were getting ready to leave Kellie said she needed to go sit down. She sat down and my mom just thought she has just had a baby she is really tired.  My parents left and they were probably 2-3 minutes gone when Kellie called them and when they answered my mom said "what did dad forget?" and Kellie was in tears and all she said was "come back I'm sick".  My mom said that my dad flipped a U turn and she can't remember the last time he drove so fast.  When they got to my sisters house my mom knew with one look at my sister it wasn't good.  J was on the phone and my mom said if that's not 911 call them now.  Kellie was gasping for air and said her elbow and chest hurt.  The ambulance got there and asked what hospital out of Davis, Lakeview, and Mckay-Dee they wanted to go to my mom said not Davis and J said what one?  J decided on Lakeview which after finding things out was a blessing he picked the closest to their house.  She got rushed to Lakeview where since she had just had a baby their first thought was a blood clot.  They ran a couple tests and gave her some medicine, her lungs were filled with fluid and they were able to get them drained.  The CT scan showed them an enlarged heart so they called the U of U and they said we are sending life flight right now.  Since she was so swollen and her insides were such a cluster they had a hard time getting her sedated for a breathing tube.  They got it in and then got her loaded in the helicopter.  Me and Heidi were sitting on the couch getting random updates from my parents my dad text they are life flighting her to the U and within minutes we heard life flight coming from Ogden way and knew it was for her.  My heart sank.  They got her to U of U and got her as stable as they could and the next day we were told by doctors she was dying when she arrived there from Lakeview.  But that Lakeview had given her a medicine that unclotted the blood which somehow made her stay alive. That was the beginning of one of the longest nights of my life.  we got updates sporadically throughout the night but no real answers I felt like.