Katie Update (from Carepage)

[Debrinha GT]

Thank God!

Thank God!

I know that Katie still has a long way to go before we can really put our minds at ease, but that's a start!! I'm sure she'll make it to the other side of the mountain even though she's had to stop for a rest on the way. I'll be looking forward to the next happy update.
Débora

 

[Phyllis]

Good news- Keep it up Katie and you will be dancing in your princess nitie before we know it. We all long to see a picture of that!

 

[Karlynn]

Spent all afternoon and evening at a family gathering and my mind kept going to Katie, wondering how her day was going. I jumped on line just now when we got home and was so glad to read the update from her carepage. Katie, you keep on fighting Wonder Woman!

 

[perkicar]

Wishes and Prayers from Louisville

Wishes and Prayers from Louisville

We were even checking the valve forum and the carepage today at work. Katie and Janet, you can tell your nurses that the nurses in Kentucky are praying for you, with love from the Bone Marrow Transplant unit at the University of Louisville Hospital. I work with a great group of women! (and men, no men working today, though, at least none of our male nurses).
Keep on keeping on! I'm so happy to read of your progress. Remember, it's ONE step at a time (and your mom would probably say that you're doing that a little TOO well!! <VBG>)

 

[geebee]

First visit notes

First visit notes

Hi all,

Spent a few hours with Janet and Katie today. Am now safe and secure in my hotel/hospital room at the medical center. It's a very interesting hospital complex and they took a wing of rooms and turned it into a hotel for visitors and family members. It is a very cool idea.

Anyway to the important stuff. Katie looks terrific. The picture below shows how peacefully she was sleeping this afternoon when she had over 2 hours of a reasonable heartrate. Her heartrate has been up and down a bit this evening but I am sure the periods of "normal" will get longer and longer. Katie's color is very good and she is even arguing and fighting the oxygen tube in her nose and trying to tear off her bandages. Fighting this stuff is a good thing as we all know it means she feels enough energy to do so.

She does not complain of hurting even while coughing so the morphine seems to be handling her pain. She is hooked up to a number of medicines and, if I had not been in her situation, I would have been panicked at all the tubes and machines. She looks so tiny among all that equipment.

Janet is doing very well considering. I don't think she has been getting much sleep but who can really sleep considering. I know I have been up a lot recently waiting for information and I am not Katie's mom. I am sure she is going through hell but she has safe passage with God and all of her supporters at her side.

Katie's room is filled with pictures, cards and stuffed animals. The bottom of her bed is filled with the animals and her new backpack and princess nightgown from the VR.com family. She has on one of her new princess socks but can't wear the other one due to a BP monitor cap on one of her toes.

She is still in need of prayers so don't let up now. She is very tired from the rapid heartbeat and is still coughing up stuff so she needs her strength for that effort. Please pray that God returns her heart to a normal rate very soon.

I will post more tomorrow once I get home. My mission in the morning is to get a photo of Katie awake with those big blue eyes considering how to distract her caregivers so she can pull out her tubes. The sweet imp is still very much awake.

 

[geebee]

Well, the picture did not upload properly. Ross, any ideas?

 

[KristiinSD]

That's great news!

That's great news!

I'm glad that she is improving. Thank you for your report.

Katie will remain in my prayers.

Kristi
mr
surgeon?

 

[Debrinha GT]

That was nice!

That was nice!

Thanks for sharing all the details with us. I'm so happy that Katie's fianlly beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel! Do you think she'll be in intensive care for quite a while still? How often can people go in to see her there? It will be so much better once she's in her regular room with Janet to take care of her. Say hello to them for me, please! By the way, how far do you live from where they are? Just curious! Looking forward to hearing more good news tomorrow!
Débora

 

[geebee]

Thanks for sharing all the details with us. I'm so happy that Katie's fianlly beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel! Do you think she'll be in intensive care for quite a while still? How often can people go in to see her there? It will be so much better once she's in her regular room with Janet to take care of her. Say hello to them for me, please! By the way, how far do you live from where they are? Just curious! Looking forward to hearing more good news tomorrow!
Débora

Debora,

I think Katie will be in PICU for another few days at least. She is able to have round the clock visitors except for one hour blocks during shift changes. Only 2 people are supposed to be in the room at one time but we had 3 in today (Janet, me & my S/O) and there was no problem. Janet is caring for Katie almost non-stop (except for tubes, meds, etc.) so Katie sees Janet almost everytime she wakes up. Janet is feeding her (albeit little amounts) and holds her hand. You would be able to see Janet's hand in the picture if it had uploaded properly.

I live about 4 hours south of the hospital. After driving cross-country numerous times, 4 hours is nothing. I have had longer commutes in Los Angeles (not kidding)

I will say a special hello from you. Janet sends her love to everyone.

 

[Guest]

Arg. Sad to read that things aren't progressing as had hoped. Thoughts/prayers continue, of course.

And, Gina ... thanks for the personal update from you. This sounds like an interested medical center....


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
'72,6,9/'81,7.hobbies.chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
MC Guide = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html
"Where have you gone?" ... Glen Campbell ... 'Still Within The Sound Of My Voice'

 

[bvdr]

Gina, thanks for the encouraging report. I'm so glad you were able to go and be a support for Janet.

Father, thank-you for being with Katie, Janet, and Don during this very hard time. Thank-you for the doctors and nurses and all who have so lovingly provided care for little Katie. Give them wisdom to make the right decisions at the right time. Thank-you for being with all of them every step of the way. Please continue to heal this sweet little girl and give comfort and rest to her parents. Give them strength for today, dear Lord, in your son Jesus' name, Amen

 

[Debrinha GT]

Are all hospitals like that?

Are all hospitals like that?

Here in Brazil noone is allowed to stay in ICU with the patient and there's only one hour a day for visiting, and only one person can go in for ten minutes at a time. They have this room just next to it where the patient's family members and relatives can stay while they wait for news. They claim that if too many people keep going in and out of ICU, it might disturb the patients and get in the way of the staff. As well as that, they worry an awful lot about secondary infection which is quite common here in many hospitals. That's me off to bed now, but before dropping off, I'll make sure I say a special prayer for Katie. Thanks again, Débora

 

[savysmommy]

Thanks for the update!

I have been praying for Katie all week! Everyone in my house has been...And of course, we will continue.

Shannon

 

[gadgetman]

Although I haven't posted on this Thread in a while, it has been the first place I go when I log on. We are still sending all the prayers and good thoughts for everyone. God hasn't given me a "busy signal" yet and I don't expect one. We know from what we have seen so far that God's Hand has reached out and touched Katie and provided comfort to Janet and Don. From my own experience I felt each and everyone's prayers during my climb. KEEP PRAYING EVERYONE.

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[PJmomrunner]

The forum's really quiet 'cuz everyone's in church praying for Katie!

 

[Gnusgal]

Wanted to bump this baby back to the top of the "new posts" list. I didn't like coming in and not having it listed.

As everyone else has mentioned, Katie is almost constantly in my thoughts and prayers. Every spare moment I have I come on to check VR for an update (it's faster than logging in to Carepages) and if I don't see anything, I hop on over to her Carepage. I hope we get an update this evening and that all is going well. Katie's a fighter and I just know she's going to get past all of these complications and go back to being her energetic (even more so with so much more oxygen!) self.

 

[Superbob]

Prayers From DC Area

Prayers From DC Area

Gina, thanks for giving us news after your visit, even though the news is not as good as we would wish. But I guess little bumps are to be expected on the road to recovery.

Just wanted to say you long-timers on vr.com are privileged to know so well the courageous little Katie and her wonderful parents. As a relative newcomer, I sometimes feel like an outsider looking in. But just wanted to say that Katie's courage has captured my heart, too, and I am praying very hard for her complete recovery.

Thank you all for all you are doing.

Rob

 

[bvdr]

Gina, thanks for giving us news after your visit, even though the news is not as good as we would wish. But I guess little bumps are to be expected on the road to recovery.

Just wanted to say you long-timers on vr.com are privileged to know so well the courageous little Katie and her wonderful parents. As a relative newcomer, I sometimes feel like an outsider looking in. But just wanted to say that Katie's courage has captured my heart, too, and I am praying very hard for her complete recovery.

Thank you all for all you are doing.

Rob

Rob, don't feel like an outsider. It doesn't take long to fall in love with Katie and then you are a bona-fide member of her little fan club.

 

[Debrinha GT]

Wondering why...

Wondering why...

there hasn't been an update on Katie since last night.??? I know they say that no news is good news, but in this case, the lack of news can be just as worrying! I hope someone posts something(good) about her again soon. I'll keep on praying!
Débora

 

[Emma]

When was Janets last update? I mean what time over there? Cos where i am it was over a day ago i think and i've checked about a dozentimes today - hoping no news is good news!

Emma
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