Katelyn's Journey: April 2009

Sunday, April 19, 2009

OMG Im WALKING

OK so i had this dream when i was taking a nap (yes i love to take naps plus i had gotten up early on a saturday an needed some rest) anyway and i had this dream that someone was telling me "if you believe you will walk" and when i woke up it felt like i actuall had a leg again! it felt real not like someone just added a leg to my body but it felt real and mine! it also felt like ten times stronger so i went downstairs and grabbed my crutches and got up and walked ten steps!!!!!!!! I was so HAPPY! i have been praticing like a ton now!!!! Its only my right leg but its getting stronger and its working!!!!! I also want to share something that happened the night before...i was kinda depressed and melting down and i just let go of everything and surrendered like big time to God and i belive that is what helped me to get this far!

track meet!

i went to my sister's track meet! she did AMAZING! she is soooo fast! I also got to hold my "little sis" Jayden and cheer Becca on with her!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

YEAH!!!

So i've started to take this new medication and it is reducing the swellling in my brain to allow for my nerves to reconnect and allow me to move!!!! so far it is just my right leg that is moving but im positive the left will follow soon! In the picture i am mostly using my arm muscles but Still! It feels amazing to be up again even if for short periods! After one year of not moving i am so glad to finally be able to recover!! Please call or email me if you have questions or just want to say Hi (or sream and yell with me about how exciting this is!)

How it all began...

In Febrary, Katelyn first developed a severe unknown allergic reaction that caused her eyes to be swollen shut for over a week with orbital cellulitus and her whole body to itch. She was on high doses of antibiotics and steriods to clear up this contidition.

Next, in April she came down with a very bad flu virus that caused her to loose a lot of weight in a short amount of time. Katelyn ended up in the hospital due to dehydration and the inability to keep any food or liquids down. She underwent many tests and evaluations. At one point, she had lost more than 15 pounds. After 3-4 days of testing, it was finally determined that she had SMA syndrome, which is a small intestinal blockage. A feeding tube needed to be placed past the blockage before they could begin tube feedings.

Unfortunately, there were many complications involved in this process. They had to do feedings through her IV until the tube moved to the right location and multiple times they had to move her IV as her veins kept giving out. Eventually, they got the ND tube placed and after 2 weeks in the hospital we got to go home on home feedings until the blockage cleared and she could begin eating on her own again.

We started having complications almost immediately after going home. Her system struggled with the change in formula we went home on and the change in medications. Also, her feeding tube became clogged and required a trip back to UC Davis to have it cleared. After only 4 days, we were back in ER as her GI system developed complications. We were released for home treatment but the next week ahead brought further problems.

The following weekend, we were back at the ER due to the tube being clogged again (apparantly this isn't unusual). This time they brought in the Intervention Radiology team to pull the old tube and replace it with a new one. They choose to sudate her for the procedure this time. Again, there were complications arising from the medications and when she finally pulled out of the sedation she had lost all her muscle control. Her body had finally been through one too many traumas and shut down.

Katelyn was admitted again and we spent the next 2 1/2 weeks in the hospital in the rehab program. The one success while we were there was that she slowly began eating and the feeding tube was finally removed and done with.

Katelyn was released on May 29th in time to attend her 8th grade Graduation the following day. She was still completely dependant with no muscle control but she wanted to attend her graduation anyways. Strapped into her wheelchair, she wore a huge smile and accepeted her diploma.

Katelyn is now home and with the aid of a hospital bed downstairs, we are able to care for her here. She continues to have rehab therapy locally with a therapist she likes and has worked with in the past. Her progress is slow but the prognosis is for full recovery but it could be weeks or months, they just don't know.

Katelyn's Journey

Sunday, April 19, 2009

OMG Im WALKING

track meet!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

YEAH!!!

About Me

How it all began...

Blog Archive

music comes from the soul..........