Kristin "Kourageous" Katich

Our last bone marrow biopsy went great! It showed no leukemia cells. This shows that she is having a positive early response to the chemo which is a very, very good thing! All of her labs are coming back "smashing!" We are dealing with secondary complications such as situational diabetes. This is only tempoary and should resolve once we are off the strong steroids. Consequently she has to have blood sugars checked often, insulin injections, and follow a carb controlled diet. not fun! In trying to be supportive, I am counting carbs along with her. It is hard when someone has a birthday up here every other day and wants to share their cake. Keep the dang cake to yourselves! Kristin is getting very tired more often and is noticing that she can pull out clumps of hair....I am sad. Although I knew this was coming, I was taken back by the situation and caught off guard. Baldness goes hand in hand with leukemia and every parent up here would rather have a beautifully healthy, shini...

Go Go Go Kristin We are currently awaiting our call down to surgery. This is a big day. Not only does Kristin receive ara c, vcr, dex, daun, it mtx today,but we have another bone marrow biopsy. This will be a very thorough biopsy. The first was to confirm the diagnosis. This time, they will very carefully count and recount to to see if she could possibly be in remission! Modern medicine is Amazing....... Since this incredibly life changing journey has begun, I have been unspeakably touched by the outpouring of support, concern ,and love. I still cannot believe we are here. It seems like yesterday that we were getting up for school and going about our daily routine. Kristin's diagnosis came so suddenly that it was quite the shock for us. I suppose I still must be in a state of shock. It is still unbelievable at times! Darren and I look at each other and still say,"I cannot believe we are here!" Kristin had Karen Cox (great teacher and advisor from GHS), Darren Lasko,Annie...

We just had our morning rounds. The big news is that Kristin had no "blasts" in her blood.These are immature white blood cells that originate in the bone marrow. An excess number of these allows for the diagnosis of ALL. This is good news. On day eight of therapy we will see what is happening in the bone marrow. Big Day! Her WBC(white blood cell count) this morning was 8. Last Thursday it was 22! She is receiving bactrim(sp) to help prevent pneumonia and a whopping shot of asparaginase today. We know today is Sunday. Although it is not our normal routine in anyway, we know it is for many of you. I imagine my old Sunday routine. It is different now, but still my sabbath day. There is a reverence, comfort and peace that I feel from this. We feel the power of your prayers, hope and faith. Love you children. Tell them when they wake in the morning, before they go to bed, and when you are apart. I cannot imagine not ever doing so again! On a lighter note, Kristin was stretching, d...

P.S. the picture is not upside down. I was when I took it. Also, you have asked about making comments. You can at the bottom. Just click on comments and type away. It is Saturday morning and all is going well. Kristin is getting meds for nauseasness , so she has not had a problem with that. Headaches seem to be the worst side effect for her. I took some quick laps around a few floors this a.m. and find myself taking the stairs instead of elevators. The movement felt so good. Kristin is trying to figure out ways to keep moving also. We requested a yoga mat and some hand weights. There is also an ancient exercise bike here and she will give a go at it later today. The nurse gave Kristin the healthiest on the floor award today. We loved that! She is responding well to everything and her body is doing what it is expected to do.The labs are coming back all with good news. We anxiously await next week for day eight. This is the day she has another bone marrow biopsy and we will se...

Dec. 21,2007 Kristin's first night with intense chemo went well. She received vincristine, dexamethasone,daunorubicin. This was mostly given introvenously and took six hours to administer. Relatively speaking, the night went by peacefully. I enjoyed hearing her talk softly in her sleep. She whispered apologies of I'm sorry and it's okay......so sweet. We do not have labs back from this morning and are anxiously awaiting them. This is very much a numbers game. A big thank you to you all. Your kindness, concerns, and prayers mean more than you know. Please keep them coming. May God bless us all and keep us safe. Leslie

Hello to all from Children's Hospital Oakland, California To it still difficult to grasp that we are actually here...hearing this news...living in this new world. Kristin's official diagnosis is ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA precursor b. This is very treatable form of cancer. She is enrolled in a cutting edge program for treating A.L.L.. All of us here are very optimistic. She is under the care of amazing Doctors and the recipient of the miracles of modern medicine. It will be a very rough 2 years or so, but she will survive. Thus far, we have been on the fast track. This is an amazing institution and we are very, very fortunate to be here. Nothing short of kindness and compassion have been shown to us from the very beginning. Upon our arrival on Monday, she has undergone a bone marrow biopsy, 2 lunbar punctures, echo cardiogram, chest x-ray, broviac cath . placement, and numerous pokes and prods. She received her first chemo treatment; injected into the spinal fluid, Wednes...