Kristin "Kourageous" Katich

Here is an invitation to everyone who would like to participate. Paul Kelsh and Stacey Clark are associates of Darren's and they are chairing the event. PAUL KELSH AND STACEY CLARK WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN SUPPORT OF A SPECIAL CAUSE WE ARE HOSTING A FUND RAISER FOR 17 YEAR OLD KRISTIN KATICH WHO WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA PLEASE JOIN US THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28th 4-7 CASOLEIL CLUB HOUSE 500 COSTA AZUL DRIVE, SPARKS ENJOY MUSIC, DESSERT, WINE AND CHAMPAGNE ENTER TO WIN A RAFFLE PRIZE SILENT AUCTION IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION BANK OF AMERICA ACCOUNT NUMBER please call PLEASE RSVP TO 775-850-7770

For the past week we have had Kristin's counts go up and down respectively. We now have buckets of platelets thanks to a transfusion. Unfortunately her WBC (white blood cells) drop to nearly a nonexistent level: .4! ;making her very neutropenic, and her hemaglobin (red blood cells) drop to where she needed a transfusion. Our overnight trip to Oakland was postponed so that she can recover. All this being said, she regretfully missed the J.A. dance. On Wednesday, we were sure that she could make it, but by Friday afternoon there was no way that it would be possible. Her handsome date for the evening and some other friends stopped by and gave her flowers and visited for a while. This cheered her up for a bit and we were happy for her. She spent the rest of the weekend sleeping as she had absolutely no energy to do much of anything. We are trying a nausea patch for the vomiting and imitrix for headaches. I do think this has brought some relief as she did not complain so much o

I have finally figured out how to add pictures to this blog. There are several throughout and I will now continue to add more.

Kristin's week began with another of her favorite procedures, the infamous L.P. with more chemo. Although I do not think she has a spinal headache; like last week, she seems to be plaqued by the same headache she had in Oakland when she had so many L.P.'s there. At that time we noticed that her platelets had dropped since last week. By Wednesday I noticed petechiae appearing on her legs and knew she needed a platelet transfusion. T hese are tiny, localized hemorrhages from small blood vessels just beneath the surface of the skin. She also received more i.v. fluids as she has vomited all week long and has not been able to keep much down. Valentines brought roses from her Dad, balloons from Danny Hames, cookies from the Footes, and a heart attack on our front door from we do not know who????? We loved it! The Hair Club for Kids found a wig that Kristin could use until hers came in. It is so long, black and has some pink highlights.....yes, pink! she wanted it so bad, so we we

It has been a long week for Kristin. Monday started off with a LP (lunbar puncture) with chemo at Renown. We were fortunate to have Kevin Lasko with her putting her to sleep. It was comforting to Kristin to have someone she knows and trust with her for these procedures. Dr. Lasko is wonderful! He invited me in with them and I was with her the entire time, even being his third hand as he put her off to sleep. I should have asked her some questions after her gave her the drugs. Maybe "when was your first kiss, what is your biggest secret?" Does anyone has any suggestions? As a result of the LP she has been left with a whopping spinal headache all week long.along with terrible nausea, and vomiting from the chemo. We were told that this round of chemo would bring her numbers down in about a week and to take advantage of the small window of time and take her to dinner and have a few visitors, etc. so, she was able to go get that big juicey steak that she has been craving. She als

So, I have noticed some "age appropriate" gray hair sprouting up lately. My first instinct was to pull that sucker out. That little guy did not want to cooperate. The first try yielded an innocent by-stander, the second brought a few more along with it. I resorted to a pair of tweezers and successfully got the task done. The next day I was curious to see if there were any other victims. Of course there were..... I immediately went to work only to find more resistance than the day before. In frustration I quit and went on with the day. I forgot all about those "grays." The following day I wore a hat and thought nothing of the uninvited guests. By now I had to wash my hair and could not help but notice the now healthy crop of grays. This time I did not try to pull them out. I am thinking that they are no longer uninvited guests. We all know they are certainly "age appropriate." I think they are a big part of my growing life's journey. If I pull them out,