Kristin "Kourageous" Katich

JUST A QUICK NOTE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE AT HOTEL OAKLAND AGAIN IN OUR OWN PRIVATE SUITE. THE ACCOMMODATIONS SEEM TO BE ADEQUATE BUT THE ROOM SERVICE LEAVES ONE WANTING! WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS AS THE LAST THREE ADMITS. HIGH DOSE METHOTREXATE- LEUCOVORIN- LITERS AND LITERS OF SODIUM BICARB! FUN STUFF.... KRISTIN IS VERY, VERY SLEEPY TODAY. SHE WOKE UP WITH NAUSEA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, BUT SEEMS BETTER TODAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT UPDATING THIS SOONER. WHEN I AM HOME IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO THE COMPUTER AS THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO. I HAVE MUCH MORE TIME ON MY HANDS WHEN WE ARE DOWN HERE. GO FIGURE! THERE IS A LOT TO FILL YOU ALL IN ON. MR. LINTON'S RUN, DAN DUGAN'S "LIVE HAPPY" SOCCER TEAM, MAKE A WISH, PICTURES, AND THE GREAT ALASKAN ADVENTURE. THE COMPUTER LAB IS CLOSING TO I WILL GET BACK TO THIS A.S.A.P.

So here we are again. Do I dare say that this almost feels normal? That is a creepy thought as I cannot think that there is anything normal about chemo-therapy. Once again Kristin had a lumbar puncture with chemo (chemo injected into the spinal fluid) under anesthesia. After 6 hours of hydration with sodium bicarb, she was started on high dose methotrexate via her broviac catheter. This will take 24 hours and then they give the rescue drug so that it clears from her body. methotrexate actually mimics folic acid and trick the cancer into absorbing it. It then kills these absorbed cells. But, when left into the body for too long it causes serious damage. Thus, the rescue drug leucovorin. Amazing isn't it! Once this clears from her, we are free to go! Yipee! She is tolerating the drugs well, but is emotionally struggling. This is a tough time and the treatment looks to go long and hard through the summer and into the fall. This is devastating for her. My heart hurts for the price she ...

Kristin was honored to help kick-off the Leukemia Lymphoma Society's Man&Woman & Celebrity of the year this past week. She has be chosen to be the Girl of the Year. Our night began at 5:30 as we all watched the spot on Ch. 2 that Neda Iranpour did on Kristin. She highlighted efforts that the kids at Galena have been doing to raise funds and awareness on Kristin's behalf. If you missed it, you can log onto their website at KTVN.com and watch both of the spots that they aired. Neda is a gifted story teller and she did a fabulous job with Kristin's. At 6:00 a limousine from the Silver Legacy came to the house and picked us up to take us to the Reno Downtown Ballroom. Kristin invited Danny Hames to take Eric's spot. (he is in Alaska working for the summer) The boys had a great time and loved the ride! Yes, so did the rest of us. Jamey Hinman;LLS hard working campaign manager,greeted us and introduced Kristin to the nominees for the campaign. She had her pic...