Kristin "Kourageous" Katich

While getting ready for the day, I noticed an unread text message on my phone. It had come around 10:30 the night before, well past my bed time. It read, "I think I'm coming down with something." Gasp, exhale and then Gasp once more! Those were the foreboding words Kristin had spoken to me about two weeks before she was initially diagnosed. At 6:00 in the morning, the day was still young. My mind had already gone through a very complicated to do list of who to call, arrangements to be made, & items to pack in a matter of minutes. While in the warmth of the shower, my mind went back to earlier conversations with Kristin during the week. She had mentioned she felt like she was coming down with a cold. A cold? That was certainly do-able. My hurried mind sighed and then relaxed. "It is probably just a cold Leslie....she's fine." Darren, never one to panic, echoed the sentiment.I drew from the comfort of blessings and promises she has been given and tuck...

I received a call from Connie Goes last week saying they are concerned about Kristin's feet and were ordering a slew (is that the correct spelling?) of tests. The next rounds of vincristine would be held for possibly 1-3 months to give her feet time to heal. FINALLY! I spent many hours reading and researching Raynauds, vasculitis, cryoglobulins, acral ulcers, perniosis, blahblahblah......There can be many contributing factors, but I am pretty sure her's is chemotherapy/leukemia related. So, yesterday she went to the health center to have blood drawn to begin the process. I will keep you posted. In the mean time, she has been invited to go to Disney Land with a "friend's" family. We are still debating the issue. Then again, she is 19 and technically does not need our permission, but being the good girl that she is she has asked our permission. I would certainly want to go if it were me. I guess it is all the "what if's" that I have a hard time with. L...

Here is a short slide show I created when we took the family and some of their friends out to Pryamid Lake. This was a special day for Darren and I with all the memories to take with us. The day was perfect, (except for the fact that Eric had to work)great water, we had the lake practically all to ourselves, no wind, friends, and loads of oooooos and ahhhhhhs. Along for the ride were Robbie LaRovere, Brandon Daniels, and Sam Foote. Just turn up your volume and click play . Enjoy the show! As an update on Kristin, she is feeling the stress of classes complicated by the infusion of vincristine she received. Top it off with prednisone and you have a frustrated freshman. We are working on finding someone help with the foot issues. Salt Lake gave two referrals to try. (hmm,I honestly think they just looked in the directory for Provo and randomly the found two rhuematologists who just happened to be in the neighborhood) I called both and they each declined and said this was not something t...

Today is Kristin's 19th birthday...The years leave me speechless, grateful, and amazed all at once.  While it is oddly strange to not have her here at home, we are thrilled that she is celebrating another year of Living Happy.  still wishing Kristin Happy Birthday! Kristin's clinic visit in Salt Lake went well.  A huge thank you to the lovely Pam and Lindsey Peperone for escorting her.  Her recent labs were outstanding.  In fact they were a bit too outstanding so they have increased her chemo to 75%. Her ANC was over 4100!  WBC 7.1, HGB 13.3, PLATES 22 Dare I say normal?  Lets hope this little 25% increase does not send her counts crashing like last time.  Once again,she has developed the strange bumps on her feet.  I did some research and have found something that fits her symptoms perfectly.  It is called perniosis.  This is caused by the constriction and damage of the small blood vessels(vasculitis) in her feet and how they...

Kristin left to school last week. She caught a ride with the famously notorious AJ Hames and arrived on campus at the beginning of the week. Her last clinic visit went well and it did not seem to hold her back at all. Labs are to be drawn next week so I am anxious to see how she is responding to the higher doses of chemo and the methotrexate she received during the lumbar puncture. I wanted to share this cartoon with you. The cartoon evolved from an assignment about her freshman year experience. Notice the similiar physical attributes? I loved it and hope you do to.

As I was reading the scriptures, I have felt captivated by the following verse. Finding myself drawn to reread it many times, I felt I should post it on the blog. I have found great reassurance and trust in these words, they tell me that my cries and prayers fall upon the ears of a loving Father in Heaven. I know Kristin expresses this sentiment also as she has voiced it many times. Her faith and patience is a light that shines for me as she submits with great patience to the will of our Father.Although prayers are not always answered MY way, the burden upon my shoulders is more often than not, lightened and this load is not so heavy. " And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." mosiah 24:14

We were anxious to hear all about Kristin's freshman adventures, the people and new friends she has made, and all those first year escapades. This one is hilarious and I thought I would share it with all of you. " We were all sitting on the couch watching a movie and this guy next to me kept touching my hair. Well, I had my wig on and he did not know about it. He repeatedly said how nice and unreal it felt. So, I casually put my hand on top of the wig and started to spin it around and said, "Actually it is unreal...." The guys in the room freaked out and jumped off the couch shouting, "Whoa!" I explained the hair thing and relieved they said "Man, we thought that was your head spinning around!"