Kate Update - Sunday 11/19/2017 11:30 pm

Friends of Katie,

Sunday was day 8.0 of Katie’s ordeal.  Her brother Zach stayed with her Saturday night at the hospital and shared that she rested very peacefully throughout the night.   

Throughout the day Sunday, the pressing challenges for Katie remained two-fold:  1. Fighting infection and  2. Starting up the intestinal process. 

First, the medical team continued to treat Katie for pneumonia throughout the day and while her temperature continued to stay around normal and her heart rate was appropriate her white cell count continued to be elevated.    Later in the morning, the team decided to test for an infection called c-diff (not even sure if that is how it is spelled and too tired to check).  All we know is that it is a serious enough infection that it requires an upgraded protocol for anyone that comes into Katie’s room. This meant we needed to gown up and pull on latex gloves.   The good news is that by 9 pm, the test had come back negative for c-diff.  Amen!!!

Regarding  #2, Katie’s care team started putting nutrition down her feeding tube early Sunday morning and by late morning the tube had some type of blockage.  Not being able to clear the tube they inserted a new nasal feeding tube, which is never fun, and resumed giving Kate nutrients.  By the end of the day, it looked like she was slowly digesting the food.  We are trusting that she will continue to show progress… more tomorrow. 

Our entire family continues to marvel at how each of you in her blessed community has responded by filling in the gaps created by Katie’s accident.  You have done so compassionately, graciously and with endurance.  Thank you!

We find ourselves wondering how do we capture the outpouring of love and support in a way that Katie will be able to understand and interpret when the time is right.  One creative way that surfaced was to collect pictures of people wearing her hospital issued protective helmet when they visit.  You may be wondering why a helmet??  Due to Katie’s surgery to temporarily remove a portion of her skull, she will need to wear a protective helmet for the next 5-6 weeks as she begins to get up and start moving around.  If you are unable able to come visit, we are inviting you to send a picture of yourself wearing your favorite helmet.  It could be any type of helmet…. bike, ski/snowboard, skate, football, etc, just something to show you are with her.  We trust this will serve as an encouragement for her and demonstrate how many of you, in fact, stand with her on this journey.

We continue to be humbled, grateful, and encouraged along the way by each of your notes, texts and we know that Katie deeply appreciates and senses you walking with her.  Our good Lord tells us that we are not alone through difficult times.  Thank you for being a living demonstration of that for Katie and each one of us in her family.