Katie has been progressing slowly this week but it has been getting better each day. On Tuesday and Wednesday the nurses/doctors allowed Katie to sit up in the recliner, which she was not able or allowed to do before. They still had to keep her strapped into the chair though and that was just for safety precautions It's not as bad as it sounds and they only do it because she is still considered a flight risk and do not want her trying to run away. Today they were able to get Katie to stand for a little while, it was not a very long time but it is still progress. This is definitely a positive thing because Katie has not stood or been out of a bed in almost three weeks.
Katie has also had a shot of a medicine that is used to treat some chemo patients, I think I forgot to mention this the other day. She does not have cancer and this medicine will not make her loose her hair or have the side affects of normal chemo medicines. This is a very low grade chemo medicine and the purpose of it is to kill or slow down the cells that are producing the bad anti-bodies that have been attacking her brain. The only down side to this medicine is that it can knock her immune system down but that is about the extent of it. Katie had this shot a little over a week ago and they are planning to do another one next week I believe. I am not sure if they will have to give her any more of these shots after that, but I think it mainly depends on how her body reacts and the progress that she makes.
Right now, it is a waiting game since they have done all of the pheresis treatments and have given Katie the chemo medicine shot. We are just waiting to see how Katie's body reacts and how long it takes for her body and mind to come back to normal.
Thank you for all of the prayers, encouragement, support, cards and help you have given our family. It has been so helpful and has definitely played a big role in us getting through this time of our life. We are very thankful for everything and appreciate all you have done. Also, thank you for all of the cards that you have sent to Katie, my mom has decorated her room with them!
"Tough times never last, but tough people do."- Robert H. Schuller
