Katie's doctors appointment- Looking good!

First off, I want to apologize for not updating the blog last Thursday. I had every intention of doing it, but Katie's doctor appointment was moved up and so I wanted to wait until after that was taken care of to update the blog.

Katie was originally supposed to go up to Barnes for a doctors appointment in the middle of March, but they moved up her appointment because someone had canceled their's. So, last week my mom took Katie to her appointment and the drive up there and back went good for them and they did not have any trouble. When they arrived at the hospital for Katie's appointment, they brought her to a room because she had to be an in-patient for some of the testing. My mom said that once they got off of the elevator and onto the 11th floor, where Katie's room was, everyone wanted to come see her. Many of the nurses and techs who had helped take care of her while she was there a few months ago came by to visit and see how she was doing. They wanted to "actually meet:" Katie too, because even though they took care of her while she was there she was not herself and did not communicate with them very much. Also, she was not able to really talk during that time either. My mom and Katie also met with her doctor and she told my mom that she knew Katie had improved, but she did not think she had improved as much as she did. The rest of the staff was also very impressed with Katie's progress since she had been released from the hospital.

While Katie was an in-patient at Barnes they did a sleep test on her because she talks a lot in her sleep and she moves a lot too. Sometimes while Katie is sleeping she will move her legs like she is running. After doing the sleep test on Katie the doctors said that she has a condition that when she goes into her deep sleep her muscles do not completely relax. Now, when the majority of us get into our deep sleep all of our muscles completely relax and this is should be what happens. However, Katie's muscles are not doing this right now and that is why she moves so much when she is asleep. It is something that will go away though eventually and she will be fine. They also told us that she does not have to take one of her medicines any more except at night. The medicine that she is taking is to help her to be calm and not to get agitated at everything. Since she is improving and doing well they said she only needs to take it at night and not during the day. The only reason that they want her to take it at night is to help her relax so that she might sleep better.

The next day Katie was an out-patient and that day she had an MRI and CAT Scan done. We are still waiting on the results, but Katie did well through both of these test, along with everything else she had to do while up at Barnes. Everyone was impressed with how much she had improved since they had last seen her. If the tests all come back good then Katie will not have to go back to Barnes for six more months. If something comes up in the test then the doctors will tell us what steps we need to do next. Please pray that all of her test come back good! It would be a wonderful thing for her tests to come back good so that Katie does not have to go through any more.

Thank you once again for keeping updated with Katie's condition and continuing to pray for her. God definitely has heard every single prayer and has been with Katie and our family through this whole entire time. Also, thank you for the support and encouragement you have shown are family and Katie. It has helped us get through this difficult period in our life and shown us how blessed we are to live in a great community, have such an amazing family and friends and a great church family. God has been so good to us by placing all of you in our lives and we are truly grateful.

I hope you have a wonderful day and please be careful if you have to get out and drive in the snow and ice. For the rest of you have a great snow day and enjoy it, because that is what I am doing!!!

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)- "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."