4 Years Since DOD

October 31st, 2012 marked 4 years since her date of diagnosis. It is incredible how far we've come! I am so very proud of our little survivor!

She is now 5 years old and is loving Kindergarten. She is in the top of her class and I just love to watch her put her time and effort into her work. It's amazing how focused she is. She tries to do her best in everything that she does.

She just finished her first season of soccer and loved it! Now we are on to gymnastics as Miss Katelyn wants to be an Olympic Gymnast someday!

In December we will be in remission for 4 years! Halleluiah! In another year she will be considered "CURED"!!! I can't believe it!!! She will always have check-ups and annual echo's, but that is cake :)

Here are a few recent photos of our little champion!!!

 Katelyn's First Day of Kindergarten! A little fashionista!

 Princess for the Day! Katelyn's Fifth Birthday!

 Our Amazing Survivors, Zara and Katelyn at our 4th Celebration of Champions, 2012!

 Coach says "that girls got moves!" -- Katelyn loved her first season playing soccer!!!

Our amazing girl. Our Hero! I love you so very much Miss Katelyn!!!

Our Life

Katelyn has been out of the hospital for 2 years, today. She was released on my and Todd's 2 year wedding anniversary. Today we celebrate 5 years of marriage. I am so very blessed. I am loved by an incredible man, who takes care of me and our precious children. I have two healthy, happy, wonderful daughters who light my world every day. And, Katelyn continues to prove every day that she is a fighter and loves life. I couldn't be happier, I couldn't be in a better place, and I couldn't be more grateful for all the support we've had... not just that last 3 years, but all the positivity and love we've been given in the last 11 years is what has helped us to get through the trials that have brought us here.

Katelyn has been in remission for 2 1/2 years. It's amazing to think that once we thought we might lose her. I am so very thankful for her strength. She is the strongest, most amazing child. She is almost 4 years old and wants to go to Disneyland for her birthday. She goes to preschool at Busy Bee Preschool and she loves it. She is creative and very, very.... very... girly. Dresses every day, pretty shoes, mommy's high heels, bows, clips, braids, and anything girly. Oh, lipgloss, she is obsessed. She also has an independence that I am not sure what to do with. She is expoloratory with her words, her reactions, her demands, her emotions, her creativity and everything else. I'm proud most the time, and flustered as well. I am so very thankful that she is able to push the limits and explore. Once upon a time there was a possibility that she wouldn't have those options and I have to remember that.

Kiera Bear. She is a funny little lady. She makes me laugh everyday. She likes to be silly and will go with the flow to keep you laughing. My baby turned two in March and it blows my mind. She talks up a storm and is witty. She observes everything and remembers it all. Nothing gets by that little lady. She and Kate are best friends and can also push eachothers buttons.

All in all, life is good! Todd's busy with work and building his business, I'm going to school and very happily taking care of my family. Life is good!

Thanks to all of you for your love and support!!!

One Year!

Today marks ONE year since Katelyn's very last chemo! I can't believe how the time has flown! We are so very thankful for her health and all the growing that she and we did through this experience. We thank God everyday for lifting her up and healing her, and for keeping her healthy. Thank you for all of your support! Prayer is very powerful and we are so thankful for all of Katelyn's prayer warriors!!!

Kate had a checkup about two weeks ago and everything is clear and in perfect order! We are so very thankful!!!

Kiera just turned ONE! Can you believe it? I can't! She is walking and saying lots of words. She loves her big sister and wants to do everything that Katelyn does. She keeps up rather well too! The girls are already little best friends, and they bring so much joy to our family!

We moved to Ramona a few weeks ago! We got our own place on the West side of Ramona and it is perfect for our little family. It has everything we need and we are close to town, which has proven to be a blessing! We loved living in Mesa Grande, it was beautiful, but I am very thankful to be close to civilization! The girls are reaping the benefits as well, not only do we visit the park a couple times a week, but they have their own play room! They have toys galore and get to run a muck without tearing down the house. I LOVE IT! They also share a room, and it is so nice to be able to lay them down and night and still have the rest of the house to do things in! We are so happy in our own place, it is incredible!!!

Todd has been working a lot, which has also been Godsent. He is doing construction and staying really busy. Thankfully, we are able to pay our bills and enjoy life! I hope that we can find a balance soon though, as we both really want him to pursue his Nursing career. We will just hope and pray that the time will come that we can both pay our bills and he can study!

A quick update on my family! Brooke turned 13 a few months ago and is turning out to be quite a little lady. I watched some of her basketball games over the winter and she is wonderful. She also just started softball and I will be going to see her for the second time this Saturday. She is quite the athlete! Already thinking one step ahead and she keeps her head in the game. She is hitting and fielding and doing really well! It's a joy to watch her play, and to see how she improves and grows every season! Holly is a senior! She is headed off to college in Washington in the Fall. She is very smart, and when she puts her head in something, she can do nothing but excel. I am so proud of her and all that she has accomplished. SHe has such a bright future and I can't wait to see what becomes of her! Nutters is expecting baby Audrey in the beginning of July! She is the most adorable little pregnant person ever. Malakai keeps her busy too! He is all boy... going, going, going, gone! She has to be on her toes at all times! He recently got 4 teeth! Jeanette and Jayd were worried as he hadn't had any teeth until now, and he is 16 months old! They are so thankful that his teeth have finally appeared. Jayd has been busy with work as well! They are just patiently awaiting Audrey's arrival! Ashley is busy as always! Working, going to school, and living the fun, kid-free life that she should! She and Ryan still live with roommates in La Mesa and are enjoying their youth! My Mom is busy at work and recently had a wonderful visit from Peter & his family! It was a wonderful visit for all of us! Also, Todd's brother, Jeff, and his fiance, Tarren, are expecting their second baby in the beginning of June! We are so excited about all of these new additiong, and overwhelmed by all the girls!

Also, the Celebration of Champions is back again! We are so excited to celebrate our little champion and all of the champions we have met along our journey! It is on Saturday, May 15th. We will be there with shade and some chairs, anyone who wants to join in this incredible experience and celebrate all of these champion children with us, should join us! It is truly an experience you will never forget!!!!

Pray for Nadia

Dear Friends & Family,

Our dear friend Nadia Abila has been diagnosed, for the second time in only 3 short years of life, with cancer. She and her beautiful family were a light shining brightly whiler we were in the hospital. Nadia is such a strong, brave girl and has proven to be a fighter. Please pray that she be able to handle the surgeries and chemo to come. Please pray that her Mom, Dad, brother & sister get through this most difficult time.

As you've read in my blog, the only thing worse that experiencing cancer in your child once, is to do it twice. I can't imagine what the Abila's are feeling right now. I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest, and Katelyn is just fine. Please pray for strength and courage and everything else that the Abila's will need during this time.

You can follow her journey on her CaringBridge site : http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nadiaabila

With Love & Thanks,
Krystal, Todd, Katelyn & KieraP

Thad

Thank you for all the prayers! My Uncle has Musclular Sclerosis and his health has een deteriorating over the last ten years. He was very functional up until about a month ago. Just before Thanksgiving he started getting major headaches. He said that he had never experienced that amount of pain in his entire life. The headaches lasted about a month. He went to his doctor who ran different tests on him and found that his spinal fluid was low. I'm not sure if they did a head CT on him or if they assumed that the low spinal fluid was the only cause of the headaches. Most of his symptoms were written off by his doctors as MS symptoms.

During the course of these headaches my Uncle Thad was losing his memory, his ability to walk and talk, and perform his daily activities. It wasn't until Monday night, when my Aunt Judy, came home from work that she found him in such a state that she thought he may have had a stroke. He could not move, talk, walk, he could not function at all. My cousin Thaddeus came over and took him to the hospital. The doctors ordered a head CT and found a large subdural hematoma on the left side of his brain. They also found a fresh, small one as well.

The brain surgeon who reviewed his scans set him up for surgery the next day. At 3pm he went into surgery and was finished in less that 2 hours. The doctors removed all of the large hematoma and didn't see the small hematoma. The day after the surgery he said he felt 100% better. His speech was back and his memory was much better. He is feeling wonderful in comparison. I don't believe he is up and walking yet.

The large hematoma was so big that it put so much pressure on his brain that it moved his brain over a bit. We hoped that once the hemotoma was removed that his brain would "bounce" back into its original place. Unfortunately, that did not happen. There is a tube placed in that gap that is draining excess fluid. I don't know how long the tube will be there but until it is removed he must remain in the ICU.

Thanks for all the prayers! THey were miraculous!

Love,
Krystal

Pray for Thad

Please send out prayers for my Uncle Thad. He has been experiencing massive headaches for about a month. Symptoms have progressed over the last few days and he was taken to the ER last night. A CT Scan revealed two sub-dural hematomas. One of them is rather large and is pushing on his brain so hard that it is off center. The other is fresh and small. He is going into surgery this morning. Please pray for him and his family during this very scary time.

Love & Thanks,
Krystal

Mistletoe in Ramona!

My Aunt Debra has been giving away mistletoe for a donation that will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She has been set up at various locations in Ramona and, I believe, she will continue to do so. She has Katelyn's picture on the booth and the mistletoe packages but I just want to make it clear the proceeds will not go to the Katelyn Devermann Foundation and will not benefit Katelyn or our family directly. We are not involved in this effort.

For those of you who may not know, Katelyn is in full remission and as healthy as any two year old should be! We are so very grateful for all the prayers and support that our community, friends and family have offered us through our journey with cancer. She has graduated from monthly to bi-monthly visits to Hem/Onc for blood tests. We are thankful that each blood test has come back free and clear and completely healthy. Thank the Lord!

The NBC tree lighting and Disneyland footage was shown to benefit Rady Childrens Hospital and spread the word that although bad things happen, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. They wanted everyone to know our story and also to show how far Katelyn, as well as Todd, Kiera and I, have come since her devastating diagnosis. Good things happen. Embrace this Holiday season, love, laugh, and be joyous! Good things happen!

Love,
Krystal