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Saturday, November 29, 2008 11:47 PM CST

Hello all,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and are blessed with a wonderful family.

Katelyn is doing well. She is learning so much in school and is doing great in her general education classroom. She is learning so many signs and I'm having to take lessons from her to know what she is saying. She is getting so tall, but stays just as skinny as can be. I'll be posting new pics soon.

Wesley is also doing well. He loves Kindergarten and his teacher. He comes home telling me about all the new things he's doing and how much fun he is having. He is reading on a second grade level with help and can easily read a first grade book without help. I'm so gratefull to his teachers for the patience and desire they have to teach Wesley. He is definetly one hyper little boy (he got it all from his daddy LOL).

I'm enjoying the life of a stay at home mom. I do sub about three days a week at Wesley's school and I help in his classroom about 2 hours a day twice a week. It's nice to be able to do with him and be more involved in his school where I haven't been able to in the past.

Jimmy is doing well and will be leaving on Wednesday to go to work in Strawberry Arkansas. He's been working out of town again and was in Bay City a month ago for about a month. It's rough when he's gone but we make it. It just makes those days when he's home that much more enjoyable and sweeter.

We have really been loving the house. I can't believe it's been almost a year since we moved in. We've done so much to it and still have a ways to go before we are finished. So far we have redecorated the living room with new fixtures, paint, area rug and things on the wall. The kitchen has two of three new stainless steel appliances. We have plans on getting the refrigerator, getting new cabinets and countertops and painting in there as well. Both the kids picked out how they wanted their rooms done and they are painted and finished like they wanted. The office just got a new wall to wall bookshelf put in it that Jimmy and I built a few weeks ago. I love it. It is 7 ft tall and 10 ft wide. I now have lots of room to put my collection of children's books. Needless to say, I hate staining and next time I'll just paint it. We still have to do our bedroom and both bathrooms. We have enjoyed using the fireplace over the past few weeks too. A few times it wasn't really needed but we couldn't resist, it was so cozy.

Well, I just wanted to give a quick update on everyone. Hope you all are doing well.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn and Wesley

Monday, September 1, 2008 9:29 AM CDT

Well,

I wanted to let you all know that Katelyn is in school. She is in full inclusion and does not attend any life skills. Her day begins and ends in a third grade general education classroom. She has a full time assistant that does sign language and is teaching Katelyn more signs daily. Katelyn also has a special education teacher that comes into the classroom and does math with her and then she takes Katelyn for 1 hr. a day 4 days a week for one on one reading instruction. So far things are going great. Both her gen ed, and her special ed teacher seem to be wonderful and want what's best for Katelyn. Katelyn seems really happy and doesn't seem anxious when I drop her off in the mornings. She is really tired when I pick her up though.

Wesley is also doing great in Kindergarten. He can't wait to get to school and is so ready to tell me about his day when I pick him up.

Well, I just wanted to let you all know how things were going.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn and Wesley

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 12:52 AM CDT

It has been to long since my last update again. So much has happened in the last six months. Getting moved in and adjusted to our new house (which still has some boxes that aren’t unpacked), different Dr. appointments for Katelyn, new school issues with Katelyn, Wesley going to school and is now reading, and so much more. I just haven’t been on top of the website like I should have been.

Well, I want to start by saying that I’m no author and sometimes I’m not good at putting down on paper what I mean to say. I have a cousin who could take what I’m fixing to say in this journal entry and turn it into an award winning novel, but I just don’t have that talent. What I’m going to say comes from my heart and is truly my desire for Katelyn and our family.

First off, the things that I have placed on this webpage in the introduction are things that Katelyn has in relation to her disability and what she did and when she did it. It talks about her surgeries, her disabilities, and her delays. For someone coming to this page that doesn’t know our sweet Katelyn, all they are going to see is the disability. Not who she really is and what she can do. I have realized that and it will be changed. Our family doesn’t want people to see Katelyn’s disability then see Katelyn. She is not a disability or a special needs, she is an 8 year old normal sweet girl that has a disability and special needs. We couldn’t imagine our life any different. To our family, Katelyn is normal.

This summer our family went to San Antonio and we took the kids to Sea World. We had so much fun. The shows were amazing, even though Shamu ruined my camera and the kids got scared by the big tidal wave he caused that soaked us. The sun was shining and our family was living it up in San Antonio and Sea World. We had so much fun and made so many memories during our trip. Well, something happened while we were at Sea World the second day. I really didn’t think much of it at the time, but it and the other events that have happened in my life recently got me to thinking about Katelyn and how she is viewed not only by the world, but by me.

Wesley wanted to get his picture taken with the Shamu (a dressed up guy). Well, Katelyn won’t have anything to do with people that are dressed up like that. No Santa Clause, Easter Bunny or Shamu. We did attempt but it wasn’t going to happen. So Wesley took his picture and we were preparing to leave when a lady said to us, “Why not have her stand in front of him and she won’t know he’s there?“ Well, we did and it turned out to be a cute picture. I thanked the lady for the suggestion and this was her reply, “No problem, I work with children with special needs and I saw you guys here yesterday to so I thought that would help.“ Well we went on about our day and had fun. Later that evening we were eating supper and the big question came. Jimmy asked me how that lady knew Katelyn had special needs. I couldn’t say anything as the lump began to get in my throat just as it is now. My eyes were tearing up and I just looked at Katelyn and she looked at me with those sparkly green eyes that see no wrong in the world and that big spaghetti smile (she was eating spaghetti for supper), and all I could say was she just did Dear.

People tell me all the time, “I don’t see how you do it.” I’ve even been told that it must be hard raising a child with special needs. Well, no not really. Katelyn is a normal 8 yr old girl. She plays with Barbie’s, brushes their hair, gets in her mom’s make up, changes her clothes three and four times a day and even helps me do dishes and clean the house. She laughs at jokes and rolls around on the floor playing with her brother and daddy. She looks at books and sings with her Karaoke machine. She LOVES talking on the phone. She washes her play dishes in the bathroom sink and grins at me when I catch her. She doesn’t like to get her hands dirty and she will get upset when she spills something on her clothes and wants a bath and a new change of clothes (my mom says she gets that from me). She can melt any heart with her smile and gives some of the biggest hugs in the world. She was there and hugged me when I cried after loosing my grandma and grandpa and wouldn’t leave my side until she knew I was okay.

Katelyn is an amazing person that has lots to share with her family and with the world. Unfortunately, the world is missing out on this because they see her disability before they see her. Katelyn is a girl just like any other girl. She just needs to be given a chance. A chance by the world and by me.

I always thought I held high expectations for Katelyn. I always expected her to be treated just like all other children and I expected her to get and do the same things as them. But, I have been wrong. I would tell people that I don’t expect her to ever live on her own. I think that was the over protective mommy in me. But, why shouldn’t I expect that. I need to raise my expectations for her.

I have been meeting with and talking with a lady from the Down Syndrome Society here in town. I know Katelyn doesn’t have this, but it’s another mom that has been in the same situation I have with the school districts (you’ll read about this part later). She is an amazing women with an amazing son who does have Down Syndrome. Here’s what she said to me that made me realize that I too needed to stop and look at what I was expecting of Katelyn, “I’ve been doing activities with my son at home (using a group of six words and letting him match words to pictures). He is consistently getting 4 out of 6 correct and I realized I was getting upset because he wasn’t getting 100 Then it dawned on me that he’s reading 4 words that he wasn’t before. My expectations have been raised.” I realized then that my expectations for Katelyn weren’t high enough. For 8 years, I have said to the world that she goes through so much and I don’t want to push her at home. I have babied her when it comes to some things. A lot of people may not believe that but sometimes it’s easier to do it for her then to make her do it. I have expected her to live at home her whole life, but why not expect more for her. Why can’t she have her own house, get married and have a family. I expect the schools to have these high expectations for her and have fought with Paris and North Lamar both on the matter making sure she is living up to her potential but I haven’t been doing it at home. I want the world to see what Katelyn has to offer them. I want them to see her and how amazing she is and what she can do. My expectations for her have been raised.

I used to think that we didn’t get to do a lot of things because we had Katelyn and because she had special needs. Well, you know what, that’s been my fault. It’s all about my expectations. If I expect her to keep us from going to the movies because she might cry then yeah, that’s what’s going to happen. But, if we go and I expect her to have a good time and make it fun for her, then that’s just what’s going to happen. She needs to be given the same opportunities in life as her brother. That’s why we take family vacations, go camping, go out to eat, ride around and other things as a family. Katelyn has been camping, has gone to many zoos, been to Sea World, walked the river walk, played baseball and gone to a movie without crying. All because I expected her to and she was given the opportunity. The world needs to give her the same opportunities and we, as a family, need to give her more of these opportunities.

That brings me to where we are now. Katelyn will not be attending the same school that she has been at for the last 5 yrs. She began with Paris school district when she was 3 in an ECC classroom. This is a classroom for children aged 3-5 that have special needs. When she was 5 and going into Kindergarten, Katelyn began what they call a full inclusion program where she’s in the general education classroom with other Kindergarten students that don’t have special needs. She remained in the full inclusion program all the way through 2nd grade which she just completed.

Well, because of our move, we are now in a different school district. North Lamar doesn’t have this full inclusion program. They still have what you call life skills, which is a self contained special education classroom for children with special needs. This is the classroom they want Katelyn to be in part of the day. I don’t believe she can progress and learn what she needs in this classroom. They go on field trips three times a week and learn things like shopping skills, dressing yourself, eating, toileting and the academics they learn are very low keyed and not adjusted to the individual child. I don’t believe this is giving Katelyn opportunity or having high expectations for her. When first presented with this situation, this was my dream: to pave the way for children with special needs in this district. I wanted to be the parent and teacher to show them that full inclusion works and that not all children with special needs belongs in a special education classroom. I want to be an advocate for children with special needs. I had turned in my resignation to Paris and am no longer an employee their and had turned in many résumé’s at North Lamar in hopes to be able to work there where Katelyn would be and to follow this dream. Well, after many meetings and me not agreeing to place Katelyn into the life skills classroom, I am without a job and we still don’t know what is to happen with Katelyn as far as school goes next year. I may home school Katelyn I still am not sure about it yet. I don’t know what the Lord has in store for us.

My dream has changed a bit. I still want to do the same things, work with children with special needs and be an advocate for them. I want to open the eyes of the world and let them see the children first then their disability. I want people to look at what they can do and what they are capable of doing not what disability they have and what they can’t do because of that disability.


The lady from the Down Syndrome Society and I kind of share the same dreams. She is looking to expand her program, which offers activities and learning opportunities to children with Down Syndrome to offer it for all children and adults with special needs. The last time we met, she was looking for a building and is working on a grant for funding. She is also looking at hiring special education teachers and maybe in the years to come, open a school for children with special needs but make it available to all children so they can interact with children without disabilities and special needs as well. How awesome would that be to be able to work with her on this. I believe the Lord has placed her in my life for a reason and I’m just waiting for him to show me that reason. He’s already showed some of it to me. She has made me stronger and given me some insight on how she had to fight for her son’s rights at North Lamar. She has shown me through her experience and stories that I need to hold higher expectations for Katelyn as I have expected the world to do for the past 8 years.

Having a child with a disability isn’t a burden. To our entire family it is normal. Katelyn reminds us of the innocence a person has and how caring people are. She reminds us that you need to slow down in life and look at the whole picture. She reminds us that it’s what’s on the inside not the outside that count’s.

I’m going to leave you with a quote from a story a read. It was wrote by a boy that has a brother with a disability. “So please don't feel sorry for us. Don't feel sorry for my brother (Katelyn), either. There isn't any reason to; (s)he isn't sick. Don't be scared of
experiences similar to mine. I can tell you that my(our) life would not be this happy if it weren't for Kevin(Katelyn). More important, have an open mind. Next time you meet a person with a disability, remember that he or she has so much to share with you. Take the time to listen.”

Love,
The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley



P.S. I’m going to be updating and adding more pictures over the next week.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008 12:56 AM CST

Hello all,

We are doing great.... We closed on our house on Friday and have got everything moved in..... Needless to say, we have a big mess and boxes are stacked up every where.... I didn't realize how much stuff we really had....

Wesley was so excited when we got into the house.... It was like watching him Christmas morning when he was playing with his toys that have been in storage for six months..... At one point, he was missing in action for a hour and we were having to go check on him because he was so quiet.... He has adjusted well to the move and loves his new room.....

Katelyn is doing better.... The first night there, we had a hard time with her.... Any time we moved something or tried to unpack she got upset.... She would grab me by the hand and point to the couch and sign sit.... She doesn't like confusion at all.... It took us almost two hours to get her to sleep and we finally resorted to putting her bed in Wesley's room with him and she did well.... We will keep it in there until things are all put away and the house is set up and then gradually start putting her back into her own room.....

We love our new house and have already started making it our own.... Jimmy bought me a new washer and dryer and a pantry for the kitchen..... I have began making decorating plans and have a long list and things I want to do..... We are so blessed.....

Both kids are doing well and nobody is sick.... Katelyn is still doing well in school.... Wesley is learning so much and is trying to read....

Thanks for checking on us and keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers.....


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, January 9, 2008 3:36 PM CST

WOW!!!!!

Eight months since my last update... So sorry... It's hard to be a working mom sometimes... I try so hard to fit everything in that I need to do... Get up, take kids to school, go to work, pick up kids, go home, fix supper, play with kids, get kids ready for bed, put kids to bed, clean supper up, wash clothes, oh what comes next..... Well, anyway, you get the idea...

We are all doing great... In my last update I mentioned we were trying to get a house... Well, we finally have one... Yes, I know it has taken almost a year since we started looking and things have been just crazy... We moved into my mothers in June when we were supposed to close on our first house we found... It was beautiful, well, needless did we know (being our first house to buy) that Jimmy changing jobs would effect us getting it... Two weeks from closing we found out that since he had taken another job and was considered contract labor, we wouldn't be able to get the house.... So, we waited.... He went to work with another company, and after searching and searching and lots of stress and heartache having to stay at moms for so long, we finally found one... We will be closing on Jan. 18th and are so excited....

Jimmy has been working out of town since June... He is currently in Lindsay OK on a job and has been there for 3 months.... We sure miss him but are lucky enough to see him at least once a month.... He'll be coming in next weekend to close and move into our new house....

Katelyn is doing well.... She has had lots of Dr.'s visits and test since my last update.... In June, she went to the pedia dentist and all was well... We'll go back the 15th of Jan. for a teeth cleaning... She sure didn't like them being in her mouth so she'll have to be sedated for the cleaning. In November she had a swallow study done and the results were great... They said she had very little flash penetration when she drank quickly through a straw and all else was good.... No thickened liquids or mechanical soft foods.... She also had a MRI done in Nov. She was scanned from the brain to her tail bone... We had a follow up with Dr. Sklar (neurosurgeon) in Dec. and got the results of this.... He said that her hardware in her neck looked good.... The only thing of concern was a bulging disk at C7 and T1 but it was minimal and we will just be monitoring that so no surgery is needed for it at this time... We were greatfull for this, because we were worried about it maybe causing nerve damage.... She complains a lot of leg pain when she's walking.... She'll grab her legs and just start crying.... We also had an appt. with Dr. Arnold (neurologists) in Dec. She said that she wants to refer Katelyn to a developmental specialists in the neurology clinic... I'm anxious about this appt... Dr. Arnold specializes in seizures and although, she does have some patients with speech and developmental problems, she felt that this other Dr. may be able to better answer some or our questions that we've been having.... We will be going to see her soon... Dr. Arnold said within the next few months we should have an appt. set.... Katelyn is having fun in school... Please pray that she is getting what she needs out of this year.... We have had a few problems and I still worry about her a great deal....

Wesley is doing great... He loves Pre-K and is learning so much.... He is so smart and has begun trying to read and sound out words by himself... He is so cute and loving... All the teachers tell me how sweet and loving he is.... We were talking the other day and he asked me were his great-grandpa was. I told him in heaven (he passed away this summer) with Jesus and his great-grandma... He then asked why we had his scooter in the garage at moms house, didn't great-grandpa need it in Heaven... I said, "no Wesley, when you go to Heaven, God takes all the bad things away and makes you clean and you don't hurt or anything so great-grandpa is able to walk now." This was his reply, "Oh, so Katelyn will talk when she goes to Heaven then. I'm so glad, I can't wait for her to talk." Then he said he'd just ask God to take her bad not talking away early so he could talk to her now.... I couldn't help but cry.... Tears filled my eyes as we were driving home from school that day....

I am doing good.... Teaching my lovely 3 yr olds again this year.... I have 17 and they are so trying.... I love them all, but they are so young and have so much more to learn.... Their birthdays range from May-August so they all just turned three when school started.... In my eyes, they are still babies.... It has gotten better and we haven't had as many tantrums, fits, hitting, kicking, spitting, or poopy diapers like we did at the first of the year.... It will get better.....

Well, I hope you all have a blessed week and I'll hope to write more again soon....

P.S. Keep the Lewis family in your prayers... Tate will be undergoing another surgery on his heart next Tuesday.... Click on his link at the bottom to view his page....


The Crites Clan,

Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 2:36 PM CDT

Oh my goodness......

I can't believe it has been six months since I've updated Katelyn's webpage. I forgot what it was like to have to work full time, plus I have a family to take care of now.

We are all doing well. Katelyn is doing good and is enjoying her summer already. We will be relaxing around the house most of it though. We all need it. She'll be seeing a Pedia-Dentist in June. She's been doing really well. She's learned a lot in school and is doing so well on her sign language.

We are in the process of buying a house. We have been looking since March. I didn't realize what all it took to find a house. But, we can't wait to get into one.

Well, I still haven't figured out how to get our custom stuff on here through suddenlink. Hopefully, I'll be able to figure it out this summer.

Will keep you all updated more. I hope. Thanks for always thinking about us and for your prayers and concerns.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Kately, and Wesley

Thursday, December 28, 2006 1:06 PM CST

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We had a good one. The kids enjoyed all the fun and are still trying to make time to play with all of their new toys.

Both Katelyn and Wesley are doing good. Katelyn is doing really well with her sign language. She even got up with her class and signed Silent Night during her schools music performance. She's come so far. We had an appointment with her neurologists on the 22nd of December and we weren't pleased. She has a new neurologists and we don't care for her. She doesn't really interact with Katelyn and she's never smiling. She diagnosed Katelyn with seizures and convulsions (because of the Grandma she had in November and the "staring episodes" she has). She said that she isn't going to do an EEG because she doesn't want to put Katelyn through that, and since the "staring spells" aren't getting worse and aren't interfering with her everyday routines and living, then she wasn't going to start her on medication either. She did say if they increased or got worse, that we'd do the EEG and start her on a trial of medications. We aren't expecting to have to do either of these things.

Wesley is doing great. He loves going to Montessori school and is learning so much. He can identify and knows the sounds of over half of his alphabet and can also recognize all shapes and numbers 1-8. He's doing so good. I'm so proud of him. Now if we could just get him to go to sleep. LOL He's been not wanting to go to bed. Last night, it was 11:30 before he finally went to sleep. Then he's been getting up at 2:00-2:30 and staying up until about 7:00. His sleep schedule is really messed up.

I'm enjoying my time off from school. I miss all of my students though and am anxious to see them next week. Although, I will miss my at home time with my own kids when I do have to go back.

Well, I hope you all have a Happy New Year. Be safe.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

P.S. Sorry for the dull webpage. I'm working on it.

Friday, December 8, 2006 0:48 AM CST

Oh my goodness.... I can't believe it has been so long since I've updated... I guess things are just going so smoothly for all of us right now, I forget sometimes to change the journal.... I stop by and check our guest book entries and never take the time to update....

Katelyn is doing wonderful... She love loves loves her teacher this year.... We have been so blessed to have yet another wonderful teacher who loves Katelyn like her own child.... Katelyn is really picking up on the sign language.... She is actually more fluent in it than I now.... I'm going to take a class in February so I'll understand what she is saying when she comes home from school.... She is still learning things daily....

Her health is better this year than it has ever been her entire life.... She hasn't even had a cold this year.... She is still putting on weight and continues to grow taller and taller each day....

Wesley is also doing well in school... He is going to a Montessori school and comes home going /f/ /f/ /f/ "mama, that's what "F" says".... It is so cute.... He is learning so much.... He on the other hand, has gotten his first ear infection of the year.... Hopefully it'll also be his last....

My job is going well.... Keeping me busy busy busy..... I really enjoy working with the children that I'm working with....

I went and heard a speaker tonight who reminded me of how much a blessing and gift Katelyn is to me and my family.... I want to thank GOD for her and just say that I've been given the best Christmas present ever this year.... The love of a family and the precious gift of a child with special needs, who has taught me so much.....

Merry Christmas to all and please remember all of those in need this year...

P.S. I hope to get some new pictures up soon.... Maybe this weekend when I have time to do all the switching over of the new internet service.



The Crites Clan,

Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, September 4, 2006 9:06 PM CDT

Hello all,

I'm so so sorry it has been so long since I've updated. We have been so busy and going non stop since shool ended last year, it seems. We had a really busy summer and are experiencing a really busy school year.

We were able to enjoy a week in Tennessee with my grandparents and we also spent a weekend at Jimmy's grandma's house. Then two weeks before school started, we spent the weekend camping at Beavers Bend Lake. We really had a busy summer and enjoyed every minute of it.

While at Tennessee, we stayed at my cousins house. She has a daughter Katelyn's age and a son Wesley's age. They had so much fun together. We took lots of pictures and I was able to visit with my cousin as well as my grandparents. It was an enjoyable trip.


The four kids dancing in the living room.


We went to an old cotton gin and had icecream. This is in front of the lake.


We had watermelon while we were there. The kids loved it.

We then returned and rested for a week (kind of) and went to Jimmy's grandma's in West Texas for a wedding of his cousin. That was also a nice trip. I was able to meet some of his family that I'd never met before. We had an enjoyable time.


Wesley stuck his finger in the wedding cake. Luckily they were able to fix it.


Katelyn picking up rocks in West Texas.


Wesly had a good time climbing around on the rocks.

We then returned home and I was called for a job interview. I went and things went well. I was told it would be a few weeks before I heard anything so we decided to spend the weekend at Beavers Bend. We left on that Thursday and returned on that Saturday.


The kids got to roast marshmallows over the ire.


The kids had so much fun.


Just sitting around the campfire.

I returned to a message from the lady who had interviewed me to call her.

Well, I called her back that Monday morning just to find out that I had gotten the job and needed to start that day. So, I haven't had much time to rest up since school last year.

Katelyn is doing great. She is trying to talk. She has begun to make a few more sounds and says words like, "byebye", "bubu", "hi", and "dada". Her 1st grade teacher said she had her saying "mama" the other day but I've been unable to get her to say it at home. She really enjoys the 1st grade. She sure misses all her great teachers from Kindergarten though. Her Kindergarten teacher will always be extra special to us.

Wesley is doing great. He is attending a private pre-school and really enjoys it. He looks forward to going every morning. He's learning a lot. He came home the other day saying, "B says /b/ B says /b/". He then walked up to me and pointed to an A that was on my shirt and said that's an A like what I learned at school. He's doing great.

Well, you are probably wondering about my job. I am teaching 17 three year olds at HeadStart. I love it. They are so precious at that age and the learning is so evident. They have already learned two colors and one letter in the three short weeks that I've been teaching them. I have a full time aid and he is wonderful with the kids and wonderful to work with. I've really enjoyed it. I even had my first walk through and it went great.

Well, again I'm so sorry for such a long time between updates. Lynn (from the Prayer Bears) thank you so much for all the guestbook entries. I have read all of them and they are so encouraging. Even though we don't have any major medical things going on, it's still good to know that people are praying and thanking GOD for all the good in Katelyn's life right now. The only thing I continue to ask him for is her communication. He has proven time and time again that he can make miracles and I believe this miracle is going to happen as well. Please sign the guestbook if you believe this too.

P.S. Check out the photoalbum for more pictures.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, June 19, 2006 3:52 PM CDT

Good Monday to you all....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU KATELYN..... Today is her 6th Birthday.....

We celebrated her 6th birthday with a party on Saturday at the Texas Tumbling and Trampoline building here in Paris.... She had so much fun with all of her friends....

Katelyn celebrated her birthday with a pink poodle theme.... I handed her the birthdayexpress catalog and this is the one she pointed to.... So we did it... Here's a picture of her cake.... It was so cute....



Katelyn really enjoyed her day.... She wouldn't play on the equipment much but she had just as much fun watching and she did get into the bounce house with her friends.... Wesley had fun to.... He was running all over the place....


Wesley playing in foam blocks....


Katelyn sitting on trampoline....

Katelyn got lots of fun things for her birthday as well.... She had lots of her friends helping her unwrap a few of her gifts.... She is still playing with them all...


Katelyn's friends helping her with a present....

Well, we are all doing well... We are enjoying our summer... The kids got a bounce house and a swimming pool for their birthday's and we are staying outside as much as the heat will allow us.... The rest of the time we are relaxing in the house and enjoying our summer vacation.... We hope you all are doing the same....
Thanks for checking on us.... Don't forget to wish Katelyn a happy 6th in her guestbook.....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, June 17, 2006 6:58 PM CDT

Good Saturday to you all.....

We are all doing good.... Katelyn just celebrated her 6th birthday party today.... We had a lot of fun.... She'll actually turn 6 on the 19th of June....

I'll update more later with pictures from the fun event....


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, June 4, 2006 4:37 PM CDT

Good Sunday to you all,


We are doing good.... School's out so I'm trying to relax some.... It hasn't happened yet....

Katelyn had her Kindergarten graduation on Wednesday and she did so good..... She cried for a minute when they clapped for the first time, but after that she was fine... She went across the stage and everything on her own.... We are so proud of her and all she has accomplished this year.... I want to thank everyone that worked with Katelyn this year.... Her teacher, Mrs. Moree, we will never ever forget you.... Her special services personal, Mrs. Gina, Mrs. Tammy, Leath for working with Katelyn on her speech, Mrs. Jorjanne.... These people all worked with Katelyn this year and they are all wonderful... Thank you..... I would like to thank Mrs. Skaggs, Mrs. Ross, Ms. Harrell, and Miss Sylva.... All of these lady's worked with Katelyn this year beyond what they had to do.... Mrs. Skaggs, thank you for the love you showed my daughter.... You will always be remembered.... I also wanted to thank two other people.... They didn't work with her this year but did the two years before that.... They are very special to our family and they also had a part in Katelyn's accomplishiments this year.... Mrs. Dana and Mrs. Dobie.... Mrs. Dana was Katelyn's PPCD teacher for two years.... She did so much for Katelyn and was there for our family a lot... Mrs. Dobie was an aid in her room and Katelyn fell in love with her.... She loves Katelyn so much..... Okay, I guess I'm finished with my thank you speech..... LOL.....



Wesley turned three yesterday and we had a birthday party for him at the park.... We had lots of fun.... After pulling an all nighter with my cousin and her husband the night before I was ready to crash last night after the party.... My cousins husband decorated Wesley's birthday cake and he did a wonderful job... It took him 7 hrs. to put a 3-D oscar figure on Wesley's cake for his shark tale themed party....



We had a blast at his birthday party.... Wesley got a big little tikes four wheeler and we couldn't get him off of it when it was time to go....



Well, we are going to enjoy our summer and our time out of school.... We don't have any big plans as of now....I'll be making some changes to the webpage so check back often... I hope you all have a good summer....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 7:47 AM CDT

Good morning all....

We are all doing well... Katelyn's graduation is coming up soon... We are so excited for her.... We are so proud of all that she has accomplished this year and we thank everyone that has been involved in these accomplishments...

Katelyn has lost another tooth.... I haven't gotten any pictures uploaded of it yet, but I will soon....

Wesley is doing okay... We have been battling asthma again.... He is doing better though....

Well, sorry for such a short update.... Just wanted to let you all know we are doing well.... More to come later....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, April 16, 2006 8:46 PM CDT

HAPPY EASTER ALL,


Well, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday.... We enjoyed time with family while remembering what Jesus did for us and that this day is all for HIM.....

We went to my Aunt's house where we enjoyed an egg hunt with 11 other children.... We hid (or should I say the guys hid) 210 eggs.... I think all but a few were found.... Good thing they are still outside..... Wesley and Katelyn had so much fun..... Katelyn wasn't sure about picking them up, but eventually got the hang of it.....


Getting ready to find all the eggs....


Wesley picking up one of his eggs


Katelyn picking up her first egg. I wish I could've got her looking at the camera


Trying to take a picture of them with their baskets. Wesley was to busy trying to peel and eat the eggs.

As you can see, Wesley has a new haircut... He decided one day to try and cut his hair with his daddy's clippers.... He didn't get much accomplished, but what he did get was enough that we had to cut it almost all off... See the new photos in the photo album.... You'll see what I'm talking about.....

They are both doing really good health wise.... Wesley went back to the Dr. last Monday and we finally got a clear report on his ears.... Maybe we are through with the ear infections since the weather has warmed up....

Speaking of warm weather.... We are enjoying a lot of time outside.... Both kids are already working on a "red neck" tan..... Their arms and necks are starting to tan from all the outside play.... They love it.... I'm just having a hard time keeping them from climbing the back fence..... They are fastenated with that..... LOL.....

Well, we've got 7 more weeks of school left..... Katelyn will be graduating Kindergarten on May 31st.... The next few weeks are full of fun field trips and play days at school for her.... I'm sure going to hate to miss these fun trips with her.... But, I know she'll be taken care of by her loving teachers.... I'll get lots of pictures after it's over....

We had her yearly ARD on Thursday afternoon..... I invited her teachers that will be working with her next year.... I am very impressed with them.... They were so interested and asked a lot of questions that concerned Katelyn.... You could tell they are really excited about working with her next year.... Katelyn will be well taken care of.... We are going to get it to where she will only have an aid on the playground, at PE, in the bathroom, and during transition time.... I feel like Katelyn is ready to be more dependent in the classroom.... The special education teacher will be coming in and working with her some.... The rest of the time she will be with the general education teacher and the other students.... Katelyn is becoming so dependent.... She is sure letting us know it too.... She is able to put her pants and shoes and socks on by herself now.... It takes her about 30 minutes, literally, but she can do it and she doesn't want your help.... I get her up extra early in the mornings so we aren't late for school because she refusses to let me help her get dressed.... She does it all but her shirt....

Well, I'm going to let you all go..... Hope you had a wonderful day.... Enjoy your week....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 9:15 PM CDT

Good Tuesday all,


We are doing good.... I went and requested Katelyn's teacher for first grade this morning..... It's so hard to believe she's going to be a first grader.... She's also got her first loose tooth..... They grow up so fast.....

I wanted to let you all know the results of her video swallow.... Katelyn wasn't very cooperative but she did do enough for them to tell what they needed to..... Katelyn only aspirated one time on thin liquids but the speech pathologists said she felt like Katelyn was able to handle thin liquids now...... She also was still concerned about her delayed swallow and the fact that the food gets almost to the wind pipe before Katelyn's swallow reflex is trigered.... Because of this she recommends Katelyn be on a mechanical soft diet for a year and then we'll repeat the study.....

Wesley is still battling ear infections...... He is on his third antibiotic in the past two weeks..... We'll return to the Dr. on Monday to see if they have healed.....

My job is still going well..... It is mentally exhausting, but I'm enjoying what I'm doing...... I believe that if I make a difference in either of these boys lives, then I've done my job...... I was greeted with big hugs from both of them today and was even given a heart made out of pipe cleaner...... Things like this make me see that I'm important to these boys...... Therefore, my job is worth it.....

Just please keep praying for this change in my life...... Thanks so much.....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, March 25, 2006 10:20 PM CST

Is it SPRING already..... It can't be..... It was snowing on Thursday morning...... Then today it was 70 something degrees outside..... Boy, Texas weather..... I wouldn't give anything for it..... Well, Happy Spring to you all..... I hope you are having a good one.....

I have a lot to catch you all up on..... For starters..... My computer has been down and out and so, I've been out of commission and haven't updated wepbage..... SO SORRY......

We didn't make it to TN for spring break.... I just decided that I wasn't prepared to make that trip with two kiddos by myself..... So, we just hung around the house and on Wednesday, we drove to Wichita Falls and spent the night with my best friend and her family..... We had fun.... Thursday we returned home to take Wesley to the Dr. with yet another ear infection..... He was given more antibiotics..... I don't know what we're going to do with that boy..... He took his last dose yesterday morning, and like clockwork; the fever is back today and more crying and complaining of earaches...... We will return to the Dr. once again, tomorrow to see what to do next..... If anyone has any advice on how to keep my babies poor ears healthy, please, please, let me know......

Katelyn is doing wonderful..... She is still enjoying school and has begun to stand up from the floor by herself..... She's always crawled, or hobbled, to something and pulled herself up..... Just in the past few days, I've noticed that she'll stand herself up without support...... She's really coming along..... She still continues to imporove at school and she is developing more fine motor skills..... She is trying to draw circles and lines when asked to do so..... She loves to color and read books..... She also continues to wrap everyone that comes in contact with her around her little finger.... LOL..... One of the ladies at her school calls herself Katelyn's adopted Granny..... And boy is she serious..... She'd never let anything happen to Katelyn..... Along with her and the many, many, many caring teachers on that campus that look after her, Katelyn has it made and I don't worry about her one bit..... She's even riding the bus in the afternoons now..... The first day she rode was on Wednesday of last week..... She is riding to the campus on working on now.... (More to come on this later)..... The first day she rode, Mrs. Moree called me after I got Katelyn off the bus to check and make sure she was okay.... She said her and a few other teachers were waiting anxiously until they knew she was there safe with me..... Tell me just any teacher that would do that..... We have been so blessed......

Okay, about my job..... I'm now working on another campus within the Paris School District..... I was offered a position working with a student that is diagnosed with ED (emotional disturbance)..... I sit with him in the general education classroom and help him with anything he may need help with and then we go to my room (a seperate room) for 30-45 minutes a day for a one on one social skills lesson..... This student is in the 4th grade and what I'm doing is a lot different than teaching a Kindergarten class like I was used to..... When I first began it wasn't really anything like what I was wanting to do..... After lots of prayer and opening my heart and mind, I realized that I was really needed by this student and one other one that has come into this classroom..... I can't give a lot of details but just keep me and these students in your prayers..... I feel like GOD has lead me to this job for a reason..... I have really connected to one of these students (the one I was hired to work with) in just the one week that I've been there..... I'm not sure what GOD's plans are for this yet..... Please pray that I will see and follow GOD's plan in this..... I'll be on this campus until the end of the year for sure.....

Well, I'll end with one last prayer request.... Katelyn goes on Monday to Dallas for her video swallow follow up..... This will be the first one we've had since her surgery last February..... Please pray that the results show NO aspirating or problems with her feeding..... Thanks....

New pictues added to the photo album....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, March 6, 2006 11:37 PM CST

Hello all,

Just wanted to let you know that the play Katelyn was in went great..... She cried a little during the morning performance after the clapping..... After that and during the evening performance, she did wonderful.... I was so proud of her..... So were her teachers.....

Wesley has another ear infection..... We found out a week ago this past Friday.... He'll be going back to the Dr. on Wednesday for a follow-up to see if they have healed this time..... If we could just make it through this month and next month we'll be doing okay.....

Next week is Katelyn's spring break from school..... We are planning a trip to Tennessee to see my grandparents up there.... I'm excited about seeing them but not about making that drive.... LOL.... It'll all be worth it though....

Well, I'll be posting some pictures of Katelyn wearing her costume and in her play soon..... My laptop is down and Jimmy's doesn't have the software for my camera on it now.....

Hope you all have a wonderful week.....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, February 22, 2006 0:46 AM CST

Sorry it's been so long since an update.....

I'll start from the beginning.... We had a follow up appt. on Feb. 6th with the opthamologists.... As you can see from the new photo, Katelyn has glasses now.... He said that he want's her to wear them all day and then she is supposed to wear a patch over the left lens for 1-2 hrs. a day to strenghten the right eye..... She's doing pretty good about keeping them on.... Better than I expected..... I'm still having to adjust to her wearing them, but if she needs them I'm not going to keep her from them.....

On Feb. 13th we met with the genetic's Dr. and Katelyn's neurologists..... I got disappointment from both..... The genentics Dr. came in and the first thing he asked was, "What can I do for your?" I told him we were referred by neurology..... He basically told us that he couldn't help us and we didn't need his services..... He then went and had a different genetisist come and for a second oppinion (they are able to look at a child and tell determine if they have a syndrome or not). This Dr. told us that she didn't think Katelyn had a syndrome or anything chromosonal or genetics going on at all.... She said she thought it all had to do with her central nervous system.....So, we left..... I cried and cried and cried some more.... I had so hoped we'd get some answers from them..... I guess that was my last hope for answers.....

We don't have a return appt. for them.... We went on to lunch and the mall and returned for our neurology appt. After sitting in the waiting room for two hours and being told by another child that our kids needed to be handcuffed because they were to wild, we finally got placed in a room.... The neurologists came in and asked three questions, "Any changes since our last visit?, Any questions?, What did genetics say?" I answered with, "No., Are we any closer to why Katelyn still isn't talking?, Genetics said it was all central nervous issues." So she said well, okay if anything changes let me know, other wise, I'll see you in a year....
We waited two hours for a 15 minute appt..... We left there and I cried some more..... I told Jimmy that I felt like everyone was just giving up on her and was going to stop trying to find answers and stop trying to figure out why she's not talking and fix it..... Mom gave me some really good advice..... "The Dr.s don't have the answers Krissy," she said. "But you know who does. Give it to GOD and stop taking it back."

It's been so hard for me this month for some reason..... I pick Wesley up from the babysitter and we talk about his day..... What'd he eat for lunch? Did he have to sit in time-out? Did he have fun? What'd he play with? Then I ask Katelyn and I get silence..... I want her to tell me so bad what happened at school..... I want her to be able to sit in the show-n-tell chair and tell all her friends about her newest toy..... I want to discuss her GT score with all the other parents after the GT tests.....

Katelyn's class is putting on a play with two other classes at her school.... Her teachers and the other people helping in the play are doing and have done everything to try to make it so Katelyn can be a part..... We are so worried that she is going to start crying and have to be taken out when it gets loud..... During practice she does great.... She sits beside her teacher and we call her the assistant director..... What we are afraid of is when they actually perform there will be a lot of clapping.... This is what scares Katelyn..... Katelyn has a ballerina costume.... It is white and so cute.... The lady that makes the costumes at the school is wonderful..... She has made some white fluffy headphones for Katelyn to wear with her costume to see if that muffles the noise some..... I so wish that Katelyn could just get up there and do it just like everyone else.....

You know what I love about Katelyn..... Besides her beauty, her kindness, her heart..... I love the way Katelyn ever so gently will pull my face towards her so she can show me something..... I love the way she pats my shoulder when she's ready to lay her head down on me..... I love the way Katelyn smiles, with her lips tucked into her mouth and one corner turned up, when she's playing and having fun.... I love the way Katelyn's eyes light up when she sees her daddy when he first comes home from work..... I love the way Katelyn takes my hand, waits for me to pat it, and then lets go when we are walking.... I love the way Katelyn takes me by the hand so she can take me and show me something she's proud of..... I love the way Katelyn communicates with me.....

Keep praying.......

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, February 5, 2006 0:43 AM CST

Good Sunday morning all......

Yes, it is 12:45 a.m. and I'm still awake..... LOL.....

Katelyn is feeling so much better.... I started giving her a differnt medicine and we also have upped her dose of vitamins and she isn't walking around with a kleenex in one hand anymore....

Wesley is still REALLY REALLY REALLY cranky..... He continues to tell me that his ears are ringing.... Today (Saturday nights dose) was day number 5 for the new antibiotic and I was hoping that it would have stopped the "ringing" by now.... We are giving him tylenol and motrin and if he's still complaining in a couple of days, I'm going to take him back to Dr. C and make sure they aren't getting worse.... He cries a lot and is throwing the biggest fits..... The only time he ever acts this way is when he is sick and not feelling good.... It's so hard for him to understand why he's hurting and why it won't stop.....

I've been passing emails back and forth with the lady I was talking about in the previous journal entry.... So far, I've found out that her daughter is 21 and back then they didn't really have a lot of answers to anything.... They did a lot of tests and they all came back normal.... Even the MRI she said was normal..... Katelyn's MRI DOES show some abnormal areas in her brain.... I think they have a lot of commonalities (developmental delays, walking late, crawling late, etc....) but, don't think it's the same thing.... Her daughter hasn't had to have any surgeries..... She also started talking when she was 7..... This is something I still believe Katelyn is going to do..... This lady was telling me that her daughter has the mentalality of a 5-7 yr. old.... It has been good talking with her though, sharing some of our experiences....

Well, I feel like I jumbled my thoughts together and nothing made since.... Sorry, I need to stop doing journals so late at night.... I promise, I'm going to be adding a new picture soon.... Don't forget to sign the guestbook... THANK YOU so much to all of you that have signed....

P.S. We will be going to Dallas on Monday.... Katelyn has an appt. with the opthamologists.... This is her yearly check up for her nastagmis (which has pretty much resolved itself) and we are going to check and see if she needs glasses..... We haven't heard anything about when she is to have her repeat swallow study.... I'm going to call Dr. C's office on Monday and see if they've got it scheduled yet....

Enjoy the SUPER BOWL>>>>>>

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, January 31, 2006 10:25 PM CST

Good Tuesday all.....

As you can see, I'm updating the webpage..... I hope to have it finished by tomorrow night so come back and check on us then.....

Katelyn has not been herself lately.... She has another runny nose.... Saturday, she and I both had a 24 hour virus.... I'm glad she got over that... I just wish she'd get rid of all the congestion.... Other than that, she's doing well....

Wesley has yet, another ear infection.... We took him in yesterday afternoon and sure enough, another infection.... He was started on a different antibiotic than what he just got through taking..... I hope this gets rid of it and we'll be through with those yucky things.....

Well, a different note.... You know I sell stuff on ebay every once in a while.... Well, a lady I sold some things to asked me why Katelyn had surgery... (I had listed on one description she didn't wear an item because of it)..... We'll I just sent her a link to here..... I got a reply from her last night.... She says her 21 year old daughter has the same disability as Katelyn..... We've sent one email back and forth and I hope to communicate with her more..... I'll keep you all informed as I find out more....

Well, I won't keep you all long..... I've got to work tomorrow so I need to hit the bed.... Hope you all have a good week and enjoy the Super Bowl this weekend.....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, January 19, 2006 10:37 PM CST

Sorry I didn't update yesterday.... I know you are all probably wondering what we found out at the Dr.'s office.... Dr. C said he didn't see any swelling or redness on Katelyn's neck.... He said that he was going to call it "whiplash".... Said that maybe she fell on it and has caused it to be sore..... He said that our other option could be that she is having spinal fluid build up in her neck again..... He said that she'd be having headaches, lots of sleeping, and possible vomitting if this was the case..... He was going to consult with Dr. Sklar, the neurosurgeon, to be on the safe side..... They called and said that we just need to monitor her and if things get worse to bring her back in to the office.....
He also decided that we are going to have another swallow study done..... They are working on getting this scheduled and will let me know once it is.....

Well, Our sweet girl has finally got back onto the growth chart..... Katelyn weighed 39lbs..... She has moved from the 10th percentile to the 25th percentile in just 6 short months..... Dr. C and I both are just so pleased with this progress she has made....

Wesley is feeling better..... Unless, it's time for medicine..... Then, he screams and crys..... He say's "Bubba can't like that medicine mama".... He says it so sweet to begin with... Then when he realizes he does have to take it, the crying starts..... If anyone has any advice on how to get him to take this better, please please let me know..... We've tried everything I can think of.....

Well, I'm sorry this sounds so jumbled..... It's late and I'm headed to bed..... Thanks for checking up on us and for all the prayers.....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesely

Tuesday, January 17, 2006 11:55 PM CST

Okay,

I really don't have an excuse for the delay in updating this time.... I have been working some; but each time I come to update, I tell myself I'll do it tomorrow.... Well, I'm finally getting around to it....

Katelyn is doing okay.... She was excited to be back at school and enjoyed her mom being there with her two days subbing.... She has been out the past two days.... We have been having lots of fun at home....

On a medical note; Katelyn will be going to see Dr. Cutrell tomorrow afternoon.... She hasn't been acting quit herself and at times she starts crying and we can't figure out what's wrong.... Today, she started crying each time she laid down for her nap.... I asked her if she was hurting and she shook her head yes and reached back to her neck.... I decided then that we needed to see Dr. Cutrell... I'd reather him tell me it's nothing, then for me to ignore it and it be something.... During this visit, I'm also going to ask him about doing a repeat video swallow.... It's been a year since her last one.... I'm also going to discuss her upcoming Dr.s visit's in Dallas.... She'll be seeing the opthamalogist (eye doctor) on February 6th and her genetics appt. and follow up with the neurologists is February 13th.... I'm going to discuss with him what our next step is (if any) if they find nothing at these appts..... I'm still really concerned about why she isn't talking and why she doesn't have a "diagnosis" yet....

Wesley is doing better.... We had to take him to the Dr. on Saturday.... He began telling me his ears were ringing at the beginning of last week.... He was running no fever and other than throwing a few fits when told "no", he was acting fine.... Well, he kept telling me they were ringing so I decided to take him in..... Well, it was a good thing.... He had fluid in his right ear and his left one was red.... So, we got an antibiotic for an ear infection.... I'm praying that since he is older, that we are not fixing to travel down the same road we did last year with one infection after another..... He has also started to notice more that Katelyn doesn't talk.... He'll be playing and say something and want me to repeat it, he'll then look at Katelyn and ask her to repeat it.... When she doesn't, he'll look at me and tell me to tell her to repeat it.... So, I'll have her sign it.... Then he'll say, no with her mouth.... This just breaks my heart.... How do you tell your 2 1/2 yr. old that she can't and him understand..... At times, he'll also come up to me and tap me, I'll say what and he'll point to something or do a sign.... I'll tell him to use his mouth and he'll say, "No, do like Katelyn."

Well, this update got kind of lengthy.... Sorry.... Just please pray for us at this time.... Pray for our upcoming appts. and for Wesley's ears to heal....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

P.S. I know Christmas is over.... I promise I'll change the page soon..... I did good to update the journal entry....

Sunday, January 1, 2006 7:36 PM CST

Hello all,


I hope you all had a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve…. We had a good one…. The kidos passed out about 9:00 and Jimmy and I sat up and watched a movie until midnight…. We then kissed each other, said Happy New Year, and went to bed…..

I wish all of you a very prosperous and Happy New Year filled with love and joy….. Spend as much time with your family and wonderful friends as you can…..

Now, I thought I’d do a year end review for you all….. Kind of recap the good and the bad from this year….

It has been a long year filled with many emotional ups and downs….. I think it has made me a stronger person and better mom to my two wonderful kidos….


JANUARY---- It was a very long month as we waited to find out when Katelyn would have her third neurosurgery….. I started this webpage and haven’t regretted a bit of it since….. I have met so many wonderful people and it has been such a great support for us…..Wesley continued to battle with ear infections and asthma…. He received his second set of tubes…..

FEBRUARY---- Katelyn ran a fever up until about three days before her surgery…. We worried that it would be done…. She did get her third neurosurgery done on February 9th…. She’ll be wearing a hard C collar 2 hrs. a day for three months…..She spent one day in ICU and six days on the 9th floor (neurosurgery floor)…. We just love all the nurses on this floor…. They are so wonderful…. It took Katelyn a while to recover from this surgery….. We became concerned about her breathing weird after she fell asleep…. Katelyn gets placed on homebound due to her surgery for six weeks….. I begin to worry about finishing school….

MARCH--- Katelyn begins loosing weight and we start talking about a feeding tube….. We are still concerned about her sleeping at night….. Katelyn is diagnosed with strider and obstructive sleep apnea…. We are looking at another surgery at Children’s Medical Center….. Katelyn has her tonsil and adenoids moved on the 31st….. I had a birthday…..

APRIL---- Katelyn ends up spending three days in ICU and two day on the floor after her tonsillectomy and adenoid removal….. She has lots of trouble breathing and has lots of desaturation spells during her sleep….. Come home with an oxygen tank and a O2 monitor for her to wear while she’s sleeping….. Katelyn still not eating or drinking and is loosing lots of weight….. Ends up back in hospital not two days after coming home from Children’s for dehydration….. Spends three days then….. Katelyn did get to return to school during the middle of the month and things started getting back to normal…. She is beginning to gain some weight back….. I got to go back to school to finish my teaching degree…..

MAY--- Wesley got a bad virus and had to undergo a few test….. All was normal in the end….. I graduated from Texas A&M University in Commerce…. What a long rode it was, but it sure felt good and well worth it when I walked across that stage…. Katelyn got to get her dreadful C Collar off of her neck…. Boy, this was a wonderful day….

JUNE--- Both of my angels had birthdays…. Wesley turned 2 on June 3rd and Katelyn turned 5 on June 19th…. Wesley was potty trained not a week after his birthday…. We await an appt. date for a MRI and appt. with her new neurologists in Dallas….Jimmy’s grandfather passed away…..

JULY--- We attended the 4th of July parade and the kids had a blast…… Watched the annual firework show that Paris does…. They loved that as well….. Wesley begins counting and talking more and more….. Katelyn has her MRI done and we meet her new neurologists….. We didn’t get any new answers just have to have more appointments with other Frs.….. My grandmother passed away…. We miss her dearly….. She was such a wonderful lovely lady….. Jimmy has a birthday…..

AUGUST---- Katelyn begins Kindergarten…. She is attending a general education classroom all day long….. She’s doing wonderful….. Katelyn is completely released from her neurosurgeon for a year…. Yeah!!!!!! Katelyn gets 15 ½ inches cut off of her hair…. Hurricane Katrina hit…. This devastated the whole nation…..

SEPTEMBER---- Wesley struggles with asthma again…. I begin a long-term sub job…. My best friend and her family move away.... I sure miss you guys.... We love you….. Jimmy and I celebrate our six year anniversary…..

OCTOBER---- Katelyn continues to put on her weight…. She’s up to 38 lbs…. Katelyn is being so much more independent….. School is going great for her…. Wesley begins going to Beverly’s for babysitting…. He loves it…. She is wonderful to him….

NOVEMBER---- Katelyn makes a few new sounds…. “bopbopbop” and “gagagagaga”….. We all celebrate a wonderful Thanksgiving with Jimmy’s grandmother in west Texas…. We have so much to be thankful for….. We start talking about getting a communication board for Katelyn…..

DECEMBER---- Katelyn stays sick with an upper respiratory infection and bronchitis for about two weeks….. It comes and goes…. One of my aunts in Tennessee passed away after a battle with cancer….. We celebrated the birthday of CHRIST….. Wesley’s battle with asthma again….. Katelyn is using scissors…..


Well, there you have it…. The year 2005 with the Crites Clan…… Thank you all for the support and all the guest book entries and words of encouragements that you have left in the guest book…..


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, December 25, 2005 11:42 PM CST

Be sure and read my first entry below that was at 12:15 AM this morning...

CHRISTmas update 11:42 PM


I hope you all had a wonderful day.... I think I ate way to much.... But, that's okay....

We had a pretty large garthering at my mom's house.... There were about 17 of us.... My grandpa came and ate and visited and he seemed to enjoy himself.... It was somber and sad at times, as we'd sit around and think about grandma.... We compared our food to hers.... Used a lot of her recipes and even served and backed in some of her dishes... We reminded ourselves time and time again, grandma WAS there with us.... Katelyn and Wesley enjoyed playing with their cousins Zion and Sam... (These are my cousins two boys, but they played and fought like brothers and sisters).... Wesley especially liked baby Zoe (my cousins beautiful 7 wk. old baby girl)....

I was planning on going out to the cemetary but waited to late and the gates were locked... This would have been the first time I'd gone since her funeral... Like I told mom, I don't have to go there to talk to her....

We enjoyed watching the kidos open presents this morning... Wesley really got into it... Katelyn still isn't sure what's going on... I pray for the day to see excitment and anticipation on her face waiting to see what's hiding under all that paper.... Wesley wanted to play with everything before he opened the next gift and Katelyn just wanted to play with something....

After having such a wonderful day, I ask myself why I feel so down NOW... The kids are asleep, the food is put away, and I sit crying... I wasn't sure where to turn, so here I am... Why am I so upset... I ask myself these questions: "Is it because grandma is gone?", "Is it because we get so worked up and excited about this one day and then just like that it's all over?", "Is it because I sit and pray for Katelyn to understand and enjoy CHRISTmas like her brother?", or "Is it because another year has gone by with no anwers, no talking, and more wondering?".... Jimmy's grandmother told me she had two CHRISTmas wishes.... The first one was for "sister" (Katelyn) to talk, and I don't even remember the other one.... I'll never forget hearing her say those words to me.... I think that is a CHRISTmas wish for us all.... And here I sit doubting that it'll happen... Katelyn is 5 1/2 yrs. old now and each year that goes by makes it that much harder for me to deal with... The not knowing what's going on, the not talking, the waiting for the next big ball to drop....

I then stop and think about what I am thankful for that she does do... The beautiful smile... The big hugs that she just walks up and gives just because... The cuddling when she's really tired.... The little giggle that only Katelyn can do... The joy that she brings to my life... Thank you GOD for my beautiful daughter Katelyn....

I'm so sorry to unload like this... That really wasn't my intentions when I sat down here tonight... I know that I have a huge caringbridge support group out there that understands just what I'm trying to say... You know who you are because you've been there... You've gone through it... You ask those same questions... Thank you all for understanding and being there for me... Thank you wonderful family for loving me and my family and putting up with me and my doubt from time to time.... Thank you to all my friends for caring for me and my family and always checking up on us....

Please pray that I'm not losing my faith.... Please pray that I get out of this slum quick and this is just the holiday blues (is there such a thing?)... Please continue to pray for Katelyn's health as always... We will be seeing the genetic specialists and the neurologists in February looking for more answers.... Please keep our family in your prayers as Jimmy is working so much and we miss him so... He even had to go in today after we opened our gifts and worked all day...

I guess I need to go back to work... I'm getting deep and emotional in my journals again... LOL... Just wanted to close with a little humor there...

In case you don't hear from me again.... I'm praying for you all to have a wonderful and happy 2006....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley



Sunday, December 25, 2005 0:15 AM

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!!!!


It is officially CHRISTmas..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS..... I am sitting up waiting for Katelyn to go back to sleep..... Yeap, she hasn't woke up in the middle of the night in a long long long time..... Who'd a guessed she'd do it CHRISTmas eve..... SO, we are sitting in her room because I won't let her go in the living room since "santa" has already came.....

We are all doing well..... We went to my sister-in-laws tonight and had CHRISTmas with Jimmy's parents, his sister and her family..... Wesley wanted to stay there.... He wanted to play on my nephew's new tricycle..... We finally convinced him to go.... Then, when we got home, he kept asking if we could go back so he could see preseants from Santa Claus.... He thought he was going only to their house and not ours.....

Well, Katelyn is finally dozing back off..... I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry CHRISTmas...... I'll leave you on this wonderful day with something I found on another website.... It really touched my heart and I wanted to share it with you all..... Here it is:


This Christmas, don't miss the point of celebrating Christmas. Don't be like the innkeeper who missed Jesus because he was too busy (see Luke 2). Make time for the Lord. Don't be like King Herod who was too afraid to let Christ rule His life (see Matthew 2). Turn your heart over to Christ. Finally, don't run your life like the Roman Empire, who missed Christmas because other gods took the place of Christ in their lives. Allow nothing else to take the place of worshipping Jesus Christ.

Sunday morning we will unwrap our Christmas presents, but eventually the novelty of it all will wear off. The present that was once so precious to you will end up stuffed in the closet or handed off to someone else. A newer version of your latest gadget will arrive that has more megapixels, or is smaller, or faster, or has better battery life. In time, your Christmas gifts will mostly be forgotten. But God has given us the ultimate gift—the gift of His Son Jesus Christ.

Don't miss Christmas this year. As Watts and Handel once wrote, "Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room."


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:19 PM CST

Four days until CHRISTmas..... Are you all ready? We have done all our shopping we just need to wrap everything.... I don't know why I'm putting that off until the last minute.... Jimmy will be off CHRISTmas Eve (he originally was supposed to work) so this will be something fun we can do together after kids go to bed.... I look forward to it..... He's had to work every CHRISTmas Eve since we've been married.....

Katelyn is doing much better.... She hasn't coughed in a while and her nose isn't running as much.... She has been walking around for two days with this silly grin on her face.... I told Jimmy, I just wish I knew what she was thinking and grinning about.... She is so beautiful and precious.... She is a little off task since we aren't going to school.... I do believe she misses it..... She went and got her backpack yesterday and tried to put it on.... She was ready to go to school.... She has lots of wonderful people to miss there..... They are all so good to her.....

Katelyn got a touch screen monitor at school to help her with her computer programs that they do.... She is really doing well with it and we plan on getting her one for the house to use..... It'll be a really good investment.... She is doing real well on the program... It starts out with just matching pictures and it eventually gets harder to where you have to identify shapes and sound out words.... Between this and one of the things we got her for CHRISTmas (a leapfrog Karaoke machine), we hope she'll begin making new sounds again... Not only making new ones but continue to use the ones she makes.... She hasn't made the "bop" "bop" sound that she was making in over a month.... I just don't understand it..... Please continue to pray that she'll begin to talk and put more sounds together....

Wesley is still sick.... He continues to cough..... He'll come up to me and say "mom, tissue, nose runny"..... Bless his heart.... His little face and nose are so chapped that we are putting moisturizer on them to try and make them better.... He is on his nebulizar once in the morning and before bed with his pulmicort, and every four hours during the day with his albuteral..... I hope that he soon gets over this and begins to feel better.... Sunday, he just sat in my lap and slept all day long..... He has a very poor appetite as well....

Well, I just wanted to give a quick update on how we are all doing.... I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.... Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year....

P.S. I've added a new poem above.... Be sure you read it.... It is wonderful.... I found it on another caringbridge page..... Please remember and sign the guestbook.....


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, December 14, 2005 7:44 PM CST

Happy Wednesday all,


I can't believe I'm actually updating more than once a month this time.... LOL.... Now that I'm through with my long-term sub job, I have a little bit more time on my hands.... Now what do I do? Oh, I know, all that neglected house work and laundry from the past two months.... Nah, that doesn't sound like much fun.... Just wanted to clearify the laundry... It hasn't been dirty for two months, I just have some put here and some put there.... Jimmy asked me when were we going to start using our closets again.... LOL.... You all probably think I'm just awful....

I used to be so anal about how clean my house was.... Nothing could be out of place.... I wouldn't go to bed with not even a single spoon dirty.... Well, my grandmother told me one day that I had children now... Play with them, spend time with them, that other stuff will be there later.... You have more important things in your life to do now.... I take care of the important stuff now....

Katelyn is doing a little better... She is still taking medicine and we are just sending her to school a half a day this week.... She then comes home and takes a really good nap.... She still isn't eating much but she's drinking pretty good.... By the way, I don't think I mentioned it in her last update, but when we went to the Dr. the other day, she weighed 38lbs and 1oz.... Dr. Cutrell said she's gained back all the weight she lost after her surgery plus four extra pounds... He wishes she'd continue to gain to get her on the charts again, but he's happy as long as she's maintaining.... She just keeps growing up and not out.... That's okay, she has her daddy to thank for that one....

An update on Katelyn's school.... She is doing wonderful... Just today I saw her doing new things that I hadn't seen before.... Katelyn is using scissors.... I just wanted to cry.... Things that I asked myself last year, "will she be able to cut"?.... Well, she's doing it.... She put those scissors on her hands correctly and opened and closed them many many times.... She didn't even have anything to cut at the time.... She was just glad to use them.... I sat down with her and we made a rudolph together.... She maned the scissors and I maned turning the paper for her as she cut.... It was AWESOME.... My baby girl has accomplished another goal I had set for her.... Placing her in the regular ed. classroom has been the best thing that could have ever happened to Katelyn.... I could just go on and on about how pleased I am with her and all the people that work so hard with her to get her where she is.... GOD BLESS YOU ALL... and THANK YOU.....

Wesley has started to cough more.... Last night we were up most of the night with breathing treatments.... He does pretty good during the day, but it's the night that gets him.... No real bad wheezing or anything severe just the normal yucky allergy, asthma stuff.... What do you expect with this TEXAS weather.... They are even predicting more winter weather for us this weekend.....

Please sign the guestbook to let us know you were here.... We love reading the entries.... Even if you've signed a thousand times.... A thousand more would be fine.... LOL..... They are all so encouraging.....

A have a few prayer request tonight.....

1) My aunt passed away two nights ago... This is one of my aunts that lives in Tennessee... She has been battling cancer for some time now.... My grandmother and the rest of the family need your prayers during this time please....

2) A friend of mine has a son in the ICU at Childrens in Dallas.... He has pneumonia (sp) and his oxygen levels are really low.... His name is Caden and he has a caringbridge website as well... Click his name to view his site and leave encouraging words in the guestbook.... Caden

3) I've really been struggling with my grandmothers death the past few weeks.... Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays and I've always loved getting together with my family and sharing this wonderful time together.... I always looked forward to going to Grandmas house even after I was married and had children of my own.... Even last year, when she was in the nursing home, me and my kids went and had dinner with her at the nursing home on Christmas Day.... I'm just really not liking the idea of Christmas without her here.... I'm sure that my whole family is going to be dealing with this during this Holiday... Please remember all of us in your prayers.... Especially my Grandpa.... We will be having dinner at my mom's house.... I'm looking forward to this new tradition to begin but saddened that one has ended....

4) Please remember the Howard family (they lost their child), the Foppiano family (They lost their child), the family of Sandra Taylor (my aunt) and all those others that have lost loved ones and this will be their first Christmas without them....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, December 8, 2005 10:53 PM CST

Hello everyone,

We are doing okay... Katelyn is sick and has been home from school the last two days... She missed Wednesday and school was cancelled today because of ICE... I'm going to keep her home again tomorrow too... She has an awful cough and is running a low grade temp. on and off.... I'm giving her medicine and all she wants to do is sit in my lap... That's okay.... I don't mind....She's getting older and doesn't do that much now.... Unless she's ready to sleep, of course....

Wesley is doing good, surprisingly.... Usually he's the one with problems when the weather goes to acting crazy....80 degrees one week and ICE storm the next.... That's Texas for you....Anyway, he has a little cough but not even bad enough to start breathing treatments yet....

Well, I just wanted to give a quick update to you all... It's late and I'm going to hit the hay now.... Have a wonderful CHRISTmas if I don't update before then.... Remember, JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON!!!!!!

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, November 19, 2005 9:53 PM CST

Good Saturday all,

I hope you have all had a wonderful month. We have. I've been busy busy busy. I'm still getting used to being a working mom!!!! I forgot to take something to school for Katelyn last week. I asked her teacher what was wrong with me. She giggled and said "It's called teaching and being a working mom." It's getting easier though. We've just had to change our routine up a bit. OKAY, a whole lot.

Katelyn is still doing really well in school. The only issue we are having now is her focusing. She tends to get off track a lot, but we believe this is all part of her neurological development. Mrs. Moree and I have been wondering about her eyes though. She has been tested a few times before and we were never really told anything except she had an astigmatism. The Dr. said it's hard to be sure if she needs glasses or not, since she's unable to tell us what she can and can't see. We are going to go ahead and call and see if they want to see her again. I talked to Dr. Cutrell about it, and he agree's that it wouldn't hurt to have them rechecked since it's been over a year.

Katelyn has also begun to make a few new sounds. Last week I heard her saying "bop bop bop". After that I got her to say it all evening, but now she won't do it any more. She has also "accidently" said "gagagaga". She hasn't said either of these things on command. It's all by accident. Her speach pathologists and I have started talking about getting a communication board for her to work with. She is doing well with the sign language, but since her fine motor skills are still lacking, you can't tell one sign from the other since she knows so many now.

Wesley is still doing well. He is having so much fun at his baby sitters house. He has made three new friends there. Baby Recce, Beau, and Jayden. He talks about them all the time. He has been felling good. He hasn't needed his nebulizer much this fall season. Only a few times.

We are all doing well. We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season. A wonderful family, two healthy precious children, jobs, homes, food, a wonderful GOD that gives us so much to be thankful for. We give all the thanks to HIM. Hug your family and your friends this Thanksgiving season. Thank the one who makes it all happen. GOD. Without HIM, we wouldn't be where we are today.

I hope you all have a wonderful THANKSGIVING. Eat lots. Enjoy your time with family and friends. We will be leaving Tuesday to go and visit Jimmy's grandmother in west Texas. It's been over a year since we have seen her.

P.S. I have a few prayer request. My husband's cousin had her baby a month early. She is in the NICU in her town and only weighs about 3 lbs. Please remember this baby and her family in your prayers. I'd also like for you to remember my grandpa and family. This will be the first holiday without Grandma. I've already been thinking a lot about her and how I miss her so. Just please keep us all in your prayers thorughout these holiday seasons. Thanks.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, October 21, 2005 10:10 PM CDT

It's been almost a month since I've updated.... I'm so so so sorry.....

I've actually taken on a long-term sub job (for those of you that don't know) and it has kept me busy busy busy.... Between that, making custom clothes for ebay (if you are interested, let me know and I'll email you some of the pictures plus some of my material that could be used), spending time with family, and still keeping a clean house and supper on the table; I've not been able to get on....

I have been doing this for about three weeks now.... I am having so much fun.... I'm teaching a Kindergarten class full of 21 energetic boys and girls.... They are all so wonderful.... Along with having fun, I'm learning so much.... This is my first "real" teaching experience.... I did teach preschool about five years ago, but the lesson plans and things to do where given to me.... I also did that BEFORE I went to school and learned how to REALLY teach.... I have been blessed to have this wonderful experience under my belt....

Wesley is doing good.... He is staying with a friend of mine that I met last year while doing my student teaching... She has an 11 month old daughter and lives out in the country... Wesley gets to play play play outside... She also keeps her 2 1/2 yr. old nephew three days a week and Wesley enjoys him as well.... He has been having some asthma issues with the weather changes happening, but I think we have that under control again....

Katelyn is doing just wonderful.... For those of you that haven't seen her since she started Kindergarten, she is a whole new girl.... She is doing way better than I expected.... I have learned through this experience that I need to raise my expectations for Katelyn.... I was just always afraid to expect TO MUCH.... She is showing me different and lets me know about it from time to time....
She has begun pointing to words as I read books to her... We are all just so proud of her... Mrs. Moree has one lady that stays and helps her all day long and is there with Katelyn one on one during her lunch time and play time.... The rest of the time, Katelyn is pretty much being independent.... The aid is there if needed though and helps Katelyn with some fine motor skill activities (like cutting and writing).... She is still getting Speech and Occupation Therapy.... She is doing well in both of these areas.... We are still just waiting on her to start talking.... One of these days, I believe, that she's going to just start talking like she's been talking her whole life....

Her classroom is right next door to where I'm at.... Mrs. Moree (her teacher) will be taking her class outside or to the gym and Katelyn thinks she's always got to try and stop and peek in my door.... If I'm in the hall for some reason, she's always got to grab a quick hug.... I have two little boys and three or four of the girls that just love her to death... They are always looking for her and wanting to give her hugs... Of course, Mrs. Moree tells me she's got 24 teachers in her room... Her 21 students, her, and the aid.... Katelyn isn't spoiled at all by the teachers or the students.... LOL..... My fears of her being made fun of have definetly been subsided....

Well, sorry for such a long update.... I'm going to go know... We are planning on going to Dallas tomorrow and start our Christmas shopping.... Need to hit the hay..... I'll TRY not to take so long next time....

Don't forget to sign the guestbook.... Even if you've signed before, we still enjoy reading these thing that you all write.... I've also added more photos in the photo album... Check them out....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, October 1, 2005 9:50 PM CDT

Good Saturday evening to you all,

We are all doing pretty well.....

Wesley is doing good... He'll be going to a babysitter starting Monday due to me getting a permanent sub job at Katelyn's school... I found a lady that I know that is going to keep him in her home along with her baby and 2 yr. old nephew... She's really sweet and I know she'll take good care of him... Please pray that he adjusts well to this change and doesn't cry while he's away from me.... Wesley went and got his flu shot and the new one Hepatitis A they are requiring now, Tuesday... We weighed him and he weighs 29 lbs. and 13 ozs. now... He's sure growing up... He is still talking really well and has begun to count.... He can make it to the number 7 and then starts over again...

Katelyn is doing good... We took her to the Dr. on Thursday for her flu and Hepatitis A shots... She did good and the staff was all so glad to see her... It's been awhile since we've had to take either one of them... This is always good.... We also had her weight checked... She is up to 38lbs. and 4 ozs.... Go Katelyn.... She has gained 5lbs since June.... I do ask that you pray for her speech.... Although Katelyn has never been very verbal, she was saying mama and making a few animal sounds about 4 months ago.... Her speech pathologists and I had a conference last week and we are both concerned that she has stopped doing this.... She said she has noticed some degression in Katelyn's oral motor and speech development since the end of last year... We also heard from her neurologists about the genetics test that was taken in July while we were there.... These results were all normal and we'll keep our appt. with the genetics specialists in February....

Okay, now to a prayer request for myself.... I've been really stuggling with some things lately.... I'm not even sure how to say it or put it into words, I've actually typed and deleted three or four times.... LOL.... Well, I can't really explain my feelings without it coming out wrong.... I've typed and deleted because when I read what I've typed, it sounds bad.... I'll just say this... It is so hard to watch my sweet Katelyn sometimes.... To sit and watch her play with other children who are talking and interacting and wanting to talk and interact with them... To watch her get very frustrated because she can't tell me what is wrong with her in words... To watch her watch her brother as he's "reading" me a book and she's got this look on her face wondering why she can't.... To sit and wonder if she'll be married and have children.... To wonder if she'll have a "normal" future.... But then I ask, "what's normal". To wonder when they'll ever find an answer to why she doesn't talk or what happened? Well, I guess I did get it out, sort of.... Just please remember me in your prayers....

Have a wonderful SONday....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 11:40 AM CDT

Good afternoon all,

We are all doing well.... I think this is the longest I've gone without an update.... Just remember, no news is good news....

Wesley is doing much better... We still aren't sure what was causing him to complain of pain.... I guess he had the flu or just a bad cold... We gave him medicine for about a week and he seemed to do better... Now, with the weather getting cooler in the mornings and of an evening and being hot during the day, he's getting another runny nose and cough.... I've already started him on breathing treatments to prevent anything really bad from happening...

Katelyn is doing wonderful... She is coming along so well... Jimmy and I were watching her put her shoes on herself the other day.... This is the first time she's been able to do this... For some people, this is no big deal, but for us it's another thing that Katelyn has accomplished and another milestone that she has reached... We are so proud of her... Being in Kindergarten has been very good for her and she's learning and doing so much...

She too has had a cough and runny nose.... It started yesterday evening and she coughed all night long... She was running a low grade temp as well, so I kept her home from school today... Although, I think she'd have been fine because she's been playing good all day... I'm giving her medicine as well just to prevent anything from getting worse...

Well, I'm going to go now.... I hope all of you are doing well... Thank you so much for checking up on us and for keeping us all in your prayers... Remember to give Katelyn lots of hugs and to sign the guestbook if you haven't in awhile.... We love reading these....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, September 4, 2005 10:40 PM CDT

Okay,

It's been a week since my last update and I thought I'd let you all know how things were going...

Last weeks subbing went well, I subbed for Mrs. Moree for half a day on Wednesday and all day on Friday... It was wonderful... I had so much fun and really miss being around all the little ones... It was sort of bitter sweet... I was really excited to be there and teaching the little ones, but sad that it was only temporary... I promised the kids I'd be back some more when Mrs. Moree needed me... Doing this for her has just reasured me that my heart is really with the Kindergarten age... I just love the inocence at that age and the sparks and twinkles in their eyes when they "understand" something... They are also so loving and give lots and lots of hugs... Well, enough of that...

Katelyn is still doing really well in school... She continues to amaze me... She brought a library backpack home last week and we have read that book three times now... It'll be going back to school with her on Tuesday and Wednesday, she'll bring a new book home to read...

I'd ask that you please keep Wesley in your prayers... He woke up Thursday with a croupy barking cough... We started him on his breathing treatments and that seemed to help some... Well, he started telling me his back and arm hurt yesterday... I watched him to make sure it wasn't getting worse and last night he started running a low grade temp... Well, this morning he woke up complaining of pain in his neck and holding it to the left... He was burning up with fever and just crying and crying... I called Dr. Cutrell at 6:30 and he said it could be strep or croup and that he needed to be taken to the Dr. at 1:30... Well, me alwasys expecting the worse, I was afraid it could be meningitis or something... (My mom says I worry to much)... We went on to the Dr. and he said that he couldn't find anything wrong with him and the only thing he could think of was a cold because of the runny nose and coughing and weezing he was having.... He did some blood work but it was all normal... He said he didn't feel like it was meningitis because Wesley wasn't vomiting and his neck wasn't stiff... He said it might be hurting from the cold and to bring him back in a couple days if he isn't better.... Wesley has sat in my lap and slept most of the day... He even got up at 8:30 and went and got into his bed by himself and went to sleep... Now, for Wesley to do that, I know he's sick.... I'm still unsure about what is going on, so please just keep him in your prayers.... I'll let you know how he's doing later....

As I close this journal, I ask that you all please remember all the victims of Hurricane Katrina... This has devestated the lives of many many people and we need to lift them all up in prayer... It is hard to watch the news and see some of the images without turning to your Bible and reading GOD's promises to us... Please just remember that GOD is still in control, that all things happen for a reason, and that it is our prayers lifted up to GOD that will pull these people through all this... Also, please remember the workers that are working around the clock to help these people, the electricians that are trying to get power restored, and the government making the decisions to restore the communities that have been affected.... My sister-in-law's husband has been over there working for a week and will probably be gone for a while... Please remember him and her as she is home with two small children without him.... May GOD Bless you all and all the victims, workers, and families affected by this disaster...

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, August 28, 2005 11:17 AM CDT

Good Sunday to you all....

I hope everyone is over the shock by now of Katelyn's haircut... It's starting to grow on me now... I actually have to do more with it now than I did with it before... But, I'm liking this extra time with Katelyn... We get up in the morning, she gets a bath, then I dry and curl her hair with the curling iron... This is our special morning time together... We sing some of her favorite songs during this morning routine...

She is still doing really well in school... We even went ahead and let her go to the gym (we were afraid the loud noise would upset her) and she did wonderful... As I said in her previous journal entry, Katelyn is proving to her mama she can do a lot more than I thought... I've just always wanted to baby her and it's hard to let her do things for herself... I'm very protective...

Wesley is starting to do better with her being in school also... He still won't play in either bedroom but he'll get toys and bring them into the living room and we play with them together... He's going to get to play with his cousin Cody on Wednesday though... He'll be staying there while I'm subbing for Mrs. Moree... I'm really excited about doing this... I miss being in the classroom after being there for a year...

I would ask that you please pray for me... I have been feeling under the weather the past week and this weekend it finally hit me hard... I woke up yesterday with a soar throat and bad headaches and earaches... I thought it was getting better by yesterday evening, but this morning it was just worse... Jimmy is trying to poke cold and sinus medicine down me (I'm not one that likes to take medicine because of the way it makes me feel) and I'm hoping this will soon kick in... I've been laying on the couch all morning... Jimmy is taking care of the house and kids... He's so sweet...

Well, That's all for now... Thanks so much for your prayers and for the great compliments on Katelyn's hair in the guestbook.... I'll be leaving the pictures up for a bit longer....

P.S. I have added two new pictures in the photo album.... I was wanting to show of the outfit that I made for Katelyn... I did this last week and really enjoyed putting it together... Katelyn wasn't very photogenic when I took it though... She was ready to go play... LOL

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 4:27 PM CDT

Well, I hope you are all over the shock by now.... If you are, tell me how to get over it.... LOL


Yes, We cut Katelyn's hair off.... We got 15 1/2 inches cut off... Why? You ask... Well, Katelyn turned into such a big girl this year and I guess we decided she needed a big girl haircut....

It all started last weekend with her daddy and I seeing a news episode about a girl that donated 12 inches of her hair to wigsforkids... We mentioned doing that for Katelyn but that was the end of it....

Well, she started school... Kindergarten, and Katelyn is having to be more independent and do more things for herself... I'm very proud of this independence and that she is learning it.... But, her hair seemed to be getting into everything (her food, her mouth, the toilet).... So, we decided to go ahead and get it cut....

We decided that Katelyn had so much hair that we'd give some of it to someone that wasn't as fortunate as her.... We donated all 15 1/2 inches to wigsforkids.... I'll miss her hair and I still cry sometimes thinking about it, but, whoever get's it is going to need it more than her and they will be receiving lots of love from us.... I pray that GOD Blesses whoever get's it....

Katelyn is doing very well in school.... Mom seems to be adjusting better also.... I've decided to go ahead and sub at her school some this year.... Katelyn went to computer's today and her teacher said that she did the mouse with very little assistance.... I'm having to realize that there are things that she can do that I don't think she wants me to know she can do.... She kind of likes mama to do these things for her... And, mama likes doing it....

Well, I'll let you all go now.... Hope you are having a wonderful week.... We love you all and thank you so much for the guestbook entries and all the prayers....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, August 19, 2005 12:40 AM CDT

Good Friday all,

I just wanted to let you all know how Katelyn's appt. with her nuerosurgeon went yesterday...

It was a long day.... We had to wait for an hour in the radiology department and then another two hours in the nuerosurgeons office.... We finally got in to see Dr. Sklar... He was pleased with her X-Ray's and also glanced at her MRI and said that he didn't see anything of concern.... He said that she is good to go until next year when we go back just for a follow-up (which we'll do once a year from now on).... I forgot to ask him about the swallow study because of all the waiting and I'm going to go ahead and see if Dr. Cutrell can't get one ordered... If not, I'll call Dr. Sklar's office and see if they'll go ahead and order one.... I'd really like to know if she is still aspirating or not....

Katelyn is still doing pretty good in school... She has been having accidents though... I'm not sure if this is because of a change in routine or what.... Just please pray that this will resolve itself....

I'm still trying to adjust to her being at school as well... I just hate leaving her in the mornings and can't wait to pick her up in the afternoons.... I'm sure this will get better as the weeks go by.... I just really miss her and want her with me....

Well, Thanks for checking.... Hope you all have a great weekend....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, August 15, 2005 7:07 PM CDT

Well,

We did it... Katelyn had her first day of Kindergarten today... She did real well... Definetly better than mama that's for sure...

We got to school this morning and she was all smiles and ready to go play... Mama wasn't quiet ready for her to go play... I was crying before we even got into the room... Luckily, there were some wonderful people inside watching their little one's enjoy their first days when I entered and I got *hugs* and I felt much better.... Thanks so much Cheri and Mrs. Moree... You made things a little easier on me...

I stayed for a while and watched Katelyn interact and took some pictures, and more pictures, and okay, one more picture.... She waved at her good friend Lilly who sits across the table from her and then helped her other good friend Anna put together a puzzle (I think she did more watching)... Well, it was time to go... Jimmy almost had to drag me out the door... I sure didn't want to leave...

Katelyn cried when we left and of course, Mrs. Moree was there to comfort her... We stood in the hall way to make sure she calmed down and she didn't cry but maybe a minute if that... I'm so glad she already knew Mrs. Moree and was comfortable with her...

Once we got home, I was lost... I still had Wesley at home of course, but he was lost as well... He kept asking for Katelyn and wouldn't even play in his room or hers... We ended up coloring together in the living room... We colored for almost an hour and a half... Needless to say, Wesley needs another Toy Story coloring book because we colored all but three pages in the one he had... After that, we decided to go to the Library, but they were closed so we went to the pet store and looked at the birds and fish... Wesley loves fish and birds...

Well, I anxiously waited for 2:30 to get here once we returned home... When it finally got here, I was ready to go and get my baby girl... Mrs. Moree and Mrs. Gina said she did wonderful... She didn't even have an accident today... Gina helped Katelyn with lunch and they even got a seat for her to sit in so she wouldn't fall off the stools... We are lucky to have Mrs. Gina working with Mrs. Moree this year... They said that Katelyn played on the playground and that she listened to the stories well... Thank you to Mrs. Moree, Mrs. Gina, and Ms. Hynman? for making my baby girls first day extra special and fun... When we got home Katelyn and I sat down and I we talked all about her day... (I did most of the talking of course but she sure did shake her head and sign yes or no to me when I asked a question)... Well, I guess I'll let you all go... I'll keep you all posted about how she's doing... I've added some pictures of her first day in the photo album...

Remember, we go to Dallas on Thursday to see Dr. Sklar... This is a follow up to our follow up from her surgery...Please pray that all is well with the X-Ray's and that he'll go ahead and order another swallow study so we can see if she is aspirating any more...

Thanks so much for checking up on us.... We appreciate all of the prayers, thoughts, and guestbook entries from you all... Hope you all have a wonderful week...

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, August 11, 2005 11:11 PM CDT

Hello all,

I just wanted to let you all know that Wesley is doing fine... He is up and walking now.... We went looking for Katelyn some school clothes yesterday and I bet the lady at Bealls thinks I have a monster for a child.... Wesley had just started walking (with a limp) again, and he wanted to go all over that store.... I swore I'd never take two kids clothes shopping agian... Needless to say, we had to leave and we headed to Sears and Goody's, where they have buggies.... LOL....

Well, anyway... He is doing much better.... We are still giving him Motrin and he still has a limp but I do believe it is getting better.... I'm still not sure what he could have done to hurt his hip but I guess he's just being a two year old.... I'm not used to having one running around and being so active like he is.... But, Katelyn is keeping up with him and they love playing together....

Katelyn is also doing well.... We were unseccessful with finding any clothes yesterday so I think we are going to make a run to Sherman or Dallas this weekend.... We are going to let her pick out her own backpack.... I hope she's excited about starting school.... We've decided to put Wesley in Mother's Day Out at the church two days a week to give him some time to play with other kids (and give me a break to do what I need to, Jimmy says)..... Hopefully he'll do okay with this, and if not, we can always take him back out....

Well, I'm going to go for now.... Thanks so much for checking up on us....

Please pray for the Lewis family.... Tate suffered a small stroke and had a seizure on Saturday and they are in Dallas now having some test ran... They went up yesterday and will probably be there a few days.... Click here Tate to visit his webpage and leave words of encouragement....

P.S. Some of you have sent me an email wondering if I have a job yet so I thought I'd put it on here... No, I haven't received a job for this year... I feel like GOD has that perfect job out there waiting on me and I'll get in HIS time... I look at all the positive in this situation and am not upset because I don't have I job... I'm partially excited about it... I'm going to be able to spend some one on one time with Wesley that we have never really been able to have.... I spent Katelyn's first two years of life at home with her... Now, I get to spend some time with Wesley... I'll also be available to help out in Katelyn's classroom and be able to eat lunch with her and go on field trips with her... All these things excite me.... I wouldn't be able to do this if I were working.... My options will always be left open if something does come up, but for now.... I've got one of the best jobs in the world.... A stay at home mom....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, August 9, 2005 11:37 PM CDT

Hello all,

Sorry it's been so long between updates.... We were busy busy busy with getting the garage sale done and now I'm so glad it's over...

We had meet the teacher today at Katelyn's school... I already knew her of course but I wanted to go see where Katelyn's seat was and take her school supplies up there... It was a sad day for me... I guess just the thought of her being in a Kindergarten classroom.... She's such a big girl now and growing up on me.... Please pray that this is all going to work out for Katelyn.... It is so hard for me to accept still, although I believe that it'll be good for Katelyn.... I guess this mommy still isn't wanting to let her baby go.... She is going to be with some wonderful teachers and they all love her dearly....

Wesley is doing pretty good.... We had to take him to see Dr. Cutrell this morning because he woke up and wouldn't walk.... He kept telling me that his knee had an owie....
Jimmy and I tried to figure it out and see if he'd walk but he wouldn't.... Well, Dr. Cutrell said it is his hip... That he was saying knee because he had a scratch on his knee... We aren't sure what he did to it... Dr. Cutrell said he could have twisted it or fell on it wrong... He did some bloodwork and it all showed a low white blood count so there's no infection in it.... We are to go back in a couple of days if he still isn't walking on it.... So, he has been sitting on the couch all day watching Dora and Blue over and over... We did get to watch Shrek this morning though....

Well, I'm going to go.... I'll let you all know how Wesley and Katelyn are doing... Please be in prayer during this time.... That Katelyn adjust well to her new classroom and that mom adjust to her being there... That Wesley's hip get's better and he'll soon start walking on it more....

Thanks so much for checking on us....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, July 29, 2005 5:44 PM CDT

Good Friday all,

How has everyone's day been going? We are doing good. Just trying to recoperate. We are very tired from all the traveling so soon after Grandma's passing and not fully recovered from that yet.

Katelyn's appt. with the new nuerologists went well yesterday. We do like this new Dr. She seems like she is really interested in finding out some more answers as to what is going on with Katelyn.

She said the MRI looked good and showed no changes as to what we already now about Katelyn's brain development. It did show that the fussion was intact well and that everything else was still the same and unchanged from the last time we had it done.

I told her we were still concerned about Katelyn's speech not developing and she said that she is unsure as to the reason for this. She double checked the MRI and says it shows nothing that would answer for this. All she can think, is maybe the small pons and brainstem may have something to do with poor muscle control in the mouth and this is causing her not to talk.

She told us that she is pretty sure that Katelyn has a syndrome of some sort. She just isn't sure what it is. She said she reminds her of another girl she saw about three months ago and was going to go through her records and try to compare and see. She said that they have come out with some new genetics test since Katelyn had her's done. She contacted the genetics specialists and he told her about a few and she drew the blood work for them in her office yesterday. She is also wanting us to follow up with them. They weren't able to see Katelyn until February 13th. Then we'll see her again that same day.

I guess I'm happy with the visit but I was really hoping for more answers. I know that will soon come. It's just that after 5 yrs. you begin to wonder if they'll ever find out. Well, we are again going to be waiting for answers. The results of the test they did yesterday takes about 8-12 weeks to get back so it'll be that long before we get that and then we have to wait until February for the appt. with the genetic specialists.

I just wanted to let you all know what was going on. I'll talk to you all later.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, July 27, 2005 7:16 PM CDT

Well, we made it to Dallas and back... Katelyn did very well and so did Wesley... I was really proud of both of them... We had to be at the hospital at 8:00 a.m. Well, we sat there from about 20 minutes til 8:00 until 10:30 when they finally got her in for the MRI... Luckily the room we were in had Dora and Blues playing on it...

The anesthisiologists told us that it took awhile for him to get the breathing tube in Katelyn and that it was much harder this time than the last time he had done it... It then took them 2 1/2 hours to do the scan... They scanned her brain, her neck with extensions (as much as it'll extend) and her spine... Once they were through with all of this we went into recovery... We were there until 3:00 and then we finally got to leave and went and got something to eat.... Katelyn was so hungry...

Well, we find out what the scan showed and get to meet her new neurologist tomorrow.... I'm anxious about this.... I'll update as soon as we get home tomorrow to let you all know what was said...

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley


Sunday, July 24, 2005 12:46 PM
Hello,

I just wanted to let everyone know that we will be leaving in the morning for Dallas... Katelyn has her pre-op appt. at 1:15 tomorrow afternoon and her MRI is scheduled for Tuesday... Please keep us in your prayers as we travel and that Katelyn does well with the anesthesia... This will be the first time she's had this since her surgery and I'm a little worried about this... Just pray that the anesthesiologist has no trouble inserting the tube becasue of her lack of head flexability....

Plus, please keep my family in your prayers as they are all traveling back home next week... We buried grandma on Saturday and it was a wonderful service... She looked beautiful and to know that she is in no more pain and at the right hand of GOD is awesome... Although, I miss her dearly and am still dealing with it...

Thank you all for your prayers... I'll update on Tuesday when we return home from Dallas...

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 12:02 AM CDT

Hello all,

I just wanted to let you all know that my grandma passed away this morning... She told everyone last night that she was ready to see Jesus... She is happy now and pain free... Please keep our family in your prayers during this time... I'll update more when I know more...

Also, please keep Katelyn in your prayers... She is to have an MRI next week and we'll be meeting with her new neurlogists...

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, July 13, 2005 10:58 PM CDT

UPDATE: I've created ANOTHER webpage for Katelyn's fifth birthday... It's not complete but I went ahead and posted it anyway... I'm going to add a link at the bottom so you all go and check it out... I'm hoping to add a movie to it that I put together, if I can make the file small enough.

Krissy

Hello all,

Well, I decided I needed to go ahead and put Katelyn's precious moments back on. I'm just really enjoying this webpage stuff. I guess it's just a new hobby of mine. I've always liked doing stuff on the computer.

I don't have a whole lot to update but I've had a few people asking how we were doing so I thought I'd go ahead and post something.

Katelyn is doing well. She is still maintaning her weight and she is sleeping well. She has had some problems with her allergies here lately but other than that her health is doing good. She has been getting a lot more frustrated easier and she's been crying and getting upset over the smallest things. I'm hoping that it's just a stage she's going through or maybe she's just not feeling all that great with her allergies and this is bringing it on. I'm a little concerned because she'll rub her head when she does it like it hurts so we are going to discuss it with the neurologist in two weeks. We are going to be going to Dallas the 25th of July. We have to be there at 1:00 for her pre-op and then she is scheduled to have her MRI on the 26th. We don't have a time for this yet but I pray it's early since Katelyn will be having to go without food and drink before this due to the anesthesia.

Wesley is also doing well. He is getting big and is now potty trained. He is becoming so independent and he's so smart. He is talking up a storm and has begun to try counting. He'll count 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9. He's only missing a few. It is so cute. He is also having problems with his allergies and we have had to begin giving breathing treatments again. He's starting to sound a lot better though. He isn't sleeping well at all. He'll wake up at least five to six times a night. It began with him coughing and he'd need a breathing treatment but since then I think it's become a habit. He's wanting to come and sleep in mommy and daddy's bed and that's something that we just don't want to get started. He's getting a little better though. Maybe he's coming out of it.

Well, a little something about what's going on with me and the job hunts. I haven't said to much about it and I've had a few people asking me. No, I haven't found a job. I'm not sure if people just aren't hiring or they just aren't hiring me. I only had one interview and that was way back in April and I didn't get that job. I keep telling myself that GOD has it worked out and I haven't gotten a job for some reason. I don't know yet what this reason is but GOD does. Yes, I have been a little upset about it. I was really hoping to be able to work next year. I'm just waiting to see GOD's plan in it and what I'm to do next year.

In the meantime, I'm still unsure about what is in store for Katelyn next year. As some of you all know, Katelyn was due to be in a general education classroom all day next year. She would be getting an aid with her part of the time but not all of the time. The schedule as to when still hasn't been made clear to me. I'm concerned about what she'll do when she needs to go potty and who will assist her in her feedings. Who'll be with her during gym time and at recess. These things are all supposed to be addressed at her ARD meeting the first of the school year. I wish that this meeting could be before she starts school but they didn't plan it that way. I'm going to call and talk to someone to find out what's going on. I just don't feel comfortable sending her with all these questions. Please pray that I'll begin to feel a peace about this. The school year is approaching fast.

Please pray these prayers for our family this week.

*Katelyn's upcoming MRI and Neurology appt.
*Wesley's asthma and his sleeping habits.
*What God's plan is for me next year.
*A comfort about Katelyn's school next year.

Thank you all for checking up on us. Remember to thank GOD for all he's given you.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, July 4, 2005 11:21 PM CDT

Well, I know the day is almost over, but I still wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th. I hope that everyone has enjoyed there weekends.

We have had a wonderful weekend and I want to say thanks to a couple of people for the invites and for all the wonderful food. Thanks Von for the wonderful hamburgers on Thursday night, thanks to our family in Blossom for the wonderful company on Sunday afternoon and thanks to Jimmy's sister and her family for the wonderful food and company on Sunday night. The kids had so much fun playing outside and watching the fireworks.

On Saturday, we took the kids to the parade and then Saturday evening we went and watch the firework show. Katelyn and Wesley had so much fun both places. We had a perfect spot while watching the fireworks. It was like they were going off right over the top of us. We took the truck and had some chairs in the back and really enjoyed it.

Today, we've just been sitting around the house relaxing. We fired up the grill this evening and had some steaks. Luckily it was before the much needed rain shower that we received.

I also want to say a special thank you to all our service men and women that serve in our armed forces for making and keeping this country free. Thank you Marc and Courtney. We love you.

Please pray for our country today and pray for our troops. Also, pray for those families that are without a family member today because they are out fighting to keep our country free.

Again, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. GOD BLESS YOU ALL and GOD BLESS AMERICA.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 1:36 PM CDT

Well,

It has been a busy busy long week.... It seems like we have been go go go... My nephew is doing better.... He is still in the hospital and will probably remain there until the middle of next week... He is eating more and is trying to walk some on his foot...

Katelyn and Wesley both had Dr.'s appts. on Monday.... It was for there 2yr and 5yr checkups.... I'll start with Katelyn.... She weighed 33lbs and 11ozs and was 43 in. tall.... Dr. Cutrell said she is maintaining her weight and he is happy with that... He does want her eating more protein though.... She's like her mama.... Doesn't eat a lot of meat.... Wesley weighed 28lbs and 9ozs and was 33in. tall.... Jimmy says he'll be taller than Katelyn in a couple of years.... We'll see.... Dr. Cutrell was real proud that he is potty trained.... He also says that he is advanced in his language... He said that two year olds begin saying 2 and 3 word sentences.... Wesley is already saing 4 and 5 word sentences.... He gets the brains from me and the looks, well, he gets those from me too.... HAHAHA.... Just had to add a little humor in there.... I guess he can got the brains from both of us.... and ALL of Jimmy's looks... They call him a mini Jimmy....

Well, I'm still anticipating Katelyn's neurologists appt. next month... It can't get her fast enough....

Well, I'm going to go for now... I'm going to be doing a lot of construction on the webpage in the next two weeks so just keep checking back and looking at all the new stuff...

Thank you for all the guestbook entries telling Katelyn Happy Birthday.... She's going to love them in her scrapbook....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

P.S. I'm working on a family webpage at angelfire.com... I've added the link below... Stop by and take a visit...

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 1:36 PM CDT

Well,

It has been a busy busy long week.... It seems like we have been go go go... My nephew is doing better.... He is still in the hospital and will probably remain there until the middle of next week... He is eating more and is trying to walk some on his foot...

Katelyn and Wesley both had Dr.'s appts. on Monday.... It was for there 2yr and 5yr checkups.... I'll start with Katelyn.... She weighed 33lbs and 11ozs and was 43 in. tall.... Dr. Cutrell said she is maintaining her weight and he is happy with that... He does want her eating more protein though.... She's like her mama.... Doesn't eat a lot of meat.... Wesley weighed 28lbs and 9ozs and was 33in. tall.... Jimmy says he'll be taller than Katelyn in a couple of years.... We'll see.... Dr. Cutrell was real proud that he is potty trained.... He also says that he is advanced in his language... He said that two year olds begin saying 2 and 3 word sentences.... Wesley is already saing 4 and 5 word sentences.... He gets the brains from me and the looks, well, he gets those from me too.... HAHAHA.... Just had to add a little humor in there.... I guess he can got the brains from both of us.... and ALL of Jimmy's looks... They call him a mini Jimmy....

Well, I'm still anticipating Katelyn's neurologists appt. next month... It can't get her fast enough....

Well, I'm going to go for now... I'm going to be doing a lot of construction on the webpage in the next two weeks so just keep checking back and looking at all the new stuff...

Thank you for all the guestbook entries telling Katelyn Happy Birthday.... She's going to love them in her scrapbook....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

P.S. I'm working on a family webpage at angelfire.com... I've added the link below... Stop by and take a visit...

Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:46 PM CDT

Another update on my nephew and Jimmy's grandpa......

Jimmy's grandpa passed away this afternoon.... Please keep the Crites family in your prayers.... His grandma is still living and she is just really tired and in need of rest at this point...

My nephew, Cody Swaim, has got a staph infection. They did some bone scans today and found out that the infection is in the bone above his ankle joint. They are going to be doing a MRI either tomorrow or Saturday on his foot to determine the extent of the infection. The Dr said that they will be in the hospital for at least two weeks on IV antibiotics. They should be able to go home and he'll remain on antibiotics for another month if he responds to the IV antibiotics okay. Please Please pray that he'll respond to these antibiotics.... He is only a year old... Please be in prayer for my sister-in-law during this time as she is in the hospital with her son and also dealing with her grandpa's death.... Thank you all for remembering my family in your prayers...

I'd also like to ask that you pray for Katelyn... She has had some diarreaha the past two days.... I don't want her to be low on weight when we go to see Dr. Cutrell on Monday.... I'll update more after her appointment then....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, June 22, 2005

*****UPDATE*****

I heard from the neurologists nurse today. Katelyn has an appointment for her MRI scheduled for July 26th and her appointment with the neurologist July 28th. It's going to be a busy week. We'll have her workup for the MRI on the 25th, the MRI on the 26th and then go back to see the neurologist on the 28th. I was really hoping to have this done sooner, but since Katelyn has to have general anesthesia with her MRI's, it is a wait because they only do these once a week. We are on the waiting list if someone calls and cancels though. I'll let you know if it gets changed.

I have a couple of prayer request to add to the page. My nephew Cody Swaim is in the hospital with a staff infection. He has been running a high fever since Friday evening and they did blood work on Monday. Today, they admitted him and said it was staff. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. Also, Jimmy's grandpa is pretty sick. The Dr.'s said he wasn't supposed to make it through last night but he is still hanging on. He has been pretty sick for awhile and has been having strokes. We were told today that he isn't eating anything at all and that he doesn't recognize anyone. Just please keep these two things in your prayers. I appreciate it.

Monday, June 20, 2005 12:41 PM

I wanted to add this poem to this journal entry. It is a follow up to the Welcome to Holland poem that I have posted above. This one is called Celebrating Holland. Welcome Home. I hope you enjoy it.

Celebrating Holland- I'm Home
By Cathy Anthony
(my follow-up to the original \Welcome to Holland\ by Emily Perl Kingsley)

I have been in Holland for over a decade now. It has become home. I have had time to catch my breath, to settle and adjust, to accept something different than I'd planned. I reflect back on those years of past when I had first landed in Holland. I remember clearly my shock, my fear, my anger, the pain and uncertainty. In those first few years, I tried to get back to Italy as planned, but Holland was where I was to stay. Today, I can say how far I have come on this unexpected journey. I have learned so much more. But, this too has been a journey of time.
I worked hard. I bought new guidebooks. I learned a new language and I slowly found my way around this new land. I have met others whose plans had changed like mine, and who could share my experience. We supported one another and some have become very special friends.
Some of these fellow travelers had been in Holland longer than I and were seasoned guides, assisting me along the way. Many have encouraged me. Many have taught me to open my eyes to the wonder and gifts to behold in this new land. I have discovered a community of caring. Holland wasn't so bad.
I think that Holland is used to wayward travelers like me and grew to become a land of hospitality, reaching out to welcome, to assist and to support newcomers like me in this new land. Over the years, I've wondered what life would have been like if I'd landed in Italy as planned. Would life have been easier? Would it have been as rewarding? Would I have learned some of the important lessons I hold today?

Sure, this journey has been more challenging and at times I would (and still do) stomp my feet and cry out in frustration and protest. And, yes, Holland is slower paced than Italy and less flashy than Italy, but this too has been an unexpected gift. I have learned to slow down in ways too and look closer at things, with a new appreciation for the remarkable beauty of Holland with its tulips, windmills and Rembrandts.

I have come to love Holland and call it Home.

I have become a world traveler and discovered that it doesn't matter where you land. What's more important is what you make of your journey and how you see and enjoy the very special, the very lovely, things that Holland, or any land, has to offer.

Yes, over a decade ago I landed in a place I hadn't planned. Yet I am thankful, for this destination has been richer than I could have imagined!


Okay, now this is from her daddy and I.
Happy Birthday Katelyn


Well, it’s been five years ago today that GOD sent you our way…. Scared, Anxious, Excited, Thrilled, Blessed, Thankful, Nervous, these are only some of the things that daddy and I were feeling on that blessed day…. You were so tiny… I’ll never forget daddy being able to hold you in the bend of his arm…. All of you fit between his elbow and his hand…. We were so blessed…. Little did we know what the years to come would bring…..

We had to go to the hospital with you not two days after you were born…. It was only reflux they told us…. What did they know….. 6 months later and a lot of crying… We were finally sent for more testing…. All genetics test were normal…. Thank God for that…. So, the next step was an MRI “maybe she‘s had a stroke“ They told us… We just couldn’t figure out why you weren’t developing at a normal rate…

Finally, at one year of age, we had some answers…. Not all the answers… Only GOD has those… But, we knew more about what was going on with you… The MRI showed that your brain hadn’t developed correctly…. So, what happens now…. We just wait and see….

Well, since then you’ve had to have three neurosurgeries and see many Dr.s and specialist…. They know you by name on the neurosurgery recovery floor…. We have met many new friends on this journey… Some of them have problems and need special care as you do… Some of them don’t… But, we have been blessed to have all of them in our lives….

These last five years have been filled with so many mixed emotions for us… Your mom, dad, grandparents, family, and many many friends…. We have seen you grow from a tiny “spider monkey” (as dad called you) to a beautiful young lady ready to take on the world… We have cried many nights… We have shed many tears…. We have smiled many smiles… We have laughed many laughs…. And we are looking forward to continue with all of these emotions….

You have made us so proud… You have accomplished so many things these past five years that so many people take for granted…. You have come so far from where you began…. Baby girl, you have been through more these past five years than mama or even daddy have been through in their entire lives… You are so strong and full of courage and strength….

Katelyn, you have taught us so much… You have taught us how to be patient (which is a good thing), you have taught me how to put all of my faith in GOD and to trust in him with all my heart…. Yes, you, my sweet baby girl…. We have seen GOD in you in so many ways… In your smile, in your eyes, in your strength…. He has been carrying you for five years and will continue to do that…. You are his child and our gift….

Katelyn, we love you so much…. Hope you have a wonderful birthday and we are looking forward to many more to celebrate with you….


We love you,
Mama, Daddy, and Wesley

Sorry for such a lengthy journal entry. Katelyn's fifth birthday was something special to us all. We just wanted to share it all with you. This is a day that I truly thank GOD for. After all she's been through. Please sign the guestbook this time to let us know you were here. I want to be able to show Katelyn all the people that shared in her special time. Thank you so much.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, June 14, 2005 4:32 PM CDT

Hello all,

Well, I finally took Katelyn in to have her weight checked... Not really what I was expecting but it'll work... She weighed 33lbs. 11ozs. I was hoping for more since Dr. Cutrell was wanting her up to about 35-36 lbs by her five year well visit... This visit is June 27th.... Her and Wesley both have an appt. this day... I hope they don't have to get any shots... Don't know if I can handle two crying kiddos at once....

Wesley is doing pretty good on his potty training... Yesterday he went all day and only had one accident... Then today he hasn't went at all... But, he's only had two accidents.... I guess he's just holding it until he can't possibly hold it any longer... He'll get the hang of it though... He's doing better than I expected that's for sure...

Well, I just wanted to let you know about the weight check... I'll keep you all posted when I find out about Katelyn's nuerology appt. date and time...

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, June 6, 2005 8:25 PM CDT

Tuesday June 7, 2005...

I got the music back up and working now... I hope we don't have any more problems with this... I don't think we will though... I wanted to ask that you please pray for a family that I've met on the caringbridge websites... The Lewis family first introduced us to this family through their website and they are such a sweet familiy... Sweet Emma Grace earned her angels wings after a long battle with pneumonia... She was in remission from cancer when she got sick with this... Please be in prayer for her mom, dad, little brother, and the rest of her family and friends...
Thank you all... Krissy

Hello all,

Sorry for the long gap between updates... It's just that everything is going pretty good and we haven't got to much to update....

We ended up not going on our vacation... Things just didn't work out that way... We are making plans to try and go the end of July after Katelyn's summer school... It was very disappointing but it'll happen in GOD's time not ours...

We finally figured out what is going on with Wesley... After doing test on his stool specimen and everything coming back normal, we've decided it is probably just his two year molars coming in... I never even thought about it being his teeth... But, since he is acting fine and not losing any weight with it, we are just going to watch him...

He turned two on June 3rd... We had his birthday party on June 4th... It was short and sweet this year but we all had a good time... He had a Nemo theme and he loved that... He played more with his Nemo hat and his toy buzz that he got before the party more than anything... And boy did he love the cake and ice cream.... He's still asking for more cake....

We started potty training today... He's done real well... He's been in big boy underwear all day and he only had three accidents... I'm giving him Nemo stickers for a reward when he goes in the potty... It seems to work well... He's catching on pretty fast and I don't think it'll take him to long...

Katelyn is also doing well... I'm really sorry to say that I haven't taken her in for a weight check lately... I know I know... I should be ashamed... It's just that I feel confident enough she's doing well, that I don't worry about it and forget until someone reminds me... My plan is to take her in tomorrow afternoon once Jimmy wakes up so we don't have to get Wesley out... I want to keep him at home until we've got this potty thing down... It worked better for Katelyn doing it that way...

She'll start summer school next Tuesday... She is ready ... We've been having our own "school" with circle time and everything, but it just isn't the same for her... She is so used to playing with all of her friends...

I would ask that you please continue to pray about a job for me next year... I still haven't heard anything...

Thank you all for checking on us... We appreciate all the prayers...

Oh, in case you are wondering about the music on Katelyn's page... We are having problems with getting it back up... The server I had the song downloaded on shut down and I'm having problems getting it uploaded to another page to link to...

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 4:43 PM CDT

Hello friends and family,

I wanted to let you all know first of that I've added a new picture of Katelyn in the photo album... She looks so beautiful WITHOUT her collar. She is doing so good. She is a little tired today and acting cranky. I pray that she's not getting what Wesley had.

We received a phone call from her neurologists today and they are planning a MRI for her late June early July and an appt. to meet our new neurologists a week after that. Dr. Arnold (her new neurologists) is the one that said she was very interested in Katelyn's case and she told her nurse (Lori) to get Katelyn in as soon as possible after the MRI no matter what she had to do. We will find out in about a week when all of this will be scheduled for sure. I'm very anxious to meet the new neurologist and to hear her opinion on Katelyn's "diagnosis". Like I said, this will be later in June or early July so I'll update more on this as soon as I find out. She will be undergoing general anesthesia with the MRI as always. It is going to be different this time since she is unable to have her head tilted back to insert the breathing tube. Please start praying now that there will be no problems in getting the tube in.

Today was her last day at school. I'm looking forward to having her and Wesley both at home with me this summer. We are planning a trip to TN to visit my wonderful grandparents and aunt Kandice. We have lots of great family to visit while we are there. (I love you all and miss you so much) We will be making this trip the 2nd week in June. Pray for us as we plan this and that we are able to go and while we are traveling.

Wesley is doing much better. He went back to daycare today and had a wonderful day. No more diareaha and the rash is looking so much better. He even went "teetee" in the potty all day long like a big boy. It won't be long and we won't be buying any more pullups or diapers. I'm so proud of both of my children.

Thank you all for continuing to faithfully pray for my family. I appreciate all the thoughts and guestbook entries. We've already got half of a scrapbooks worth of entries printed off, and I'm looking forward to putting this all together for her this summer. Please keep the entries coming. They are all so uplifting and just knowing that you have stopped by to check on us all brightens our days. May God Bless you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, Wesley

Monday, May 23, 2005 8:37 PM CDT

Well,

I took Wesley on to the Dr. this morning. It isn't the chicken pox. They said that he had a virus that was causing him to break out. His throat was covered with the same type rash on it. They said that the fever he ran probably made it worse and that he could have the rash for up to ten days.

They are also wanting me to take a speciman of his diareaha to the hospital. They aren't sure why he has had it on and off for a month. He didn't have any today so we'll see what tomorrow brings. He has been very clingy and cranky today. He sat in my lap all morning and then took a long needed nap. When Katelyn got home from school he played some. He still isn't eating much. He hasn't had any more fever but I'm going to go ahead and stay home with him again tomorrow. I'd feel awful sending him to daycare and not feeling good.

Dr. Cutrell asked me this morning when he was going to get to see Katelyn again. He is so sweet. I told him that we came into see him Thursday after her appt. in Dallas but they had left early. He said to just bring her in some time before Wednesday so he could see that girl. I told him we had an appt. the 24th of June. He said that was fine he just wanted to see how she was doing. We'll probably go on in to "visit" him and his lovely nurses tomorrow after I pick her up from school if Wesley is feeling up to it. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful pediatrician that cares so much about our family.

I hope all is well with you all. Thanks for checking up on us.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, May 22, 2005 9:36 PM CDT

Hello to all of you this wonderful Sunday evening,

Katelyn is doing wonderful. She hasn't acted like she is in pain or uncomfortable not one bit. She hasn't had her collar on one time since we left the Dr.'s office on Thursday afternoon. She is trying to adjust to the fact that she isn't able to turn her head or move it up and down like she used to. She will eventually become used to this. We are so proud of her. She has come so far in her life and it is so hard to believe that she is going to be five years old in just one month. We are so thankful for the years that we have shared with her and look forward to many many more.

Wesley isn't doing to good. He is STILL having problems with diareaha. It seems like it is getting worse and today he broke out with an awful rash. I guess that is what it is. It looks like a rash but their are raised bumps with white blisters in the middle. He is covered with it. We were told it is the chicken pox, but he has had the vacine for that. He is also very irritable and won't eat anything. We are going to be making a visit to our favorite pediatrician in the morning. We gave him some benadryl and tylenol this evening and he is sound asleep now. Hopefully he is able to rest good tonight.

Now an update on Sweet Tate. He is still at the hospital in Dallas. He is in a regular room and they are draining fluid off his chest with a chest tube. The report they got today was that his lungs did look better. He is eating a few bites at a time and is having to take his drinks through a syringe due to his paralyzed vocal cord. He will be in the hospital until the draining slows done. Please pray for this sweet boy and his wonderful family.

I hope that you have all had a wonderful weekend. Have a wonderful GOD filled week next week and may GOD bless you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:07 PM CDT

IT'S GONE!!!!!!!!! THE COLLAR IS GONE!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!

Well, Katelyn got her collar off today. We arrived at the hospital about 1:00 p.m. and had to go up to neurosurgery for them to take the collar off before we could get the X-Ray's done. We'll Katelyn started to touch her neck and point to the collar. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not. The Dr. said that was common because her muscles are probably sore from wearing it for three months. We then went and had the X-Ray's and she cried during the whole thing. I think she was just scared though. We went back upstairs to see the Dr. The whole time Katelyn is grabbing at her neck and pointing to the collar. I think it's just because she is so used to having it on.

The Dr. was happy with her progress. He said that the X-Ray's did show that her neck was getting stronger and she was okay to have the collar off, but he also said it could be stronger. She is to continue her "light playing" and we are to see him again in three months.

I asked him about doing another swallow study and he said that he wanted to wait until August for that. He said that she really needed a full six months of recovery before we started checking that. So, we continue the thick-it until then.

On a negative note, We went by and had her weight checked at Dr. Cutrell's office. She has lost 7 ozs. She weighed 33 lbs. even today. We'll, I believe this is because of all the diareaha that she has had the past month and maybe even the weight of the collar. This is the first time she has been weighed without the collar.

Well, that's it for now. I just wanted to let you all know what we found out today. I'll continue to update on her progress and her weight history. I'll also be posting new pictures of our beautiful angel WITHOUT her collar shortly.

I just got word that my buddy Tate is having some breathing problems. He had to go to Dallas today for an appt. (I think) and on the way home wasn't doing to well. Cheri took him to PCA (Dr.'s office) and they have addmitted him to the hospital here in town. Please pray that this is minor and that everything is okay with sweet
Tate.

update on Tate:
Tate has been careflighted to Dallas. They believe that he has some fluid build up between his lungs and his chest cavity. They may place a chest tube in to drain this fluid. He's looking at being in Dallas for three days. Please pray for this sweet family as they are once again in the hospital.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, May 16, 2005 8:45 PM CDT

Hello all,

Well, I did it again. Sorry. It's been forever and a day since I've updated.

Katelyn is doing better. It took her a while to get over the direaha but she is feeling much better. The funny thing is, she never acted like she felt bad, ran any fever, and she continued to eat like her normal self. Thank you all for praying for her. She'll be traveling to Dallas with me on Thursday and getting her collar off. YEAH YEAH YEAH... We are so excited about this trip. This is one visit that we are looking forward to.

Wesley is still having a time with his direaha. It just comes and goes with him. He'll go a day or so without any and then it'll hit him and he'll have it all day. Like Katelyn, he doesn' act like he feels bad, hasn't ran any fever, and is still eating good. I've cut out all the sweet drinks and am giving him nothing but water to drink (which he likes, thank goodness) and I hope this helps the problem.

Well, my graduation went well. I'm SO GLAD that it is finally over. It has been a long journey and especially a long last semester. I want to name a few people that I want to particullaly thank for getting me through this last semester: First and most important I thank GOD, I thank my loving husband who stood by me and helped me, Jimmy. I thank my mom and dad who ALWAYS encouraged me and let me know how proud they were of me. My mother and father in law who were there when I needed that last minute baby sitter for some school activity. Mrs. Moree (my mentor) for the encouragment and the support and constant reminders that I was going to get through this. Mrs. Plata(my other mentor) for being so understanding in my situation and working with what I needed to do to be with Katelyn. Mrs. McMichael and Mrs. Adams for being the best liasons that Commerce could have. They also reminded me constantly that I was going to finish and that they would do whatever needed to be done to help me out. Thank you to Mrs. Dana, Mrs. Gena, and Mrs. Dobie for being their for Katelyn when I needed to get her late. They have also been a shoulder when I thought I couldn't go any farther. Thank you to my best friend Courtney, who also encouraged me and supported me thorugh this. Thank you also to all of those that prayed for me during this tiime. Thank you all for understanding that Katelyn was always first in this situation and seeing me through to the end. May GOD BLESS YOU ALL. Thank you so so so so so so so so much.

Hope you all have a GREAT week.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, May 8, 2005 8:09 PM CDT

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!!!

I hope that all the mother's out there had a wonderful day. We did. This moring when we got up I went and sat down in my recliner and both of my children climbed in my lap and set with me. We set like that for about 20 minutes just loving on each other. I told Jimmy that I just had the best mother's day present a mom could ask for.

I just want to Thank GOD for my children. He has blessed me beyond measure with the family that he has given me and I thank him for that today and always. Being a mother is one of the best jobs and experiences that a woman could have. I pray that all of you moms out there are as blessed by your children as I am. Give your kids a hug today and thank GOD for the mothers day gift HE has given you.

I ask that you please be in prayer for Katelyn. She has had diareaha on and off since Thursday afternoon. We thought it had gone away yesterday evening but it is back this evening. She really doesn't need this with her weight issues. I am going to watch her tomorrow and if it isn't any better go ahead and take her to see our favorite pedatrician. Also please pray for Wesley. He has started with it tonight also. He has had it twice within an hour. Pray that it is just a virus and they will recover quickly.

I went over to visit my grandma this afternoon and she is looking a little better. Thank you all for praying for her and please continue to pray that GOD's will be done in her life. She ate a pretty good supper and she was so happy to see me. She is still pretty swollen but just in her hands. They are saying this is part of her congestive heart disease. Please continue to also pray for my grandpa, all of their children, and all the grandchildren during this time.

WELL.... I DID IT!!!!! I will be graduating from Texas A&M May 14th. I'm so excited. It's been a long journey but with the support of my family, friends, teachers, and most of all GOD; I've made it. Thank You GOD and all my family friends, and teachers for getting me to this point.

Well, for those of you that have anxiously waiting on an update about Tate. HE IS HOME!!!! Isn't GOD good. Tate got to come home to a wonderful welcome from his family and friends on Saturday (I think). Cheri said that when they went to the clinic on Friday, his oxygen levels were 99 and 100. Tate hasn't ever had levels this high in his life without oxygen. GOD is so great. What a wonderful, healing GOD we serve. Please continue to pray for his recovery. He still needs specific prayers for his paralyzed vocal cord and that he'll begin to put on weight. He is having to drink through a syringe because of this. Just pray that GOD will heal this as he has healed his heart.

Thank you all for checking in on us. I want to espceially thank Brenda for all the beautiful graphics she continues to add to Katelyn's guestbook. Thank you all who take the time to sign her guestbook and let us know that you continue to pray and think about Katelyn.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, May 3, 2005 4:43PM CDT

Just a quick update on Katelyn's weigh-in that she had today. She weighed 33 lbs. and 6 ozs. I'm so proud of her. Now she is back where she was in January when she started losing weight. Our next goal is for her to get up to 35-36 lbs. by June 24th. This is the next time she is to see Dr. Cutell. Until then, we will continue to take her every two weeks for a weigh-in.

We also had Wesley weighed today. He is getting so big. He went and stood on the scale and was so excited about it. He weighed 29lbs. even.

Saturday, April 30, 2005 1:11PM
Well,

Sorry that it has been a week since I've updated. Things are going great and sometimes I run out of things to update on. Well, like I said, things are going great with Katelyn. She is doing wonderful and got to spend the day with daddy yesterday all alone. I had staff development at school and she was out so she stayed home and had some daddy and Katelyn time together. We will be taking her back to the Dr.s office probably Tuesday for a weight check and I'll update as soon as I get that weight in.

Katelyn is sleeping great at night. Her monitor didn't even go off one time last night. Her oxygen levels are staying around 96 and 97 when she is sleeping. This is wonderful. I thank GOD for this and for all the other healing and miracles he's done in Katelyn's life.

Wesley is still growing and talking up a storm. He is doing really well on his potty training. He may have two or three accidents a day. We aren't going to know what to do with ourselves not having to buy diapers. That'll be new to us. HAHAHA

Katelyn and I are back in school full swing now and we are both doing wonderful. She is eating like her normal self and is having so much fun. She acts like she never missed a beat and is going on with her normal daily routine like she was never gone for six weeks. I found out that I AM going to get to go ahead and graduate on May 14th. YEAH YEAH. I'll just be going back to school and student teaching after my graduation and finishing up instead of getting out on May 6th like the rest of the folks. That isn't a problem though. I love what I'm doing. Just please pray that GOD will place me in a teaching position that he wants me in and that I'll be a teacher for him next year.

I just want to thank GOD for my healthy family. We are all doing so well and I also thank you all for the prayers that you have offered up to GOD.

I would ask that you please pray for my mom and all of her syblings. She told me that my grandmother is doing pretty bad and they think she has had a stroke. The hospice nurse told them she may not make it three more months. For those of you that don't know, My grandma had open heart surgery a year ago March and has not been doing well since. She has been in a nursing home for almost a year and it has been hard on the whole family. Just please pray for mercy on her and for a peace with the rest of the family as they see her go through this. Thank you.

Now a wonderful update on Tate. He is doing wonderful. He was dicharged from the hospital yesterday and will be staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Houston until Friday May 6th, when he will return to the cardio clinic to have X-Rays, and echo, and get his stitches out. Then they will be heading home. Isn't GOD wonderful. He has performed a miraculous healing in Tate and I thank him for that.

Once again, Thank you all for praying for our sweet family and for Tate as well. Don't forget to sign the guestbook for Katelyn. Even though she's doing well and you've signed before, we still love reading them.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, April 23, 2005 12:37 AM CDT

Good morning all,

Katelyn is doing so good. She is just almost back to her normal self again. We are just anxiously awaiting May 19th when she gets her collar off.

We are giving her zyrtec for her allergies. We have pretty much decided that is what the yucky cough is. She has been taking it for the past three nights and she does sound better. She has no fever and other than being tired from the zyrtec she's doing great and playing a lot during the day. At night she is doing much better also. We are still having to rock her to sleep or let her fall asleep on the couch but then we move her into her bed when we go to bed. She is sleeping all the way through the night and she is only having maybe one or two desaturation spells a night. Praise GOD for this and for the fast recovery rate when this does happen.

Wesley is doing well also. Growing like a weed and talking so good. We have begun potty training and with the help of the daycare he is picking up on this quickly. He is also counting now. It is so cute. I'll say "one" and he says "two" I'll say "three" and he says "four" then we both say "five" together.

Well, enough about my bunch, they are doing wonderful thanks to all of the prayers offere up on their behalf.

An update on Tate. I know that a lot of you now the Lewis family and get updates through their site but a lot of my family has taken them on for prayer and they look for updates on Katelyn's webpage.

Tate is doing well. He is still in pain when he is awake. He got some more of the machines, wires, and tubes taken off of him and Cheri was able to hold him for the first time this morning. I know that was a wonderful feeling for her. I remember when Katelyn had her neck surgery and I was unable to hold her for four days. He is doing wonderful on his o2 stats. They are remaining 99-100 with oxygen and 90-93 without. This is AWESOME. Tate's average oxygen levels before his surgery without oxygen was lower than this.

Cheri updated that he is still putting out drainage so they willremain in ICU at least until tomorrow. It will be wonderful when he is able to move to the floor and even better when he is able to come home.

They were told that Tate has some scar tissue around his left vocal cord. Please pray that this will heal and that Tate is able to sing with his wonderful voice. Also, please continue to pray for rest for Cheri, Duane, the grandparents, Tate, and his brothers and sister. Go by and visit the webpage and sign the guestbook for some words of encouragement.

Thank you for checking up on us. We appreciate it.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 10:00 PM CDT

UPDATE on Tate: Scroll on down if you've already read this one.

Well,

We had a visit with Dr. Cutrell this afternoon. Katelyn is doing great. She has gained another 1/2 a point and now weighs 31lbs. She is on her way to where she needs to be at 35-36lbs. Dr. Cutrell said this would put her into the 25n the growth chart. She is to continue having weight checks every 2-4 weeks and has an appt. again in June.

I'm going to update more on behalf of a friend of mine tonight. Cheri Lewis and her family. I have been mentioning them a lot in Katelyn's journal and talked about Tate's surgery. Well, it has been postponed for the past two days. Cheri and her family are on an emotional rollarcoaster and I just want to ask that you please please pray for them. They are still in Houston awaiting to see what the next move is. WE all believe that Tate's surgery is going to happen in GOD's time but I just couldn't imagine the emotions involved with the postponing of it twice in just this week. Not counting the other times it's been postponed before this week. Just please remember this sweet awesome family in your daily prayers. I'll be updating a lot more for them when I know more. Also, you can check his website. The link remains at the bottom.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

UPDATE:

Tate had his surgery today. He went in at 8:00 and was finished and heading to recovery at 4:30. Isn't GOD awesome. Tate is already off of the ventilator and he is doing wonderful. He has four drainage tubes and is only requiring 4liters of oxygen. Cheri said he is already asking for something to drink. Just pray for a speedy and fast recovery for Tate.

Krissy

Sunday, April 17, 2005 11:22 PM CDT

Good evening all,

It has been a busy day around my house. Katelyn hasn't been feeling herself today and she is starting to come down with a bad cough like she had after her surgery.

I would ask that you please pray that it isn't anything major and whatever it is doesn't effect her appetite. Katelyn tends to not eat when she isn't feeling well. I'm hoping it is just her allergies and am giving her zyrtec. We have an appointment with our loving pediatrician on Wednesday so we'll get it all checked out then.

I wanted to let you all know about the interview that I had last Friday afternoon. Sorry that it has taken me so long to get back with you. The interview went really well. I felt like they were all pleased with me and the way I answered the questions being asked. I was a little nervous but also felt confident at the same time. Mr. Berry, the principal, told me last Tuesday that they had decided on two other people with 7 and 10 yrs. of experience for the jobs. He said if another one came up he would consider me for that position without another interview.

I'm going to go ahead and finishing passing out resumes to the other campuses next week. I believe that GOD is in control of this situation as well as all the other ones in my life and he has the right job out there for me.

Thank you all for checking on us. Please Please be praying for our buddy Tate. His surgery is Tuesday the 19th. He will be undergoing a 10-12 hour open heart surgery at Houston. I'll be updated on our website periodically that day or you can visit his website at the link at the bottom.

We love all you and truly thank you for all your prayers for our family. They are being answered. Please keep praying for Katelyn's health.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, April 15, 2005 4:21 PM CDT

Just a quick update on Katelyn....


She has gained 3lbs. She weighed 27.9lbs on Monday and yesterday she weighed 30.8lbs. We are so proud of her. Dr. Cutrell was also proud.

Thank you all for your prayers. They are surely being answered.

That's all for now... I'll update more later.... The kids are fussing....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, Wesley

Wednesday, April 13, 2005 6:30 PM CDT

Hello to you all,

I wanted to let you all know that Katelyn is doing exceptionally well. She is starting to return to her normal Katelyn self.

She returned to school on Tuesday and began back into her normal routine like she had never left. All her teachers were so amazed at how well she did. They said that she knew exactly what to do and where to do it like nothing had changed.

Her eating is also improving. She ate okay yesterday and even better today. She told me this morning when we got up that she wanted a bite. I told her to show me what she wanted and she pointed to the peanutbutter. Needless to say, Katelyn ate a half of a peanutbutter sandwich on the way to school. Once at school she ate half of her breakfast, most of her lunch, and two yogurts once she woke up from her nap. It is truly an answered prayer that she has begun to eat like she has.

Katelyn is also sleeping much better. We still have her on the oxygen monitor and have the oxygen just in case we need it. Katelyn has not had any more than two desaturation spells for the past four nights. She is going to sleep and staying in her bed all night long. It is like a whole different child than she has been for the last 2 and a half months. We have a old Katelyn back. Praise GOD. She also sounds wonderful when she is sleeping. She is so quiet. I have caught myself going into her room a couple of times a night because I can't hear her over the monitor. Imagine that, I wasn't sleeping before because of all that was going on and now I'm not sleeping because it isn't going on. I'm adjusting, I only got up once last night to check on her.

Well, we are to have a weight check tomorrow so I'll update on that but our life seems pretty boring right now with noting major going on. I like it this way for sure. Please do continue to pray for more of an increase in appetite. We would like for Katelyn to be at least to her beginning weight of 33lbs. within the next month and a half.

Also, don't forget to pray for the Lewis family and Tate. His surgery is only six days away. They were really on my heart today and I'm not going to wait to pray for Tate. Please pray for a comfort and peace for this wonderful family. Pray that Tate remains strong and healthy. Pray that Duane remains seizure free. Pray for the Luke, Lilly, and Parker to feel a comfort and peace also during this time.

We love you all.
The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, April 9, 2005 7:46 PM CDT

I've added an update to the bottom of this journal entry. I wanted to keep this one up for those that haven't read it yet. If you've read this one just scroll to the bottom where it says update.

Hello all,


As some of you were already aware, Katelyn was placed back into the hospital on Thursday morning by Dr. Cutrell. I'm sorry I wasn't able to let you all know this sooner. I was unable to get an internet connection in Katelyn's room and just didn't take the time the few times that I came home.

I took her in at 9:45 and she had lost some more weight and was becoming dehydrated. We got to the hospital about 11:30 and were treated just wonderfully by the nurse Peyton. She made us feel comfortable and talked to Katelyn about everything that was going on. She even placed embral (???) cream (something that numbs) on her arm so she wouldn't feel the stick when they had to put the IV in.

Dr. Cutrell also wanted to observe her sleeping patterns to see what is going on with her apnea situation. The first night we were in the hospital Katelyn's SATS (thanks for the correction Misti) would go down to the low 80's but she would quickly recover back into the lower 90's. The nurse working the night shift said that Katelyn did have two apnea episodes for sure where she stopped breathing briefly and possibly had four.

Dr. Cutrell spoke with Jimmy on Friday and said he was pleased with Katelyn's input on her liquids. She had begun drinking a little more and eating some so he wanted to watch her one more night and see how things went. He also said that when we do go home that he is going to heplock the IV just in case she needs to go back for more fluids.

Friday night Katelyn ate real well, compared to how she's been eating. Marc, Courtney, and Grace brought some Popeyes's and Katelyn pigged out on the beans n rice of all things. She was also drinking better than she has been. Her and Grace played in the room and sat in the bed together reading stories. It really did Katelyn some good.

During the night she had some desaturation episodes but again she would recovery quickly. The night nurse didn't observe any episodes where Katelyn stopped breathing last night just that her SATS would drop and then go back up.

The Doctor that came into see Katelyn this morning felt like she was well enough to go home since we do have a monitor and oxygen here. He also asked us if we had considered a CPAP monitor for Katelyn. This is something we'll have to discuss with Dr. Cutrell. The Doctor (Dr. Scott) called Dr. Cutrell and they agreed that Katelyn could come home.

So, we returned home this morning about 11:00. As I said earlier, Katelyn does still have her IV heplocked into her arm just in case we have to return. She is to go the the clinic tomorrow to weigh in with Dr. Clark and then we are to return to Dr. Cutrell's office on Monday. Katelyn has been eating pretty good since then but she isn't drinking as well as she needs to be.

Katelyn is also especially cranky and whinny. I'm sure she is really out of sorts and still not herself especially since she had to come home with the IV still in. She won't use the hand it is in. Please pray for her to return to her normal self. It is really hard on all of us. She has demanded ALL of my attention today and it is so hard to figure out what she is wanting. She will point to something and I'll give it to her then she'll push my hands away. She'll point to something else I'll begin giving it to her and she'll push my hands away. I'm not sure why she is doing this. She hasn't been using many of her signs and it is really hard not knowing what she is wanting.

Please continue praying for our sweet angel. She still has a long recovery to go. Pray that she'll pick up her appetite and drink. Pray that she'll continue to improve greatly on her desaturations that she is having at night. Praise GOD that these desaturations don't last long and that Katelyn has been able to recover on her own on the majority of them. Pray that she will start to communicate more with us and her frustration will go down which should make the fussiness and whinning go down. Pray for all of us to have lots and lots of rest. Even if we are only able to sleep two hours at a time, please pray that we will feel fully rested after this.

I'll continue to keep you all updated as Katelyn is recovering from all of this.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Update: Sunday, April 10, 2005 2:58p.m.

I took Katelyn in to have her weight checked today and Dr. Clark saw her in his office. We took her down to Dr. Cutrell's scales to have her weighed and she only weighed 27.8 lbs. today.

I was so afraid Dr. Clark was going to put her back into the hospital. He didn't do it though, Thank GOD. He said that she was well hydrated and that Katelyn had a chronic disorder (her weight loss) and that we needed to see Dr. Cutrell in the morning to come up with a plan. We have an appt. with him at 9:30 tomorrow morning.

Dr. Clark was so sweet to Katelyn. He played with her and talked to her and she did so good. We are so thankful that GOD has placed some wonderful pediatricians in Paris to work with all of our children.

Oh, Dr. Clark also said that it would be okay to go ahead and take out Katelyn's heplock. So now she is free of anything that would keep her from eating and drinking.

Thanks for checking on us.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 8:54 PM CDT

I wanted to update you all on Katelyn.

She had a Doctors appt. with Dr. Cutrell this afternoon at 3:00. He was concerned about her weight of course and talked about going ahead and calling a surgeon to have a feeding tube placed in her stomach. He then decided against it because she just had a surgery and said he would wait a couple more weeks to see what she is going to do.

He said that he wanted her to have a O2 monitor and some oxygen at home with her. Paris Medical Supply delivered it for us this evening. I'll be keeping a journal of what happens with it to report back to Dr. Cutrell. I asked him if he felt like these desaturation spells were due to the surgery and he said no. He feels like it has something to do with her neurological disorder and maybe some soft tissue in her airway. We aren't going to begin doing any test for awhile though. We really feel like she needs some time to recoperate from everything and as long as we have the monitor and oxygen to use when needed, we'll be okay waiting.

Katelyn does have to go back to see Dr. Cutrell in the morning at 9:45. He was a little concerned about her becoming dehydrated because she isn't wanting to eat or drink anything. We'll determine in the morning if she needs to return to the hospital for some IV fluids for a couple of days.

Please pray that Katelyn will start eating and drinking more. I'm not sure why she hasn't been eating the past six weeks. Just please pray that she'll have a huge increase in her appetite. Please pray that Katelyn will begin resting better.

Thank you all for your prayers...

Please pray for the Lewis family. Tate's surgery is only 14 days away and his mom has begun feeling anxious about the surgery. Please pray for the health of Duane and that he remains seizure free during all of this. Added stress could spark the seizures to start again. Pray for Tate to remain healthy and eat so that he is strong on April 20th.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

P.S. Don't forget to check out the whole website. I've added some new things and I'll be "playing with" new additions for a while. Don't forget to add a square to Katelyn's smilequilt.

Tuesday, April 5, 2005 10:03 PM CDT

Okay,

I'll give a more detailed update now that things are a little quieter around the house.

We got home about 2:30 this afternoon. I'm still not sure what is going on. This past week has been such a rush of emotions.

Katelyn did not get any oxygen last night so the Doctor in Dallas released us today. Although, she did have some desaturation spells. We watched her oxygen level slowly drop from about 91 (where it stays when she's sleeping now) to about 86 and then rapidly drop to 73. At this point we both panicked (again the nurses weren't coming in to the monitor's) and we tried to wake Katelyn up. Once awake, she would get back into the low 90's. This happened from about 4:00 a.m. until she woke up at 7:00 a.m. I'm really confussed about all of this and what is going on.

The Doctor was aware of this happening last night. She came into the room and looked at the monitor's history but didn't seem to concerned about it happening. She said that she feels like Katelyn will be able to wake herself up when this happens and start breathing right again. I let her know that I was still concerned about it as I don't have a monitor at home to let me know that her oxygen is dropping. She told me that sometimes people can depend on the monitors to much. I'm still not comfortable with what is happening.

I have gotten a call in to Dr. Cutrell and hope to hear back from him by tomorrow on what he thinks of the situation. If he feels like it is just a congestion issue and that Katelyn will be fine at home without monitors or oxygen, then I'm going to trust his judgement. He does know Katelyn's history and has been treating her since she was born. The other Doctor, on the other hand, has not been.

In the meantime, Katelyn is sleeping on the couch at this moment. She is gasping and her body is jumping around as usual. Just please pray that this will resolve itself. Her body is so week and she has lost 5 more ozs. I know to some that doesn't seem like a big deal but for Katelyn every ounce is important right now. Please continue to pray for her.

P.S. Her other virtual online quilt has been completed. It is the smilequilt. I have the link posted above. Don't forget to add your own square and let Katelyn know you are praying for her. Thanks.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, April 5, 2005 3:43 PM CDT

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are home. We got home about 2:30. We are all so very exhausted and I'll update more later this evening after things quieten down a littl bit.


Krissy

Monday, April 4, 2005 4:48 PM CDT

Well,

We are still here at the hospital in Dallas. Katelyn had another desaturation spell last night. Her oxygen got down to 84 and the nurse even waited to see if she would come back up on her own. She waited about 10 minutes and she didn't so she went ahead a put the oxygen on her.

The Doctor came in this morning and said that Katelyn has to go through 24 hours without oxygen so we are hoping that tonight is the night.

I spoke with Dr. Cutrell this morning and he said he wanted to talk with the Doctors here about Katelyn's condition. He is concerned about her weight loss and again mentioned a feading tube. He also mentioned a sleep study.

Well, that is all I have for right now. As soon as I here more later I'll let you know....



Okay, I'm back....

The Doctor here has spoken with Doctor Cutrell and she told him that she felt like Katelyn's spells at night were due to congestion in her nose. She also asked about using some flonase nose spray and suctioning Katelyn's nose out to get some of the congestion out and see if that didn't help her desaturation spells at night. They decided to give that a try and see what happens. They felt like transferring Katelyn right now would be to much considering they are only hoping she'll be here one more night. The Doctor here said that if she anticipated Katelyn being here more than a week due to this, she would go ahead and have her transferred. We'll just wait and see what tonight and tomorrow brings.

They also talked about Katelyn's weight issue. She said they decided that now wasn't a good time to be concentrating on that. That Katelyn needed some time to recover from all she's been through the past six weeks to see if her appetite would pick up and then discuss things in a couple more weeks. They also said that she has got so many things going on right now it is hard to pinpoint what is coming from where and why but that she is sure her desaturation spells are due to congestion.

Well, to sum it all up in a nutshell, we are going to be here tonight and please just pray for no desaturation spells. We are really really ready to come home.

Katelyn did eat a little bit for lunch today. She ate about three bites of spaghetti, a couple bites of mashed potatos, and three bites of chocolate frosting of some cake. Just please continue to pray that her appetite will increase.

Another prayer request that I have for you. I was called in for an interview at Givens (that is where I want to teach) and I spoke to the principal today and he said he would see what he could do about getting me another interview. The original one was supposed to be last Friday. Please pray that they are able to interview me once I return home.

Thanks for all you checking in.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, April 3, 2005 10:59 AM CDT

Goodmorning all,

Sorry about not updating anymore yesterday. It was kind of a busy day.

Mom brought Wesley up to see us and Katelyn got to leave the ICU and go and play with him. She stayed out of the room for about three hours and did so good. They told us early yesterday morning that she was going to be moving to the floor and we just had to wait on a bed to come available. That is why they allowed her to go on and play with Wesley.

We are on a floor that we have never been on before and it has been really rough for us all. The nurses here act like they don't know what to do with Katelyn and we've had three nurses that aren't even Katelyn's come in and just gawk at her. I want to ask them what they keep staring at. On nurse told me that they just aren't used to getting patients like "her" on this floor. I asked her what she meant by that and she replied by saying someone with all "her" problems. I said well "her" name is Katelyn. They all act scared to even touch her and are asking me to do most of it, like take temperature and put blood pressure cuff on.

She has begun to eat a very little bit (applesauce and some oatmeal) and she is drinking a lot better. Her weight is a really big issue now. When they moved her down to the floor yesterday they weighed her and she only weighed 28.82 lbs. Please Please pray that she will continue to eat better and put this weight back on.

Katelyn did have a rough night last night. Her O2 stats were dropping into the 70's. The nurses didn't even come into the room when the monitors were going off. I just got up and got her mask and put it on her. Even with her mask on they continued to drop into the mid to upper 80's. I just turned the oxygen percentage up from 33 to 40. That's what they always did in ICU and I figured why wait for a nurse if they weren't going to bother and come check on her when the monitors were going off. During this time her heart rate is also increasing. It got up to 174 at one time. I guess her heart is having to work harder to get the oxygen through her body. I'm not sure.

This morning she is also having an increased heart rate. The nurse told me that normal was 60-180 and that 150 or above was if they were outside playing hard. Her's is staying about 140-150 just resting in the bed. She is asleep now and it is about 120. My mother-in-law and I think it is because she is so skinny and has no calories that maybe the heart is just working harder to keep everything going. But then the harder the heart works the more calories she burns. I'm not sure.

The pediatrician on the floor came in this morning and was ready to send us home this afternoon. She said she felt like Katelyn was fine and she'd get with ENT and clear her. We didn't say anything and decied we'd let them release her and then just have her readmitted in Paris. Well, then the ENT resident came in and said no she isn't going home. We asked him if the oxygen desaturations was the only thing keeping her here and he said yes. We asked if we could get transfered home and have her monitored there and he felt like she'd be fine to come on home tomorrow if her stats stayed good tonight. We are going to talk to the ENT doctor that did her surgery (Dr. Brown) tomorrow and see if he'll go ahead and get with Dr. Cutrell and have is admitted in Paris for observations there.

We are still realy concerned about these desaturations at night but we don't feel like the nursing staff or the pediatricians here know enough about Katelyn. They have even came in asking me a bunch of questions and then apologize for not reviewing her chart. That's what it is there for. We also feel like if we could get her where she is able to see more of her family and friends during the day (at Paris) then she'd be more motivated to eat better. Get he in a familiar environment. And I guess you can say that we are just spoiled by the care that she receives from Dr. Curell. We know that he is going to do what is best for Katelyn and he will look at her whole history in making a decision and not just the current situation like we feel these guys are doing. We really like Dr. Brown but he hasn't been here all weekend and are anxious to see him tomorrow. Plus, we know some of the nursing staff at the pediatric unit in Paris and we are ready to see some familiar faces that love our daughter taking care of her.

Please pray that whatever is best in GOD's eyes for Katelyn be done. Even though we want her in Paris if this isn't what's best for her please pray that GOD revial that to me so I can make the best decision for her. Please Please pray for her eating. She is now below the point Dr. Cutrell wanted her at for a NG Tube to be placed in and right now isn't even a good time to do that. She can't handle another surgery.

We love you all and we'll keep you updated as soon as we find out something. We are in a room on the floor now, which you probably guessed that by my entry so feel free to call my cellphone or the room number. If I don't answer one try the other. I have them both posted here.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, April 1, 2005 11:19 PM CST

I hope eveyone had a wonderful April Fool's Day. It was kind of interesting watching and listening to some of the April Fool's jokes being played here in the ICU among the nurses. It gave us something to smile about.

Katelyn is doing much better. Her oxygen levels have been better today. They tried taking her off of the oxygen tent but had to put it back on due to her level's slowly dropping. This was mainly happening in her sleep they were dropping into the lower 80's and when she was awake they would drop to the lower 90's. They had to put the tent back on her but it is only blowing at 35%. She has been asleep for about an hour now and her levels haven't gotten below 94. This is really good. The nurse came in and said he wasn't going to bother her any tonight to suction unless her stats started dropping low. He is going to let her, and I, rest.

The Dr. came back in to check on us this evening and he said that if she does well tonight then we can look at going to the floor tomorrow. They are still real concerned about her not eating and drinking. They okayed her to start drinking and eating soft foods and she wouldn't take her milkshake or her pudding she was offered. A nutritionist came and spoke with us and gave us a few other ideas as to how we can add calories to Katelyn's foods. They are going to try it while we are here and if she tollerates it we'll begin using it at home. Katelyn is now only weighing 29.9lbs, based on the scales here.

They were talking about a feeding tube again but they said something about getting one that went down the nose. I wasn't to pleased with that idea. I feel like if a feeding tube is what Katelyn needs then we should really go ahead and get the kind that is placed in the stomach that isn't as aggrivating and invasive to the mouth and throat. I'm still going to let Dr. Cutrell make the final call on this one. He seems to think that her appetite should improve once her throat heals from this surgery. We'll continue to follow up with him on her weight once we return home. The dr's here just want her drinking and eating a little before they do release her to go home.

We got to see some of our nurse's from the neurosurgery floor today. They found out Katelyn was here and had to come up and visit her. It was so sweet. That is one thing I can say about being here. We know most of the staff that works with Katelyn well from previous visits and it makes us more comfortable while we are here. Children's is a great place and I can't say enoough nice things about this hospital and the people that work here.

I got about a hour of sleep this afternoon and a shower and have been feeling much better. I went out to my car and ate my lunch and had some much needed alone time with GOD and I felt comforted and a little more at peace.

I want to say Thank you for the phone calls and all the guestbook entries. I especially want to say thank you to my church family for all of there support and prayers for us. I also want to thank Justiss elementary and Mrs. Moree for there entries and prayers going out on behalf of Katelyn. They are all such sweet people.

I'm going to go know and get some sleep. Thank you all again, so much. I'll update more tomorrow.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, April 1, 2005 10:37 AM CST

Good morning all,


We are still here in ICU. Katelyn had a bad night. Her oxygen stats would go down everytime she fell asleep. We would have to wake her up to get them to come back up. She is fine as long as she is awake.

Dr. Brown is out of town today and tomorrow and one of his residents came in this morning and took her breathing tube out of her nose but she is still on the oxygen tent which is running at 46ow. The Dr. said that Katelyn wasn't stable enough to be moved to the floor or to go home. He is going to check back with us tomorrow. Until then, we are under the care of the ICU attendings.

She is sitting up today and we are praying she will have a much better night. They are having to suction her out and this is very painful now that she doesn't have a tube in her nose. The suction goes in through the nose and into the back of the throat. It is so hard watching her go through all of this once again. Please pray that she "fools" everyone today and makes a turn for the better. I got that term from a guestbook entry that Cheri Lewis's mom left. How sweet of her to take time out to check on Katelyn.

We have meet some more wonderful people during our stay at Childrens. I spoke with a lady and her daughter on the elevator yesterday and her 10yr. old daughter has been in the hospital for 10 days now. She asked for my daughters name and said she would pray for her. I in turn asked for her daughters name and as you know, I always add someone I meet here to Katelyn's webpage. This trip I would ask that you pray for Courtney. Again, I didn't get a last name or a condition but the Lord knows who you are talking about. The sister told me she still needs lots of prayers.

Also please continue to pray for rest and strength for us as we are staying here. It is so hard to recoperate from something like this without the proper rest your body demands. I have personally been on an emotional rollar coaster and feeling as if I've hit the bottom again and can't handle anymore. I spoke with Cheri this morning and she made me feel so much better. I then stop and remember that God isn't going to allow me to take on more than I can handle. I do know that there are only one set of footprints in the sand right now. Those of the Lord as he carries me, Katelyn, and our family through these trying times once again.

Thank you all for everything. Thank you to those I don't know for the guestbook entries and prayers and taking the time to pray for a little girl you don't even know. Thank you to our family and friends for all there guestbook entries and for going through this time with us. We know that you all love Katelyn so much and we have such a good support system through you all. Just keep lifting Katelyn up in your prayers. Her body is so weak.

I've added a picture of Katelyn to the webpage photo album. It isn't very good quality because I used my phone to take it.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, March 31, 2005 9:29 PM CST

Hello everyone,

I'm so sorry that I am just now updating. It has been a busy day and then I couldn't connect to the internet because of no conncection sights anywhere.

Katelyn is doing pretty good. The surgery went well and Dr. Brown took out both her adnoids and tonsils. The surgery only took about 45 minutes and she was in recovery by 10:45. We got to go back and see her about 11:15 and she remained there until about 3:15 unitl they could open up a room for her in ICU. Dr. Brown just felt like she needed more direct attention tonight and that she could get that here better than on the floor. He is a very thourogh Doctor and we are very pleased with him. Again, Dr. Cutrell has came through and referred us to the best. Thanks Dr. Cutrell.

She is in ICU for right now. She is having some trouble with her breathing while sleeping. Her O2 stats keep going down into the mid-high 80's and they are watching that. They are also watching to make sure that her throat doesn't swell shut and completely block off her airway due to the surgery. She has a tube down her nose and is wearing an oxygen tent over her face for more air. They just came in at 9:00 and increased her oxygen some more and they had to put a cathader in her to get her to put out some urine. She has been sleeping most of the day and hasn't had to have any pain medication since about 2:30 this afternoon. She isn't happy when she does wake up and wants to pull the tent off of her face.

Dr. Brown is going to be coming by and checking on Katelyn in the morning. He said that he may take the tube out and see what happens but will be ready to put it back in if need be. He also said we may get to be moved on out of ICU. Well, it doesn't look like we will be coming home tomorrow. Bummer... I was really just expecting just 24 hrs. but GOD has everything under control. He is in charge and I have to remember that.

They haven't wanted her to eat or drink anything all day today and said we will start trying to feed her tomorrow some and see what happens. We will start her off on real soft foods.

Well, I'm going to close for now. I feel like my sentences are choppy and I'm not making any sense. Sorry. Just please continue to pray for Katelyn. She is so tired and wore out. Pray that her oxygen levels will come up and be high while she's sleeping without oxygen. Please pray that we won't have a long hospital stay so she can once again try to get back on her routine. I'll update more tomorrow and try to fill in any blanks that I've left out of this journal. We love you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 11:49 PM CST

I just wanted you all to know that Katelyn is scheduled for surgery tomorrow at 9:30. We have to be there at 8:45 in the morning. Please keep her in your prayers during this time.

I'd also like to ask you to please pray for an increase in appetite. I took Katelyn in to Dr. Cutrell's office today and she is still only weighing 30.4lbs. Thank you very much.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 10:17 PM CST

Hope you all had a great Easter weekend.

We enjoyed spending Easter with my cousin and her family in Oklahoma with a wonderful dinner and the kids had some much needed play time with her two boys.

We went to Dallas yesterday and it turned out to be a pretty good trip. Katelyn was exhausted so she slept the whole way there. We were able to get Katelyn's pre-op done for her surgery while we were there so we won't have to make another trip tomorrow. We'll just drive down Thursday morning for the surgery.

Dr. Sklar (her neurosurgeon) said that the X-Ray's again looked good and that Katelyn was over the hurdle as far as her neck is concerned. He did release her to go back to school and said he'd see us back the middle of May to take the collar off. YEAH YEAH YEAH He was a bit concerned about the problems Katelyn was having with her sleeping and did recommend us going ahead with a sleep study just to rule out any central sleep apnea (this is the type that is caused by not receiving the signal from the brain to breath). We are going to consider this after she gets her tonsils out. Dr. Sklar also agreed that Katelyn needed to have this done but said they are not to take her collar off to do it and that they couldn't extend her neck. He said that because of Katelyn's condition right now, a minor surgery needs to be taken seriously and considered major just because of the area the surgery is in and what has to be done to her neck to get this done. Even placing the breathing tube is going to be tricky, he said.

He also felt like her weight lose was due to stress from the surgery and a major change in routine with her not being able to go back to school. He told us to keep him updated on how she was doing between now and May.

Well, Katelyn did go back to school today. I had originally planned on just taking her for half a day but when I called to check on her at one point, one of the many times I did this, she was having so much fun and was really perky. She ate a great breakfast and some of her lunch. She took a short nap. She was so happy to be back at school and in the swing of things. I just pray that this is what she's been needing and that her appetitie begins to increase more.

I also got to return to school today. It was so nice. I've really missed all of the kids and I could tell they missed me. Beginning Monday I'll be teaching all of the subjects in Mrs. Moree's (my mentor) class. I'm a little nervous about this, but I'm also excited about it at the same time. Her kids have so much potential and they all have such a desire to learn. We are going to be doing a lesson with volcanos next week. I'm actually going to invite the principal to come observe this one as well as my liason. Pray all goes well for me.

Well, Katelyn and I will be going back to school again tomorrow and then off to Dallas. I will take my laptop with me and update as I did last time. We've received a few phone calls already letting us know that you all are praying for us and I appreciate it so much.

I have a few specific prayer request tonight...

*Please pray that Katelyn is strong enough to withstand this surgery.

*Pray for an increase in her appetite.

*Pray that she will have a speedy recovery and be ready to eat lots and lots of fattening icecream.

*Pray for me to have a clear mind free of all thoughts when I lay down at night. I discovered last night that when I lay down is when my mind starts "wandering" I guess you can say. This is when it's quiet and all the worries begin. It is one of the things that has been keeping me awake at night.

Thank you all for your prayers and for checking up on us.

Also, please continue to pray for the Lewis family. Tate's surgery is April 20th. Tate is doing well and is ready for GOD to "fix" his heart. Cheri and Duane have been doing a wondeful job preparing him for his hospital stay and upcoming surgery.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, March 23, 2005 10:00 PM CST

Good evening from Paris Texas,

We took Katelyn to see the ENT in Mesquite today. He said that Katelyn does have some stridor and some obstructive sleep apnea and that it is very important that she get her tonsils out. He says that he is not certain that this is going to correct Katelyn's sleep apnea but her tonsils are big and they do need to come out. He is going to look at the adnoids once he has her in the operating room and determine then if they need to come out. He also said that he doesn't feel like it is necessary to put Katelyn through a sleep study at this time because their recomendation would be to have her tonsils out. He said that if the apnea continues after the tonsils come out we would look at doing a sleep study then and determine if it's a neurological issue causing it.

The next available appointment for them to do this was May 4th. The ENT said this wasn't an acceptable time frame and got it moved to March 31st. Next Thursday. The surgery will be done at Childrens in Dallas. He is also planning on admitting Katelyn for at least 24 hours due to her medical history instead of it being a day surgery.

We are also concerned about doing this since she is still recovering from her other surgery and is still having to wear the c-collar. He is planning on meeting with Dr. Sklar (her neurosurgeon) and discussing the case with him. He feels like they will be able to get this done without interfearing with the fussion surgery. He is just concerned about the apnea and said something really needs to be done about it soon. Dr. Cutrell also agrees with this and I highly trust his judgement and opinion.

We have many concerns about this surgery other than the fussion. We were told that Katelyn isn't going to want to eat for about two weeks after this surgery. Katelyn can't afford to lose any more weight or Dr. Cutrell IS going to have a NG Tube placed in her stomache. PLEASE PLEASE pray that Katelyn will eat and drink. We are pushing as much as we can now and trying to get her to atleast 32lbs before next Thursday. This is very important. Dr. Cutrell had even concidered having the NG tube placed at the same time as the tonsils coming out to avoid another surgery but decided against it. He, as well as us, are hoping that once the tonsils come out she'll begin to feel better, sleep better, and therefore eat better. We will dicuss the NG tube later if weight lose is still an issue.

Please pray for our family. This has been really hard on all of us. I've begun to question myself as to if we are making the right decisions for Katelyn. As some of you that have children with special needs know, the decision making is extremely hard to do. I know that GOD has the answers and all we have to do is ask him to show us the right way. It just seems like we are having to ask so much right now. I have personally been on an emotional rollar coaster since December and there are some days that I just wake up and feel numb with questions coming at me from every direction as to what we need to be doing with Katelyn.

We also have an appointment with Dr. Sklar on Monday for more X-Rays to see if everything still looks good in her neck.

I know that specific prayer request are good but I don't know what to ask you to specifically pray for at this time. My mind is just so full of things going on right now. Just pray whatever GOD places on your heart. We sure appreciate the cards that we have received and the thoughts and phone calls just reminding us that you are all there for us. Keep the prayers coming.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:41 PM CST

Okay,

Dr. Cutrell did look at some of Katelyn's video. He said that she has some stridor??? with everything else that is going on. He looked at her tonsils and feels like we need to have these and her adnoids taken out. He spoke with an ENT at Childrens and we are to go and meet him at his clinic in Mesquite tomorrow.

I asked him about doing it now or waiting until she fully recovers from her surgery. He said that he fells like it needs to be done now and that the ENT he spoke with went to Medical School with him and he trusts he'll take good care of Katelyn. He is going to call Dr. Sklar (her neurosurgeon) tomorrow to okay everything through them also.

We've also talked with her neurologists office and we have all decided that Katelyn does need to have another MRI done. They are also in the process of trying to get her an appointment soon after the MRI is done. They feel like she needs to be seen in their office.

I'll let you know what we find out tomorrow.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 2:50 PM CST

Hello everyone,

I can't remember what my last posting was about so if I've left a gap in the journals let me know and I'll go back and fill them in.

I think the last I told everyone we were going to Dr. Cutrell's office yesterday and taking the video for him to watch. He did get the video and planned on taking it home and watching it last night. I spoke with his nurse this about 30 minutes ago and she said that he still hasn't had a chance to look at it. He's going to do that tonight. They then called me back and said that Dr. Cutrell spoke to the sleep specialists at Dallas and they told him to look for something and for me to take her back up there this afternoon. Pam (his nurse) said he would explain it all when we came.

Wesley is currently napping and I'm trying to get Katelyn to and as soon as they wake up I'll take her up there and find out what is going on. I'll try and get back to you as soon as I find out something.

Please continue to pray for our family. I'm especially getting run down and fast. We just need a lot of prayers right now and I know you all are doing that. Thank you so much.

Oh, Katelyn has also lost back down to 30lbs and 4ozs. So please pray that she will eat more. I've put a ticker on here to track her weight progress. My goal is to get her up to 35lbs. This may take awhile but that's my goal.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, March 21, 2005 1:44 PM CST

Good Monday to you all,


I wanted to let you all know that we got some more tape of Katelyn sleeping. We got about 2 hours worth. I've called Dr. Cutrell's office and he is wanting to see her today at 4:00. I am to take the tape with me. She began having these breathing issues within the first 10 minutes of sleeping on this tape. I feel like it'll be enough that Dr. Cutrell will know what needs to be done.

I also wanted to let you all know that a poem has been posted on the website written for Katelyn by one of her teachers, Mrs. Dobie. Mrs. Dobie loves Katelyn very much and she's been working on this poem for a long time. I've put it at the top under her hugs counter.

Please pray that all works out with Katelyn. Jimmy and I are also unsure about doing anything until Katelyn has been released from the neurosurgeon and the collar is off. We both feel like she needs more time to heal from the surgery before more tests begin. Please pray that we'll see GOD's plan in all of this and do what HE has planned.

Thank you all so much for being there for us these last four months since this all started in December. Some of you that visit this site frequently we don't even know, but remember we pray blessings for you just the same as we do the family and friends that visit that we do know. All of the guestbook entries are so dear to us and we thank you all for them as well as your thoughts and prayers. We feel that you have all been going through this battle with us and we appreciate it so much.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, March 18, 2005 10:02 PM CST

Hello to you all,

I just wanted to let you know what we found out on Katelyn today. She weighed 30lbs and 11oz. Dr. Cutrell said that he could live with her gaining 10ozs in 10 days. He wants to see her back on March 30th. Praise GOD!!!! No feeding tube. That is such an answered prayer. Just please continue to pray that she keeps eating and begins to eat more. It wouldn't hurt her to gain about 5-10lbs.

I'd also ask that you specifically pray that Katelyn begin resting at night. She is going to sleep better now, but she is not resting at all. She is having those weird breathing spells again. They are happening every night all night. I put her in bed with me last night and she would wake herself up every 15 minutes jumping and trying to catch her breath. It's like she can't catch her breath and then wakes herself up trying to. I have set our camcorder up in her room tonight and plan on showing the tape to Dr. Cutrell and seeing what he thinks. I'm very concerned about this.

I'd also ask that you please pray for our buddy Tate Lewis. He is now in Houston for all of his work up appointments. His heart surgery is scheduled for April 20th. Please keep the Lewis family in your prayers during this time. They are a wonderful family and could use all the prayers they could get at this time. I have a link to his webpage at the bottom if you want to check up on him.

Thank you all for checking up on Katelyn and keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, March 16, 2005 2:35 AM CST

Good early morning to you all,


I couldn't sleep and thought I'd update Katelyn's webpage while I had the chance.

We still aren't having much luck getting Katelyn to drink the pediasure. I took her back to the doctor's office just to have her weighed on Monday. She weighed 30.3lbs. This is .2lbs more than what she weighed last Tuesday when we saw Dr. Cutrell. I was told that this isn't enough of a gain and that she's going to have to gain a lot more than that by Friday.
I also spoke to the nurse at her neurologist office. She called me this afternoon to let us know that the neurologists was wanting to see Katelyn. This is the doctor that sees her every 6 months and we haven't been in over a year. Her original neurologist got sick and couldn't return to work so we have been pushed from doctor to doctor and they finally placed her with one. The nurse I spoke with today (the same on that was her other neurologist nurse) told me that she has discussed Katelyn and her case with this neurologist and that she is very interested in seeing Katelyn. They said the next available appointment isn't until October but are going to try and get her in sooner considering the curcumstances of what all Katelyn has going on now. She is a little concerned as to why Katelyn is doing some of the things she is doing or not doing (eating). The nurse said that since Dr. Sklar (the neurosurgeon) said that Katelyn's weight lose and left sided weakness isn't due to a neurosurgery issue, they want to find out what it is due to then. Make sure nothing more is going on in the brain that wasn't there before. She also told me that the neurologist (her name is Dr. Arnold) is more impressed with what Katelyn is doing then what she isn't doing. She said that after looking over Katelyn's chart, Katelyn shouldn't be doing some of the things she is doing based on her brain development. It just goes to show that our GOD is more powerful than any doctor or what they say.

Well, Katelyn is up. Just please keep praying that she'll eat more and start drinking more of the pediasure. Thank you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, March 11, 2005 9:10 PM CST

Hello all,

I'm sure you all are wondering how things are going with Katleyn. She is doing well. We spoke with Dr. Cutrell last night and he told us to push the pediasure down her. He wants her drinking 3 8oz bottles a day of this stuff. He is going to be out of the office until the 18th of March and then wants to see her then. He said that if she hasn't put any weight on by then he is going to discuss a feeding tube with us. Please Please pray that Katelyn will drink this stuff. We haven't had much luck in the past couple of days. We've tried making milkshakes, pudding, and even cooking oatmeal with it. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. She's got to gain some weight.

I also spoke to the Child Life Specialist at Childrens again. She told me that she felt like Katelyn is very stressed about the surgery she went through and about her routine becoming messed up since she isn't in school at this time. She recommended play therapy for her. I called the hospital and they don't have a program like that. I'm just trying the best I can to keep her on a routine. Even though it isn't her normal routine.

She is actually sleeping a little better. I've been able to rock her to sleep and lay her down the past two nights and she has slept until about 6:00 in the morning. This is an answered prayer. I am able to get the sleep I need so I can concentrate more on what I need to do to get her to eat and drink the pediasure.

Katelyn still has a long way to go for her recovery. We appreciate all the prayers that continue to go up on behalf of Katelyn. We pray that God blesses each and everyone of you that visit this page and think of Katelyn and our family.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, March 8, 2005 11:11 PM CST

Hello to you all,


It has been brought to my attention that I haven't updated the journal history in over a week. I'm so sorry for that. Things have been so crazy around here. I'm sorry to keep you all wondering about us.

Well, Katelyn went back to see Dr. Sklar (neurosurgeon) yesterday. She also had X-Ray's done. He said the X-Ray's looked good and everything was lined up well. He asked if we had any concerns and I told him that we were worried about Katelyn not sleeping. That we had tried many things and it seemed as if it was getting worse. He wanted us to discuss it with her pediatrician.

I called Dr. Cutrell yesterday when we returned home and he said he wanted to see her today. I was definetly not expecting what we found out. Katelyn has lost three and a half pounds. Dr. Cutrell is really concerned about this. As am I. He also said that her reflexes on her left side were not what they needed to be. He said she was really stiff on this side. I'm not sure what to think about all of this or what is going to happen. He did a lot of blood work and said that he was going to discuss his findings with the neurosurgeon and for us to contact him by noon tomorrow if we didn't hear from him first.

I'm real unsure how to feel about all of this. Katelyn hasn't been herself since her surgery, but I felt like it was because the surgery was so hard on her. It's only been a month. Doesn't it take a long time to recover from something like that? Well, I'll update sooner than what I have been. I'll let you all know what Dr. Cutrell says tomorrow. Just please pray that all turns out well. Please also continue to pray about Katelyn's sleeping. Jimmy and I are becoming more and more exhausted. She is also very lethargic through the day and needs her sleep for more strength.

Jimmy and I did get to go out on Saturday by ourselves. Thanks Memaw for keeping the kidos. Jimmy took me out to eat and to a movie for my birthday. It did us both some good.

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and concerns.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Sunday, February 27, 2005 10:36 PM CST

hello all,

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday.... Things were a little lazy around here... We just sat around the house and didn't do much of anything...

Katelyn is doing better during the day.... She is eating better and ate a wonderful supper tonight... She is still having a pretty rough time at night... She woke up at 4:00 this morning and that was with pain medicine... She also isn't letting us lay her in her bed at all now... I tried during nap today (and she hasn't been having a problem at nap time) and she cried and instantlly started hyperventalating (sp). We are now sitting on the couch as Jimmy's attempt at laying her down tonight failed.... I'm gonna try again in about a hour.... Maybe she'll be good and asleep by then... She is also having a rough time during baths... I'm sure this hurts her as I'm washing her hair and brushing it... She just cries and cries.... It is so hard for her and I don't like seeing her in pain and discomfort... She used to love taking a bath and now she cries when I mention it... Please pray that these two things become easier for Katelyn... She's got a while longer to have the c-collar on...I'm going to call a child life specialists at children's tomorrow and see what they say. Thanks Cheri, I'd never even thought of doing that...

Wesley is doing well. He is talking up a storm... Saying about two new words a day... His favorite one now is gace... For his aunt Grace... She's been coming over a lot and helping out and he's become attached to her.... He's also saying popy for potty.... We are going to begin potty training tomorrow... It doesn't seem like it's time... He is growing up so fast.... But, I feel like he's ready... He's telling me when he goes and pulling his pants down.... We're going to give it a try and see what happens...

Well, I'm going to get off of here now... Thank you to all of you for checking up on us... We appreciate it so much... We love you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, February 25, 2005 10:49 AM CST

Hello all,

Sorry it's been a couple of days since I updated.... I wanted to let you all know that Katelyn is sleeping better at night. We decided it best to give her pain medicine just before bed and she is sleeping through the night now. Although, we still need prayers on getting her to sleep.

She acts like she is scared to sleep in her bed at night. We don't know why but she wakes up once we lay her down and just cries and cries. We tried laying with her and she still cries. So we are letting her fall asleep on the couch (which she doesn't mind at all) and then taking her to her bed once she is asleep good. We wait about two hours and then go lay her down when we go to bed. Please pray that whatever is keeping her from going to sleep in her bed goes away.

I'm going to go now. Thank you all for your prayers.


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Update: 9:35==
For all of you that may have been following Ben's story thorugh Kately's webpage.. I just wanted you all to know that he has finished his fight with Cancer. He is in no more pain and is now at home with his heavenly father. Please keep this family in your prayers during this time. Especially his big brother Eli. Thank you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 10:37 AM CST

Just a quick update...

We decided at the meeting yesterday that Katelyn will be placed on a home bound program for six weeks and longer if needed. Her teacher will be coming to he house 30 minutes a day four days a week to work with Katelyn. In six weeks she will have more X-Rays and see how strong the bones have gotten to see if it's possible for her to return to school at this time. Please pray that her bones are healing correctly and that in six weeks will be very strong.

I have another prayer request. Katelyn isn't sleeping well and isn't going to bed well. She will fall asleep in my lap (as she always did) and then wake up when I lay her down. I'll lay down with her until she falls asleep and she'll wake up each time I try to move. This is really draining Jimmy and I both as it was after 11:00 before she finally went to sleep and that was in our bed. She then woke up at 3:30 and only slept for about 45 minutes in a two hour period until 9:30 this morning. I'm not sure if it's pain or discomfort that is waking her and hate to give her the pain medicine if it's not. I don't want her to become dependant on the codein. We are giving her regular tylenol and I pray this is enough to help the pain if she is in any pain. Please pray that she will begin to rest better and go to sleep better. She really needs her rest during this time.

Please remember the Ben Bowen family. For the past three days he has been in a lot of pain and his family is not sleeping or resting at all. They asked that we please pray for the dr.s and hospice team caring for Ben also. Please pray for the peace and comfort of this family. His parents have remained so stong during this time and trully are placing all their faith in God. If you haven't done so already, try and read his story. It is such an inspriational and inspiaring story how this little boy has touched so many lives including my own.

Tate had a wonderful report at his Doctor's office in Dallas yesterday. Praise GOD for this. Please keep the Lewis family in your prayers as Tate's heart surgery is April 20th.

Remember to Thank GOD today for something. Ask him what is on his heart. This is something that I learned from our sunday school director. We always ask GOD for things and always forget to ask him what he wants from us. We love you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, February 21, 2005 1:50 PM CST

Good afternoon all,

It is a beautiful day here in Paris Texas. The weather is just perfect and it is just a reminder from GOD as to what he can do and how beautiful he is.

Katelyn is doing well. We went to school this morning for a couple of hours and she enjoyed it. She always loves seeing her friends and teachers at school. Although, it was a nervous situation and Katelyn almost fell twice. I was there to get her before she fell. She is eating more (mostly chocolate pudding) but hey, it's food right. I'm hoping that she isn't playing me to get the pudding but I'd say she deserves it; wouldn't you. She is also drinking better.

Last night was another rough night for her. She woke up at 3:30 crying and would toss and turn in the bed. I'm not sure that she was hurting because she'd go back to sleep but only for about 30-45 minutes. Then she was up at 6:30. She has got to be tired because she has only had a 20 minute nap today. She is sitting in her chair with her legs crossed (what a little lady she is) watching her movie now. She has the hiccups and I think she's getting frustrated with them. She looks so cute. I wish you could all see this pose.

Well, we have a meeting at 11:00 in the morning regarding what to do about her schooling. I spoke with the nurse practitionar this morning (after her almost falling at school) and we discussed what would happen if she fell and how we would know if her neck got messed up. She said that a fall from a standing position would not be good especially if she hit her head on something on the way down. She also said that we may not know that the fusion is messed up without a X-Ray. We discussed home school program until she is out of the brace. This will be three months. I feel like this is what needs to be done. I prayed about what needed to be done before I spoke to the nurse practitionar and then I spoke with her and it was my answer. Please pray that this all works itself out for what is best for Katelyn. She is what matters most.

About my schooling. I'm not sure what is going to happen with it. I have a call into my liason and I'll be hearing back from her this afternoon. She was in class and they said it'd be about three before she calls back. Just please pray that we hear GOD in this matter and do what is right and again do what is best for Katelyn. She is number one right now.

Thank you all for continuing to check on us during this time. Katelyn is past the hump now and I thank you for all your prayers that were lifted up to the best doctor there is on her behalf.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, February 19, 2005 10:15 PM CST

I want to begin by saying how sorry I am for not updating sooner. We have been kind of busy around the house.

I also want to say a special thank you to the YAM sunday school class at FBC Paris. They have been so wonderful to us during this time and have provided us with many wonderful and appreciated meals. It all tasted so great and it was a big help on my part not to worry about what to fix for dinner.

Katelyn is doing better. Her appt. with the occupational therapist went well. She was evaluated and they are going to do therapy twice a week 30 minutes a day. We will be starting that in two weeks. Dr. Cutrell wasn't to happy about getting her the physical therapy just yet. He said he would order that once she is released from the neurosurgeon in three months. He said physical therapy would be a little much for her and couldn't understand why they would have recomended her having it.

Her appetite is increasing a little bit and she is drinking more. We picked her up some boost for the nutrients and she has drank three of those today. This is really great. I was so worried about her not getting enough nutrients. She has lost about two pounds and she didn't have it to lose in the first place. Please pray that she'll continue to eat more and drink more.

I'm planning on starting her back to school on Monday. I'll take her a couple hours a day to begin with and work up to all day hopefully by Thursday. I'll be staying with her until I get the okay that she is okay to stay by herself and when I feel comfortable about leaving her. Please pray that this all goes well. Katelyn loves routine and I feel that this might help her appetite to get her back into a routine that she is used to. It is also important that I get back into school so that I'm able to finish my obligations to my mentor teacher. Her and my liasons have been just wonderful during this whole thing and I'm so grateful to have them in my life.

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend. We are enjoying sitting around the house and relaxing. We were going to go to my mothers this evening but changed our mind at the last minute. Decided to just stay home and be lazy. It sure is nice sometimes. I'll talk to you all later.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, February 17, 2005 5:00 PM CST

Hello all,

I hope you are all having a blessed day. We have had a pretty rough day today and last night was pretty rough. Katelyn was breathing really funny and it seemed like she was struggling for air at times. Then she would take a really deep breath and wake up then breath heavy for awhile and the cycle would start over. Struggling for air, deep breath, wake up, and breath heavy. This went on for about two hours and I tried moving her to a different position and she'd go right back to doing it again. I finally called Jimmy at work at 11:30 and told him to come home. We he got here we tried more positions for her and even took the pillow out from under her head to see if that would help. We finally put her in bed with us and she woke up. At 2:30 she finally went back to sleep in our bed and slept all night. I don't know what was going on. Just please pray that she sleeps more peacefully and isn't having trouble breathing.

This morning she woke up about 10:00 and was hurting pretty bad. We gave her some pain medicine and she sat in my lap most of the morning. She hasn't eaten anything but a yogurt today and all she has drank is a 6 ounce glass of apple juice. She took a good nap and is again back in my lap. She doesn't act like she is hurting now like she was this morning but she still isn't eating. I hope she'll eat supper as well as she did last night.

We received her pads to change out the ones on her c-collar today so we'll do that in the morning at bath time. I'm really nervous about doing this. It takes three people to do it. One holding her head, one washing her neck, while the third is changing the pads on her c-collar. It has to be done really fast and Katelyn has to keep her head really still. Please pray that this all goes well.

I got the papers telling us when her follow up appt. is in Dallas. It will be March 7th. That is on a Monday. We have X-Rays scheduled for 9:00 and her appt. with her neurosurgeon is at 10:20. I'll update you the results of this appt. after we go.

Well, I'm going to go now. Please continue praying for Tate and his upcoming surgery and for comfort for the Bowen family during Ben's time.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:44 PM CST

Good Wednesday evening all,


I've got lots of praises to send out tonight. Thank you all for praying and believing in GOD to take care of Katelyn.

She ate a good supper tonight. She ate better tonight than she has eaten since going into the hospital. Thanks Cheri for the spaghetti. It may have done the trick. Katelyn loves spaghetti. She also got down and played this evening for about an hour or so. This is the longest she has played without coming back to my lap to rest because of pain.

We also heard from the rehab clinic at our local hospital today. They are wanting to evaluate Katelyn for out-patient Occupational and Physical therapy. We will do this on Friday. I'm not sure what they are going to do but they said we'll be there for about an hour. Pray that it doesn't wear Katelyn out and it isn't to much for her.

I also want to thank GOD for answering a few of mine prayers. He is answering all of them, I know, I just want to share these with you. After my previous journal entry about loosing my coat (which Jimmy gave me as a gift) and Katelyn's pad's for her collar, I laid down with Katelyn and began to pray. I had already contacted the hospital and they didn't know where they were. Once she fell asleep I came back into the living room and the hospital called and said they had found these items. This may sound pitty but to me it was awesome. Again, GOD is letting me know that he is there and always will be. I also want to thank him for the peace and comfort that I've felt today. I have felt better today than I have in two weeks. I just have such a peace now that Katelyn is going to be fine. And she is doing great.

Katelyn also got a guestbook entry from her old Speech Pathologist that we just loved. We sure miss her and it was great to hear from her. Thanks Patty, we love and miss you so much. Hope all is well with your family.

My cousin came over this evening after Jimmy went to work and this was such a blessing to me. She helped me clean Katelyn's wound on her neck and even folded a load of clothes for me. Thanks so much -G-... We love you so much.

Well, I'm going to go to bed now. I just wanted to share all our great news with you all. I know that you all will share in my joy.

Now a few prayer request for some wonderful friends of mine. Please be praying for Katelyn's wonderful friend Tate. He is scheduled for his fourth open heart surgery on April 20th. This will be a 10-12 hour surgery done in Houston and his hospital stay will be 6-8 weeks. Please be praying for his health to remain good during this time and for strength for his wonderful family. They are so sweet and have been such a suppor for us during out time. He also has a caringbridge webpage and I have a link to it at the bottom of this page if you'd like to follow his story.

I'd also like you to please pray for Ben Bowen. He is the little boy that has a rare cancer that he is fighting. The last update I got on him said that he was almost non-responsive. Please pray for no pain for sweet Ben. Also pray for his family to remain strong and for peace and comfort for them all. I also have link to his page here.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 12:36 AM CST

Hello prayer warriors,

Katelyn is doing well today. She woke up a couple of times last night moaning but went right back to sleep on her own. She still isn't eating or drinking much so please pray that she'll soon get her appetite back.

This morning I took her to school for about an hour. I stayed with her of course. She got to do circle time with her class and she sure enjoyed that. She was glad to see everyone and they were all glad to see her. She even colored a picture for her daddy and gave it to him when we got back home. She got a little tired though. I could tell she was ready to come back home. She is napping now.

We did go and see Dr. Cutrell yesterday afternoon. This worried mom. I was concerned about the incision on her back. It had bumps on it. He said she is probably having an allergic reaction to the stery strips they used to close the wound with. We just have to watch it for any other signs of infection which would be redness or ozzing.
Dr. Cutrell was so sweet. When I called they told me to come right on in. He'll see you between patients. And that is exactly what I did. They are so good to my daughter at the PCA clinic. We love Dr. Cutrell and all his nurses.

Katelyn was hurting a little bit last night and we did give her some pain medicine. It did make her feel better though. She is still just not herself. She'll sit in my lap for about 2-3 hours and play about 10 minutes. Please pray for more strength and a fast recovery for Katelyn.

We have been on the phone for the past few days with Dallas hospital though. It seems that we left Katelyn's extra pads for her C-collar in her room and I'm not able to clean the one's she has on without these others to replace them with. It is hard to wash her hair and everything because these pads can't get wet and stay wet on her. I have called the nurses station and housekeeping and they are unable to locate them. I've also realized that I left my leather jacket there as well. The nurse practitioner called me earlier today and said she is going to see what she can't find out. They've got to be somewhere.

I have a prayer request for myself. I've been upset and scared the past few days with Katelyn at home. I told Jimmy I feel like a new mommy bringing her baby home for the first time and not knowing what to do with it. I'm so scared that I'm going to do something wrong or that she is going to end up hurt or something. My anxiety level has been very high and I find myself crying a lot. Just please pray for a comfort and peace over me. Jimmy has to go back to work tonight and my cousin will be coming over to help out getting the kidos to bed. This is going to help out a lot. We have a great family support system.

We will be returning to Dallas in a couple of weeks for a follow up appt. and for more X-Rays to make sur everyting is still lined up correctly.

Please pray these specific prayer request for Katelyn:

* That she'll be pain free and comfortable.
* That she'll increase her appetite and start eating and drinking more.
* That her fuse will remain in tact and nothing happens to her to mess this up.

Thank you all for your prayers, concerns, and for checking up on us during this time.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Update: We just got a call from Dallas and they found Katelyn's extra pads and my leather coat. They are mailing that stuff to us. God is so good. He knew that the coat was special to me because Jimmy got it for me and that we needed those pads for Katelyn.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 9:53 AM CST

WE ARE HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are at home. We went ahead and came on home yesterday evening after Katelyn's swallow study. She is doing GREAT....

Katelyn slept through the whole night last night and got to sleep in her own bed. She came home last night and we walked to her bedroom. I was showing her that we were home. When we got to her room she let go of my hand and went to her toys and sat down and started playing. She then got her baby and baby stroller and started pushing it through the house. She was so happy to be home as are we.

After Katelyn played for awhile, we were all able to sit down on the couch and just relax as a family. Just the four of us. It was so good to be home.

Katelyn woke up this morning and the first thing she asked for was a drink. I fixed her some chocolate milk and she drank it all. She didn't eat much but that'll come. She wasn't a real big eater to begin with. She is playing again. She is doing so good. Her daddy was watching her play in her room and he told me she fell over and of course I paniced. He said she was sitting on the floor and just sort of toppled over and then just rolled on her side and sat herself right back up. She is fine though. I'm more scared than she is. I think it just took bringing her home to her own house to get her up and going.

The video swallow that we had done yesterday morning didn't show any change from the one that we had done in July. They said that it is just going to take Katelyn used to swallowing without being able to tuck her chin. The speech therapist said we all have a unknown tendancy to tuck our ching when we swallow and it helps take the food down and closes of the airway. Katelyn isn't doing this well. She did not aspirate any solid food and was not even aspirating the thin liquids. She said she left a lot of residue from the thin liquid which could be aspirated so we are to keep her on the thick it in her drinks. She wants us to repeat the swallow in three months after Katelyn gets her collar off.

We want to once again thank everyone for all there prayers. We are so grateful to have friends and family out there that love and care about us and our family so much. We are blessed with a wonderful church family to pray for us and provide for us during our time of need. I don't have the words to say how much I truly truly appreciate all of you that check this webpage to check up on Katelyn. I pray that GOD continue to bless all of you.

I've added more photos to the photo page.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, February 14, 2005 7:39 AM CST

Good morning to all,

Katelyn is doing so much better. I'm sorry I didn't update yesterday. We had an eventful day. Katelyn got up and went and played in the playroom for about an hour and went riding in the wagon three or four times. She is sitting better and is trying to walk some on her own. We are still helping her mostly.

The doctors wanted to continue another 24 hrs. of the chest therapy. This was yesterday. They felt like after that she would be okay to go home for more healing from GOD there. They do still want her to have her swallow study done this morning to find out what is going on with that.

Katelyn is also drinking and eating better. I thretened her and told her We were afraid she was getting dehydratd because she went almost a whole day without going potty. The problem was, she didn't want to go in the diaper she had on. She wanted to use the potty. Once we sat her on it with her insert she went and has been going on the potty since. That is an answered prayer. I was a little worried about her becoming confussed on this.

Well, Katelyn is beginning to wake up. I'll update after her video swallow study and let you all know how she is doing. Please pray that this doesn't show that she is aspirating any solid foods. It would truly be great if they find out she isn't aspirating anything at all now. That is what I believe GOD is going to do. Show us yet another miracle in Katelyn's life.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, February 12, 2005 8:50 PM CST

Good Saturday evening to all,

We have had many many answered prayers today. I want to begin by thanking GOD for the miracles that he has performed just since my last update this afternoon. Katelyn is doing exceptionally well.

During her physical therapy this afternoon they had her sit up out of bed on a bench. Her feet were touching the floor and she stood up. She walked about 5 feet. She then got back in bed because she was tired. About an hour or two later she started trying to get up and pointed to the door to her room. We picked her up and took her out in the hall. She looked outside and was doing great. She saw her brother run by and pointed to him and then the floor. We put her down and she started walking after her brother. It was amazing. I felt like I did the first time I saw her walking.

She has also started drinking a little more and went to the bathroom. Her daddy got her insert for the potty and she felt comfortable enough to sit on it and go. She wouldn't go before because she was scared. She is defenitly 300% better than she was yesterday and about 150% better than she was this morning.

She has played and played and played most of the day. She keeps pointing to the floor and to Wesley. She wants to play with him so bad. She patted her lap while in bed and pointed to Wesley. I put Wesley in bed with her and she was happy. She misses her brother so bad.

Thank you so much GOD for the miracles you have performed on Katelyn today. I know that you are the one that has brought her the strength to do what all she has done today. Lord I just ask that you'll continue to increase her appetite and her desire to drink. Please take away her pain and discomfort during her active times. Lord I also ask that you continue to work miracles in Baby Blake's life. Thank you for all you have done. AMEN

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, February 12, 2005 3:19 PM CST

Hello Saturday to you all,

Katelyn is doing better today. She is staying awake more and hasn't had any pain medicine since 9:30 this morning and then it was just tylenol with codein. She has been playing more, coloring, and singing songs this morning.

The doctors came in this morning and said they were happy with her progress. Her urine test was negative for bacteria and her white blood count had gone back down. She hasn't had any fever either. They are still concerned because the left lung isn't clear. They have ordered chest therapy from the respiratory therapists to come every 4 hours.

Be back. nurses are here....

Okay. They had to clean her wound and change her sheets. That was awfull. I held her in my lap while they changed the sheets and she just cried and pointed to her bed. It is so hard to not be able to hold your baby during this time because it hurts her. She is so much more comfortable laying in bed not moving. The nurses are great though. We have some of the same nurses we had the last times we were here and they are wonderful. We love you Dee, Julie, Heather, and Carol.

As I was saying about the chest therapy. They come in every four hours and use this tool that vibrates on her chest and her lungs to break up all the yucky stuff so she can cough it up. They'll be coming in every four hours for this. Katelyn didn't really mind it at all. I think it relaxed her.

Speech came in today also. She worked with Katelyn a little and said that she still needed the pureed food and the thickened liquids. We are doing the swallow study on Monday morning.

Please pray that Katelyn will drink drink drink. She hasn't went to the bathroom all day today. They finally came in at about 1:30 and used a cathedar to get what little bit of urine she had in her bladder out. It was only 150cc. This isn't good. They have given her two hours to drink at least sixteen ounces or the IV is going back in.

She is listening to her Dr. Jeans Silly Songs right now. She likes these songs and she is doing all the signs to them. She is a lot more mobile as long as her head isn't moving and she isn't having to support it on her own.

Jimmy and I sat her up in the bed this morning. She did sit independantly for about a minute but cried and pointed to her neck like it was hurting. I'm sure it is. She has all this new hardware in there that she is having to support. I just praise GOD that it isn't a halo.

Don't forget to check out Katelyn's quilt of love. The link is above the journal entry. They spelled her name wrong on it but I have notified them and they are correcting it. It should be corrected in a couple of days.

Also continue to pray for baby Blake Shetler. He is still showing improvement. Pray for his family and his mother as she is also recovering from the birth of sweet Blake.

I'm going to go now. Gotta get Katelyn to drink more.

Thanks for all the guestbook entries. Keep them coming. I also wanted to tell you all that if you want to forward this to anyone that would be fine with me.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, February 11, 2005 8:42 PM CST

Hello Friends and Family,


Katelyn has had a busy day. She has had therapists and doctors coming in and out all day long. I'm going to tell you all what each one said so this could get kind of lengthy.

The doctors came in and made rounds this morning. One of the doctors said that Katelyn's collar didn't look secure enough. So they called the orthopedic doctor in AGAIN to check it. The Orthopedic doctor said that he was pleased with it and wanted to leave it alone.

The nurse practitionar also has come in and talked to us a couple of times today. She said that Katelyn needed to have speech and respiratory therapy coming in. She Was also concerned about her fever and her cough. She ordered a urine test and said that she'd let us know what the results of that was. She also said that Katelyn's white blood count was a little high which means she is trying to get something. We will decide in the morning on wether or not to start antibiotics depending on the urine and what the blood count from in the morning is.

The respiratory therapist this morning said that her lungs sounded good and she has been getting Katelyn to cough and then suctioning out what she coughs up in her mouth.

The speech therapist didn't give us any good news at all. She watched Katelyn as she drank and ate something. Her concerns are that Katelyn is aspirating again. She said that her suck is extremly week so we need to give her really small bites and to give her thickened liquids to her with a spoon. She has also changed her diet. She said that Katelyn was aspirating on solid food and has changed it to only pured. She also said that if Katelyn isn't getting enough nutrionts this way she was going to recommed a feeding tube in her nose. We are also going to do a video swallow on Monday to see what is going on with this. She said that she has a delayed cough and this is a sign of aspirating.

Katelyn still isn't eating or drinking much though. She's eating a little applesauce and pudding and I finally got her to drink 4 ozs. of chocolate milk this evening. She did get to take her IV out (it got messed up during physical therapy) and they said they would leave it out unless she started having more output than input. We are in the negative area but not to bad. I'm hoping I can get her to do more drinking tonight and in the morning so we don't have to get this IV back in.

Be right back. Respiratroy therapy is back......

Okay. Now she (respiratory therapy) is coming every four hours. She said she heard a faint rattle in Katelyn's left lung. She is going to recommend a X-Ray to the Doctor and she said they may even just monitor it and see what happens. Katelyn also coughed up some stuff and it was suctioned out. It looked really yucky. The therapists said it could be an infection.

Be right back. Nurse is here to change dressing on wound......

Okay. Now that is done. Katelyn had a good day with her physical therapists. She played with bubbles and reached for some things. She also sat on the bed for about five minutes with our assistance. I asked if she was able to stand and they said that she wasn't ready for that yet.

Katelyn has been playing more this evening. She finally smiled that beautiful Texas smile for us. She was holding my moms cell phone and it rang. She thought that was funny and smiled. She'll play for about five minutes and then stop and rest for about an hour.

Well, that's all for now on Katelyn.

Now an update on Baby Blake Shetler. I spoke with Mark this morning and he said the baby is doing much better. He wanted me to thank everyone for their prayers and said to please keep praying. They have cut back on some of the medicines that Blake was on and Mark said he was tollerating that well. I'll go up again tomorrow and check and let you know what I find out.

I'm going to go on to bed now. Thank you all for your prayers. I'll update tomorrow as soon as I found out something.

Katelyn's quilt from quilts of love is complete. I've placed the link right before this journal entry. Take a look at it.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, February 10, 2005 8:58 PM CST

Hello all,


Things are going well here in room E9-408.... WE ARE OUT OF ICU.... YEAH!!!!

Before I forget. The family that I mentioned in my previous journal entry is Mark and Chrystal Shetler. Now you have a specific name to go with your prayer request.

Katelyn is doing better. She is still in a little pain but I don't think as much. She has eaten some applesauce and drank a little bit of sprite for us. She just acts like it hurts her so much. She'll take a couple of bites and then begin to cry and push our hands away. I'm glad she is pushing my hand away though because at least she is moving a little now.

The Physical therapists came in and moved Katelyn around a little bit. She sure didn't like this. She also showed me how to roll her without hurting her or messing anything up. We sat her up on the bed for about 1 minute with assistance and Katelyn didn't like this at all. I'm hoping that she will be able to do a little more tomorrow. The Doctors are wanting her to walk out of here.

Katelyn has gotten a different collar that the Orthopedic doctor fitted and altered for her. This is specifically made to fit Katelyn. It is a hard collar for an infant and it fits Katelyn after the altering. She is so petite. Has to have infant pajamas too. She surely takes after her daddy. Tall and Skinny. At least she got my looks. HAHA....

Well, I'm going to go. I'm expecting to sleep better tonight and I want to get a head start on it. I want to thank all of my fellow residents at commerce for the sweet sweet entries and all the prayers. I hope to be back with you all in March. I also want to thank everyone else for their thoughts, prayers, and entries. It is people like you lifting our family up in prayers that is making this hospital stay a lot more bearable. Please remember these prayers:

* Begin by thanking GOD for your children if you have any. Give them all extra hugs and thank GOD for their health. Thank him for all the work and miracles he is working in Katelyn's life.

* Pray that Katelyn coninues to improve and begins to have less and less pain.

* Pray that she becomes stronger and begins moving more.

* Pray that she also begins to eat and drink more.

* Please also remember to pray for the Shelter family. I can't even imagine what they are going through and they need GOD's peace and comfort and lots of lots of prayers during this time.

I've added a picture of Katelyn to the photo page if you'd like to see.

I'll chat with you all tomorrow. Love you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Thursday, February 10, 2005 12:35 AM CST

Update from Katelyn.... I want to begin by apologizing for just now updating you all. I hope you haven't been sitting on top of the computers waiting and wondering. I know I've caught myself doing that before wondering about updates on Cheri's site.

We had a rough night last night. Katelyn didn't sleep well and was bothered every hour. I guess that's one of the things in the life of the ICU. Katelyn is awake and alert a lot more today. She is in a lot of pain though and is becoming really upset realizing she can't move her head.

We have gotten the order to go to the neurosurgery floor out of ICU. Thank you GOD for this. We are now waiting on them to come and get us. The Doctor's also said that if Katelyn is moving well without pain or pain medication and she is eating and drinking well, we may be coming home this weekend.

Katelyn is not eating or drinking. I'm trying to get her to take some apple juice through a staw, with me feeding her like a bird, but she is just crying and crying. Please pray that Katelyn begins to eat and drink more so that she can keep up her strength. They are not going to remove the IV until Katelyn will drink or eat more on her own.

They are also going to remove the cathader before we go to the other floor. We have decided it would be best for Katelyn and less painful if we put her in panties and a pull-up over that. This way if she has an accident we don't have to move her all around to change the bed. I'm also concerned about moving her a lot to take her potty. Just pray that she doesn't become confussed during this time.

Katelyn did begin to run a low grade temperature during the night and continues to today. We were told that infecion setting in her neck is a really high risk due to the equipment and that this could be a serious thing. Please pray that she doesn't get any infections of any kind and the fever goes away.

I'll update more on Katelyn as soon as we are in our other room.

I've met a gentleman here and he is in ICU with his newborn son. He and his family are from Pecan Gap and I don't know there name. His wife and there other eight children are on there way here today. The baby was brought in yesterday from a careflight from Sulphur Springs. After delivering at home the baby seemed fine. The parents then found the baby moning and non-responsive and took him to the hospital. He is now here and the Doctors have told this gentleman they have done all they can do besides place him on a heart-lung machine. The dad is not expecting the baby to make it. He is really upset as is expected. I'm sorry I don't have a name for you but please lift this family up in your prayers. GOD knows who you'll be praying for. Pray for a peace and comfort over him and his family and for the baby an ultimate healing wether it be here on earth or with or Heavenly Father.


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, Wesley

Wednesday, February 9, 2005 5:59 PM CST

Hello from the ICU room of Katelyn Crites. I wanted to let you all know how Katelyn was doing.

She is doing well. She is still sleeping a lot from the Morphine they are giving her. They have also started giving her Valium every six hours for spasms in her neck. She is off the oxygen now but they have left the tube in her nose in case it is needed. Her temperature is coming up and it remains steady at about 97.1 now. They still have her all bundled up in the blankets trying to bring it up some more.

The Doctors came in and checked her and said that she looked well and everything was going good. We should be in a regular room tomorrow.

Jimmy and Wesley have gone back to the room for he evening. Wesley was beginning to become restless and Jimmy told me he has faith in me that I'll be okay with Katelyn and he needed to be with Wesley for the night. My mother is going to be staying with me here in the ICU room tonight.

Please pray that Katelyn coninues to improve and we are able to move to a regular room tomorrow. Also please continue to pray that her temperature keeps coming up. I would like to add a few prayer request to my previous list. Please pray that the fussion does set and that a second surgery is not required. Also please pray that Katelyn doesn't become confussed on her potty training. This one is definetly the least of my worries but she has a cathader in now and she has done so good on her potty training that I don't want her to loose that.

I'm going to go now. They need to begin shift changes soon. Thank you for all the prayers and guestbook entries. As soon as Katelyn wakes up, I'm going to read them all to her so she can see just how many people she has praying for her and thinking about her.

I've updated the photo album with a few pictures of our trip to the World Aquarium yesterday.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, February 9, 2005 2:35 PM CST

It's 2:37 pm and we are here in the ICU waiting room waiting for them to get Katelyn settled. The surgery went well. They fussed the 1st through 4th vertebrate in Katelyn's neck. She has some metal plates in there and she being stablezed like this. The Doctors felt that these plates would hold and Katelyn did NOT require a Halo. Praise GOD for this. He is so good.

I do ask that you continue to pray for Katelyn. She is having trouble breathing on her own and they have a tube in her nose and she is still on oxygen. She also has a really low temperature and they are keeping her wrapped up in lots and lots of warm blankets. She is in ICU. The doctors are hoping that she will be able to go to her own room tomorrow afternoon.

They are giving her lots of morphine for the pain. I'm sorry if this all sounds jumbleed. I'm trying to get you all updated the best I can so I can go on back and be with Katelyn.

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, concerns, and guestbook entries. I have read some of them and appreciate them all today.

Please continue to pray these specific request:

* Katelyn's oxygen begins to stablize.
* Katelyn's body temperature will begin to come up where it needs to be.
* Peace and Comfort for Katleyn and her family during this time.
* Blessings to all those that are praying and reading this website.
* Don't forget to thank God also. He is the ultimate healer and I believe it's by his grace that she isn't going to have to wear the halo.
* Pray for the nurses that are going to be caring for Katelyn during this time.

We love and appreciate you all.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, Wesley

Wednesday, February 9, 2005 10:09 AM CST

Just a quick update....\

They took Katelyn in for surgery at 8:00 and it is know 10:05. They just called and said everything is going great... Can't chat long I'm borrowing a computer because we have no access in the waiting room... I'll update more later....

I do ask that you pray the doctors avoid Katelyn's artery in her neck. We were told this is abnormal and twisted around a couple of the joints they are working with. Please pray for the Doctors to avoid this... Thank you all..

I'll post more as we know more.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, February 7, 2005 8:31 PM CST

Good Evening to you all. I'm sorry that you have had to wait until this evening for an update. We just now have gotten settled in a room and are getting the kidos ready for bed. Katelyn's CT Scan went really well today. The anesthesiologists even wanted us to try and do it with out putting her to sleep so she wouldn't have to go through that. Well, it didn't work. She got scared and started trying to get up so they went ahead and put her to sleep. The good thing about it all is they went ahead and drew all the blood that they were going to get tomorrow so that she wouldn't feel the sticks tomorrow while she was awake. I was really greatful of this. They had to get 2cc's for a types and cross match in case she needs blood during or after the surgery.

Katelyn has not had a fever or so much as a cough since Friday. I give GOD all the glory for this and want to thank you all for your prayers that went up for this specific prayer request.

Keep Wesley in your prayers during this time. His asthma is acting up again. I had to get him out of bed twice last night to give him breathing treatments. We brought his nebulizer with us and are ready if we need to take him to the ER here for any reason. I don't know of any other way to get him treatment while we are here if he needs it. Please pray that he will be well and not need this.

We appreciate all the prayers and everyone checking in on us during this time. I want to especially thank the family of FBC Paris for there kind words and prayers and the YAM sunday school class for the care package that was sent with us. Katelyn and Wesley have already eaten all the crackers and the each chose a favorite book. Wesley loves the fish book (he loves Nemo) and Katelyn loves the Dora book. Thank you all and may GOD Bless You.

I'm going to leave you all for now with a verse that my good friend Cheri has always said. I'm going to remember this during these next few weeks and always.

Matt 17:20... "If you have FAITH as small as a mustard seed; you can move mountains."

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, February 5, 2005 11:29 PM CST

Today is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad it in.

I wanted to let you all know that Katelyn has had NO fever all day today. Thank you all for the prayers lifted up on her behalf to get rid of this fever and to keep it gone. I believe that she will overcome this and be strong for her surgery and come through it with flying colors.

We will be busy packing and preparing for our trip to Dallas tomorrow. Monday we will be waking up and leaving for Dallas around 6:30 a.m. Please just keep us in your prayers as we are preparing for this trip and during the trip. Please continue to pray for Katelyn to have strength to get through this. Please pray for the Doctors performing the surgery and the nursing staff that will be working with Katelyn throughout our stay in Dallas.

I may not update again until Monday night when we are settled in our room. I'll let you all know what is going on and how the CT Scan went. We will also be having blood work and test done on Tuesday and then the surgery is on Wednesday. Remember, I'll be updating throughout the surgery so keep checking back. If I haven't updated just bear with me and I will I promise.

We thank you all for your prayers and your guestbook entries. Katelyn loves having us read them to her. She now comes to sit with me every time I get the laptop out because she knows that I'm going to be reading something to her.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Friday, February 4, 2005 9:18 PM CST

Just a quick update on Katelyn. We got back from Dallas this afternoon about 4:45. We are all tired and ready for some much needed sleep. Katelyn isn't feeling to well again.

They were unable to perform the CT Scan that was supposed to be done today. Katelyn was running a fever AGAIN and the anesthesiologist wouldn't place her under anesthesia with a fever. I then went upstairs to the neurosurgeons office to let them know what was going on. The neurosurgeon was fairly upset and said they should have done it. Katelyn had a fever of 99.8. I'm not sure what to think. I don't want to place Katelyn at risk by doing that but then again I'm so ready to get this all over for her. The weird thing about all of this is she is fine one minute and then running fever the next. It just keeps going up one day and down the next. Plus, she has been on an antibiotic since last Friday so what's causing this fever?

They said they would reschedule the CT Scan for Monday and are still planning on doing the surgery on Wednesday. He said his next available date would be in June and that she has to have this done sooner than that. The CT Scan was rescheduled for Monday morning at 9:00. Our plans are to leave about 6:30 Monday morning and go to the hospital. We'll then stay the night and go on to her preop appt. on Tuesday and then the surgery on Wednesday.

They also fit Katelyn for her halo today. She did so good and sat really still for them when they measured her. I think I was more upset than she was having to see her in that. They didn't have the rods on it they just placed the halo part around her head and made sure the vest was going to fit. I asked lots of questions and was even able to meet someone that had a halo on. He assured me that it doesn't hurt and that she'll become adjusted to it okay. The prosthetic Dr. that was measuring her told me that in his experience, if the parents don't act upset and don't act like the halo is a big deal then the children handle them a lot better.

Well, I just want to ask that you please pray, pray, pray. Please pray that Katelyn's fever goes away as of today and doesn't return. Please pray that specific prayer. That is the most important request that I have at this time. With a fever there will be no surgery. We really need this fever gone now. She had it back at bedtime at 101.3. I gave her some motrine and she went on to bed. PLEASE PLEASE PRAY for no more fever.....

Hope you all like the updates to the webpage. Please sign the guestbook so that we are able to read them to Katelyn while in the hospital. Thank you all for everything. Sorry if this sounds all jumbled, I'm really tired.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, February 1, 2005 6:28 PM CST

I just wanted to share a little something with you all. It's is so amazing what we learn from our children or some of the things they make us realize and remember. This may be sort of lengthy and I'm sorry in advance but I just have to share this story.

Today was a pretty rough day for me. The nurse at Katelyn's school called me this morning and told me she was running a temperature of 100.7 under the arm. I told her to give her some tylenol and I called Jimmy to come and pick her up. He was off today and able to get her. They called me back and said that she had thrown up the tylenol and what little she had eaten at breakfast. I then went down to her classroom, I am student teaching on the same campus as her classroom, and stayed with her until Jimmy arrived. I began getting upset about her being sick and worrying abouth whether or not we were going to be able to do the surgery next week as planned. I've also been really worried about things working out with school and everything that's been going on. I was up until 2:00a.m. this morning with a nervous stomach thinking about things that have been going on. I feel as if I again have taken things back away from GOD.

Okay, to the point of how our children can remind us of things. Wesley and I were playing in the floor after supper and he was falling on me. At one point he was climbing on my legs and falling towards the floor and I would catch him before he hit the floor. It would have probably hurt if I would have not caught him and he hit the floor but I wasn't going to let that happen. The point of my story is: he trusted me with all his heart and didn't have a doubt one that I wouldn't catch him and be there for him as he was falling. All of a sudden it hit me. I needed to return to that innocent child that puts all there trust in there parent (GOD) and let him catch me or carry me during this time and always. Just wanted to share this with you all. Aren't our children amazing. Thank you God so much for showing yourself and speaking to me through my sweet darling 20 month old son.

Oh, and Katelyn is also doing wonderful tonight. Jimmy brought her home and he said that she slept most of the day and she hasn't had a fever all day since this morning. She ate the best supper that she has eaten in over a week. Maybe just a little more rest is what she needed.

Sorry it was so lengthy, I just had to share this with you. Please continue to pray that Katelyn continues to get better and that she will be able to get rid of the fever and keep it gone.

Thanks to you all for the guestbook entries. Keep them coming. Katelyn is having an online quilt made by quiltsoflove.com. They have also signed the guestbook and put the sweetest message and carebear sticker. Visit the guestbook and check it out. I'll provide a link to the sight with her quilt as soon as they complete it.

Please be praying for the Ben Bowmen family. He is at home with hospice care and suffering from terminal cancer. I have his webpage posted.

Thank you,
The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, January 31, 2005 3:58 PM CST

Hello faithful prayer warriors,

Katelyn's CT Scan has finally been scheduled. It would have to be on my two seminar dates for this month though. Oh well, I just Thank GOD that I have some very cooperative teachers that are working with me on this whole surgery thing. We have to be in Dallas at 12:30 on Thursday for her pre-op, remember Katelyn has to go under general anesthesia for this procedure, and her CT Scan is scheduled for Friday at 10:30. They also told me when her pre-op is scheduled for her surgery. It will be Tuesday at 9:30 and her surgery is Wednesday at 7:30. Please pray for our family to have strength and good rest during this time. We will be traveling back and forth a lot to Dallas and it is going to be a tiring time.

Katelyn is feeling much better today. After another trip to the Dr.'s office yesterday for a temperature of 102.3, she seems to be over the hump of her illness. They did some bloodwork and said that it was just showing that she had some sort of viral infection. He said to go ahead and continue the antibiotics until they were all finished. She slept most of the day yesterday and woke up feeling much better this morning. I guess she just needed the fever and the sleep to get rid of whatever she had. She still has some coughing and congestion but not as bad as it was. Please pray that she is a lot better by Thursday for our trip to Dallas and for the anesthesia on Friday.

Wesley is also doing exceptionally well today. The tubes have done wonders. He has slept through the night the past two nights and that means more needed sleep for Jimmy and I.

Just please pray these specific prayer request.

*For Katelyn to continue feeling better and get rid of her cough.
*For a safe trip to Dallas on Thursday and again on Tuesday.
*That we stay rested during this so that we are able to be there like we need to be for Katelyn and Wesley.
*For peace and no anxiety during the surgery.
*For Katelyn to have comfort during all of this and once she has the halo on.
*For Wesley to remain calm and not feel like he is being shuffled around during the surgery and hospital stay after the surgery.

I know some of these request are a little premature but I want to get them started now. Thank you all for your faithfullness in praying for our family.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Saturday, January 29, 2005 12:59 AM CST

Good Saturday to all,


Today is definetly a day to stay inside. It is so yucky outside. I'm keeping the children in until Monday. I'll be missing church AGAIN tomorrow because Jimmy is working, but I just can't let Katelyn get sick. I sure miss making it to church. I hope to be back soon. I know that all of you are praying for our family and I thank you for it.

Wesley is doing real well after getting his tubes in yesterday. The ENT said that he hadn't seen anything like that before. He said that Wesley's ears looked like someone that had gone with an untreated ear infection for about three weeks. Wesley had gotten rocephin three times before yesterday. The ENT is sending what he drained off of Wesley's ears off for a culture to see what is going on and why it wasn't receptive to such a strong antibiotic. He is now on Augmention for 10 days just to get rid of any other bacteria that might be going on in his body. He has been sleeping a lot better and isn't as agitated.

Katelyn, on the other hand, isn't doing to well. We took her to the Dr. Thursday evening and they said they couldn't find anything but allergies. They gave her some zyrtec and said is she wasn't better in a couple of days to let them know and they'll go ahead and call her in an antibiotic. Well, I kept her home from school on Friday (my sister staid with her while Wesley got his tubes) and when Wesley and I got home Katelyn was running a fever. I went ahead and called the Doctors office and they called her in some Omnicef to take for 10 days. I'm also continuing the zyrtec for the sneezing. She isn't eating and is still coughing that deep congested cough. Just please pray that she'll get over whatever it is she has got going on. Right now she is sitting in my lap with that look on her face saying, "make me feel better please".

I've been playing around with the website a little trying to add some music and more links to it so keep checking back often. Don't forget to sign the guestbook. Thank you for all your prayers, thoughts, and concerns.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, January 26, 2005 4:40 PM CST

Hello all,


What a beautiful day we are having in Paris Texas. The weather is just perfect and I sure wish I could take the children outside to play. Right now, Wesley is watching Nemo and trying to put the thermometer under his arm to take his teperature. He is so cute. Katelyn is pushing her doll around in the stroller with one of my old purses on her arm. I guess she thinks she is going somewhere because she keeps waving bye bye to me. I just want to Thank GOD for my wonderful children that he has given to me.

We went and got more Rocephin shots this morning at 10:00 for Wesley. The pediatrician said that his ears didn't look better but they didn't look worse either. He already had us an appointment set up for the ENT at 2:15 this afternoon. The ENT is planning on putting tubes in Wesley's ears on Friday morning. We have to go in tomorrow afternoon for the pre-op at 3:30 and then he is to go back to the pediatrician for another Rocephin shot. Wesley getting tubes is such an answered prayer. The Lord definetly had his hands in on this one. I was so worried about Katelyn having her surgery and Wesley being sick. Normally you can't get into the ENT in one day and you can't get the surgery scheduled that fast. The ENT Doctor just had a patient cancel a surgery on Friday and that is how we were able to get the surgery on Friday. I give GOD all the Glory for this arrangement being made.

Katelyn had a good day at school today, although she has started that hacking yucky cough again. Just please pray that she'll get over this pretty fast. I spoke with the lady that is scheduling her CT Scan and she said that it still hasn't been scheduled. Katelyn has to have general anesthesia for this and it has to be done next week because her surgery is the next week. We also have to have Katelyn well for this procedure.

I am feeling much better and my eye is starting to heal. It has turned that yucky yellowish green color like a bruise does in the healing process.

Lord, I just want to begin by thanking you for such a wonderful and beautiful day that you have given us. Thank you Lord for planning Wesley's tube surgery and letting that come through without any complications. I believe that because I have put all of my faith in you that you are taking care of me and my family and will continue to do so. I want to Thank you for such wonderful friends and family that you have placed in my life. I pray that you'll continue to bless them in there faithfullness as they pray for healing in Katelyn and in Wesley. I give you all the Glory for all that happens in my life. AMEN

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:53 PM CST

Hello all,


This is really just an update on Wesley more than anything. We went and saw the pediatrician at 4:15 and Wesley is pretty sick.

He was coughing really bad and couldn't catch his breath. They checked his oxygen level and it was a little on the low side so he was given a breathing treatment in the office. The levels did come up though. He was running a fever and they gave him tylenol for that. The Dr. ordered some blood work and a RSV test. The blood work showed that whatever is going on is a virus and THANK YOU GOD for the negative RSV test....

As for his ears, the infection is still there. This time it wasn't just in the right one but both ears are very inflammed. Wesley had to have a shot of rocephine today and we go back again tomorrow for another shot. We are getting an appointment with the ENT doctor to have tubes done as soon as possible. Wesley is also taking breathing treatments every 2-4 hours. He isn't feeling any better and won't eat anything. Just pray that he starts to feeling a lot better. Poor guy, he just doesn't understand why he feels so bad. Also please pray that he can have the surgery for the tubes within the next week. We need this to be done before Katelyn's surgery on February 9th.

I still haven't heard anything from Dallas on whether her CT Scan has been scheduled. I'm going to call them tomorrow while I'm at home taking care of poor Wesley....

Just continue to please pray for our family and that GOD will heal all illnesses we've got going on at this time. Katelyn is still doing well and this is a PRAISE. She needs to stay well for her surgery....


THe Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Monday, January 24, 2005 10:12 PM CST

Good Monday night to you all,


I just wanted to kind of touch base with you all. We still haven't heard anything else on Katelyn yet. I spoke with the Dr.'s office today and her surgery is still the 9th but the CT Scan that they want to do the week before and her pre-op appt. haven't been set. Please pray that these will be set soon and the CT Scan will be able to be done before the surgery and we won't have to change the surgery due to not getting the CT done. For some reason Dr. Wephrin, the other neurosurgeon on the case, was wanting this done the week before the surgery.

Katelyn is feeling better and this is good news. She isn't coughing as much and doesn't sound as oongested as she has been the past couple of weeks. Please pray that she stays healthy.

Wesley and I on the other hand aren't feeling to well. I woke up yesterday morning feeling crumey and today it was just worse. I think the fact that Katelyn head butted me right below the eye around my sinus area and gave me a black eye on Saturday (LOL Katelyn we were playing and got to rough)is what brought it all on. Anyway, my head is all stopped up and I ache all over the place. I'm taking medicine now and soon hope to be feeling a lot better.

Wesley woke up yesterday morning with a croupy cough. He had it most of the day and it was worse after his nap. I've been giving him breathing treatments and they'll help for about an hour and that is all. I'm afraid his ears aren't clear either. We have a Dr.'s appt. tomorrow at 4:15 to get him all cleared up. Just pray that he is well also.

I love all the guestbook entries. Courney, tell you students that Katelyn and I will come and visit one day and teach them some sign language. Katelyn loves for me to read them to her. My new plan is to print them and read them to her before her surgery, while she is in recovery, and throughout her hospital stay. Just remember. You can sign more than once. We would love that....

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, and concerns.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

Wednesday, January 19, 2005 4:46 PM CST

THE SURGERY IS SCHEDULED!!!!!!!!!! YEAH>>..

I just wanted to let you all know that I got an email today saying that the surgery is scheduled.... YEAH.... It will be February 10th and 10:30. This is one day after the 9th which is the day that we were initially trying to get... Isn't GOD GOOD... He always works things out... I finally put it all back in his hands, it's so hard to give your children truly up to GOD and not take them back, and he took care of things.... The 10th is on a Thursday and they normally don't do surgeries on Thursday's.. They are making an exception for Katelyn...

Please just pray that I continue to keep the faith. Once I read the email my stomach sank and I started getting anxious. The reality hit that she is really having surgery when I was given a date.... Pray for her that she remains well... She has been coughing a lot and we HAVE to avoid any illness at this time....

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, and concerns.... Keep the guestbook entries coming and I'll post more when I know more....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley

UPDATE::: I just received another email from Dallas.... A surgery was cancelled on February 9th and Katelyn was placed in that spot... It will now be at 7:30 instead of 10:30... The Lord continues to work.... I was worried about it being at 10:30 and Katelyn going without food this long... PRAISE GOD... He is so good...

Tuesday, January 18, 2005 10:26 PM CST

Hello all,


I have had a blessed and wonderful day. I just felt really good today like GOD had his hands on me and was just carrying me along. I know he has his hands on me at all times but today I allowed myself to let him carry me. I wanted to just give you another quick update on Katelyn.

Despite all the hard work that the scheduling lady is doing at the Dr's office, we still have no date set for the surgery. She was out sick yesterday, bless her heart probably needed a break from me, and when I spoke with her today she said that the anesthisiologist was going to get with her and they were going to schedule it together. She is trying so hard.

Keep the prayers going that it will be scheduled soon. The lady doing the scheduling told me that she asked the anesthisiologist if it was unrealistic to plan it for soon so that she could just go ahead and schedule her March date if need be and the anesthisiologists said NO it wasn't unrealistic. I believe that GOD has the perfect time for Katelyn's surgery to take place and it is all in his hands. When HE is ready for it to be scheduled he'll have it done.

Wesley is feeling much better today. We had a pretty rough night last night, but tonight he went right to bed and I haven't heard him coughing at all. Bless his heart. He has had to have so many breathing treatments he is holding the mouthpiece himself now.

I want to ask that GOD bless the wonderful people that are making my schooling possible at this time. I have a few ladies out there that are just encouraging me and helping me in any way they can to see to it that I finish school, while still putting Katelyn and this surgery before school. I want to say a big THANK YOU to them.

I hope that GOD will bless anyone that might view this page and ask that you all please continue to pray for Katelyn. She is starting to sense some of what is going on and is beginning to become a little tense. Just please pray that GOD would give her a peace. Keep the guestbook entries coming....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Wesley, and Katelyn

Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:15 PM CST

Hello everyone...

It's been a long weekend... A lot has happened since my last update.... I spoke with the neurosurgeons office on Friday and was told the February 9th date was not good. The anesthisiologists couldn't do it that day. She said that we were looking at March for the date. We really have to have this done sooner. The anesthisiologist is supposed to be seeing if they can work there schedules different and get her surgery done sooner. I'm supposed to hear something again Monday. I'm tired of putting Katelyn through all of this and I'm ready for it to be over for her.

I also spoke with my liason from school on Saturday. I was really worried about finishing up this semester if they waited and did her surgery in March. She told me that everything would work out and not to worry about it. To go ahead and continue with school and we would play it from day to day. This was really good news. I'm so worried about not graduating in May. I don't even care at this point if I just barely finish (I am very picky about my grades and panic if I get a grade lower than an A) I just want to graduate.

I also had to take Wesley to the Doctor this afternoon. He's sick again. I did make it to church today though. Jimmy was off and able to keep him. Wesley has ANOTHER ear infection. His asthma is bothering him and he was up coughing all night. He was given an antibiotic and more asthma medicine. We are supposed to go back in 10 days for a follow up. The Doctor said if they weren't healed at this point that we were going to do tubes again. The tube in his left ear has fallen out and the one in his right ear is stopped up and not working.

Specific prayer request: *Pray that they are able to get Katelyn's surgery scheduled for sooner than March.
*Pray that Wesley's ears heal and tubes won't be needed again.

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, concerns, and guestbook entries. We'll be praying that GOD blesses anyone who might view this page.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, Wesley

Thursday, January 13, 2005 10:38 PM CST

I talked to the Dr.'s office again today. She said that they didn't have an opening for Katelyn's surgery until March 4th. Well, after some more talking and me expressing a few concerns, she found a date sooner that she could probably work with. On February 9th, a small case that wasn't as urgent as Katelyn's was scheduled. This case was only scheduled for aobut 1 1/2 hours. The Dr. said to move this case and place Katelyn in that spot. The scheduling lady has to okay it with the anesthisiologist (not sure if that is spelled correctly. I'm going to teach Kindergarten not medical school. LOL) anyway, she has to check with this Dr. to make sure that they will be able to stay and do Katelyn's surgery. It will take 6-7 hours. She said she is going to speak with the anesthisiologist in the morning at 10:00 and she'll call me at 10:30.

Prayer request: Please pray that the anesthisiologist will be able to do this. Please pray that I'll become a lot less stressed and worried about this. I've been being short with the kidos and they just don't understand what is going on.

Praise and Good News: My residency semester is going to be completed. Arrangements have been made and I'll be able to complete my residency. I do still have one prayer request about this though. On the days that I go to my University for seminar, I don't know what I'm going to be able to do. I won't be getting home until 3:30 on these days and Katelyn will be getting out at 2:15. While I'm in the field doing my student teaching, I'm able to go get her and go back to the classroom and finish my work. I won't be able to do this on these five seminar days I have.

I also wanted to let everyone know that Katelyn did great in her speech therapy today (and I didn't lock my keys in the car again). She puckered five times. Her speech therapists and I have been trying to get her to do this mouth exercise since she started therapy 6 months ago. It was wonderful. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

Well, I need to go take some zantac and go to bed. My best friend in the whole world took my wonderful family out for supper at Chili's and it's coming back up on me. Thanks a billion Courtney....

I'll keep you posted and please keep the guestbook entries coming... WE LOVE reading them....

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Wesley, and Katelyn

Wednesday, January 12, 2005 10:46 PM CST

Hello all,


Just wanted to let you know that I didn't hear anything today so nothing new as far as Katelyn's surgery date. I do want to let you know that I've added a link at the bottom (community webshots link) that has some photo albums on it of our family and friends... Mostly family... Okay mostly Wesley and Katelyn.... It's still under construction and I'm still adding photos but I thought just in case you all wanted to see more pictures.... Keep the guestbook entries coming.... We love them....


The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Wesley, and Katelyn

Tuesday, January 11, 2005 9:45 PM CST

Hello everyone,
I'm going to make this entry short and sweet. I talked to Dallas and the neurosurgeons office today (after having to call them) and the lady that does the scheduling said the Doctor gave her the okay to schedule the surgery for February. She didn't say what day but I'm supposed I repeat supposed to know by tomorrow the day. I am so agrevated. I was told it wouldn't be any later than January and now they are telling me February. Well, I guess that is okay. Katelyn is feeling better today and had a good day at school. She had no accidents. YEAH YEAH. I don't know what was going on yesterday. Maybe it was just a small set back for some reason. She does have a yucky cough but no fever.
I didn't have a very good day today. I locked my keys in the car at speech with Katelyn (thanks mom and dad for getting me out of that jam), had to take one of the students to the principal (I always hate doing that and this student is so smart and sweet), and I'm still unsure how things are going to work out during my residency with Katelyn and all. On top of that, I'm not sleeping well at night and I've been getting kinda down about the surgery. I'm not wanting to talk about it and I'm just ready for it all to be over with. I want to again thank you for all the entries. I was reading the journal entries during my conference period at school and it brought my spirits up. I'm hearing from peoplen that I haven't seen or spoke to in a long time. Thanks to all of you. You don't know how much just reading those entries really help lift up someones spirits. Please, Please keep them coming.
I would ask that you please pray that Katelyn will stay well and not get sick. That I'll not get depressed. That the Lord will provide a way for me to complete my residency. I'm just concerned about the time between Katelyn getting out of school, 2:15, and the time I get out of school, 3:30. I can't send her to daycare as long as she has the halo on.
Well, I said it was going to be short and sweet. Sorry, I guess I fibbed. Thanks again for the prayers, entries, thoughts, and conerns. I'll keep you updated as I find out more.

The Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Krissy, Wesley, and Katelyn

Monday, January 10, 2005 9:36 PM CST

Hello all,

Just wanted to give you all an update on Katelyn. She is still not feeling up to par. She went to school today and had a pretty okay day. She had three accidents (been potty trained since July) and I was concerned about that. I took her to the Dr. and after a 2 1/2 hour stay, we find out that she's got a viral infection of some sort. She had a low grade temp while we were there. They did some blood work and a urinalysis to check for a bladder infection and the blood work showed some viral cells and the urinalysis was negative so no UTI. He said to just watch her and if she gets worse or doesn't improve call him back. She has gained some weight though. She weighs a wopping 34.1 lbs. YEAH YEAH... We are always worried about her not putting on weight. Just pray that she'll not get sick before the surgery.
Still no word from the neurosurgeons office on when the surgery is. You would think that they were so worried about finding everything out so we could get the surgery done if need be that they'd hurry and schedule a date and get it over with. I'm just so tired of the waiting and the anxious feelings. I'm ready for all of this to be over with so that Katelyn can go back to living the sweet rowdy life she's used to. I'm going to call them tomorrow just to see if they've got any more information for me. I just hope they don't get tired of hearing from me.
Thanks for all the signatures in the guestbook. Jimmy and I love reading them, we sit here and are so thankful for all the people who care so much about Katelyn. Also, those that are praying for her and haven't even met her. Thank you again and continue to sign. Don't be afraid to sign more than once. Like I said, we love reading them and Katelyn even likes to hear them being read to her. She still points to herself everytime we say her name.

Love the Crites Clan,
Jimmy, Wesley, Krissy, and Katelyn

Sunday, January 9, 2005 1:17 PM CST

Hello,

I was glad to see so many people have already signed the guestbook. I'm going to take Cheri's idea (a great friend of mine) and print these out so Katelyn can read them one day. I read them to her this morning and everytime she heard her name she pointed to herself. She isn't feeling well today. She is running fever this morning and I again had to miss church. I hate that. I've missed the past month due to illness's and I just don't feel the same when I can't attend. I think the fever is just due to her aspiration problems. We've been told that is a side effect to it and she is really congested and coughing. We have a Dr.s appt. tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 so hopefully we'll find out what's going on. Then again, it may be nothing. She runs fever one day and is great the next all the time. I'm going to create a website for her that I'll be able to add more pictures on. I'm also going to create one for our wonderful son Wesley. I'll place the links to them on this web page as soon as I have them completed. Well, Wesley isn't wanting to go to sleep and I need to get him before he wakes up Katelyn. Just keep us in your prayers and that the fever will go away. Hopefully I'll hear something tomorrow from her neurosurgeon and we'll have more of an idea of when her surgery is. Also, please pray that I'll be able to complete school this semester. This is my last semester and I'm supposed to graduate in May with my degree in Elementary Education. I'm unsure about what is going to happen.

Saturday, January 8, 2005 4:02 PM CST

Hello all,

Welcome to Katelyn's first journal entry. I have seen a few of these pages through some of my other friends and thought it would be wonderful to begin one for Katelyn. I feel that it could be a wonderful way to keep everyone updated on what all is going on and an inspiration to read the guestbook on a daily basis. Hope you all enjoy it. Take time to sign our guestbook and check out the photos.

Jimmy, Krissy, Katelyn, and Wesley...THE CRITES CLAN

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