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Wednesday, July 29, 2009 7:39 AM CDT

She is clean---yeah. Yesterday was a very long and exhausting day. The pressure of taking this test and waiting to hear from the doctor weighed heavily on me. I finally got a call from the Dr. around 2:00 and there was nothing on her scans. They think the sore neck and throat are just a virus.
To take her mind off of everything, Aunt Stacey took Katie to work with her. Stacey is the cook at a daycare center, so Katie was in heaven. Cooking and babies, her two favorite things. Thanks Stacey
After all of this stress, I made a decision to not take my test as scheduled on Friday. I am not ready and if I do not pass I will not be able to keep me new job at Ameriprise. I am going to wait, start my new job and then take the test.
Thank you to everyone who prayed for Katie these past few days.
I almost forgot, we went to the Endocronologist about three weeks ago and after being on her growth hormones for 1 year she has grown 5.5 inches. We also found out that her thyroid is not working so now she has a little purple pill to take each day. Her bones are about at age 8 yrs 10 months. This means she has plenty of room to continue to grow and she may grow past the 5 foot mark, they originally gave us.
Enjoy the rest of the summer. We are still waiting for it to show up.

Monday, July 27, 2009 6:40 PM CDT

I planned on updating the website soon and today's happenings has made me finally do it.
Katie has complained of a sore throat for about 10 days. I took her to the minute clinic last Monday and they said she did not have strep throat. She continued to complain each day about her throat hurting. I planned on taking her to Hudson Clinic today and when she complained that her neck hurt too, I immediately called the clinic. We went in and the nurse could not see any inflammation/redness or any other indication of virus/strep throat. She also said when kids complain of a sore neck, it's on the side not right on the top of her spine. She suggested we go to Children's. I called Children's and got her in. They looked her over and suggested a MRI. They of course are booked until 8:00 p.m. tonight so that is where we are headed in about 1/2 hour. We won't know the results until tomorrow and who knows what time tomorrow. As usual I am studying for a test that I MUST pass on Friday or I will no longer have a job--no pressure..
I was going to update that Bill got a new job with ADP and started three weeks ago, he really likes it. I also got a new job with Ameriprise. I start August 10th. I am very excited, however the pressure of these test I need to take are really getting to me.
Please keep Katie in your prayers the next few hours. I will update when I hear something.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:27 PM CDT

It's been five months since I last updated. Since then Katie turned 11. The school year is almost over and we are looking forward to a warm summer. We are on schedule to have scans once a year but after the last set, we are requesting every six months, which will be June.
As far as the family. I traveled a ton for my job Jan-May. I will take the summer off so I can see Emma's soccer games and be around for the girls. Bill is still looking for a job. He has been out of work since January, however it has been a blessing in disguise with all of my travels he has been able to spend time with the girls. Though all is well with our family we still have connections with a lot of families who have not been as fortunate as ours. Please keep in your prayers The Frolik family from Rice lake. Their 11 year old son Anthony passed away last night. Our little friend Avery in River Falls continues to battle with side effects of her cancer. I get frustrated with Katie's sassiness, but at least she is talking and able to be sassy.
Give your kids a hug-even if they are really bothering you right now.
Kendra

Monday, December 15, 2008 4:55 PM CST

She's Clean---Praise and Thank the Lord.

Her doctor called me on my way to the airport. Her PET/CT today specifically said no hypermetabolism in the right pietrus bone. That means no glowing which means no cancer. Her doctor told me that when he was thinking about it over the weekend it just didn't make sense to him that we would have a signal but no mass. I asked if we can rely on this scan and he said yes for sure.

When we went this morning, we were there for 3 hours. I wanted to be sick the entire time.

I know so many of you are praying for her--Thank You so much.

Happy Birthday Bill,

Love,
Kendra

Sunday, December 14, 2008 4:54 PM CST

The girls, Cheryl and I just got back from the Guthrie. We saw A Christmas Carol. It was absolutely wonderful.

It rained most of the day and now it has dropped to 20 degrees and the wind has picked up. I smell a "no school" day for tomorrow.

Katie has her PET/CT at 11:00 tomorrow. We will update after we get the POSITIVE results.

Thanks for your prayers, Keep them coming.

Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:02 PM CST

Today, Katie had scans and a routine appointment with her Doc. Everything started early at 7:00 a.m. She seems to be getting better at the IVs and drinking the yucky medicine. Her doctor called and spoke with Bill around 5:30. Of course we had to call and ask if he any results. Anyway, at this time he had only received the results back from her MRI, that is of her head. What showed was new P2 signals but no mass. Now if anyone of you can explain to us what that means, please call. It is in her right pietrus(sp) bone, this is where her first occurrence started. The doctor is having us come back for a Dedicated Cranial PET/CT. He said it could be one of three things, growth from the hormones, a radiated bone from radiation before or a re-occurrence. It has never shown up before. We did not get the results of her PET/CT which is of the rest of her body. He didn't have those in yet. I am going to call and hopefully get in her Monday morning. I leave Monday afternoon for work to CA and don't get back until Thursday night, when Bill will have left and won't be back until Friday night.
I have put up some pics from our trip to NYC over Thanksgiving. Our trip was awesome. we had great weather and the girls loved the city. Christmas is the best time to visit NYC.
Please pray for Katie.

Thank you

Thursday, November 20, 2008 7:23 AM CST

As usual the Ryder house is busy busy busy. I am sad to report that my Grandma Doris Schlumpf passed away on Nov 3rd, 2008. She was 2 days away from her 97th birthday. I was able to take the day off from work and drive to Rice Lake that morning to see her. When I arrived and said hello to her I got a smile,so I know she knows I was there. She pass ed later that evening. Our family gathered on Friday the 14th to celebrate her birthday and life and had her funeral on Saturday the 15th.
In between her death and celebration of life, I did FINALLY pass my series seven test. I am sure my grandma and grandpa, a former broker, were looking down on me and helping me. Now onto the 24, a principal license.
My mom and dad celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on Nov 9th. They took a quick trip out to Vegas.
Next Wednesday, the Ryder family leaves for NYC. I turn 40 the following week and last year for Christmas, Bill gave me tickets to NYC to see the Macy's Day Parade. The girls are very excited. We have tickets to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, we will see the parade and do several other NYC touristy type things.
Katie is scheduled for her next set of cans on Dec 11th. I will update after that. This Thanksgiving, marks her 3rd year in remission.
Thank you to all of you for your continued prayers and support.
Kendra

Saturday, October 4, 2008 1:29 PM CDT

Wow, where has the time gone? Last time I wrote, Katie was getting ready to start her first growth hormone shot. It's been 3 months and she went to her Dr. appnt on Monday. I didn't get to go because I am traveling now for my job:( anyway, she grew 3/4 of an inch and is right on track. So far no side effects. She has complained about a sore neck the last few weeks so I will be calling Children's on Monday to ask what they think we should do. I am positive it's nothing.
Last weekend, I walked the 3-day breast cancer walk. It was my third year. Harder each year, harder because I know of more women diagnosed and because I am older and not as in shape:) all worth it. Thank you for supporting me. I have signed up for next year but in San Diego.
Today, Aunt Stacey is finally moving into her own place here in Hudson. She started Sept 8th at a new daycare center here in town as the cook and sub. She absolutely loves it. We are so happy and she is too. Her new address is 1918 Brookstone Place, Hudson, WI.
I still have not passed my series seven. I have to take it again on the 17th of Oct. So basically that is what I am doing.
Emily is in Middle School and loves it, she is also playing Fall traveling soccer.
I am trying to attach new pics but we got as new computer ad i don't think I have the same software on it to make the pictures smaller, so for now, bare with me and I will work on getting it fixed.
Oh yes, I have become a wish grantor for Make A Wish. I love it.
Thanks for all of your support.
The Ryders

Friday, June 27, 2008 10:51 AM CDT

A Very big day here at the Ryders. Katie is going to take her first Growth Hormone shot. The meds came in the mail today and we are headed to the clinic at 1:00 to learn how to administer the shots. Katie wants to know if she can do them herself. I have a feeling they will want me or Bill to do it at first and then maybe eventually she can. Anyway, I am not sure I have seen Katie so excited about something.
We went to the Niederhauser's house last week to have her measured on their kitchen wall. We have been tracking Emily and Katie on their wall for the past four years. It will be fun to see where she is in 6 months.
Again, thank you for continuing to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 3:36 PM CDT

We just got off the phone with the Dr. The nodule on Katie's lymph-node is only about 3mm. We were hoping for it to be bigger so we could do a biopsy on it. Our plan is to watch it and take CT scans every two months. She will have her next one the last week of August before she starts school.
Now with this information, we are going to move ahead with the growth hormones. Our Dr. believes it's ok and the "grow" Dr. believes it will be ok. We are trusting them.
Katie is very excited about the growth hormones.
Thank you for your prayers. We really appreciate you checking in on Katie.
Kendra

Thursday, June 12, 2008 12:36 AM CDT

Katie has had a busy few weeks. She had her "growing" test done on Friday the 23rd. Basically, what they were looking for was to see if Katie is producing any growth hormone. Over a course of 3 hours they took 8 draws of blood and they wanted the blood to have a count of a minimum of 10. Katie's numbers were .6, .5, .7, .8, .6. Pleae notice the points before the numbers, meaning she was not even on the charts producing a 1. After some long discussions with the Dr. we have decided to go with the growth hormones. This will involve Katie taking a shot every day until she is about 16 and then througout her life she will need to take a lower dose and probably a copuple times a week, not for growth but for some cardiovascular issues and muscle tone. Before we start the growth hormones, we wanted to have her six month checkup/scans. Katie had her scans on Tuesday. We talked to her Dr. yesterday regarding her results. Her MRI and PET came out clean, however on the CT scan there is suggestion of a nodule on her lung. We are going back in on Tuesday morning for a more in depth CT. We are trying to think positvely about this. It didn't glow on the PET so that is good and we once had one of the docs tell us that we could all have spots on our lungs but since we are not getting routine scans we don't know about them. If it's large enough, we will most likely do a biopsy and if it's not we will have to wacth it. I will update on Tuesday or Wednesday when we know more.
Katie has a lot of questions, the first being "do I have cancer again?" Please pray I can tell her no........

Thanks,
Kendra

Monday, May 12, 2008 7:49 AM CDT

Today Katie is 10, yeah. She celebrated her birthday last weekend at the cabin in Rice Lake. She took 3 friends up with us and on Sunday we went to the Roller Skating Rink. Today, Emily has her first soccer game so we will be going to that and then out to eat.
Katie and Bill went to the "grow" dr. on Friday. I was in class for my series 7 license:( In a nutshell, if we choose not to do anything Katie will grow to be no more than 52 inches. She is 47 right now. If we choose to go with the growth hormones(which is a shot 4-5 times a week until she is 15) we do run the risk if Katie has one sleeping cancer cell that the growth hormones could wake it up and she could have a re-occurrence. The problem is that because Rhabdo is so rare, the studies they have done are all on Lukemia patients. So there is no concrete evidence that shows she will not have a re-occurrence. She will go in on the 23rd for a three hour test. They give her an IV and every half hour will inject a growth hormone and then take blood to see how her body responds to it. I am not sure what or how that will change the decision we have to make. She has her next set of scans on June 10th.
Katie is very upset about the news. She said she already gets teased and is called a midget. Bill and I, (I think) are inclined not to do the growth hormones. We will update again after her tests.
On the home front, I am now working full time for The Hartford. The company is located in Woodbury, only 10 minutes away and free parking:) I am in the law/compliance department. In order to keep my job, I need to obtain my series 7 and 24 licenses. I am taking my test for my 7 on Wed. arghhhh.
Keep us in your prayers. Pray that somehow Bill and I will make the right decision.
Thank you,
Kendra

Wednesday, February 13, 2008 10:05 AM CST

wow it has been three years today that Katie was diagnosed. It was at 4:50 p.m. when Dr. Nelson came into our room and told us. The time has gone by quickly yet it seems like yesterday.
Katie's eye is healing, we have figured out she really has no feeling on the right side of her face. I have suspected this all along but she denies it. Her eye is something we need to keep close tabs on.
Her appointment with the Grow Dr is May 9th. That is the first day she can get in and probably the next time I will update.
Everyone else is doing fine. I am still looking for a job and our house is for sale. Those two things keep me busy.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Kendra

Thursday, January 24, 2008 3:12 PM CST

We are still working on getting Katie to the grow doctor but in the meantime we have learned of one of the permanent side effects of radiation. We learned Katie has no feeling in her right eye. This was the side she had radiation on. Recently, she badly scratched her eye ball but did not feel it. Only when the scratch started to heal and scab over and Katie could not see did we find out she cannot feel anything on that eye. This would explain the constant blurry eye she complains about. The Dr. told us since she has no feeling, she does not know when to blink, causing a dry eye. Since it has been 2 1/2 years since her last radiation, the Dr. was pretty positive this is the way it will be. Katie is not in a lot of pain but it is bothersome to her when she cannot see, I guess it would be for anyone, right. She is tired of telling everyone she does not have pink eye-all her meds and eye drops give her the appearance of having pink eye. We all agree this is a minor thing to live with as long as she can live free of cancer.
Tomorrow the weather is supposed to warm up. I take off for California next weekend for a marathon in Huntington Beach and I continue to look for a job.
Everyone else is healthy and enjoying our winter.
Thank you for your support.
Kendra

Saturday, December 29, 2007 10:50 AM CST

Katie is clean-yeah. Katie had her appointments on Thursday, not without a hitch. We received a call on Wed as a reminder of her appointment at 11:00. We got there around 10:55 and they informed us we should have been there at 10:15 and now they were not sure if they could get her in for all three of her tests. Well, Bill had some words with them and surprise, they got us in. We saw Katie's oncologist. Katie weighs the same as she did 3 years ago, wish I could say the same, however she has grown 3 inches. She is still behind so we are going to go and see the "grow dr" as Katie calls her, the doc is a she. Our dr reminded us, and the minute he said it I remembered, but it is possible they could have hit her pituitary gland during radiation. Anyway, they want to do some blood work and look at her growth/bone plates??? I think I got it right. I am hoping they will put me on the stretcher too. We did get good news that Katie will not have to go for scans now again until June, so she is going from every three months to every six months.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Have a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Monday, December 3, 2007 11:16 AM CST

Frustrating is all I have to say. We went to St. Paul Radiology today for Katie's tests and the receptionist did not have us down for today but instead for Friday. It would be easy just to go in on Friday but her Dr is not available that day. Our new date is Dec 27th.
Wednesday, Bill and I are going to NYC for a couple days. He has a business trip and I am going to check out the window displays and the tree at Rockefeller center.
I will update after the tests, which will be after Christmas. Hope everyone has a Blessed Christmas Season.
Thanks,
Kendra

Tuesday, November 20, 2007 2:47 PM CST

Wow, today is Katie's two year anniversary for her last Chemo treatment. It seems like yesterday. Katie is doing great. She has her next set of scans and tests on Monday, Dec 3rd. I will update as soon as we get her results.
Since I last updated, we had a little friend in Hudson earn his angel wings. Grant Truhler passed away at the end of October. Katie and I went to the wake and the funeral. Katie had a lot of questions and showed a lot of emotions. It was very hard for me to go and to see his family. The feelings I had are hard to explain to people. I have heard it called survival guilt. Grant's family amazes me with their Faith and Strength. Bill and I have talked about it and I don't think we would be so forgiving with the Lord. Please keep their family in your prayers. Grant's website is www.caringbridge.org/visit/grant
Well Emily's play is over and Katie's will be over this Sunday. Hopefully in December we can spend some time together as a family.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Monday, October 15, 2007 2:21 PM CDT

It's been so long since I have updated basically all I have to say is play practice, play practice.
Both of the girls are deep in play practices. Katie has it every day this week and almost every day for the rest of the month. The opening night is Nov 2nd and there are still tickets available. I love going to pick her up early and watch the practices. The play is Suessical the Musical and is very entertaining. If you want tickets you can either call The Phipps at (715)386-2305 or order on line at www.thephipps.org. Here is the pay info:
l replaces the previously-announced production of Annie.

A musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss, including well-loved characters Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gerturde McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie, and the Whos of Whoville.
Tickets are $22 for adults and $15 for all students with a current ID, with a $2 discount for the opening weekend, and a $2 discount for seniors on the Sunday matinees.
Fridays, Nov. 2, 9, 16 & 23 at 8 p.m.
Saturdays, Nov. 3, 10, 17 & 24 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 4, 11, 18 & 25 at 2 p.m.

Emily is in the Wizard of Oz at the High School. Her tickets go on sale to the public a week from today at the Hudson High School.

Everyone is healthy. Katie complained of a headache all day yesterday and of course I worry but she went to school today so I hope and pray she is well.

I am still looking for work. My one project ended at the end of August and I have been looking for another project. I am very bored at home all day:)

Thank you for continuing to check in on Katie and our family. Next scans will be in Dec.

Thank you,
Kendra

Sunday, September 2, 2007 1:42 PM CDT

Katie's MRI came out clean, YIPPEEE. Our baby is healthy.
We are up at the cabin for the weekend. It's just perfect outside.
Katie got some big news yesterday. She received a phone call asking her if she wanted the part of Cindy Lou Who in Suessical the Musical. She of course responded yes. She missed tryouts last week so we went the night of call backs and they let her audition. They asked her to stay for the callbacks and then called with the offer. The play is at the Phipps over Thanksgiving weekend.
It will be a busy Fall. Emily made a part in the High School prodcution of The Wizard of Oz, she is a Munchkin and she will be performing the two weekends before Katie---arghhhh. My calendar is full with play practices:)
Thank you all for your continued prayers. I am still working on getting new pictures on the website.

kendra

Friday, August 17, 2007 11:26 PM CDT

I am sorry not to update sooner however it's been a busy week. We are leaving tomorrow for 10 days. I have my 20th class reunion and my little sister Tryn is getting married next weekend. Anyway, Monday Katie and I went to the clinic for her MRI and after waiting for 45 minutes I went and asked what was going on and they informed me thy were running behind and it would be another hour and a half, I wasn't willing to wait so we are rescheduled for the 31st of August.
I am also having problems downloading pictures to the computer and I want to put some new ones out there. I will hopefully have it figured out by the next time I update.
Tonight, Emily went to a High School Musical 2 party and Katie had her own party here. So tomorrow off we will go to Rice lake for the week full of festivities.
I will update later. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Kendra

Tuesday, August 7, 2007 11:33 AM CDT

It's Tuesday and we finally received word from the Dr. that all is well with Katie's PET scan and CT. For some reason the scheduling person did not have her do a MRI. I even questioned her about it and she said she would look into and got back to me with "yep she doesn't need one". Then we get to the clinic and the Dr is asking why she wasn't scheduled for one. So to make a long story short, Katie needs to go back on Monday the 13th and have a MRI. This means getting poked again which is very dramatic for ALL of us. So I will update again next week. I am a little concerned about Katie and her nose bleeds. She has had three in one day and the last one was bad with a lot of blood and some clotting. Her Dr. said to keep in touch with him if they continue and we will have to see the ENT. he did not seem too concerned but it will always be these little things that keep me worrying.
Right now, my camera is not working but when I figure it out, I will download some new pictures. I have one of Katie with all of her dogs she has been collecting. She took them into the hospital and we will take more next week. I received an e-mail from a woman in Hudson who said she was so taken by Katie's kind heart that she contacted her friends at the St Croix Animal Society and they are going to contact us with some dogs to donate.
Katie, Emily and our neighbor at the cabin, Mitch Umidon, had a car wash on Sunday and are sending the money to the Bridge collapse victims. They collected $125.00 and Bill's company will match it, so they will send $250.00. I am very proud of my girls.
Thank you for your notes and prayers.
I will update next week. Hopefully it will not take the Dr 5 days to get back to us with the results:)

Kendra

Wednesday, August 1, 2007 11:23 AM CDT

Scans tomorrow, August 2nd. I will update when we get the results. Katie has been doing great so we don't expect anything our of the ordinary.
We did start seeing a therapist today. Katie has had some major separation anxiety and asked to go and see someone to talk about it. The therapist informed me that it is very normal for this to happen with kids between the ages of 8-10. They are old enough to start seeing the big picture of life, including death and it brings on a lot of anxiety.
Please say specials prayers for our friend Charlie Bear, he has been experiencing back pains and Missy is very worried. Also continue to keep Grant Truhler and his family in your prayers.
I will update on Thursday or Friday,as soon as we have results.

Thanks,
kendra

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 2:43 PM CDT

Katie has asked me to update the website with some information she wants to share. Before I do that, I forgot to mention that I was accepted as a Wish Grantor with the The Make A Wish foundation. I am very anxious and excited to get started. They did not have any volunteers in St. Croix County. I am going to work with another young gal from River Falls and we will be responsible for St. Croix County. I will keep you informed.
Now for Katie's message: One of the highlights, if there was such a thing, when Katie was in the hospital was when Bill would bring our dog Hudson to visit Katie. Bill was great about doing this almost every single time and Children's was great in letting us do so. Katie asked me if she could bring Hudson to the hospital to visit the other sick kids. I explained to her that most likely not. She then said to me, "would if I could bring all the kids a stuffed animal-a dog-. I said that's a great idea. Katie would like me to put a message out here that she is going to start collecting new dog stuffed animals and will deliver them to the clinic and hospital once a month. She also wants to write a little note with each one to explain why she is doing this. So, tell everyone you know to send a suffed dog animal to Katie. If you have a lot and can't send them and are close by let me know and I will come and pick them up. Or if it's too expensice to send them, I can mail you some postage to get them here. I am hoping this can be an ongoing thing Katie can do. I have always wondered "why" and what will be the outcome of my daughter's awful illness. I think I am beginning to see what great things my daughter will do because of her experience.
Our address is 504 Carriage Lane, Hudson, WI 54016

Thank you

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 2:34 PM CDT

Katie has asked me to update the website with some information she wants to share. Before I do that, I forgot to mention that I was accepted as a Wish Grantor with the The Make A Wish foundation. I am very anxious and excited to get started. They did not have any volunteers in St. Croix County. I am going to work with another young gal from River Falls and we will be responsible for St. Croix County. I will keep you informed.
Now for Katie's message: One of the highlights, if there was such a thing, when Katie was in the hospital was when Bill would bring our dog Hudson to visit Katie. Bill was great about doing this almost every single time and Children's was great in letting us do so. Katie asked me if she could bring Hudson to the hospital to visit the other sick kids. I explained to her that most likely not. She then said to me, "would if I could bring all the kids a stuffed animal-a dog-. I said that's a great idea. Katie would like me to put a message out here that she is going to start collecting new dog stuffed animals and will deliver them to the clinic and hospital once a month. She also wants to write a little note with each one to explain why she is doing this. So, tell everyone you know to send a suffed dog animal to Katie. If you have a lot and can't send them and are close by let me know and I will come and pick them up. Or if it's too expensice to send them, I can mail you some postage to get them here. I am hoping this can be an ongoing thing Katie can do. I have always wondered "why" and what will be the outcome. I think I am beginning to see what great things my daughter will do because of her experience.

Thursday, April 12, 2007 11:25 AM CDT

I apologize for the delay but like many other times in our journey, I have had to call and ask for the results. Our Dr forgot to inform us he was going to a conference today and would not be in so I had to call the clinic and have them look for the report and call me back. Results are great!! Katie's brain looks good, her spot on her chest from the last time has not changed either way so that is good. The Dr did tell us she will always have a spot now on her right lung from the Histoplasmosis.
While we were at the clinic we got to spend some time with Grant Truhler and his mom, aunt and Grandma. I think he looks great and he was even smiling. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.
As Monica Jensen's sister wrote, it's with saddened hearts that Monica has decided to quit fighting the fight. She is resting peacefully and will soon be in a better place. Please continue to pray for her children, her husband and her family.
We are so thankful to God for our healthy little girl and for all of you who continue to read Katie's site and pray for her. Her next set of scans will be right before school in August.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 3:38 PM CDT

A quick update. Katie's scans were pushed out until next Wednesday, April 11th. I will update as soon as we hear anything.
Katie will be on the local news tomorrow morning on KARE 11 at 6:20 a.m., set your DVRs. Kim Insley came to the school and did a spot on the school's five a day fruit and vegetable program. Katie and some other classmates sang a song on the announcements about pineapples.
Please keep Grant Truhler and Monica Jensen in your prayers. Both are on caringbridge and need everyone's prayers.
I will update with great news next week.
Happy Holy Week and Easter:)

Tuesday, February 13, 2007 3:29 PM CST

I updated the pictures on the site. The pictures are from my trip to Switzerland. It was a good trip, good closure to Christine's death.
Today is 2 years from when we received Katie's diagnosis at 4:50 p.m. Sometimes it seems like yesterday and other times it feels like a lifetime ago. Either way, she is feeling better, her strep throat is gone and she is looking forward to Valentine's Day tomorrow.
Her Brownie troop went to visit the clinic yesterday to bring some fleece blankets and valentines they made for the kids in the hospital. Her troop is working on their Community Service badge and Katie remembers being in the hospital over Valentines Day and receiving some cards and valentines. Her nurse gave the girls a tour and we saw her Dr. too.
Please keep Grant Truhler in your prayers. Grant is in the
hospital and not doing well. His caringbridge site is, www.caringbridge.org/visit/grant. Grant is a 4th grader here in Hudson.
I probably will not update until Katie's next set of scans in March.
Until then, thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007 3:12 PM CST

I updated the pictures on the site. The pictures are from my trip to Switzerland. It was a good trip, good closure to Christine's death.
Today is 2 years from when we received Katie's diagnosis at 4:50 p.m. Sometimes it seems like yesterday and other times it feels like a lifetime ago. Either way, she is feeling better, her strep throat is gone and she is looking forward to Valentine's Day tomorrow.
Her Brownie troop went to visit the clinic yesterday to bring some fleece blankets and valentines they made for the kids in the hospital. Her troop is working on their Community Service badge and Katie remembers being in the hospital over Valentines Day and receiving some cards and valentines. Her nurse gave the girls a tour and we saw her Dr. too.
I probably will not update until Katie's next set of scans in March.
Until then, thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Friday, January 26, 2007 7:33 PM CST

I have added some recent photos, check them out..
Today, Katie's class performed the play Pecos Bill and Katie was Pecos Bill. She memorized her lines along with everyone elses:)
The other picture is her ready to go out and sell Girl Scout cookies. It's not too late. She will be selling until Sunday. If you have not been hit up yet, give her a call.
I am preparing for my trip to Switzerland, mostly mentally. It's all I think about at night. What will it be like to be back in Europe knowing I will not be seeing Christine, what will it be like to see her parents, her boys and her boyfriend Karl. I will also be gone two years from when Katie started having symptoms and back to America two years to the day she was admitted but also one year from her Big Celebration last year that you all made possible.
Today, a resident of Hudson, Pete Huseboe, is having a 16 hour surgery on a brain tumor. Please keep his family in your prayers.
I will end this note like every other and that is Thank You for your continued support and prayers for Katie and our family.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007 11:52 AM CST

Thank you all for your notes and prayers during the waiting period. I needed to write and correct what I wrote. I was so excited I didn't explain very well. Katie was "poop positive" not full of poop. Meaning she was Histoplasmosis positive. Again, histo is this fungus you can get from inhaling bird poop. The Doc says it's very common along the rivers. We could all have it but because we are not having PET scans, we may never know. Regardless of whtever it is, It's NOT cancer and that's all that matters.
The kids are back at school today. Katie is the star of the week. Bill and I are going to have lunch with her.
I have booked a trip to Switzerland, Feb 1-11th. I need to go and deal with Christine's passing. I have mixed feelings about the trip but it is something I need to do. My mom, Mary Ann Wirsbinski and my neighbor are all going with me. It will be mixed bag of emotions. I am the tour guide so I have been having fun planning our itinerary. It's the first time to Europe for my mom and neighbor and Mary Ann has been to France.
It will be difficult to be away from the family, but I will just have to console myself with French wine and Swiss chocolate:)

Thanks again for yoru continued support.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 11:37 PM CST

We received a voice mail today from Dr. Moertel and all he said was " Hello Ryders, this is Dr Moertel, well she is full of poop." Meaning, Katie's test results came out positive for the Histoplasmosis.
Thank you for all of your prayers and notes.

I will update in a a week or so.

Please add the Wee family to your prayers. 22 year old, Kimberlie Wee passed away Dec 26th one day before her transplant. Her kidney and heart could not handle the chemo. God Bless them all.

Sunday, December 24, 2006 9:38 AM CST

Sorry I did not update sooner. I thought Bill was going to and I wasn't quite sure how to explain our visit on Friday. So I decided I would start by writing what the radiologist dictated:
Chest: Mild hypermetabolism now appears to be associated with a pulmonary nodule present within the right midlung. This appears new from the previous study. Hypermetabolism appears to be associated with lymph nodes within the right hilar region and right paratrachael region of the mediastinum. This also appears new.

Ok, well after having that read to us, I still knew nothing new. What it means is that when they do a PET scan, if there is cancer present in a body, it will glow. The medicine they put in Katie's body, metabolizes. So she has mild hpermetabolism on her right lung. Now the next thing he told us was that this could be Histoplasmosis, bet you never heard of that either??? That is some infectious fungus caught by inhaling bird poop--yes you read this right. By now Bill and I are really lost in the Dr.'s office.

To make a long story short, they took blood and we will know in a week if it's Histoplasmosis. If it is, there is nothing they do, it runs its course. If it's not they may do a deeper CT scan where the cut the images or as the Oncologist and the Radiologist suggested we wait and do another PET in 3 months.

You can imagine, Bill and I are not too happy with waiting 3 more months. But Dr.Moertel seemed very confident it is ok and also said we should not be too concerned about it being cancer.

I hope this makes sense. We wish we would have had her tests after the Holidays but we can only pray the Drs are right.

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year

.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006 7:45 AM CST

It's been a whole month of Holiday preparations and birthday celebrations.
Thanksgivng was spent at our house with the Hodurs. The usual tradition of watching the Macy's parade in bed and looking through all of the ads in the paper with no intentions of going shopping the next day. It's just fun to look. The weather has been extremely warm. Bill wore shorts the day after Thanksgiving to go cut down our tree.
I celebrated my b-day on the 4th with all my girlfriends and we had a surprsie 40th birthday party for Bill this past weekend on the 16th. We went on a party bus with 40 of our friends. Bill was genuinely surprised.
Katie and Emily are both home today with the flu. It's running rapid through their school. It's better today so they are healthy by Christmas.
Katie has her scans on Friday the 22nd. We expect everything to be clean. This will be her one year mark of scans so I am curious to see if they will change her schedule for next year and maybe have her do scans once every 6 months.
Yesterday was the one year passing of Christine. I am still trying to find a way to get to Switzerland so I can have some peace with her passing.
All of Katie's little friends are doing great and in remission, however it seems everyday I hear of someone newly diagnosed with this ugly beast of a disease.
Please continue to pray for researchers and doctors so someday we may have a cancer free world.
I will update on Friday with good news!!!!

Monday, November 20, 2006 7:23 PM CST

Tomorrow marks the 1 year anniversary for Katie's last chemo. I remember it like it was yesterday. The day after we came home and had a big celebration at our home. As I look back at the pictures from last Thanksgiving, she looked so small and sick. I definetly have a lot to be thankful for this year.
Our meeting with the ENT went better than I thought it would. He cleaned Katie's ears out and found that she only has one tube in her left ear. He is going to wait and take a look at her next set of scans to see if her sinuses are still all clogged. If they are, he will then open them up while she is under for her tubes and try to drain them. We are going to wait and have that surgery in January.
Katie has had a headache the last two days. She has gone to school so I wonder if it is her sinuses bothering her. Sometimes I am worried she does not tell me because she knows she will have to go and see a doctor.
She is scheduled for her next set of scans on Friday Dec 22nd. It's her first day of Christmas break.
This morning I did my usual routine of checking 8 different Caringbridge sites. A place I never knew even existed 20 months ago. Caringbridge has beena great resource for our family. Please remember Caringbridge when you are thinking of places to make your Holiday donations.
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving, we will be celebrating this year at home with the Hodur family.

Sunday, October 22, 2006 5:04 PM CDT

You can see from the pictures where all of my time has been going and why I have not had any extra time to update the webpage.
Moccachino Ryder joined our family 3 weeks ago. Hudson is still getting used to her and is slowly warming up to her.
Katie is doing well. We won't go and see the ENT until November. She is enjoying school and loves the new puppy.
I ran the marathon and had a great time. The following weekend we went to Charlotte, NC to see our friends the Bradfords. We went to their cabin in the mountains. It was so beautiful and relaxing.
Life is good and very busy..
Thanks for continuing to read her web page.

Monday, September 25, 2006 10:55 AM CDT

It's been over a month since I have updated, sorry. With school starting and me working, it's been crazy.
Katie absolutely loves school. She is in 3rd grade and loves her teacher. She started dance last week and Brownies. She has taken a break from piano and will possibly start guitar lessons.
We have a meeting with her ENT this Friday to discuss next steps for her ears. The last time we were at his office, he suggested a new set of tubes and possibly opening her sinuses up to clean them out. Ever since radiation, her sinuses have been filled. I don't know why she does not complain at all. Anyway, we will find out more on Friday.
Emily is in traveling soccer and gymnastics. She is also taking viola lessons through the school. She does not LOVE school like Katie but is a great student.
I am running my marathon next weekend, the 7th in St. George Utah and the following week we will be off to North Carolina to visit the Bradford family.
I will update when we hear more from the ENT.
Thanks for continuing to read Katie's website and praying for her.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006 7:56 PM CDT

Scans are clean:) Our nurse called us this afternoon and told us the great news. Katie does have some major sinusitus (sp) which would explain her ear infection and throwing up but we go to the ENT on Friday to get her ear cleaned and they can hopefully help us with the sinus issue.
Katie has quite a crazy schedule the next two weeks. Today she had scans, tomorrow the othodontist, Friday the ENT, Tuesday the Ortho, Wed the Oncologist for a complete physical and Thursday the Ortho. She is getting her braces on next week so a couple visits will be necessary. If she is not exhausted from all of that, I know I will be.
I have posted some new pictures from our trip to Chicago last weekend for Ken and Paula's wedding. The girls went to the American Doll Store, we went to the Field museum, we went to Navy Pier and while we were at the wedding reception, the girls got to go with our friend Andrea Hansen to ESPN zone and out to eat. It was a great trip. I even ran into a old friends Jessica DiSano down by the lake for the Air and water show.
Thank you to everyone who has continued to pray for Katie and read her website. Please keep our friend Debbie in your prayers. She has another MRI on Thursday.

Tuesday, August 8, 2006 4:13 PM CDT

It's been awhile since I have written. Time is getting away and soon school will start--yipee!!!
I have new pictures up from our weekend at the cabin with our friends the Latterell's from Whitefish Bay. Chris, Leslie, Jack and Grace joined us Friday night until Sunday afternoon. We had so much fun. Lots of laughs and stories of way back when. Leslie's family has been friends with our family since I was a little girl and she lived with me in Switzerland for about 6 weeks. It was a very relaxing weekend.
Bill is able to chew now. It's not like he can go straight to eating steak but he is slowly getting back to regular foods and hopefullyt will gain some weight. he lost about 20 pounds.
The girls had art camp last week and vacation Bible School the week before that.
Katie will have her next set of scans on the 22nd of August and then get her braces on the following week, just in time for school.
Tody Katie had her hair styled by my friend Amy. It's not long enough to cut but she was happy just to jump up into the chair and have it washed and styled.
Next week we will head to Chicago for Paula's wedding and then the last week of August I will take off from work and hang out with the girls doing last minute things for school.
Life is good right now. I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather we are having.

Monday, July 17, 2006 2:33 PM CDT

We are back from Mexico and it was wonderful. It was very hot and humid but we stayed cool in the pools. The highlight of the trip was Katie being able to get her hair braided. I wasn't sure they were going to be able to do it but she and Emily both got the front part of their heads done. We did not do a whole lot while we were there but that was the whole purpose of the trip. We stayed in Playacar at the Reef Playacar, it was very nice.
Now we are home and back to work for Bill. He only has 2 more weeks to go until he will be able to chew again. He is feeling a little bit better each day but it has definelty been a longer recovery than any of us expected.
We are going to the TWINS game tonight. Katie got some tickets from the clinic. I think it's about 95 out today so I am grateful for the inside dome where it's always 68 degrees.
I am headed to Chicago this Friday for my friend Paula's bachlorette party and before you know it it's August.
I have included some pictures of Laney and Charlie Bear. The three families got together last night in New Richmond at the Gess's for a cook out. I can't believe how great all the kids look and it's so fun to see the hair:)
Enjoy the summer!

Friday, July 7, 2006 7:51 AM CDT

The Ryders are off to Mexico-I can't believe it. I received an e-mail yesterday afternoon from a travel agency about a last minute deal, forwarded it to Bill and off we go. We are going Saturday to Wed to Playa Del Carmen, which we all love. The girls are so excited. Even though it's going to be hotter here than there, it doesn't matter because I don't have a pool with a cabana boy here:)
The girls talked about our trip to Mexico all during dinner and Katie wants to know if she can get her hair braided.
I am looking forward to just relaxing and hanging out with Bill.
Update when we get back...

Tuesday, July 4, 2006 2:32 PM CDT

Happy 4th of July!!!! I hope everyone is enjoying their Independence.
I finally put some new pictures out, thanks Nan.
Katie's news was so exciting for us but unfortunatly we were brought back to reality quite quickly with the passing of my Godmother, Myke Mercier and a little boy we only read about but never met, Matthew Davis. Both of the funerals were on the 3rd and both lost their lives to cancer. We also received word about our dear life long friend Patti Appleyard. She too is batteling cancer and is not doing well. So the past few days have been hard for me, not really into celebrating the Holiday.
I also received word from Karl in Switzerland that the boys have to move back to Austria and live with their father. Karl will now be alone and the boys will need to make new friends, new school, new surroundings etc... Life doesn't seem to be very fair right now.
Katie has been scheduled for scans again on the 22nd of August. They wanted to do them before school started so he does not have to miss a whole day right away at the beginning of the school year.
Have a great week-it's a short one..

Tuesday, June 27, 2006 4:55 PM CDT

Thank you God, Katie is still clean with no active cancer in her body:) Wahoo, thanks to all of you who have been praying for our family the last few days. I was surprised to get the call so quickly. We were in tests from 8-2:30 and the doctor called at 4:30 with the results.
I have wanted to update sooner but knew I would be writing today so I waited.
Due to a little mix up at the Relay, Katie did not get to speak at the opening ceremonies but instead at the luminary service in the evening at 10:30. I actually read her speech and I will paste it into the bottom of this note. I added whatever came to mind at the time so I can not re-write that part.
Last Tuesday Bill had his surgery on his mouth. In retrospect, he is not quite sure he would have had it done. The healing has been long and painful and he is starving. It's hard to get full on jello, soup and yogurt.
Emily had her own trip to the orthodontist on Friday and we ended up putting Katie into the chair. We now have two more family members getting braces. Katie may have some issues already with her bones on the side where her radiation was. When she opens her mouthb, it definetly goes off to one side-the side opposite her radiation. They both have crossbites, but becaus Emily is "dentally mature" yes it's a term, she will wait until Winter?spring to get her braces put on. Thank goodness my project keeps getting extended..
The girls are enjoying their summer, having a blast with Mrs.Olson, they get to call her Kacey during the summer.
No big plans for the 4th. It's Booster Days in Hudson so we will be busy here and on the river.
Thanks to everyone for your support:)

Katie's speech-written by Katie Ryder, re-typed by Kendra Ryder, read by Kendra Ryder:

My name is Katie Ryder.
I love art and reading.
I am in remission of cancer. The cancer I had was Rhabdomyosarcoma, it is a rare form of cancer, about 250 kids a year in America get it.
My tumor is by my ear but is not considered a brain tumor.
Here is how it started. I was in first grade and my mom was gone. When I went to bed I started complaining that my ear hurt.
When my mom came home I started screaming and waking up in the middle of the night.
The next day my mom took me to the Hudson hospital because at school, my teacher Mrs. Baumann had noticed that the right side of my mouth was not moving when I talked. She asked me if I had been to the dentist lately? She told my mom.
The doctor said I had bells paulsy. My parents then decided to take me to Children’s in St. Paul. The doctors ordered a MRI, that was a bad experience. I could not eat the whole night. I had to get an IV and the machine was really loud. The nurse in the room said I could eat all I want after the test. I had macaroni and chocolate milk. Then the other nurse came in and was mad because I obviously was not supposed to eat.
I ended up staying the night. I then ended up staying the whole week in the hospital, yep that’s right, I spent Valentine’s Day there too. All I kept saying was “I want to see my class”.
Finally I went to school. It went by kind of quick and finally it was time, I reached my goal.
It could have been something worst.
Cancer is bad but it’s good we have the Relay for Life

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 7:03 AM CDT

It's been a long time since I have written and many of you have asked if everything is ok or if I am going to continue with the website. Yes, to both, all is well and I will continue with the website.
Summer vacation has started. Katie's teacher from this year, Mrs. Olson, will be watching the girls Mon, Wed & Thurs and Tuesdays I will work from home. The girls have a lot of fun events planned for the summer. They started yesterday with golf lessons. Bill and I are both thrilled that the girls are interested and from the looks of it are already better than their mother.
This Friday the Relay for Life starts. Katie was chosen to be one of the honorary co-chairs. There is an article in the Hudson paper about Katie, http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/articles/index.cfm?id=18075§ion=homepage. The woman got a few things a little confused oh well, the picture of Katie is really cute. Katie has been asked to speak at the opening ceremonies and has written a speech. If you are in the area, the opening ceremonies begin at 6:00 at E.P Rock school. I am thinking I should be preparing a back-up speech but of course have not started on writing one.
Bill's mom will be leaving hurrican Alberto to join us for the Relay and then stay for a week. She will be here while Bill has surgery on his mouth/jaw. Next Tuesday, Bill will have his jaw cut and will only be able to have liquids for 6 weeks----no cooking for me and malts for everyone:)
June 27th, Katie has her next set of scans. Everyone comments to me how I must be nervous and it must be a hard time right before her scans but it really isn't that bad. If Katie showed some kind of sign that things were not normal, yes I would be nervous, but for now we have no reason to believe anything is wrong, therefore I do not get nervous.
I will update again with the clean results of her scans.
Thank you to everyone who continues to read her site and pray for her and our family.

Sunday, May 14, 2006 11:36 AM CDT

Happy Mother's Day everyone. I started my day by running the Race for the Cure. I love starting every Mother's Day this way, it's such an awesome event.
You can see from the pictures we had a birthday party. Katie turned 8 on Friday the 12th. We went to JoAnn Fabrics for a Craft party, we had help from Julie N. and then we all came home for dinner, cake and a sleep over. I think everyone had a good time.
Katie is doing well. I asked her on her birthday if she remembered a year ago and what we did on her b-day and she said yep and started to rattle off what we did for her party. Here I was thinking of being in the hospital and getting chemo:( She didn't even remember so I didn't remind her. I hope this is a sign of the way it will be. Hopefully she will slowly forget a lot of what she had to go through.
The weeks are getting even busier with end of the year Brownie party, field trips, graduations etc...
Katie's next scans are scheduled for June 27th. I will update when I can.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

Tuesday, May 9, 2006 7:31 PM CDT

Today, Katie and I went to the clinic for a check up. We prepared her to be ready to give blood but once we got there, we found out she only had to be examined by the doc and we will wait for blood work and the other fun stuff June 27th. Katie will have her next set of scans then. While we were at the clinic, we got to meet Grant Truhler and his dad Dean. Grant is a third grade boy in Hudson who was recently diagnosed. Katie has sent Grant notes on his website and went to his fundraiser but has never been introduced. It's nice to put a face with a name. I will have to admit, It was kind of nice going to the clinic and seeing Linda, Katie's nurse, Dr. Slomiany and of course Sara from child life-who always has a project for Katie.
The rest of the week, we will be getting ready for the big birthday party. Katie is a big crafter so we will be going to JoAnn Fabrics for the first part of her party and then back home for dinner,pinata and a movie.
I will be resting on Saturday and going to a Tea at our church with Emily and Katie.
Thank you for all of your continued thoughts and prayers and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms reading this:)

Saturday, May 6, 2006 10:38 PM CDT

It's late on Saturday night and we just got back from a surprise birthday party for Debbie Roberts-who looks great and starts radiation this week----lots of love Deb:)
Last weekend, Bill and I went to NYC. It was great. We ate a lot, saw lots of fun things, beautiful weather and some well needed together time. Bill was great, he did everything I wanted to do, including lots of shopping and the Today show-which I was on and saw Harry Conick Jr:)
The girls are having our old neighbors stay over night, Kayla and Karly Howard. Bill skipped the party to go to the cabin and get the dock put in. He'll be back tomorrow for the E.P. Rock School Spring Fling and we might get the boat into the river for our first boat ride of the year.
Katie is doing awesome. I wish I could write what she wrote to Debbie for a b-day card. It was amazing for a 7 year old. Vanessa is corret, she has always said Katie is an old soul. Katie continues to amaze me every day.
Her birthday is Friday the 12th. We are having a sleep over, yeah can't wait.
Thanks to my mom and dad who watched the girls last weekend. It was so nice to get away.
I just picked up Katie's treatment plan and realized she was supposed to go in last week for a physical, blood work etc.. no scans. I will call the clinic on Monday. It's strange how the people there are such a big part of your life and then poof one day they are gone...it's strange.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support

Sunday, April 23, 2006 1:22 PM CDT

It's a beautiful, sunny day... The girls are having a lemonade stand with some of the neighbor girls and Bill and I are getting the yeard ready for summer.
We are all a little tired, we had a surprise engagement shower last night for one of my friends Kathy and her fiance Peter. It was very fun and they were truly surprised.
I wanted to let everyone know that I am not doing the 3 day breast cancer walk this year. We have a wedding in Chicago for my friend Paula. However, our entire family will be raising money for the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life event in Hudson. I wrote earlier that Katie was chosen to be one of the co-chairs. The Relay is an 18 hour event, where you have someone from your team walking around a track the whole 18 hours. We are on a team from the girls'school. Katie's teacher from last year, Mrs Bauman and another teacher, who happens to be from Rice Lake, Kate Mullvain, are our team captains. Last year we all had a great time and it's a very fun event. We even got Grandma Ryder to come from Florida to join our team. Katie is raising money for the event. There is a link at the bottom of the page here to her on line donation page. This will also take you there, http://www.acsevents.org/hudson/katieryder.
Katie is doing really well, as are Laney and Charlie. The three of them are our little miracles. Unfortunatly, we have more friends touched by cancer, so we ask you please keep them in your prayers and thoughts, Debbie Roberts and Grant Truhler.
Oh, I almost forgot, Bill and I are getting away to NYC this Thursday-Sunday. Grandma and Papa Pelto are coming to watch the girls for the weekend and Kelly and Melissa Roberts will watch them Thursday night and get them off to school on Friday. I am looking forward to some alone time with Bill. It's been a long time. I hope it's good weather for walking around the city.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Sunday, April 9, 2006 2:22 PM CDT

Everyone at the Ryder house is healthy and doing good. We just have been so busy we have not had time to update the webpage.
I am working pretty much full time now, going downtown MSP 4 days a week and when I get home and do homework, dinner, extra curricular stuff, I have been too tired to update.
The Disney cruise was one of the best trips we ever been on. The cruise was great, the food was better, the staff was wonderful and the weather was perfect. It was VERY relaxing and fun. We highly recommend it to anyone who has thought about it and never gone. Thank you to everyone at Make A Wish who made the trip possible. Another great organization to make a donation, when you are trying to find a place to spend some of your money:) As a matter of fact on May 20th at 9:00 the Filson Fab 5Kfun/run walk will be taking place in Bayport and this year they are donating the proceeds to the Make A Wish foundation. If you remember last year, they donated the proceeds to our family. It's a great family event, petting zoo, food and a nice long sleeve t-shirt. See you all there.
Katie's health is great. Her hair is growing back and she is doing fine. She did ask Bill and me if cancer can come back and then if hers would and we can only say we pray it doesn't.
When we got home from our vacation, we did have to face reality and part of that is our friend Debbie and her cancer. Please vist her site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/debraroberts and include her in your prayers.
We also were told when we got home that there is a 3rd grade boy in Hudson with an inoperable brain tumor. His name is Grant Truhler. His website is www.caringbridge.org/visit/grant. Please add Grant to your prayers.
Today is Palm Sunday and all I could think about in church is the suffering Christ had to go through so we could live so why did he make little Katie go through all of her pain so she could live, what is the purpose? It seems like nonsense and lately I have been quite bitter about the past year. I think I now finally have time to think about what actually happended the past 14 months and am quite mad about it all. Maybe the Spring with all of it's budding and greenery will cheer me up.
Bill and I are trying to find a weekend to get away together. We have not done anything alone for a long time. I just need to find time to plan it.
Katie has been chosen to be one of the co-chairs at the Relay for Life in Hudson. The dates are June 16-17th. I will have to make a speech at the opening ceremonies-unless Katie changes her mind and wants to speak-I doubt it.
Thanks to everyone who continues to read the website and keeps our family in their prayer.

Thursday, March 23, 2006 6:29 AM CST

We are having a wonderful time on Katie's Make-a-Wish cruise. We have been to several islands and the weather has been perfect. Today is a day at sea, then tomorrow we spend the day at Disney's private island. Tomorrow afternoon, Katie (and family) get to go to the bridge to meet the Captain and learn how the ship is navigated. Much food, fun and sun...we will update pictures upon our return.

Thursday, March 16, 2006 7:39 PM CST

Hi All,

We went for Katie's MRI, CT and PET today. We told the clinic we didn't want to know the results until after the Make-a-Wish cruise, but I couldn't wait and asked to doctor to call me. The initial feedback on the PET is that there is no active cancer showing up! Kate has some issues with her nasal passages that hopefully can be cleared-up with an Rx, which we will try to get tomorrow.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Bon Voyage,

-Bill

Tuesday, March 14, 2006 4:53 PM CST

We made it home all safe and sound. We were stuck in Hurly, WI one day longer than we had planned on being away. We went skiing for the weekend and only got 10 miles away from the resort on Monday morning and pulled over and checked in to the Days Inn. By the time we left on Tuesday morning there was already 16 inches with 6 more on the way. We got out and home late Tuesday afternoon. When we left Hudson on Friday afternoon there was no snow on the ground and we came home to about 14 inches. My home town, Rice Lake got 24 inches. Skiing on Sat/Sun was beautiful, sunny and about 40 degrees. We all laughed and joked about the "snow storm" coming. We were all still laughing yesterday:)
Thursday is fast approaching. We need to be at the clinic by 7:00 and has appointment until 2:00. She is choosing to go without sedation and Bill and I are choosing not to know the results until we get back from the cruise on the 25th. If we change our minds we will post the results on the site.
Our friend Debbie has a caringbridge site now. www.caringbridge.org/visit/debraroberts. Please keep her family in your prayers and add her to any prayer lists you may have at your church.
I hope to not write again until we get back from the cruise.

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 9:31 PM CST

I am tired but feel I need to update the page.
You can see from the pictures that the Make A Wish people came on Tuesday night. It was fun. They brought two cakes, pop,balloons and a lot of paperwork. The Hodurs and Jaegers came over to help celebrate. We leave in 9 days.
I am very tired. It's been a very busy and emotional 3 days. We found out today that Debbie's results came back as cancerous. It was very hard to believe-I don't know why- but Monday night after her surgery, which ended up being exploratory, the Dr. felt very positive about there being no cancer, he didn't even find a tumor to remove so he took a biopsy of one of her nerves. It's been frustrating with this Dr. He told Debbie today when she had no family around with her, said he would be back at 5:00 when Debbie's husband was there and then he went home and we didn't even know this until at 7:00 when I went out to the nurses's station and asked where the bleep he was???? All we know is that the nerve was cancerous, he wants Debbie to have a PET because they don't know if this is the primary site and he wants her to have her surgery at Mayo. When I know more, I will update.
While we were at the hospital waitiing for the Dr to not show, we went to visit Laney. She ended up having to go into the hospital with a fever but think she will be going home tomorrow.
Please keep Debbie, Denny, Melissa and Kelly in your prayers.

Monday, March 6, 2006 12:28 AM CST

We need your prayers for a friend. Deb our old neighbor and mother to our two wonderful babysitters is having surgery this afternoon at 4:00. Get this---Deb was diagnosed with Bells Paulsy at the end of December, she started having headaches and blurred vision. She went in and requested a MRI, she has a mass that is behind and below her left ear and wrapped around her corrated gland (sp). They did a biopsy last week but it came out inconclusive. We do know that the mass had fingers, we don't know if it's the original spot. They can remove the mass and do further testing. This is so weird how her situation is similiar to Katie's. Please pray for their family. Deb also lost her father in February so it's been a hard month.
Katie has her tests next Thursday the 16th. I don't know if we will have her results before we leave on the 18th or not. Bill and I are fine not knowing anything before we leave. We have no reason to believe there will be anything but good news.
The girls and I went to the cabin for the weekend. They each brought a friend and had a girls weekend. I was more exhausted and full from their weekend than my own girls' weekend;)
Next weekend we go on a short ski trip to MI with a bunch of families and then off on the cruise, the 18th-25th. Hopefully we will hear from Make a Wish soon. We still do not have any tickets, itinerary, cruise info, etc.. kind of frustrating when trying to plan a trip-oh well.
Say an extra prayer for Debbie today-thank you

Saturday, February 25, 2006 2:12 PM CST

I finally loaded some pictures from Katie's party-Thanks Nan.
Thank you to everyone who helped McKenna get home to Minnesota and to her own doctor.
Thursday night, I went and worked at the St. Jude's Radiothon for K102. I went with Laney's mom, Haley, Charlie's mom, Missy and two of Haley's friends. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. I thought I would be crying and a mess but I was too busy talking to listen to the radio DJs and all the stories. Thanks to everyone who called in and donated to children's cancer research.
Wednesday, I received a call from Katie's nurse, Linda and we are scheduling Katie's set of tests for the week of Spring Break, March 13-17th. I wanted to do the tests after we got home from the cruise but the girls will miss a whole week of school on the cruise so I decided to do the tests the week fo their Spring Break, which is the week before we leave. Both Bill and I did not want to know any results before the cruise, oh well. Katie will have the whole set of scans, MRI, PET, blood work, etc.
Katie is doing well. She will start physical therapy here in Hudson once a week. She is weak and has low endurance. She is excited about the therapy. We did her evaluation and she is excited to go back and play.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006 12:50 AM CST

I just received the following message from Haley, thank you to everyone who helped.


JOSIE,

the flight will be leaving CA at 2 pm and arriving at Children's at 6:40 pm.
Aero Care donated about 1200. of the cost. We will be there to meet Shannon
and McKenna. Channel 11 is covering and will be there upon arrival. I am
going to go get some frames for some ppictures of McKenna for the news crew.!!!!


HEARTS and HUGS!

PRAYERS BETH

Monday, February 20, 2006 12:47 AM CST

I am putting out a copy of an e-mail I received today from Laney's mom, please, if you can't help with a donation, please pray for the Olson family. I will update in a day or two. Thanks--Kendra

Hello everyone-

Through this jouney, we become connected with people that are in similar situations. One of those families is the Olson family- http://www.caringbridge.com/mn/drewolson/ In a nutshell, their little boy, Drew, died of Alper's disease in 2005. Their baby girl has also been recebtkt diagnosed with Alpers (there isn't a cure), so the family headed off to California for a Disney vacation. Toward the end of their trip, the Alpers began in little Mckenna- causing uncontrollable seizures. They are stuck in a children's hospital out there, not able to get home to their doctor, to their home to deal with this disease. Mckenna is in a drug induced coma in order to stop the seizures, so they need a medical transport home, and their insurance will NOT pay for it. Their older son went with relatives, and this poor family just needs to be here, with their family and their doctor, to deal with this terrible disease. I don't know what we would do without our doctors- it would be like starting over, and we are so blessed here with Children's Hospitals of Minnesota. You have all done so much for us, prayed for us and supported us.....

If anyone has any sort of "connection" regarding a medically staffed transport home (an air ambulance), we are asking for your help. Otherwise the family would need to raise money to pay for the transport- Shannon said it's about $18,000, and they could get out of there in 10 hours if they had the money. I know that's a lot, but if 180 people each gave $100, that would take care of it!!

We know it's a lot to ask.... but please, if you can, pray and consider giving the Olsons the gift of family, of comfort, of proper medical care... of God's love. They've been through so much. I can set up a fund at our bank (WESTconsin Credit Union in New Richmond) under the Olson family to send checks. I will also contact Kare11 tonight about possibly running a small story on this.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW- EVERY DOLLAR WILL BRING THEM CLOSER TO HOME, AND EVERY PRAYER WILL BE HEARD. Thank you for showing God's love in a real and tangible way.

Todd and Haley Hennlich

www.caringbridge.com/visit/laneyhennlich

Monday, February 13, 2006 10:37 AM CST

Well, where should I start? I will start by saying Thank You, Thank You to everyone who came to Katie's party on Saturday night. Like I said before the slide show, if I dare start saying individual thank yous to people, I will miss someone and then feel awful. Everyone who was there and who could not be there has done so much for our family for the last year-exactly one year from today-and we appreciate it all.
As soon as I get some pictures, I will post them on the website. Because I was so busy, I did not get to take any pictures, so please if you can, send me any picture you may have taken. You can send them electronically or snail mail, doesn't matter to us.
Today is bittersweet. We are done with the party, which was a symbol of this chapter in our lives ending and that is great but yet at 4:50 I won't be able to forget where I was one year ago at that exact time. My sister Kim and her husband Ron were visiting with Bill and me when Dr. Nelson walked into the room. There was a nurse with him and when she shut the door behind her, I knew it was not going to be good. I remember the time because I was in a daze and could not look at the Dr. when he was speaking. I kept staring out the window or at the clock and I remember having to go into the bathroom where Katie and Emily were doing something and I had to tell her the news and that included her hair falling out. So as difficult as it may be, we will get through the day and move on.
Thank you again to everyone who helped us celebrate Katie's health. We love you all.
Kendra

Wednesday, February 8, 2006 12:08 AM CST

Well 3 more days until the big party. We are all looking forward to seeing so many friends and relatives. I have been very emotional as I do certain things to prepare for the party. I promise to keep it all together on Saturday.
Last week was rocky. Katie had been complaining of a sore throat for about 10 days but when she had her pre-op physical the Dr. said it looked ok, but last Thursday night she woke up in the middle of the night crying with pain and could not talk or swallow any tylenol. We kept her home and took her in for strep. The test came back negative and the dr said her throat and ears looked good. Of course right away my mind wanders and I think the worst. She has not complained about it for a few days.
Then on Monday when she was getting ready for school, I thought her face looked un-even. It appeared to me that her right side was puffy. I was re-assured by her teacher from last year that it wasn't. I know I will think like this for a long time. I hope not too long.
Next Tuesday the 14th of Febraury, the clinic will be having a celebration for Katie. They have one for all the kids when they are done with all of their treatment. Katie has been waiting a long time for this party. Dr. Messenger told her about it back in November and she has been asking about it since then. Bill's mom will be here from Florida so I am happy to do it when she will be here.
See you all on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, January 31, 2006 3:27 PM CST

Well another huge milestone today. Katie had her port removed from her chest. Only 2 weeks shy of a year from when she had it installed. The port is where all of her medicine went through. They also used her port to draw labs and inject dyes for tests. They let Katie keep the port. If you come to her party on the 11th you can see it. It is sterilized:)
I was very nervous for this morning. Katie has been saying for weeks that she didn't want to have this done but when we got to the hospital, she was very pleasant to everyone. Everyone she saw made a big deal about what was happening. I am pretty sure she knew what a big day it was. Katie also had her ear cleaned out today.
After her surgery we ran up quickly to see our friend Laney, in for her second to last chemo and then to the clinic to see Linda and get some courage beads. We will also have her beads at her party. She has received beads for almost everything she has done. After you see all these beads and see what they are for, you really need to stop and think again about everything her little body has been through, it's amazing.
Thanks to everyone who is still keeping up with Katie's sight and praying for her. I think we will have her next set of scans at the end of March. I would like to wait until after our cruise.

Thursday, January 26, 2006 12:44 AM CST

Update on Katie's Courage Party:

February 11, 2006 @ the Holiday Manor Inn in Menomonie, WI.
The dance will be starting at 7:00 and go until 11:00 p.m. We will be serving "snacky" type food during the dance and there will be beer and pop provided with a cash bar.
If you are staying overnight, check in is at 3:00.
The Ryder family will be arriving around noon to swim and have fun:)
Please spread the word, everyone is invited.
If you have not told me you are coming, please e-mail me.
There is a link at the bottom of the page to the hotel.

Thank you,
Kendra

Sunday, January 22, 2006 10:26 AM CST

The girls just got home from a birthday sleepover for Montana Hodur. They are very tired. It was an extra busy week.
You can see from the pictures the girls were in a play at school. The play was Tom Sawyer. They tried out Monday after school, practiced Tues-Thurs nights from 3:45-8:00 and put the play on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Katie was the littlest townie and Emily was a ghoul.
Next Tuesday the 31st, Katie will have her surgery to remove her port and have her ear cleaned out. I am very excited to have that done.
Tomorrow the girls do not have school. Bill will be out of town and I have to work, so Aunt Stacey is taking the girls to the Children's museum to see the Japanese exhibit and then to the Build a Bear shop for an event with the Timberwolves. Katie got ot meet Kevin Garnnet last year. I think this year she will probably talk to him, last year she was recently diagnosed and in her non-talking phase:(
Our friend Charlie Bear is finished with his chemo. He is doing well. Laney only has two more chemos and then she will be done too. Please continue to keep them in your prayers.
We are getting very excited for the party. Please spread the word that everyone is invited. February 11th, 2006 at the Holiday Manor Inn in Menomonie. The dance will begin at 7:00 and go until 11:00. There will be swimming all day and it will just be so fun to see all of our family and friends.
I am heading to the cabin this next weekend with my running friends. It was last year that I went and Bill called to tell me about Katie's headache. I am having the fun event one weekend sooner than last year. It is nearing the time when I think all I will do for the next few weeks is say "remember a year ago". But the year went by quickly and soon Katie will have all her hair and maybe this year will go by just as quickly and next year I won't even think about it:)

Friday, January 13, 2006 5:14 PM CST

We just came from Dr Karlan's office - he's the ear Doctor who has been seeing Katie throught this long process. It appears that her right ear is healing slowly, but surely. Her hearing is still somewhat poor in that ear, but that may improve when the doctor has a chance to thoroughly clean it out. He will do this at the same time when Kate is under anesthesia, getting her port-o-cath removed. All in all, very good news.

Also we heard from Make a Wish and we are going on a Disney Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. We will leave on March 18th and return on the 25th. We are all very excited to visit places none of us have been before, St. Thomas and St. John's.

Please let me know if you are coming to Katie's party on February 11th in Menomonie. Everyone is invited.

Friday, January 13, 2006 4:58 PM CST

We just came from Dr Karlan's office - he's the ear Doctor who has been seeing Katie throught this long process. It appears that her right ear is healing slowly, but surely. Her hearing is still somewhat poor in that ear, but that may improve when the doctor has a chance to thoroughly clean it out. He will do this at the same time when Kate is under anesthesia, getting her port-o-cath removed. All in all, very good news.

Monday, January 2, 2006 10:30 AM CST

It'a an awful day out-raining and blah but as Bill wrote in his prior journal, the sun is shining at the Ryder house.
The kids started school today and so it's just me and Bill at home. We are trying to get the house put back into some order.
I wish I had a picture to post but I don't. Anyway the other day we were at Dicks Sporting Goods and Katie asked to climb the wall. We said sure and wouldn't you know it she made it all the way to the top to ring the bell, 42 feet. She was waiting to climb the easist route but there were a few in front of her so we encouraged her to move over to the next climb and she Did It. Her physcial strength continues to amaze me.
She amazed me again yesterday when we went skiing and she skiied all day. She did complain twice about her ear. It's her ear on the side that she had her radiation on. I am not sure what kind of pain it was. It's hard for her to explain and just as hard for me to try and figure out what to do for it. We need to see the ENT anyway. Her scans showed that her sinuses are filled-this would explain the constant runny nose. The Dr said it looks like one of her sinuses on the side of radiation is too narrow and not allowing drainage down her throat but instead out her nose. The Dr said we could possible have it widened when we have her port out. That way we only have to have her out one time.
We are still having the tummy aches but boy oh boy you should see the fuzz on her head!!! She had a sleep over the other night and when we picked her up I looked under her hat right away-I could not believe it:) Maybe by her party on Feb 11th, she will have a covered head.
Continue to pray for our friends Charlie and Laney. They are both so close to finishing but still need constant prayers. Also add to your prayer list Andrew Mommsen. He's from Rice Lake and was in a terrible accident on the 30th of Dec. Let's show the Mommsen family the Power of Prayer.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005 5:18 PM CST

Cloudy as it may be outside, the sun is shining on the Ryder house! All of Katie's scans came out clean!!! We hope to have her Port-o-cath removed in a few weeks. After that we will schedule scans and exams for every two to three months.

We are thankful for all of your prayers and support.

-Bill

Wednesday, December 28, 2005 5:11 PM CST

Hi All,

Good News from the Radiologist today!! All of Katie's scans came out clean - no sign of active cancer. We hope to have her port-o-cath removed in a few weeks. After that, we will start seeing the doctors every two to three months for scans and exams.

We are grateful for your continued prayers and support.

-Bill

Wednesday, December 28, 2005 9:47 AM CST

Yesterday, Katie did such a great job. She did all of her tests without being sedated. She laid still for over 3 hours. All of the techs could not believe it. The only bad part was we didn't let her eat or drink incase she would have to be sedated. Whenever Katie has to be sedated, Bill and I agree to not eat or drink either until she can. So by 12:30, we were all STARVING so we went to Q-Cumbers in Edina for lunch. Thanks to Aunt Nanny for helping with Emily.
We are scheduled to meet with the Dr. on Thursday at 11:15 to go over the results. I am not holding my breath about the meeting. Last time it took about a week for us to get the results. So as soon as we have some results I will update the website.
Christmas was very nice. We went to Rice Lake and played games, ate and hung out. It was a really good time. The girls got their sewing machine, so now we have to learn how to sew.

Friday, December 23, 2005 11:38 AM CST

Yesterday, Katie had a bone scan and an X-Ray for her tummy. The Dr. called us last night and said the bone scan came out clean and her tummy is full of poop. So that was some great news. Now we have the big set of tests on Tuesday and an appointment scheduled Thursday to go over the results.
Thank you to Barb Moksness for helping out with Emily. Emily got to go to the Moksnesses and sled and play outside all day long.
Today was Christine's funeral. The hardest part of this whole thing is that I am so far away and have so many questions. Unfortunatly, her parents do not speak any English and my German is not so good any more. Her boyfriend did tell me that they are burying her Urn at a later date so maybe I will be able to make the trip then. I can't imagine going back to Switzerland or anywhere in Europe and not being with her. I have included a link to her Obituary, it's in German but you can see from the picture what a lovely person she was. There is also a spot on the bottom of the page you can click and send a message to her family. I am trying to figure that out myself. http://www.kondolieren.ch
Thank you for all of your kind notes and cards

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 7:48 PM CST

I am not quite sure what to write accept that I lost one of my sisters today. Christine was a foreign exchange student from Switzerland who lived with my family for a year in 1981-1982. I lived with her for 6 months in 1989, Bill and I visited her in 1994 again in 2000 and the most recent trip was in 2002 with Debbie, Melissa and Kelly Roberts.
For many of you who know me, I have always felt like I belong to live in Switzerland. If Bill and I had a job opportunity we definelty would move there.
Christine was just like the country Switzerland, pure, beautiful, friendly, so natural, laid back and so giving.
She left behind two sons, Thomas (13) and Pasqual (11), a loving friend Karl and a wonderful family.
Christine was a breast cancer survivor but right around the time Katie was diagnosed, she was too with cancer in the liver and the bone.
I am in so much pain tonight, mostly because it pained me not to be able to go and visit her the last 10 months and because I am so far away now to make a funeral to say good-bye. Most of all, I am sad that my parents, who thought of her as their daughter, never made it to Switzerland while she was alive. And she was the best hostess.
She wrote me in July promising that if she got too sick she would call me, from the note attached from Karl, it looks like she would not have been able to call me.
I got home today and saw the headline of the note: Bad news from Christine and I thought it was going to say something bad about her treatment, never did I imagine what it did say.
My sister Kim said I should feel ok because she is in a better place, this World was a better place with her here. So right now I am really mad at God and can't quite understand why the bad people can't be taken off of this earth and the good ones left.

Dear Kendra

It is very difficult and painful for me that I have to write you, that Christine died three days ago. She is not with us anymore and we terribly miss her.

Three weeks ago Christine had very strong head aches. It was with anxiety that we therefore went to the hospital for a specialiced x-ray examination. The results were frightening because it turned out that Christines cancer had spread to the brain. Soon thereafter, it became more difficult for Christine to speak and to remember things, and she had racking pain. We therefore went another time to the hospital and this time she had to stay there for an irradition treatement. In the following days, she more and more lost consciousness until she finally died in the night from monday 19th to thuesday 20th.

It is still hard to believe and to accept that she will never be around as she was before. We love her very, very much and in our memory she will always stay with us.

Karl

PS: I hope very much that Katie's tests come out well, that she will grow up happily and enjoy live!

This was my last note to her on Monday, wondering why she was not replying to me.

Christine, how are you? I hope doing well. You may have already seen this but I thought I would share it with you.

I sent you a note last week or two and have not heard from you, are you ok? Please give me an update. I think of you all the time and I wish I could come and visit. Maybe after Katie's tests and everything comes out ok.

Merry Christmas,

Love

Kendra

Tuesday, December 20, 2005 10:43 AM CST

Friday was as emotional as I thought it would be. The school did such a wonderful job. Thank you to the entire E.P. Rock community but especially to Mrs. Baumann, Mrs Olson and Mrs Hambourg. The Hero day would not have happened without the 3 of them. During the assembly different kids got up on stage and read what a Hero meant to them. The second to last to read was Emily, the following is what she read: Katie's a very good sister. I love her very much. She has done a lot of painful things but now she made it through all of her cancer. Thank you Katie for all you do for me, thank you. As you can imagine, I did the "ugly cry". I hope Emily knows she is just as much a Hero as Katie. She has been such a great big sister and has had to go without her mom a lot this past year. I will have everything from Hero day on display at Katie's party in February. There are lots of really neat books, posters and writings from kids of all ages. They also played a powerpoint on Heros, there was not one athlete, movie star or singer. It was all people from school, volunteers, women in American History and the last two pictures were Emily and Katie. It was wonderful.
Friday night Brad and Chris Genereaux came over to present us a check from Thrivent. Brad is a representative for Thrivent and Thrivent matched 50 cents to every dollar from Katie's Courage walk. Thank you Brad and Thrivent.
Saturday we had breakfast with Mr adn Mrs Claus at Dicks bar and restaraunt, see pictures. Mr and Mrs Claus are our old neighbors Rob and Diane Bozworth, the girls had lots of fun. We then headed to Minneapolis to stay overnight at the hotel and see the Holidazzle parade. On the way we stopped by Childrens to see Charlie Bear. He was asleep but we got to visit with Missy and Brandon. Our little Charlie has only one hospital chemo left-hooray. We had fun overnight downtown. The vikings were all staying on our floor and one actually had an adjoining room to ours-the girls thought this was very exciting. By the outcome of the game, we must have kept them up:) ha ha couldn't resist.
Sunday we hung out and ended our day at a party with the Johnson family.
I received a note yesterday from a mom who has a son who is cancer survivor. Jenny is the owner of www.pillowishes.com, a great gift for anyone. I am going to share with you what she wrote to me. I felt she hit it on the head on how I am feeling and what has happened to me since the chemo has ended. Jenny wrote the following:
I remember when Reid was done I wanted to slug all the people who came up to me and said “How exciting, your done!” I would smile politely and think are you @##! Nuts, we are just beginning. I remember feeling very safe while we were doing chemo, I know a lot can go wrong, but at least we were fighting the cancer. It was really scary to go into the waiting period for the next six years. Like I said, I had a really hard time after Reid was done, probably for about six months, then it did get better for me. I hope you can the peace you need to not worry and keep going. When your in the middle of it you just go and go and go without any thought, but when it’s over you mentally collapse, that’s what happened to me. I look back now and can’t believe the miles on the road and all the nights in hospitals it’s really amazing.
Jenny, I hope you don't mind I shared this but I want everyone to understand me when I write crabby notes or don't seem to be my cheery self. I never thought it would be this way at the end, but she's right it's the beginning and I did exactly what Jenny did. I went through all the appointments and did what I had to do for Katie and now I have some time to sit back and look at what happened to us and I am realizing WOW that sucked. By the way, I don't want to slug anyone. I like Jenny, appreciate everyone's support of our children but want everyone to understand it isn't just over like that.
Today is Katie's Christmas party at school and tomorrow is there last day before break. Thursday we have her bone scan and now they have added another test in for her tummy. She is still having tummy aches and we can't figure them out. She did tell me the other night in bed that she has had one each day but didn't want to tell me because she doesn't want to go to the hospital again:( arghhhh.
Please spread the word about Katie's party in February. I booked another 10 rooms and now there are 9 left under our name. There is a link at the end of this page to the hotel in Menomonie for reservations.
I am asking for your prayers for yet another friend with a brain tumor. I am not sure if it's cancereous yet or not. It's my friend Kelly's father in law. I am starting to wonder if God has a plan with me and Cancer.
Oh and yes it is snowing again.......

Friday, December 16, 2005 12:03 AM CST

Happy Birthday Bill!!!!!
Besides it being Bill's birthday, it's a big day. It is Hero day at the girl's school in honor of Katie. There will be a program at 2:45 that I am very nervous for because I don't want to do the "ugly cry". It was so fun walking into school this morning. We were greeted by the principal saying "there's our hero" and then looking around at all the kids and the fun hats that they wore to school and everyone wearing their Katie's Courage bracelet. It was very humbling and making me nervous to see what they have in store for this afternoon:) I will let you all know what goes down. If you are reading this and in the area, please come to school at 2:45 to celebrate, it's in the gym.
We did hear from make a wish. Katie is #10 in line to meet Hillary Duff. Hillary Duff does not do individual meetings or autographs. What would happen is we would wait until Hillary is going to be in the area and be able to go to a concert and meet her before hand. We could take pictures, no autographs and then we could get front row seats. They don't know when Hillary will be on tour so it could be next Spring, Summer maybe even Fall. I told Katie this and she has changed her mind. I kind of thought she would. She REALLY wanted to be in a movie. She read a make a wish quarterly magazine that showed a girl who was in the movie The Island but the woman at make a wish didn't sound to hopeful about that so she has moved onto a trip to Disney with a Disney Cruise, which really surprised me. We visit Bill's mom in Florida and the girls have never really been big Disney fans. Anyway, I called the make a a wigh people to tell them her new wish but I have not heard anything.
I just went to the door for a delivery-a beautiful bouquet of red roses for Katie from the Wolfgram family. Linda Wolfgram works with Bill and has been wonderful to our family. If you remember we went to her daughter's play In Woodbury-the Sound of Music. Linda is also a bigh John Denever fan and gave Katie one of her own personal books from John Denver-County Roads. It's interesting, when I was little I used to make everyone sit down and listen to me sing Country Roads and now it has become one of Katie's favorite songs too.
Well you can tell I am having a much better day today than the other day. Thank you for all of your uplifting notes and prayers. Melissa Gess is right-I can't sit here and wonder why or worry. I need to enjoy my children every minute of the day and thank God for everything I DO have.
It's still snowing-Enjoy!!!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2005 2:27 PM CST

Cancer SUCKS-I thought I would let you all know that, incase you didn't know it already. I have had an awful last two days, everywhere I turn there is cancer and someone is leaving their kids or kids leaving their parents, why does God allow this? Please if you know, e-mail me and let me know. Is it Satan at work?
I am apologizing ahead of time for our Christmas card. The resolution on the picture is not so clear but I felt rushed and that I HAD to get one out so I ignored the message on the Kodak website that said poor resolution and ordered it anyway. Also, I did not send a letter, what was I going to write? Gee we had a great year-filled with trips to the clinic, hospital, ear doctor, etc....
More people with cancer to keep in your prayers. Jill and Helen. Both are women in Hudson.
Katie informed me yesterday on the way home from school that her eye is always blurry and when you call the eye dr, hmmm we can get you in 3 months from now:( We went to the dentist today and of course I didn't think she still needed to be premedicated and she did. Luckily the dentist had some amoixicillan on hand-two pills the size of a Tylenol and Katie swallowed them both. The eye and the trip to the dentist are just gentle reminders to me that we are not done.
Friday, school is having a Hero day in honor of Katie. I need to look at those type of things and remember all the wonderful people who have been so kind to us the past year and not dwell on the bad things that are currently happening to us and others we know.

Saturday, December 10, 2005 11:24 AM CST

Tuesday night I saw the most wonderful site, I came to bed and Katie was asleep sucking her thumb. Now, I am sure there are a few of you out there who are wondering why it would be so great for a second grader to suck their thumb? Well I will tell you. Katie sucked her thumb up until she had an IV in her for 6 days, this was when she was first diagnosed. She could not get at her thumb with the IV. After the IV was taken out and her port installed she just quit sucking her thumb. There were so many times during her treatment when she was upset and I would try to get her to suck her thumb to help soothe her and she never would. It was so comforting to see her doing it on Tuesday night, I felt like my baby was back. For those of you concerned and thinking I am wacky, she has not sucked it since Tuesdya night:(
Wednesday we went and saw the ENT, he said her ear looks one thousand times better than the last time he saw her. He wants to schedule a hearing test, of course Katie says NO.
I can see now that we are done going to the clinic on a weekly basis she is going to be tough to get back into the clinic for any tests. She has already told me she is leaving her port in and not going in for her bone scan on the 22nd or her tests on the 29th.
Friday night we went to the University of MN for a dance-a-thon. Our niece Meghan, is a sophomore and was involved in organizing a fund raiser for Gillett Children's Hospital. We were very tired after our St. Nick party at church but we went and I am really glad, the girls had a blast with all of the college age girls. They got right out on the floor and started dancing.
Tonight, Bill and I are hosting a Holiday Dinner for our gourmet group.
Please remember little Charlie in your prayers. His counts are low so his chemo is being delayed. Strange to believe, but as a parent you want to get into the hospital and get those treatments done and on time.
Make a Wish called on Friday afternoon just to say that everything has been signed and ready to go on our end but the people in California who work with the stars are on vacation for the rest of the year. I guess we know which wish they are working on getting approved, but I have not told Katie that information. So the wish grantor said we will not hear until the first of the year.
This coming Friday at school, they are having a Hero day in honor of Katie. They are having a sock hop at the end of the day. Mrs. Bauman, Mrs Olson and Mrs Hambourg are all planning it. We are so lucky to be a part of E.P. Rock.
Enjoy the beautiful snow that is falling.

Tuesday, December 6, 2005 3:04 PM CST

You can see from the new photos, we were involved in a fashion show on Sunday. I modeled for Elan and the girls modeled for Ally Jax. It was fun. It was my birthday and I got to have my hair and make-up done and be at my favorite place in town, the Nova. My family and friends were there, it was a wonderful day.
Katie has been feeling really well. She was super excited to spend a few days with her Aunt Stacey. Emily and Katie even slept downstairs with Aunt Stacey for 2 whole nights. I forgot I have a King size bed.
We go to the ENT tomorrow morning. I hope the ear looks good. She was outside on Sunday and came in crying that it hurt her. I am sure it's going to be very sensitive to the cold for awhile or forever, we'll just have to wait and see what will be long term effects and what will not.
We still have not heard from Make A Wish. Maybe this week.
If you are looking for a charity to give to this Holiday Season, please consider Caringbridge. I can't imagine what we would have done without this wonderful communication tool. It's very easy to donate.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support and prayers.

Thursday, December 1, 2005 8:40 AM CST

It's been 1 week since we left the hospital and all is good. It was a very busy week last week. We had a little impromptu party at our house Wednesday night to celebrate the end of chemo and to kick off the Holiday season. Katie enjoyed herself and I could tell she understood what we were celebrating.
Thanksgiving day was very quite and relaxing. After looking at all the ads in the paper with no thoughts of ever going shopping the next day, watching the Macy's parade and then Miracle on 34th street, we enjoyed our Turduckhen, yes a duck stuffed into a chicken then stuffed into a turkey. Bill saw this on the food channel last year and ordered a creole seasoned turduckhen for our Thanksgiving. It was very tasty.
Friday we went and cut down our tree, put it up and decorated it in the evening. It's been 1 year today we have been in our house:) The rest of the weekend was filled with going to the movies and hanging out with friends.
Katie did miss school on Monday. We were all dressed and at school but her tummy hurt her too much. She came home and slept most of the day.
Tuesday she had her last clinic visit for counts, they were good. It was weird to just walk out of there for one of the last times. There are a lot of lasts the past two weeks. Tomorrow night will be her last shot, I can't wait. She doesn't understand that I hate giving them as much as she hates getting them.
She is scheduled for a bone scan on the 22nd, her first day of Christmas break. It's about a 4 hour procedure. She had one of these at the very beginning. Then she will have another set of scans on the 27th and results on the 29th this will include a PET scan, MRI and CT. She probably will not get her port taken out until some time in January.
We still have not heard from the Make A Wish group. I do know that the request went to our dr to sign and that is one of the last steps so hopefully we will hear soon.
Please say a prayer for our friends, Laney and Charlie. Charlie has been sick and in and out of the hospital with fevers/infections. And for Laney who was hopefully admitted today but has been delayed because her counts were too low. It's very strange, I have been reading both of their websites daily and of all people I can't find the right words to put in their guestbooks. We were so lucky with Katie never getting fevers and extra hospitalizations, she only got behind one week and even though her treatment was 43 weeks long, I feel guilty that we are done and they are not.
Please pass the word about the party on February 11, 2006 in Menomonie at the Best Western. EVERYONE is invited, just e-mail and let me know you are coming. There is a link at the bottom of the page to the hotel for room reservations.
Thank you to everyone for your Thanksgiving and Holiday notes. It is going to be a wonderful Christmas:)

Wednesday, November 23, 2005 10:04 AM CST

Since many of you are probably wondering, I thought it would be good to share an update regarding Kate's status.

Yesterday, she had what is supposed to be her final chemotherapy treatment. She has endured 9 months of treatment including: 28 days of radiation, 25 nights in the hospital, nearly 200 shots/pokes/IV's and well over 50 visits to various specialty clinics. She lost her hair, her energy, 30% of her body weight and even her pride, but she never lost her will to fight.

Based on her most recent PET, CT and MRI scans, her oncologist is optimistic that the cancer has been defeated. The mass (which was originally the malignant tumor) is still in her head, but it's size has been reduced. Due to the proximity of the mass to her brain, removal is still not an option. Since the tumor has receded inward toward her brain, even attempting a biopsy would prove to be so risky that the physicians are unwilling to attempt it. This means that we will move forward with the assumption that the mass is nothing more than dead tissue - it will remain in her head for the rest of her life.

The PET scan offers incredible technologyin that it has the ability to highlight active cancer cells in the body. The plan now is for Katie to have a PET scan in a few weeks. If the scan comes back clean, they will perform an operation and remove the "port" that they had installed in her chest, which was used for most of her chemo treatments and blood draws. After that, she will have scans every 3 months, gradually extending them to semi-annually, and finally to no scans at all. This is a 5-7 year process.

Frankly, the uncertainty will always haunt us. And those quarterly scans are going to be stressful. But for now, we are looking forward to some sense of normalcy setting in, as we spend more time with each other than with health care professionals. We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.

Monday, November 21, 2005 1:17 PM CST

Wow, tomorrow is the big day. I can't believe it. I am way more excited than I thought I would be. I think I am because Katie is too and the Holiday season is helping me get in the celebration mood.
You can see from the pictures, we had another eventful weekend. The girls and I scapbooked on Friday night and on Saturday we went to Chicken Little with the Saltzmans. We had friends over for dinner and then Sunday we had the girls First Communion and then we rang the bells for the Salvation Army. We rang the bells outside of Elan. You can see in the one picture that Katie did some window modeling.
Please pray for Katie to have an ok stay at the hospital. The last few times she has gotten sicker and sicker. I am glad this is the last time. She got so sick last time that I was afraid she wouldn't go again but since this is the last, I know she will go.
It sounds like from our nurse that Katie will have another set of scans 3-4 weeks from now and then a minor surgery after that to take her port out. I am hoping we can do all of that before the New Year so we can start school and not have to miss so much the second half.
We have not heard from the Make a Wish group. They said it would be about 6 weeks and that's how long it has been. So hopefully some time soon we will hear on that.
I did call the hotel and book another 10 rooms. The first 20 and more are gone. Thank goodness I called, she didn't have a room for us--Hmmmm???? She did say she could make a poolside available for us though. So whoever is not having a poolside anymore-sorry--just kidding. I did get the last 10 rooms so if you know you want to stay overnight make sure to call. Even if you are not staying overnight, please let me know if you are coming. And please let everyone know they're invited. This party is for everyone...
Next time I write we will be chemo free, if I don't write before Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving everyone. The Ryders have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Friday, November 18, 2005 12:54 AM CST

You can see we have a new theme on the front page. Katie asked me to update the page and let everyone know she chose the balloon theme in celebration of her ending her chemo this upcoming week. I know she is excited, she even wrote her little friend Charlie a note telling him she was going to be ending soon.
I am a little nervous about her. She has been complaining about a stomch ache for the past week. I am trying to pin down what it being caused from so I can medicate her but we have not figured it out. Of course then my mind wanders where it should not. Rhabdo is ver common in the stomach so I can't help but think that is the pain she is having. I know I shouldn't but I am sure this will be very common for me to do in the next few months. Who knows, maybe I will never get over the "waiting for the next shoe to drop". I must remain positive.
On a positive note, I did find a DJ at a reasonable price for her celebration party in Feburary. He has a whole light show and is doing the DJing for practically nothing. I need to call the hotel because I understand all the rooms I blocked have been booked, so if you have not called and made your reservation, you might want to soon. There is a link at the bottom of this page to the hotel.
The girls and I are going scrapbooking tonight. Heather Jones has been working on a scrap book for Katie and we are going to get together tonight to continue working on it.
Saturday we are having our friends Sue & Sam Vantassel and Brian Pomeroy over for dinner. I am getting into the entertaining, holiday mood. I think I am so excited for Katie to be done, I will feel like celebrating all the way through the end of the year:)
Sunday the girls have their First Communion and then we are going to ring the Salvation Army bell outside of Elan for a hour.
Then Monday will be here and before you know it we will be celebrating the end of chemo and Thanksgiving.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Sunday, November 13, 2005 6:00 PM CST

I am back from Chicago and everyone is still in one piece. Of course the trip had to start with some excitement. Thursday morning I took Katie in for her counts to be checked and sure enough they were low and she ended up having to get a blood transfusion. This process takes about 6 hours. First they take her blood for counts. Then they wait about 45 minutes to get the results. Then once they get her counts and realize she needs a transfusion, they have to take another sample to send down to the blood bank for a cross and match. Then it takes about 1 hour to get her blood all ready and then 3 hours for the transfusion. Thank goodness I was all packed and 90eady to go. We got home at 3:00 and I left at 4:00. Katie of course was very unhappy. It's a long and boring process plus she had to miss school all day. Aunt Nanny came and brought her lunch and stayed for a couple hours so that helped the time go by more quickly. Now we have to go back tomorrow morning so they can check her counts again. I remind myself that it will soon be over.
I was telling Bill that we can say next week she will be done with her chemo. We go in on Tuesday and home on Wednesday and we are done-well with the chemo part. We will still have to go in for counts, hopefully no more transfusions but you never know.
Bill was able to give Katie her shots while I was gone. It went well. She really never even made a fuss.
I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving. We always go and get our tree on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We might even have some snow by then:)

Tuesday, November 8, 2005 11:57 AM CST

It's been a busy few days. After I was done updating the website on Sunday morning, we went to church, then to Woodbury to meet Grandma Pelto and then to New Richmond to go to Laney's benefit. It was Unbelieveable. The whole benefit was Disney Princess theme. All of the princess and princes were there. The back of the room was decorated like a castle with games for the kids and then the raffles. You can see what Katie won with her raffle tickets. She put both of her raffle tickets in the jar for the car and then she won. It was so exciting. After the benefit we ran home ate and then went to the healing service at church and then home around 9:00 p.m., a very busy, emotional day.
Monday after Brownies, Father John came over and met with the girls regarding their First Communion. They are both going to make it on the 20th of Nov. I was able to take a picture of Father John and Katie with the painting he did of her. He started it in February and finished in August. I gave him a picture of her before her hair fell out. She was resting in my bed with her new fleece blanket from Grandma and her Lavender bear.
Tonight we have Emily's 3rd grade concert. Bill is in Texas so I have to video-tape it for him. We also have Wendy's night for school.
A reminder that everyone is invited to Katie's big celebration on February 11th, 2006. There is a link to the hotel on the bottom of this page. We are probably going to start the reception or gathering around 7:00 and the dance around 8:00. Please let people know that everyone is invited and just send me an e-mail with the number of people who willl be there. That way we can plan for food/drinks.
Two more weeks from today, if we stay on course, we will be going in for her last chemo.
Pray Katie stays healthy and on course.

Saturday, November 5, 2005 12:46 AM CST

The week went by so quickly.
It's another dreary day and Katie and I just got done organizing her bedroom. She loves to play school and wanted to set her room up so she can play school in there with her friends. Now she is resting. She does not feel good. She got pretty sick this past overnight stay. But only ONE left. I can't belive it. If we stay on track with counts and everything, we will go in on the Tues and Wed before Thanksgiving. That way she will not miss any school and she will have four days to recover before going back to school. I think she will have a minor surgery in Dec to take her port out and another set of scans. She wants everything to be done by the first of the year or at least before she goes back to school in January.
On Halloween night there was a costume contest and parade in Hudson. Katie took first place in her age division with her two faced girl costume. She won $25.00 and gave her sister $5.00 of it. She even made it into the paper.
Thursday and Friday morning we spent in the hospital. Katie's teacher from last year, Mrs Baumann, came to visit her and brought two really fun crafts for Thanksgiving, both involving food. Thanks Bridget for taking time off of school and coming to visit. After her teacher left, Katie pretty much slept and was sick. It was a quick and quite visit. We did meet Laney Hennlich. Laney is 3 1/2 and lives in New Richmond. Laney has a rare form of cancer, only about 20 kids in the US get it a year, it's called clear cell sarcoma of the kidney. We have been reading her website but finally met her. There is a benefit for Laney this Sunday in New Richmond from 1-5 at Suzzanas restaraunt. Here is Laney's website address www.caringbridge.org/visit/laneyhennlich. It amazes me and makes me wonder what is in the air/water. I know five children just in Hudson and New Richmond who have had tumors, four of them cancerous. and I know there are 3-4 kids in Stillwater with cancer. Please pray for all of these kids.
Friday night, we were treated to a really special evening. Marjorie Wynn and Linda Wolfgram, both work with Bill. They live in Woodbury and both of their daughters were in the Sound of Music play at the High School. We went for dinner at the Wolfgram's, then we got a tour of backstage, the girls were given t-shirts signed by the entire cast and posters from the play. It was very special and the girls really enjoyed themselves. Unfortunatly, Katie was exhausted from the overnight so we had to leave before the play was over. I am going to watch the movie with the girls tonight or tomorrow night so they can see the entire show. Thanks you to the Wolfgrams and the Wynns. We all had a great time.
This week Katie only has to go in for counts on Thursday morning. Her hemoglobin has been pretty low and near the transfusion line so they want to monitor her closely with that.
This Thursday night, I am scheduled to go to Chicago with a bunch of my running friends for a long weekend. The idea was to go and run each morning through Chicago and then have fun all day and night. Since I broke my toe last weekend, I am not sure how much running I will do but I am definetly up for the fun part. While I am gone, Bill will have to give Katie her shots, this should be interesting. We have not told this to Katie yet. No sense in her worrying about it for a five days.
Bill is off at the cabin working on the kitchen. Emily is at a birthday party and Katie is sleeping. I am going to do laundry.
There is a healing service at our church Sunday night, St. Paul's in Hudson. It starts at 7:00. There will be people from all of the churches in town. It is not only for the sick but for the hurting as well as the lonely. Please feel free to come.
Thank you for your continued prayers.

Sunday, October 30, 2005 10:58 AM CST

It's a dreary day outside today but we are planning on staying inside and carving pumpkins.
Katie saw the ENT on Friday and she was able to remove a big chunk of gunk out of her ear. Once he did that he said he could see into her ear and it's the best it has looked since he met her-back in February. He then said we don't have to come back to see him for a month. We had been going 1-2 a week. That was some of the best news Katie has gotten in awhile. For some reason, she really dis-likes the ENT doc. The Dr. and I also discussed Katie's latest scans and the question of doing another biopsy on her tumor. He told me he would not do another biopsy. He explained that her tumor has shrunk considerably and the likelihood of him being able to reach it for a piece to test would only further damage her ear canal and possibly cause permanent hearing loss. So, there is our answer to on whether or not we will have that done. He did tell me he could see some little hairs starting to grow in her ear but only time will tell if her ear will ever clean itself again or if we will continue to see him for a very long time:)
Katie also has some eyelashes and some hair on her head is starting to grow back. She is very excited that it is blonde.
I have gotten lots of notes about Katie's party in February and I think there might be 1-2 poolside rooms left. Please make sure to let us know if you will be coming. WE will want to have enough food and beverages for everyone.
Thanks for all of your support.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 12:17 AM CDT

Another day to Celebrate. Today was Katie's last day of weekly chemo. She has two more overnight chemos, one next week and then the last 3-4 weeks later. She understands what today meant and had a smile on her face when I dropped her off at school.
Speaking of Celebrations. Save the Date: February 11th, 2006 you are invited to Katie's Courage Celebration. February 11th, 2005 was the day we went to the ER with her and then admitted. We have been thinking of a way to turn that day into a happy day and have come up with a party idea.
We will be having a party/dance at the Holiday Manor Inn in Menomonie, Wisconsin. We chose this spot for a couple reasons. It is the middle point between Rice Lake and Hudson and my dad's cousin, Steve Vande Burg owns it and is being very gracious and giving us some great rates for the confernce center, beverages and rooms. We will have more details later but wanted you to save the date. Everyone who has read Katie's website, sent us a card, prayed for us etc.. is invited. If you would like to stay overnight we have a block of rooms reserved and they are $88.00 a night, that includes taxes & fees. I put a link at the bottom of the page to call for a reservation or check out the hotel. There is also a hockey tournament in town that weekend so if you think you would like to come and swim during the day and stay for the night you should call as soon as possible. If you will be coming for the evening only, I believe our plans will be to have the reception/dance start at 7:00 and go until around 11:00. Again, we will have all the details later on. If you KNOW for sure you are going, please e-mail me with a number so we can plan for food & beverages.
The pictures on the website are from Katie's walk this past weekend. Another HUGE thank you to the Hudson Running Club for all of their hard work and effort. Thank you to everyone who came out and walked or ran.
The end is near!!!!

Sunday, October 23, 2005 10:33 AM CDT

We had great weather yesterday for the Katie's Courage run. The turnout was amazing. We are extremely grateful for the support of our family, friends and community. Thank you especially to the Hudson Running Club for all their efforts in planning and executing such a great event!!!

Last Friday we spent 1 1/2 hours with Dr. Moertel (lead physician in the Oncology department). He is happy with where Katie is at, at this point. He mentioned that he "hates" Rhabdomyosarcoma, because it is often located in a part of the body that you can not just "go and get it." Where he was heading with this statement, was that we need to make some decisions in the near future about what to do next. As we mentioned in a previous journal entry, the MRI, CT and PET scans from just over a week ago show no cancer in Katie's body. They tell us that the tests are quite reliable, but nothing comes with 100ertainty. There is still (and will always be) a mass in her head. We are all assuming it is nothing more than a "dead" mass. At this point we will continue with her Chemo threatments as planned, and she will be done with that in December.

After treatment is done, we can simply have Kate get regular scans every three months and keep an eye on the mass. If it doesn't start to grow, that means all the cancer cells were eliminated. We can also have the ENT try to get another sample of the mass for a biopsy. This is the ideal option, yet we are not sure they can even get a sample without a major surgery. If they are able to get a sample by going through her ear, it would be from the part of the tumor that is closest to the outside of her head. They would not be able to get a sample of the part of the tumor that is next to her brain. The thought is, if the sample closest to the outside of her head proves to be negative, we would assume that the part near her brain is negative too. Dr. Moertel said he would just monitor things trough regular scans. Kendra and I think we want to take the extra step and try to get a biopsy anyhow...we need to talk to Kate about this though.

An strange thing is happening to us right now. We are worried about treatment ending. The moment we have all been waiting for is near and we don't want it to end! There is a feeling of security that one gets by being surrounded by all the doctors and nurses...now they are planning on just sending us home to "fend for ourselves." We are told that these feelings are likely to show up with Katie too. In December/January they are going to take the port-o-cath out of her chest. They said that the kids tend to get somewhat emotionally attached to the port because they see it as the tool that is making them better. Take it away, and you are taking away their "medicine." They told us these feelings are natural and that they will subside with time.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005 2:34 PM CDT

Katie and I went to the clinic today for Chemo. She did really well and was in good spirits. The Child Life Specialists are so awesome there. They keep her busy with lots of crafts.
While Katie was doing her crafts, I was able to talk to her doctor a little bit about her scans. Believe it or not, he said he went to the computer today to look at them and there was nothing there. So since last Thursday morning until now, Wednesday, they STIll have NOTHING in the computer.... We did however get an appointment scheduled for Friday to review her results. If they are not downloaded by then, Heaven help the first person I come in contact with:)
What the doctor did tell me was that the PET scan came out clean. A PET scan will show any active cancer sugars. So it's great that nothing showed up. The frustrating thing is that inside her petrus bone, it is still eroded and it may take years to heal. The Dr. also indicated that in order to say she is cancer free they would have to do a biopsy on that bone, which means operating and he strongly opposses that. He says she is "disease free". I am a little confused on what the difference is so maybe we will get that cleared up on Friday.
Katie is back at school and going for ice cream with Debbie and Amanda Johnson after school. Then I will pick them up for religion and then we are going out to help Mike R, Warren, Amy, Heidi, Karin and Kelli with the medals and race preparation. The more I hear about it, the more excited I am getting. The weather does not look so good, but who knows, it's 3 days away and the running club has been working so hard on everything. I know it will be fine.
Thank you for your support.

Monday, October 17, 2005 10:16 AM CDT

I wanted to update the journal with a little bit about last week's happenings.
The Make A Wish people came to our house on Wednesday night. We had to fill out some paperwork and they needed to meet Katie. Katie had to give them her top three wishes. The woman in charge said we should know in about 6-8 weeks which one of Katie's wishes will be granted. She indicated that they would be back before Christmas with the news and it will be a celebration. We are all for a celebration.
We still do not have a meeting set up with the doctors to go over Katie's scans. I am a little peeved right now. I called this morning to schedule something and it sounds like there will be no time this week. I don't understand how some of these things work. I know people are busy but this is what we have been waiting for the past 7 months. It was hard enough to go through the weekend
but I kept thinking we would be meeting with the doctors sometime Monday or Tuesday. Don't get me wrong I am thrilled with the preliminary news but I want to sit down with the doctor and look at the scans and also compare them to her last ones and ask "Is Katie cancer free"? I want to know if I can be calling her my cancer free girl!! I was doing that over the weekend she she would smile, she definetly knows our news is good.
As soon as I know something I will let you all know. Thanks for your thoughts, notes and prayers.

Friday, October 14, 2005 1:58 PM CDT

Yesterday Katie had three tests done: An MRI, CT scan and PET scan. Katie was under anesthesia for 3.5 hours in order to make sure she remained perfectly still during the procedures.

The PET is the most recent improvement in technology and it is just now something that they have started using on children.

We did not get to meet with the radiologist yet, but we did meet with a representative from the oncology clinic, who interpreted the radiologist's report for us. These results come from a pretty complicated process, in which computer modeling is used to fuse the CT to the PET and they are then viewed as one. The PET looks for areas in the body where injected dye collects and is able to identify cancerous vs. non-cancersou cells. The dye collected at the site of her tumor, illustrating that the mass is still there. However, the PET shows no active cancer cells present!! Basically they think the tumor is "dead" and that Katie's body is slowly working to break the mass down. Nothing is 100% guaranteed with these tests, but this is probably the best news we could have asked for!

Thank you for your continued prayers!

We are very proud of our little girl.

-Bill

Monday, October 10, 2005 11:48 AM CDT

Katie has really enjoyed her "week off". She was not upset at all that she fell behind a week in scheduling. She was able to have a sleep over at her friend Kaylyn's, no shots for another week and best of all she did not miss any school.
She is scheduled to go into the hospital this Thurs and Fri. The kids in WI don't have school these two days so it's perfect for Katie. I also found out this morning that they are keeping her scans all scheduled for Thursday. We thought they would push them out but because there are 4 tests and she will be sedated, they kept them for this week. So we need to be there at 8:00 on Thursday morning. They will need to give her an IV and she will have to not eat. I am DREADING telling her this and then having to deal with it on Thursday. She will be AWFUL and put up a good fight.
I updated some pictures from the weekend. We went to the apple orchard with the Jaegers. We celebrated Jake's 10th birthday. Happy Birthday Jake!!!
Tonight and tomorrow night we have school conferences. The last time we had a conference was the night when Katie's face was completely lop sided and we were joking around that she had Bells Paulsy, ha I only wish that was the case.
If you plan on running ro walking Katie's race, make sure to get your entry form in, if possible by Saturday. The running club has been working hard and it would help them with the number of medals, food and t-shirts. A big thank you to the commuinty and the running club. I understand there have been a TON of great raffle prizes donated for the day and lots of coffee and food. There are links at the bottom of this page.
Pray hard for the best possible results on Thursday. We won't know everything until Friday or Monday and I will update as soon as we do.
Pray harder that I can handle Katie on Thursday morning:)

Tuesday, October 4, 2005 1:38 PM CDT

Well, we knew this was bound to happen some time, we are now officially off schedule. I just got the call from the clinic saying that Katie's counts are not high enough to get chemo so instead of going in tomorrow, Wed, she will be going ovenight next Thursday/Friday. The only good thing is that she had those two days off for teacher meetings so she will not miss any school. The bad news is she was also scheduled to get her big scans that day and I was so looking forward to getting the results. Our nurse says she can't believe this has not happened sooner so I should be ok with it.
Katie was so looking forward to seeing her friend Charlie. He is in the hospital all week. This bad news comes the day after Katie didn't have a very good school day. Some 3rd grade girl and kindegarten boys found it funny to tease Katie and then take her hat away from her. I think I cried more than she did. The school has been great at talking to us and taking care of the situation but it was hard for Katie to go to school today. I guess kids will be kids..
ok, well I hope my next note is a little more uplifting:)

Thursday, September 29, 2005 6:36 AM CDT

Sorry for the delay in writing. Life has been pretty normal and busy.
I have not been able to update the pictures because someone here lost my memory stick with all my pictures on it. I had some really cute ones of Katie and her friend Charlie Bear, oh well. I need to go buy another one.
Last week at Katie's chemo appointment, her nurse made a comment to me about Katie getting another set of scans after her next overnight, so that would be during week 34. That was not indicated on our map but she took her copy of Katie's plan out and it was on hers. I asked her to talk to the Dr and see if we could get our PET scan done then instead of at the end. We will find out today when we go in for Katie's weekly chemo appointment.
Yesterday, the ENT Dr said she could go down to a weekly appointment with him. We were having to see him twice a week to get her ear cleaned out but he said it is looking a lot better and we could go to once a week-finally some relief.
I put down in the Links section, two links where you can go to get access to Katie's registration form. I know the running club has been working very hard on putting everything together. Thanks everyone. A special thanks to Karin Schroeder, she designed the posters and reg forms and will also be designing the t-shirts. Thanks Karin.
This weekend is our 11th anniversary. I think we will be hanging out at home. I am running the 10 miler for the Twin Cities Marathon the next day. It's very strange not planning on running the marathon. I will be happy to complete 10 miles but a little envious of everyone doing the whole marathon. Go Runners!!!!!
After today, Katie hopefully will only have 2 more weekly chemos and 3 overnights. When I think of that, I think "oh good, I only have to give her 30 more shots:)"
Thanks to everyone who has been reading Katie's website and praying for all of us.

Monday, September 19, 2005 12:24 AM CDT

Hi Everyone,

A run/walk event has been scheduled for Katie for October 22nd. Information is listed below, and can also be found at: hudsonrunning.com.





5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run
Saturday, October 22, 2005

— Event organized by the Hudson Running Club —
Katie Ryder has been diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
Join us for a fun morning of exercise and show your support for Katie and her family.
Time: 8:15 a.m. on-site registration
9:00 a.m. 5K run/walk starts
Kids fun run following end of 5K race (lap around track)
All children participating will receive a participant award
Location: E.P. Rock, 340 13th Street South, Hudson, WI 54016
Cost: $15 pre-registration, all registered participants will receive a t-shirt
$20 postmarked after October 15, 2005
Prizes: Medals to the top 3 male and female finishers overall and the 1st male and female in
the following divisions: 13 & under, 14-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70
Questions: 715-425-5100 or email heidi@hudsonrunning.com
Web: www.hudsonrunning.com or www.raceberryjam.com
Mail to: Katie’s Courage 5K, 689 Tower Road, Hudson, WI, 54016 with $15 postmarked no later
than October 15, 2005 ($20 thereafter). Kids fun run free, must register with payment
to receive t-shirt. Make check payable Katie's Courage 5k.

REGISTRATION:

Katie’s Courage 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run

Name_____________________________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________________________________
Home Phone ___________________________ Work Phone ______________________________________
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Friday, September 16, 2005 1:41 PM CDT

Only 3 more to go. Yep, we are down to 3 more overnight stays. That should bring us to Nov 16th. In-between the overnights we have weekly chemo but that's in and out within a few hours.
Monday we celebrated Emily's 9th birthday. It was a beautiful day. Grandma and Papa Pelto came from Rice Lake and had dinner with us. Katie also had her first piano lesson Monday night, so it was very busy.
Tuesday we went to the clinic to have Katie's counts checked and everything was a go for our overnight. Wednesday morning her and I headed to the hospital-it wasn't very pleasant. She put up quite a fight to get accessed, not until they threatened to bring in re-inforcement and have mom leave the room did she settle down. She still was moving too much and they had to access her twice-it was a disaster. We were in the same room as when she was diagnosed 4240. As she sat on my lap and sassed everyone in the room. I looked out the window at the mansions across the road and remembered the day Dr. Nelson came in and told us the results of her test. I was sitting in the exact same spot and crying then too. To top off my day, one of the homecare nurses asked me if I was little Charlie's grandma-nice. Here I am all bummed out about gaining what we are calling the "katie 10" and then I get called a grandma and it just got worse. She tried to dig herself out of it and I told her no that Katie was mine and she said "Oh so you are under a lot of distress" so now I look like crap and feel like crap, she topped off by saying she had gray hair too in her 30s-I just my hair highlighted last week:) So it was a great day!!!!!! It ended with Katie getting sick around 9:30 p.m. until about 12:00. Now for all of you people who have written me such nice notes on how I have not complained at all-there I did it. Yes, I am fed up with the whole darn thing and am tired of the trips to the Dr-we get to go and see the ENT today to have her ear cleaned out. Oh well 2 months from today, we will be almost done.
Onto more happier thoughts, we are going to the cabin for the weekend to spend some time with my cousins Heidi and Amy. My cousins's daughter Clare is also coming and we are picking her up today to spend the night with us here in Hudson.
We won't be here on Sunday but for anyone who is around, there is a hair cut a-thon for Charlie Bear at Ala Mode, both the Hudson and the New Richmond locations. I believe it's $15 a hair cut and $25 for a shampoo and cut, there will be face painting and a bake sale. They are right now meeting with their Dr. to get the results from his scans this week. Katie just loves holding him and being with him. Seeing him was the highlight of her overnight stay.
Thank you to everyone for your kind words, prayers and for staying in touch. We could not get through this without our family and friends.

Sunday, September 11, 2005 9:21 AM CDT

4 years ago at the same time I write this all of our lives changed. I know exactly where I was and I am sure you all do too. Time heals but time also helps us forget, please don't forget the people who lost their lives this day and take time to thank God for what you have in your lives.

As you can see from the pictures, it's Emily's birthday. Her actual birthday is the 12th, but she had a sleep over on Friday night.
The last week has been pretty non-eventful. Katie had her last break of chemo so things have been going smoothly. Her eyelashes are growing longer and her head is all fuzzy. It's a good sign, we know that when her chemo is done her hair will come back relatively quickly. Her last chemo is scheduled for Nov 16th so hopefully by Christmas she will have something for hair. We are trying not to dwell on that date. You never know what could pop up and throw her off schedule.
This week she and I will head to the hospital for her overnight. This should be hard. She loves school and does not want to miss it for anything so having to miss 2 days is going to be really hard for her.
I took a new project with Ameriprise, formerly American Express Financial Advisors, full time for 10 weeks. I start on the 19th. I am looking forward to working again downtown and seeing all of my old friends again, getting dressed up and thinking about something other than cancer. Even though it is a full time project they know our situation and are great about flexibility and me working from home when possible.
Tomorrow my mom and dad are coming and picking the girls up from school and taking them for ice cream and then hopefully staying for Emily's b-day dinner. She is still deciding what she wants. I am sure my mom is thinking it's great to be retired and able to do this kind of stuff.
Our little friend Charlie Bear is very sick and back in the hospital, please pray for him and a speedy recovery. www.caringbridge.org/visit/charliebear

Tuesday, September 6, 2005 9:57 AM CDT

As you can see school has started. Both of the girls have really enjoyed the first couple days of school. They each have a teacher that they have had before. I am positive that is what made it so easy for Katie. I was expecting a lot of tears and tight hugs but she sat right down and said bye mom, it was so awesome. It was a long day for me, I worried about her all day long. I kept wondering if she felt ok, if new kids would stare at her and if she missed her mommy but none of those things seemed to happen. It's the longest she has been away from me since she went to camp.
We have come to learn that she does not have any feeling on her right hand side by her nose and mouth. When she eats, sometimes food will stick to her mouth but she doesn't feel it and with her cold, her nose runs and she can't feel that either. I told her teacher today just to give her a little signal and Katie will know to wipe her nose then. I don't want the other kids making fun of her for always having a runny nose... We don't know if this is permanent or not.
We went to our cabin for the long weekend. Bill and I both felt like we had been there for a week. We did't come back until this morning and got to spend a lot of time with family and friends just hanging out on the boat or having a bon fire etc...
Katie has had a break in her chemo. She didn't receive her weekly dose last week or this week. She will be back on her regular schedule next week. Because she has not had chemo, her eyelashes have started to grow back. They are coming back blonde so she in convinced that is what color her hair will be too. I am not so convinced.
Thank you to everyone who continues to read the website and pray for our family. We appreciate it so much.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005 1:31 PM CDT

Katie's fever and cough turned out to be a walking Pneumonia. I took her into the clinic on Monday to get checked out. I didn't want to wait until Thursday when her counts were going to drop and I didn't want her to chance missing the first day of school on Thursday. I figured they were just going to say a chest cold but after a chest X-ray,exam and counts, the Dr. said she had a slight case of pneumonia. We got another perscription and an inhaler for the evenings. So three and half hours later, two art projects and a missed play date with their cousin, we were done. We did end up driving over to Mendota Heights to play with Jake and Gram from Florida for a few hours.
This morning Katie is feeling better. She went over and played with Clare Weber for a few hours. I was at home with Emily going through her backpack from last school year and her cubby in the mudroom-ughhh the girl saves EVERYTHING. We also got the house cleaned. Thank you to Ed and Lori Hendricks. They sent their cleaning service over and gave the house a well needed cleaning.
Only one more day of freedom. We are going to spend it playing with our old neighbors the Bents girls and then to school for an open house and meet the teacher event. I just hope Katie can stay healthy to join everyone.

Monday, August 29, 2005 7:25 AM CDT

Wow, guess what? Last Friday Katie did not have one appointment. It was the only day last week she did not have to see some kind of Dr. We slept in, packed and went up to the cabin for the weekend.
Before we left on Thursday evening, Father John came over and gave Katie a water color he did for her. It is a portrait of Katie. It's beautiful. I am going to take a picture of it and then I will post it on the front page. It's unbeleiveable that it is his first portrait. I am still trying to find the perfect spot in the house to hang it so everyone will see it. I am sure if you have been reading Katie's website you have read some of Father John's entries. They are all beautiful and very inspiring. We are very lucky to belong to a church with such a dedicated and wonderful pastor. Thank you, Father John for everything.
Thursday night I was able to get a run in. I got into the 10 miler for the Twin Cities marathon weekend and now need to make sure I can still run 10 miles. It was very humid out but I made it and no pain in my hip. The lift the physical therapist gave me is working. I also went out and joined Karin Schroeder and Laura Weinberger for some "mommy time" at the Nova. If you have never been there, you have to go. It's so relaxing and the wine and food are always excellent. It was a great evening, thanks girls.
The weekend was up and down. We had beautiful weather, Bill's mom and the Jaeger family joined us at the cabin but Katie has not felt good since chemo on Wed. She is starting to get sick, which she has not done in the past. I think she is just so little her body is having a harder time with all those poisons they put in her. She spiked a fever of 101.6 on Sunday but the Dr said her counts should still be ok and to give her some Tylenol. I did and her fever did come down but she has been coughing and cried all night about her tummy and has had about a 100 fever. I am letting her sleep in and then off to the clinic we will go. She will not be happy. She was looking forward to playing at her cousins house with her cousin, sister and Grama. Hopefully we won't be there all day and we will still get some play time in. They only have 3 more days of freedom.
I am looking forward to the kids going back to school. I just need some time to get all my appointments taken care of. I went to the Dr back in July and have not followed up on any of the things I was supossed to do. I was waiting for school to start so I would have more time. No lectures please, I will take care of them all in Sept.

Thursday, August 25, 2005 1:00 PM CDT

Hi All,

Some perspective:

Last night, when I got home from the hospital, I paged through the stack of statements from all of Katie's clinic visits. If I counted correctly, in the last seven months Kate has had 47 doctor appointments at various clinics. This does not include the 28 days in a row of radiotherapy treatment that Katie endured (and the Kendra drove her to). This does not include all the doctor visits that Katie has when she is in the hospital. It puts it into perspective as to how Kendra can feel exhausted from all the running around - it's a full time job. I doubt I have been to the doctor 25 times in my lifetime, and Kate has had nearly 100 visits this year alone!

We are truly grateful for the support that every one of you have provided to us. We don't know how we would get through this without the great circle of friends and family that you make up.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 8:37 PM CDT

I waited to update until today. I was hoping I would have something to write about Katie's ear and why it smells and keeps bleeding but I don't. We went to the ENT and he explained that due to radiation, Katie's ear is not producing wax and the wax is what naturally cleans out our ears. Since Katie is not producing the wax, she has a bunch of dead skin in her ear and bacteria is building up on it-she now has to go and get her ears cleaned once a week by the Dr, she doesn't like it at all. As far as the bleeding, he does not know why that is happening. He took another culture of her ear and will get back to us.
Katie and I also went to the dentist today. She had to have a filling and I had to have a temporary crown fitted.
Yesterday, Monday we went in for counts and they were all good. I could not believe it. I thought for sure because her ear has been bledding that she was going to need a platelette transfusion, but she didn't. So she she is good to go into the hospital tomorrow for chemo. We counted with the nurse and after tomorrow's overnight, she only has 4 more overnights. Her last chemo is scheduled for Nov 16th and then they will wait until Dec 8th to do her final exam and set of scans.
She was able to have some fun the last few days of summer. Monday we went to our old neighbors, the Bents, new house in River Falls and today while I went to the dentist she again played with the Bents girls. Tonight she spent with Savanna Quinn. It was Savannnas birthday while we were gone so Katie got a private party with Savanna.
Bill's mom, Donna, is here from Florida for two weeks. The plan is to have her come to the cabin this weekend with the Jaegers. I hope it is nice weather. Last time she was here in May it snowed and then rained every day she was here.
I am finally getting tired of appointments. As I sat in the dentist chair today, it kind of hit me what my life has been like the last 6 months. I guess I just accepted it right away and went with whatever happened and now that it's wearing on me, I am getting more bummed out. I don't like to be the woe is me kind of person, it really gets you no where but I can't help from still wondering WHY? As Katie cried on my shoulder today after the ENT, I got mad and asked God- why Katie? Why does a 7 year old go through all this? why Bill and me? Why does Cancer exist? Maybe some day I will understand and maybe I never will.

Sunday, August 21, 2005 6:56 PM CDT

It's Sunday evening and we are home. I have added three of many pictures I have from the trip. I tried to include a picture of everyone we saw on our trip, I will include others in a few days. I will update tomorrow. I need to unpack and get organized for a very busy week of appointments, including an overnight on Wed and most likley a platelette transfusion tomorrow, Monday morning.
Thank you to everyone we visited and stayed with on our trip, Paula & Ken, the Laterrell family and everyone who made time to visit with us, the Manion Family & Ed and Heidi. It was a great summer trip.

Saturday, August 20, 2005 9:04 AM CDT

Well we spent the night at Chris and Leslie's last night. We had a great dinner and a fun time catching up on things!

Now we are heading to the Dells so we can spend the night at Kalahari. we can't wait!

Kate seems to be doing pretty good, though her ear is bleeding.

Kate says hi to all!

Best.

Monday, August 15, 2005 8:51 PM CDT

Hi All,

Kendra and the girls set-off for Chicago this afternoon.

The effects of radiotherapy (radiation) peak weeks, even months afterwords. Some short-term side effects peak right along with that. One of those has been almost constant draining of her ear. Now Kate has developed some sort of an infection in her ear.

I was in Houston today, but Kendra kept me informed of today's challenges. First she had to talk the ENT doctor into a Rx without seeing Katie. Then she was chasing around to several pharmacies to no avail, she decided to get the (what appears to be a relatively unique) prescription ordered for delivery to a pharmacy in Chicago.

I am hoping they have arrived safely, but have not heard from them as of yet.

I am traveling to Chicago tomorrow, and will meet-up with the gang on Wednesday. They should be fresh from their afternoon tea at the American Girl Doll store.

We will try to update the site on our travels.

Over 30,000 hits on the site. Amazing.

Thank you all.

Bill

Friday, August 12, 2005 11:06 AM CDT

Just a quick note to update everyone.

Kate is in the clinic right now and she is not having a good day. She has to have a blood transfusion because her counts are so low. We hope that she will be well enough to travel to Chicago on Monday.

Thank you for your prayers.

Tuesday, August 9, 2005 2:17 PM CDT

I have a few hours alone this afternoon. The girls are at the Mall of America with Aunt Stacey. To be honest, I have been putting off writing. I don't like to write when I am not feeling positive about things but I guess that is not always going to be the case.
Last Thursday Katie and I went into the hospital for her overnight. We started off at the clinic to have her counts done. We had to make sure everything was good before she received her chemo. All her counts were good. Before they started her chemo, she had to have a chest X-Ray. I thought it was suppossed to be of her abdomen too but it wasn't. I haven't quite figured out why they do certain things once and then not again. I have learned that if you don't ask for it to be done, they don't do it. Anyway, her chest X-Ray came out good. Nothing has spread to her lungs. Bill went to pick up Emily at Camp Courage and when he got to the hospital we met with one of the Drs to review the scans from the prior week-again, had we not asked to see them and have a meeting regarding their results, it would not have happened. Anyway, the results are that the tissue mass (tumor) that was originally showing up is now almost gone-yippee, however, there has been no change in the scans with her "petrus" bone. I don't know how to spell it but anyway. The bone had been eaten away from the cancer and they can't tell from the scans if what is showing up is cancer, residue from radiation, liquid or scarring. The Dr. explained that we will continue treatment as is and in Dec. when we do the scans again if there is no change they will do what is called a PET scan. Evidently, this type of scan can distinguish between all of the above. Why don't they just do one now??? Yes, I have asked the same question. The answer is that they continue the treatment plan according to schedule unless something changes for the worse. The Drs are pleased with Katie's progress and her health, however there is a concern that there has been no change in the 12 weeks between scans in the bone.
I am not quite sure Katie understands all of this. She knows she is progressing the way the Drs want her to and is looking forward to Dec, when it will hopefully be over.
We went to our cabin for the weekend. It was a beautiful day on Sunday.
I am finishing up a project this week and the girls and I are headed to Chicago on Monday. This will all be determinded on Monday morning after we go to the clinic for counts. The girls are really excited. I am not looking forward to the drive with them alone:)

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 3:25 PM CDT

It's Wednesday afternoon and I am not home alone. We had to go and get Katie from camp last night. She had a great time during the day but really missed her mommy and wanted to come home. Emily is having a blast and is staying until Thursday afternoon.
Tuesday my sisters and mom all came to Hudson and helped me clean our house. We cleaned everything and had a fun time. Thank you to everyone in my family who cleared their day and came to help. I was bummed to have to leave our dinner so early, but today I am so happy with my sparkling house. Now I will just have to figure out a way to stay on top of it all..
You can see from the pictures that Aunt Stacey and Katie went to Take Away Gourmet today. It is a place in town where you pick menu items and make the food, package it up and bring it home. No shopping, chopping or cleaning just fun cooking. Katie received a gift certificate from Mrs. Schwertel's class and decided to use it when her aunt was here. Now we have dinner ready for the next two weeks.
Katie and I will go into the hospital tomorrow for her ovrenight chemo. She will also have her chest adn abdomen CT scan, just to make sure nothing has spread. The DRs have no reason to believe it has but it's a routine thing.
Katie has enjoyed reading all of your congratulatory notes. I think she really "gets it" and understands that the news is good and this will be over soon.
Happy Birthday to Grandma Donna--tomorrow. See you soon and can't wait to hear about your trip.
I will update everyone again after our overnight stay.

Monday, August 1, 2005 7:31 AM CDT

I wanted to give a quick update of our week. If you read on Friday, Bill wrote about Katie's wonderful results. Thank you to everyone for their prayers to God. He is listening and your prayers are all we ask for. We will continue on the same treatment plan which means 18 more weeks of chemo and a final set of scans in December.
The girls are at Camp Courage until Wednesday. The camp is a week long, but Katie needs to go into the hospital on Thursday for an overnight. Usually she goes on Wednesdays but we are letting them stay at camp through Wednesday. We are hoping her counts will be ok to go into the hospital. On Friday her ANC counts were only 300 and we need them to be at least 750. ANC are the infection fighting white blood cells.
Friday after Katie's great news we had a celebratory dinner at the Moksness's. Katie told me on the way home it was the best red sauce she had ever had. I better get the recipe from Barb. Thanks for dinner Moksness family.
Saturday morning the girls and I went to Ala Mode Salon and Spa in Hudson. They had a fundraiser for Katie from 8-3 that day. They had face painting, a bake sale and balloons. The girls each got a manicure and I got my haircut. Katie had a great time. She was so excited. Her teacher for this year was there getting her hair done for her wedding that day. So Katie stood in the doorway and watched. Thank you to everyone who came by and especially to Bonnie and Krissa for having the fundraiser.
After Katie's fundraiser, we went to a golf tournament/fundraiser for little Charlie Gess. If you want to see how Katie has been effected by everyone's support, go to Charlie's website and read the notes she sends him, they are quite amazing. www.caringbridge.org/visit/charliebear. Bill and I golfed with Heidi and Andy Singerhouse-well maybe Bill and Andy golfed, I guess Heidi and I talked too much. It was a fun time.
Sunday it was off to camp. The girls cried when we left and believe it or not I didn't. It was hard sleeping. They are 80 miles away and we don't get to talk to them at all:(
Tonight I have a shower at my house for my friend Kathy and my sisters and my mom are coming tomorrow to help me clean the house and Wed I will work all day and then it will be time to pick them up. The time will go by quickly.
Again, thank you to everyone for all of your support and prayers.

Sunday, July 31, 2005 8:54 AM CDT

32,756. That's the number of times people have come to Kate's site to cheer her on. We are thankful for your love and support.

Kate got to visit with Charlie-Bear yesterday at his golfing benefit in New Richmond. The turnout was amazing and we had great time! Thanks Charlie!!

Today we go to camp courage. We pray that Kate will be an example of strength for the many children who are fighting this horrible disease.

Friday, July 29, 2005 5:06 PM CDT

Well we just got back from spending 5 hours at the hospital and have great news. The initial feedback from the MRI was that the soft tissue mass has been virtually eliminated!!! Way to go Kate! The radiation took it's toll on the bone where the tumor is/was, so there is still a lot of (what the doctors believe is) scar tissue located where the tumor was. However, the bone appears to be trying to heal itself. Perhaps next week, Katie will have a CT scan of her chest done to make sure the cancer has not spread elsewhere in her body. At this point though, there is no reason to believe this has happened.

On to Camp Courage Sunday! Emma and kate are looking forward to it!

More to come soon.

Sunday, July 24, 2005 7:08 PM CDT

Katie is now an Elvis fan......see pictures.
Our week was pretty un-eventful. It was really hot and Emily had soccer clinic each night from 5-6:30. She never complained once.
We had chemo on Wednesday, it was pretty routine. Our appointment took longer than normal so I missed my appnt to the podiatrist-oh well.
Friday we went to the clinic to have Katie's counts done. We were leaving for the weekend so they wanted to see us before we left. Katie's platelettes were really low and she ended up getting a transfusion. There is no fun like hanging out in the clinic in a small room for 4.5 hours with 4 people who are waiting to go on vacation. We all made it and headed off to Breezy Pointe for the weekend. It was a little bit of a drive but once we got there, the kids were in the water the entire time. Our friends the Singerhouses were camping near by so they came over and swam with us on Saturday and then we went to their campsite for some ice cream.
Back home now and getting ready for another week of appointments. If Katie bruises from her shot tonight, I need to take her in to the clinic again tomorrow for another transfusion. Because her counts are so low, I have to cancel her Tuesday dentist appointment and instead she gets to go and see the ENT doctor. We are looking forward to Friday and her MRI/CT.
A big thank you to Shawn Beaupre and his company for the weekend away at Breezy Pointe. We had a great time.

Monday, July 18, 2005 4:05 PM CDT

I know I said would write after the hospital but the girls and I were having too much fun with my friend Paula Sullivan. Now Paula is back in Chicago and we are getting through another week-week # 22.
Our hospital visit went well. It started off really nice. When we checked into the hospital and got to Katie's room, there was a big bag from Creative Kids Stuff for Emily and Katie to share. The gifts were from our little friend Charlie Gess and his family. Thank you Missy, the girls loved all the items. The doctor and I decided to do Katie's blood transfusion on Thursday. If we would have done it Wednesday, it would have kept us at the hospital longer on Thursday. This way they started the transfusion around 5:30 am and was done when Katie woke up around 8:30-9:00.
On Wednesday, Katie's teacher Mrs. Baumann and her daughter Mattie came to visit. They brought us lunch and a really fun craft project. We made flip flops for everyone. I made a pair that have jean material tied around them and Katie made two pair, a jean pair and a pair with some kind of material-I am not quite sure how to explain it. Thank you Baumanns, Katie and I both enjoyed your visit and appreciated the lunch. The hospital food is not very good and believe it or not it's not good for you. While we were having fun with the Baumanns, Emily was off getting a pedicure with Paula. The girls both have nicer looking toes than me. We were also visited by Mason Ingram and his Nona-straight from Italy. Thanks for visiting us. Katie was pretty tired. I read her a story and she took a little nap before dad, Emily, Paula and our dog Hudson came for dinner.
On Thursday we were released around 11:00 and came home. Paula and Katie made some banana bread and then Paula took Katie for a pedicure. I was a little nervous but Paula made sure they didn't use any instruments on her just a nice foot massage and toe nail polish with a design on every single little toe.
Friday we had to take Paula to the airport. It was about 95 that day so we stopped at Aunt Nanny's pool and swam for about 2 hours. We tried to go and listen to the music on Friday night but it was so hot and humid, it was awful. Katie asked to go home. Hudson has the St. Croix art and music festival in town. It's a great festival, all the music is free all weekend long and the artists all set up their displays along the river front.
Saturday was another hot day and I really try to watch how much time Katie spends outdoors in the sun and heat. Emily went to a b-day party for Dani Baeirl and Katie and I just hung out. I took her to the kids art tent by the river and she enjoyed just being by hersself and being creative. Our whole family went to a wedding reception for my friend Sue Vantassel. It was hot but they had a pool the kids swam in. I was a little hesitant about the reception with Katie and other kids she had never met before but when we got there she put on her suit, didn't wear her swim cap and just jumped in the pool like she was any other child. It made me happy and sad both at the same time. After the reception we went to the music and met the Riccis. They stayed with us on Saturday night before they took Ella to the airport. The girls were so excited to see their cousin.
Sunday we spent the day on the river. It wasn't as hot as the previous days. Sunday night Katie went with Bill out to Saltzman's house and Jeremy let Katie drive the bulldozer. I am glad I was at home.
We have Katie's next MRI/CT Scan scheduled for Friday the 29th. She will be sedated. We need to be there at 10:30 and then have an appointment with the Dr at 2:30 to get the results. I am more anxious for this set of scans than I was the first set. I think with the headaches and the tummy aches I just want to be re-assured everything fine and has not spread.
Thanks to everyone who continues to keep our family in their thoughts and prayers. Again, it's all we ask for and need right now.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005 5:16 PM CDT

We just got home from the clinic, missed Body Pump class again:( Anyway, we are going ahead and scheduling Katie's second set of MRIs and CT Scans for next week. A couple weeks earlier than expected. Katie has been having some headaches lately and since we are so close to the scheduled time, the Drs said it was ok to go ahead and schedule them. Katie has also agreed to do them sedated. I am happy about that. The only problem is that the only time available right now with sedation is at 1:00. She will also get tested for TB, both her and Emily have to be tested before they go to Camp Courage. I wish there was a way to sedate Emily. Bill will have to take her to that appointment.
Katie's ANC jumped from 286 to 2560 but her hemoglobin fell to 6.5. They are having us come into the hospital tomorrow as planned but most likely we will be delayed. They will have to do the blood transfusion first and then test her to see if her body took it and then hopefully give her the chemo. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that we won't get off schedule...... I just got done bragging about how we were at week 21 of 42. I hope I didn't jinx Katie.
I will update after we get out of the hospital.

Monday, July 11, 2005 8:04 AM CDT

Well, we are half way there. Today we start week 21 of a 42 week plan. I hope the last 21 weeks go by quicker than the first 21 weeks.
You can see from the pictures that the girls did some horse back riding on Friday. Thanks to the good people at Saint Thomas and John Episcopal Church in New Richmond, Katie and Emily were invited to go to Walk on Therapeutic Horse riding stables in River Falls. Ken and Katy Giske run this non-profit stable for people with disabilities or illnesses. Both the girls loved it and Katie acted like she had been riding her whole life. Kathy and Jonathon Mayo and Linda Anderson from St. Thomas also came to the stables to meet our family and had some nice gifts for the girls and our family. Thank you so much to everyone who made this experience possible. The girls really enjoyed themselves and I am sure we will be making another trip to ride Holly again.
After horse back riding the girls were scheduled to be in the River Falls parade with Amanda Johnson and the rest of the North Hudson court, however about 5 minutes before the parade was about to start it began raining and dropped 4 inches of rain and hail in one hour. It was an amazing sight to see. Needless to say, the parade was cancelled-oh well the girls still got to enjoy the Queens tea and met lots of princesses and other fun people. Katie finally got to meet ditzy Steph, Stephanie Perry. Thanks Johnson family for taking the girls, maybe we can hit another parade before the summer is over.
Saturday we hung out on the boat. It was 93 here with the humidity somewhere around 73%. Melissa Roberts and her friend Alyssa, spent the weekend with us. Saturday night we went to the 3rd annual "after the 4th of July" party down on Cottage Lane. Wonderful party, good food and great fireworks.
Sunday we spent the day on the boat again. Another 90+ day. We went out with the Saltzmans and then had dinner at Barkers. Taylor slept overnight and they are still sleeping.
Tonight, I get my MRI. I am not looking forward to it but I just think of Katie and how she gets up and does all of her tests and hopefully that will help me, if not the Dr. prescribed some "good" pills for me. The girls will be going to Clare Weber's house to hang out. Tomorrow my friend, Paula Sullivan from Chicago, is coming to take care of Emily while Katie and I go to the hospital overnight.
Please pray all goes well. My little girl is getting pretty small and the thought of filling her full of chemicals makes me sick.

Thursday, July 7, 2005 6:38 AM CDT

A week really goes by quickly.
Last Wednesday night we had company stop by with a very nice surprise. Emily's class mate, Jillian Beaupre, and her dad, Shawn came over and gave our family a gift to Breezy Point Resort. Shawn's company has an internal organization called People In Business Care. They heard of our family's situation and wanted to do something for us. Thank you Shawn.
Thursday, we headed up to the cabin, just for the day and back again on Friday to go to the Dr. Thankfully, Katie did not need a transfusion, her counts were still low but the Drs really don't like to give transfusions unless REALLY necessary. When we got home from the cabin there was a really nice 4th of July basket on our bench from Mrs Bohl's class, Thank you for thinking of Katie during the summer months. Katie enjoyed going through the tin and wore her new hat on the 4th. Friday night we hung out at home with the neighbors the Weismeyers. As Katie sat on my lap her arms were bruising up right in front of my eyes, this means she most likley needs a platelette transfusion. Even though we were just at the clinic, things like this can happen within hours. Our plan was to take her in to the hospital on Saturday for a transfusion.
Saturday, Katie slept in until about 9:30, another sign of most likley needing a transfusion, however, when she woke up all the bruises were gone. It was amazing. Now comes the tough part, Bill and I have to decide what to do. Do we take her all the way to St. Paul or wait and see?? We waited and it worked out. At her appointment on Tuesday, her platelettes almost tripled. We spent a few hours on the boat with the Baierl family. Emily and her friend Dani walked in the Hudson parade for Brownies and when we picked her up we all went for a short ride. We had to get back because our friends from North Carolina were coming---The Bradfords. We hung out with the Bradfords down at Booster days. The girls all went on rides and we ate everything deep fried they sold. It was fun.
Sunday we said good-bye to the Bradfords and we were invited to dinner at the Schroeder's house. Jacob Schroeder and Emily were in kindegarten together and will be in the same class for 3rd grade. We had so much fun and the food was awesome. I think my margurita glass was never empty. Thank you Schroeder family for a wonderful evening.
Monday the 4th of July, we continued our tradition by going to the Afton parade. After the parade we went out on the boat with the Jaegers. The river was too busy for me but the kids had fun.
Tuesday the girls started an art class at the Phipps, Dream catchers and drums. After class, Katie had to go to the eye dr. She had been complaining about seeing double. Thank goodness her eyes were fine. She has 20/20 vision and received a great check-up. After the eye dr it was straight off to the clinic for chemo. Her counts were ok. Her platelettes had tripled but her ANC, Absolute Neutrophil count, which is one part of her whole white blood cell count, was low. The ANC is the best estimation of the body's infection fighting ability. An acceptable ANC is greater than 1,000. Katie's count was around 286. So far it has never taken this long for her ANC to go up. If it's not to 1,000 by Tuesday, we may not be able to be admitted on Wednesday for her overnight chemo.
Tuesday night we went over ot the Saltzman's house for dinner and hair cuts. Jeremy made the best ever chicken marsala and even Katie got a hair cut. Amy washed her head and even conditioned it and then trimmed the little wispy hairs Katie has on her head. It made Katie feel just like everyone else. Thank you, Saltzmans.
Wednesday, after the art class, it was off to the dentist, this did not go so well. Katie did not want to participate. She did get 2/3 of her procedures done. It's very important she takes really good care of her teeth. The chemo can do some nasty stuff to her teeth.
Today, Thursday we have no appointments-yeah. After art class we are off to the pool in Menomonee to meet the Bradford girls. They are in Rice Lake for the week and driving to meet us there and tonight we are going down to the bandshell to listen to the Minnesota Orchestra. They do a free concert every year in Hudson.
Sorry this is so long. I need to try and write more often. I know it looks like Katie is doing awesome. I try to write as positive as I can but everyday it's something else so please continue to pray for her and her doctors.
As always, thank you to everyone for everything you do for our family. All is appreciated and nothing is taken for granted.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 4:48 PM CDT

If you didn't notice, we changed the name of Katie's web page. We had a talk the other day and she decided to change it to Katie's Courage.
Tuesday, we went over to New Richmond to take a family some meals. You can see a picture of Katie and her new friend Charlie on the photo page. The girls had a real nice time playing with Charlie and his brother Clay. I think Katie has made a new very special friend.
Tuesday night we ate dinner at the Neiderhauser's house and then went to watch Jake Neiderhauser's machine pitch game. We saw lots of people we knew. Thanks Neiderhausers for having us over.
Today, Wednesday, Katie had chemo. Her counts are low so we need to go back on Friday for counts again and most likley a transfusion. They want to see her before the long weekend. This changes our plans for the cabin-oh well. When we got home from the Dr. Katie's friend Allie Thoemkoe came over with her brother & mother. They brought Katie a comfort quilt from their pastor at Redeemer Lutheran church. Thank you, Marilyn Thurber. The quilt is adorable and feels very comfortable. You can see Allie and Katie holding the quilt on the photo page.
I also went to the dr today. Only to find out I have to have a MRI myself for my hip, a mole removed and a calcium deposit cut out of my foot. I just laughed at my Dr and asked him when he thought I would get one of these three done.
So tomorrow we head to the cabin to clean it out, mow the lawn and fix the stairs. We will be back on Friday to go to the Dr and then be home for Booster Days.
Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July everyone.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 7:57 AM CDT

Overall Katie is doing well. Her spirits are great, she is more talkative and jokes around more often. She is starting to talk about her cancer and even reading about it. I bought her a book titled "Chemo Girl Saves the World One Treatment at a Time". A 12 year old girl with Rhabodomyosarcoma wrote the book and now Katie's newest wish is to write a book.
Last week Katie had an overnight stay in the hospital. It went well. We started out in room 4202 but then when the suite opened up they moved us. They knew I had Emily with me for the night so they gave us the bigger room. On Thursday when we were getting ready to leave, Katie said to me " mom, I think this has been my best stay so far, not that it was fun but you know?" I have to agree with her. Heather and Mason Ingram came to visit and we watched the Wishing Well show together and Aunt Nanny brought Katie some lunch-she doesn't like the hospital food at all. Then at night, Dad brought Emily and Hudson-our dog-for a visit. Unfortunatly, Katie was asleep and she didn't get to see her puppy dog. One thing that I noticed in the hospital was Katie's tongue seems to be going to the right more than it did a few weeks ago. It was almost straight awhile back. Also, Katie is now complaining about seeing double out of her one eye. We are going to see the eye Dr. next week. It only makes sense now that her ears are better we have something else act up:)
Friday, I started the 3 day breast cancer walk. Aunt Stacey came on Thursdsay night to sleep over and be with the kids. Bill was gone for work and I needed to leave at 5:00 am for the Minnesota Zoo, that's where the walk started. This was my second year doing the walk, it's long and it was hot this year but it was worth it. In the Twin Cities area we raised over $4 million dollars for breast cancer research. I did not sleep overnight this year. I had to give Katie her shots. I stayed at the Jaegers house each night. A big thank you to their family. They had my whole team over to their pool Friday night for a grill out and a swim and then took care of Katie all weekend, borrowed me their car so I could go to Melissa's graduation party Saturday night and woke up nice and early on Sunday to drive me back to the walk. Thank you Jaegers....
This week we are slowing it down-only for a week though. We are heading up to the cabin on Friday to clean. We rent our cabin out to a family each summer for 4 weeks. Then our friends the Bradfords are coming to town on Saturday, it's Booster Days in Hudson so lots of fun things to do.. Sunday we have a BBQ at the Schroeders house and Monday is the 4th--wahooo.
I never want the summers to go fast but this year is different. I just want it to be December. Katie thinks we are going to Switzerland for Christmas. She asked me the other day if we could go there over Christmas. We'll have to work on the dad for this one:)
Well, I am signing out. I am going to start making dinner for the Gess family. They live in New Richmond and have a little boy with Nueroblastoma. Please say a prayer for this little boy and their family. They are really having a tought time. You can check out his website at www.caringbridge.org/visit/charliebear

Monday, June 20, 2005 10:55 AM CDT

This journal entry is dedicated to my neighbor and friend: Michael Douglas--
It's Monday and I am exhausted:) I was wondering when it would catch up to me.
We came home to Hudson on Thursday just in time for Emily's soccer game-they won again. After the game the Niederhauser family came over for a visit. The Niederhausers have 3 very nice boys, their youngest Jake is Emily's "friend".
Friday morning, Julie, Joe and Jake Niederhauser came over to help us make t-shirts for the Relay for Life event. The Relay for Life event is a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. It is a walk that starts at 6:00 pm and continues until noon the next day. Someone from your team needs to be on the track walking all 18 hours. Our team was called Katie's Angels of Hope. About half the people stay overnight others come and walk and hang out and go home. We chose to stay overnight. We were lucky enough to borrow a camper from Steve and Susan Lipps. I wanted to make sure Katie had a comfortable place to sleep-the little amount of sleep we did get. The weather was hot, about 80-85 degrees. We had lots of family and friends on our team. There was 3 teams for Katie. The school had a team, the hockey association had a team and then our team-Thank You to everyone who came out and walked, donated and volunteered your time. The Hudson Relay for Life made over $220,000.00.
Saturday, after the Relay, Bill's sister Nan took the girls to her house to her pool. I was able to go home unpack-again-and take a nap. After my nap, Bill and I had our gourmet club at the Hodur's house. This time the theme was Southern-lot's of yummy fried food. Emily and Katie stayed overnight at their Aunt's house. I was worried about Katie getting too tired but this is her healthiest time, the weekend before her overnight on Wednesday.
Sunday, Father's Day, we went out on the boat for the day. It was a beautiful day. We went with the Jaegers and the Hodurs. We were all very tired by the end of the day.
Today, is Monday and we are going to go to the swim park in Menomonie with Katie's 1st grade teacher, Mrs Baumann and her children.
Tomorrow, Katie will go in to get her counts checked and then into the hospital on Wed/Thurs. Then we will be back to an every week schedule of chemo. If you remember, she got two breaks from her weekly chemo. Now we are at week 18 of 42. hard to beleive we are not even half way. I dread going in on Wednesday, Katie HATES the hospital and unfortunatly I am the one who gets to hear it and take it from her-oh well, I can't blame her at all. Then we will start the shots again for 10 days.
I am doing the 3-day Breast Cancer walk again this weekend. We will walk for 3 days/60 miles. I will NOT be staying overnight. I have to give Katie her shots and when I inquired about her staying overnight with me they said they only allow registered walkers to stay overnight. I am VERY nervous about the walk. I am very out of shape and was tired just from walking around the track last week for 1.5 hours. I just remind myself that women with Breast Cancer probably don't feel all that well so it's the least I can do.
Hopefully I will get to update before I leave on the 3-day.
Even though Katie is doing "ok", please continue to pray for her. It's all we ask from anyone.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005 9:02 AM CDT

A quick update to everyone. We made it to Rice Lake for the week. I am at my friend Dawn Schmitz's house using her computer. Please say a prayer for the Schmitz family. There was a big storm here last night and some straight winds knocked down two huge trees in their yard. One of the trees went on their brand new truck and the other right on top of the kid's play set. Their table and umbrella blew right off their deck and into their yard-it's a big mess and a hassle no one ever wants to deal with.
Katie and I made it to the Mall of America on Friday to go to Underwater World with Katie's Brownie troop. We slept overnight with the Sharks, well there was not a whole lot of sleeping going on but anyway, Katie had areally fun time. We got up early on Saturday and went to the hospital to have her counts done. She ended up having to have another platelete transfusion and we missed my niece Brittany's graduation party-Katie was very upset about it.
Sunday, we had a surprise retirement party for my mom at my parent's house. It was very nice and I think my mom was somewhat surprised. It was a beautiful day and we spent the afternoon and evening on the lake. I went water skiing for the first time this year and have lots of aches and pains in places on my body I forgot I had:(
The girls are going to bible camp at Bethany Lutheran church here in Rice Lake. They had so much fun last year the wanted to come back again this year. I am just happy Katie could.
We will go home on Thursday and get ready for the Relay for Life in Hudson on Friday-Saturday. Our whole family will be taking part. The relay for life is a fund raiser for the American Cancer society. Our team will walk on a track from 6:00 pm Friday night until Noon on Saturday. I will update later.
Thanks for all of your notes and prayers. Please keep them coming.

Thursday, June 9, 2005 9:52 PM CDT

It's been almost three weeks since I have written, sorry. I just have not had the time nor the energy.
Katie had a two week break after her chemo on 5/11/05. It was a great break and she felt really good.
Memorial Weekend we went up to our cabin. The forecast was for rain and it ended up being a really nice weekend. Our neighbors at the cain, the Umidons, put a floating trampoline in the lake and the girls got to jump on that a few times and they went roller skating with their Aunt Stacey, Katie won the limbo:) It was so nice on Monday, memorial day, we had a hard time leaving so we stayed overnight and got up really early to drive back on Tuesday morning and get the girls to school on time.
Katie's break was over on the 1st and her and I went back into the hospital for chemo. The trip went pretty good, we got out early the next day and home by 10:00 am.
Last Friday, we had a garage sle at the Huhn's home in Hudson. Connor Huhn and RJ Bowman, two boys in Katie's class, wanted to so something nice for Katie and talked to their moms and decided to have a class garage sale. Thank you RJ, Connor, Karen and Jenny. I think I can say we all had a really fun time.
This past weekend we went up to our cabin again. The girls each brought a friend with us. They made some crazy shirts and then I rook them roller skating, thye were quite the sight with the ripped shirts and signed sleeves-see picture. This time Katie and Emily tied for the limbo.
The girls last day of school was on Wednesday, see picture of Katie and her teacher. It was a bitter sweet day for all of us. The girls are looking forward to summer but today Katie already asked me when the first day of school was? A BIG THANK YOU again to everyone at E.P. Rock elementary school for making Katie feel so speacial and all the support you gave her, Emily and our family.
Today the girls first day of summer break did not turn out as planned. We were going to go to the clinic and get Katie's counts done and then go to the Children's museum. We never got to leave the clinic. Katie's platelts were basically zero,this would explain why her ear was bleeding last night. Her hemoglobin was at 6.0, at 7.0 they give transfusions and her white cell count was at 300-they want it to be 2000. So we were at the clinic from 9-5. Emily was such a trooper. I could have had Bill come and ger her but Katies asked her to stay and she did. Sarah in child life made sure they had lots of art projects to wrok on. On the way home, Katie's port would not quit bleeding, almost all the way home, I pulled over and called the clinic. Thank God she finally stopped bleeding. Because herplatelets were low, I had to apply pressure for 5-10 to try and get her blood to clot. I thought we were headed back in for the night.
Tomorrow, Friday, Katie is suppossed to go to the Mall of America with her Brownie troop to sleep with the sharks at Underwater World. I have not told her this but I don't think we will make it. We have to go back to the ER on Saturday to have counts done again. They don't want us going to the lake for the week until they see us again. They said most likely we won't be going there either-which is sad because my niece Brittany graduates from HS and is having her party on Saturday and the girls really want to go to Bilble camp at Bethany Luthern church next week-well we will wait and see on everything.
We would like to to thank Mr. Mike Kennedy from Hudson. He was responsible for the engraving of Katie's bracelets and to the E.P. Rock parent group, they put up the money to purchase the bracelets.
Well I will let you know if we get to go top Rice Lake or if we are still here in Hudson for the week.

Saturday, May 21, 2005 1:25 PM CDT

It was another busy week. Katie was able to go to school all week. Friday, I did bring her home after lunch. She was pretty tired after the week and I wanted her to rest for her Grandma's retirement party and her big 5k run. Plus she had her counts done on Thursday and they were all pretty low. We go back on Monday and they told us to plan on her most likely getting a blood transfusion.
Wednesday night, we went to a Twins game. Grandma from Florida was here and we took Emily's friend Sami. The Twins won...
Thursday Katie and I went to the "Taste of Tournament". This was a BBQ promoting the tennis tournament in august. the tournament is called the pine tree tennis tournament. this tournmant is one of the biggest fundraisers for childrens hospitail the tournmant is august 9th through the 12th.
friday night we all went to rice lake to my moms retirement party. There was a dinner at Lehmans with a nice presentation. We didn't get home until 10:45 and then straight to bed so we could get up early for the big race.
You can see some of the pictures from the Filson Fab 5k race on the photo page. Katie was pushed by jori and abby. Emily beat her first 5k time by 1:40, she did today's race in 37:01, better than her old lady:( Both Grandma Donna and Grandma Sue placed in their age divisions and received a medal. Pretty soon they will be training for their first marathons.
The race was absolutly wonderful. Thank you to everyone at Filson Dentistry, especially Dr. Filson and Kelly Yocum. Thank you to everyone who came out this morning for the race. It was so fun to see all of our friends and family. It looked like everyone was having a fun time.
Katie wrote parts of this note. I am trying to get her in to take a rest.

Monday, May 16, 2005 4:39 PM CDT

As you can see from the new pictures, we spent a little time this weekend in Rice Lake at the cabin.
Friday, Katie went to school but I received a call around 11:00 to come and pick her up. She had gotten sick at school. After I picked her up, she came home, took a bath and spent the rest of the afternoon in bed sleeping. Bill picked his mom up at his sister's house and brought her to Hudson, she is visiting from Florida. Since she had never been to the cabin before, we decided to go to Rice Lake for a couple nights. Bill, Emily and Donna all went to Drags for dinner while Katie and I stayed back at the cabin resting.
Saturday, it rained all day long:( It was a good day to stay inside and do crafts, so that is what we did and took breaks when we had company, Grandma Sue, Dawn Schmitz, Margo and Madeline Cuskey and cousin Brittany, we took lots of breaks. We had some special visitors come and meet Katie. Laura Schissle and Kelly Orr came over with a group of girls, The Little Flowers of St. Therese. They brought Katie a rosary from Medugorje and some Holy water. The girls are going to be selling Katie's bracelets at St. Joseph church in Rice Lake.
Sunday, we dropped Donna off in Eau Claire to spend some time with the O'Laughlins and then headed back to Hudson. Heather Jones was coming over to scrap book with Katie. aunt Nanny came and Heather brought her daughter Erica and we all scrap booked for a couple hours. Man, one could really get overwhelmed with all the "stuff" involved. Thank goodness we had Heather to guide us. Katie loved making the scrap book pages, as a matter of fact, she is making one right now with her tutor Ms. Groom.
Monday, Katie went to school all day and had a really great day. I didn't think she was going to make the entire day. She had gotten sick this morning but said she felt good and wanted to go. I am so glad she did, it was her last day with her mentor Barbara Goodman and it sounds like they had a really nice time. She had tutoring after school and tomorrow we are going to Filson dentisty to meet all the nice people there who are sponsoring the race this Saturday.
For all who are in the area and are interested, Filson Dentistry is having their annual Filson Fab 5K Fun Run/Walk this Saturday at 8:00. You can print off a registration form at raceberryjam.com or register the day of the race in Bayport. It should be a really fun time. They are having a petting zoo, temporary tatoos, a childrens 1/4 mile race and more. I will be pushing Katie in a burley. I am a little nervous, I have not ran in months...just smile and say hi as you pass me:)

Thursday, May 12, 2005 2:35 PM CDT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL-----Katie is 7 years old today, May 12th, 2005. I will tell you the day she was born was about a 60 degree difference. It was so hot the next few days, we brought her home in a diaper and that was it. The current temp in Hudson right now is 37 degrees with constant rain. Poor Grandma from Florida is on her way here and the high this week is only suppossed to be 62.
With the great news on Monday, we all have been feeling very good and had some good days. Tuesday, Katie was able to go on a field trip with her class to New Richmond to the Old Heritage Center. Aunt Stacey went with Montana Hodur so that was fun for mommy. After the field trip Katie had a dentist appointment and still felt good enough to go back to school for the rest of the day. Later that evening, Katie and I went to the YMCA, while we were gone some friends of ours stopped by and dropped off a package from their entire neighborhood. It seems that Emily's friends Alex Barnard and Danie Baierl went around their neighborhood, Hillary Farm Road, and took up a collection for the girls. We have a trip planned this summer to the Milwaukee/Chicago area and told the girls we could use the money towards that trip, Thank you to everyone, especially Dani and Alex.
Wednesday, Katie and I headed for the hospital, we checked in and basically did the routine. Katie usually feels ok on the days she gets the chemo, it's at night and the next day when she doesn't feel so good. We tried to have a little b-day celebration for her. The Jaegers came with a DQ cake and dinner from Cosettas but katie could not stay awake to join us. We celebrated around her.
This morning, Katie had to go asleep for a little procedure to clean out her ear. While asleep, the ENT found some fluid behind her left ear and decided to put a tube in that ear. Now she has tubes in both ears, just lihe when she was baby. Katie woke up from the procedure in some pain and just wanted to go home. We finally got home about noon and Katie slept until 3:00, took a bath and is now having some pasta. I have to say, being in the hospital is getting to me. Well, we have a three week break until we go again and we plan on enjoying all three weeks.
Thank you to everyone who has sent Katie a birthday wish and note. I started reading all of them to her but she got tired so I will finish later tonight.

Monday, May 9, 2005 1:50 PM CDT

We are home and we are HAPPY. WE got the news we wanted. Without being able to say exactly in medical terms what the doctor said, here goes. There is significant improvement. The soft muscle tissue mass is gone but there is still something showing up with the contrast dye. Meaning, they put a contrast dye in Katie for the MRI and CT and if there is anything abnormal it shows up. We don't know what is showing up, it could be residue from radiation, it could be a tumor. The Dr. said if it is tumurous they would not know that unless they did a biopsy and they would not do that unless it continues to grow and we will not know that until they do the next tests, in 12 weeks. There was no spread of any tumors. We didn't get to see any pictures today but we will when Katie is in the hospital on Wednesday and we will also meet with the radiation doctor. I hope I explained this somewhat clear. In a nut shell--your prayers are being listened to and answered, thank you EVERYONE....

Friday, May 6, 2005 12:49 AM CDT

I am going to write a quick note before the busy weekend. This week was a good week. Katie went to school all day Mon-Tues and Thurs-Fri. Because of chemo, she missed school on Wednesday. One thing we learned at Chemo on Wednesday is after her stay in the hospital this upcoming Wedneday, the 11th, she will get a two week rest from chemo, then go back into the hospital for an overnight and get another two week break and then back to the regular weeekly schedule. This was all showed to Bill and me when Katie was first diagnosed but we had so much thrown at us at that time, we can't remember it all.
So the first 12 weeks of her plan is called the induction phase, weeks 12-24 are called Local control and weeks 24-42 are called Continutaion. When Katie starts Continuation, she will also get a break, but that's a long time from now.
For now we are getting ready for a big 7th b-day party celebration. Katie is having 10 girls stay overnight tonight and then on Saturday we are having a family/friends b-day party. Katie is really looking forward to both parties. Aunt Stacey is here and we are going to do pedicures and make-up tonight and just be girls. It should be a lot of fun.
The past week was pretty uneventful, which is good because the next two weeks are going to be non-stop. Starting on Monday with Katie's MRI/CT scan. I will try to update the website as soon as I can with whatever news we get. Her MRI is at 7:00 am and her CT at 9:45 and then we will meet with the drs at 1:00. Tuesday she has a field trip at school and then the dentist, Wed-Thurs in the hospital and hopefully to school on Friday. Grama from Florida will be here on Thursday the 12th for 10 days and we have lots of fun things planned.
This past week was teacher appreciation week. If your child goes to E.P. Rock Elementary, I am sure you feel like us and are very greatful for the wonderful staff and know your child is in great hands. Our family helped with a breakfast this morning for the teachers and staff at school and can't say enough about everyone there and all the support we have gotten. If you didn't thank your teacher or you are a teacher and didn't get thanked, please know you are appreciated and have one of the hardest yet most important jobs out there. Both of our girls talk about being teachers, which means they have some great role models. Thank you
The sun is shining and we are lloking forward to a nice weekend.
Happy Mother's Day
w

Sunday, May 1, 2005 4:29 PM CDT

I have been able to enjoy another quiet Sunday home alone. Aunt Stacey took Katie and Montanna to Camp Snoopy and Bill and Emily went to the cabin to put the dock in and bring back the boat.
Thursday and Friday were pretty quiet days. Katie is starting to get worn down and more effected from her chemo treatments. She has not been eating very much and pretty tired most of the time. She did make it to school both days for the entire day, so that was great. Friday night the school had their Spring Fling. It was a silent auction, talent show and ice cream social. We made it to the silent auction, Katie's bid won her the gardening basket. Of all hobbies for her to take up and a mom who just can't remember the difference between annual and perienal. Thanks goodness for aunts and neighbors who have volunteered to help us get things planted. We left after the silent auction, Katie was starting a fever and it was the start of an ear infection.
Saturday, Katie woke up with a lot of pain in her ear. The doctors said it was pretty common and called in a prescription. By 2:30, she was not getting any better and crying with a lot of pain, finally after getting sick, I called again and we got three new perscriptions, tylenol w/codeine, some ear drops and the liquid form of amoxicillian, Katie does not do well with chewables or other types of pills. Once those three medicines started working she came around. It was a long day though. She was going to help her Aunt Stacey get things ready for her b-day party but instead slept or cried in my arms. Aunt Stacey got everything almost ready for next weekend. I knew she was feeling better because she asked if Jori could come over and play. So Heather and Jori Blasier came over for some dinner and play. They left and Katie fell asleep. She finally slept through an entire evening and slept in until 9:30, she really needed a full night/restfull sleep.
Today, she asked if she could go to the Mall of America and Stacey volunteered to take her and Montanna and I have been going through boxes in the garage and spare room.
I left the middle picture on the web because I wanted to mention the pillow Katie was sleeping on. Her and Emily received a pillow from their Aunt Nanny. The pillow is from a woman whose child is a cancer survivor. You can read about the pillow and the story behind it at www.pillowishes.com. if you are looking for a unique gift and interested in putting money towards a good cause, check them out. I also wanted to thank Maddie Helman and Nicole Mara for the great tye-dye blanket. I actually used it Wed night in the hospital, it was really warm. It's Katie's new favorite blanket. Thank you girls

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 7:46 PM CDT

Well we have learned that Katie has "A positive" blood type. Today we went in for her chemo and found out she needed to have a blood transfusion. The nurses and doctors kept telling me they were surprised she had not had to have one yet but she finally did and it's very common, just a pain. We planned on being home around 12:30 and instead got home around 5:30. I will remember not to forget to take a book with me.
on monday our friends from north carolina, the bradfords came to visit. there is a picture of katie and nicole, the bradfords little baby.
tuesday,it was a pretty quiet day katie started a new art class with her friend clare and some other friends.
on may 9th, katie is scheduled to have her first MRI and CT
scan. this will hopefully be the best mothersday and birthday presnt kendra and katie could get.
this journal entry was typed by katie.the end.

Sunday, April 24, 2005 1:30 PM CDT

It's Sunday afternoon and the house is quiet. The girls stayed overnight at their Aunt Nanny's house. Bill and I had a brunch this morning and Nanny volunteered to take the girls overnight for us. They are having a blast with their cousin Jake and their friend Haley Roe and we are told they do not want to come home:(
Wednesday, Katie and I went to the hospital overnight for her Chemo treatment. I was a little anxious to see how she was going to react to the dosage of chemo, she recived all three of her chemo drugs. Before, because of radiation, she was only receiving 2 of the 3 chemo drugs. She did great and actually had an awesome day. She was in a good mood all day long, pleasant to be around and we had some really good conversations. I need to learn how to savor those days for the next morning from the minute she opened up her eye, I knew it was not going to be the same kind of day.
Thursday was an awful, awful day. Katie was rude to me, the nurse and the therapist. I met with the therapist for awhile and she told me she has never in her years of practice seen a child as mad as Katie is--hmmm??? wasn't what I was wanting to hear. We came home and I was exhausted, the girls and I were all in bed by 7:30 that night.
Friday, Katie went to school all day and Mrs. Bauman said she had a really good day. Katie and Emily both received baskets from Mrs Ruschmeyer's class and Mrs. Schwertel's class. Lots of fun things for the girls and the family. Thank you to everyone in those two classrooms. Katie and Emily both had friends stay overnight and we drove over to Mendota Heights for cousin Jake's school carnival.
Saturday was a hang out at home, run errands kind of day. The girls went over to Nanny's around 6:00 and Bill and I went out to dinner with the Hodurs.

Tuesday, April 19, 2005 5:59 PM CDT

We are back, I won't say well rested but that's ok we all had a fun time and Katie and I will get all caught up on our rest tomorrow and Thursday in the hospital:)
Florida was a nice time. We visited Universal Studios and spent a lot of time just swimming and relaxing by the pool. The weather was between 75-80 each day, very nice with low humidity for Florida. Katie felt good the entire trip. One piece of good news is before we left the doctor said we can go off the steroids at the end of this week. While in Florida, we started every other day. The bad news is going off the steroids causes irritability, this was evident on the trip-YIKES. Just when I thought I could not go on, Bill reminded me how much better she is now compared to when she went on them. That gave me hope that this too will pass.
While we were in Florida our dog Hudson was watched by Julia Douglas and her family-thank you Douglas family:) We missed her so much but knew she was being well taken care of.
Nan and Jake visited us in Florida Fri-early morning Monday and Bill's mom, Donna visited us Thursday through early morning Monday. It was great to spend some time with all of them away from the hustle and bustle.
Stacey is back in Rice Lake looking for a job, please remember her in your prayers. We have been home for 3 hours and we miss her being here. She was so great for Katie and I loved having her company and her help. I am pretty sure I would have never made it through radiation without her--Thank you Stacey and Grandma and Grandpa Pelto.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005 8:49 PM CDT

We got the ok from the ENT Doc so we are on our way to Florida.
Katie stayed home from school on Monday and I took her to the Dr for a sore throat and draining ear. Her primary Dr. did not want to make a call on her ear so we had an appointment today and he gave us the ok to fly.
We will be staying in Orlando at our timeshare until Tuesday morning. We don't have any plans to go to the parks-our kids are not big Disney fans-so we will just be relaxing around the pool and doing activities with Grandma Donna, Jake and Nan, they are coming to visit Fri-Sunday.
Tomorrow, Wednesday morning, we are going to go to the clinic for chemo and then to the airport. We will be back on Tuesday and then Wednesday Katie will go in for chemo.
I know Katie and Emily are both very excited to ride first class.
The pictures on the web show the girls with some puppies. These are Mayo and Julie Rude's puppies. Aunt Stacey took friend Mason Ingram and the girls to see all the puppies on Monday night.
Well I will write when we get back.
Please pray for safe and healthy trip.

Sunday, April 10, 2005 2:44 PM CDT

Well what can I say??? it's over, yahooooo. Katie has had a very busy weekend celebrating the end of her radiation treatments.
Friday, after her last radiation treatment, we had a party in Katie's classroom to celebrate her big day. We brought in a big 6-foot sub, chips and cookies and then the class started making paper mache masks. The project will be completed this following week. After school we headed downtown Minneapolis for the Twins home opener. It was a beautiful day, sunny and 70. We spent some time outisde on the plaza listening to music and getting a bite to eat and then we went into the dome for the game. Our seats were right behind home plate. Katie's friend Clare joined us for the game, it was her first time to the Metrodome:) The Twins lost the game but we had a great time. We didn't get to bed until 11:30.
Saturday, Katie got up way too early. I got up at 6:30 to go on a walk and she woke up too. I wanted her to rest for another big day. While Emily, Bill and papa went bowling in River Falls with the Moksnes boys, us girls went to the Moksnes house for an open house party. Barb Moksnes is a rep for the company A Time To Celebrate and she threw an open house in my honor. I wish you could have seen the spread she had and the wonderful products. Thank you to everyone who came out to Barb's house and especially to the Moksnes Family for having such a fun event. After the open house we hurried home to get ready for our open house. Katie chose a taco bar which was really easy to make and set up. I told Katie this morning, I have never had a party with so many friends, she is very special and everyone is very proud of her. Thank you to everyone who came and helped out.
Today, Sunday has been a very relaxing day. Gram and papa Pelto stayed until about 11:00 and I have just been cleaning up. We are all getting ready to go to O'garas in St. Paul for a fundraiser. Some of the nurses at Children's are having a fund raiser to help send kids to Camp Courage. It should be a lot of fun. They are having a magic show and then a concert by GB Leighton.

Tuesday, April 5, 2005 10:28 AM CDT

Three more radiations....wahoooo. We are very excited. I am not quite sure Katie understands what a big deal this is but some day she will. I know she will not miss her daily car trips to St. Paul.
Saturday, the girls, Bill and Aunt Stacey went to Jordan Little's roller skating party. I was so happy Katie went. It's so nice when she can get some excercise. Saturday night Bill and I went out for Vanessa Hodur's birthday. Aunt Stacey watched all the kids. It has been awhile since we have done something like that. Thanks Stacey.
Sunday was a beautiful day here. Emily played outside almost all day and Katie kind of stayed close to me. Her tummy has been hurting a lot lately and with Stacey being sick on Friday, it's hard to tell whether or not Katie caught what Stacey had or just had a tummy ache from her medicines. Sunday evening we had Paula and Randy Doroff come over for dinner. They shared with us their exciting news of a baby on it's way. We now have five friends who are due between August 24-Sept 10th. What fun we will have holding all of the new little ones.
Monday morning, Katie woke up around 3:00 am all stuffed up. This has been happening almost every night. I am trying to figure out what it is. Unfortunatly it was really bad on Monday morning and then at 5:00 she was vomitting. So I think she caught a little of what Aunt Stacey had. Needless to say, she stayed home from school.
Tuesday, today she is at school but only for a half a day. Her tummy was still hurting this morning and she is planning on coming home with me after her lunch. She sees the therapist again today. I am hoping she will meet with her without me in the room. Then she will have radiation and then we will come back to Hudson to vote.
We have a trip planned for Florida next week. Katie was very bummed over Spring Break not being able to go anywhere so with the Docs permission, we are planning on going to Florida next Wed the 13th-Tuesday the 19th back just in time to go into the hospital for chemo on Wed.

Friday, April 1, 2005 4:09 PM CST

FIVE, yes Katie can count them on her one hand. Only five more radiation treatments and we are done. It's been a busy week and has quickly gone by. I hope I remember everything in my re-cap.
Monday after school, Katie's friend and classmate Allie Thoemke came over with the rest of her family. Allie had gotten up on Sunday in front of her entire church, Redeemer Lutheran, and talked about her friend Katie and her cancer. The church did a special offering for Katie and Allie came by to drop it off. I can't imagine how proud Todd and Shelee must be of their daughter. Thank you very much Allie and the congregation of Redeemer Lutheran Church. We had more visitors on Monday night. You can see from the middle picture, Julie and Mayo Rude came over and brought us a cake from Coldstone Creamery. It was very delicious. The Rudes stayed for dinner and we had a very nice evening. Thanks guys-I can't believe how much Katie spoke and even joked around that night-it was awesome for me to see. Katie's good mood traveled into Tuesday at school but ended once she met the therapist. She didn't open up a whole lot but we made some head way. I think Cynthia, the therapist, will be great for Katie. Katie had tutoring on Tuesday night and again the minute Ms Groom comes to the door, Katie gets a big smile on her face.
Wednesday we headed into St. Paul for radiation and then over to the hospital to check in for chemo. It went very smooth this time. It was a little frustrating. The Dr on call this week was our Dr so that was good but he did not understand why the Dr from the last visit made Katie get so hydrated before Chemo. If you remember, that ended up keeping us in the hospital one extra day and Katie did not like it and now it bothers me that this Dr said she isn't even getting the one chemo drug that would require the hydration. Oh well, I am sure this isn't the first time there will be things done differently. We were home on Thursday by noon. Katie took a nice long bath, had some lunch and then a nice nap with Aunt Stacey. She had tutoring again on Thursday evening and Ms Groom was able to join us for dinner.
Friday, today, April Fools day, the teachers played a trick on the kids and all switched rooms for the majority of the day. Katie was able to have her Kindergarten teacher, Kacey Hilgendorf, what a pleasant surprise. The kids only had school until 1:45. Katie and I went to see Dr. Karlen, Dr. Karlen was the ENT Dr we saw at the ER and was the Dr who performed surgery on Katie to get her biopsy. He said everything looks great and that we can check her hearing about 6 weeks after radiation.
We were planning on going to the Rudes tonight to see their 11 puppies but their eyes are not open yet and Bill got braces put on his teeth today, so he's not feeling up to it and Aunt Stacey has the flu AGAIN. I am really hoping it won't go through the entire house again, like last week. so we are just going to hang out and play with some of the games that the girls got from Mrs. Amorelli's class-thanks Mrs. Amorelli's class for the great bag of goodies.

Monday, March 28, 2005 12:29 AM CST

What a beautiful Spring day we are having. I wish Katie was not so angry with the world to stop and look around.
Thursday, Katie did not go to school. She complained of a tummy ache and with all of us having the flu it was hard for me to tell if she really was sick or just didn't want to go to school. She stayed home and stayed in bed most of the day. After school, she had tutoring with Ms. Groom. Ms Groom is another first grade teacher at EP Rock and has volunteered to come and help Katie with her work--Thank You Ms. Groom. I couldn't believe the smile on Katie's face when Ms. Groom came to the door, it was so nice to see.
Friday, after radiation, we headed to the UP of Michigan to go skiing for the weekend. On the way up, Katie lost one of her teeth. I was unaware that it was even loose. Of course the tooth fairy came and visited her in Michigan:)
Saturday we went skiing with the Hodurs and the Jaegers. It was a beautiful day, sunny about 45 degrees. The ski hill was not crowded and there was plenty of snow to ski. Everyone got a little sunburn and we were all in bed early so the Easter Bunny could stop at our condo. While we were skiing on Saturday, I did notice a woman and her two kids always kind of watching us. At the end of the day, she approached Bill and asked him if our daughter was sick? He told her and then she explained she had a daughter, Devon who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at the age of 4 and that she lived six more years, five more than what they told her. She asked us for our address. Her daughter and her grandmother wrote a book and she is sending us a copy. The woman-Ann-is from Eau Claire. Talking to Ann was hard and I have been sad ever since but at the same time it reminds me again how kind everyone has been to our family the past 6 weeks-yes it's only been 6 weeks.
Sunday, the Easter Bunny came to visit the kids at the condo. All the kids received a $2 bill in an egg under their pillows. Emily and Katie kept wondering if maybe the Easter bunny left something at home. We skiied until about 1:00 and then headed back to Hudson. We stopped with the Jaegers at the A&W in Baldwin for our Easter dinner. When we arrived home the girls not only found their baskets from the Easter bunny but also a basket for each one of them from Jori Blaiser, thanks Jori.
Today is Monday and Katie is at school. She did not want to go and we had quite a breakdown yet a breakthru right before school. Katie released a lot of tears and info to me about why she doesn't want to go to school. Unfortunatly, there is nothing I can do. I tell her to hold her head up high and just smile at everyone. Easy for me to say.
After radiation today, Katie will only have 9 more treatments. She is scheduled to be done with radiation next Friday the 8th of April.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005 8:43 PM CST

Well, if you have looked at the pictures, you can see Katie has a had a busy week.
Monday after clinic and radiation we headed home to find Aunt Stacey sick with the flu, no sooner and mom started feeling sick. We all went to bed hoping to feel better in the morning, we had a big day ahead of us.
Tuesday, I was greeted at 5:30 am by Bill who was off to NYC with the flu. I slept right through it but he was up all night with it and had to get on a plane at 7:00 for a big meeting in NYC. I'll spare the details.. Tuesday was a little stressful. Aunt Stacey was scheduled to take Katie to radiation at 8:15 so I could go on a field trip with Emily at 9:00, but Stacey was too sick, so I made it to radiation and back to school by 8:58, just in time to ride a school bus with an upset stomach. Emily's class took a field trip to Gertens Greenhouse, it was wonderfull to see and smell all the fresh flowers. Tuesday afternoon I picked Katie up from school early and we headed out to Ridgedale shopping mall to the Build a Bear store, where Katie made a bunny-Bella with some help from some pretty neat guys. She also received an autographed jersey from K.G. It was lots of fun but I was anxious to get home and in to bed myself. And that's what I did when we got home. Stacey took the girls to Darla's malt shop and I went to sleep.
Wednesday, Katie and I were off early again to radiation and then to clinic for one of her chemo drugs. Before we left, Aunt Stacey came up to inform us she now knows what it is like to be a mom, she got to be up all night with Emily getting sick... Chemo and radiation went fine. I don't think Katie has the flu but she just didn't feel 100% today. She did perk up when I brought home a basket full of crafts, gifts and cards from Mrs. Burgraff's first grade class at E.P. Rock. Thank you Mrs Burgraff's class. Katie already started the needlepoint project and the beading and stamping, all tonight. There were a few things in the basket for Emily, thank you to everyone who has remembered Emily. She has good days and bad but overll has been a great big sister to Katie.
Tomorrow, Katie has a substitute teacher, she of course does not want to go but she doesn't want to repeat first grade either, that's my gentle reminder to get her to school when she can.
I will write more later, for now I have to get to work so I can keep the job I still have:)
Many Thanks to everyone for their prayers, notes, cards, gifts, meals, PIZZAs and support.

Monday, March 21, 2005 12:39 AM CST

Katie had a great weekend.
Saturday morning we went and colored eggs and had breakfast at Dicks. She got a really cute picture taken with the Easter Bunny. When we got home she went back to bed, I was afraid she was going to be in bed all day/night again. Around 2:00, I suggested she get out of bed and help Aunt Stacey get ready for dinner, she loves to cook and bake. She got up and the rest of the night was history. She smiled and thoroughly enjoyed helping us prepare dinner. Jon and Trisha Spangler came all the way from California for dinner and Katie even let Trisha hold her. Katie and Emily both had fun filling Trisha's mouth full of whipped cream:)
Sunday, Katie asked if we could go skiing. Well she actually asked on Saturday, when she heard her dad was going to take her sister that afternoon. She asked if the whole family could go. It was a beautiful day and I was so happy to get her up and out of the house. As we were getting ready, both of the girls came to me and asked how much money it was to ski for 1 person? I said I did not know and asked them why? They said they wanted to put their money together and give it to Aunt Stacey so she could go with us. They both went to their rooms got their money and together counted it out. I was in tears and Stacey asked what was wrong, she soon found out why I was crying. They has enough to pay for her rental equiptment and I pitched in the rest. I was never a prouder mom. We had a great time, signing John Denver the whole way to the hill and talking about our ski trips when we were younger. We skiied with the Hodurs, the Jaegers and Saltzmans. It was great weather, not a lot of people and Katie really enjoyed herself, which makes me and dad feel great.
Today, we are off to clinic and radiation. Katie only has 15 more radiation treatments. We have to go to the clinic first so they can check her blood counts and see how she is responding to her GCSF shots.
I am trying to put more updated pics on the computer but am having some technical difficulties.

Saturday, March 19, 2005 3:48 AM CST

It's Saturday morning and I can't sleep. I know in 3 hours when I am suppossed to go running I will be tired but now I am wide awake.
Wednesday, we started the day with a trip to radiation and then to the clinic for blood tests and Katie's one chemo drug. We have discovered through this journey that Katie does not like to give up her blood very easily and it's hard for me to watch. After a positive check up, we went home, packed our bags and headed all the way to Bloomington, MN(30 miles from here.) First, Katie and I met Aunt Nanny for lunch and then we checked into the Embassy Suites for a night full of swimming and hanging out. Katie took a nap and then when she woke up, Bill arrived with Katie's friend Clare Weber. Aunt Nanny also joined us. We went to the pool and Katie did great. She took off her hip hat and headed into the pool. After swimming we went and changed our clothes and headed down to the restaraunt, Katie did not even put her hip hat back on:)
Thursday, we had a great breakfast and did some more swimming, checked out of the hotel and headed back to Wisconsin. After we dropped Clare off at home, Katie rested, I un-packed and then we went back to MN for radiation:) Father John stopped by to say Hi and to drop off a package for Katie. Part of the package was a bag filled with home-made stamped cards from across the USA. A woman by the name of Lisa Zappa, who is a cancer survivor and whom we have never met, sent Katie a package with some treats and a note that she is thinking of Katie and had her stamping network send Katie cards. Katie and I looked and read through each one. It was fun for Katie to see all the great cards and ideas on how to make them. She received some stamps and ink from the Brozaks and has enjoyed stamping so far. Again, the outpour of prayers and notes from people we may never meet is unbelievable. Thank you... Thursday night we went to our old day care lady's house, Judy Day. Judy had a party and her daughter had a little tea party for the kids, Katie was tired so she started at the tea party but then joined me and Aunt Stacey upstairs. We got home before the "big" storm hit.
Friday, Stacey got to get up early and take Grandma and Papa Pelto to the airport. They are off to Phoenix to visit my Aunt and Uncle Schlumpf, hope you are having fun.. We were planning on going to the Children's Museum in St. Paul but Aunt Stacey said the roads were getting bad and we should maybe just stay in bed all day:) Unfortunatly, Katie did. She did not feel good and only got out of bed to go to radiation and then back to bed for the rest of the day/night. She received a package from our friend Angie McCarthy. Part of the package was a huge wall map and some stickers. Angie wrote to Katie indicating she should take a sticker and place it on the cities where people are praying for Katie. We are going to do that and we will be busy. Angie was in the delivery room with Katie and now lives in North Dakota. Angie is also a childhood cancer survivor. I forget that about Angie, but when I read her note to Katie and was reminded of her cancer and suviving it, it gave me a Hope, a Hope I have been needing the last few days. While Katie slept, we hung out watching the snow and visiting with the Hodur family.
Back in January, through the school, Katie won a Young Authors contest. Today, Saturday is the Young Authors conference where the kids share the story they wrote and meet local authors. Katie does not want to go. I am sad but she wants to decorate eggs instead, oh well. I am not sure if she will be up for that either, we'll see when she wakes up.

Tuesday, March 15, 2005 12:59 AM CST

It's Spring Break for the Hudson schools and we are doing Spring cleaning.
Katie is helping Aunt Stacey clean and re-organize the play room. Everyone has been so kind and generous to Katie and Emily with crafts, gifts, colors, etc that I had to go out and buy a new shelf and baskets so we could get things organized.
We went to the cabin on Saturday morning and spent the weekend lounging around, eating, drinking, visiting with family and friends and of course crafting..
Saturday night we celebrated Papa's birthday and Emily's half birthday. Sunday we got together with Madeline and did lots of fun crafts, jewelry making, coloring, puzzles, played scrabble and relaxed.
We came back Monday and have spent the last two days trying get caught up at home. I am very overwhelemed right now with the house, cleaning, laundry, etc.... so I am making this entry short and may not answer the phone in the next few days.
Emily is leaving Wed morning with her friend Dani to the Dells. Bill and I are taking Katie and possibly a friend to a hotel in Bloomington for a night to swim. I think she is feeling better about somethings. She said she didn't want to buy a swim cap and she would just swim without anything on her head.
She continues to have bad tummy aches. We were up last night with her for a couple hours and she just stopped in the office a minute ago to complain of more tunny aches.
I will write more at the end of the week.

Friday, March 11, 2005 9:05 PM CST

I have a lot to write-sorry. Way too busy of a week.
Tuesday, Katie only made it to school for 1 hour. Again, she had bad tummy pains so I went and picked her up from school. I think we have all the right medicine for her now. Tuesday at radiation, Katie started a new machine. You can read about it at
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/content/therapy/imrt.htm . As of today, Friday, she has completed 8 of her 28 radiation treatments. Only 20 more to go, that means 4 more weeks and we are done with radiation. Emily had her second grade concert that night, it was wonderful. Emily had a duet with Madison, they were rappers-go Emma!!!!
Wednesday, Katie had radiation at 7:45 am and then we walked over to Childrens to be admitted for her Chemo. The hospital did not have a bed ready so we went to have breakfast, her second of the day. So by 9:00 am, she had eaten 3 helpings of scrambled eggs-approx 6 eggs, 6 sausages, 2 pieces of toast and a biscuit-I just smiled as she asked fo more sausages. I keep thinking of what everyone tells me and that is "let her eat" she will be very sick later on in the chemo and will not want to eat. Anyway we were admitted to 4200-the floor she will always be on- around 9:30 and unfortunatly because she was dehydrated, she did not get to start her chemo until 7:00 pm. So during the day, Katie and I hung out. Grandma and Papa Pelto came to visit for about 4 hours. They had to leave and drive to the nearest KFC for Katie's lunch, which was about 20 minutes away. Katie's day went pretty fast, she got to make cookies right on the floor. Sarah from Life Services brought in a convection oven and she and Katie made cookies-Donna you would have died at the set up. Katie's friend Montana and her mom came to visit so did cousin Jake, Aunt Nanny, Uncle Craig, friend Kelli Meyer and Aunt Stacey. Kelli gave Emily a tour of the pharmacy and let her send drugs up to the floors in the hospital. Kelli is a director at Allina in the pharmancy world. By the time everyone came and ate Chinese, it was time for Katie's chemo. Katie gets 2 of her 3 chemo drugs every 3 weeks during radiation and then when radiation is over, she will get 3 drugs every 3 weeks. She continues to get 1 of her drugs every week.
Ok so we are onto Thursday, which was pretty uneventful. Kate went to radiation and we just hung out all day. We got caught up on her math and Aunt Nanny came with lunch and got to see Katie at radiation. While Katie was in the hospital, Sarah from Life Services went to E.P Rock, the girl's school and gave a speech to the entire first grade class and Emily's second grade class. I have heard nothing but rave reviews from everyone-thank you Sarah. I hope all the kids enjoyed the presentation and feel better now about what is going on with Ms Katie, maybe some of them don't. Katie and I were sent home around 6:00 and when we got home we went through all the boxes at home. There was a box full of hair from the Mullen girls, we are going to send it to hip hats and get another wig made for Katie-thank you Bridgette and girls. We received 6 pints of ice cream sent from Renee(Kipp) Feder, there is always a box or two from Gram in Florida, a box from the Hansen family, a basket full of art supplies and crafts from Katie's class, three boxes of fun stuff from Mrs. Gallagher's second grade class, a bunny and easter basket full of cookie and treats from Mrs Fields from Andrea Hansen, a card/money from everyone at Gram Pelto's work, a gift certifictae from Weatherly consulting, a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble from the Mills and so on and so on and like I have written before, I am sure I will forget someone, so all I can say is thank you to everyone for everything you have done for us.
Today, Friday, Katie did not want to go to school. I was firm with her and told her she had to go and we made a deal I would pick her up after lunch. Once we got to school, the tears started and she did not want to go into her room. Mrs Baumann got her to walk in and I left thinking I would get her at noon. I got a call at 10:30 from Katie, saying she wanted to stay until I picked her up for radiation. I was so happy to hear she was enjoying herself and wanted to be there learning and playing with her friends. Tonight, we went to the Douglas's for dinner. We had Tai food with the Douglas and Hodur families & are getting ready to go to the cabin for 2-3 days. We have to be back for radiation on Monday at 3:00. The girls have Spring Break next week so we don't have to rush home on Sunday.
We will be celebrating my dad's b-day and Emily's half b-day tomorrow:)
I am looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. I am also a little nervous to go to our cabin. The last time I was there was with all of my running friends and it was the weekend Katie started having her headaches. It's almost like I don't want to go there because it was the last place I was before everything fell apart. Oh well, I can't avoid one of our families favorite places in the world.
Hopefully I will have more free time next week to update more often. Have a great weekend and to all of the EP Rockers, have a great Spring break.

Monday, March 7, 2005 12:49 AM CST

Before I have to go to radiation with Katie, I will give a quick update.
Saturday night Emily was up all night with the flu:(. She had to sleep downstairs with Bill and away from Katie. When she woke up on Sunday she seemed to just be tired but her tummy was all better. Katie and I were planning on going to church but then right as were were getting ready to leave, her tummy started hurting. I was afraid she had gotten the flu also but after her being in a lot of pain throughout the day and talking to the Drs, we came to the conclusion that her pains are side effects from her steroids and chemo drugs. I have to say, it was quite awful. She had pains on and off all day long to the point she was screaming and crying. We got her some Malox and some Prevacid and finally fell asleep around 12:30 am this morning.
Monday morning, Bill, Katie and I met with the school principal, counselor, nurse, Katie's teacher, another first grade teacher, Ms. Groom, and the district nurse. We met to map out a tutoring and health care plan for Katie. Ms. Groom, is another first grade teacher at EP Rock and has volunterred to tutor Katie when she misses school or is in the hospital.
We briefly discussed some of the wonderful things the families and others at EP Rock have been doing for our family and things planned for the near future. The head cook at EP Rock, Char, has put together a pizza fund raiser and has gotten WalMart to make a matching donation, thank you so much to everyone who is helping. Mr. Barabee, the school counselor, is an avid bicycle rider and his riding group sent us a check over the weekend-thank you. I know there are so many others praying for us, thinking about us, making food and organizing events, it's very overwhelming and I am sure I will forget to mention or thank someone. Please remember that Bill and I and Emily and Katie appreciate it all.
One more note, I did hear back from Dr. McComb, at LA Pediatrics and his opinion was also that Katie's tumor is un-operable. I knew we had to get a second opinion and I feel a little relieved. I wasn't sure what I was going to do if he said he could remove it because then I would have had to have gotten a third opinion, so maybe better this way. Gotta go and get Katie from school for radiation.
Oh yes, Aunt Stacey is here now to help us.....thanks Mom and Dad for making this possible:)
Kendra

Saturday, March 5, 2005 4:42 PM CST

A nice quite Saturday, home with just the family. I am hoping we can get caught up on some things around the house.
Wednesday night, I was able to get out for a few hours to my favorite spot in town, The Nova-a wine bar, to celebrate Heather Ingram's birthday. It was an enjoyable evening. Thank you to Duschon Hodur who watched his kids and mine.
Thursday, Aunt Kimmy came to visit to help me do some decorating at the house. We just moved into our house here in December and I was planning on using the month of February to get unpacked-oh well. Kim went with Katie and me to radiation. I appreciated the company and Katie was nice enough to let Kim see what radiation was all about. Overall, a pretty quite day. Katie was able to stay at school until I picked her up and even joined in during Phy Ed. Today, a package came to our house with a Spinooza bear in it but no card. Please let me know who you are who sent it to Katie. It's wonderful, we all love it, Thank you to whoever sent it to her.
Friday, Katie and Emily had early release so Katie was able to make the whole day and then off to radiation. Emily went to spend the night at the Howard's house in Cottage Grove and Katie had her friend Montana stay over night. Mom had Bunko and dad visited with the guys down the street.
It's Saturday and we have had a pretty quite day. I got up and went running for the first time in a month. Bill and I met Sally and David Mills for lunch. The Mills have been through a similiar situation with their son, David, and have offeredus their support for the next year or so. Somehow I think we just met two people who will play a very important role in our lives. Emily is home from her sleepover and we re all just hanging out. Katie is waiting for the computer so I am signing off.
Thanks to everyone for everything.
Kendra

Wednesday, March 2, 2005 2:04 PM CST

Ok first of all, if anyone knows how I can download these photos where they are not so huge give me a call and walk me through it. However, it is kind of nice, you can see the detail in the desserts:)
Wow, it's only been 3 days since I have updated last, it seems like a week has gone by. A lot has happened in 3 days.
Monday, Katie went to school for the first half of the day. Her mentor, Barbara Goodman and her teacher, Mrs Baumann planned a Madhatter tea party. It was hat day for the entire school but Katie's class also had a tea party. The pastry chefs from Paza Luna in St. Paul made the cake, creme brulee and tiramisu-thank you so much Mr & Mrs Goodman for everything. The class made a hat box and filled it with hats for Katie, thank you classmates and everyone who helped with teh tea party. Before the tea party was over, Mrs Hambourg, the principal, told Katie's class that for the rest of the year, their class can wear hats all day any day. Emily, our oldest who joined the party, went back and told her second grade class, they are not as happy as the first graders. When we got home on Monday, there was a delivery from the edible delivery store. The third picture shows what Katie got delivered from the Barnard family. It was absolutely beautiful and great to eat, we are still eating it. Donna, I wish you were here to see it in person, but I saw they have a place in Tampa. www.fruitflowers.com
Tuesday, Katie stayed home. It wasn't really a good day for me or Katie, of course I feel guilty even saying that about myself. Katie completely lost her hair and she had a substitute teacher and PE, so all combined, she wasn't happy. Mom was just having a bad day with attitudes, the constant eating and feeeling like we had no-one to talk to. Not friends or family but someone who has been through this and could answer all of my questions and tell me I am doing the right things. No sooner, did I get a call from Childrens saying a friend of mine-you know who you are-called and was concerned about me and thought it would be nice to be hooked up with another family. I could barely hold it together on the phone with this lady, all I could think of is my friend who called and did this for me, it's so overwhelming. A family from Maple Grove called us last night and I think we may get together with them this weekend to talk. They called us right as I was getting home from the Y and it was hard for Bill to talk so we will hopefully meet up this weekend.
Today, Wednesday, we started the day early. Emily went over to the Hodurs at 7:00 and got on the bus with them. Then we took off for Childrens. We had more simulation and Katie's first of 28 radiation treatments. We went on an empty stomach, which is REALLY hard but they wanted to sedate her. When we got there, they said we could try doing it without sedation, that was great. She was such a trooper. There is absolutely no way I could do it. They made a mask of her face and they place it over her face and then screw it onto the table so she can't move her face, I just could never do it. The mask is made of mesh so she can see and breathe but that's about it. After radiation we went to the clinic for blood work and one of her Chemo drugs. Again Katie did awesome and I didn't even feel faint today:). Her next chemo is next Wed and we will have to stay over in the hospital. Katie is not happy but I told her we can look at it as an adventure for her and mom. She has to get three chemo drugs and they have to give her fluids before and after so they suggest just staying the night. I guess we can plan on doing this once every three weeks.
Dad had to leave for 3 days but will be back on Friday. Katie and I headed back to Hudson and Katie wanted to eat lunch at Green Mill-yikes, I need to get out and run again-we had lunch with Heather Blasier and Heidi Singerhouse joined us after she was done with her lunch. Katie is now napping.
I know this is a lot at once but I have fallen aleep the past few nights with Katie. I am sure I forgot to mention something or someone so all I can say is Thank You to everyone for everything you are doing for us. Keep praying to God or Buddha, we are not picky....
Kendra

Sunday, February 27, 2005 9:34 PM CST

Ok, I know it's been three days and everyone wants an update. My intention is to read the website each night and then to add an update, however the last two nights around 8:00, I have fallen asleep. I can't quite remember a Friday and Saturday night like that.
Friday, Katie went to school in the morning. The class had camping for a theme and they got to use the S'more maker Emily and Katie received from Gram & Papa Pelto for Christmas. After lunch, we went to get her wig trimmed and styled to fit her. Today she tells me she hates it and is never going to wear it -hmmm then we went to see the ENT Dr,Dr Karlen. Dr. Karlen was the Dr. we first saw the Friday night in the ER and he did the surgery on Katie the following morning to get the biopsy through her ear drum. He will monitor Katie's hearing and eyes. Katie currently has a loss of hearing in her right ear. We can't say if it's pemanent. We won't be able to tell until everything is done. Friday after school, Emily had a gymnastics presentation and then it was home for a quite evening and early to bed.
Saturday we went to Camp Snoopy at the Mall of America, which happens to be right by IKEA, which I didn't even ask to go to!!!!! ok over that. Katie started out wearing areally cute hat but then ditched it before the mall. We took Katie's friend Clare Weber and we met the Jaegers, Nan-Bill's sister, Craig, her husband and Jake, their son. The first ride we went on was the log shute-Katie's favotite, I sat in front and of course got the wettest. Then Katie wanted to go on the roller coaster. I did not think this was a good idea and as usual I was right. Katie go off not feeling so well but recovered after a dose of "dippin dots". We spent probably one hour too long at the MOA but that allowed Katie to sleep on the way home. Saturday night, Emily had a sleep over at Kendra Little's, yes her name is Kendra. It was just another quite night at home. I made it exciting by eating more than half a pizza and half a container of Joseph Schmidt chocolates-hmmmmm-thanks Betsy:)
Sunday morning started at 6:30 am with an order of bacon, eggs and toast-I never was a morning person, however I am now. Bill and I spent most of the morning cleaning, Katie just kind of hung out, unhappy about the hair situation and didn't want to leave our room. We had a quick visit from Gram & Papa Pelto and the Smiths. They were on their way to the Twin Cities for a day or two. As the day went on, Katie got more comfortable and actually got dressed and came out of the room to join me and some friends for a clothing party, CAbi, thanks to all who came. I enjoyed having some company. After everyone left, we had Chinese for dinner and to bed.
I don't know if Kate will go to school on Monday. She is very upset about her hair, she says she's ugly and isn't going until her HipHAt wig comes, that could be Friday. The entire school is having hat day in honor of Katie and her class is having a Mad-hatter tea party. I am hoping to encourage her to go at least half a day.
Bill and I are now looking at other hospitals and wondering if we are doing all we can for Katie. It's so hard. I feel with my gut we are going to be just fine with Childrens but then I get out on the web and read about "the best" cancer hospital or "the best cancer dr" and wonder if we should be somewhere else. On the other hand, I feel like I could spend all day, every day looking for something better and wondering and then think go with my gut and see what happens. I pray to God I am doing the best. I have lifted Kate up to him the past few nights, saying she is His, not to have in Heaven with him, but for me to let go and let him decide. This is very hard but I know I have to do it.
Thank you to EVERYONE for EVERYTHING. The gifts, cards, prayers, food, drink, treats and notes continue to poor in.
Kendra

Thursday, February 24, 2005 8:37 PM CST

Today, was an okay day. Dad left for Georgia around 5:00 am. Aunt Stacey chaperoned Emily to the museum with the rest of the second graders at EP Rock. They all had a great time.
Katie had kind of a lazy morning. We were planning on going shopping but she decided she didn't want to and she did some coloring, tv watching and resting. I was able to get caught up on e-mails, phone calls and some house cleaning:)
Our plans for the day were to go, look and possibly buy a wig. I am glad we planned it for today. Katie's hair is slowly falling out. She was sitting on my lap listening to me read to her some journal entries and I noticed hair all over her shirt and pants. It continued to fall out throughout the day. It's not completely out but I am expecting it to be soon. This made me very sad. Everyone who meets Katie for the first time always comments on her beautiful, blonde, thick hair. I have heard a lot of times the hair can come back thicker and curly, if that happens to Katie, she will have the most hair of anyone I know. Katie also lost something else today, one of her bottom teeth. She pulled it out herself. I wonder if the toothfairy will know to look in my bedroom?
After lunch Katie was sad that her sister got to go to the museum and she was bored, we decided to go to the movie Because of Winn Dixie. Katie wanted her friend Jori to go with. So we made plans to meet Heather and Jori at the 4:40 movie, I let Emily skip out of gymnastics so she could go with us too. I will save you all the 2 hours, see it on video.
Before the movie, we did get a wig. We went to Merle Norman and found a real cute one. We have an appointment on Friday to go and get it trimmed and cut to fit her face a little bit better. I also ordered Katie a hat and wig from hiphat.com It's a cool site, check it out.
After we picked out Katie's wig we went to TGIFs, Katie wanted ribs. She ate ribs, french fries and the biggest helping of orange sherbet I have ever seen. She was tired.
When we got home there was a big package for the girls from Linda Wolfgram, a friend of Bill's from work. The box was filled with so many wonderful girlie gifts, it made both girls smile.
In-case you are wondering if we are eating and keeping up our strength? I need to let you all know my two friends Vanessa and Tina call us at least once a day telling us what is on the menu at their homes and if they should double the batch. I have no idea how the two of them stay so fit. Today we got buffalo chicken pizza delivered-pre-baked along with some St. Andre brie and other yummy cheeses.
Which reminds me, thank you to everyone who has offered to make meals, who have sent the girls packages and such nice cards and notes. We appreciate them all. Thank You.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005 10:36 PM CST

Where should I start? I fell asleep with Katie last night, Tuesday, around 8:00. Needless to say I didn't get to update everyone on her day and her dad was at the Hodurs having a well deserved night out with friends. So that leads us to today and two days to catch everyone up with what's been going on.
Tuesday, Katie went to school all day. If you remember, she had a substitute, Mrs Gunderson. The day went great and Katie even came home and shared some stories with me about Mrs Gunderson and how she too is a very strong woman. I was able to volunteer with Emily's class. They did some planting in the afternoon and I never told Emily about me helping, just-in-case I got called to pick Katie up. Emily was pleasantly surprised. Unfortunatly, I do not get to go with Emily to the museum tomorrow, Thursday. But aunt Stacey is here and gets to go, she's very excited about going to the Omni theatre and watching the movie on the big screen. I think I will send some of Katie's nautia medicine with her. Katie's blood counts are a little low and we are going to hang out tomorrow and maybe do some wig shopping.
Wednesday, today we spent the entire day at the clinic. Katie had her weeekly appointment with her Dr. She will receive one of her three chemo drugs every week and then all three of them together once every three weeks. Today, she received the one and they also took blood to test all of her blood counts. Unfortunatly the needle didn't work right or something went wrong so they had to insert a second time, this made mom, either ready to throw-up or faint, I am not quite sure what I felt but hot, sweaty and light-headed. It was awful. I think I made myself sick for the pain I saw her going through. I wasn't much help with my head between my legs, drinking water and sucking on sugar, but my friends who were with me during my tatoo would say it's just me-Anyway, we then had Katie's radiation simuatlation and CT scan. Unfortunatly, Katie had to be put to sleep for this so we had to not eat at all this morning, not easy for the girl who ate 2 waffles, 1 poptart, chinese food and watermelon all before 8:30 on Tuesday morning. We made is through & after 9 nuggets and a Biggie fry she felt a lot better. Those of you who Know Katie, she is not that big of a girl but these steriods are doing her wonders:) When we got home, Emily had to go and pick up her Girl Scout cookies, they are here!!!!!!!! Bill is gone Thur-Fri but aunt Stacey is here for Thursday and Friday Katie and I get to go and see her ENT Dr. Katie COULD have permanent loss of hearing in her right ear, seems a small price to pay.
I am sure I missed something in the last two days or someone who was somehow connected in our lives.
My friend Lori Arrell wrote in our website about being an inspriration to her on motherhood. Maybe she can find the poem I gave her years ago and I will post it here for everyone to read.
Thank you for your prayers, cards, meals, notes, phone calls, etc... I feel like I know every one of you. Katie did listen to me read several of your notes. She even asked about a few and who people were and why they would write to someone they don't even know. I just keeping telling her people love her and want her to get better.
Thank you,
Kendra

Monday, February 21, 2005 9:45 PM CST

I can't believe two whole days have gone by without me updating the journal. Needless to say I am a little busy but look forward to each night after Katie has gone to sleep so I can come and read everyone's wonderful notes. Sunday was a pretty quite day. We went to church and then came home for a restful afternoon. Grandma and Grandpa Pelto came over for a Thanksgiving dinner. We all ate way too much-it was great. Katie took her shot like a champion, didn't make a sound.
Katie and I were up from 1-3 am on Monday morning. She was hungry for one of Lisa Bent's muffins. When we went to bed there was 1 left, when we got up in the middle of the night, there were none left. Dad:( So I quickly thawed one of the muffins Amy Saltzman made her, hmmmm everything was better. After reading Katie a story-butterfly kisses, she asked if she could look at the computer. I was delighted. She even dictated a few notes for me to write. I sat at the computer feeling a little bad hoping people would not be sad if they were not the recipient of one. Everyone has been so kind in messaging each day, and we will eventually get to everyone-I hope:).
Katie woke up around 6:30 and said she did not want to go to school. She wasn't sick but just didn't want to go-she doesn't like Phy-Ed. I reminded her it was the day she got to meet with her mentor, Mrs Barbara Goodman and then she decided to go, I also had to bribe her with lunch from Wendys, something I frown upon doing but did it anyway. I ran into Caribou to grab a coffee and run out to do my errands, but Karin Schroeder approached me and asked me to join her and Laura Weinberger, it was nice to sit and do nothing-I hadn't planned on it and I am not good and doing it, Thank you. Katie came home with me after lunch and spent most of the afternoon in bed resting, coloring, reading and watching a little tv. At 4:30, her favorite Jori came over with her mom Heather and we had Chinese for dinner. We played UNO and Memory. Katie made us all laugh and she laughed too, I haven't seen that since we wacthed the Wishing Well Show at Children's with Heather Ingram-what a trip. Katie tires quickly and was off to bed around 8:00, again great about the shot. I give her a shot each day to keep her white cell count up. I hope she sleeps through the night, not for me but for her, she needs a full nights rest. Mrs. Baumann, her first grade teacher will be out tomorrow, and Katie is sad about that. I hope she can make the whole day. She will miss Wednesday due to dr appnts and possible Thursday & Friday due to her counts being their lowest.
Thanks to everyone who is sending cards, praying for us, calling and writing journal entries. We appreciate everything.
Kendra

Saturday, February 19, 2005 10:53 PM CST

Today was a good day for Katie. She started it out around 6:30 am with her friend Montana. I was still asleep and just remember her coming in and asking me how many times she needed to hit the quick start button the microwave-she made herself a bowl of oatmeal. The Hodurs, Ryders and Gram from Florida all went to Dicks for breakfast. Katie ate 2 orders of bacon and then the rest of Cheyene's and Montana's, she loves bacon. On our way home we stopped at our old neighbors the Bents to see their new dog. Luckily their dog was there for us to meet. For those of you who know the Bents family you will have to ask them about their new dog and their experience with him so far. Once home, we took a shower. We have to be careful for now, Katie had a port put in her chest. Instead of being poked each time for an IV, she will access this port to administer drugs and draw blood. We also had to make sure her ear did not get too wet. Before our friends the Howards came over, both of the girls had to rest. Emily slept but Katie worked on her Shrek picture. The Howards and Melissa Roberts came around 3:00 for a nice visit, it was so good to catch up. After they left, I had to give Katie her shot. I convinced her to take it in the behind and it seemed to work. For dinner Katie wanted tacos, so we had tacos with the Jaegers. Katie went to sleep around 9:00 and right now at 11:05 is up having some grapes-I am am telling you the appetite-but she wants really good food, so I am ok.

Friday, February 18, 2005 10:50 PM CST

Another busy day for Ms. Kathryn. Katie was up from 3:30-5:30 am for a snack. She was not tired so I had her sit on my lap and I read her a few of the guestbook entries. I wish I could read them all to her but she is still not 100% sure about this website. I thought the best thing for Katie was sleep. I knew she was to be at school for a mentor breakfast with Barbara Goodman at 8:00 so I decided to not wake her up. Well she woke up at 7:45 and when I told her we slept in, she was mad. So we all hopped out of bed, got dressed and we were only 15 minutes late for the breakfast. For those of you who saw me, please excuse the slight odor. Anyway, Katie made it through half the day today. I brought her home at 1:00 and at 1:05 she received three deliveries from the florist shop. I also learned today that Katie can not have any latex balloons near her. Around 2:00, Katie was feeling a little bit better so she went to the neighbors house, the Hodurs. Katie and Vanessa made apple crisp and Vanessa taught Katie how to braid friendship bracelets. I picked Katie up at 3:00 and we went to school to get Emily. We had Susan, Adam and Sam Lipps vistit after school and then Adrian Hodur came over. The kids played fooseball and went outside and played in the fresh-fallen snow.
Around 6:00 the rest of the Hodur family came over for dinner but we didn't recognize one of them. Montana Hodur, who is also in 1st grade with Katie, had her hair cut short. She decided to get 14 or so inches cut off and donated to Locks of Love. We love you Montana and your adorable short hair cut--Thanks Vanessa. Katie is so lucky to have such a great friend. The Hodur kids are all sleeping over tonight.
Katie seems to be in good spirits. She defintely does not have her usual energy but that gives me more snuggling time.
Thank you to everyone who is praying for her. We need all the help we can get:)

Friday, February 18, 2005 9:35 AM CST

Kate and her mom were up from 3:30-5:30 this morning. Kate was hungry, so she munched on some watermelon. Since there is not a lot going on at that time of the day, they decided they would take a look at the website. I don't believe they read a lot of notes, but they did read some. It appears that Kate is beginning to accept that something "big" is going on. I am somewhat relieved that this is the case. However, I also feel terrible in considering how scary this reality must be to our little six-year-old.

We went to a mentor breakfast at her school this morning. It was nice to see everyone. Katie loves working with her mentor - they read together on Monday's.

Thursday, February 17, 2005 10:02 PM CST

It's 10:00 pm and Katie is fast asleep. She had a big day and ended it with a big night. The first thing we needed to do tonight was give Katie a shot. Me, mom had to do the dirty deed. I had great training from our nurse Kris at Childrens. Kris, we don't know your last name but we know you live in Hudson, thank you. In order for me to do this each day, I needed to practice and Kris let me give her a shot in the arm-Thank You.
We went to the Ken Lonnquist concert in the auditorium at the Hudson High School. Ken has been working as an artist-in-residence with students at Katie and Emily's school this past week. He has been performing across the county for over 25 years. We had a wonderful time. Grandma from Florida was there, Gram and Papa from Rice Lake along with aunt Stacey, Kim and Ella all made the trip over. Other guests were Melissa and Debbie Roberts, Father John Rasmus and TONS of our great friends here in Hudson. We topped the night off with a trip to Culvers. The steroids Katie are taking have given her quite an appetite. Again, thank you to everyone who made Katie's first day back as wonderful as it was. A special thank you to Mrs Baumann, Katie's teacher, you have been awesome.

Thursday, February 17, 2005 3:59 PM CST

Kate had a good day at school today. She was a bit tired, so she decided to skip Phy. Ed.. Instead, she stayed back to help Mrs. Baumann in the classroom.

She is now home gobbling-up the watermelon that Tina brought her (thanks Tina). The steroids she is on can make her very hungry at times. She said she is excited to attend tonight's concert! We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Thursday, February 17, 2005 2:19 PM CST

Katie is at school right now. Bill and I both took her this morning. It went a lot better than I anticipated. I wasn't worried about Ms. Katie but about her mommy. I made it without crying too much. I went to lunch with Katie and she was such a big girl taking her medicine right at the table. She is so happy to be back at school. I thought she would only make it through a 1/2 day but it looks like she is there for the whole day. Her friend Tina Douglas brought some watermelon over to the house for an afterschool snack. Katie will be so happy. I plan on getting her to rest and then ready for the big concert.

Thursday, February 17, 2005 7:38 AM CST

Dr. Nelson,

Thank you for dedicating your weekend to helping Katie. You are the one who made the diagnosis and had to break the news to us. We think that Katie and you will have a very good friendship one day. Tahnk you for everything!!

A bit about Dr. Nelson:

Dr. Stephen Nelson, attended medical school and completed pediatric residency training at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He completed pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship training at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. Dr. Nelson joined the hematology/oncology program of Children's Hospitals and Clinics in 1993. He serves on the board of directors of Cancer Kids Fund and is a national member of the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Nelson has interest in hemoglobinopathies.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:54 PM CST

Dr. Moertel,

You are great! We appreciate your passion for helping people. Thank you for everything.


A bit about Dr. Moertel:

Dr. Christopher Moertel, attended medical school at the University of Minnesota and completed pediatric residency training at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine. After completing fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic, he joined Children's Hospitals and Clinics medical staff in 1990. In addition to being active in the administration of the hematology/oncology program, Dr. Moertel serves on the board of directors of Cancer Kids Fund, the Children's Physician Network, and the Medical Advisory Board of the American Red Cross - North Central Blood Services. He is the Chairman of the Membership Committee for the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. His special interests include coagulation disorders and the care of children with lymphoma and brain tumors.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:54 PM CST

Dr. Moertel,

You are great! We appreciate your passion for helping people. Thank you for everything.


A bit about Dr. Moertel:

Dr. Christopher Moertel, attended medical school at the University of Minnesota and completed pediatric residency training at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine. After completing fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic, he joined Children's Hospitals and Clinics medical staff in 1990. In addition to being active in the administration of the hematology/oncology program, Dr. Moertel serves on the board of directors of Cancer Kids Fund, the Children's Physician Network, and the Medical Advisory Board of the American Red Cross - North Central Blood Services. He is the Chairman of the Membership Committee for the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. His special interests include coagulation disorders and the care of children with lymphoma and brain tumors.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:25 PM CST

She's home!!!!

We brought Kate home this evening and it was a pleasant trip. Right now she is fast asleep in mom and dad's bed...my guess is she will likely sleep between the two of us for a long time.

Thank you all for your notes. We cry every time we read them because we are completely overwhelmed with everyone's support.

I feel like we have started school all over again. An entire bag of prescription drugs came home with us. There is so much to read and learn it is overwhelming. Mom or dad needs to give Kate a shot each day which will boost her white blood cell production. We both agree...if we wanted to be in the health care industry, we would have gone to school for that. Never-the-less, this will allow for her to be home with us.

Kate will go to school tomorrow. However, it will not be for the whole day. She has to be rested for the concert tomorrow night.

I surprised Katie this morning by showing up at the hospital bald. I was shaving as usual and I guess things just got a bit out of control. She pretty-much thinks I am just weird rather than trying to be more like her - I guess she's right.

Our biggest challenge right now is to ward-off infection. Hence, we in the Ryder house will probably be the best hand-washers in the midwest from here forward. So, fair warning...whenever you come to our house we will ask you to wash your hands first. Thanks for understanding.

There's more to tell, but I am signing-off for now. If I am up later I will provide updates. Thank you for all the support.

-Bill

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 9:33 PM CST

First things first, DR REID...he's the ER doctor that noticed something odd about your tongue Katie. We are very grateful for not only his knowledge, but his concern for your well being. He is the reason that we did not go back home last Friday night. I really thought we were headed home, but he just wanted to do one more test before we left. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

I have been meaning to update this site all day, but it has been quite busy. Last night Katie had samples of bone marrow taken from her hips. She also had spinal fluid drawn. The goal was to rule out that the cancer had spread anywhere else in her body and the results were in our favor - no other cancer elsewhere in her body. She also had a "port" installed in her chest. This is basically a permanent IV which can be used to administer her drugs and draw blood.

At 6:30 this evening, Katie had her first round of chemotherapy. To her, the process itself was relatively uneventful. We are praying the anti-nausea drugs will work. Kendra and I spent an hour this afternoon learning about the potential long-term impact these drugs can have on her her body. It is the lesser of two evils, but I am very sad about some things that may dramatically change Kate's life.

As you may have read in the messages, Kate had cream cheese wontons and sesame chicken for dinner - her uncle was kind enough to bring it to us. The steroids she is on make her incredibly hungry. By the way, he snuck a bottle of red wine in for mom and dad and we celebrated that the cancer was only located in one spot of her body.

Kate's elementary school principal (Mrs. Hamborg) sent us a note that there is a concert at the high school in Hudson this Thursday night and it is going to be dedicated to her. Coincidentally, The doctors say that she may actually be released from the hospital on Thursday and if it happens, we will be at that concert!

We will update everyone as we know more and time allows. Thank you for all of your kind thoughts and prayers.

Tuesday, February 15th, 7:10 AM.

Just to bring everyone up-to-speed, here is how we got to where we are today:

Since February 4th, Katie had been complaining of headaches. We had taken her to the clinic three times over the next week. She was initially diagnosed with an ear infection, so we were treating that with Amoxicillin. The ear seemed to be feeling better, but the headaches did not go away. On February 10th, the right side of Katie's face became partially paralyzed - the doctors initially thought it was Bells Palsy. Hours later, the doctors were not sure what they were seeing. They wanted us to bring her back in for blood tests, but we decided we were going to take her to the hospital instead.

On the afternoon of February 11th, we took Katie to Children's Hospital. After about two hours, I thought we were going home with another diagnosis of Bells Palsy. However, it seemed like at the last minute, the attending ER physician said: "There's something about her tongue that I am not comfortable with." It turns out that Bells does not affect the 12th nerve which controls the tongue. My goal today is to get the name of this physician and put it out on this site - he saved from additional frustration and saved Katie "time" which is obviously critical.

I knew we were in trouble when the hospital started calling specialists in from their homes, or their Friday evening out to dinner, etc.

There were MRI's, CT's, blood work, and many other things going on. By Friday at about 8:30, we knew we were not going anywhere for a while. The tests showed that there was some tissue near Katie's brain that did not look healthy. At 10:30 that evening they took Katie to her room, and her and Kendra spent the night there with her (Kendra will spend every night with her at the hospital). Emily and I went home to try to get some rest.

Saturday began with surgery to try to get a sample of the affected tissue - they went in through her ear, and were able to get enough to do a biopsy.

Next there was a bone scan, more MRI's, more CT's and more blood work.

Sunday afternoon we got the news that Katie has Rhabdomyosarcoma. This is a cancer that develops in the muscle cells. We felt it necessary to discuss the condition immmediately with Katie...she knew something bad was going on, and not knowing the details really scared her. We told her what she had, and talked to her about the treatment that she will be going through. A big concern of her's was that she would be losing her hair. She commented that the oncologist was bald and "He's not good looking." :-) The oncologist (Dr. Nelson) said it's normal for her to be angry. In fact, he said he would be concerned if she wasn't because she needs to be a "fighter".

The main aspects of the treatment will be 42 weeks of chemotherapy (once every three weeks) coupled with a month of radiation (once every day).

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