Katie’s Story

Site created on April 19, 2022

Welcome to Katie's CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your love, support, and words of hope and encouragement.  We felt that this site would help manage the kind words and wonderous text messages we have been receiving thus far.   While the copious prayers and well wishes we have received through texts and calls have been kind and necessary, it is also vital that Katie rests her body and mind as much as possible.   This site will hopefully consolidate your kind words into an easy platform for us to periodically check during Katie's road to recovery.  

DAY ONE:

On Monday, April 11th, Katie had a syncopal episode in the morning shortly after waking up to attend to McKenna.  After a few phone calls, Katie was immediately in good hands as Dr. Adams and her husband Craig responded to our home to check on Katie.  Being our neighbors, their response time was faster than any ambulance or paramedic service could provide.  Brian returned home from work and transported Katie to the Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Room.
Little did we know, our world would shortly be turned upside down.  


To be continued...


DAY EIGHT:  


On Monday, April 18th, Katie's pathology was back.  She was officially diagnosed with Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN), with the type likely being metastatic Choriocarcinoma.  In short, this cancer is very rare and starts in the female reproductive organs.  Her's most likely started following the birth of McKenna.   The marker for this cancer is the hCG level, which currently sits around 25,800.  Katie still has an acute pulmonary embolism and hemoglobin levels continuously trending downwards.  Katie is still on a blood thinner (heparin) to treat the blood clot in her lung and continues to receive blood transfusions as needed.  Hopefully soon she will undergo a surgery to receive her port.  From there she will start an induction chemotherapy which will hopefully help stabilize her blood counts.  She will then proceed with an aggressive 5 medication chemotherapy.  She will continue to receive weekly cycles of chemo until her hCG level returns to 0.  From there, she will receive 2 additional cycles of chemo and will hopefully be cancer-free!  It should be noted that GTN has been proven to be highly treatable as it reacts very well to aggressive chemotherapy treatment plans.  


For now, Katie remains in York Hospital under the continuous care of Dr. Eav Lim and his team of doctors and nurses.  

~~~

Feel free to utilize the “well wishes” function to drop her some love every now and then. Photos are encouraged.

Newest Update

September 02, 2022

Journal entry by Katie Irvin —

Sorry for the radio silence. So here is an update…. I am doing very well. Feeling pretty much 100%! My tumor markers remain at 0 meaning I continue to be cancer free. Recently, I’ve had some tests, blood work and appointments and Dr. Lim is very happy with everything. I will continue to get frequent tumor marker checks for the next year and follow with Dr. Lim.

I have spent the last 8 weeks healing up from chemo- I’m back to running 2 miles a day and have been able to fully make up the time I missed with MJ! I return to work very soon and it’s a mix of emotions. Coming back from something like this is very different than returning from maternity leave. 

MJ turned 9 months today. She loves Hershey Park, Bo and Leroy, her new foam shapes, playing with her besties, “dada dada da”, waving, riding her radio flyer and ringing the bell, salmon, fruit, cheese and hummus. She is the light of our lives!!! 

I am so grateful for everyone who has supported Brian and myself through this journey (especially everyone on my healthcare team). We are beyond blessed. Never would I think cancer survivor or cancer in general would be a word I associate with myself but I am very lucky to be here today and look forward to moving on with this amazing life we have. There are still days when I have some thoughts of negativity or “did the last five months really just happen” but it is not lost on me how blessed I am and how others do not have the same ending, support or faith. 

So if you happen to pop back on and wonder how it’s going- it’s going great. I don’t anticipate posting here much- I have an extremely mobile 9 month on and don’t suspect it gets easier 😊 Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 

With love and gratitude, 

Katie 
Read More of the journal titled "September 02, 2022"
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