Keep Smiling Katie Bug

Kaitlyn was born on May 24, 2008 weighing in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces! She appeared to be healthy and had a clean bill of health to take her home only 3 days after she was born! We were so excited to start our life as being new parents!

On July 12th, 2008 that perfect world as being new parents turned into a nightmare when our precious baby girl was diagnosed with a very serious heart condition called Double Inlet Left Ventricle and Transposition of the Great Arteries. We were immediately flown up to Minneapolis, MN for her to undergo a series of open heart surgeries. We were terrified and didn’t know what was going to happen but we did know that we needed to stay strong for our baby girl.

Three days after arriving in Minneapolis, Katie suffered three strokes. At the time we were unsure how much brain damage she suffered. We just made the decision to wait to do any more testing until after her surgery.

July 23, 2008 was surgery day. We all took turns in holding her and then before we knew it, the nurse came and got her and they wheeled her down to the operating room. We sat there and watched her go down that long white hallway not knowing if we were going to see our baby alive again. After 10 hours of being in surgery, we got the call that she was done. We were relieved but scared. Unfortunately, relief didn’t last long because Katie’s heart stopped while being moved from the table to the bed for six minutes. They brought her back to life, but she was very sick. She was placed back on life support. They wheeled her back up to the PICU and they advised us to prepare for the worst! Those words are the words no parent should ever have to hear. How can any parent prepare to possibly say goodbye to their child?

It took about 15 doctors, nurses and specialist to wheel Katie upstairs. When I first looked at our 8 pound baby, I remember thinking “that can’t be my baby.” She looked as if she weighed 20 pounds because she was so swollen and she was hooked up to so many tubes and wires. It was every parent’s worst nightmare. Those first few days were put into the hands of God, nurses and doctors. We trusted them with our baby’s life.

After about a week of being on life support, she was finally stable enough to be taken off. I can’t even tell you on how relieved I was that she no longer had to be on it. A few days later, she was taken off the ventilator. We were so excited and our world started to become a little brighter.

On September 26, 2008, after a total of 77 days in the hospital, Katie was finally discharged. It was the best day of my life. We were nervous yet excited to finally start our life as parents. Not exactly the way we imagined but we knew we had to remain strong for her.

On June 26, 2009, Katie had her second heart surgery. She did amazing and was only in the hospital for a total of 10 days; a big difference from the first hospital stay. Since Katie had strokes before surgery and also went into cardiac arrest, she suffered quite a bit of brain damage. She now has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy. She can’t walk, talk or sit up on her own. I will never hear my little girl say “mommy,” or ” I love you,” but I would never replace her for anything or anyone. She is perfect to us.

Katie has brought so much joy into our lives. There is not a day that goes by that she isn’t smiling and laughing. She hardly ever cries (I’m being serious), and she has one very infectious laugh. She has taught us to never take life for granted.

Today, Katie is now 7 years old and going into the 2nd grade. Doctors are very impressed on how well she is doing. Her heart function is great and she is all done with having heart surgery. We couldn’t be more proud in who she has become. We love you Katie Bug!!!

Kaitlyn2 Kaitlyn3 Katie’s fabulous Dora themed cake was created by Sugar Angel DeAnna Anema of Sugar Rush located in Sioux Falls, SD. The family shared, “There are not enough words to express the gratitude that we have for our baker and everyone who made this all possible! Thank you is not enough. The overall experience was amazing and they made it very easy.”