Hospital Stay

Dalton is in the hospital. The first admit he has had this year! So excited for that!! But, sad that he is even in there. I am just glad he goes in and gets it done when he needs to. I need to be more responsible when it comes to checking myself into the hospital! But anyways, he did PFTs today. They were slightly down than what they have been in the past but we were assuming they were going to be. So, that was okay.. Nothing new with him, just hoping he gets out on Monday!

I am stressed to the limit, LIKE ALWAYS! I have so many things to do. More with this blog later. I am going to go try to finish my Medical Terminology homework. Peace out!

OH ALSO.. If you are on facebook go to:http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1742026709298&set=o.153373397972&type=1&theaterClick LIKE on my picture!
It will help Dalton and I win a free DJ for our wedding!!!
:)

Another Day, Another Dollar

Well, nothing has been going on today. I went to my anatomy lab and we started the muscular system. It is actually quite interesting how the human body works. How detailed and precise everything is. I am now at work and have been since 10:30. I am tired and just feeling blah. Us CF'ers get like that once in a while! I really haven't had much to blog about but I have also been super stressed out lately. I have SO many things to do between now and the end of the semester..

Things To Do:
Stress Management: 2 assignments, 1 test, 5+ discussion board postings
Medical Terminology: 4 more chapters of work, 1 test, 1 final exam
Anatomy and Physiology: 2 tests, 1 quiz
Anatomy and Physiology Lab: 1 test, 1 quiz, 1 homework assignment, 1 extra credit assignment
CNA: 6 weeks of clinicals, 5 weeks of class, 5 tests
-Laundry
-Plan Wedding
-Pick a final bridesmaid
-Work on my relationships with friends/family

I don't know, I just have so much to do and am stressed to the max. Someone please give me some reassurance... :(

Doubts..

Do you ever have doubts? I am right now...
Going for a lonely drive.

Visit to Missouri

No, I am not visiting Missouri! My brother and dad made the trip from Kentucky to here yesterday just to spend some family time! I am so excited to have them here and am happy they are staying until Wednesday! Not much else is going on. I am still waiting for my test results from my lab practical for my anatomy class on Thursday. I am seriously nervous because I am just unsure of how I did...
I applied to the University of Kentucky just a few days ago so that means that Dalton and I MIGHT be moving to Lexington after this summer! I kinda want to, but theres still a part of me that just wants to stay here!
I guess we'll see. Marley and Bo are up and at 'em early this morning. Crazy dogs! Time to get some coffee :)

Just an Update!

Here is an update on what has been going on with life! I didn't get into nursing school, but I am okay with that. I am a little bummed but things turned out that way, but there is always next year. So, I will be fine.

I haven't been doing much lately. Working and going to school is about it! I start my clinicals for my CNA license on April 16th! I am pretty excited for that! My brother and dad are also coming to visit us tomorrow, I can't wait!!

The wedding is also getting closer. I can't wait until we get everything paid for. We are working our butts off to pay for it all ourselves. It really is draining us financially. I wrote a letter to the Wish Upon a Wedding Foundation and didn't get the response I was hoping for but I will still share my letter with you guys!

 LETTER:

To Whom It May Concern:

Hi. First and foremost I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who is a part of this organization. It really is amazing. I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when I was just a few weeks old. Since then I have endured many long hospital stays, multiple antibiotics and countless surgeries. As of now I go into the hospital about once every 2 months and am there for 1-3 weeks each admission. I am able to stay strong with the help and support of my loving fiance, Dalton. He gives me more love and hope than I could have ever imagined a person could give. However, Dalton also has Cystic Fibrosis.

I am originally from Kentucky and he from Missouri. A CF friend of mine, Kaylee, had traveled to St. Louis to receive a double lung transplant in 2007. While at Childrens waiting on the transplant Kaylee and her family met Daltons mom, Renee. After receiving her transplant and rehabilitation, it was time to come back home but Kaylees mom, Sandy and Renee kept in close contact.


In August of 2009 a post about Daltons condition concerned me. By then, I had figured out that he had CF and was in the hospital almost every month. I decided to send him a message to let him know that I was here if he ever wanted to talk and that I was praying for him. A day later I had received a message from him; Thanks, but do I know you? Wow, who wants to get that response!? So, I just decided to fill him in on who I was and we just connected instantly.


My birthday is August 26 and after just a couple of weeks talking to each other day after day, we just knew that we had to meet. We arranged for he and his mom to drive 8 hours to my small country town in Kentucky so that we could finally meet each other in person, there was just one set back, he had burkholderia cepacia. For anyone that knows anything about CF, they know that burkolderia cepacia, more commonly known as b. cepacia, is one of the worst bugs out there. It stops you from going to CF Foundation events and fundraisers and meeting other CF'ers is definitely out of the question. Despite what I read about cepacia and what his mom wanted us to do, we decided to go forth with our efforts to meet each other. Stupid, probably.


In September of 2009, I had probably the worst hospital admit in my life. My PFTs were lower than they had ever been, somewhere around 50-60%, I received my first port a cath, I was there for 3-4 weeks, I had to get a chest tube because of a lung collapse and on top of that I found out that I did get cepacia from Dalton. I remember my doctor bending down next to my mom and telling me that I had cultured it. I hadn't told my doctor about Dalton yet and frankly, I was scared to. After I was discharged from the hospital I got the nerve up to call my doctor and tell him that I knew how I had gotten cepacia. His very first words were; 'you have got to break up with him'. WHAT?! Break up with him? He was serious.


Days and weeks went by and Dalton and I decided since I had contracted it by just being together for 4 days then we might as well hang out again against my doctors orders. In October, I flew to his hometown of St. Charles, MO for the first time. After that we visited each other several more times and in December we decided we wanted to be together for forever. So, in January I transferred schools, packed up all of my stuff and we got our first apartment together.


Things in our new apartment were going great! I had gotten a job and started school part time and we were just enjoying every bit of each others company. In Febuary Daltons grandparents offered for us to come on vacation with them to St. Thomas. I had never been out of the states, so I couldn't wait!! We packed up and at 4:00 on a Sunday morning went to the airport to fly to paradise. By this time, Dalton and I had talked about marriage but we had been only dating for 6 months. Inside I knew he was the one and only for me but I was unsure of his feelings on this sensitive subject. On just the second day, Tuesday, Dalton and I went to Magens Bay. I wanted us to dress the same because I wanted us to do some pictures on the beach. So, we both dressed in khaki shorts and white shirts. I remember telling Dalton that morning on the patio overlooking the ocean that this was going to be a 'great day, I can feel it'. When we arrived at the beach Dalton just wanted to be alone with me but I wanted his grandma to take our pictures while we were still dry and in our nice picture clothes. So, Dalton, his grandma and I walked down the beach past 3 weddings that were going on that day and found the perfect spot to take pictures. We started doing different poses while she took pictures and I was running out of ideas on how we should stand. I asked his grandma what pose we should do next and he said 'what about this one?' I turned around to him down on one knee and a very shiny ring in a box in his hand. (Even now my heart still races when I think about that moment!) I was so surprised and of course I said yes! The rest of the trip was amazing. We had an awesome time and got home just in time for him to start culinary school on Febuary 16 2010.


Since then we have gotten two dogs, moved twice and he just recently graduated from Le Cordon Bleu on March 25, 2011. I am currently going to school for nursing and loving it. Since we met his PFTs have actually increased from 30 to 50% and mine have unfortunatley decreased from 50-60 down to 25%. Although cepacia has taken such a toll on me, there is not one thing that I would change about my relationship. He was taught me the true meaning of love, hope, happiness and trust. I love him with all of my heart and we plan to get married on July 16, 2011.


I am writing for a reason. Dalton and I are trying to pay for this wedding in Kentucky by ourselves. We are having 2 receptions, one after the wedding and one on July 30 in Missouri. Since we already have most of our vendors picked and some paid towards, is there any way we could possibly get financial help regarding our wedding this summer. That is all I am asking. We pay so much a month for medical bills, doctor visits, prescriptions, etc. and all we both truly want is the wedding of a lifetime. Could you help make this possible? Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my story and no matter the answer I truly do feel that this organization is one of a kind!


Thank you,


Katie Donovan

Let me know what you guys think about it!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!