Woody Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Kenna is the granddaughter of one of my high school classmates. Kenna was born without an immune system and a year ago she underwent a bone marrow transplant to get her immune system going. There were many complications and she has been fighting for her life ever since. She has some very serious problems right now and desperately needs all the prayers she can get. Below is the latest care page post from her mom, Kimber. WoodyBeyond every millisecond of existence is an infinite miracle of chance. Posted 1 hour ago Again, sorry about the lack of an update, things have been stressful and busy and honestly I wasn’t really in the mood to write anything. Thanks for understanding. Kenna is tough, we all know that. She has fought so hard for so long and she just keeps on fighting. Once again she is in the fight of her life and so are we. We headed to PICU for monitoring and to set up a regimen that would allow her to be followed now that we are back on the BMT unit. It sounds strange to say it that way but certain things have to be done in a particular order. To start some medications patients have to be very closely monitored to make sure things go the way they are supposed to. So that’s what we did…we got some medicines started. While we were in there we got to hear the viewpoints of various doctors and listen to them tell us what they thought...There are some amazing doctors over there, truly, but the way they present the situation is less than optimistic. Brett and I were stunned at the lack of optimism there actually, and it came across so different than the plan that BMT had laid out for us. Beyond all that, Kenna is still in need of some serious prayers. An overall view of Kenna: BMT – done, successful GVH – had it, beat it Adeno – got it, working on it BK – got it, working on it (new med involved) Kidneys – taking a hit from the cidofovir, still functioning but wasting bi-carb Lungs – functioning, need exercise and healing, these are the biggest issue, we need her lungs to work. pH/co2 – a plan in place, but need kidneys and lungs to heal and then this can recover some. It’s been one year tomorrow that Kenna received her cells. I didn’t picture that I’d be writing our one year anniversary update from Children’s though. I thought we’d be home having a party of our own and really having a good time! We’ll still be having a party…that’s for sure. We have support coming, Kenna needs it, Brett and I need it, too. She really needs a pick-me-up for sure. As she is now, with some lung damage where it is she can still have a very long, full life. People live with lungs in far worse shape than hers are right now, but this, coupled with the viruses that she is fighting off and her kidneys wasting bi-carb she is having to compensate with breathing and she is unable to do that as well as she needs to. This is where ‘the plan’ comes into place…acetate has been added to her tpn and she will get bi-carb boluses as needed, she’s only required two so far this week I think. Best case scenario: Kenna recovers and is free to live a long, full, enjoyable life. She may not be a marathon runner or an Olympic swimmer, but she’ll be able to enjoy life to the fullest and be happy. This is entirely possible. It is also entirely possible that her condition will get worse and she won’t make it. We need everything to go right for her with no more bumps in the road or setbacks either. We ask that if you can’t decide what to pray for or you just don’t know, you can ask that Kenna’s pH and co2 regulate, pray that her kidneys hold up and her lungs heal. We are blessed to have so many people who care so much about us; it is truly a wonderful thing. We hope and pray that someday we can share only good news with you all; won’t that be a special day? Please keep Kenna in your prayers; she needs them so very much. Please take the time today (and everyday) to give your kids a good hug, hold then a few seconds more and tell them how much you love them. God Bless Heads Up Hearts Strong ~Kimber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Kenna's on the list here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 They are on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 prayers from the west coming your way.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Prayers sent from ILLINOIS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Prayers up from Vegas . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Add Maine to the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 prayers sent from west texas,blessed be little one, jimmy & mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 In our prayers from North Carolina. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry W. Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Prayers from South Texas for Kenna and Family.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Prayers from AK. Tell Kenna Frosty loves her. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cross Pein Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Praying for Kenna and her family in MA. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironbob Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Kenna is the granddaughter of one of my high school classmates. Kenna was born without an immune system and a year ago she underwent a bone marrow transplant to get her immune system going. There were many complications and she has been fighting for her life ever since. She has some very serious problems right now and desperately needs all the prayers she can get. Below is the latest care page post from her mom, Kimber. WoodyBeyond every millisecond of existence is an infinite miracle of chance. Posted 1 hour ago Again, sorry about the lack of an update, things have been stressful and busy and honestly I wasn’t really in the mood to write anything. Thanks for understanding. Kenna is tough, we all know that. She has fought so hard for so long and she just keeps on fighting. Once again she is in the fight of her life and so are we. We headed to PICU for monitoring and to set up a regimen that would allow her to be followed now that we are back on the BMT unit. It sounds strange to say it that way but certain things have to be done in a particular order. To start some medications patients have to be very closely monitored to make sure things go the way they are supposed to. So that’s what we did…we got some medicines started. While we were in there we got to hear the viewpoints of various doctors and listen to them tell us what they thought...There are some amazing doctors over there, truly, but the way they present the situation is less than optimistic. Brett and I were stunned at the lack of optimism there actually, and it came across so different than the plan that BMT had laid out for us. Beyond all that, Kenna is still in need of some serious prayers. An overall view of Kenna: BMT – done, successful GVH – had it, beat it Adeno – got it, working on it BK – got it, working on it (new med involved) Kidneys – taking a hit from the cidofovir, still functioning but wasting bi-carb Lungs – functioning, need exercise and healing, these are the biggest issue, we need her lungs to work. pH/co2 – a plan in place, but need kidneys and lungs to heal and then this can recover some. It’s been one year tomorrow that Kenna received her cells. I didn’t picture that I’d be writing our one year anniversary update from Children’s though. I thought we’d be home having a party of our own and really having a good time! We’ll still be having a party…that’s for sure. We have support coming, Kenna needs it, Brett and I need it, too. She really needs a pick-me-up for sure. As she is now, with some lung damage where it is she can still have a very long, full life. People live with lungs in far worse shape than hers are right now, but this, coupled with the viruses that she is fighting off and her kidneys wasting bi-carb she is having to compensate with breathing and she is unable to do that as well as she needs to. This is where ‘the plan’ comes into place…acetate has been added to her tpn and she will get bi-carb boluses as needed, she’s only required two so far this week I think. Best case scenario: Kenna recovers and is free to live a long, full, enjoyable life. She may not be a marathon runner or an Olympic swimmer, but she’ll be able to enjoy life to the fullest and be happy. This is entirely possible. It is also entirely possible that her condition will get worse and she won’t make it. We need everything to go right for her with no more bumps in the road or setbacks either. We ask that if you can’t decide what to pray for or you just don’t know, you can ask that Kenna’s pH and co2 regulate, pray that her kidneys hold up and her lungs heal. We are blessed to have so many people who care so much about us; it is truly a wonderful thing. We hope and pray that someday we can share only good news with you all; won’t that be a special day? Please keep Kenna in your prayers; she needs them so very much. Please take the time today (and everyday) to give your kids a good hug, hold then a few seconds more and tell them how much you love them. God Bless Heads Up Hearts Strong ~Kimber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironbob Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I will lift Kenna up each day to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ that he will bring a complete healing to her. God bless bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tala9 Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 On the way from Wisconsin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Prayers going up from Ohio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLD Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 PRAYERS FROM NEBRASKA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRobb Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Prayers sent from Florida. God bless. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 This is the latest update from Kimber, Kenna's Mom it was posted about 8 PM MST 2/12/11. Kenna is showing some improvement but she still has such a long way to go. Her home is in Montana and Kimber has been with Kenna in Cincinatti for over a year with only a couple short trips home. The rest of the family comes to visit as they are able but it is a tremendous hardship for them. On behalf of Kimber and Kenna I want to thank you all for your prayers. Woody "I am too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful and too determined to be defeated.Posted 56 minutes ago I really want to write updates, I really do…It’s just weird though, how I feel and I can’t really explain it. I’m afraid to do it I suppose. Not really truly afraid, but it seems like every time I write that things are going ok something happens and I just don’t want that to be the case anymore. I’d love to write and let you all know that things are super and we’re going home…but I can’t cuz we’re not. I’m not saying things aren’t ok…they ARE OK – for now. Lord knows that can change in an instant, and we’ve seen it do just that. She is stable and steady right now. We’ve had some issues with a high heart rate today and no one really knows why, but hopefully that will settle down. I think it has something to do with anxiety…She had a lot of family here and now everyone is leaving and she doesn’t want them to go. Cale especially right now. He cries, she cries…I wish there was a way to have him here so they could be together, but there isn’t anything we can do to make it so. Not right now anyways. Every time we have to say goodbye I break a little more inside. Someday we will all be whole again, that I know, that I believe… On the medical side of things – Kenna’s adenovirus is going down; finally, hopefully we can keep it down. The BK is still hanging around though, but we are combating it, too. We have tweaked her acetate in her TPN to help regulate her bi-carb and she seems to be fairly stable there. Her pH isn’t perfect at all, but hopefully the ‘band aid’ we’re using will keep things in check until her healing body can catch up. We’ve been dealing with a rash this week, too. She had a reaction to a blood product on Sunday and it was persistent enough to warrant some Basiliximab, that seemed to calm things down for now. Again I say “HOPEFULLY” enough that we won’t be dealing with it again. It’s tough to gauge that, though, because she gets some sort of blood product usually 5 times a week right now so she’s constantly exposed to more and more and more. The more exposure – the more likely the reaction. Bleh. She has resumed most of her pre-PICU activity: she gets up to get weighed, participates in PT, OT, and TR. She really likes it when people (nurses and staff) come visit her now, too. That is an improvement from the past couple weeks, actually longer than that…she hasn’t want to see anyone for quite some time. She is slowly emerging from her protective shell and it’s very nice to see her smile again. As I write this she is sleeping soundly. Her heart rate is still elevated, but it’s better than it was earlier today. I hope and pray that she settles down and relaxes enough to have a really good rest tonight. We are hoping for a calm, uneventful weekend. If you are wondering what we need prayers for here ya go: continued strength to keep fighting, a balanced pH and co2, viruses to stay calm and continue to go down and we need her heart rate to stay in the safe zone! One last thing – I’ve been asked quite often lately what I’d like for my birthday that is coming up (February 14th!!) and although you all know that my first wish is to have Kenna healed, healthy and happy we are working on that every day. If you’d like to do something you can visit http://www.kidshopechest.com/angel-dear-blankies.aspx and purchase an angel lovey for someone you care about. If you don’t have someone in mind you can always purchase one and give it to the hospital of your choice for those new precious babies or someone who needs it! All the proceeds from the sale of these go to the Matthew and Andrew Akin Foundation! You can visit the website at www.matthewandandrew.org. Thanks for checking in on us and keeping us close to your hearts. We are truly blessed by the people in our lives – I hope you all know how much it means to us to have all of you in our corner! Go hug you kids…hurry up, they’re waiting!!! Heads Up Hearts Strong ~Kimber" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Thanks for the update. Still on our minds and in our prayers. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Covington Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Kenna is in our prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I hope that you are finding strength as you go through this tiresome process from our prayers. May God bless you and strengthen you physically, mentally and renew your spirit. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 I just received the following from Kimber, Kenna's mom. Kenna passed away this morning.She said "I'm afraid of falling..." and He whispered "I have wings."Posted 2 hours ago Kenna went with Jesus this morning at 9:40am. She left on a ray of sunshine, smiling while we held her. She took Tucker his ball and by now I'm sure that Kenna, Buddy Lee and Tucker and running and playing in the green, green grass. Kenna asked me what I thought Heaven was like, what I thought she'd see...I told her that it was different for everyone, but mostly she'd be happy and it would be filled with all the things that make her happy...Butterflies, Ladybugs and frogs! Thank you for being a part of our lives for so long. We hope that you will continue to be touched by Kenna as we will be forever. Heads Up Hearts Strong ~Kimber, Brett, Kenna, Chi and Cale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRobb Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I am so sorry for your loss. As Kenna is now in Heaven with God and is at peace, I continue to pray for you and all of her family. I pray that God's perfect peace and grace will be with you all in the times to come. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsaxon Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I am so sorry for your, and their, loss. Losing a grandparent or a parent is hard, but the loss of a child is devastating, and no words can help with the heartbreak you must all be going through, so I pray that the prayers may help you and them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.