Hi there! Once again, it's been about 6 months since my last post, and these last 6 months have been full of excitement! Kaitlyn started preschool, celebrated wonderful holidays with her family, and is on her way to becoming an independent little person!
School was a little rough for our Kaitlyn at first, as this was her first trip "outside the nest" so to speak. The first few weeks were tearful, from both of us, but we pushed through and now she LOVES to go to school. In fact, she asks each day if it's a school day. She is learning so much- more then I could imagine a tiny person learning at this age. Letters, numbers, and even drawing real pictures instead of scribbles. We are very proud of her, and all fo her accomplishments.
The holidays once again blessed us, as we were able to see our family members and celebrate together. Kaitlyn enjoyed Halloween dressed as a firefighter, Thanksgiving goodies, helping her baby sister blow out her 1st birthday candle, and getting spoiled on Christmas! Finally, we celebrated Kaitlyn's 4th birthday this January 30th. A true miracle to see her at her playplace party- climbing, running, jumping, and acting as if she was never ill in her earlier years. She is truly a sight to see, and people comment to us about how you "would never know" her health issues just by looking at her.
Doctors visits have left us smiling, as she is growing and changing appropriately. She is SO tall now, in fact, she is taller then some children in her class! Considering they had thought she may have needed growth hormones following her kidney transplant, this is such wonderful news for us. She continues to run, jump on her trampoline, and bounce off the walls. A great change considering she was so sedentary when she was ill.
She has started to become VERY independent also. She likes to pick out her clothes, dress herself, and act like a "big girl." She likes to argue her point, and says the funniest things, sometimes fresh, but still, it's nice to see her growing and changing as her own person. We love her so much, and are thankful for her many miracles, leaps and bounds. Thanks to all for your support, your constant care and concern, and prayers:)

As stated in the title of this entry, "Wow! It's been 2 years!" and I honestly cannot believe it! This July 25th marks our anniversay of Kaitlyn's kidney transplant and all the success she has had. About a week ago we went back to St. Barnabus Medical Center for bloodwork, medication checks, and an overall evaluation and she is moving along at a great pace. She is taller, heavier, has more muscle tone, and is talking a mile a minute! Her doctors were amazed at how much she had to say to them, and how she is really maturing into a big kid!

Speaking of being a "big kid," Kaitlyn is 100% potty trained! Woo hoo! She is really enjoying her big girl status as well- using the big girl potty, wearing special big girl underwear, and sleeping in her big girl bed. And of course, being a great big sister!! Baby Emma is almost 8 months old, and Kaitlyn really enjoys helping her grow up. She loves to take a bath with Baby Emma and wash her, to help feed Baby Emma and decide what she will eat for her meals, and to help make her happy, and play with her...she is a great big sister.

In September she will be starting preschool, or "big girl school" as she calls it. In fact, her preschool is the same one her Mommy and Daddy went to when they were 3 too! What a great tradition to pass along to Kaitlyn- to learn in the same classroom that Mommy and Daddy learned in! We are a little wary of school germs and sicknesses, but we are working hard everyday on handwashing techniques, and learning how to stay healthy.

In other great news, we had our 2nd annual golf outing for Kaitlyn's behalf, and again, it was very successful! The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky. And Kaitlyn really enjoyed herself this year, actually understanding the game and how to play it. She was able to cruise around in the golf cart with Daddy, and even take her clubs onto the green to putt in her ball. She was very proud of herself, and we all had a wonderful time celebrating such a good cause. Thanks to all who donated and/or participated in this event....we look forward to next year!

Hello all! We have had quite a busy couple of months since my last posting. All fantastic, no worries! Kaitlyn spent the end of the summer swimming like a little fish in her pool, and enjoying every moment of the beautiful summer with her family and friends. Fall brought us mild weather, and Kaitlyn was able to play outside in the leaves, hike in the woods, and pay weekly visits to the local park to feed the geese bread.
Kaitlyn assumed a new role on November 18th, and that was BIG SISTER! She even got to pick out her little sister's name from a list of several...Emma! Emma was born a little chubber, and she and Kaitlyn immediately began to bond as sisters. Kaitlyn has been a big help to Mommy over the last 4 months, and has learned how to be a great big sister. She feeds Emma, changes her, and even helps give her a bath! Kaitlyn is most excited for their "sleepovers" when Emma finally make the big move to her crib, and the sisters share a room! We are very fortunate to have such a loving, well-balanced child, who loves to share and be a friend to everyone.
Kaitlyn also turned 3 on January 30th! We celebrated with friends and family and had a wonderful time. What a difference 2 years makes. The comparison of her 1st birthday and this one is unbelievable. No dialysis, weekly bloodwork, or anxiety over the impending transplant. Now Kaitlyn is healthy, on 3 month rotations with her doctors for bloodwork and medication adjustments, and growing incredibly! She has grown over 3 inches in the last six months! Her doctors continue to be pleased with her success, and we are lucky enough to have widdled our way down to only three medications a day, which she will be on for life.
Overall, our family is really looking forward to the spring season, and the new life it brings. Kaitlyn is excited for flowers, warm weather, baby animals, and bike rides! Stay tuned for our spring fundraisers, including a walk-a-thon and our 2nd annual golf outing. Thanks to all for thinking of our little girl, and wishing our family well.

It’s been about six months since my last entry…boy have there been some great things happening! Primarily, Kaitlyn continues to succeed at everything she does- bike riding, eating, laughing, gymnastics, water play, drawing…all the fun things a child should do! And had she been born a healthy child with no kidney disorder, these special activities may have gone unnoticed as wonderful milestones. Kaitlyn loves to be active, and not much will slow her down lately, even scraped knees from runningJ

Next, Kaitlyn has had no major kidney related setbacks- that V-8 engine of mine (as her doctor lovingly calls it) is doing its job, and she is taking great care of it as well! Within the last year or so, some of her medications have decreased, as she has grown…and grown she has!!! In the last six months, Kaitlyn has grown like a weed (almost half a foot!) and her feet have almost doubled in size since last year! She continues to amaze her doctors every visit.

Finally, we are on our way to two of Kaitlyn’s biggest milestones since transplant. One is her one-year anniversary! On July 25, 2008, Kaitlyn will have her one-year anniversary of her kidney transplant. We are so excited, and so proud of all her hard work in staying well since transplant. I will admit, we went today for a check-up at our transplant center, and as we walked down the hallway, all the familiar things slowly started to surface- the beautiful gardens in the front of the hospital where we could sit, and take a breather from the PICU, the McDonalds (yes, a McDonalds in the hospital!) where we would have late night dinner runs, the gift shop where we all got our first pair of Croc shoes, and even the windows overlooking the foyer, where we watched and waited the day of transplant for the surgery to begin and end. We’ve come a LONG way in one year. When we visited with our doctors, they were so happy to see Kaitlyn, and how well she is doing. We also, coincidentally, got to meet with two different families, both there on their first appointment for transplant. We spoke with them, and it felt so good to be able to share such a success story with them. Both were girls, 19 and 21, and when they saw Kaitlyn walk in like she owned the place, they were shocked that even a baby can get a transplant! We were told that although they were scared, our story gave them hope, and that they couldn’t wait for their day to come. Last year, around this time, I remember calling a couple that was on their one-year anniversary of kidney transplant, and she was where I am now. I couldn’t fathom what it would feel like to be over the kidney hell we had been in for almost a year. Now, hear we are, giving similar advice to other families. It felt wonderful.

On a side note, we had one of Kaitlyn’s first big fundraisers this past June. A golf outing in her honor, at a local golf course near our home. The turnout was incredible, and overwhelming! On the hottest day of the year (and it sure was!) nearly a hundred golfers turned out for a great day, including breakfast, lunch and an awards ceremony with fantastic prizes! Kaitlyn got a special golf outfit, and her own set of clubs to show everyone how it’s done, and as we rode around the course in a chauffeured golf cart, I couldn’t help but have tears in my eyes as all these wonderfully generous men and women stopped their game, came over to say hello, and tell Kaitlyn how great she looks. It was a great day, and we thank all the volunteers, donors, participants and well-wishers that made it all possible!

And last, but certainly not least, Kaitlyn’s last milestone is becoming a big sister! This November, Kaitlyn will welcome a little sister into her life. She is very excited, and going to be an exceptionally wonderful big sister. Who would have thought a year ago that we would be here now? We are thrilled, overjoyed, ecstatic and all other words meaning, “super duper happy” at the way this year has gone. We thank everyone for their continued support and love in our journey, and for their loving donations, thoughts and prayers in our times of need. God Bless you all, and we will return with more news soon!

Well....we made it!! Every year with her we take as such a blessing. Kaitlyn had a very good birthday this year...we've been practicing for weeks! She now thinks that whenever the song "Happy Birthday" is sung, it's only for her, and she looks for the candle to blow out. Very funny.

We celebrated her birthday two ways. The first was on her actual birthday, which was Wednesday the 30th. All grandparents came over, as well as Aunt Amy & Uncle Kyle with Haily Rose, and Uncle Darren & Aunt Kelli with Dean & Juliette. Amy, Kyle and Hailey gave her her first bike!!! And it's gorgeous! And old timey red Radio Flyer one, with a bell training wheels and all! Kaitlyn LOVES this bike so much, and can't understand why she can't ride it yet, but she will soon! She does sit on it for a few minutes and says "vroom vroom," but no real peddling or anything. Darren, Kelli, Dean and Julie gave Kaitlyn a bathing suit set for the summer, and it's the cutest thing!!! Pink one piece with ruffles and polka dots! And a pink terry cloth cover up and matching hat...and the best of all...pink polka dot sandals. She's going to be the cutest little beaner on the beach!

A special birthday present came in the mail from our friend Lizzie, and her mom and dad. The Chern family has been our closet and dearest friends throughout this entire ordeal with Kaitlyn and her kidney crusade. We met them in the PICU the day after Kaitlyn was admitted last October. Their daughter Lizzie was admitted with a type of leukemia, while Kaitlyn had renal failure. Our families kept each other sane and strong through the long month at Morristown Memorial Hospital. And when we were all discharged, we kept in touch, and even had some repeat overnights together! Our little girls are two weeks apart, and have other similiar characteristics that are simply uncanny! Lizzie is just as much a fighter as Kaitlyn, and has also had a transplant of her own last year...a bone marrow at Sloan Kettering. She is doing well, as is Kailtyn, and we can't WAIT to get the girls together for the first time to meet, and play. A long road we've all had, but this ending is what we are truly excited for! For more information on Lizzie and her story, please visit her page at:

www.caringbridge.org/visit/elizabethkatechern

In other news, we're celebrating Kaitlyn's birthday the second way today, at her favorite place, The Little Gym! We are looking forward to a fun afternoon, with her friends and their parents, and will make sure to post lots of pictures when it's over!

It is the time of year when we truly reflect on that which we are most thankful. This year especially, we are thankful for the health and successful transplant of our Kaitlyn. It has been a difficult journey from birth to transplant for us all. However, this major hurdle is behind us, and God willing, we can all look to smoother sailing in moving forward!

While Kaitlyn's continually improving health is the focus of our joy this holiday season, we want to express our gratitude for the efforts of those volunteers who have worked on the COTA for Kaitlyn fundraising campaign. Starting with only a few family members, the campaign has now expanded to several family members, friends, and quite a few newcomers, who are now working tirelessly for Kaitlyn's cause. Your kindness and support is sincerely appreciated, and our family considers your love for Kaitlyn a blessing to us all!

It is such a wonderful thing to see how Kaitlyn has unknowingly touched the lives of so many people - near and far! We await the day when we can tell her the stories!

Thanks to each of you, may God Bless, and we hope you had a very Merry Christmas!!

We are truly thankful this year. Last year, we had made it home from the hospital just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving...we were thankful last year for our miracle girl! However, this year was even more special because we didn't have to rush home and put Kaitlyn on her nightly dialysis. Although it has only been four months since her transplant, this old lifestyle of our seems miles away...
We would like to take the time to thank all of those who have truly blessed our lives this last year, and helped us through the difficult times.
*Thank you of course, to Dr. Corey, our pediatric nephrologist. His guidance, professionalism, and love for Kaitlyn has helped her grow and thrive, and has helped us understand the true nature of her condition, and how to care for her properly.
*Thank you to the entire Morristown Memorial Goryeb Children's Hospital staff. The nurses, residents, doctors, pastoral care, therapists, and even Shahalazar, our favorite night cleaner. You all made our stay, and subsequent stays easier by making us all feel comfortable, and at ease.
*Thank you to the transplant team of St. Barnabus Medical Center. You helped us in more ways then you can believe. You made the entire transplant process easy, and made us feel like it was achievable. Your professionalism and knowledge gave our daughter a second chance at life, and her and I a true bond together.
*Thank you to Dr. Connor, Kaitlyn's urologist, who performed her nephrectomy flawlessly, and made her first step towards transplant easier.
*Thank you to all the churches and congregations who have prayed for our Kaitlyn and our family. Your love, caring and true support have made our lives easier knowing that we are thought of. Thanks especially to St. Mark's parish for you overwhelming support in Kaitlyn's COTA campaign. We appreciate your continued efforts in this campaign, and thank God for you all.
*Thank you to our employers, Liberty Elevator, and my old job at Tewksbury Elementary School. Thank you for understanding our need to care for our daughter's health first, instead of working. Thank you for helping us during this time without putting the pressure of work upon us, and wishing us well through thoughts, prayers and other support.
*Thank you to all our friends and family...we would not be here in this condition without you. Without your understanding of our need to leave dinners and parties early for dialysis, to wash and mask around Kaitlyn if you were sick, that we couldn't make it to every event because she was either sick, or couldn't be around people after transplant. Thank you for you love and guidance through our incredible journey this last year.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, we love you!!!

Hello all! Thanks for taking the time to view our Kaitlyn's COTA website. As you can see from our pictures, and videos, Kaitlyn is a much loved little girl who has endured a great deal her first year of life.
Kaitlyn was born at 33 weeks, at Morristown Memorial Hospital, and after a month of the NICU there, she came home on Daddy's 30th birthday! Discharged with a diagnosis of "Nephrotic Syndrome," Kaitlyn was closely followed by Morristown's finest pediatric nephrologist, Dr. Howard Corey. She received monthly visits and bloodwork, and every other month renal ultrasounds. Her growth was steady, and her development was on track, despite her early start. Her first 8 months revolved around many stroller rides, wonderful holidays celebrated with family and friends, new toys, her first vacation to NC, and all other blessings that remain dear to us.
However, around the beginning of October, our Kaitlyn began to get ill. She began vomiting after meals, every so often, and by the end of the month, she wasn't keeping anything down. She would vomit after meals, after bottles, and pretty much when anything was put into her mouth. On the ill-fated day of October 24, 2006, Kaitlyn began her true renal failure.
She had become dehydrated from the vomiting, and electrolyte imbalance and was beginning to become listless and grayish in color by that afternoon. A call to 911, an ambulance ride to Morristown Memorial and phone calls to all close family members was had immediately. By the time the ambulance had arrived at the hospital, Kaitlyn had gone into cardiac arrest from the electrolyte imbalance in her little body, and was quickly whisked into the ER resusitation room for the next 30 minutes....this time is all a blur to us.
However, after the longest 30 minutes of our life, Kaitlyn's little heart started beating again! She was stabilized and brought upstairs to the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). We later found out that Dr. Joseph D'Alessio was the angel of our daughter, an intensivist in the PICU who was called down for his help and expertise after time was wearing thin in the ER. He brought back our Kaitlyn, and we are forever grateful to him for that. In fact, as fate should have it, he was not even a permanent doctor at Morristown. His position is one that is only needed every so often for about 2 weeks or so at a time. He comes to Morristown every few months or so...How's that for a miracle!!!
For about a week, Kaitlyn was chemically sedated and paralyzed to allow her body to heal. Following her trip to the ER, her night revolved around assessing her kidney condition, and the outcome of her cardiac arrest. The next morning, a peritoneal dialysis catheter was placed into Kaitlyn's belly. This allowed her small body to receive daily dialysis to flush out the toxins that her kidneys could now no longer process because she was making no urine. Over the course of the next few days, we met with residents and doctors of all medicines. Predictions were made of her awakening and, if she even would. It was said that she may be brain damaged, from the lack of oxygen during the 30 minutes of cardiac arrest. Her head was scanned, her body was examined, and all we could do was wait, watch, and pray.
Miraculously, they took her out of sedation, and she did fine! Her wits were about her, she was responsive, and there appeared to be no sign of any sort of brain damage. The fact that we had back our beautiful girl was all that mattered, dialysis or not.
After a long month of our stay in the hospital, we were sent home on peritoneal dialysis November 20, 2006. The machine and supplies were delivered to our house, and her room and our basement were reorganized to accomodate the vast amount of things delivered. Our lives finally resumed- we didn't let a little thing like renal failure stop us! We celebrated Thanksgiving with our family, and truly had much to be thankful for!!! Other holidays came and went, in fact Christmas was a plethora of gifts for our little girl!!!! We only had a few cases of peritonitis, an infection in the peritoneal cavity ehich is basically the entire inside belly. Once we were hospitalized from it, but the other two times were just resolved in time with medication. Those were the tough days, she would be hooked up to the machine all day, so her body could get the medicine it needed to fight the infection. Many of our days were put on hold, so we could sit with Kaitlyn in our living room, her hooked up to the machine, and us entertaining her for hours at a time.
In January, we met with the transplant team at St. Barnabus Medical Center, in Livingston, NJ. We decided that this hospital was the best fit for our family, and Kaitlyn's renal transplant would be there, as soon as she made the required weight of 10kg. Both Jon and I began testing to find out who would be the best living donor match for Kaitlyn. That's right, living donor!!! How science has come along!!! It was determined that I was Kaitlyn's best match, and she would receive my left kidney on July 25, 2007. After such a horrendous fall of 2006, a transplant would be nothing!! We were so excited.
So, the day came....time for the transplant!! I was so scared. We stayed the night before, and at 9:00 am the next morning, the surgery was performed. I remember sitting in the "holding tank" before going in to the ER...saying goodbye to Kaitlyn, and then going myself into the ER. I have never had surgery before this time, so it was a little exciting, and a little nerve wracking. Don't even bother asking me about the rest of the day after surgery. I spent that time coming out of anesthesia, and adjusting to pain pills. I awoke the next day, the 26th in pain but happy...it was my 28th birthday. I can always say, that for my 28th birthday I gave the greatest gift any parent could give to their child. The gift of life. We spent about 3 weeks in the hospital, Kaitlyn developed a urinary tract infection days after and a bowel obstruction that required more surgery about a week after transplant. This is common, although unexpected. However, we came home on August 20, 2007 and have been great ever since. Kaitlyn is now truly thriving as a child should. She has begun walking, running, and eating like a champion! She never lost her smile, or that sparkle in her eye throughout the entire 8 month journey to and through transplant. She is our life, our heart and soul...and now, my kidney!!! God bless all that have helped us, we thank you endlessly for what you have done. Our Kaitlyn is alive and well, because of your love, support and effort to never give up on her. Thank you for the prayers, and time you have spent with us. You can see how magical Kaitlyn is the moment you see her, and spend just a few minutes with her. Thank you, thank you, for giving us our beautiful girl back, and allowing me to give the gift of life to her....twice!

Journal entries are listed in chronological order.