We continue to thank God for all your love and prayers! We pray that Kathryn will be able to be present at school more this year.
Her function has been higher this summer since we made changes to her room (see below). We continue to believe these changes to Kathryn’s room lessen the environmental irritants to which her auto immune body responds badly. Many others who suffer with auto immune diseases feel better when they use similar strategies.
Kathryn enjoyed feeling better this summer and used the energy to finish an incomplete English class from last year. She was able to rest and to have some fun! And she began to plan for college.
We try not to focus on her pain, but if asked she says that she is averaging about a 6 out of 10 on the pain scale. The nausea and headaches that crippled her last school year are much improved! As usual, fatigue and pain are our first concerns for this school year and so we plan to lessen the number of classes taken to enable Kathryn to graduate with her class next Spring.
We are so thankful that so many of you continue to pray daily for Kathryn! That truly staggers me with joy and thanks!! You inspire me!!
My latest favorite passage:
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.” -Isaiah 55 1-5
Changes made to Kathryn’s room:
- remove all wall hangings, posters, books, etc.
- remove all carpet and upholstered items out of room
- wipe all wipe-able surfaces with bleach/water mixer -floors, walls, furniture, shelves
- put clothes in plastic tubs after being washed
- use air purifier with HEPA filters
- use sealed/zipper vinyl bag on mattress and box springs (This made such a difference that 2 months later we replaced Kathryn’s mattress and box foundation with an easy to clean metal foundation and foam mattress. We chose a foam mattress that was tightly sealed after manufacturing. Standard mattresses may sit in a warehouse for months loosely sealed and that warehouse may have air-conditioning mold similar to our house.)
- new pillows with allergy preventing covers
- wash linens and blankets frequently
- close off central AC ducts into room and install a new window unit
- replace HEPA filters in vacuum
Kathryn's Pages 