Two weeks ago, Katy's oxygen needs increased so drastically she was moved to the ICU at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Two days later she had to be placed on a ventilator. The doctors believe that she had Graft vs. Host Disease (or some other kind of rejection) in her lungs. Or it could have been damage from the ablative chemotherapy. Or a mixture of both. The doctors tried to treat her with high dose steroids, but nothing could reverse the damage that was done.
Katy died yesterday afternoon, December 16, with Jim, Emily and I by her side, as well as her grandmother, Susan, and our very close friends, Bethany and her parents, Nancy and Phillip.
She will be so deeply missed by countless family, friends, medical personnel, teachers and others. She was a ray of sunshine in our world for 18 years, and our lives will have an everlasting shadow with her gone.
I will post more information about the memorial service, etc. when it is finalized. But know we are shooting for the end of this week.
Thank you for all your love and support.
Christina
