Welcome!


Welcome to Katja’s blog. A place for information, updates and our “laugh instead of cry” humor of living with a child with CHD (Congenital Heart Defects). Take a seat and prepare for a long emotional journey of our ups and downs. Feel free to browse posts about Katja, her heart and her previous surgeries. Newest updates are available below:

Updates


  • As I always say… “No news is good news”.

    We spent the summer blissfully appointment and hospital free. Katja was doing great and we very much enjoyed the break.

    Two months…. We got two.

    Early Sept I started to notice her a little off. I had hoped it was just the Tween years upon us. Then we saw Transplant…..

    There is significant changes to her pulmonary donor valve. Some minor/moderate ones to her aortic. Then her DSA’s (donor specific antibodies from her donor) increased with new types showing. Yesterday she had repeat labs. Her BNP (measures heart damage) increased 3 times in 2 weeks. Her immunosuppressant levels plummeted too.

    Seattle is consulting with DC and Boston. We still don’t know what rejection looks like in PHT kids. We have no way to test the tissue either. Her teams are scratching their heads as to what is causing this.

    For now, we are continuing to repeat labs, repeat her echos and watch/wait. Pray for Katja, she needs a break. This kid has suffered so much through her short life, she deserves a break 💔


More Updates

  • Home Sweet Home

    Home Sweet Home


    It’s official! We are finally heading home after 10w2d, that’s 2.5 months of being on the East Coast 😱 We are beyond grateful for all the love and support. Katja received a special private flight home 🚀 We’ll see you tomorrow afternoon Seattle with the PNW and Childrens National’s 1st Domino Partial Heart Transplant kid!…

    Read more: Home Sweet Home
  • Survival Mode

    Survival Mode


    We have been surviving these last few months. No thriving, no coasting, no getting by… surviving. We barely eat, we definitely haven’t been sleeping and we’ve let our own health go. My clothes are loose, my hair is shedding and I’m taking Motrin daily for pain. I’m surviving to give 110% of me to my…

    Read more: Survival Mode
  • Get Outta Here

    Get Outta Here


    And we are finally FREE!

    Read more: Get Outta Here

About Us


We are a fun loving family of 7. I’m Jenn, the Mom and words behind the blog. Dad Jori is the IT backbone of making sure I don’t go crazy over features. We have 5 beautiful children. Nevaeh (17), Twins Arianna & Araceli (15), Katja “Our Mended little Heart” (9) and Gryffin “Finn” (4).

Save Katja’s Heart: Urgent Flight for a Rare Transplant

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