It has been hard watching
our daughter who has always been active and smiling go through the harsh
struggles of Lyme’s Disease. When she was 8 years old and we were in the
mission field working at SIFAT in Alabama, she was bitten by a tick then and was
very sick. Then doctors in Alabama said there was no such thing as Lyme’s Disease
in our area and that she had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which is another
form of tick disease. We now have learned that she may have contracted Lyme’s
then and was misdiagnosed. We have been to many doctors since Katlyn was bitten
in Ohio on our walk across America, in July of 2014 during another mission
trip. It seems as though when people are trying to step out on faith and spread
the words of the Lord to others, satan is there ready and waiting to attack, to
destroy and even to try to break you and stop you. Our family and our daughter
have overcome his attacks and it has only strengthened our faith in God. We
will not be stopped or defeated.
I have watched our
daughter go from waking up singing to waking up crying some days. I have
watched her walk 25 miles up and over mountains and conquer them to some days
not being able to walk around a ¼ mile track in the park without having to sit on
a park bench and rest. This breaks my heart and it makes me feel helpless. Anyone
who is a parent can relate to how this feels. We are working hard at trying to
find the answers and the right treatments for, Katlyn. This for now is our new
walk, a walk for a cure for Katlyn.
We have been to the best
hospitals in Texas and have seen great doctors but no results. Katlyn has been
in and out of the E.R. every month since completing our mission walk. She has
had tons of lab work, x rays, EKG, echo cardio grams, fluids, spinal tap/
lumbar puncture, soon physical therapy, antibiotic therapy and much more. All
of this and much more only to find out that insurance will not cover the
treatments that the Infectious Disease Specialist says she needs next.
Insurance will not pay for Lyme’s Treatments of any kind, anywhere in the
world. We have been researching different states and even different countries
for a cure. We need your prayers and your support for Katlyn.
She had dreams of hiking
a Grand Slam, this is when you hike all of the major trails. She wanted to hike
the A.T., P.C.T., C.D.T. and the one we just finished. Only a handful of people
have ever done this. She is currently the youngest in the world to have
completed the America Discovery Trail. I believe in our daughter, she has hopes
and dreams and I believe that this is a way and if it is God’s will she will
complete her dream. Katlyn is an inspiration to so many people young and old.
Her smile lights up the world and brightens the faces of the hurt and the lost.
She is a mighty warrior of our Lord, Jesus Christ. She is strong and bright.
She is our heart and love. She is a child of God.
Lyme’s Disease is devastating
to all who have it and to the ones that love them. Lyme’s Disease is still
that, just a disease. We believe in Jesus and we have faith that He will find a
cure and that He is the cure for all sickness. We will not let satan break us
down. Katlyn; when she found out she got Lyme’s, she continued her walk in
Love. Katlyn was strong and said that she was not going to let a little
parasitic tick stop her from sharing the Love of Jesus to everyone. So, she
didn’t, she made it and won and she will again.
We together will beat this disease. We will
win for Katlyn! We will win for others just like Katlyn. We need your prayers
and support as we go forward with this race and walk in our future. We will be
posting updates on treatments and even expenses needed and so on. We will be
posting education and Lyme’s information for all of you so you can protect
yourselves and your family form this disease. Katlyn is still strong, beautiful
and a light to the world and to all she meets.
Thank you for your prayers
and support for our daughter; Katlyn, Backpacking KatyDid.
We love you ALL!
His Servant,
Jennifer
