Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Kaitlyn's CF Journey: Gearing up for Fall

                                               
Gearing up for the Fall



Thank you for all of your support through Kaitlyn's trials. She is currently home with us and attending school with her friends. Though her main fight is with Cystic Fibrosis, she has also developed CFLD (Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease). We found out last month that her Liver Disease is progressing and her platelets continue to decrease. Even a small cut has been a cause of concern for us these last couple of weeks because she isn't clotting well. The thought of wrapping her in bubble wrap runs through my mind often. Luckily she is a cautious kid....unfortunately, accidents still happen. But as we live, we learn. And we hope to get more pointers and ideas from her doctors next week on how to treat small accidents when they occur.

In less than two weeks, Kaitlyn and I will head to the beach for a little personal health research. In search for a better atmosphere for her condition, we are moving to the beach for a month to chart her health progress. The fall is usually her hardest time of the year, always landing her in the hospital for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. The salt in the air on the coast has been known to help CF patients breath better and live fuller lives. We have been fortunate enough to find a condo right on the beach to help in our research, which also has great kid amenities to keep her occupied. She will miss her brothers as they stay behind to attend school, but she will be kept busy with her school work as well. We are so blessed to have a wonderful school district which supports us in her schooling, even if she isn't able to attend as often as her peers. We will look forward to our weekend visits with our family as they travel each week to visit us and enjoy the beach with us.




I am so excited I got to sign the contract for next year's event for the Hilton. Our Scrapping for a Cure committee has worked diligently the last four months, trying to find the perfect location in Memphis for our annual event. We wanted a place that will grow with us and will also help us in reaching our fundraising goals. Hilton is such a wonderful facility and I know we will feel so pampered during our event there. They have been working with us and meeting with us the past few month to help us see the potential of next year's event. Over the Memorial Day Weekend, our committee put in over 30 hrs of meetings, organizing registration and brainstorming on how to make next year's crop 'top-notch'. I am so thankful to have wonderful family and friends that have helped me grow Scrapping for a Cure into what it is today. And to help me dream about what it may one day be. For every dollar we raise and every person we are able to help educate about CF, the closer we will be to finding a cure for this disease.


                                               

Registration for 2015 Scrapping for a Cure is officially open! Our goal was to have it in place by November, but with great dedication, we were able to get it done by Memorial Day Weekend.  Early Bird registration will run through December 31st, 2014. One lucky winner will receive a one night stay at the Hilton, Breakfast for two, and a $100 shopping spree to be spent at our vendor booths during the event! Do not procrastinate signing up. We do have limited seating. Once the seats are filled, we will start a waiting list, but can not guarantee a spot. To be entered into the drawing, we need to receive your registration and full payment by the first week of January. Anything postmarked after December 31st, will not be entered into the drawing. Regular registration will run through March 13th.  We have so much in store for this year's event, I don't even know what to say my favorite part is. But I am very proud to say that we will have our dinners catered by Hilton and that all croppers will have the opportunity to have a 6ft cropping space. You can find the registration information on our website, www.scrappingforacure.com. Registration for classes will open January 1st.


                                    


A month ago, Tara Smith held a Fundraising yard sale in the Memphis Area to help raise money for our cause. This last weekend, Anna Steinke, Lisa Flannagin, and I also held a Fundraising yard sale, but in Russellville, Alabama. Between the two yard sales, we were able to raise over $2500!! We have such great community support! Thank you for helping us.