1. < MAC & Bronchiectasis
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Remembering KateMN - losing a virtual friend hurts too

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Aug 11, 2017

On August 4th our dear mentor, Katherine left us. Her son, Scott, sends this message that she wanted to share with you.

I HAVE A PAINTING .. IT SAYS .. “TO TRAVEL IS TO LIVE”. THE FUN OF RESEARCHING .. PLANNING .. TRAVELING IS GONE FOREVER FROM MY LIFE. HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO TRAVEL SINCE MY 50’S TO ALL THE CONTINENTS BUT ANTARCTICA .. MY FAVORITE COUNTRIES .. MANY TIMES. IF MY FUTURE HELD GAZING OUT AT THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA FROM OUR BELOVED ITALIAN AMALFI COAST .. YES! I WOULD GRAB IT WITH BOTH HANDS!

MY SPIRITUALITY AND BELIEF SYSTEM .. NONE OF US KNOW WHAT IS ON THE “OTHER SIDE” BE WE CHRISTIAN, BUDDHIST, JEW, HINDU, MUSLIM OR WHATEVER FAITH .. UNTIL WE “PASS OVER”. THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL WE TRULY KNOW WHAT IS ON THE “OTHER SIDE” .. DESPITE THE DESTRUCTION RELIGION HAS WROUGHT ON PLANET EARTH. BUT I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT AS I “PASS OVER” I AM GOING TO BE MET BY GRANDMOTHER BENNETT AND GRANDMOTHER HUNNICUTT WITH THEIR LOVING HANDS TO HELP ME “PASS OVER”. THIS I BELIEVE.

*I WAS TOLD MANY YEARS AGO THAT IN REALITY “EACH OF US IS THE STAR OF OUR OWN SHOW” .. MEANING THAT EACH OF US GO ON IN TIME WITH OUR OWN LIVES .. SO I WANT EACH OF YOU TO QUICKLY BE ” THE STAR OF OUR OWN SHOW” .. LIVING YOUR LIFE AS WELL AS I DID WILL BE YOUR BEST TRIBUTE TO ME!

I HAVE HAD A FULL LIFE. I HAVE A LIFE I CAN FEEL PROUD OF. I HAVE LIVED LIFE ETHICALLY .. LOVINGLY. I RAISED ONE SON THAT I AM VERY PROUD OF AND ONE SON THAT HAS RISEN ABOVE MANY DIFFICULTIES IN HIS LIFE THAT I AM ALSO PROUD OF. I HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN AN ERA IN WHICH IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR WOMEN TO SUCCEED .. ALLOWING ME TO ACCUMULATE A PORTFOLIO SUFFICIENT TO ESTABLISH A SCHOLARSHIP AT THE U OF MONTANA IN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT FOR GIRLS FROM MY BACKGROUND. I TRAVEL EVERY CONTINENT BUT ANTARCTICA .. FAVORITE COUNTRIES MANY TIMES OVER .. ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES OF ART SAYS “TO TRAVEL IS TO LIVE” .. THAT SAYS IT ALL! THIS SAID .. I HAVE LIVED WELL .. LOVED WELL. IT IS NOW TIME. GOOD BYE.

KATHERINE

KateMN

Katherine -- Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Mentor

Back in 2011 @katemn posted a simple message on Connect with “I am new to Mayo online .. I was hoping to find others…” That single post has grown to establish an incredibly supportive and knowledge community of people helping each other live well with MAC and bronchiectasis. Katherine’s relentless trumpeting of the message “knowledge is learning to advocate for yourself. Knowledge is taking back the power over your health care” will forever remain with all the members of the MAC group and continue to echo throughout Connect. Her presence and words will continue to comfort, educate and strengthen to the community.

Thank you forever, Katherine.

Dear members, I invite you to share your thoughts about Katherine here. How did she support you?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Aug 19, 2017
In reply to @windwalker "By now, most of you have received the news that our fearless mentor, Katherine has passed..." + (show)
@windwalker

By now, most of you have received the news that our fearless mentor, Katherine has passed away. I feel certain this news has rocked the world of many of you; as it did mine. Some people have private messaged me wondering if she had succmbed finally to her bronchicstasis or MAC or pseudomonas. NO, she did not. Our condition is manageable. She contracted two more particularly nasty bugs of which were resistant to all antibiotics. I have been in touch with her son, Scott. He and I both believe she picked those bugs up when she was spending nights in the ICU with her husband and on many other trips with him in the hospital. These two particular ones are mostly acquired from hospital settings. They are super-bugs. When you hear of hospitalized people dying from pneumonia; this is what this super-bug is. I will give you the names of the bacteria for those of you that want to look it up. They are: Klebsiella pneumonia and Serratia Marcescens. These two are especially dangerous to people like us that are immunocompromised and have weakened or damaged lungs. We are the types that it likes to attack. People like us rarely survive this kind of infection. For the most part, they are antibiotic resistant. I am sharing this with you so that you know to avoid hospitals and convalescent homes whenever possible. Those can be dangerous places for us. I have a rule: I do not visit people in the hospital. I politely explain to them why I can't. We all thought the world of Katherine and prayed that she went peacefully. Her son confirmed that she did, she went in her sleep. Her interment and ceremony to celebrate her life will be on Sept. 2 at 2:00. If you can, I'd like for all of us to take pause at that time and honor her. I will post a reminder as that date gets closer. Hugs to all of you, Terri M.

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@unicorn Christa, if you are coughing up "TONS" of blood, then you need to be seen ASAP! There is a procedure to stop that if it is indeed as bad as you say. Also, you need to be on an antibiotic, that much blood can mean active infection. Your meds weren't intolerable, then try different meds!!!

REPLY
Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Aug 19, 2017
In reply to @windwalker "By now, most of you have received the news that our fearless mentor, Katherine has passed..." + (show)
@windwalker

By now, most of you have received the news that our fearless mentor, Katherine has passed away. I feel certain this news has rocked the world of many of you; as it did mine. Some people have private messaged me wondering if she had succmbed finally to her bronchicstasis or MAC or pseudomonas. NO, she did not. Our condition is manageable. She contracted two more particularly nasty bugs of which were resistant to all antibiotics. I have been in touch with her son, Scott. He and I both believe she picked those bugs up when she was spending nights in the ICU with her husband and on many other trips with him in the hospital. These two particular ones are mostly acquired from hospital settings. They are super-bugs. When you hear of hospitalized people dying from pneumonia; this is what this super-bug is. I will give you the names of the bacteria for those of you that want to look it up. They are: Klebsiella pneumonia and Serratia Marcescens. These two are especially dangerous to people like us that are immunocompromised and have weakened or damaged lungs. We are the types that it likes to attack. People like us rarely survive this kind of infection. For the most part, they are antibiotic resistant. I am sharing this with you so that you know to avoid hospitals and convalescent homes whenever possible. Those can be dangerous places for us. I have a rule: I do not visit people in the hospital. I politely explain to them why I can't. We all thought the world of Katherine and prayed that she went peacefully. Her son confirmed that she did, she went in her sleep. Her interment and ceremony to celebrate her life will be on Sept. 2 at 2:00. If you can, I'd like for all of us to take pause at that time and honor her. I will post a reminder as that date gets closer. Hugs to all of you, Terri M.

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@unicorn Also wanted to say that I have been worried about you when you were taking a break from us. I am SO GLAD you are back.

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Jen_b | @jenblalock | Aug 19, 2017

I only conversed with Katherine a few times but I did see that she interacted and helped many people here. My condolences to all who lose a good friend. xxoo

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Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Aug 19, 2017
In reply to @tdrell "Dear Windwalker Terri and everyone else....I have been reading in toto all of the postings/tributes ....in..." + (show)
@tdrell

Dear Windwalker Terri and everyone else....I have been reading in toto all of the postings/tributes ....in order...for our dearest departed Katherine.( I really do not have a focused system for accessing the connect site and only saw a brief posting when Katherine left us...not the tributes nor cause of death. So now all the pieces are put together re the loss) and all the wonderful comments left about Katherine are PERFECT.
The group needs to know....it is obvious that Katherine ( and no doubt Colleen) chose the perfect person as her sucessor in Terri Windwalker.
Example:Here she is...in pain from banging her body thanks to a bifocal caused misstep, she continues to be meticulous , compassionate, and articulate with all of us.
So....as we struggle with all the evils in our bodies, we forge ahead ...as Katherine and now Terri inspire and encourage us to do.
A reminder that I will be attending NJH NTM annual workshop for Patients/families on October 21 in Denver. Get questions ready as you think of them...so I can ask the experts. Last I checked speakers were not listed.
Dearest Katherine....your legacy continues.
Tdrell aka Terri

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@ling123 Awe....thank you Ling.

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Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Aug 19, 2017

@tdrell Hey Terri. Good vibes received. All soreness dissipated with the exception of my left foot. It feels like I may have a small fracture. I get shooting pain at times when I walk on it. I am sure it will heal over in no time.

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2 replies
Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Aug 19, 2017
In reply to @ling123 "@heathert Good point. I didn't have a chance to look further into the two super bugs..." + (show)
@ling123

@heathert Good point. I didn't have a chance to look further into the two super bugs that Terri listed in her posting when I first read it. Now that you have mentioned it, I did more reading. Now it's getting scary. When I first learned that the bacteria that cause MAC do not coexist with the bacteria that produce pink slime, I was relieved. But now it seems that we could be getting both into our body and one or both could become lethal. It seems to me that both of these are ubiquitous. It is probably impossible to avoid coming in contact with them.

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@tdrell Terri, did you already add the new Nitric Oxide Treatment to your list?

REPLY
tdrell | @tdrell | Aug 20, 2017
In reply to @ling123 "@heathert Good point. I didn't have a chance to look further into the two super bugs..." + (show)
@ling123

@heathert Good point. I didn't have a chance to look further into the two super bugs that Terri listed in her posting when I first read it. Now that you have mentioned it, I did more reading. Now it's getting scary. When I first learned that the bacteria that cause MAC do not coexist with the bacteria that produce pink slime, I was relieved. But now it seems that we could be getting both into our body and one or both could become lethal. It seems to me that both of these are ubiquitous. It is probably impossible to avoid coming in contact with them.

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Terri aka windwalker...thanks will add!!! Tdrell

REPLY
tdrell | @tdrell | Aug 20, 2017
In reply to @windwalker "@tdrell Hey Terri. Good vibes received. All soreness dissipated with the exception of my left foot...." + (show)
@windwalker

@tdrell Hey Terri. Good vibes received. All soreness dissipated with the exception of my left foot. It feels like I may have a small fracture. I get shooting pain at times when I walk on it. I am sure it will heal over in no time.

Jump to this post

Windwalker aka Terri...should you get An X-ray of your poor paw?? Terri aka tdrell

REPLY
Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Aug 20, 2017
In reply to @windwalker "@tdrell Hey Terri. Good vibes received. All soreness dissipated with the exception of my left foot...." + (show)
@windwalker

@tdrell Hey Terri. Good vibes received. All soreness dissipated with the exception of my left foot. It feels like I may have a small fracture. I get shooting pain at times when I walk on it. I am sure it will heal over in no time.

Jump to this post

@tdrell No, Terri, because there isn't anything they can do much they can do for a minor foot injury. Even if it is a hairline fracture, they would say to favor it, or put ice and heat on it if it is a torn or pulled thing. I think in time, it will heal itself. Thank you!!

REPLY
Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Aug 22, 2017
In reply to @windwalker "By now, most of you have received the news that our fearless mentor, Katherine has passed..." + (show)
@windwalker

By now, most of you have received the news that our fearless mentor, Katherine has passed away. I feel certain this news has rocked the world of many of you; as it did mine. Some people have private messaged me wondering if she had succmbed finally to her bronchicstasis or MAC or pseudomonas. NO, she did not. Our condition is manageable. She contracted two more particularly nasty bugs of which were resistant to all antibiotics. I have been in touch with her son, Scott. He and I both believe she picked those bugs up when she was spending nights in the ICU with her husband and on many other trips with him in the hospital. These two particular ones are mostly acquired from hospital settings. They are super-bugs. When you hear of hospitalized people dying from pneumonia; this is what this super-bug is. I will give you the names of the bacteria for those of you that want to look it up. They are: Klebsiella pneumonia and Serratia Marcescens. These two are especially dangerous to people like us that are immunocompromised and have weakened or damaged lungs. We are the types that it likes to attack. People like us rarely survive this kind of infection. For the most part, they are antibiotic resistant. I am sharing this with you so that you know to avoid hospitals and convalescent homes whenever possible. Those can be dangerous places for us. I have a rule: I do not visit people in the hospital. I politely explain to them why I can't. We all thought the world of Katherine and prayed that she went peacefully. Her son confirmed that she did, she went in her sleep. Her interment and ceremony to celebrate her life will be on Sept. 2 at 2:00. If you can, I'd like for all of us to take pause at that time and honor her. I will post a reminder as that date gets closer. Hugs to all of you, Terri M.

Jump to this post

@heathert Heather, did you see my brand new post about this pinky orange bathroom bacteria?

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