Anna Katherine was born on January 16, 2000.  She was a perfectly healthy baby.  Our son Tanner was seven years old when Anna Katherine was born and we were so excited to have a baby girl!  During her first year, she developed all of the milestones on time.  However, when we celebrated her first birthday she showed no signs of wanting to walk.  

She crawled everywhere she needed to go.  As the next few months passed, I began to be concerned that she still was not walking.

At this point, she could pull up and hold on to the furniture and walk, but she never took off on her own.  She also was not talking very much.  Deep down, I felt that something was just not right.  At her 18 month check-up, her doctor explained that she most likely had cerebral palsy.  You can imagine our devastation. 

We felt that our world had been turned upside down.  Our pediatrician then sent us to an orthopeadic specialist and a neurologist.  Anna Katherine turned two in Jan. 2002 and began working with a pediatric physical therapist.  By the beginning of April, she could take two to three steps using a pediatric walker.  

Later on that month (over a period of two to three days) she stopped turning over in bed by herself and she could not stand at all.  She also stopped talking.  It was heart breaking for us that she could not say mommy and daddy.  Her neurologist immediately ordered a CT scan, MRI, and muscle biopsy.  

All of these tests came back normal.  He explained that she did not have cerebral palsy, that it was probably a genetic disorder.  In June 2002, Anna Katherine underwent more testing at the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta.  When August rolled around, we enrolled her at our local cerebral palsy center so that she could receive the therapy and specialized care that she needed.  

She soon quit sitting up by herself.  She had lost control of her whole body.  She was also having problems swallowing and eating.  It was difficult to get her to eat.  She also was not gaining weight.  Our family was on an emotional roller coaster and we desperately wanted to get off.  After seventeen weeks, we finally received the diagnosis of MLD.  

If we thought our world had been turned upside down when we were told she had cerebral palsy...well,  this didn't even compare.  I took a medical leave of absence from my teaching job in October, 2002 to care for Anna.  

  In November, 2002 a feeding tube was put in so that she could receive the nutrition she needed.  As I write this, we have very happily celebrated Anna Katherine's third and fourth birthdays.  She has been hospitalized several times and is now under the care of our local hospice service.

All of her doctors and nurses are a blessing to our family.  We are grateful for each day that we have with our precious little one.

Romans 8:28 states, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." 

Even when we live through difficult times, blessings can be found all around us. 

Anna Katherine is truly a blessing to all that know her.