Help Kate Catlin Recover from Bowel Surgery

Hi, my name is Kate Catlin. I'm a self-employed artist living in the Kansas City, Missouri area. I've been the caregiver of my husband, Shawn, who has a Traumatic Brain Injury and is fully disabled, since 2009 when he got run over by a car while riding a motorcycle (he was wearing a helmet). He is unable to work, and until recently, with some help from both our families, we've managed to keep a roof over our head and pay the bills and eat okay with the income I bring in.

That's me with Shawn in December 2020 celebrating the wedding of our daughter Sophia to Josh. They quarantined with us through 2020. I'm so happy we got to be together during such a scary time!

I’ve been sick with frequent diverticulitis flare-ups since February and am about to have surgery to stop the repeated flare-ups. I haven’t been able to work very much since August because of daily pain and exhaustion from fighting off constant infections in my colon. Every day since August I wake up already exhausted and heavy, or I’m there by dinnertime. I haven't been able to eat much or have the energy to cook. The past couple of weeks leading up to now (less than 2 weeks before surgery!) have felt like walking through deep water all the time. I have bursts of energy, but I have to conserve it to do the minimum daily activities. I have been working only a few hours a week, trying to maintain.

I love my work: I do logos. I’m the Creative Director and Artist-in-Residence for Sword of Joy Academy (my awesome business coach Tina Joy Cochran), I’m in charge of video post-production for Raytown Christian Church, my home church, I’m a stitcher for Stone Lion Puppet Theater. I just got the gig with the puppet theater and it’s a literal dream come true to be able to use my creative sewing and fiber art skills to help make amazing performances happen. I’m looking forward to post-surgery when I will be able to give my clients my all and to fully give my energy to my art. It’s what I live for!

This is me in November 2020 helping with a wall mural painting in downtown Kansas City.

This is me with one of my amazing support systems: my Sword of Joy mastermind group. We get together once a month virtually and we're all creative entrepreneurs. I'm so grateful for this group of amazing women who inspire me and are always there for me.

I have had diverticulitis since my 30s. I'm 48 years old now. According to Cleveland Clinic, "Diverticula are like expanded areas or bubbles that form when you fill the inner tube of a bike tire with too much air. The increase in pressure from too much air being pumped into the inner tube causes the bubble to form where the rubber is the weakest. Similarly, an increase in pressure inside the colon causes pockets or bulges (diverticula) to form in weakened areas of your colon’s walls.

“Diverticula can range from pea-size to much larger. Although they can form anywhere in the inner lining of your colon, they are most commonly found in your lower left-side, in the S-shaped segment of your colon called the sigmoid colon." When those diverticula get food stuck in them, or I get inflammation from stress, or sometimes it seems totally random, it's called a diverticulitis flare-up.

My symptoms were pretty typical until this year: severe sharp pain in my lower left abdomen, bad enough that standing up and moving is difficult, abdominal swelling or bloating (I can't stand anything touching my belly when it's hurting like that), diarrhea, and severe exhaustion. I know a flare-up is coming when I sleep for 12 hours for no reason. When I wake up, usually, it starts with pain and I'm wiped out by the littlest physical activity. Usually, I can't work for 3-5 days every time I get a flare-up.

Until 2021, I had 1 to 4 flare-ups a year and I could deal with that, but this year, I've had flare-ups every month except January. Nothing had changed except the pandemic and no matter what dietary changes and exercise changes I made, I kept getting sick again, way too fast. In August, I went to the ER three times with the worst pain I've ever felt because of fluid leaking into my abdomen. The ER doc said I needed surgery for my diverticulitis, and my surgeon tells me that when I’m not constantly fighting infection in my colon, I’m going to feel really good again. Since August, I have been in pain every day. I have been on antibiotics for a month out of two months.

On November 22, 2021, I am having colon resection surgery. The doctor will remove the part of my sigmoid colon that is inflamed and causing me constant pain and discomfort. They'll make 2 cuts in my abdomen, remove the bad section, and stitch the two ends back together. It will be laparoscopic surgery done with the DaVinci robot, and my surgeon said it will be a 3.5-hour surgery. I will stay 2 nights in the hospital and then I’ll be staying with Shawn at his mom’s house to recover so I can make sure he’s also being taken care of. I go in for my first post-op visit on December 7. According to my surgeon, I should be back to work within 2 to 4 weeks.

I have so many ideas and plans for when I feel better! I finally have built my business to a point where I feel successful and the work is so fulfilling. I want to go back to attending camping trips with friends and visiting relatives a few hours away. I used to hike with my dog every Saturday for a few hours and walk him in the park every morning during the week. I want to go back to exercising! All of these things I’ve kept putting off because I kept feeling worse and worse.

My sweet dog Revan, who keeps me company when I'm really sick, would rather be out walking in the park.

I will use the funds to pay our bills while I am recovering from surgery and to take care of a past-due utility bill that was due last week. Everything else is caught up so far. The amount I'm asking for is about 6 weeks' worth of bills and expenses for our household, which will allow me to relax, recover, and not have to think about pushing myself to go back to work too fast. I do push myself hard, but I also know that I absolutely need to not do that in this instance.

I'm grateful beyond measure that I got health insurance in January of 2021, and I've met my deductible and out-of-pocket expenses already. This surgery will be free, according to my health insurance company. I don't have much debt, thankfully, but I have had to charge about $2,500 onto credit cards while I've been unable to work full-time and it's been very slow repaying the credit. I didn't ask for that money in my fundraiser, but if I make my goal, I'll be able to pay more than the minimum payments on the credit cards while I'm recovering. If I make more than my goal, it will go to completely pay off the credit cards so we can pursue a dream: buying a house better suited to Shawn's disabilities and giving me studio space to work in.

I’ve had to ask for a lot of help lately and my family can’t help with a whole month’s worth of expenses by themselves. I feel like I’ve leaned on them so much already while I’ve been constantly sick and working so little. Thanks to the grace of God, I feel very hopeful and like no matter what, there's light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to see what 2022 has in store. Full recovery and improved health and energy are what I am envisioning!

Whatever happens, I’m incredibly grateful to have such a supportive, awesome family, both mine and Shawn’s. I’m grateful to my church family for being so supportive and loving. I’m grateful to all my friends who send well-wishes home with Shawn when I can’t handle leaving the house. And I appreciate you for caring enough to read this far. I pray for blessings on you and your family, and vibrant health for you all! Thank you for being willing to help a neighbor through a valley.

Shawn has agreed to update you after surgery, and I'll keep updating after I'm feeling up to it. With no complications, I'll be back to feeling like myself again, minus the pain and fear of getting sick, in just a few weeks.