KINSLEY TAYLOR HOWARD
11/16/93 -- 7/01/05 

   



Japanese:  gold
Root: A form of Kin
Expression:  A fun loving dependable girl
nice and sweet
Personality:  She has an enduring personality
Natural:  Someone who protects others
Emotional:  sweet disposition and caring for all
Character:  she wants her family to be close
Physical:  A lady who is pretty, nice, & pleasant
Mental:  has the ability to understand the needs
of others close to her.
Motivation:  She has an intensity about her like
no one else.             

OUR BEAUTIFUL KINSLEY!!!


   
   

 On November 16, 1993 our family was blessed with a new baby 
girl she weighed 6lbs. 2 oz.  Kinsley was born at Northeast 
Georgia Hospital in Gainesville, GA.  She was immediately rushed 
to the ICU unit.  Her oxygen level was only in the 50's
 (normal range 95-100).  Within an hour Kinsley was transported 
by the Angel  Unit (funny Angel was the name of her first ride and last)
 to Egleston Children's Hospital in Atlanta, GA.  My mother and 
aunt followed her down to the hospital.  I remember being in my hospital
 room scared to death, and praying to God that my baby would be okay. 
Upon arrival Kinsley was diagnosed with Pulmonary Atresia with intact ventricular septum and corinary sinusoids.  She only had 2 of the 4 heart chambers and her blood was flowing backwards through the heart. Kinsley was also diagnosed with partial Digorge Syndrome.  At the age of only 
3 days old, Kinsley underwent her first surgery, a BT shundt.  We were amazed that Kinsley survived with flying colors.  After about 3 and 1/2
 weeks we took her home for the first time.  In all Kinsley had 4 open heart surgeries, 2 cleft pallot repairs, a club foot repair, and numerous other
 minor surgeries.  Through all she went through the first 9 years of her life she was fairly healthy.  Just like a normal kid other than numerous hospitalizations for normal sickness.  Kinsley also survived a tornado that destroyed our home in March 1998.  In early 2002 Kinsley had started swelling a lot.  She was then diagnosed with Protein Loosing Enteropathy, or PLE.  This is where the proteins are not absorbed right by the body and her immunoglobin levels that fight off infection were low.  This was all due
 to the pressures in her heart being too high from the last surgery they did.  Little did we know that there was no cure for this and not a very high
 survival rate.  Despite the odds Kinsley did well with only occasional visits
 to the hospital for Albumin and IGG infusions for about 3 years.  Then the infusions became a must daily and we had to put in a central line.  She had 
to come home with it and I had to learn everything from cleaning her lines
 to prevent infection, to giving the infusions, to mixing the meds to give by 
IV, to taking blood pressures,  to inserting catheters in her leg for her
 heparin shots for the swelling.  Kinsley just refused to let any one else 
touch her.  With everything she had  to endure she never once complained.
                                            
Kinsley would be in and out of the hospital alot during the last year of her life.  She contracted several blood infections (which I know there is no way she got at home, I was to cautious with cleaning her lines) after being in the hospital, which every time she had them you didn't know she was sick until she was deathly sick. With the infections Kinsley had been septic with 2 of them already. We went to the hospital to have some normal GI tests ran and routine blood work done.  While we were in the lab she spiked a temperature of about 101 degrees.  I took her on down to the ER and waited on her bloodwork to come back, and they went ahead and did blood cultures while we were in there.  Her calcium and potassium came back fairly low, so they admitted her to get her electrolytes back in line.  The blood cultures came back negative, and then they were pumping her full of all of this fluid and decreased her diuretics because they thought she was dehydrated. Needless to say she put on 14 pounds of fluid, which really set off the PLE and that affects her urine output. She became very sick about a day and a half later with diareah every 10 minutes.This went on day and night for about 4 days round the clock.She wasn't getting any better and they finally checked for yeast in her bloodstream.That came back positive and they told me that it wasn't good and could mean months or years of  IV antibiotic treatment to cure it.  Her body was showing every sign for days of becoming septic, Then finally the yeast cut off the blood flow to her gut and lower organs, and her blood pressure bottomed out at 17/21 (which they say is physically anatomically impossible and her still be alive) but she was alive and awake and talking and begging everybody for something to eat or drink.  The doctors in the ICU thought that was a good sign.  She made it through the first night in ICU and the next day, but by then they were having to make her blood pressure, I chose to intubate her 
(so that I didn't have any regrets later) and after they got the tube placed, her father and I went back to see her.  I took one look 
and I knew that Kinsley was already gone spiritually.  After 
everything continued to get worse we chose to take the respirator out.  I didn't want her to pass without me holding her as she made her crossing.  Everyone ( all 40 of us) told her how much they loved 
her and her favorite kids gospel cd was playing in the background 
as we hugged her, held her hand, and kissed her goodbye.  
       Kinsley loved to make people laugh, and she was such
 a ham that wasn't hard for her to do.  I always had people coming up and telling me that there was just something about her that would draw you into her.  Kinsley's favorite thing was to be held. Kinsley was a very intellegent little girl, and such a Godly child. She could light up a room just with her presence.  Kinsley loved to go to church and wear her church shoes as she called them.  Her feet stayed swollen a lot and she could not wear them often.  I never knew how a child of her age could love God and his house as she did.  Now I know.  God only let me borrow her for a little while to love and nurture her into the child she had become.  I do know one thing God is a very blessed God to have such an angel at his side.  Sometimes I often
wonder if he created her for that very reason.  I am just thankful that I got the chance to be her mama. Kinsley was  very special  and you will never see another child as she was.  Kinsley touched more lives than any of us will ever know.  When we would go anywhere it never failed that we would see 
someone who knew Kinsley.  I might not know who they were but she always did.  Kinsley loved her music and could keep a beat from the time she was 6 months old, and she loved to dance around the house when she 
felt good.  I  have to admit she was pretty  good at it .  She was so little it 
was easy to just sit all day long with her cuddling.  I am so thankful that we were blessed enough for me to be a stay at home mom.  I cherish every
moment I got to spend with her. Oh and let's not forget she loved her thumb almost as much as she liked to be held.  We took her passi away and she 
found her thumb a year later.

I know that the pain will always be there.  The 
longing to hold her, and touch her, and see her will never fade.  I know
that we can't bring her back, but you see we can go be with her.  That is a day that I am looking very forward to.  Just the thought of seeing her again
is what gives me the strength to get through every day.  Through all of this
the one thing I have learned is to live every day with the ones that you love
as if it were your last day here on earth.   I am very thankful to have 2 other healthy children and I love them just as much, but it is still not the same.  Kinsley will always hold a special place in everyone's hearts.  

      

Kinsley left behind 2 sisters whom love her dearly.  Kalyn is 10 and
Allyssa Kaite is 8.  They always had this bond with her, and although it 
took all of my time to take care of Kinsley, her sisters never once 
questioned it or become jealous.  They helped me more than they will ever know with taking care of her and keeping her entertained.  They too are precious special girls with a love for God just like their sister.  They love 
and miss her as much as I do.  Thank you GIRLS for all your help, it really meant alot to mommy and to Kinsley.
                                                                                         




If it had not been for my mom and dad, I don't know what I would have
done.  Taking care of Kinsley was a big job and everyone has to rest some time.  I would like to thank them both.  They meant so much to Kinsley and 
she loved them with all her heart.  Grandpa Jim did anything she wanted 
him to even if I had already said no.  For that daddy I thank you, She knew
 no love greater than yours.  For my mother I wouldn't have been able to
 take care of Kinsley without you.  When she was with you I never had to worry.  Not many people can say that.  I also know that you loved her as
 much as I did.  For that I am thankful.  Kinsley was not only our child but yours too.  You helped make her into who she was.  For that I would take nothing.  I love you both and thank you from the bottom of  my heart.
                    
A very special thank you goes out to Aunt Amy, Debbie, 
Katt Ratt, SherryTurner, Granny Frances, and Grandma Bonnie. 
I would not have been able to raise "OUR SWEET KINSLEY" without the help I recieved from each one of you.  Please accept these flowers for everything that you ever did for us.                   
          

In Loving Memory of Kinsley's Granny Frances, who crossed over to meet Kinsley on the other side on 12/3/05.  Just 5 short months after Kinsley.  There was no one else like Kinsley's Granny Frances to her, Granny sick or not if Kinsley wanted to go to her house, then that's where Kinsley went.  There was a very special bond between them like no other.  Kinsley loved her so much. Thank you Granny for all your help.   Take care of my baby girl until I get there.  The angel on this globe represents Kinsley and the dove is Granny going home to meet her angel who went before her.

A very special thank you to the friend  that sponsored Kinsley'site.  

The mention of Kinsley's name may bring tears to my eyes,

But it never fails to bring music to my ears.

If you are my friend, please don't keep me from hearing it.

It soothes my soul, and fills my broken heart with love.

 Kinsley our whole  world  revolved around you.
     You were the center of it. 

FOR ALL THE CANDLES BEING LIT AND TRIBUTES PAID, WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE IT.  I KNOW OUR KINS WOULD LOVE THEM. 
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LIGHT A CANDLE OR
PAY A TRIBUTE, AND THANK YOU.