Finding Answers

Katie Krueger had an uneventful pregnancy. Her prenatal visits were routine, and each pregnancy milestone was a special moment to check off a list that all expectant mothers follow. She and her husband, Walt, had no idea their daughter would experience major health issues that would take them on an unexpected roller coaster of emotions.

Much like Katie’s pregnancy, the first three months of Anabelle’s life were normal and no issues were detected. It wasn’t until Anabelle was 4 months old that her parents realized she wasn’t meeting the expected milestones. At that time, the Krueger family lived in California, and Anabelle’s pediatricians told her parents not to worry. But at 6 months old, the little girl wasn’t smiling, had limited head control, and wasn’t rolling over.

Katie and Walt were worried, and they began taking their daughter to see specialists. One by one, they heard “all clear,” and were left facing a dreaded appointment with a neurologist. As they received normal reports from other specialists, the weight of seeing a neurologist felt heavier and heavier because they knew something was wrong, but they hoped it wasn’t a neurological issue.

The day of the appointment arrived, and doctors confirmed that Anabelle did have a neurological issue and needed an MRI. While grappling with that confirmation, the Kruegers were dealt another blow when the
physician told them he wouldn’t help and wouldn’t schedule an MRI because the family would soon be moving across the country to Mississippi.

Soon after, they made the move to Mississippi where they knew no one. The Kruegers relied on countless Google searches to find a doctor who would schedule the MRI Anabelle desperately needed. Knowing their child needed help, but being unable to secure that help was devastating and frustrating for the new parents. When they finally found a doctor who’d see Anabelle, an MRI was scheduled — for six weeks later. Katie and Walt didn’t have six weeks. They knew Anabelle needed help and needed help fast.

Walt is from Memphis and has a longtime friend who works for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. His friend understood their feeling of hopelessness and encouraged them to call Le Bonheur. Katie and Walt were overjoyed when Le Bonheur said they’d see Anabelle the next day.

“That was the first time we felt that a weight had been lifted,” said Katie. “Even though we were on a path where we didn’t want to be, we finally felt like there were people to walk alongside us and hold us up.”

The team at Le Bonheur’s world-class Neuroscience Institute discovered that Anabelle was experiencing
infantile spasms, which can be extremely dangerous to child development if not controlled. Anabelle’s doctors immediately ordered her hospitalized for an inpatient treatment regimen. A few weeks before
her first birthday, Anabelle was diagnosed with epilepsy and began treatment. With the help of Le Bonheur, countless medicines and dietary changes, Anabelle, who is now 7 years old, has been mostly seizure-free since April 2018.

“We couldn’t have done any of this without Le Bonheur,” said Katie. “Every other place turned us away, but Le Bonheur has seen us through every step of the way.”

Although the Kruegers experienced a great deal of heartache along the way, those miserable experiences made them appreciate the wonder of Le Bonheur even more.

“I always knew that if we moved closer to Memphis, I wanted to be more involved at the hospital. I wanted to be a part of the team that gave my family our life back,” said Katie. “I love that Le Bonheur Club is a group of strong women that support such an amazing mission.”

While COVID made Katie’s early involvement with the Club largely virtual, she has enjoyed being a part of events like the Pumpkin Run — for which Anabelle was the honorary patient in 2022 and sharing her story at events like Le Bon Appetit.

“There are so many special parts of the hospital, like Bunny Lane, which Anabelle has gone through,” said Katie. “I look forward to sitting with patients and supporting other families the way we’ve been supported.”

Katie’s not alone in her desire to give back. Walt, a retired U.S. Marine, started down the path of sports medicine/kinesiology upon leaving the service. However, as Anabelle’s journey progressed, he changed his major to biology. Now, he’s in the PhD program for neuroscience at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and he plans to work for the lab that focuses on epilepsy research.

Katie and Walt’s journey has not been easy, and the pain they’ve felt many times along the way has been difficult to bear, but their determination to make the best possible choices for Anabelle has never wavered. The Kruegers are proud to give back to the hospital that saved Anabelle’s life and hope to create a lasting impact for years to come.