Updates about Karen's Condition - May 2000

• May 1 - 7 - Karen had a busy birthday week -- on her birthday (5/3) she spent some time shopping and went out to dinner. She's also starting to spend more time in, and getting better acclimated to, her standing frame. Her doctor visits this week resulted in a change of plans. They decided not to do the wound-vac procedure because her sore is too large for it to be effective. She will most likely have surgery some time in June, that will be decided for sure when she sees the doctor again in two weeks. The surgery would involve removing some of Karen's muscle from her inner thigh and grafting it into the wound, effectively plugging it and healing it. She'd have to stay in bed for about a month after that (not even 2 hours up at a time!) so that the graft would take, but after that she would be healed and back to a normal schedule of up time.
  
• May 8 - 14 - Karen is still on IV antibiotics and trying to spend at least an hour a day in her standing frame to help the sore heal (the standing frame also helps strengthen her bones and muscles in addition to helping circulation), in hopes that she can avoid surgery. She'll see the doctors again next week to find out if that is a possibility. She is also back to having physical therapy -- the therapists are coming to her house a couple of times a week to help her get back into shape. She was busy over mother's day weekend going out for meals and watching soccer games.
  
• May 15 - 21 - Another busy week for Karen! This weekend was the Karen Weir Benefit Golf Tournament and there was a great turn out. Many thanks to all who participated and to those who organized the event. Karen only got to stay for a short time because she is still on up time restrictions, but she enjoyed her time there. She will see the doctor on Monday and Wednesday this week for a status of her sore and the final decision on whether or not surgery is necessary.
  
• May 22- 28 - Unfortunately Karen got the bad news this week, she will have to have the surgery to mend her wound. The surgery will be scheduled 2-3 weeks from now and will require grafting some muscle into her wound. She will then have to stay in bed constantly for one whole month so she's trying to get out as much as she can now (as much as she can for a couple of hours at a time anyway). Your prayers are appreciated. More details will be posted as they become available.