We apologize for not keeping Karen’s blog updated. We have been so busy that honestly, it just kind of slipped away from us. However, we just recently reviewed an email that Karen received that expressed how much many of you still continued to re-read what we had written, and how you wished that we would continue to post entries because Karen’s story is so inspirational. So, we’re back! The following post was drafted in July of 2007 and never published. We will publish it now, and continue to publish updates to bring everyone to date. Meanwhile, let’s just say that Karen is continuing to be a greater miracle than anyone could have hoped for …
It is hard to believe that it was almost a month ago that Karen was transferred to the Valley Medical TBI Rehabilitation Center. As you can tell by the latest pictures, she has continued to become more and more present. She engages you fully now, and is working hard on her speech. Karen has speech aphasia, which means she can understand everything you are saying to her but has trouble speaking. Karen knows everything she wants to say, and can form the works in her head, but has trouble with getting the right words out when she speaks. She can answer yes or no questions, however, and is learning more and more phrases every day.
She is also remembering more and more. She now has recollection of the day she suffered her aneurism, and also how to get to her mother’s house from Valley Med. We know this because on Friday, July 27th, she was able to guide her therapists to her mother’s for a visit. She was glad to be out of the rehab center, and now she is even more motivated toward her recovery! Karen can now wheel herself in her wheel chair, and is helping more and more with her wheel chair transfers. The greatest challenge she is facing is the curling of the toes on her right foot. It sounds like a small issue, but it is a major challenge. With her toes curled, it makes it painful for Karen to bare weight on her left, and strongest, leg. The physical therapists are working to help solve this problem with casts, which gradually stretch the tightened muscles that curl the toes, and Botox injections to help relax them. This therapy has already showed results. So, we anticipate that this week will show more significant progress.
Oh, and did we mention that Karen can sing? She is becoming a karaoke star! “Wild Thing”, “The National Anthem”, and “You are so Beautiful” are just a small part of her repertoire – which can go on for hours. So, overall, the times are bitter sweet (perhaps more sweet than bitter). Karen has come so far, and there are so many moments of joy – and, sometimes, there is so much deep frustration at the trials of the moment.
We continue to thank you for your loving and powerful prayers. We know that is likely that Karen would not be with us today without them. And, we also know that they are so necessary for her continued recovery. Karen needs to show continued and significant recovery, to maintain her stay at Valley Med. So we ask you for your continued support, and know that God is all powerful and good.
