Wonderful news, Chris!

That is terrific news Chris.

Bumps in the road
 

We have had a rough last few days as Katie has developed abdominal bleeding - so far we have added 9 units of blood over the past several days to her ravaged little body. A nuclear scan, a couple angioplasty procedures later in nuclear medicine and a CT contrast scan added in, they "think" they have it. We'll see. Thank you all for your positive energy and prayers. We have a ways yet to go it seems.

This is a Nasty bug - the following is from Wikipedia - this is what my daughter has been going through:

"Septicaemia caused by Neisseria meningitidis has received much less public attention than meningococcal meningitis. Meningococcal septicaemia typically causes a purpuric rash that does not lose its colour when pressed with a glass ("non-blanching") and does not cause the classical symptoms of meningitis. This means the condition may be ignored by those not aware of the significance of the rash. Septicaemia carries an approximate 50% mortality rate over a few hours from initial onset. Many health organizations advise anyone with a non-blanching rash to go to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible.

Other severe complications include Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome (a massive, usually bilateral, hemorrhage into the adrenal glands caused by fulminant meningococcemia), adrenal insufficiency, and disseminated intravascular coagulation."

What it doesn't say is how badly it ravages internal organs. It's repair and healing time. We hope her kidneys will survive.

Keep your hope, thoughts and positive energy. Thank you

Chris

ps. If you have a family member who is a candidate for the vaccine, I'd recommend it. The Center for Disease Control website recommendations are here: http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/vaccine-info.html

Chris,

Having almost lost our adult son last year, I know what you have been up against.

Prayers help and I am certain many were passed on in her behalf!!

Healing takes a lot of time, but it is amazing how well people rejuvinate!!!

Will continue to say prayers for recovery of you all!!


Dale Guthormsen

Chris, we have not forgotten.

Hoping and praying for the next step in recovery.

Bruce Foreman

Chris,
Now that you mentioned it, the N. meningitidis vaccine is readily available and effective. We give it to just about all of our patients going off to college (the infection is most often seen in college dorms and army barracks). It is safe with almost no side effects.
It's wonderful that she is coming out of this. You have a real fighter. Be sure that any other young folks in your family get the vaccine.

I want to thank you all for your caring support and encouragement.

My daughter's kidneys fired up over the weekend and dialysis is now a thing of the past. She is getting stronger and may be off her trach tube (placed in lieu of the breathing tube) within a week or less. They are readying her for transition to a rehab facility, and her daily progress is remarkable. She appears to have beaten long odds.

Your words of support, love and encouragement truly were helpful for me through a very dark period in my life. The light is shining in now and I feel immensely better. I appreciate my DVInfo family.

To Chris Hurd, I say thank you for allowing me to use this site for that, and encourage and support you taking this thread down if you like... it is, after all, a little odd for this site, and I am anxious to getting back to posting more appropriate things !

God bless you all.

Chris Swanberg

ps. Steve, thanks for weighing in on the significance of the vaccine. My 22 year old will be getting it. I STRONGLY recommend that anyone with a child meeting the CDC guidelines get it!!

I hadn't heard from Chris Swanberg for about a week, and called him tonight to see how Katie was doing. When he answered the phone, he said just a minute, he would let me talk to someone who knew a bit more... It was Katie herself. We spoke for a few minutes. She is anxious to get back on her feet, and a bit frustrated about having to relearn things like walk, and all...... but you can tell she is going to come back with a vengence.... you got to admire how tough that young woman is. I felt like I was talking to a miracle...

I think everyone who has been rooting for her has had an effect on her.

Gosh, that is good news!

At her age, with the fight she has shown, even if the rehab process is long and frustrating I look for her to make the fullest recovery possible for her to attain. Someone please keep us posted.

Bruce Foreman

GREAT NEWS! And thanks to both Chris's for keeping us "in the loop".

prayers
 

Just saw this thread - sending out prayers for health and recovery.

I was surprised to see this still up, but since it is, an update.

My daughter is going to be released Thursday to come home with me for a few weeks as she continues to gain strength.

She is poised to make a full recovery, except for a few scars and all, but is going to be her old self in no time. She is getting stronger x2 every day.

She is even back to posting her own blog at GardenPunks™.

Thank you all for your support.

Chris B and i are back to making movies ! (finally) And I will be back to working on my documentary as well I trust !

Chris Swanberg

Way to go Katie! I'm sure Chris and Chris will have you up and around and helping with productions in no time!...

Great news Chris and thanks for posting the link to Katie's blog - it was great to read about some of the ordeal in HER words.

And remind her that we all have scars - the ones that carry them on the INSIDE are the unfortunate ones; no one knows what they went through to make them the people they are today.

All the very best to your family and may Katie's recovery be faster and more complete than she could ever hope for.

Hi Chris,
It's good to hear Katie is recovering well. Nice blog she has.
All the best to Katie, you and your family!

Chris,

Fantastic news!

When I went to gardenpink and read her blog, I just about shed tears of joy, an emotional read for me.

One thing is for sure, this kind of thing does draw ones family much closer, and that is a good thing, even if from a bad thing.


May you all enjoy the future.


Oh yea, and uwol 16 too?



dale guthormsen

Chris Barcellos did a short film about Katie and me and I think it is a fitting end to this thread. It is here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/uwol-cha...enge-16-a.html

Thank you my fellow UWOL'ers for your outpouring of caring and support, and thank you Chris Barcellos.

(ps. the pic of her in bed was taken during week 6..... I did not take pics in the early tough goings, and almost could not have gotten close enough to the ICU bed due to machines and IV trees, etc. Those are memories best forgotten.)