It's been a whole month since I came home from the hospital so I thought I would catch you up on how I am doing. As most of you know, I started out with covid which turned into pneumonia which became ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). The visiting nurse and Physical Therapists say I am doing well. My strength and stamina is much improved and I am able to do things around the house now like clean counters, wash some dishes. My breathing is still a struggle and will be for another 5 months to a year before my lungs heal. But I am grateful for the improvements I have made including being able to walk to the mailbox now (about 200 feet). I'll be honest, most of my time is still resting, letting my damaged lungs catch up and breathe at their best rate again.

I missed the news as I have not been on here much, I am sorry you went through that but delighted to hear you are recoveing. God bless and keep getting better.

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by 02kar 10 Mar 2021

Thank you. It's been a very long time since you have been here. Good to see you back and hope to see you post more often

Karen, I am so happy you are regaining your strength. Thanks too for the information about it is better without the visitors. When I've been in the hospital the last thing I want is visitors. I feel like I haver to interact with them and I look horrible and I just want to rest, I didn't know anyone else felt that way. I have always had excellent care from the hospital staff too. And, my friend who is fighting stage 4 ovarian cancer is having one point person. I am so glad too you are resting!!!
hugs and love,
Jan

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by 02kar 09 Mar 2021

Thanks. I can manage about 5 minutes of activity and i start to struggle to breathe. So it will be a slow recovery. I think you and I are probably in the majority, needing to rest while in the hospital. Hugs back to you too.

Karen, praise God and just know that He isn't finished with you here on earth. You are so right about the medical personnel as they are the ones who should have Hero before their names, not movie stars and sports players. I'm not sure how so many of them are holding up as they must surely be at breaking points. I pray for your continued healing and hope that it will be fast paced! Love to you and your husband as I can only imagine what he went through while you were in hospital. Millie

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by 02kar 09 Mar 2021

Thank you. Your posts holds so many truths about medical personnel versus sports figures and actors. I know where I was hospitalized, the staff caring for me had an interesting schedule with hours on shift and days off. And too many had suffered through the virus. It was horrible for my handsome hubby also. It took him several weeks and to be honest he can still be overprotective.

Hi Karen, so lovely to hear from you and that you are on the mend, so to speak. I am so sorry to hear of your ordeal and can only thank God that you were upheld in prayer by so many people. I pray that your complete recovery will take place sooner than later, but don't over exert yourself. Love and prayers, Chris

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by 02kar 09 Mar 2021

Thank you. Every day is a balancing act for me. I think I can do more than I really can. I am still in awe of how many people took part in praying for me. I will never know the true number, but I am so grateful for each and every one.

by hightechgrammy 09 Mar 2021

Chris, this is one of my all time favorite verses - thank you!

Thanks for the info on nurses, etc. Glad you are on the mend and I hope it starts going faster. You continue to be in my prayers.

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by 02kar 09 Mar 2021

Thank you I admit I still need prayers.

What a wonderful post. First to know that though you have been through a terrifying ordeal, you have high hopes for a great albeit slow recovery. Then to hear your support for all the medical personal and what they are going through as well. Bless you all and may this whole crisis be over soon. I'm excited to report that I was finally able to get my first vaccination today.

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

Thank you. I admit, that it is very hard for me to be patient with such a slow recovery. But I just keep making goals each week. One of my long term )months away) is to be able to stitch again. Another is for my handsome hubby and I to take our travel trailer on a trip to visit friends we haven't seen in years who are living less a thousand miles from us. So I still have a lot of living to do.

by sewtired 09 Mar 2021

Yes you do, and may it be joyful again soon.

thank you for your post, I am happy to see you here again and to read you are able to do some things again. and you are recovering. Please listen to your body, take the time to heal. Thank you for telling how it was for you when you were in the hospital. And yes the hospital staffs do an amazing job, they deserve our thoughts and prayers too. where would we be without them....Big hugs are coming your way ))))

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

Thanks I need every hug I can get, real and cyber. hehe I can manage about 5 minutes and I need to rest. One of my Physical Therapists makes me laugh because she very sweetly told my husband I shouldn't do any housework for a year.

Thank you, thank you for the update!! I have been so wondering how you are feeling! It will take you some months to recover - I am happy you are taking it one day at a time and not trying to overdo. I would hope most people would understand the reason for no visitors. We owe a debt to all hospital workers and their families. I received my second Covid shot today and I made a point to thank each person who was helping. Please continue to take it easy and know you continue to be in my prayers! Hugs, Laura

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

Thank you. I know you have been one of my prayer warriors through this ordeal. Yes, everything i read on ARDS says it will take 6 months to a year for my lungs to heal. And there is no guarantee on if there will be remaining damage. i continue to make weekly goals. My very 1st goal was the 2nd day in the hospital. I was determined to thank each and every person who entered my room to care for me. And that included the poor person who had to do my daily blood letting ceremony at 4 am. hehe

So glad to hear you are doing much better. Yes, it is going to be a long haul until you are close to your old self but with time and patience you will get there. We love some friends and family to this horrible illness and I can't stress enough the importance of using some common sense. Some wonderful medical staff took awesome care of you and many others - they deserve so much praise! God Bless and can't wait until the next great update! Tonya

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

Thanks! Covid started this journey for me, but it was actually ARDS that caused so much damage to my lungs. I can't stress enough that if someone has anything flu-like, including a cold, and are struggling to breathe they need to get to a doctor ASAP. ARDS is a terrible terrible illness that can and does a lot of damage. I wasn't planning on another update because I don't want to bore everyone.

by stork 09 Mar 2021

So glad you shared this info. My dad has pulmonary fibrosis from his military career and we are careful regarding all this. Take care and mend well!

My heart goes out too all that are impacted by Covid. So many of my friends have been affected by this. Karen I am so glad you are over the worst of it. Yes recovery is long for some but "Recover" is the magic word. I agree the medical people are heroes. I can not imagine what it must be like. One of my friends was on the brink of death when the hospital personal decided to let her 3 sons come to see her . She had lost her husband days before and I had the feeling she had lost the will to live. Now she tells me that when she saw her sons crying was what made her decide to fight. With the help of oxygen she is now recovering at home.
I am praying for all of you to get back to the former you.
Cyber hug my friend.

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

I'm doing my best. Ards is not at all what I expected. And its hard to have fought so hard to live and find I have to fight just as hard to recover from ARDS. And all because I have asthma. The hospital personal were so right to bring in your friends family. It is so important to remember our loved ones and have the will to fight to live for them. That is what kept me fighting.

I can’t tell you how concerned I was about you, almost to the point of over protecting. -lol-Recovery is slow but you got this!

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

I'm grateful for over-protecting. I'm doing my best to heal, but I admit, is is depressing because I have such a long road ahead of me. BTW, how is your sister doing with her recovery?

Thank you for sharing your journey so far, Karen...continue to gain your strength and stamina...for a speedy and full recovery

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

Thanks I'm hoping for a full recovery.

So good to have you back with us. I for one have really missed you. So very pleased you are getting stronger. I agree with you about hospital staff. Both DH and I have been in hospital during Covid and our nursing was fantastic. May you go from strength to strength. Hugs.

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by 02kar 08 Mar 2021

I work every day trying to get stronger, but I admit it is a very hard battle because my recovery from ARDS is so slow.