October 31, 2007 - 8:00 p.m.   Karin's first day in Rehab was a VERY busy day. They got her up at 8:20 a.m., got her dressed, then took her to Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Brandon was not present to observe so we don't have the details about the morning sessions. Karin was brought back to her room at noon for lunch. Because he had to make a run to pick up more Sarris chocolate andy for the fundraiser, Brandon arrived at 1 p.m. in time to accompany Karin to her afternoon P.T. & O.T. sessions. He said she was dressed comfortably in her "sweats" with her brace on over them. She went to Occupational Therapy first where they had her work out with dumbbells. Brandon was allowed to observe from afar. Then she worked out with a physical therapist who had her up and walking and then doing seated exercises for her thighs, calves, and buttocks, The afternoon sessions lasted until around 3 p.m. When Karin returned to her room she was exhausted and "went out like a light!" Brandon said it made him tired just watching Karin work out. The atmosphere in the Rehab Unit is really different, according to Brandon, The nurse-to-patient ratio is seven-to-one, but she has her own therapist for P.T. and for O.T. Today being Halloween, the therapists were decked out accordingly: Karin's was made up in blue and white face paint like a rabid Penn State fan. Another difference in Rehab was evident when Karin's dinner tray came. The menu has many more choices. And Karin was VERY hungry! She ate a hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes, passed on the carrots, ate the jello with peaches, and a half a slice of apple pie for dessert. Following dinner it was time for dialysis. In deference to Karin's tired condition, they wheeled her in her bed over to the renal clinic across the street in "Presby" for dialysis. In the future they will probably take her to dialysis in a wheel chair. As far as visitors, Brandon suggests people hold off until after 3 p.m. and also realize that Karin will have dialysis after P.T. & O.T. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

October 30, 2007 - 8:50 p.m.   Brandon reports: "We received word from Karin's nurse that she was approved to move to the Rehab Unit. I bagan packing at 11 a.m. because they wanted her at the Rehab Unit across the street at UPMC-Montefiore at noon. I had to get Karin cleaned up and in her back brace first. Karin made me wait until her nurse practitioner removed her stitches from her fistula site because she did not want to sit and wait in a wheel chair. She was not sure about leaving the floor since she has become so comfortable with everybody. She will get regular visits from her nurse practitioner from "Presby". Gram and Pap Freund showed up just as we were headed across the street to Rehab. They made the long walk with Karin and me. Gram and Pap helped put a loving touch to Karin's new room and put items away. On Wednesday Karin will start her physical & occupational therapy. Her new room is on the 11th floor of Montefiore and is room E1123. We thank everybody for their continued support."

October 29, 2007 - 10:00 p.m.   Brandon called to report that Karin did not get moved to rehab today - they are waiting to hear back from the insurance people approving the move. Meanwhile, Karin was fine all day today, but it was pretty much a day of waiting for the paperwork to catch up. She took a walk down the hall then sat up in her chair before she had dialysis. She took advantage of the dialysis time to take a nap. Late this evening Karin was upset to her stomach after taking her medications. A preview of what to expect when she goes to rehab is that she will be doing 1-1/2 hours of physical therapy and 1-1/2 hours of occupational therapy daily. They will try to get this therapy done prior to dialysis on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Visiting hours in rehab are pretty liberal with the exception that visitors will not be allowed during the daily therapy sessions. There are new pictures from this weekend in the photo gallery.

October 28, 2007 - 10:00 p.m.   Brandon writes: "Karin had another good day. I arrived late because I went to Kohl's for undergarments for Karin to wear at Rehab. Even though I had Karin's measurements, I still had to break down and ask for help. (Who says men don't ask for directions?) When I arrived at the hospital, Karin had eaten a little bit of mac & cheese. Her parents showed up shortly thereafter with her brother Scott and Crystal and their son, Hunter. Karin was happy to see everyone, especially Scott and Crystal because she had not seen them lately. Linda and Tim helped me get Karin into a wheelchair and we headed over to the Rehab Unit to show it to them. When we got back we all watched the Steelers beat the Bengals. At least we were not disappointed like last night's game between Penn State and The Ohio State. Linda brought a "prayer shawl" from Shrader United Methodist Church. After everyone left for the "road trip" back home, as Hunter would say, Karin took a peaceful nap. To her surprise when she awoke Minnie Mouse was there to "trick or treat" for some candy. Karin's Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Bob, along with Melissa, Brittany, and Mackenzie came to visit. They brought some cookies for Karin and also a hand-crafted guardian angel made by Marilyn's sister, Eileen. Karin enjoyed the gifts and the visit. Monday Karin is supposed to be moved to Rehab and she is a little nervous about it but she will miss everyone here on "9D". She will still be followed by her doctor and will get daily visits from her nurse practitioner. I think Karin should sleep good tonight after all of today's activity. Thank you to everybody for your prayers, cards, e-mails, words of encouragement, and financial support. Here on "9D" there are quilts on the walls in the hallway made with squares contributed by individuals who received heart or lung or heart-lung transplants, Today they changed out three quilts with additional new quilts." See new pictures of today's activities in the photo gallery.

October 27, 2007 - 9:00 p.m.   Today is Karin's eighth month living with a transplanted heart and lungs! Who would have thought she would be in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) the entire time? But praise the Lord, she is getting closer to being discharged. On Monday Karin is supposed to move to the Rehab Unit across the street. When Brandon arrived at the hospital this morning, the first thing Karin demanded was, "Get me out of this bed!" She was ready to get movin'. He helped her into one of her own nighties, into her brace, and into her chair. After lunch Brandon got a wheel chair and took her over to UPMC-Montefiore to get a look at the Rehab Unit. Brandon was delighted to learn that therapy will be seven days a week, not just Monday thru Friday. Following her visit to Rehab Karin needed a nap. Then she was up again and reading a book. She had a cup of chicken soup at dinner time, then spent some time reading the Post-A-Notes on her web site. She found the notes very encouraging and uplifting, what with everyone expressing excitement and support about her pending move to Rehab. Karin also made several phone calls today. She was so engrossed in reading her book again this evening that she was even "shushing" Brandon when he got too loud cheering for the Penn State Nittany Lions on TV (there was not very much to cheer about for Pennsylvania fans.)

October 26, 2007 - 9:00 p.m.   Karin's potassium and sodium were a little low after dialysis today. The upside of that is she got to re-establish the sodium levels by snacking on Fritos. Karin talked to her brother Scott on the phone for a while and she watched two movies. Brandon said they may take a trip in a wheel chair over to the Rehab Unit across the street to give her a glimpse of her new digs. Meanwhile they are going to be cheering for Penn State when the Nittany Lions face the Nation's #1 football powerhouse - THE Ohio State University. Saturday we celebrate eight full months since Karin received her new organs - she has been in the hospital that entire time!

October 25, 2007 - 9:30 p.m.   Karin was nauseated this morning but she managed to take a walk and sit up in a chair for a while, before her back gave her too much discomfort so she spent the rest of the day in bed. By dinner time she was able to enjoy some chicken dumpling soup, some peaches, and bananas. The Nurse Coordinator from the Rehab Unit visited Karin today. She reviewed a list of things Karin will have to bring with her to Rehab. Brandon has already acquired many of the items and still needs to get the remainder - things like PJ's, sweats, socks, undergarments, etc. Chaplain Carole came by for a pastoral care visit, as did Gram & Pap Freund, Karin's fistula is still looking and sounding very good. She felt a little restless today, unable to get really comfortable in bed. Understandably, they are both feeling some anxiety over the anticipated change to the Rehab regimen, but they both realize this change is necessary for Karin to be able to go home.

October 24, 2007 - 8:00 p.m.  Today turned out to be a day which brought some very special good news for Karin. Her dialysis session was normal. She tried to sit up in her chair without her brace but after a while began to experience some pain so she reverted to wearing the brace for comfort. Karin ate some peaches and pears for lunch, but dinner was something else - Karin cleaned off a plate of potato and cheese pierogies. Of course, Pittsburgh is the home of the very best pierogies outside of Warsaw or Krakow. Although there were no traditional visitors, Karin did have a special visit today, and it was from the Rehab Unit. Actually it was more of a consultation than a visit. The wonderful news Karin received is that they are planning to move her into Rehab next Monday!!! This is so very special because moving to Rehab is a major step to being discharged altogether and going home. The Rehab Unit is on the eleventh floor at UPMC-Montefiore across the street. We are all grateful for the answers to the many, many prayers for Karin over the past 239 days plus, and continue to pray that no setbacks will happen that postpone Karin's transition to Rehab next week.

October 23, 2007 - 8:30 p.m.  Brandon writes: "Yesterday Karin had her gastrointestinal tube put back into place. Everything went O. K. Uncle Jack and Aunt Kathy had stopped in while Karin was on dialysis. Karin did manage a walk before she had the G.I. tube procedure. Today Karin took another walk and sat in the chair this afternoon. She ate a little for lunch and dinner, which considered of beef stew, pasta with meatballs, and some pineapple. She looked at her web site and we played Yatzee, and she did some jigsaw puzzles on the computer. She talked to her mother over the phone and Karin phoned Christina Calkins-Mazur to wish her a happy birthday. Karin had no visitors today. Usually we see Gram & Pap Freund today but it was raining very hard today so they did not venture outside. Karin's kidney output numbers are slowly getting better and she is producing more fluid. We are always asking about her kidneys and about rehab. Her nurse practioner said it will not be long but they want to make sure all the "i's" are dotted and "t's" are crossed. Karin is looking forward to moving across the street to rehab because she knows the next step will be discharge. I think she is looking forward to other food than the hospital's. We would like to thank everybody for their prayers, cards, e-mails, and financial support.   :) Brandon "

October 21, 2007 - 9:20 p.m.  It was another pretty good day for Karin. As reported yesterday, she is presently confined to bed until they can reinsert the feeding tube correctly on Monday. But she was able to sit almost upright in bed for a while today. The new anti-nausea medicine is working really well. Karin made up for lost time when it came to eating today, starting with a cinnamon bun. When the dinner tray came she was not enthused about the contents, but she was hungry so Brandon went to the cafeteria and got her some chicken fingers and country vegetable soup which she truly enjoyed, along with peaches. For a snack she ate some good old favorite Cheeze-Its. Basically it was a quiet Sunday for Karin and Brandon that included watching the movie "Barnyard."

October 20, 2007 - 10:20 p.m.  Karin had another good day. The nausea seems to under control with a new medicine. Karin sampled a homemade chocolate chip cookie and some sticky buns made by Brandon's aunt. Karin also enjoyed some pears and some Cheeze-Its ("Get your own box!"). Her feeding tube has been turned way back down because they discovered it had pulled out about four inches with her realizing it. They will x-ray it and reset it on Monday. Karin seems to be tolerating it where it is right now, but she will not be able to put on her back brace, meaning she will have to stay in bed, until it is reinserted correctly on Monday, By the way, the other day they did an ultrasound on her new fistula and said it seems to be doing just fine and sounds exactly liked they expected it would.

October 19, 2007 - 9:25 p.m.  Karin's mother Linda writes: "What a difference 24 hours and lots of prayers make!!!! Karin was still sleeping this morning at 9 a.m. when I arrived the nurses had just give her more anti-nausea medicine, so I waited about 45 minutes to wake her up. I had brought her a “cinnamon melt” from McDonald's to try to tempt her with some calories!! I woke her, got her bathed and the nurses' aide helped me dress Karin in one of her own nightgowns. I fixed her hair and got her sitting up in bed. She did eat a little of the cinnamon melts, they stayed down and she enjoyed them! Aunt Pat & Uncle Dick from upstate New York stopped by to see Karin and as we were visiting Chaplain Carole also dropped in to see us and prayed with us. She left and Karin fell fast asleep so Aunt Pat, Uncle Dick and I went up to the cafeteria for some lunch. When we returned from lunch, Karin was sitting in the chair watching TV. She looked great!!! Physical Therapy had been in, got Karin out of bed and even took her for a walk. She walked the hall and back and the P.T. ladies said she did great. Karin was even talking to them and laughing a little at the antics of one of the therapists. Aunt Pat & Uncle Dick stayed and visited awhile longer and left around 3 p.m.. then Karin and I got on the computer and she began reading the Post-A-Notes on her web site. She went from there to looking at all of her nephew Gage's internet album, some eBay, and several other sites. We joked about early Christmas shopping for ourselves! We also looked at Yahoo music site and listened to a song by Rascal Flatts called “My Wish”. I told Karin that I had been waiting for a time to be able to listen to this song with her because every time it is on the radio, I think of her! It is now 8 p.m. and we are watching a movie. Dialysis is not to come in until after 9 p.m. today. It will be a late night for Karin. Finally, we received some really great news today: the biopsy showed two different infections which they are treating with antibiotics but also showed “NO REJECTION”……………..Hallelujah!!! and thanks to all for your prayers! "

October 18, 2007 - 5:25 p.m.  Today's report is being written "LIVE": sitting in Karin's room. First, Karin wants all of you to know, "I want to thank everyone for their prayers - please pray harder and longer! I am looking forward to when I can go home and am trying my best to do what I have to do." Right now she is doing her breathing exercises surrounded by a host of relatives: her mother & dad, Aunt Pat & Uncle Dick from New York, uncles Dan & David from north central PA, and Uncle Ralph & Aunt Rosemarie from Ohio. Aunt Rosemarie brought Karin a frilly lap desk to hold her heavy books while she is reading. She also brought Karin some special pampering in the form of a Satin Hands treatment which she lovingly administered to Karin while Linda and Pat joined in (check back in a day or two for photos). Karin was not in a mood to walk today, and her appetite was lite, too. Aunt Rosemarie brought her some homemade Macintosh applesauce to stimulate Karin's taste buds. She tried a spoonful and said it tasted good and she enjoyed it. Unfortunately, she has been a little nauseous lately, so she is taking it easy on her food intake. Pray specifically for the nausea to go away and for Karin to be able to begin eating again - her body needs the nourishment.

October 17, 2007 - 7:00 p.m.   Karin's mother Linda writes .... "I arrived early to be sure that I would be here by dialysis time for Karin today. Upon arriving, Karin had just received some nausea medication and was really just resting. We waited a little bit and then got her hair washed and bathed. We planned on an “almost pedicure” today…..pedicure minus the nail polish!!! The nurses and dialysis had other plans though. Right after lunch, Physical Therapy was in and managed to get Karin out of bed and down the hall. For her first walk out the door in awhile, she went about 30 feet total. Not Bad!! Her appetite isn't back yet, but the threat of having to have the tube feed turned back on has led her to a few more bites of food with lunch and dinner. Dialysis began about 3 p.m. and ended shortly after 6 p.m. They were able to remove 2 liters of fluid and she also received 2 units of blood at the same time. All went well today with dialysis. Her heart rate was a little high to begin with, but leveled off and came down quite a bit to a more tolerable level with the addition of the units of blood. The doctor was in and said that the cultures have been negative so far, but they still have a few days to grow. Blood cultures are tested for “many” bacteria and some take longer than others to grow. So although it is good news that nothing has grown yet we still have a few days of “bacteria growing" before she is out of the woods. As I write, she is resting after dialysis and has just eaten a little of a salad with grilled chicken. Karin's dad's Uncle George passed away and the funeral is tomorrow. Uncle George was 89 and was one of the nicest, sweetest men we have known. Our sympathies are with Aunt Ruth and the family as we continue to keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. Linda."

October 16, 2007 - 6:30 p.m.   Karin woke up feeling nauseous and it has continued all day. Although Karin was sick a little this morning, she managed to sit up in a chair for a couple of hours today. Physical Therapy came in to help her walk, but she still is having too much back pain. They just helped her back to bed and she was given some pain pills. She has been sleeping ever since and probably will continue sleeping most of the evening. She did get to eat some fruit and does have a dinner waiting for her when she wakes up. Gram & Pap Freund were here for a visit – Karin was still in the chair and awake for their visit. Oh yeah, Karin did try a little bit of Jenn's famous apple crisp. She didn't eat a lot, but she ate some and truly enjoyed it - licking her lips and indicating how delicious it was. Jenn, thank you!!! Even if it was just a little bit, you got her to eat something!!! And lastly we wanted to thank Karin's interior decorators – Aunt Kathy & Uncle Jack. The Mickey Mouse Halloween motif is the talk of the 9th floor. They also gave Karin a pair of “spooky” slippers that are the envy of the hospital staff.
      Sometime last spring Karin's parents were able to meet a young girl in her very early 20's named Lindsay from Iowa. Lindsay had been living here in Pittsburgh waiting on a double lung transplant. We called Lindsay this week and were surprised and delighted that Lindsay got her call and received her new lungs about 10 days ago! She is on the same floor as Karin at UPMC. She is doing well, looks very well, and hopes to be discharged very soon. She is making beaded bookmarks to keep herself busy and gave one to Karin. What a miracle!!!! Please Keep Lindsay in your prayers also.

October 15, 2007 - 8:50 p.m.   Karin's day began early.  The dialysis nurse arrived at 8 a.m. and had fnished by noon.  Karin said the session was cut short by about 8 minutes because her heart rate was climbing but soon settled down once the dialysis was stopped.  After she rested for awhile after dialysis, she managed with help to get dressed in a regular non-hospital gown for a change today.  Thankfully she is not running a temperature tonight.  The doctor did say that there is an infection, they just have not identified it yet.  In the meantime, again, she is on a course of three different antibiotics.  Despite all this, she was able to eat some fruit today.  At about the time she was ready to get out of bed for a while they needed to get more blood cultures.  She needed to be in bed and laying down for them to draw blood.  All that was happening when she was surpried by some company.  Aunt Joni, Uncle Bob, Cousins Bobby & Sherri, Chelsea, Kristin, Bobby & the newest little one "Isabella" all came to visit.  Isabella sure put a smile on Karin's face and she really enjoyed the rest of the company too.  After they left, Karin just "chilled out" and got comfortable for the evening.

October 14, 2007 - 10:30 p.m.   It was another good day for Karin. She ate about half of the hospital dinner they served. She is running a slight temperature but they have her on a medication for the new fistula in her arm that has Tylenol in it, so hopefully that will take care of the fever, too, Because of the discomfort in her arm they did not push her to get out of bed today - the priority is to protect the fistula and make sure it heals. She had her breathing treatment and did her breathing exercises at least three times today. Visitors who had not seen her in several weeks said she looks better, she is moving her arms better, and she is talking more, often initiating conversations, than the last time they were there to see her. Karin got a special treat from a friend, Jenn, who made her an apple crisp to enjoy.

October 13, 2007 - 9:20 p.m.  Except for a sore left arm where they made the fistula yesterday, Karin was actually feeling pretty good today, but it was a day of rest and relaxation. No walks and no visitors today. She enjoyed some rigatoni and fruit for dinner and snacks of teddy grahams and potato chips. No word on the results of Thursday's biopsy - it'll probably be Monday now before we get the report. Brandon said there definitely is no bacteria in her lungs, praise God!   Karin did receive her daily breathing treatment administered by respiratory therapy this evening as she was watching TV.

October 12, 2007 - 10:00 p.m.   Karin's surgery to put a fistula in her left arm went well.  She had it earlier than originally scheduled so she was back in the room before lunchtime.  Brandon says the incision is about 3-inches and is below her bicep and above the elbow crease.  Today was also a dialysis day so Karin didn't have a chance to walk, but by lunch she was feeling hungry understandably so since Karin has been off tube-feed since Wednesday night.  She experienced some queasiness on Thursday but still managed last night and tonight to take her meds by mouth.  Today however when lunch was delivered it turned to be a tuna fish sandwich which is lower than the belly of a snake on Karin's food list.  So she was given a voucher to get something from the cafeteria that appealed to her more.  Brandon got her a cheeseburger (sans bun) and fries which she enjoyed along with a banana washed down with some apple juice.  At dinner Karin chose pizza over meatloaf. She ate pretty well today even after surgery and dialysis. They are going to try leaving Karin off tube feed for the weekend to see how well she does.  So except for a sore left arm Karin was actually feeling pretty good today.  She even got in some reading and watched two movies.

October 11, 2007 - 9:45 p.m.   Karin was fast asleep when Brandon arrived at the hospital at 8 a.m. this morning. He was surprised to learn from the nurse practitioner that the fistula procedure had been scrubbed and is now rescheduled for tomorrow (Friday). Karin did have the bronchoscopy & biopsy procedure at 4:25 p.m. and was out by 5:05 p.m. She looked good and said she feels good, too. Brandon was told her lungs look fine and the stenosis in her right lung appeared less constricted, which is good news. The results of the biopsy to determine the extent of organ rejection will not be known for a day or two. Karin really missed being able to eat and drink since yesterday so she made up for it by eating 8 ounces of peaches and plenty of liquids this evening. The fistula surgery is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. tomorrow (Friday) followed by dialysis afterward. The fistula in her left arm is intended to provide a permanent site for future dialysis and it will take a month to six weeks for it to form and be useable. The procedure is scheduled to take 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Please keep Karin in your prayers. Thank you.

October 10, 2007 - 10:00 p.m.   Karin received a visit today from her "transplant twin" Karen Arrowood with her husband Donnie.   Karen A., who received her heat-lung transplant in January, returned to UPMC from Georgia for a routine follow-up with the pulmonologist today and will receive a bronchoscopy and biopsy tomorrow (Thursday). Coincidentally. Karin B. will also undergo a bronchoscopy and biopsy on Thursday. The two "Special K's" and their husbands visited from about 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. when Karin started dialysis. Brandon says Karen A. looked really well. She was able to console Karin B. by sharing that she is also experiencing similar medical issues, like pain in her mid back, too. It was great seeing and visiting with the Arrowoods again. Earlier this morning Karin took a walk. She is not as strong or stable on her feet since her last stay in the CTICU so she is not covering as much distance as she was previously, but she is walking again as best as she can and Karin's outlook and attitude are good right now. Even though she felt a little queasy in the stomach most of the day, this evening she ate a cinnamon graham cracker because she will be "NPO" (nothing by mouth) after midnight because of the bronchoscopy & biopsy tomorrow . . . AND she is also scheduled for the 2-1/2 hour fistula procedure in her left arm tomorrow. We don't know the exact times for the procedures but will report how they went later tomorrow. Please keep Karin and Karen in your prayers. Thank you.

October 9, 2007 - 10:05 p.m.   After two big steps forward yesterday, Karin's progress was a little in reverse today. Her upset stomach returned, and even though she spent the morning out of bed she had to get back into bed in the afternoon. With a little upset stomach Karin only ate a few pieces of tangerine. She was not able to take any walks today and she did not feel well enough to do any reading, either. Karin's Grandmother and Grandpap visited today and Brandon washed her hair this evening. They are both excited about a visit Wednesday from her "transplant twin" Karen Arrowood and her husband Donnie. The Arrowoods flew from Georgia to Pittsburgh today for a routine follow-up visit at UPMC. You can read about Karen's progress at her web site, www.karenarrowood.com, then click on the "Karen's Blog" link.

October 8, 2007 - 8:15 p.m.   Karin had a really good day, thank the Lord! Respiratory therapy was in today and even got Karin to smile for them. She spent most of the day sitting in her chair, except for when she took two walks! She got on the computer and read Post-A-Notes and even picked up her Harry Potter book and resumed reading that for a while. Karin's appetite was good, too: she ate a fresh peach for lunch then turkey & mashed potatoes for dinner. Her I.V. pick line was moved to her right arm, as planned, and dialysis showed up late and did not get started until around 7 p.m. Karin is scheduled to have a follow-up bronchoscopy and biopsy again this Thursday. We are waiting to hear just when they plan to create the fistula in her left arm - the medical staff is in the process of coordinating all their activities and schedules.

October 7, 2007 - 10:15 p.m.   Karin was still a little nauseous today, but not as bad as the past two days. In fact she sat up in her chair and ate some Salisbury steak and potatoes and later in the afternoon had a Gatorade off the snack cart. Her back still bothers her a little, but she and Brandon watched the Steelers trounce the Seahawks this afternoon on TV. Karin enjoyed the day and just took it easy . . . there were no visitors today. They are supposed to move Karin's I.V. pick line to her right arm before dialysis on Monday.

October 6, 2007 - 10:00 p.m.   Karin had another unpleasant day. Her stomach was upset all day. Brandon reported she looked tired and she even fell asleep during the 4th quarter of the Penn State game. The nurse gave Karin something to calm her stomach, but it did not seem to change how her digestive system felt. So today was mainly a day of rest and calm with Kartin spending all day in bed. There were no visitors today.

October 5, 2007 - 10:35 p.m.   Karin did not have a very good day, although it started out on pretty well. The student nurses showed up early to give Karin some pampering with a nice bath and shampoo. In spite of their fine efforts to make Karin clean and comfortable, she was feeling rather sick today. The dialysis was aggressive, having removed over two liters, and may have left her a little too dehydrated. Karin even threw up even though she did not eat anything all day. Karin woke up from a nap around 7 p.m. and managed to take a few sips of ginger ale. Given her condition today, they decided not to move the I.V. pick line to her right arm. That is now to be done next Tuesday and we are hoping this postponement does not affect her getting the bronchoscopy - biopsy or fistula next week, probably on Thursday.

October 4, 2007 - 9:35 p.m.   Karin did not get the arteriovenous fistula in in her arm today because the pulse in her right arm wes too weak. That was not news to Karin or to Brandon. Her right arm is where she has had issues previously since having the blood clot and artery repair. So even though they had done all the mapping of her right arm last week and had already given Karin a local anesthetic for the surgery and kept her in the PACU for 2.5 hours, the decision was made to move the intravenous pick line to her right arm tomorrow then create the fistula in her left arm next week. Physical Therapy was in before 10:30 a.m. to take Karin for a walk and she was sitting in her chair when Brandon arrived. There were no visitors today. Karin ate well but two hours later it came back up on her. They had watched the movie about "Fried Green Worms" earlier, but it had nothing to do with Karin losing her lunch.

October 3, 2007 - 9:15 p.m.   Karin had a good day today. When Brandon arrived this morning she had already taken a walk with P.T. and was sitting up in her chair. She is still on 2 liters of oxygen delivered through a nasal cannula, and sleeps with the aid of the bi-pap machine, which is being weaned down gradually. A great surprise was delivered when her nurse came into the room with a FedEx package the nurse had to sign for. It was sent by Karin's cousin Rebecca who lives in Ft, Collins, Colorado. The surprise package contained a pair of Mickey Mouse lounge pants. When Karin saw them, she said, "Cooooool!" The outfit really made Karin very happy. Thanks, Rebecca! Karin's diet today consisted of a peach, a pear, and a Rice Krispies square. It was a good dialysis day, as well. Tomorrow (Thursday) around 1 p.m. Karin is scheduled to undergo the procedure to give her a permanent dialysis port in her arm. It is called an arteriovenous fistula. Please pray for her because the procedure takes 2-to-2.5 hours. Then it will be a month to six weeks before they will be able to use this fistula for dialysis.

October 2, 2007 - 9:15 p.m.   Karin got the results of yesterday's x-ray of her back. The report said they could not see any evidence of compression fractures. So that means they don't know why she is experiencing pain in her upper back. Being such a game person, she put on her brace today and took a good walk. It must have given her an appetite because she ate some pasta with meatballs and fruit. Karin talked on the telephone with Brandon's mother for a while but then had a fit of coughing, and she sat up in her chair from late morning until around 8 p.m. Karin had a visit from Gram and Pap Freund and from Chaplain Carol. Brandon said over 300 cases of Sarris chocolate candy have been sold now and it has been a good fundraiser, however as might be expected with the heat of the summer, sales have dropped off recently. If you would like to buy a case or two to sell (that is if you can avoid eating it all yourself) please contact Tim at skid@acsworld.com and let him know the variety and quantity you would like to order.

October 1, 2007 - 10:00 p.m.   Karin had a quiet, restful day. She spent the entire day in bed again because of the pain in her upper back. The brace they made previously for the fractured vertebra in her lower back does not give Karin any relief for this upper back pain. They took her to radiology around 6 p.m. to X-ray her back again. We'll probably know something tomorrow. Dialysis went well today, however the site around Karin's tunnel catheter was bleeding so they had to work on that following the dialysis. The nurse practitioner says resolving and treating the pain in Karin's back is the #1 priority right now because it is keeping her from walking. The plan is to get her walking again, then aim for moving Karin to the rehab unit across the street at UPMC-Montefiore, then discharging her for home. Meanwhile, she will likely have another bronchoscopy and biopsy next week to check for rejection.