Ana Update: February 5

First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who has posted a comment, sent an encouraging email or made a donation to help Ana with her medical expenses. The response to this site has been wonderful and I know that Ana is touched and amazed by your kind words and generosity. This weekend I'll be visiting with Ana and will deliver print-outs of all the comments and emails, along with a check for the donations made so far. Remember, every $5 you donate earns you 1 entry into the monthly raffle prize drawing. The first drawing will take place on March 1 and the prize will be a hand made quilt that I hope to have finished by the end of the weekend. (You can see a picture of the work in progress here.) There is no limit on the number of entries per month (i.e., $50 buys you 10 tickets) and no donation amount is insignificant.

For those of you may be visiting this site for the first time, you can use the links on the right side of the page to navigate around the site and learn more about Angels for Ana.

Now, on to the Ana Update...

Ana was released from the hospital on Monday night (Feb 2nd). I think it was on Sunday that they took her off the IV antibiotics and pain medication, switching to pills every few hours instead. It's very good news that the staph infection was doing "better enough" to get her off the IV, but she had a few rough days (nausea, chills, headaches) from going "cold turkey" off the IV pain meds. Though she was happy to be going home (after 7 nights in the hospital when she only expected to be going there for a "second opinion" appointment) but at the same time, probably a bit nervous to be away from the doctors and nurses and treatment that she'd been receiving.

Now that her temporary insurance has expired, everything from here on out (including the 7 nights she just spent in the hospital) will get billed fully to her. She has prescriptions for cleaning supplies (she has to clean her wounds twice/day at home) and medication (antibiotics and pain medication). She needs to continue physical therapy (at the original treatment facility) and go back to the burn unit (where she just spent the 7 nights) for weekly checkups. I know she's worried about the cost but we're trying to get her to focus on the fact that she's making progress in the right direction and that's the most important thing. Also, the physical therapist from the new facility told her no more walker or wheelchair at home or for short distances... she needs to move on her own 2 feet. For the first time in almost 10 months, she's walking up and down stairs (instead of going up and down on her tush) and that alone is a huge morale boost. Amen for baby steps!

Of course, by Tuesday night she was down for the count with a bad case of the flu... body aches, chills, head congestion, sinus pressure, the works. Not what she needs on top of everything else. If anyone has an extra break, could you throw it Ana's way? She's really trying to catch one!

Again, thank you to everyone who has commented, emailed or donated. There's still plenty of time left to enter the first raffle prize drawing!

With thanks and appreciation,
Kat