[SCA-AE] OT: Update on Helen Lorene's condition.

[Scott Macek]

First let me apologize wholeheartedly for not telling some of you before this post goes out, but things have been too difficult to update everyone individually.  Please don't take it as a slight, but we've been stretched too thin the past few days.  Wednesday, Karen and I were informed that Helen was going to require a colonostomy (sp?) bag.  This was major surgery given her age and size.  Karen proved to the doctors that she was healthy enough to be released from Moses Taylor so she could be with Helen at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville before the surgery (at 7 am this morning).  The procedure went well, but during the round of testing she underwent earlier in the week the doctors discovered some bad news, not life-threatening, but things that will affect her quality of life.  It seems that her lower vertebrae and tail bone did not form.  This will mean two major things that we know of so far and that is that A) she may need the colonostomy bag permanently, as she may
 not have the nerves required to control when she poops or pees and B) there are strong indications that she'll be unable to walk.  The doctors are not ruling out the possibility that they are wrong, or that a treatment will become available in the near future, but they don't think either possibility is likely.  Obviously, keeping her alive is the first and foremost priority and she is doing rather well in that department, all things considered.  As more information becomes available, I will make sure you are all informed.  Thanks again for the prayers and thoughts!
   
  Scott Macek (:Lord Gregory Hillson)

       
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