Karen Carlson

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.  Karen passed out at home on August 4th and was taken to the hospital in Mora and then transferred to United Hospital in St. Paul.  She was diagnosed with another aneurysm that was dissecting her abdomen up past her diaphragm. After several consultations, Mayo Clinic felt there was a short window of opportunity for surgery.  Life Link Helicopter took her to St. Mary's Hospital (Mayo Clinic) in Rochester, MN.  When the helicopter landed she had started to open so she was bleeding out.  They took her immediately to surgery and saved her life.  She would not be with us had she not been taken to Mayo Clinic.  They were the only ones that could do this surgery . She has had many ups and downs.  We are taking it day by day.  She has been stable in ICU delirium.  She has been struggling to put the pieces together.  She feels there is a conspiracy against her.  We constantly try to reassure her and while it has improved, she still has moments of "why, what, & who is responsible"?  On August 23rd, Karen was taken back into surgery as her hemoglobin had dropped to 4.1 and she had a retroperitoneal bleed.  They removed a blood clot the size of a football.  She had been doing good the day before when they stopped the heparin and gave her fresh frozen plasma to help the blood clot.  They were turning here when they discovered the hematoma.  Rapid response was called and they did a CT and found an active bleed and took her immediately to surgery (at 4:00 AM).  Once again she was intubated  but good vital signs.  We appreciate all your prayers and words of encouragement.   We also know she is one of God's miracles as several times along the way we weren't given much hope. We also know why Mayo Clinic was voted #1 Medical Facility...they gave us hope.   We know it's going to be a long recovery.  Glenn has been back and forth between Cherie, Cari, Mora, and Rochester.  He needs some encouragement too...if you have his cell number, give him a call.