Our friend is making GREAT progress and is now out of ICU!

In the words of a recent visitor:
“She looks great and seems to have an amazing outlook on everything. They are expecting a full recovery at this point but has a long road of rehab. She asked about all of you and was so happy to hear stories. She has a great sense of humor and was laughing! She feels so blessed right now with all the love and support! She has her phone now and is excited to be back and hooked up to everything going on!”

Friends – GOOD NEWS – Karen is up for visitors!

A few guidelines per her brother Steve:

1. Please call or text Denise 720.427.4500 who is keeping a master visitors schedule as to when and what time you are considering a visit. We are trying to space out visitors so she has daily coverage!
2. We are attempting to limit the timeframe between 3 – 6pm daily, however, if you cannot go at that time, then pick a time that works for you. Karen has lots of morning visits from hospital personnel, fyi.
3. Please take your cues from Karen as to the length of the visit, however, we are asking you to err on the side of caution with the suggestion of 5 minutes or less. We know Karen is VERY social, so we may have to help her “rest”.
4. Sorry for all the guidelines…..this is a work in progress as we see how Karen handles visitors along with her REST and RECOVERY.

Latest update:
Karen is recooperating and is learning how to breathe on her own after the ventilator was recently taken out. She is also working on speech therapy (another after effect of the ventilator). She is a little cloudy at times.

THANKS for all the love and support for our friend!

Friends, Karen’s ventilation tube has been removed and she is learning to breathe on her own again. Her vitals look great and she is resting.

LET’S FLOOD HER WITH cards, flowers and well wishes as the reality of her situation sinks in! She will need our support more than ever.

VISITORS – we are still holding off for a bit. Stay tuned to this site!

Friends, Karen’s surgery yesterday went well and she is now resting and recuperating. The ventilator will likely be removed in the next 24 to 48 hours and they will gradually bring her out of sedation.

As the reality of Karen’s changed life becomes apparent to her, it will be important for her to have lots of support in the next 3 to 5 days with your cards, well wishes, flowers, plants or whatever else comes to mind. LET’S FLOOD HER WITH OUR SUPPORT AND LOVE!

PLEASE NO visitors at this time although we are hoping to post a visitor’s schedule for late next week – this is completely dependent on what Karen and her doctors are comfortable with.

Good day Karen lovers, here’s a quick update from Steve and Sonja. Karen is in a lengthy surgery today that will hopefully finalize this phase of repair work on her pelvic fractures. He said it would be a 5 to 8 hour surgery. If everything goes well they’re hoping that they can get the ventilator out in the next couple of days. It sounds like we may be coming to the end of this first phase of surgeries and over the next week we will be able to get an idea of how she is doing with all of it.

Karen is resting today as her body prepares for another surgery tomorrow. The final pelvic surgery is projected to complete her stabilization. She is still sedated and they are saying no in room visitors for a while. Keep the prayers and love coming as the doctors prepare to operate again tomorrow.

Copied from GroupMe archives by Sonja and Steve   6/5 – 6/9

Tuesday, June 9th

Karen is having her most important surgery yet. It sounds like it’s going to be all day. Please keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming. Let’s all believe and agree that the surgery goes better than doctors expect and that she has expedited recovery time!

AFTERNOON UPDATE: Karen is out of surgery and it sounds like it went well. The pelvic specialist operated today. It sounds like he will be finishing up the area in a couple of days. Baby steps forward! But the direction continues to be forward! No visitors at this point. Karen is heavily sedated, intubated, and on heavy pain meds.

Monday, June 8th

Karen’s surgeries went well today. The doctor’s worked on her compound fracture femur, ankle and heel. She came through it well and everything is going in the direction doctors want her to be headed to recovery. Steve says “THANKS” for all the prayers and thoughts. he believes that it’s helping her tremendously just to feel the love and support pouring in.

Sunday, June 7th

They’re doing a lot of procedures fairly quickly on Karen and she’s wiped out. She will probably be intubated until all of the major surgeries are complete. No visitors  until we see how she does on the surgeries. She is not coherent at all due to heavy sedation and pain management.

Saturday, June 6th

Karen made it through the night surrounded in spirit by friends prayers and angels. Our beloved Karen is going to stay with us. She is stable and looking good considering. Trying to keep her quiet and sedated to heal. Limited visits. She will likely be in the hospital for a couple of months and then go to a rehab facility for 4 to 6 months.

Friday, June 5th

Karen’s motorcycle accident occurred at about 2:30pm in Chaffee County, Colorado. She was quickly air lifted to Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs where she underwent emergency surgery and stabilization. She endured severe pelvic, leg and ankle trauma. No spine or head injuries (thank God). She was joking with the helicopter pilot and EMT team upon their arrival and talking with the doctor when admitted to the ICU. Karen’s brother Steve rode his motorcycle back to the area and has been by her side ever since. See THE CHAFFEE COUNTY TIMES article for more information on the accident.

Friday, June 5th, 2015

Motorcycle driver sustains serious injuries in Trout Creek Pass accident Friday

Published on Monday, June 8, 2015 10:37 am, By Marcus Hill, The Mountain Mail

Karen E. Johnson, 54, of Castle Rock sustained serious injuries in a two-vehicle wreck Friday afternoon near Trout Creek Pass. The Colorado State Patrol reported the wreck occurred around 2:03 p.m. Friday and involved a motorcycle and a van. Johnson was driving her motorcycle westbound on U.S. 24 when she entered the eastbound lane in a curve to the right, according to the State Patrol report. The State Patrol reported William R. Countess, 39, of Bremerton, Wash., was driving his van eastbound when the motorcycle struck his vehicle in the right front.

Johnson was ejected from her motorcycle and came to rest on the eastbound shoulder of the road. Johnson’s motorcycle slid off the left side of the road and down an embankment, according to the report. Countess’ vehicle ran off the right side of the road onto the eastbound shoulder. Johnson was airlifted from the scene to Memorial Central Hospital in Colorado Springs.

The wreck caused both lanes to be closed for just over 3 hours Friday, CSP Cpl. Kris Galyean said. Colorado State Patrol, Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Buena Vista Police Department, Chaffee County Emergency Medical Services and Chaffee County Fire Protection District all assisted on scene.