Image: 14th of February 2026 - Karen having her blood transfusion

Hello Everyone

Karen has now been in Conquest hospital in East Sussex for 2 years and 1 month.

Thank you so much to everyone who has been showing concern about Karen’s health and sending best wishes during this recent difficult time. Thank you for the supportive comments, the cards that you have sent and for the gift that a supporter sent Karen. We much appreciate it and we have been touched by your response to the news about Karen’s health and the kindness you have shown to us all. 
 
Karen’s infection has improved. The antibiotics have been stopped. Karen is not having the very high temperature spikes that she was having but her temperature is still higher than usual and she is still having low grade temperature spikes. Karen is still a lot more unwell than usual. She is much more fatigued than usual and gets breathless at times and she has more pain etc.

Central Lines (Central Venous Catheters) can only stay in for a short period of time so Karen will need to have her Central Line replaced soon. It is planned that Karen will have a Hickman Line put in on Monday the16th of February and the Central Line removed, both while she is under GA.

It is known that Karen had a urinary infection, but it is unclear whether there has also been another source/s of infection. The result from the path lab from the tip of the PICC line that was sent for testing to check if it was the source of infection was that it showed no infection on it.

Karen’s TPN (IV feeding) was temporarily stopped on Tuesday the 3rd of February because of the infection/s. The doctors plan to wait to re-start it until sometime after the Hickman line has been put in, in case it increases the risk of infection. Meanwhile Karen is being given more IV fluid including some IV dextrose. 

Karen has chronic anaemia. Her haemoglobin (Hb) is always low and gradually drops lower overtime. Sometimes when Karen is more unwell, such as with an infection, it drops more. Recently it went down to 73 (the normal range is 125 – 165). We have been told that if someone’s Hb drops below 70 they should be given a blood transfusion and the transfusion is sometimes given when the Hb is nearly as low as 70. On Saturday the 14th Karen had a blood transfusion. It is the second time she has had one.

Thank you so much to everyone who has signed and shared the petition. Also, thank you very much to everyone who has c#hipped in to promote the petition. It is very generous of you and it makes a big difference. It is all much appreciated by us.

Please keep sharing this petition and telling people about Karen’s situation. 

Thank you to everyone for your support. 

Best wishes to you all.
Heather, Michael & Karen