Update on Clark Atkinson

November 5, 2013

Earlier today the surgeon wasn’t sure whether (due to swelling and other factors) the surgery would happen today.  But it did.  Here’s the content of Mary’s text to me this afternoon:

"Surgeon did go for it today….came in consult room with me just now…rather pessimistic about where this is going.  His hope going into this was that it would be overnight observation (after the surgery today)… but he is very concerned about a wound he needed to re-enter (where tibia broke through originally) .  It is the wound (not as much the bones getting together) that he is very concerned about right now.  He warns me that he (the surgeon) is a worse case scenario guy but that Clark could lose his leg if things go bad.  He is keeping him here until at least Friday with IV antibiotics.  Am suddenly very sad and scared.”

Clearly, the bone situation is the least of Clark’s worries.  The trauma to the leg due to the wound created from the bone ripping through is profound and the damage to the skin and surrounding area is great.  When I spoke with Mary after her text she asked us all to please pray for no infection to develop that would compromise more than is already affected.

November 9, 2013

In light of the context that after the surgery Tuesday, the surgeon was not at all optimistic with me about the look of things.  I discovered that putting the bones together was the least of his worries…most concerned about the wound and surrounding tissue…just not healing well/greatly damaged.  He even indicated to me that it could go bad enough that Clark could have the potential of losing his leg (He did not tell Clark that, so nor did I).  This is where all your prayers have come in this week and what happened yesterday….

November 8, 2013

"Letting us go home today!!!  YEAH...I started crying and thanking God after Khan-farooqi left the room, because when he opened up dressing, he said, "The part I was so worried about looks perfect!" (Clark had told me he thought something was happening to his leg Wed night, and when he woke up Thurs he actually said his "leg just felt so good.")  It was apparently a top area between the two different stitching areas on each side that doc was so worried about because stitching was close together.  Docs area of concern is still where the tibia poked out...that is really bruised and tender, BUT has blood supply to the skin that he thought was dead.  This stuff is nothing short of a miracle to me, even though Kahn-farooqi constantly tempers us...said it comes from his Sufi mother who says "you do not celebrate victories, because then something bad happens."  He calls that superstitious and
not good, but it is a part of him.  Clark told him...kind of like "Pride goeth before a fall" idea.  Then Kf told us how his mom was so proud her son got into Stanford and telling everyone, and then he became horribly ill freshman year... in hospital nine days, and his Sufi mom to this day thinks his illness was her fault because she celebrated him too much.  On Tuesday he said, "Mary, nothing I can do, nothing Clark can do."  And that is precisely when I decided, so now there is room for God to do!  My prayers since Tues have been like the man who came to Jesus saying you can heal my boy if you want to...I kept crying to God in my car, " You can heal him if you want to."  Keep up that prayer.”

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