Aimee Copeland reached another major milestone this week in her long recovery from a zip-line accident that left her with a rare infection: Her condition has been upgraded to serious from critical, the Augusta hospital where she is being treated said Tuesday.
Spokeswoman Barclay Bishop said in announcing the upgrade that a patient in serious condition is considered acutely ill but vital signs are no longer unfavorable as in the case of a patient who is critical. Copeland's medical "indicators" are now considered “questionable.”
The 24-year-old Snellville native, who has had limbs amputated in an effort to save her life, still has a long recovery ahead of her. Both serious and critical conditions still indicate vital signs remain unstable and not within normal limits, the spokeswoman said.
The University of West Georgia graduate student was infected with the flesh-decaying bacteria called necrotizing fasciitis after she fell May 1 from a homemade zip line that snapped over rocks in the Little Tallapoosa River near Carrollton.
To save her life, doctors amputated her left leg at the hip, her right foot and her hands.
In his last Facebook update on his daughter’s condition on June 5, Andy Copeland said her lungs are now healthy and she is no longer on a ventilator. She also has far fewer IVs and is off dialysis.
At one point Aimee had suffered from phantom pains in her hands and was lashing out at her caregivers before returning to her normal self, her father said in the Facebook posting. Nurses questioned whether it was due to a change in her medications.
More events are planned this week to benefit her recovery. The University of Georgia will hold a blood drive Wednesday at Memorial Hall from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Reed Hall from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m, According to redandblack.com. Donors will be able to sign a card for Copeland.
Two concerts are planned in Snellville Friday and Saturday to benefit Copeland and her family. The concerts are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday on the Snellville Towne Green. More information is available at www.snellvillepride.com and by writing aimeesweekend@gmail.com.
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