A few weeks ago, we reported that Team VTech member Karen “Stups” Stupples was admitted to the hospital during the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International with an emergency appendectomy, which caused her to withdraw from competition.
We recently checked in to see how her recovery was going.
VTech: Hi Karen, how are you feeling?
Stups: Went to the doctor’s yesterday and everything went great! I’ve been given the all clear to practice. My plan is to start slowly with putting and chipping, progressing to pitching by the end of this week. I then plan to build up to drivers by the middle of next week. This is the plan but it is subject to change depending on how I feel with the work.
VTech: Can you tell us what happened back in March during the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International? When did you realize that something was wrong and you weren’t feeling well?
Stups: I started to feel ill on the Friday of J Golf in Phoenix. It started out as a feeling of being sick in the pit of my stomach. It was a dull ache at first and after a while, it didn’t feel any better. Then overnight the condition got worse. It became so severe that on Saturday morning, I could hardly hold a conversation with anyone. Anyone who knows me realized something was wrong when I couldn’t chat.
The pain had moved lower, past my stomach and I experienced some sharp pain. My husband Bobby suggested that I go to the hospital. He wasn’t sure that the pain I was experiencing should have been as bad as it was or lasted as long as it did.
VTech: What happened when you arrived at the hospital?
Stups: I had a cat scan and a few other tests but nothing showed up. I left the hospital hoping it was just some bad salsa. But the pain continued to worsen and eventually I developed a fever and had uncontrollable shaking. I immediately returned to the ER and this time there was no doubt that it was my appendix.
VTech: What did you think when they told you it was your appendix?
Stups: I don’t think I ever really believed it was my appendix until the first hospital suggested it might be, but the tests were inconclusive. In the middle of the Saturday night, when I was pacing around the house in pain, I decided to investigate and look it up on the Internet. I had all the signs and symptoms.
VTech: How did you feel about having the surgery? Were you nervous?
Stups: This was my first surgery and to be honest, it went really well. All I have to show for it are three little puncture wounds. How they got my appendix out through the little holes I will never know. The wonders of modern medicine!
VTech: How did you feel afterwards?
Stups: I felt better right away and I didn’t even need to take any pain med’s afterwards. I felt very lucky to have had the surgery before it burst.
VTech: How’s the recovery process been like?
Stups: My recovery’s been really fast. I don’t have any more bruises and my wounds are looking great.
VTech: How did you feel about missing your first tournament after the surgery?
Stups: It was tough to watch the Kraft Nabisco Championship. I felt I should have been playing. I love that course; it’s in such good condition. But, perhaps I needed the time to get myself together and spend a bit more time on my short game. I hope this downtime will yield good results in the future.
Team VTech is counting down the days till Karen Stupples returns to the green. She’ll be back in the swing of things on May 7th at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill in Williamsburg, VA.