5/3 Turtle was discovered by team monitoring dredging operations and was brought in by the crew of "Speedy".  Turtle was NOT injured in the dredge operation.  Turtle has symptoms of typical lethargic loggerhead syndrome including anemia, severe weight loss, lethargy, covered in many barnacles, etc.  Turtle was started on treatment immediately.  5/7 Turtle has begun to eat and is swimming, which are always good signs. 5/12 Turtle is continuing to eat and swim.  Is receiving antibiotics and iron injections. 5/21 Turtle now seems to be doing very well.  Continuing treatments. 5/29 Turtle is gaining weight and blood values are improving. 6/12 Turtle is doing very well.  Anemia is improving. 6/21 Anemia continues to improve and still gaining weight. 7/7 Turtle has swollen area on back of neck.  Does not appear to be an infection.  Biopsy and radiographs were taken this week.  Turtle is doing well otherwise. 7/18 Biopsy indicates granulomas in swollen area.  Still investigating cause.  Doing well otherwise. 7/24 Continuing to do well. 8/9 Still treating granuloma area, but doing very well. 8/29 Neck lesion is healing and turtle is doing very well. 9/6 Continuing to do very well. 9/22 More of the same.  Just waiting for neck lesion to finish healing. 10/1 Continuing to do well. 10/7 Still doing well. 10/18 Continuing to do very well. 10/28 Still doing very well, but lesion on neck is not healing well enough.  Will do surgery next week to help with healing process. 11/1 Turtle had surgery yesterday to remove all of the abnormal tissue from the neck.  Will be closely observed for the next few weeks. 11/15 Surgery site is much improved, but may require one more surgery to get it completely healed.  Doing very well, otherwise. 11/28 Very little change to surgery site.  Considering vacuum-assisted closure (VAC). 12/8 Planning to begin VAC next week. 12/14 VAC treatment was initiated yesterday afternoon (see photo below).  Our thanks to KCI for providing supplies and to Beth Carr for technical advice.  As far as we know, this is only the second time this has been tried in sea turtles. 1/3/07 Having difficulties with VAC due to location of wound on the neck, but still trying.  Wound appears somewhat better. 1/18 Have made some modification for VAC therapy and seems to be working much better.  Appetite is still very good. 1/24 Continuing VAC therapy. 1/31 VAC therapy has been discontinued. 2/28 Turtle's wound is healing and turtle may be releasable in another month or so. 3/15 Still doing well. 3/21 Turtle has been approved for release next week. 3/29 Turtle was released this morning from Lido Beach.  Release went very well. 

Photo of VAC unit in use for wound on back of neck.