Lamar Odom's Health update#

Although Lamar Odom has made a miraculous recovery,
he's still facing a serious health crisis, a source close to
the Kardashian family tells PEOPLE.
Two weeks after he was found unconscious in a Nevada
brothel with drugs in his system, the former NBA player is
being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los
Angeles, where he underwent emergency surgery said to be
connected to pneumonia Wednesday.
"It's two steps forward, then a step back, but it does feel
like some progress is being made, little by little. There's
still a black cloud, like, 'Okay, what's next?' " the source
says. "The pneumonia was a huge setback, and now there's
worry about permanent scarring of the lungs. His kidneys
are still not functioning correctly, but he's nowhere near
strong enough to even think of a transplant, so he's on
dialysis."
Odom, 35, was in a coma for four days at a Las Vegas
hospital before being transferred to L.A., and the trauma
has affected him physically and mentally.
The source says Odom has suffered multiple strokes and
is now "responsive, but very slow," the source says.
"He can carry out simple directions, but it takes some time
for him to do it," the source adds. "But that's way better
than he was last week, so the family is taking the good
news as they get it. He has wrecked his body, so it'll take
time to figure out how well he can come back. But
everyone knows that he'll never be the same as he was
before this happened. There will always be lasting effects,
and doctors are just trying to minimize them."
Odom's wife Khloé Kardashian has stuck by his beside,
leaving only to attend sister Kim Kardashian West's baby
shower Sunday.
The estranged stars recently called off their nearly finalized
divorce, and all of the Kardashians have rallied around
Odom in his time of need.
"Khloé is getting the updates and letting other people in the
family know. They're all keeping in touch," the source says.
"They're all keeping him in prayer. Really, Lamar is lucky to
be alive, and everyone knows that. We all feel like he is
being kept alive for some greater purpose. No one knows
how he'll continue to heal, or what his capabilities will be,
but he's alive, and that's what matters right now. That's
what counts."