January 2004
4	5	6	7 - 4:00 p.m. CT, Stephanie & Chris left Kingsville bound for Colorado Springs, Colorado. Background Information.	8/Day 1 - 9:55 a.m. MT, car collides with semi truck in rural SE Colorado, Stephanie is life flighted to Swedish Medical Center in Denver and placed in ICU.	9/2 - 5:50 a.m. CT, Bill & Heather take 1st flight out to Denver and get to Swedish at 10:30 a.m. MT. Greeted soon after by Sam Cotter, what a blessing.	10/3 - Surgery postponed until Monday due to instability of brain injury. Remains on a ventilator & heavily sedated. Visit from Mary Hawthorne today.
Jan 11/4 - Stable but surgery again postponed until Friday. Inserted filter in vena cava to catch clots from pelvis fractures. Digestive system back on track.	12/5 - Traveled to Lamar to meet with State Trooper and retrieve things from the car - God was definitely watching over them! She is responding to stimuli.	13/6 - Battling sinus infection & pneumonia. Moved to a roto-roller bed to cut down on blood pooling. Still in ICU. Midline tilt of brain due to injury.	14/7 - Lifted some sedation, but is anxious. Removed arterial line due to possible infection. Met with spine surgeon to review game plan. Eph 1:15-16	15/8 - Ventilator assistance at almost zero, fever comes and goes. Both surgeries will take place, back to back, at 3 p.m. Friday. Beginning to struggle against restraints. James 1:7a	16/9 - Surgery. Bill, Heather, Sheila & Karen gathered around her bed to pray this morning. Went to OR at 2:00. Dr. Thomas started at 3 on hip, pelvis & feet. Dr. Frey started on spine & cord at 9pm. Joshua 1:9	17/10 - Out of surgery at 3:30 a.m. All went very well. She slept most of the day; still in ICU but off ventilator and feeding tube. Off sedatives. Still not very coherent but recognizes faces. No memories after New Years'. Ephesians 6:10
Jan 18/11 - Not sleeping well at night but was when we came in. Went to church and lunch @ Englewood F.D. Back brace arrived and got her sitting at 70° slant for 30 minutes, though very painful. Lots of sponge baths to relax. Wants to go home & doesn't understand her restraints. Suspect cranial damage - right eye not return-ing to midline & sees double.	19/12 - Most IV meds have been removed and replaced with orals. PICC line was added. Spinal drain removed and incision looks good - 9-12 months for proper fusion. Still showing TBI symptoms and will require supervision for 6-24 months after discharge. Greatly enjoys your emails. James 1:2	20/13 - Sleep-less nights continue as do evening fevers. Hip incision looks good. She is beginning to retain data and relearn basic sequencing but still has lost days. Moved from ICU to MTU. Will begin work with therapists and family will be trained as well. Heather flew home for a few days. Ephesians 1:16	21/14 - Long-term treatment plan discussed and transfer to rehab facility in Texas. Brain injury rated at Glasgow Coma Scale score of 6.	22/15 - Heather met with insurance case manager and began approval process for transfer to Texas Neuro Rehab in Austin. Still not sleeping well and very uncomfortable. Therapy will begin soon. Off blood thinners so they can remove the vena cava filter tomorrow.	23/16 - Neuro-psych tests reveal improved yet still moderate brain damage. Still Requires 3-4 people to get in/out of bed, assistance with log-rolling, cannot sit up beyond 70°, and is not weight-bearing on either leg - but this is still miraculous in such a short time. Filter has been removed. Approved for TNRC, working on a plane & nurse.	24/17 - Adding a sedative back into her meds to help with sleep and Bill will stay with her tonight. Good physical therapy today and 45 minutes in the chair (though very painful)!
Jan 25/18 - New snow this morning. 1 hr in the chair with a new seat cushion and a quick venture outdoors.	26/19 - Heather back in Denver. Approved to go to TNRC this week and a pilot has volunteered plane & time! Hip staples out today. Able to put brace on & sit up on her own. Spirits are down and we hope returning to Texas will help.	27/20 - Bill flew home. Began walking with walker but still cannot put weight on right hip or sit beyond 70° for spine & hip flexion.	28/21 - Dressed upper body on her own today. Brain still has a way to go; still "rebooting". Eating better but headaches persist. First good night's sleep last night. Heather met with flight nurse and took her to Swedish for briefing.	29/22 - Steph was to Cent. airport, carried by EFD & EMS to plane, traveled with nurse & Heather to Austin, carried off plane by AFD & EMS and transported to TNRC and met there by Bill. Heather flew with pilot & nurse to the Valley.	30/23 - First full day at TNRC. Met with multiple therapists, nurses and doctors. Will push her as much as possible to promote healing. Heather drove up from Harlingen and arrived by dinner time.	31/24 - Heather & Bill spend all day with Steph on weekends and will continue to do so until her therapy schedule kicks in full time during the week. Weekend visits from Granny & Billy and Aunt Shari & Jon-Paul.
February 2004
Feb 1/Day 25 - Bill & Heather visited Branockburn Baptist Church this morning and spent the rest of the day with Steph.	2/26 - Changed meds and she is more alert. Lower-most screws in sacrum are causing lots of discomfort. Swelling on spine is down. Hip, spine & feet restrictions intact for minimum 4-6 weeks.	3/27 - Medical team met to review case and formulate plan; good progress in 5 days. First full day of therapy and first shower since 1/8. Some restrictions lifted: can now sit at 90° when brace is on (30° if off)! Appears her left hand is broken (was too swollen to tell at SMC) and needs feet reevaluated.	4/28 - Expect to be at TNRC until April 1. Occupational therapy continues to stress self-care; Speech therapy is refining cognitive and memory skills; physical is building strength. More & more independent wheel-chairing is being stressed. Off bed pan and onto bedside commode.	5/29 - Set back: both legs back to nonweight bearing - i.e. no more walker or walking - for 8 more weeks. Bones in left foot & ankle are too weak. Focus of therapy will change. We are disappointed but understand and agree. Everything has a purpose. The travel trailer has arrived in Maxwell for housing. Meg came for the weekend, too, lifting Steph's spirits a lot.	6/30	7/31 - Building tolerance to pain meds and sleeplessness continues (except during the day). Lots of outside food this weekend and visits from Alan & Aaron Wiley, Kathy & Chris Kirtland and Princess.
Feb 8/32 - Bill & Heather visited Hyde Park Baptist Church with Klint & Nancy Cummings. Heather & Steph tended to personal needs nurses don't address (shaving, toenail painting, hair braiding, etc.) Meg & Steph made bracelets and all enjoyed the sunshine.	9/33 - Full days of therapy continue: 9am-4pm. Showers 3x/wk. Lights out at 9pm. Extra time is filled with room organization from her wheel chair, arts & crafts projects, reading, games & puzzles.	10/34 - Restrictions clarified to include no standing, which she has been trying to get away with since it isn't "walking". All transfers will require a board and 2-3 people. Ecc 3:1-8	11/35	12/36 - Back brace adjusted for more comfort and better fit. New wheelchair with air cushion also ordered. Lured out of her room for the unit's Valentine's dance by a therapist. Had fun and capped off evening with a visit from Randy Reister.	13/37 - Day pass approved for church on Sunday. Speech therapist is trying to push her cognitively as hard as possible. Got ready for her shower on her own (undressed, collected supplies, etc.), all without touching the floor. Rob, Megan & Heather traveled to Austin for the weekend.	14/38 - Eating & sleeping are still major concerns. Nausea set in a few days ago and hard to keep anything down. Not sure if bug or meds. XRays show full lower bowels, which can be the cause and are a result of spinal cord damage. Should improve over time.
Feb 15/39 - Visited Hyde Park Baptist Church with Klint & Nancy Cummings. Nausea made it rough, but Steph enjoyed getting out!	16/40 - Able to dress and take off back and leg braces on her own (needs help to put leg braces on). Able to transfer in/out of bed & wheelchair on her own.	17/41 - Getting stronger with wheelchairing. Lower body flexibility is still a concern. Complex tasks added to cognitive therapy but needs hints for 90% accuracy. Habakkuk 2:3	18/42 - Went for neuro-psych tests. No results yet. TNRC may have done all it can until she can stand & start walking; which waits for time & healing. May go home to heal & wait for ok for new therapy. Work to be done at house first.	19/43 - Coordination of home-town medical team has begun. Durable medical equipment is on order. Wheelchair ramp measurements have been taken. Deut. 31:6	20/44 - Neuro-psych results look good. May have long lasting problems with short term memory and higher-order problem solving.	21/45 - In good spirits and looking forward to coming home! Weekend visits from the Wheelesses, Cummings, Johnstons, and Aunt Shari.
Feb 22/46 - Visited Bannockburn Baptist Church with Klint & Nancy Cummings. No nausea today.	23/47 - Met with therapists to review PT and OT regime for home. Heather is returning home to collect Robert & Megan and prepare the house.	24/48 - Medical equipment has arrived and wheelchair ramp is in at the house and Stephanie & Bill traveled home!	25/49 - It is good to be home! James 4:8,10	26/50 - Heather and Stephanie have begun physical therapy at home to build strength and prepare for walking. Sleeping & eating well.	27/51 - Home visit from primary care physician.	28/52
Feb 29/53 - First Sunday in our home church since 1/4.
March 2004
	Mar 1/Day 54 Nightmares have begun, which is normal and will pass. Experiencing "why" and "what if" questions and some depression. We spend much time talking through facts, faith & feelings. Psalm 78:1-8, Ephesians 3:20-21	2/55 Bill back at HFD full time. Home Health PT visit today to determine base line and suggest exercises for home PT. First visit with rehab doctor today - very positive about her progress. Thinks digestive problems may continue 4-5 months due to spinal cord damage.	3/56	4/57 Nightmares have ceased. Visit to Ortho for feet reveals more breaks than thought but appear to be healing. Nonweight bearing on left foot will remain in place.	5/58 Ortho appt. for broken hand. Healing well but will have discomfort until complete. No brace or surgery. Visit from Home Health OT today to help with daily routines and hand strength.	6/59
Mar 7/60 Open House for Welcome Home & Happy 20th Birthday today at Jack & Karen Abbott's.	8/61 Two months! At home physical therapy continues. Spending mornings on porch reading. Eating & sleeping well. Psalm 126:3	9/62 Managing pain well and able to get out and ride while Heather runs errands.	10/63	11/64 Trauma surgeon visit today. Click here for detail of healing so far. Cleared for weight bearing, as tolerated, on both legs! Have RX for walker. Isaiah 40:31	12/65 Neuro-surgeon visit today. 10-12 months for full spine fusion confirmed. Back brace is crucial for healing. Likes walking to help spine fuse and told to limit sitting. Will monitor fusion regularly. I Thes 5:11	13/66
Mar 14/67	15/68 PT Home Health visit today. Pleased with increased strength & flexibility. Showed us new exercises.	16/69 Walker delivered. Visit with rehab doctor has begun weaning of some meds and wrote an order for aggressive outpatient PT & continue work at home, too.	17/70 1 Peter 5:7	18/71	19/72	20/73
Mar 21/74 Church, Mercedes Livestock Show, and dinner at Longhorn. A good day!	22/75	23/76 Continue to reduce meds, exercise daily at home, and stand in place from time to time.	24/77 Shopping for walking shoes per doctor's orders.	25/78 Milestone: put on socks and shoes with-out assistance for the first time! Healthy weight loss (25 lbs!) and gaining muscle tone.	26/79 Tolerating second step-down in pain meds well.	27/80 Sent app to TSTC. Hopes to complete PTA certification program...one class at a time for now. James 1:17
Mar 28/81 Proverbs 3:5-6	29/82	30/83	31/84 The wheel-chair is beginning to collect dust!
April 2004
				1/Day 85	2/86 A lap at Relay for Life and 9 innings at Rob's baseball game.	3/87 Lots of standing and serving at HFFA Benefit BBQ (9-5). Sore tonight.
Apr 4/88	5/89 Tolerating another step-down in meds well! Almost pain-med-free!	6/90 First day of out-patient PT at VBMC. At-home PT has paid off! She endured 45min very well! Will continue 3x/week. Hebrews 12:2,3	7/91 The Miracle	8/92 PT	9/93 PT	10/94
11/95 Easter at the Abbott's	12/96	13/97 PT	14/98 Another milestone: off Oxycotin and on to Darvocet! No blood thinners, stool softeners or sleeping meds, either!	15/99 PT	16/100 PT Hundredth Day Followup with trauma surgeon today. He is pleased. Only limits: no lifting over 10 lbs, no jarring, jumping or bouncing - and keep the back brace on.	17/101
Apr 18/102	19/103	20/104 PT, beginning to focus on learning to walk.	21/105 Followup with Neuro-surgeon. Told testimony to youth at church this evening. Saw pictures of accident for first time today.	22/106 PT	23/107 PT	24/108
Apr 25/109	26/110	27/111 PT Off all pain meds. Now taking only multivitamins & glucosamine.	28/112	29/113 PT	30/114 PT Spoke at HHS for Cards for Christ.
May 2004
						1/Day 115
May 2/116	3/117 PT	4/118	5/119 PT	6/120 New back brace ordered for better fit and fusion. Pending approval by insurance.	7/121 PT	8/123
May 9/124	10/125 PT	11/126	12/127 PT	13/128	14/129 PT	15/130
May 16/131	17/132 PT	18/133 Continues to gain strength & balance through therapy.	19/134 PT	20/135	21/136 PT	22/137
May 23/138 Megan's 4th BDay	24/139 PT	25/140 Subtotal on expenses thus far: $526k	26/141 PT Got insurance ok for new brace.	27/142 Picked up new back brace! Fits fantastic!!	28/143 PT	29/144
May 30/145	31/146 I Chronicles 16:8-12
June 2004
		June 1/Day 147	2/148	3/149	4/150 PT	5/151 Danced at a wedding!
June 6/152 Swimming	7/153 PT	8/154	9/155	10/156 PT	11/157	12/158
June 13/159	14/160	15/161 PT Appt w/ Dr. Garcia. Good strength. Stop PT until brace comes off in December. Physical restrictions remain intact. Recommend Speech Therapy asap to help heal TBI (brain injury) and promote whole-body healing.	16/162 Appt w/ Speech Therapist for evaluation. Shows definite signs of damage (short term memory, attention & concentration, processing verbal info, rate of thinking & responding, organization, problem solving & reasoning). Recommending 4-6 wks of ST and delay of school until fall.	17/163 Insurance co. approved request for Speech Therapy (ST)!	18/164	19/165
June 20/166	21/167 Speech Therapy Helping w/ Vacation Bible Sschool (VBS)	22/168 VBS	23/169 ST, VBS	24/170 VBS	25/171 VBS	26/172
June 27/173	28/174 ST	29/175	30/176 ST
July 2004
				1/Day 177	2/178	3/179
July 4/180	5/181 ST	6/182	7/183 ST	8/184	9/185	10/186
July 11/187	12/188 ST Followup w/ trauma surgeon	13/189	14/190 ST	15/191	16/192	17/193
July 18/194	19/195 ST	20/196	21/197 ST	22/198 Dentist	23/199 Followup w/ neurosurgeon Philippians 4:6	24/200
July 25/201	26/202 Speech Therapy discharge	27/203	28/204	29/205	30/206	31/207
August 2004
Aug 1/Day 208	2/209	3/210 Starts work at Longhorn	4/211	5/212	6/213 Followup w/ Rehab Dr	7/214
August 8/Day 215
August 18 / Day 225 - NeuroPsych pre-re-evaluation
August 31 / Day 238 - NeuroPsych testing
September 2004
September 6 / Day 244
September 17 / Day 255
October 2004
October 4 / Day 273
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September 2005 Father-Daughter Dance at Stephanie's wedding
May 2006 Our son and new grandson, Stephanie's first born.   Our God is an Awesome God!
July 2007 Our second grandson, Stephanie's second, is born.

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1. The right foot fractured metatarsals (2) have healed. They were visible only in the early CAT scans and not on recent xrays. There is a compression fracture in her little toe (a new find) but it is also healing.
2. The left foot broken metatarsals (2) are slowly healing. She does not have any discomfort at this time, otherwise he would repair them. The 5th (outermost) metatarsal is pretty well crushed but shows some developing callous (new bone) (xrays). He says that if it had been his call 2 months ago, he would have surgically repaired these breaks then...too late now.
3. The left lower leg looks similar to this and has two pins to stabilize the lower part of the smaller bone (fibula) and keep the "roof" of the ankle joint intact. Concern for proper healing of this area was the reason for her prolonged non-weight-bearing status on this foot. The doctor said that 50% of ortho doctors remove the two titanium pins...but he doesn't have a problem leaving them in (similar to this: http://www.ortho-u.net/image8/synd20.jpg). The fracture in the fibula a couple inches above the pins looks to be healing as well and is stable with no pain.
4. Her left hand fracture is stable and is healing. He said he would have pinned this originally, too. However, the pain and discomfort have subsided as we've worked on it more specifically in therapy.
5. The pelvis fractures are healing well.
6. The right acetabular (hip socket) repair looks "pretty" as the doctor called it - very clean and neat. There is a plate and seven screws, all of which appear to be fusing well to her pelvis/hip region. The post-surgical numbness is wearing off and she is beginning to experience new (uncomfortable) sensations, but it is a sign that healing is occurring and nerves are regenerating. He does caution that later in life, due to the brut force of the impact on this hip and the resulting severe cartilage damage, she will likely have arthritis in this hip by age 35-40 and will likely need a hip replacement by age 60. (Her actual right-hip xray and part of her lower spine: click here)
7. He did also glance at her spine/lumbar repair and says it also looks as though it is fusing well. We will follow-up with the neuro/spine guy tomorrow to be sure. A model of the structure looks similar to http://www.coloradospineinstitute.com/graphic/xray/instrument/5_lumbar_tlif.jpg but her twin titanium rods extend one position lower than the diagram with a total of 8 screws (4 left and 4 right). Her hip and spine xrays, combined, look like this and this.