goodbye

To all our friends and loved ones, I believe it is time to end updating this blog. Much time has passed since the accident , and judging from the hits over the last few months, I don't think people are checking it for updates much anymore. If you have been, please feel free to contact us for updates.
This year is full of unknowns at this point. Lauren continues with therapy but there will be changes with that soon. We are also coordinating a trip back to Pittsburgh for a reevaluation of Lauren's brain injury. She is doing very well. There is still healing and recovery taking place, but it is slower now.
We do not know at this point, if she will be able to work or to drive in the future. Only time will tell and we have to be patient with that.
Thanks again for all your support and your love for us. The family and friends of Lauren

the holidays

As we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth, I would like to thank each and every one one you for your prayers for Lauren and our family this year. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support we have received. Many of you traveled to Pittsburgh to see us. Those times were so precious to us. You have truly showed love to us at our greatest time of need.
Lauren and I decorated our tree yesterday. What a delight to be able to do that with her. I can't help but wonder how we ever would have made it through these times if she would have died. I cannot comprehend.
Enjoy your loved ones as you celebrate this season. Merry Christmas to all of you.

6 months

Today's date marks the 6th month from the date of Lauren's accident. She is doing well. All the progress she is making now is slower, but she still makes progress. She will resume speech therapy to strengthen her voice soon. She works out with her brother ,John who is wonderfully patient and kind to her. She also has therapy at Health South twice a week and still sees medical and dental professionals as needed. I am so very proud of this young woman. She is remarkable. I am honored to be her mother. I have wonderful times with her each day. I look at her and touch her, knowing each minute is a gift from our Loving Father.
I will continue to update the blog as needed. Thanks to all

No Vocal Chord Damage

Lauren went to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist today because her voice is still pretty weak. Her speech therapist would not work on her volume until it's clear there was no damage to the vocal chords. She was so scared to go, but she did. Dustin was with her and it was a great comfort to her and to us because it helped her so much.
Since I last wrote, she has had root canal on a front tooth that was damaged in the accident and will have to have bonding done on several more teeth that were chipped.
She continues to go to Healthsouth for physical and occupational therapy. When they get the results of her visit to the ENT, they will resume speech therapy.
Please don't forget about her. She still needs prayer and support. Brain injury takes a long time to see what you really have.
She is basically happy; easily frustrated, but working very hard to get her life back. Soon she will celebrate her 20th birthday. Thanks to all who love and care for her.

dental problems

Today Lauren went to the dentist after complaining about pain in several teeth. She has to have a root canal on her front tooth and repairs on several teeth that were chipped during the accident. We hope that there will be no more dental problems once this is done.
We will be updating this blog about once a month now. We can't thank all of you enough for caring about her and her family. We really appreciate all the prayers. If there is anything significant to tell you, we will post it for sure.

The Latest

There isn't much new to report. She is still making progress daily and continuing her therapies at Health South every week. Much of their focus is on fine motor skills and life skills at this point. Her voice is still weak, but getting stronger.
We have come a long way together on this journey and it is by no means over. We still need prayer for healing and guidance so that Lauren gets the best care and hope for her future.
She may have had some damage done to her teeth in the accident. It has certainly affected her alignment because she could not wear her retainer for such a long time. She is going back to her orthodontist on Monday to have that checked. For all of you who wore braces, I am sure you can relate to that. Thanks again for your prayers

Almost four months later...

Here's a picture I took of Lauren last weekend. She is standing tall and on her own. She has been all smiles.

She continues to progress. She recently started making more varied facial expressions, and even speaking in silly little voices. Again, small progress, but still a delight to behold.

She has therapy twice a week now.

By the time most of you read this, this blog will be up to 1,000 hits. That means
1) You've been coming back again and again for updates, or
2) You've been telling friends about Lauren, and they've started to follow her progress. From what we've been hearing, it's a combination of both. Thank you all for the love and prayers.

As previously mentioned, Lauren doesn't remember her email login info. However, anyone wishing to contact her can leave messages here on this blog.

999 hits!

That's how many people have checked this blog since Lauren had her accident! She continues to do well with therapy. She is getting pretty annoyed at the physical therapist who has her do things that are very difficult and don't really make sense to her.
Most of her loss at this point is in the fine motor skills and in higher thinking skills. She has a great memory for the most part. As her mother, I notice every little detail from facial expressions to thought processes. I am so grateful for each one.
She still has a long road of recovery ahead. Of course we want her to have a full life, to be independent and have her own family someday.
Last week, there was a car accident at the intersection near our home. John was coming home from work and asked one of the rescue people if he could get through to go to our house. He asked how Lauren was doing? We didn't know him at all, but he and his wife live in our neighborhood. They drove by our house and saw her sitting on the porch not too long ago. They were amazed! He told John his wife was a nurse in the emergency room when Lauren was brought in. They didn't think she was going to make it. Although I know all that, it makes my stomach churn to hear those words. That is why we are so grateful for all the prayers. She very well may not be with us today.
Thank you to our wonderful son, Nathan who started this blog and did his best to keep all of us informed. Soon we will post some pictures of Lauren now so all of you can see how she looks.

more progress

Today Lauren had a check up with our family doctor. He is impressed with her progress. She is improving in all senses of the word. She still lacks strength in her right arm and hand, but uses her right hand for fine motor skills. She needs some support going up and down stairs because of balance issues. Her vision and hearing are good as well as her positive outlook on life. Her voice is getting stronger but still needs to strengthen.
She is much more expressive when she speaks too. She loves going places and getting out of the house like any normal young person enjoys.
Her therapies are down to two times per week instead of three.
To all her friends that may have tried to email her; she does not remember her password no matter how hard she tries. Her memory is very good except for that. Thanks again for your prayers. We believe Lauren has done well because of all the prayers and the grace and mercy of our God. Please continue to be faithful until she is completely healed.

more answered prayer

Today Lauren's speech therapist decided she doesn't need to see an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist because her voice is coming back stronger and stronger. She has never been particularly loud anyway, but we can hear her almost anywhere in the house when she speaks. She was very relieved and happy she will not be subjected to any unnecessary procedures.
She continues to improve in all ways. She works very hard and doesn't discourage easily. Thanks again for your prayers and please continue.

three months

It has been three months since the accident and Lauren continues to improve daily. Everyone has consistently told us that it takes a long time for the brain to recover. It seems like a long time to those of us who love her, but she has done remarkably well. I am grateful for every little sign of improvement, but I am asking God for more. She continues to do well at her outpatient therapies. I don't know when it will be time, but she will be seeing a vocational therapist as well. Her memory is great, even her short term memory, but she has no memory of the accident or a day or two before that.
Next week she is scheduled to see an ear, nose and throat specialist because her voice is so weak. It is getting stronger, but much of the time she sounds rather hoarse. They will need to check her vocal folds to make sure nothing was cut or damaged. I would ask you to pray for her regarding that issue. Thanks again for your prayers and concern for her and her loved ones. You really learn who your friends are during a time like this and I am grateful for each one. I'll be back to let you know how things are going.

stronger and stronger

Lauren continues to improve with walking and getting physically stronger. Sometimes she gets frustrated when things are particularly difficult and needs a lot of encouragement - but who doesn't? Her voice is still weak because of the tracheotomy. She has excercises to do at home to help strengthen her vocal chords.
Her sense of humor is great. In many ways, she seems like her old self before the accident. I would ask you all to continue to pray for a complete recovery, physically, mentally and emotionally. Thanks to the faithful loved ones who continue to pray and love her through this difficult time.

feeding tube is gone!

Today Lauren's feeding tube was removed! You should have seen the faces of the staff at the shock trauma surgeon's office when they saw her. They were wonderful to her.
She is doing well with all her outpatient therapies.
Please pray for her that she would have no complications from the removal of the feeding tube and that her voice would get stronger. I do believe it is getting stronger every day. Thanks everyone!

July 29, 2007

Lauren has been home for one week now and is doing very well. She is going to outpatient therapy here in Erie and improves daily. She will be going to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist soon for a voice evaluation since her voice is very weak. It could just be from having a trach and will take time to heal. Please continue to keep her in your prayers. She had a physical on Friday at our family doctor's office. He used the word miracle and said he didn't just throw that word around. There are still many unknowns, but each day she improves. Thank you all for your love and support to us, her family. It is amazing how many people have responded to us at this time.
There isn't as much to tell anymore, but we will post updates to all who care to follow this amazing journey with us. Thanks again, Judy

Going Home

Lauren is scheduled to be released from the Children's Institute this Friday. After her therapies are over tomorrow, if all goes according to schedule, she will be going home after being away from Erie for over a month, and away from home for almost 10 weeks.

The immediate prayer request is Lauren's rehabilitation schedule. Pray that the right times and the right people open up for her.

Over two months now...

Lauren's time at the Children's Institute has been well spent. She improved within just a few hours of being there. She continues to improve little by little everyday. However, she still has some hurdles to overcome. Physically, she's doing very good. Balance and strength will increase in time. She still favors her left arm over her right, even though she writes with her right hand.

The main area of concern remains to be her brain. Her cognitive faculties aren't what they should be. It's very common for people with Lauren's type of injury to suffer some loss they'll never recover. Lauren, on the other hand, has been defying the odds since day one, and has skipped certain "steps" in the brain healing process.

She is doing great, and we are very happy with her progress, but we hope for the best for her. A full recovery will still require much work from her. Pray for her to want that for herself.

Thank you all for all the concern, prayers, letters, and visits.

Walking Out

Lauren, at age 14, downtown Birmingham

Lauren's accident was two months ago tomorrow. We are so thankful for how far we've come!

Today, Lauren has been cleared by the therapists to walk without a walker. This means she'll be able to walk out of the car and into the Chinese restaurant we'll be eating at tonight.

Her speech therapy has produced more great results from her. She has more inflection in her voice, and is more expressive with her hands and face.

Again, please continue to pray for her recovery. Even though these updates haven't been as frequent as they were initially, she still has a long way to go. She has been working hard, and will have to continue if a full recovery will be reached.

Walking

Lauren has recently been walking without a walker in physical therapy. Her therapist stands nearby, making sure she doesn't fall. Her balance improves each day, as does her strength.

Lauren has also been using longer sentences than before. She still needs to work on this, but she continues to work hard.

Psychological testing begins this week. These tests should give us an idea of where she is mentally, and how far she has to go. Pray she does well.

Lauren has been saying new things, which indicates development of her thought processes. She hadn't really been asking any questions until recently. Yesterday, she asked Mom who called her brothers and sisters to tell them about her accident. Today, she asked Mom who came to visit her, and how often.
Another thing she has started to express is concern. Her right limbs are weaker than the left, and she told some of us "My right leg is messed up." Mom asked her if she was worried about this. "A little," was her reply.

Thanks for all the love and prayers given thusfar. Keep 'em coming.

July 3

Lauren is using her wheelchair less and her walker more. She's been eating well, and drinking plenty of fluids.

The physicians at the Children's Institute decided to leave Lauren's feeding tube in until she's back in Erie so she can have it removed at Hamot. This means little for her as she's completely eating and drinking on her own now.

Her speaking has become better and more complex. She's been working at forming sentences, and doing well.

One thing to keep in prayer is her healing mind. Her short-term memory is better than it was, but still isn't normal. Also, certain processes aren't functioning as they should. A complete recovery is possible here! Keep the prayers coming!

Lauren's day out

Everyday, Lauren walks a little farther, eats a little more, and strengthens muscles that are weak. Her progress is steady.

Lauren made the long car trip up to Grove City today for her family reunion in Grove City, which is about an hour from Pittsburgh. This was her first big trip since the accident. She doesn't appear to have any fears riding in a car.

The doctors feel it best if Lauren stay for another four weeks. Their goal is for her to walk out of the institute, and for her to be as independent as possible. We all share this goal.

Keep Lauren and her family in prayer. We still have a long way to go!

Week 7

Lauren walked over 800ft this afternoon without a break. She used her walker to walk around the ward two times. A huge difference from six weeks ago when she wasn't even moving.

Lauren has been eating more. It won't be long and that feeding tube will be out. Lauren will finally be tube-free by that point!

Thank you all again for the prayers. Please continue.

Day 43

This week, Lauren will have hour long physical therapy sessions. They were originally half an hour. The goal of the therapists is to have Lauren walk out of the institute on her own.

Our primary goal currently is Lauren's diet. She needs to eat more so the feeding tube can be removed.

Another goal is the forming of sentences. She does this, but not as much as we'd like.

A big goal for this weekend is to get Lauren out of the hospital. Her family reunion is Saturday, and our goal is to get her there, even if it's just for a few hours. There doesn't appear to be any obstacles, but please pray Lauren will be able to do this.

Please keep all these goals in your prayers, along with the ultimate goal of a complete recovery.

New wheels

Yesterday, Lauren walked 240 feet around the institute with a walker. Everyday, she does better and better.



She has a new chair now. She can move herself along if she so desires.



She's been eating a little more every day. We took her out for ice cream yesterday, and she did pretty well with it.



She's been sleeping well and is now unattended at night. This is a big step, as she once had to be under constant supervision for her own safety.



If you have the chance, come see her. Nothing compares to actually seeing her recovery.



Continue prayer for her complete recovery. Thanks for all the prayers thus far.

A message from Judy Voltz, Lauren's mom

It is so exciting to watch the progress unfold everyday! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the loving prayer and support for our family. I am Lauren's mom. It has been a wonderful priviledge to be here in Pittsburgh with her and to see her coming back to us. She has a wonderful sense of humor and isn't afraid to use it. She loves going outside between her different therapies. She still needs prayer for healing and strengthening of her body. This is a wonderful healing facility and we are grateful to God that He opened the doors for her to come.
Thanks again!

Half an egg, a little corn, and a pancake

Lauren continues to amaze the staff here at the Children's Institute. A breakfast was prepared for her speech therapy, and as soon as we wheeled her into the therapist's office, she grabbed the fork and went after the egg. She ate half of that and a whole pancake. Later, she ate some corn, and while the therapist was asking us if she might need a straw for her juice, Lauren grabbed the cup off the desk and started drinking. Tonight, she'll have dinner with the other kids. If her calorie intake from eating is enough to maintain her current weight, she'll have feeding tube removed.

She did well in both of her physical therapies. She walked down a hallway with nothing but a railing on her left side, and she did great. Only 4 days ago, her therapist had to hold her up during this exercise. Today, she only helped Lauren keep her balance. Lauren also stood up with a walker for 7 minutes straight.

Continue prayer for Lauren. We still don't know the extent of any possible injury she might have received. Please pray for the following:
Upper body strength
Normal appetite
Continued increase in strength
A complete recovery!

Healing up

Lauren is doing great today. Her tracheotomy hardware has been removed a day early. It should be closed up within 24 to 48 hours.



This afternoon, Lauren walked with the aid of a walker, and with little help from her physical therapist. She's getting stronger everyday!

A wonderful weekend

Lauren had a great weekend. She had lots of visitors, and she was full of conversation and smiles. She speaks slowly, and her voice is a little hoarse from the tracheotomy. That will be removed by Tuesday. She is almost forming complete sentences!

Lauren is chomping at the bit to get better. As soon as she wakes up, she asks Dad if they can go on a walk. He pushes her chair around the block, and she usually asks to do it again. She has asked us a couple of times to unbuckle her seatbelt so she can walk, which we never do unless she's in therapy or uses the bathroom. She is determined, and, at times, restless. That's a good thing, says her doctor. The kids who are restless do better in recovery.

Our sister Mary is a schoolteacher, and she brought Get Well cards her students made for Lauren. Mom was showing them to Lauren, reading aloud what each one said. After 3 or 4 cards, Lauren started reading the cards aloud on her own.
We were told she would have to relearn how to speak and read. She surprises her speech therapist at every session.

Here's a list of our prayer requests. We've seen many answered prayers thus far
Stronger upper body
Better coordination
Desire to eat/weening off feeding tube
A complete recovery!

Thank you all for the love and prayers! Keep 'em coming!

BEST DAY YET!!

I was hardly prepared for what I saw when I came into Lauren's room. She looked right at me, smiled, and said, "Hi, Nathan."
She was been talking all day long. Yesterday, all she said was, "Hi."
She looks great. Sometimes, she hears something and repeats it. Jessica called Dad, and he told Lauren to talk to her. Lauren said, "Hi," and Jessica said, "Oh my God!" Then Lauren started saying, "Oh my God."
She isn't just parroting what she hears. She started saying "Thank you" on her own. No one said that to her.
Such a huge difference in a single day! We are all incredibly happy right now!

One Month Later...

Lauren walked 45 feet today with the help of her physical therapist. That's almost twice what she walked yesterday.

Then she has speech therapy. She had her tracheotomy hole capped, and she was able to speak. She said the following:
Hi
Hi, Mom
Hi, Dad
Hi, Nick
Dustin
Water
Thank You

What a long way we've come! Take a look at our first post, and see how many prayers have been answered!

Day 31

Lauren walked a total of 25 feet today during physical therapy. Even though Gina, her therapist, was holding her up, this is still great progress.



Lauren has been inconsistent with her answers to yes and no questions. Pray she does better with this.



She has been fitted with a special cap for the tracheotomy tube. She inhales through it, but exhales through her mouth and nostrils. This means she can speak now. The cap will only be removed when she sleeps.



We see a little more progress every single day.



Please continue prayer for her during this process. She is far from done.

Mailing Address

If anyone would like to send Lauren anything via snailmail, here's the mailing address:

The Children's Institute

Lauren Voltz

Room 307B

6301 Northumberland St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15217



A few people have told me how great it is that Lauren is walking. True, she has taken a few steps, but those steps are with parallel bars and a physical therapist holding her up. Although this is a wonderful move in the right direction, she is not walking completely on her own.

Day 30

Lauren had another good day of therapy. She did particularly well in speech therapy. She can now stick out her tongue on command. It sounds silly, but this will help strengthen the muscles in her tongue to help her eat.

Her tracheotomy tube was downsized today. This is this final step before it is removed completely. We're all very happy about that. Clearly, she is uncomfortable with that tube in her throat. It will probably be removed in a week.

She's been using her right arm a little bit more, but it still needs prayer attention.

There was a time when Lauren had a vacant look on her face. That time is now history. Lauren is aware, and quite coherent. With every day that passes, Lauren appears more and more focused. She is determined to get better.

Keep the prayers coming, please!

Day 29

Lauren didn't sleep well last night, so she missed her first therapy session. She had been sleeping well the past few days, but her sleeping at night is still a prayer concern.



She did well in the other sessions. Using the parallel bars, Lauren walked a little more today.

They capped her tracheotomy hole during her speech therapy, and although she didn't speak, she inhaled, exhaled, and swallowed, and had it on for about 90 minutes.



Her tracheotomy will most likely be downsized tomorrow. This is another step in the weening process.



Continue prayer for:

Her right arm

Normal sleep pattern

A complete recovery

First weekend at the Children's Institute

Yesterday's therapy was very good, even though Lauren has half the therapy sessions on Saturdays. They stood her up, and with a little help, Lauren was able to take a few steps. During speech therapy, her tracheotomy hole was capped, and when asked a question, she said what sounded like the word "yes."

Today, Lauren has been full of smiles, mainly for Dustin.

Keep Lauren's right arm in your prayers. Also, she's being weened off her trach and feeding tubes. Pray that goes well.

There are visiting times available at the Children's Institute. Give my parents a call for details if you plan to come by.

Yes or No

When someone is unconscious and bedridden for extended periods of time, their feet often point straight down and lose flexibility. To prevent this, Lauren has been fitted with special boots that push her feet to a 90 degree angle with her ankle. This should make it easier and less painful for her to walk.

Lauren had another good day of physical therapy. The highlight of the day came when her therapist asked her some "yes or no" questions.

Are you twenty-five years old?

She shook her head "no."

Are you nineteen years old?

She shook her head "yes."

Is your boyfriend's name Dustin?

She shook her head "yes."
She is grasping what people are saying and responding correctly. Another small victory, but a victory none the less.

The new wheelchair Lauren tried out today is working well. Now we can take her outside, or for a stroll around the hospital.

Thursday, Day 25

Lauren had another good day. She had physical, occupational, and speech therapy for about four straight hours. Occupational therapy gives Lauren certain tasks to perform. For instance, her "job" yesterday was brushing her hair. Her speech therapy is primarily focused on weening her off the tracheotomy tube. They cap it off to see how she breathes and if she can eat soft foods, like applesauce. She had been doing well with most of these, but lack of sleep was making her tired and emotional. Please continue to pray she falls into a sleeping pattern conducive to her therapy schedule.



They've had trouble fitting Lauren with a wheelchair. They didn't take into account her long legs with the first two chairs. Hopefully, the third time will be a charm.



We've seen a little more activity from her right arm. Please pray we see more.



Once again, thank you all for the love and prayers. We all still need them. This time in rehab will be slow, and there may be times when staying positive will be a challenge. Please keep the staff at the Children's Institute in your prayers.

First day at Children's Institute

Lauren did well on her first full day at the Children's Institute. She had physical therapy and speech therapy. She did well in both. We weren't present for the speech therapy, but were told she made certain noises they asked her to make.



Although not a South paw, Lauren has almost exclusively been using her left hand. She keeps her right hand pulled into her chest. Pray she starts utilizing that hand again.



Another concern is her sleeping. She hasn't really slept since Sunday evening. She's weak with drowsiness, but restless enough to keep her awake. We are told this is normal for someone in her situation. Please pray she begins to fall into a normal sleep pattern.



The doctors have a request for us-

pray for them, too.



If anyone needs to contact my parents, they both can be reached on their cell phones. Cell phones are allowed at the Children's Institute.



Again, please continue to lift up my Aunt Jackie and her family. We almost lost her, and we're still not out of the woods.



I will have a mailing address for Lauren's room posted by this weekend.





Thank you for reading, and for the prayers.

The Children's Institute

Lauren had a safe transport to Pittsburgh this morning. The Children's Institute promises to be a wonderful place for Lauren. All the kids roaming the halls look happy.

We've had a good first day already. Someone came in to evaluate her for physical therapy, which begins tomorrow. With Lauren flat on her back, they asked her to turn her body to the right. Lauren turned her body to the right. She then asked Lauren to lay flat again, then turn to the left. Lauren did that too. RESPONSE TO VERBAL COMMANDS!! They are confident Lauren will do really well there.

Lauren had a bath today, and had her hair combed out, thanks to her nurse Paula. The staff are incredibly friendly.

We are all very excited to be at this stage, and continue to pray for more progress. We continue to ask everyone to do the same. Please also keep my aunt Jackie and her family in your prayers.

Lauren's Aunt Jackie

Please pray for the health of my dad's sister Jackie Booher. All I can say is she is in the emergency room right now, and it's very serious. Please pray now!

A message from the Voltz family

We'd all like to take this opportunity to thank God for intervening on Lauren's behalf. Even after 22 days, the closeness of losing her is still very real to us. We are thankful for all the answered prayers, from the blood sugar levels and the stabilization of her brain pressure to the healing of her brain thus far. As soon as prayer went up for finding rehabilitation, a rep from the Children's Institute contacted us. Answers to our prayers have been coming quickly!

We are all overwhelmed by the love and prayers we've received. Some people have felt bad, not knowing what to say, but just being there and praying has meant more than you'll ever know. Thank you all.

Most everybody at Hamot has been truly wonderful us all. They've gone out of their way to accommodate our large family, and some have really taken to Lauren. A few nurses check this blog for updates on Lauren's status. Thank you all for doing a wonderful job on a person that means so much to us.

We are by no means done here. Although we are grateful for being past the point of not knowing if Lauren will survive, we are heading into unknown territory. How well Lauren does "depends on her and the Man upstairs," as one doctor put it. This will need as much prayer as anything else we've requested.

This blog will stay up throughout Lauren's rehabilitation. The updates should be fairly frequent as I will be seeing Lauren and my parents almost daily for the next two months.

Thanks to all whom have passed this web page along to friends and family. I'm amazed at how far it's reached and how many hits we've received.

God bless you all. Keep up the good work!

Moving out

Lauren is heading south tomorrow at around 9 a.m. to begin her rehab at the Children's Institute in Pittsburgh. She will be there between six to eight weeks. A representative from the Children's Institute came to Hamot and their goal is the same as ours; getting Lauren to be as independent as possible. The first thing they'll do is work on getting her off the tracheotomy tube. We are all thrilled to be at this stage.

A physical therapist came in this morning to see Lauren, and they were very pleased with her progression over the past four days. The therapist, along with several doctors, anticipate good things from Lauren in rehab.

My dad has been staying with Lauren overnight in her room since Thursday, and tonight is his last night there. Pray he has a good evening without too much exhaustion.

We'd continue to ask for prayer for her to respond to voices, and a complete recovery.
Pray she also has a safe transportation to Pittsburgh.

Today is the last day to visit Lauren for two months. Please call ahead.

First weekend of June

Lauren has been moving all her limbs quite well the last few days. So well, in fact, we spent most of her waking time keeping her from pulling out her tracheotomy tube.

Friday afternoon, my mom sat Lauren up in her bed and she smiled a big smile. Our first smile from her in three weeks.

There are times when she appears to be focusing on people, and sometimes she her look is vacant.

Right now, Lauren's behavior is similar to a child. Her movements and facial expressions are reminiscent of herself as an infant; wiggling around with her limbs up in the air.

Lauren will be in rehab in the next few days, and will most likely end up in Pittsburgh. Pray that the best place for her recovery becomes available.

Other issues are:
High blood sugar
Responses to voices
A complete recovery

Please continue the prayers. We are already seeing the effects!

Cleared for rehab

Lauren has been cleared by the insurance company for rehabilitation. We'll find out where she'll go soon.

My dad has been staying overnight in the room to keep an eye on her. She's been moving so much that she bares watching. Pray they both make it through the night without too much excitement.

Again, now is time to visit Lauren. From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., her room is open to visitors. Room 437 on the fourth floor. Please call ahead. The phone number is 814-877-4437. Please visit soon. Lauren won't be seeing many visitors when in rehab.

Day 19

Lauren made it through her first night out of ICU just fine.

She's been moving even more and seems more coherent. She has even been hugging people.

A doctor from Health South, a rehab center in Erie, stopped by to see her today. He said Lauren was looking good considering her injury, and he felt that she is ready for rehabilitation. He placed her at stage 4, with 1 being where she was after the accident and 7 being completely recovered. There was some concern that Lauren would have to stay in a nursing home for a while if she wasn't yet ready for rehabilitation. According to this doctor, that will not be necessary.

Again, we want to pray for good blood sugar levels, response to voice commands, and a total, 100% recovery.

Thank you all.

Rumors

There have been rumors about Lauren's current state I'd like to clear up. I doubt any of this applies to anyone who frequents this page, but I want to make a few things clear.



First off, Lauren is not up and walking around. She's not even sitting up on her own. She's been horizontal since the moment of the accident.



Second, she is not speaking or communicating in any way verbally. Even if she wanted to speak, the hole in her throat from the tracheotomy would prevent her from doing so.



Finally, just because she's awake doesn't mean she's in the clear. Lauren wakes up many times in a 24 hour period. Although she responds to light, pain, and minimal visual stimuli, she still doesn't respond when some stands over her and screams her name.



Lauren is by no means out of the woods. Rehabilitation will take weeks, if not months. Of course, we are all hoping and praying she makes a complete recovery, but that might not happen. We don't know what will happen.



This is why it's so important to keep Lauren in your prayers. She has a long way to go. We all do.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Specific prayer requests

Here's a list of concerns we have at this time:



Her blood sugar level has been a bit high the last few days. Again, this is something the hospital monitors due to studies they've conducted that connect good blood sugar levels with healing.



Lauren's case worker is still talking with the insurance companies. Where Lauren goes for rehabilitation ultimately depends on what's available in their network. Pray the right place becomes available to her.



Responding to voices is still a concern of ours. Let's keep praying for this one.



Once again, Lauren is now out of intensive care. She has her own room and is now able to have visitors.

Please call before visiting. The number is 814-877-4437.

She's on the fourth floor in room 437. Visiting times are from 2p.m. to 8p.m.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Good News!!

Lauren is out of the ICU. She had been there for eighteen days. She is now on the fourth floor at Hamot. We are all very happy about this.

What's more, visitations are now available for people outside the immediate family. From 2p.m. to 8p.m., her room is open to visitors. She is in Room 437. Please call ahead before stopping in.

Cell phones aren't allowed up there, but fortunately her room has a phone. The number is 814-877-4437. If you plan to visit, give my parents a call. Calling first will help them traffic guests.

Since Lauren is quite close to leaving the hospital to begin rehabilitation, now is the time to visit her. In rehab, the visitation times will most likely decrease.

Lauren's nurse told my parents that last night, while she was walking around her room, Lauren followed her with her eyes. Today, she is touching her face and hair with her hands. Little details, I know, but wonderful to see.

Thank you all once again for all the comments, phone calls, cards, and prayers.
Let's continue praying for Lauren to respond to voice commands, and above all, for her to make a complete recovery.

7 stages

My parents weren't able to speak to the case worker today. However, they did speak to a neuro-psychologist, who was pleased with Lauren's progress. He described the seven stages of progress for brain injured people. The seventh stage is complete recovery. The first stage is where Lauren was at first. Right now, he placed her between stages two and three. He said the road to recovery would be long and difficult, but Lauren had youth and good health on her side. Finally, we know where we stand!

He also recommended Lauren not start rehabilitation until she's in the third stage. Until then, she will be moved to a hospital room.

There have been more and more responses to this page. Thank you all. Let's keep praying for Lauren to begin responding to voice commands. Above all, pray for a complete recovery!

One less machine

Lauren had a restful night without the ventilation machine. She is no longer using it at all.

Pray for the meeting today with the case worker, and pray Lauren begins responding to voices.

Thank you all so much.

The evening of Day 16

My parents have an appointment with the case worker tomorrow to explore options in rehabilitation. Pray everything falls into place for Lauren to go to the right place.

Although she's been off the tube most of the day, she's being watched to make sure she doesn't need the ventilation machine tonight. Pray she makes it through tonight without any problems.

Lauren continues to move. Today, she has been also lifting her head up more. Her eyes seem greener, and she appears to be able to focus a little. We need to see more of this.

Continue to pray for Lauren's complete restoration. Thank you.

Keep the prayers coming

This morning, during visiting time, the nurse told my parents they were going to attempt to ween Lauren off the ventilation machine. When they saw her two hours later, she wasn't using the machine. She just has a tube that mists her throat.

The purpose of the EEG performed last week was to see if Lauren had any seizures. The EEG results showed she hadn't. This was another answered prayer for us.

Pray that Lauren will start responding to voices.

There's a doctor that my family refers to as "Dr. Half-Empty." Everything that comes out of his mouth is worst-case scenario. He's the doctor that told us Lauren had brain damage. Four other doctors said otherwise. He told us she probably would be on a ventilator for the rest of her life. Lauren has already proven him wrong there.
Today, he told my parents to expect Lauren to live out the rest of her days in a nursing home.
Every time he speaks to us, the wind is kicked from our lungs. However, what he is saying hasn't affected Lauren one bit. While he gives us grim predictions, Lauren continues to make slow progress.
As harsh as his words are, what he says could be true. Without divine intervention, Lauren could be as bad off as he says she could be.

The picture above is from Daphane's and my wedding in Dothan, 2002.

Let's continue to pray for a full recovery!!

Day 16: Morning

Yesterday, a nurse spent two hours untangling the mess in Lauren's hair. When visiting time resumed that evening, we all were able to see Lauren looking beautiful and more like herself.

A case worker should be contacting my parents today about rehabilitation. It is possible she could be out of the ICU by this weekend.

A few people have asked about how they can help. The biggest thing you can do is pray every single time you think of Lauren or her family. Passing along this web page to anyone who prays also helps. Help us storm the gates of Heaven with our request to completely restore Lauren's mental faculties.

On behalf of my family, I'd like to thank everyone who has given us support throughout this painful ordeal. We are by no means finished, but the support thus far has meant so much to us all. The prayers, the phone calls, the visits in the ICU waiting room, the cards, and the flowers have meant the world to us. Thank you all.

Crazy legs

Lauren has been moving, moving, moving. She's been wiggling her legs as if she were pedaling a bicycle. She has bruises on her knees from hitting the rails on the bed. The rails are now covered with cushions. She looks like she's in an over sized crib.

Her blood sugar level has been bouncing around. We aren't really sure why.

She seems more aware today than yesterday. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

Lauren still has the vent tube in her throat. Little by little, she's breathing more on her own. She's still needing it when she's asleep.

Please pray for the following:
Blood sugar level
Safety with all her movements
Less reliance on the vent tube

Two weeks in...

Last night, a doctor took Lauren off all sedatives. He also observed she was hardly using her ventilation tube when she was awake. She still needs it when she's asleep.


This morning, Lauren was moving her all her arms and legs, including the left leg which we were concerned about.

Her blood sugar level is a little high today. Pray for this to level out.

When her eyes are open, she seems more coherent. Even the nurse said she seems more focused when we are visiting her then when we're not.

It is possible Lauren will be moved out of the ICU soon. She will be moved to a rehabilitation center. We will be talking to a case worker soon.

Keep her blood sugar in your prayers, along with safety from infections.

The evening of Day 13

When talking to the neurosurgeon, he mentioned a small blood clot in Lauren's brain. It will probably dissolve on its own. More importantly, he said even though it would take a long time and a lot of work, recovery is possible.

She hadn't been moving her left leg as of late.

Her blood sugar level remains stable.

She has been moving around quite a bit today, particularly her left arm, which at one point was a concern of the doctors. At first, she wasn't moving it very much. This was another answered prayer. We have been told not to read too much into her movements, good or bad, at this time. We're just glad she's moving.

At times, she has her eyes open and it seems as if she sees us through a fog. She's not really conscious, but there occasionally seems to be some connections when she looks at us.

Please pray for:
Her left leg
The blood blister
The blood clot
No infections
A complete recovery

The morning of Day 13

Lauren's blood sugar levels have been consistently good. In fact, she is being checked every four hours, as opposed to every hour.

Yesterday, the nurses discovered she had a small blood blister on the back of one of her legs. Today, it looks about the same.

Please keep the threat of infection in your prayers.
Thanks.

Tracheotomy

Lauren made it through her tracheotomy just fine. They will resume feeding her tomorrow.
This will help her swallow and make her more comfortable.

Pray that no infection comes with these new tubes in her throat and stomach.

Tracheotomy tomorrow

Just to clarify; Lauren is in a partial coma. Now that she's off the sedatives, she won't be up and running anytime soon.

On Friday at 11:30 a.m., Lauren will have her tracheotomy. Also, her feeding tube will be placed directly into her stomach. She will be under general anesthetic. Pray that all goes well.

Her blood sugar level has been right where it needs to be.

Although she was off all sedatives, they put her back on when she kept lifting her head as if she were trying to get up. Since she still isn't really conscience, she would probably just hurt herself at this point. They turned the sedative up a little more when she kept chewing her ventilation tube.

Some good news

Lauren has been wearing a neck brace since the accident. It was just a precaution; she has no neck injury. Today, it was removed.

A tube was inserted into her side to re-inflate the collapsed lung. That has also been removed.

Her blood sugar level has been good since yesterday, I believe. She is now being checked every two hours. This is another answer to prayer.

The tracheotomy is scheduled for noon Friday. Pray this all goes well.

A special request:
My mom has befriended a woman who has also been camped out in the ICU. Her mother is having serious respiratory issues. I know nothing else about this, but please include June, the woman's mother, in your prayers.

Day 11

Lauren has some really great nurses taking care of her. A nurse is washing her hair today. She said Lauren wouldn't like not having it washed, so she's going to help.

An X-ray is being taken today. Honestly, we don't know why. Perhaps it's to check her lungs. Keep this in your prayers.

Speaking of prayer, we'll continue to request prayer for specific things. However, our overall desire is to see Lauren make a 100% recovery.

The tracheotomy will be performed soon. Pray that will go well.

Thank you all for the prayers and the feedback.

Progress

We feel it's important to look back and see how far we've come.
Early on, doctors told my parents Lauren was as close to death as one could get. Last Thursday, another doctor said we should have buried her today.
She has cheated death.
Although Lauren's progress is slow, and it will continue to be for some time, we are thankful for how far we've come. She is still alive. She is still with us.

MRI results

We didn't get to talk to the neurologist, but my dad did speak to his assistant via telephone. He mentioned head trauma, but said nothing about "brain damage." When my dad asked him if it was impossible for Lauren to make a complete recovery, he said no, it is possible.

Hope

My parents got to see Lauren this afternoon. She is opening her eyes more, and at times, appears to be focusing them.
A Resident Doctor from First Assembly in Erie spoke to my parents. She had seen the results of the MRI, and felt that there was lots of hope for her. She is not a neurosurgeon, but this was encouraging.
Please pray that the neurosurgeon says the same thing.

Answers coming soon...

Lauren is now off all sedation. She was taken off this morning. Now she doesn't nearly have as many tubes and wires going into her. Currently, she's not acting any different than when she was being sedated. But then again, we haven't seen her in two hours.
Before the weeks end, she will have a tracheotomy for the ventilation tube. Although this sounds unpleasant, it will aid in her breathing. It's pretty clear she doesn't like the tube in her mouth. This will also keep her from gagging.
Our principle concern right now is the MRI results. This will tell us what kind of damage Lauren has suffered.
We are all nervous and praying for a miracle. We ask you all do the same.

Wednesday Morning, Day 10

We haven't yet received word on the MRI performed on Lauren last night. Hopefully, that information will be given some time today.
Her blood sugar level still needs prayer. They test her every hour and if she does well (meaning her blood sugar level is between 90 and 120) they make adjustments and test her every two hours. So far, she's passed the first phase several times, but once she gets to the next tier her levels are too high or too low, and she drops back down to the hourly test.
Yesterday's news from the CAT SCAN was a blow to us all. Please keep us in mind.

According to the CAT SCAN, Lauren has suffered some brain damage. We don't yet know how this will affect her yet. The doctors are also concerned about her brain stem.
Nothing short of a miracle will restore Lauren to her former self. I think you know what to pray for.

One less tube

No word on the CAT SCAN or the EEG. However, during this afternoon's visiting time, my parents couldn't help but notice the absence of the large tube going into Lauren's skull. Her cranial pressure is under control, and it's all her- not any tube or machine.
Keep all the other issues in your prayers.

Tuesday morning

We found out today Lauren is still listed in CRITICAL condition. According to the nurses, she won't be down-graded until she's awake.
Lauren still hasn't needed her brain fluid drained since Sunday morning. This is good, but please continue to pray for it.
During her response test today, they found that her pupils weren't evenly dilated. This is concerning because since the accident they've been equally dilating. Due to this, the doctors have decided to give her yet another CAT SCAN. We need prayer for good results there also.
Her blood sugar level has become more stable, but still a concern nonetheless.
We are still awaiting results from the EEG test performed on Sunday.
All these matters continue to need prayer. Thank you all for the contributions thus far.

Another concern

Lauren's blood sugar level has been wavering back and forth. The nurses have had a difficult time keeping it normal. They've found at Hamot that a normal blood sugar level helps the healing process.
Pray that this levels out.
On a good note, Lauren hasn't needed the valve opened since Sunday morning. If she makes it to 7 a.m. tomorrow without using the valve, she'll have gone two full days with her brain addressing the pressure itself!

Encouraged

The RN's do a response test with Lauren by yelling at her to open her eyes, pushing on her sternum, and pinching her fingers. Today, she didn't respond well. She's been pulling her hands in, which could mean nerve damage. Some days Lauren responds correctly, and some days not.
Later, when my parents were visiting, Lauren opened her eyes about 3/4 of the way. She's done this before, but didn't seem to be focusing on anyone or anything. This time, she seemed to focus her eyes and looked at my mom and dad. This was encouraging.
Lauren had her third CAT SCAN yesterday, and the results indicated an improvement. This was also encouraging.
Her swelling has been stable, and she hasn't needed the pressure relieved via the valve in her scalp. It's been since yesterday, I believe, that she last needed her valve opened.
All little things, but right now, they mean so much.
Today, we'll get the results of the EEG performed on Lauren yesterday. Pray for good results there.

Q & A

Feel free to ask me any questions concerning this. I'll do my best to answer. You should be able to leave questions in the comments. If not, email me at nathan@animalspots.com.
Thanks

Another concern is "secondary injuries." Lauren has almost 20 different tubes and wires going in and out of her that makes her susceptible to infection. This is also something to pray about.

There isn't much information that we do know...

Lauren was in a car accident on Monday morning, May 14.
The van she was riding in hit a semi-truck. The collision sent the van spinning into a pole, which ejected Lauren from the side door.
She was riding in the back seat. The driver and front passenger sustained minor injuries (in comparison).
Right now (Monday, May 21), Lauren is listed in SERIOUS BUT STABLE condition at Hamot Medical Center in Erie. Our main concern right now is the brain swelling. She had a tap put into her skull to drain fluid and relieve pressure. On Day 1, she had to be tapped every 20 to 30 minutes. Today, the pressure is being released about every 12 hours.
However, what Lauren's brain should be doing is releasing the pressure on it's own. This is done via her spine. If this doesn't happen, if her brain doesn't do this on it's own, she'll have to have a shunt surgically place in her skull.
Right now, this is our primary concern. This is what we're praying for.