Friday

I am sitting here with my sisters Jenny and Jessica. It was so good to see and hug my sister today after being away for three weeks. She looks just as good as I thought she would. I will get a picture posted soon for all of you...
Isabella is working hard at therapy every day. She has an expected release date of September 2nd, but depending on her progress, she may come home earlier. She would still follow up with intense outpatient therapy. School for at least the beginning of the year is still very much up in the air. She will have issues upon returning, for example being restricted in physical activity in order to keep her brain safe.
She goes to physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, school, speech therapy, music therapy, and massage therapy (every day!). She does at least 6 hours of therapy total each day. She struggles with identifying objects and people, short term memory, recall and understanding her situation. My dad was able to spend the day with her today and travel to her therapy sessions with her. At the end of the afternoon, they had a time when the kids could ask any questions they wanted. Isabella asked "What state are we in?" You can see that there are many pieces that still need to come together. She has not yet realized that she was in an accident or why she is in the hospital. She hasn't asked. That realization will be a natural progression in her healing down the line. On a positive note, she is reading and doing math problems. She can look at pictures of her second grade classmates and can identify first and last names, yet she can't recall what she had for breakfast without prompting.
We are learning that the brain is an intricate organ. Depending on point of injury, there are parts/functions that can be affected while others are not hindered in the slightest. The doctors are positive because of her age and the fact that her brain is still growing that her brain will be able to affectively reroute itself and completely recover what was lost.
She knows all of us and our names. She is just still seeming confused and hazy. She is, however, leaps and bounds beyond where the doctors expected her to be at this point. Give glory to God.
She has been upgraded to a regular diet! She can eat it all and she is. She is all grins and giggles. I have a picture of her smile to post. I am not at home right now, so I will do so when I have access to a scanner. Thank you all for being so faithful. Intercede. My sister says hello and thanks you with tears.

Jenny was able to spend the night last night with Isabella. She said that it was wonderful!
Isabella is now on a normal diet. We were all so happy that she ate her first pickle since the accident! (My family loves pickles and olives!) She had a bassett hound visit the therapy group today. She went to music therapy today. The therapist played Jeremy Camp music. Jenny was able to help Isabella do percussion instruments with her along to the music.
My dad is building bunk beds for the girls at his house and is almost finished with them. Soon they will have a bedroom all of their own. Life is slowly returning to normal...

An angel in bib overalls

Three weeks today... It has been three weeks. I can't believe how far God has brought my sister. I really can not get over how he protected her in the first place. My aunt Mary (one of my dad's sisters) just posted a comment on my last entry. You can go back and read it if you like. She mentioned that there must have been an angel at the scene of the accident, "an angel in bib overalls." She is referring to my grandfather, my dad's dad, who passed away in 1997 of Parkinson's Disease. He was a builder and wore, almost always, bib overalls. I have fond memories, all of them, of him in his chair and of course the overalls. I included a picture of him above. You can see for yourselves...

It is powerful to think of the heritage we have. In addition to that, it is moving to realize how God has worked all things out in a way that is so beyond our comprehension... We will never know on this side of eternity just why God brought a horrific accident in the path of my sister and her girls that day. We will never know on this side of eternity how He chose to spare their lives. As I have said before, we can, most certainly, know that there was a reason. I am grateful for the time granted them, especially Jenny and Isabella who sustained multiple severe injuries, and vow from this moment forward to live my life always letting them know how much I love them...

I am moved this morning as I remember fondly my grandfather. I am reminded that God promises us complete healing one day. He has done that for my grandfather. One day He will do it for me. He has worked physical healing in the lives of my family in the last weeks, but promises them that one day there will be no more pain, no more tears. The God who authored our faith will one day perfect it. How can you not cling to that promise? The verse below contains the words consider Him. I wrote a few weeks ago about remembering to stop and give God praise for all things. Today, stop and consider Him who considered you worthy of His life. There is no more important choice you could make...

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross. despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

Tuesday, July 28th

Not really much new to report today, but I thought I would post anyway. Jenny followed up today with her family physician. He was so very glad to see her walk through the door and was very personable and tender with her. I am still so amazed at how Cedarville (a town in which I grew up) has really lived up to the small-town-steps-up-and-acts-like-family stereotype. Thank you all for being so wonderful to my family. It has helped me so much being here to know that there are so many there who are willing to do just about anything to help my family.
Her doctor changed her pain medication, giving her something more. Hopefully she will sleep better because of it.
Isabella had a couple of golf pros visit the hospital today. She got to "putt" with them. Matthew said that it will air on the Golf Channel. He does not know on what show or when, but I will be sure to sleuth that out for all of us!

A joyous reunion

My sister called me this evening. It was very strange to see her name come across my caller i.d. as I haven't seen that in weeks. It made me once again so thankful for her spared life.... She was calling to let me know that she was able to spend a good amount of time today with Isabella for the first time since the accident. She hugged her, held her, and really just loved on her. I am sure it was good for both of them to see each other. They can begin to heal in a different fashion now... As far as progress, here is an update on Isabella. She is walking (or rather shuffling awkwardly). That happened just a few days ago. She has "upgraded" to a mechanically soft diet (no more pureed food!), including mac'ncheese and fries. Aleacia and Sophia were able to join Jenny and Isabella today. All three girls watched a movie together in the hospital bed (rails up of course!). Isabella recognized my parents today and called them grandma and grandpa.
She also was able to fill in the key words to the very first lines of Grandma's famous "Squeaky" stories. Squeaky is a mouse. My mother tells the best stories to her grandbabies. It is a nightly tradition should a grandchild be there for bedtime. Her story always begins with the children adding the same two words of the first sentences. It goes like this:
"Once upon a time there was mouse named Squeaky. He was so ornery and so cute." They happened to be discussing Squeaky today and Isabella was able to fill in cute and then ornery. I know that moment must have been very special to hear her recall those words...
Jenny said that Isabella is still very juvenile in her actions. She doesn't know how to respond a lot of times so she laughs. Jenny can see that Isabella is working out the difference between right and wrong. My sister said that part was very hard to see. She said that Isabella is doing great, but still has a really long way to go.
I know my sister is struggling with being able to have her life return to being normal again. She sounds very broken on the phone. I pray it happens for their family very soon. Join me in supporting them again in prayer as you have already been so faithful to do. Our family has been overwhelmed with support, love, and encouragement. God has used you in a tangible way. Thank you for letting Him!

Visitors for Jenny

Thank you for those of you who have spent time visiting Jenny. She would like to thank you for that immensely but also tactfully add that you please be respectful of her time. She let me know that she is just not feeling great still and long visits are very taxing. I know that you will respect her wishes and be able to discover the fine line between a refreshing visit and a taxing one. Thank you again for being so supportive in this time. Jenny is anxious for the normalcy of life to return and rest is imperative for that to happen. Thank you in advance for understanding.

Two peas in a pod...

Melissa was able to visit Jenny in the hospital. You can see that there are really no hard feelings between them. I posted a picture of them in their wheelchairs and also a picture of Melissa's cast that Jenny was able to sign. I believe it says 'Whoops. My bad. Love Jenny.' If nothing else, this picture alone is an amazing testimony of Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our healer. I am so thankful to see them both smiling. I haven't seen my sister since she was flat on her back in a hospital bed and very not with it. It sure is good to see her smile. I can't help but weep. God is so good.

Update from the weekend

Big news! Big news! My sister Jenny got to come home from the hospital yesterday. They kicked her out of rehab because there is nothing else they can do for her until she can put weight on her legs (8-12) weeks. They took the staples out of her leg that day. She is home at my parents' house with her two girls. She is hurting in new places and trying to get stronger. She is anxious to lose the wires in her mouth but has a few weeks. She says that she would love visitors now, but would ask that you let her know when you are coming (remember she is at my parents' house). She got to speak to Isabella on the phone yesterday. Isabella said "Hi Mommy" and "I love you, Mommy." It felt good to talk to her, but Jenny longs to see her. The doctors are checking to see if it would be alright for Isabella to have her come.
In addition to Jenny's good news, Isabella has some of her own. She got her feeding tube out. After biting it in half once this past week (it took four people to get a new one back in her) and again yesterday, they finally just left it out. She is seeming to do fine without it. Matthew says that the doctors are amazed at what she is doing, that they are saying they have never seen a recovery like this, so quick. Here are a few of her recent accomplishments: putting on her socks, writing her ABC's, reading a book, drawing a picture, writing her whole name with help, and even completing an addition problem! Pray that Isabella will continue to progress in huge measures like this and that within a few weeks she will be able to come home to be with her family....

Update for today

My sister saw the oral surgeon today. They think now that what is poking through into her mouth is actually a piece of bone. To do something about it would require her wires being undone. She will deal with it for a few more weeks until she gets her wires off. If at that time it is still bothering her, they can shave it down or remove it.
Isabella was able to eat some pudding and drink a bit of apple juice today. I am not sure if she had her swallowing test today. My sister did not know. Also, they were prompting her to write her name. Matthew helped her with part of it and she pushed his hand away and finished the end herself. Please continue to pray for Isabella and her progress. She has a really long way to go, but each day seems to bring something new.

Isabella... we need to pray

And now an update on Isabella... I spoke with Stephanie tonight extensively and then Jenny for a bit. Jenny is asking that prayers for physical healing be focused on Isabella. I believe that she (Jenny) is acutely aware of the situation now and her heart is grieving through much emotion and confusion...
She got to sit in on a conference call with Matthew and Isabella's doctors. This was very difficult for her because she was hearing the prognosis straight from the doctor rather than through a family filter. The doctor told Jenny that Matthew explains things to her more positively than they really are. Isabella has been labeled as a child with a severe brain injury. Her frontal (critical thinking/right vs. wrong/decision making/personality characteristics) and temporal (short term/long term memory) lobes were damaged. They are not saying that she will not recover 100%, but they are not being very positive about it. We need to pray for a miracle.
Jenny is asking that everyone's prayers go to Isabella, that her brain will be healed, that it will reroute itself like it needs to, that she will have her Isabella back. We know that Jenny will heal completely one day with time; now let's pray the same thing for Isabella.
Honestly, we have been having trouble expressing how to talk about Isabella because everything is so unknown. She is advancing better than they thought she would up to this point, but she is not yet recognizing people or is at least not verbalizing it. She is not stating anyone's name. She is crying when she sees her twin. They have said that her eyes are open but that she is basically still asleep.
This week, Isabella will have another swallowing evaluation. It is scheduled for tomorrow or Thursday. Pray that she will be able to swallow. She is not showing that natural reflex as of right now. Please pray specifically for that. She is uncomfortable because the feeding tube is clogging her up.
Jenny is requesting PLEASE NO VISITORS FOR ISABELLA. ABSOLUTELY NONE. She needs no stimulation. The doctors are not allowing even Aleacia and Sophia to come anymore.
Jenny is going to need a lot of help emotionally through the rest of the ideal. She is not on as much pain medicine, so her mind is more aware of the situation. She is dealing with a lot of guilt and anger and her heart hurts terribly for her sweet Isabella. She wants so badly to be with Isabella, but it is not possible right now. Please pray for continued miracles on Isabella's behalf. Pray for God to wrap His arms around my sister in a tangible way and grant her a peace only He can give, one that is beyond all understanding...

Tuesday, July 21st Update

Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Today was Jenny's first full day of rehab. They worked her very hard of course, including two sessions of occupational therapy (daily stuff) and two sessions of physical therapy. She also had a psych therapy session. She was unsure about that, but was glad that he came after the fact. He was a Christian and shared a Bible verse with her (included above) She is dealing with a lot of anger and guilt which is very natural. He shared with her what she would be experiencing over the next few months. She recognizes that she has a lot to work through and is willing to have help.
As of 8:30 p.m., she was still waiting for the surgeon to come and fix the screw in her mouth.
Also, Melissa came today. They had their pictures taken together in their wheelchairs. They were able to sit outside in the sun for about half and hour and that felt good to her. She got to sign Melissa's cast, 'Whoops, my bad! Love, Jenny.' She was able laugh with her two good friends, Beki and Melissa. Jenny said her ribs really hurt now, but it was way worth it!
Finally, Jenny wants also to communicate that she would be alright with brief visits from close family and friends after 3:00. She mentioned that she still needs much rest, but a quick hello might be a good way for her to focus on something else.
Oh, and she wants you to know that liquid pasta, pureed meatloaf and liquid broccoli are never good decisions...

Mom and her grandbabies

My mom says she wants 20 grandbabies out of the four of us. I think a bathtub full is a good start... You can see the twins here and also Sophia (on the left). Precious!

The best end to this day...

I was driving home from a friend's house this evening. I had called my mom to get the blog update. She was with Jenny at the hospital. Anyway, we did our thing. She hung up the phone and it rang one minute later. I answered. It was my sister. I could tell that she was talking through clenched teeth, but it was her! It felt so good to hear her voice. I heard it a bit before I left Ohio, but it was very different. Tonight, she sounded more like herself. She cried a little bit of course. There was not much left unsaid between us... She moved to rehab today. She will have the wire (actually it is a screw in her jaw that is too large) fixed tomorrow. They will give her anasthetic and either unscrew it a bit or replace it with a smaller screw...
My mom got to spend time with Isabella this afternoon. She took Aleacia and Sophia to see her. I think it was a bit much for Bella. Mom said that she may have been overstimulated. She cried a lot while they were there.
Thank you for all of you who are praying for this family. God continues to show His hand of healing and mercy to each of them. I will post when I know more again...

Sunday Evening, 9 days later

Jenny had a better night last night. She rested better and was having a better day today until one of the wires inside her mouth popped. It is in between her teeth and tongue in the back left corner of her mouth. It was cutting into her tongue, so she was waiting for the oral surgeon to come and evaluate that situation. I spoke to my dad a few minutes ago and as far as he knew, the surgeon had not been in.
She is expected to move to rehab in the next few days.
Isabella was able to take a nap with her daddy today, "wrapping" her arms around him. She tried to mouth a few words, but nothing came out. She did grab at the nurse with her right arm. This is great news because she has not yet shown much control/strength on the right side of her body. She pointed correctly to a few pictures the therapist provided. They readjusted her feeding tube today and Matthew expected that they would soon be in to test her swallowing once again.
Thank you for tuning in. I will be sure to keep you posted when anything new arises. 9 days later, time is still passing. Healing is coming, slowly but surely. Thank you for praying. God bless you all.

It has been just over a week since my sister's accident. I am still astounded at God's power in protecting them all and sparing their lives. I understand that although I am, as everyone else I am sure also is, still reconciling God's purpose. One thing I do know is this: there is one. Our praise team at church did a concert a few months ago. They sang a song entitled, "We will Remember." I wrote about it to my Bible Study girls in April. Truly, from the first time I heard it, it moved me. It is so perfect for the events in the last week, and I would be amiss if I didn't share with it you....

I sang it through tears in my car ride to Ohio when I didn't know the outcome of four precious lives. I sang it through my head as I watched my sister struggle in pain, questioning. I have been singing it all week. Simply put, it is about deliberately stopping, remembering, and praising God for all He has done and provided in our lives. In this instance, God provided a hand of protection, sustaining four dear lives in a time when despair seemed looming. I have included the lyrics below. I for one will choose to stop, remember, and praise Him for the works of His hands. It was His hands that preserved life last Thursday, June 9th...

We will remember. We will remember.
We will remember the works of His hand.
We will stop and give Him praise, for great is His faithfulness!
He's our creator, our life sustainer, our deliverer,
our comfort, our joy. Throughout the ages,
He's been our shelter, our peace in the midst of the storm.
With signs and wonders He's shown His power.
With precious blood He showed us His grace.
He's been our helper, our liberator, the giver of life with no end!
When we walk through life's darkest valleys we will look back
at all He has done and we will shout 'Our God is good'
and 'He is the faithful one!'

He created us, loved us enough to do so. He sustains us, even when we feel like we aren't worth it. He delivers us from all things imaginable. He comforts us. He hides us in the cleft of His shoulder and keeps us near His heart when we are passing through a shadow. He sees every single tear and catches them in His bottle. He desires to hold us closely. He is our source of joy, filling us past our brims… When the sea gets rocky, He is there just like He was for the disciples. He is in the boat with us! And the most unbelievable bit of it all is that He reveals to us His grace spilled on a cross by choice. He went silently, in humility, empty, to be a perfect sacrifice for us, something we could never do ourselves. He helps us, yes, even liberates us. He is the great emancipator and brings freedom to our lives. He is willing! He gives life unending! And finally, when we are so awash with life, with circumstance, with feeling, with question, with uncertainty, with harshness, He is beside us. In fact, He tells us in Psalm that He is not only beside us, He is before us and behind us and above us. When we are discouraged, He is still there. When we are overwhelmed, He is there. When we are unsure, He is there! And when we emerge from the deluge, we will shout 'My God is a faithful God and He is good!'

I am ashamed to admit there have been many periods in my life when I have been ungrateful, unappreciative, just plain ignorant of what exactly God has done for me. I am choosing, in these moments, to stop, remember, and praise Him for being all of those things to my sister and her family.

I wanted to take you to this place with this song today. It has meant a lot to me and I needed to share. I don't know many details about what you may be going through, but I do know one thing. God is a constant, an absolute. He wants us as children. He esteems us, pursues us, and delightes in us. Let's be honest. Sometimes taking a step, moving one foot in front of the other is all we can do. Other times we find ourselves running to Him. Either way, get those feet moving! And while we are at it, let us not forget to fall on our faces before Him and thank Him, remembering the works of His hands in our lives.

I will be praying this week that we will each stop, be still, and see, really see, how He is moving, even in the midst of this moment right now, even when we might not be able to sense Him clearly. His grace is sufficient for every need we could ever encounter. He has enough reserve for all. On behalf of the Laird family, I am choosing to remember. Join me.

Update on the CT scan and x-ray

The results from Jenny's tests came in. She does have fluid in her lungs, but since she is not running a fever and her white blood cell count is up, they are not concerned. As time passes and she is able to begin to be more "up," her lungs should return to normal. She does, however, have more broken ribs on the right side of her body (this would explain the bumps they found yesterday). They separated from her sternum. She has also started drinking ensure, so that will give her some calories.
I will write more when I hear an update on Isabella's day.

Clarification

Stephanie just called me this morning. We somehow got our wires crossed last night. The x-ray and the CT scan were for Jenny yesterday, not Isabella. Jenny has fluid in her chest and the bumps sticking up below her collarbone. Stephanie was still awaiting results of the x-ray and CT scan this morning. I will update the post as soon as I know anything. Sorry for the mix-up :)

Friday, 8 days later

I spoke with my mother a few minutes ago. Jenny has several doctors pushing her in several ways. The ortho doctors are pushing her to reduce her morphine intake back to once every 3-4 hours so that she can be on her way to rehab. The occupational therapist and physical therapist also want results. They took her off of oxygen yesterday and removed her catheter today so she will be less prone to infection. She had a few syringes full of cappucino today and a small amount of ensure. She is beginning to miss her girls terribly and is fully aware now of Isabella's situation. She is struggling emotionally. She is still in much pain and wishing to have no visitors outside of immediate family. Pray for her as she is beginning to experience just how much hard work she has to endure and is realizing how long it might be before she can see her babies again.
Isabella, on a positive note, walked 70 ft. today with help. She was awake for 7 hours straight as the therapy she is enrolled in takes the form of schooling. She had an x-ray done of her chest/legs today. There was fluid in her lungs (possibly blood pooled or some other fluid) so she was having a CAT scan tonight to see about that. They also discovered two bumps in her chest below her collar bone, possibly bones. They are hoping to know something about those from the CAT scan as well. There are two urgent prayer requests for her. First, that she will develop the ability to swallow again. The feeding tube needs to be removed, but if she can not swallow when it comes out, then she will have to have a GI tube inserted. She did not pass her swallow test today. The second thing is that she has refused to speak today (up until today, she had spoken only a few words). She was refusing to answer even her daddy. Pray for her mental healing as well.
The doctor saw Aleacia and Sophia today. He said they looked great. Sophia had her stitches out. She cried a bit. Both of them need prayer for emotional healing.
I attached a few pictures of Jenny and the girls. There is also one of them with Melissa at her wedding. I am so thankful God protected these beautiful ones and pray for complete restoration. Join me.

Update on Thursday

Jenny is getting her liquid perkaset (I have no idea how to spell that...) 4 hours a day and that has helped to tolerate the pain... some. She is experiencing nausea from meds/no food. They tried applesauce and mashed potatoes through a syringe today, but you can imagine how that went. The physical therapist came and worked with her on a wheelchair transfer. With much help and great pain, she was able to make the transfer to the wheelchair and back to bed one time. The speech pathologist came to do some cognitive tests with Jenny. From her perspective, she viewed all as fine. She will possibly be removed to rehab this weekend and can expect to be there for at least a month.
Isabella was transferred to Columbus this morning. It is a great facility complete with gym and water therapy. She was able to take a few shuffles today with help. There will be a Cleveland Browns player (my sister didn't remember his name or his organization) stopping by to bring Bella gifts tomorrow.
Aleacia and Sophia are still at home, working on recovering. Aleacia is having difficulty sleeping and no doubt misses her twin. Sophia's face is healing and her stitches come out tomorrow.
Please continue to pray for the Laird family in this time. It has been one week today and there is much reality still to set in. You can pray for complete healing, comfort, discernment in decision making, stamina, and peace of mind. Thank you again for praying.

Jenny's friend, Melissa

Many of you may not know that the driver of the car with which my sister collided was a very close friend of Jenny's. Her name is Melissa. She lives just a few minutes from the accident scene. I spoke to her on the phone today. In the accident, she broke her right clavicle, 2 bones in her left forearm, right tibia, 2 metatarsuls in her left foot, and her big toe. She also has 6 staples in the back of her head. She had surgery on her forearm to put in plates on Thursday. Friday, she had plates put in her clavicle and screws in her foot put in place. Hopefully, her left foot will require no more work, but only time will tell. She seemed to be in good spirits tonight. She and Jenny have spoken on the phone. I am so thankful for Melissa. She knows that God had her there for a reason.

Urgent Request

I just talked with my sister, Stephanie. She is with my sister now after her surgery. They are unable to give her medicine, food or water through the mouth. They are working through the pain while she is suffering and decifering another plan. Please pray for her comfort as she is in unbearable pain. Jenny has specifically requested to have no visitors over the next several days. While it may be difficult, we ask that you would respect her wishes, bathe her in your prayers, and hold off on your visits for a good while. Please continue to check the blog for updates. They will be frequent. Thank you for understanding.

Letters to Jenny and Isabella

When I got home from Ohio on Monday, I melted when I saw my daughter's room. She has a bulletin board in her room. On her own initiative, she covered it with pictures of Isabella. She also wrote these two letters to be sent. They are on their way in the mail, but I thought I would post them on the site. From the smallest of the small, people everywhere are praying...

Surgery Update

My sister just came through surgery a few minutes ago. The reconstruction took over 4 hours. Here are the details. The surgeon said her face was very crushed. She has 6 plates (permanent) in her face (3 around her eye, 1 on her cheek, and 2 around her chin holding her jaw) and numerous screws. She has one incision above her eye and one incision below her eye. The doctor also put some mesh under her eyeball to keep it from dropping and falling down. All other incisions were made through the interior of her mouth. Also her jaw was wired shut with 8 screws. These wires and screws will remain for 4 wks. After that, she will switch to rubber bands. Those will be able to come out when the pain subsides. She will be able to eat what she can squeeze through her teeth. Needless to say, that will not be much. She will most likely consume a lot of protein shakes as her body will need the protein to enhance the bones healing and the weight loss she will most likely encounter.
He was confident that she should look pretty normal. She may be able to feel the plates, but no one else should be able to notice them. Her teeth should fit a bit different from how they did before, so that remains to be seen. She has a lot of bone pieces left that will on their own fuse back. Her sinus cavity is in tact. She will be in a lot of pain for several days in her face, not including the other areas of her body where she is broken. Please continue to pray for her recovery.
She is still not awake from the surgery. She had to be intubated again (through her nose this time) and they are hoping to remove that before she comes to. I hope that can be so.
On another note, Isabella will be moved to Columbus tomorrow. Matthew said that today she was able to sit for a few minutes on her own with her feet dangling over the bed. She also took 4 strides (wasn't happy about it), 2 of which were good and 2 of which were weak.
It is amazing how much different each day can be when you are stripped of life being normal. Continue to pray for Isabella, Jennifer, Matthew, Aleacia and Sophia.
I will keep you updated, so check back soon. Thank you for all your kind words to support this family.

Wednesday morning update

Good morning, all. I hope you slept well last night because my sister Jenny surely did not. She is in unendurable pain. She said that it is no longer her leg, but the rest of her. It hurts so badly to breathe because of the broken ribs. Apparently, they were changing around her pain medications in preparation for the surgery and that had a real effect on her. My mother said she woke suddenly in the night (Jenny) and cried out "God help me!" Please pray for God to help her today. Pray that He will soothe her, pain and mind.
Her surgery has been moved to 10:00. She will have her jaw wired shut as it is broken in two places. She will have three plates put in her face, one above the eye, one below the eye and one to the left of the chin. It sounds like the whole left side of her face needs to be reconstructed. Please pray for the hand of the surgeon, that he will be able to return her face to exactly what it was before the accident. In the middle of all this, Jenny asked him if he did free mole removal! She wants the mole taken off (the one near her right eyebrow!). In all respects, please pray for today. She is going to have a really hard road ahead. She will need every bit of support she can get. I will let you know later today when I have more of an update on Isabella's move and how the surgery went. Until then, my friends and family, intercede.

Tuesday, July 14th

I just talked with my mother. I had to remind her that some hills are very hard to climb. Each day will bring new challenges, differences, and most likely a new experience. I believe that after several days of emotional rawness, reality has begun to set in for all involved. While we are all still reeling from the accident and its outcome, we are just beginning to face what is ahead. Jennifer and Isabella have a long road to physical recovery. Aleacia and Sophia have many weeks ahead without life being "normal." There is much still to come and many moments of grace needed...
Jenny began her physical therapy today. It was very intense and quite painful. She is facing surgery on her face tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12:30. She has two breaks in her jaw, so it will be wired shut (with her teeth touching) for 4-6 weeks. She will have plates put in to fix the broken bones around her eye. She will have to be intubated again (through the nose this time), so please pray for her. I know how awful it was to watch that the first time around, so I can't imagine how painful and terrible it must be for her. She was able to see the girls tonight, Aleacia and Sophia. She thought it best before she went in for surgery on her face. Please pray for her peace also as she is now more aware of what exactly is happening with Isabella.
The therapist came today from Columbus to evaluate Isabella. She will most likely be transferred there tomorrow. On a scale that measures through 8, Bella tested between a 3 and a 4. The therapist said she saw good signs and that she thinks she can do it. She told the family that they would have to rethink their priorities and realize that this will be a very slow process. She will be in inpatient rehab for 4-6 weeks and it could be up to a year before she is back to normal. It is more of a long haul than anyone anticipated, but we are still overwhelmingly glad to see those big blue eyes...
Continue to lift up this family in your prayers. Every day will bring something new. I will do my best to help you journey with us...

Monday

Monday morning, I went out to the scene of the accident. It happened on Wilberforce-Clifton Road in a straightway. There was not much to see left other than a burn mark and several stains on the road. I thanked God once again for His goodness. We left from there to visit my sister one last time before heading back to Georgia. At this point, I was still very torn leaving. I had partial peace about it. I knew in my mind they would be alright, but I was having a really hard time aligning my heart with that... When thinking about the moment I would go early on in the weekend, I asked God for two things. I asked Him to be able to see my sister without her tube and to hear her voice. I also asked Him to be able to see my niece open her eyes. Little did I know how clearly God would answer my request. I can't get over how awesome He is...
I visited with my sister. She seemed in better spirits. Her voice sounded much more like hers. We had a sweet visit together and cried great tears. I told her I was going home. She told me how much it meant to her that I had come and that she knew when she saw me that it was bad... I told her how much I loved her. I will tell it to her every time I speak with her for the rest of my life. She needs to know it. I hugged the nurse and thanked her. God orchestrated the entire circumstance amazingly, surrounding Jenny and Isabella with care about caliber.
Next, we headed over to see Bella. We stayed for about an hour. Matthew tried extensively to get her to open her eyes for me, but to no avail. She didn't budge and clearly felt sleep was the better option! Finally, just after we had stepped across the threshold of the door, Matthew shouted to come back. She had popped them open when we had said goodbye. I went over to her and spent 3-4 minutes with her. She looked at us, cried a bit, looked at us some more. I told her how much I loved her and how much her cousins loved her. I had her hand in mine. I made the I love you sign with my fingers up to hers and she did it back to me. I could hardly believe how God had brought her to this point and how He had so intimately answered my prayers for peace about leaving.
We left the hospital around 12:30 for Georgia. I realized how hungry I was. After thinking back, I didn't eat one meal on Sunday. We stopped for food and then I slept for a good hour. I know I slept good because my arms were out from me instead of curled up. I believe when I woke up that my left arm was on top of my mother-in-law who was driving me! It was a good deep sleep....
Later in the afternoon, I found out that Jenny had been moved from ICU down to the next level. She would have a few more "freedoms," but less visitor restrictions. I hope that she will be able to rest with the flow of people who are so ready to see her. I am amazed at this development in her story as we were told she would be in ICU for at least a week. On another good note, Isabella had opened her eyes again and again, for longer periods of time. She spoke a few words, including "Ellen," the name of a woman in the room. They will be moving her to either Cincinnati or Columbus tomorrow because they have inpatient therapy she will need to help her. We are remaining positive on her account that she will make a complete recovery.
Also, the care flight team who flighted my sister came to speak to my parents. They told their story. I wish I had been there. I know it was a tearfully joyful reunion. Thank you, God, for all those who gave their time and talents to preserve the lives of this family.

Sunday

Sunday morning, we arrived at the hospital. Jenny had had another very excruciating night. They did, however, give her a bath and wash her hair. We prayed this day would bring the tube out, and it did. She was not able to speak at first, but she did utter a few whispers. As the day went on, she was able to speak more. Now the questions began as you can imagine. She was asking about the prognosis of Bella. We told her that she was expected to fully recover (her MRI on Saturday had showed there was no reason to believe there would be any permanent damage). When you asked her what hurt the most in the middle of all her pain, she would pat her heart. She gave a thumbs up to hear that she was the one who took the brunt of the hit instead of her babies. Bella, also, on this day, brought us a little surprise. Late in the afternoon, she opened her eyes for a brief few seconds. She was able to focus on Matthew and see some of the stuffed animals she had with her. It was so brief, but so encouraging. We were all so thankful to hear that those big blue eyes had shown themselves... We were beginning to breathe easier and realize just how much grace had been poured over these two lives...

Saturday

Like I said, the time in the hospitals only feels like a blur, one raw emotional roller coaster I am not sure I can clearly recall. Friday brought intense pain for Jenny. She began writing a bit, asking simple questions like "What did I do?" and "Babies?" She would tell us she loved us by making the sign for it. (This was something that my nieces did with her and my mother very often). It was very difficult on all of us. She wanted so badly to be extubated (have the ventilator tube removed). My mother told her she was allowed to use whatever words she wanted to after Jenny wrote some very interesting things on the paper about that tube... For Bella, Friday brought more of the same. She was still not responding and sleeping. There was talk that Aleacia and Sophia would be able to go home the next day.
There were so many people who came to support our family. They brought food and shared tears. My parents were so blessed by this I believe. People cleaned my parents' home, took care of the pets, brought clothes and even replaced the sump pump in the basement (clearly this would have been a highly inconvenient time for the basement to flood...).
I remember realizing just how special my sister and her family were to so many people and again pleading to God to heal them.
Saturday dawned after a night of excruciating pain for Jenny. I had begged the nurse on Friday night to mix her a good cocktail. They finally got the right combination and she was able to be "comfortable" for a few hours. It was so awful to watch her be in so much pain. I wanted to take it from her. She went in for surgery on her left femur on Saturday morning. She had a large metal plate attached with 13 screws put in the outerside of her left leg running from the top of her thigh to her knee. She had several other screws put in to attach the pieces of the bone that shattered back together. Given the circumstances, the surgeon said that all went well. He expected a few months in a wheelchair at least. Also, we had hopes for the tube to be removed on Saturday, but Jenny was still holding low blood counts. They were still watching her internal bleeding. She would have to endure another day of that.
Aleacia and Sophia were allowed to go home Saturday afternoon. They left with Matthew's parents to be with them at their house.
Isabella was still unresponsive. They did remove the head bandage, so I was able to see the incision and the drainage tube. The top portion of her hair was shaved and I could see a ridge in her forehead from the fracture. The swelling in her face had receeded, but she was still very black and blue between her eyes. We arrived at the hospital on Saturday morning with high hopes that we would see the tube come out and that Bella would show signs of progress. Saturday left us unfulfilled. I questioned when I would feel peace about coming back to Georgia.

Friday

The next few days, as I look back, are a real haze to me. I will give what I remember. Friday morning, just hours after the accident, I made it to the hospital. I was able to be back in with my sister. Tearfully, I watched her breathe each breath. I praised God for His provision thus far, that He had kept her alive, protecting her brain and spine from injury. With each breath, I gained confidence. I remember thinking about how stubborn she was. I remember thinking God gave her that quality for this specific time. She would need it. I prayed over her and asked God to continue to heal her. She opened one eye to see me, but I am not sure if she knew I was there. There was so much going on. She was in immense pain, heavily sedated, and probably still in shock. With a pleading heart, I left her to go to the other hospital to see my neices. First, I saw Sophia and Aleacia. Sophia had a very bruised face, stitches, and was very swollen over and underneath her left eye. She slept the whole time I was there, but they told me that each time she did awake, she was very aggitated and scared. She would begin to cry every time she heard the door to the room open. Aleacia was awake. She smiled at me and I hugged her. Her face looked so beautiful to me. She seemed very frightened also. Next, I went up to see Isabella in ICU. She had just come out of surgery hours before, so it was a little hard to view her like that. Her fracture was in the front of her skull. She had a deep laceration across the bridge of her nose and left eye. She was swollen around her mouth. Her head was bandaged around her skull. She had a drainage tube from her skull. She was very unresponsive to any sort of anything. It was hard not to wonder what the future would hold for her...

The journey begins

As Friday morning dawned, I was on my way to Ohio, frantic. There was much still to be revealed concerning the condition of my sister, Jenny, and her three girls. I knew that Sophia and Aleacia were thought to be in the clear (or going to make it), but no one knew about Isabella and Jenny. Jenny had internal bleeding in her liver and spleen, broken orbit (eye socket), mandible (jaw), broken left arm, ribs, right hip, and legs. Isabella was taken into surgery almost immediately after arriving at the Children's Hospital to fix the bleeding in her brain. As far as anyone had informed me or anyone knew, their prognosis was not good. The next few hours would be crucial...

On Thursday, July 9th, 2009, Jennifer and her three girls (Isabella and Aleacia, 8 year old twins, and Sophia, age 4) were in a severe car accident. Jennifer was careflighted to Miami Valley Hospital, sustaining multiple broken bones and internal injuries. Sophia was careflighted to Children's Hospital, sustaining a skull fracture. Aleacia was taken by ambulance to Children's Hospital. Isabella was careflighted to Children's Hospital, sustaining a severe skull fracture and bleeding on the brain. Jennifer's friend, Melissa, was in a separate car. She was taken to an area hospital with several broken bones.
http://projects.daytondailynews.com/galleries/News/Local/070909crash2/