Still healing... Thursday, August 13th

I spoke with Jenny and Isabella last night! Jenny is spending every other day at the hospital with Isabella, so they were both there when I called. It was a joy to be able to hear both of their voices on the other end of the line. I don't know that I will ever take that for granted again...
Jenny said that Isabella is continuing to make progress. Her conversation is becoming more spontaneous. Apparently, the rehab center set goals for Isabella upon her arrival. They revisit these goals each week and benchmark her progress. This week, in locomotion (movement and balance), she has surpassed where she needs to be upon release. She also scored very high on bowel/bladder control. In the others ( including things like speech, social communication, self-care) she is very near where she needs to be. Jenny said that for the first time, she has a peace that Isabella will recover completely. She stressed that she still has a long way to go in some areas, but that she was confident that she will be fine.
Jenny said that Isabella played Sorry and UNO with her therapist yesterday. She had to explain at the outset the rules of the game. Jenny said she was able to do that and was happy with her sequencing/order skills.
The scar on her forehead is looking better and better. It is still really pink, but the swelling is almost completely gone. It seems like she has just a few days left to be in Columbus and then she will be able to be home with her family. School starts on the 21st. There are still many questions in the air about that issue. Nevertheless, it will be good when she comes home for all to have life return to some resemblance of normal again...
My sisters Stephanie and Jessica took Aleacia shopping yesterday for some school clothes. I am so happy that they were able to do something special like this with her. She is so distracted from the life an 8 year old should have right now. She has really needed some special attention. I can just see her eating it up and I certainly know they were able to find some very cute things for her to have! My heart really goes out to her during all of this. I can't imagine having a twin with me all the time, emotionally and physically, and then suddenly having that ripped apart. Even upon return, Jenny stressed to me that it will be difficult because they will both be at different levels of maturity. Please pray specifically for this issue.
My dad took Sophia to do something special yesterday as well. They were going to go play putt-putt. I can see Sophia's smile and I know she enjoyed every minute!
Jenny is making good progress as well. She had an ortho appointment this week. All the x-rays looked good, everything is healing well, and they were pleased she had been doing her therapy/strength training on her own at home. She can now almost fully extend her left arm and turn her hand up. They told her only that she needed to be bending her knee, that she would have to push through the pain and just do it. Also they told her that she will soon be able to put weight on her right leg, as tolerated. That means for her that she will soon be able to try getting around with a walker. She has yet to do that, and there will be no weight bearing on her left leg, but still it seems like a step in the right direction!
She does not have a CAT scan date for her mouth yet. Her cheek is still numb, but she is gaining more feeling around her eye. You will be happy to know that she can now flare her left nostril! She was so thrilled about this development and wanted me to share with you :) Her upper lip on the left side still has no feeling.
Once again, I express thanks for your faithfulness to intercede on behalf of my sister and her family. God's mercies are new each morning. Without, we would be lost. We are each so in need of His love, His forgiveness, His grace, His saving and His healing power.

"Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord is my strength and my song. He has also become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2

"You, Lord, will keep me in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on You because I trust in You!" Isaiah 26:3

Update for Saturday

I apologize for the delay between posts. As you can tell, the tide is slowing and the updates will be coming less frequently now that we are well on our way to recovery...
Jenny's mouth is getting better everyday. She still has screws in her mouth and has one in particular that keeps coming loose (she tightens it back herself :). She can not move side to side, her jaw, but feels like she is talking more clearly, eating more, and gaining some weight.
...I talked extensively with Jenny a few minutes. She and Matthew are heartfelt and sincere in their request to offer thanks to you for all of the cards, support, and prayer you have shown through this ordeal. They know that prayers have been heard and answered. They would ask that you would continue to intercede on behalf of their family, especially for Isabella's complete recovery.
Isabella has an expected release date of September 2nd, however she will likely come home before that. They are beginning to discuss where they would like to continue outpatient therapy, possible schooling options, and other things that let us know that the end of the hospitalization is creeping nearer.
Isabella is becoming more spontaneous with her conversation, not limiting herself to only questions and answer discussions. She is running, skipping and hopping (while being held by the therapist) and is now allowed on the outside "playground" in the therapy unit. She is still having short term recall issues, but that has shown improvement in the last week. She still struggles with decision making, right/wrong, and relating socially with her sisters. Her brain is relearning so many things! I have learned so much about how different brain injuries can be, how unusual the recovery period is. I am so thankful for the great strides in progress Bella has made thus far. I have no doubt that the same God who protected her in the accident, held her safely in sleep for 5 days, and brought her to this point in recovery will bring her full and complete healing. What goodness...
Please be in prayer this week for Jenny and her family. There are some really big decisions to be made very soon. Pray for discernment and wisdom for them. Thank you again for being so faithful. Love you all.

Update Wednesday August 5th

My sister and parents were able to visit Isabella today. Isabella seemed very good today. She played Pretty Pretty Princess (a board game) with her sisters after her therapy sessions and is seeming more like Isabella each day. She was able to tell my parents what she had eaten for lunch, so that was great short term recall. Jenny did a lot of prompting today to help her remember to be polite and to know how to act. She was grabbing things from the girls, but would correct herself when asked. Aleacia and Sophia both cried when they left the hospital because they had to say goodbye to their Daddy. They are feeling the emotional strain of the situation as well as young as they are.
Her release date is September 2nd. However, they will not release her until she is ready and they are ready to come home. They will have family meetings, school teacher meetings, etc. before the time to come home arrives. School begins in a few weeks for Aleacia.
Jenny's mouth is really sore. She is still hurting so bad and is hating the rubber bands. She still has the screws in her mouth (this is what she attaches the rubber bands to). When the rubber bands fall out, it hurts a lot to get it back in. She had to tighten one of the screws herself with her hand! She also found a tooth in the back of her mouth that is broken. The teeth that are loose in her mouth will supposedly tighten up. This is apparently normal for the trauma.
There is no date scheduled for her CAT scan as far as I know.
It seems like the story is slowing down, with developments coming fewer and farther between. I am so thankful for how God has carried these two and for how He is weaving their story. I am still and ever shall be so humbled by His grace, mercy, and love. Thank you for praying for the Laird family. Please continue to pray on their behalf.

Pictures from our trip

Here are a few pictures of our trip this weekend. If you would like to see more of the kids, I put more on my family blog www.schlappitimes5.blogspot.com

I also have uploaded several things this morning, so be sure you scroll down through the blog an visit the older posts if needed to be sure you catch it all!

Jenny's visit to the doctor

Jenny called me a few minutes ago. Her visit with her surgeon went well. He unwired her jaw and put rubber bands in place! She was not expecting this for another week, so it was a huge surprise. She can open her mouth now just a bit, enough for a spoon with a small bite to fit through. She is excited to be able to eat food! They talked about the bone in her mouth. He could not see it because he didn't want to pry her jaw open that wide to protect the bones that have healed. She is scheduling a CAt scan sometime in the next few weeks to view it. From there, he will most likely shave it down to a comfortable point and leave it. Until that point, she will have to keep wax on it to keep it from poking her tongue. She is happy to be able to open her mouth to get wax inside there! Thought you all might like to hear the good news!

Isabella's video

I took a small video on my phone of Isabella when I was with her on Saturday. She is looking for her chain with color swatches on it. She keeps it around her pinky finger. It is a little dark, but you can hear her speak a bit. You can also hear Jenny. It is so good to hear both of their voices!

Isabella's writing

I told you I would post some of Bella's handwriting. This one is special to me because she wrote about her aunts coming to see her. You can read the sentence above! Also, you can see where she saw that the words "ho" like santa says and "me" make "home." Thought you might like to see some tangible progress!