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October 2003
14th: Today Carly was in a Jet Ski
accident; one of the first times she has ever ridden one. Her ski hit
a sandbar and she was propelled into a nearby tree. Carly has suffered
massive head injuries, and after two surgeries has been placed in a
drug induced coma. There is nothing for us to do but wait and pray.
28th: The doctors have continually
attempted to lessen the coma inducing drugs to wake her up. However,
her brain starts to swell as the drugs are taken away.
Finally, today her brain stopped swelling when the
drugs were lessened, and Carly is starting to wake from her coma. We
have no idea the extent of Carly’s injuries. She might wake up
and be fine, we just don’t know.
30th: Carly’s beautiful long
curls are gone. The nurse asked if we wanted to keep her hair! We politely
refused. There is barely a scratch on Carly’s body, only her head
was injured. She lies still most of the day. One of her eyes threatens
to open.
November 2003
6th: Today Carly was transferred
from intensive care at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center to Waccamaw
Rehabilitation Center. While she was being transferred her catheter
became blocked and Carly had renal (kidney) failure.
12th: The nurses have started to reduce the size of
Carly’s tracheal tube.
17th: Carly is able to open her eyes
wider, increasing eye contact and following the nurses around the room
with her eyes. She will also hold my hand when I ask her to. I ask….wait….wait
and then finally, when I’m about to give up she clenches my hand.
Carly’s friends both cheer and cry in celebration with every new
movement Carly makes.
21st: Carly’s strength is starting
to improve. She held her head up on her own for 5-10 seconds today.
25th: Today Carly was held upright
with minimal assistance. She’s improving little by little every
day.
December 2003
1st: Carly’s tracheal tube
was removed today, revealing what her father affectionately calls her
“Badge of Courage,” a scar in the shape of a cross.
10th: To our excitement, Carly demonstrated
the ability to read by giving thumbs up or thumbs down to questions
she was given on paper.
13th: Carly is trying to walk with
the maximum assistance of two therapists.
17th: Carly is much more comfortable
now that her catheter was removed today.
20th: We are all so excited to see
Carly is writing fairly legibly and able to identify herself and her
family.
24th: Carly is starting to verbalize
in sentences—a Christmas blessing!
25th: Carly was able to go home
for four hours today. It was exhausting for both Carly and us. It was
so stressful. However, we were thrilled to get her out.
January 2004
1st: Today Carly had a feeding trial
with pureed food.
5th: The doctors say Carly is finally
ready to eat real food.
9th: Carly did a great job today!
She practiced walking up and down steps with maximum assistance.
12th: Carly was taken to the Myrtle
Beach Airport and she practiced getting on and off a plane as part of
her physical therapy. She is also demonstrating better head control.
13th: Carly had her first meal today
of chocolate pudding!
17th: Welcome home! Carly flew home
to California on a commercial flight. She was transferred to St. Jude’s
Medical Center where she received a cognitive evaluation.
18th: There was heartbreaking news
today. Carly’s insurance will no longer pay for Carly’s
rehabilitation.
February 2004
4th: Today Carly was discharged
from St. Jude’s as therapy is too expensive. It’s nice,
but overwhelming to have her at home.
8th: The hospital gave us a do-it-yourself
therapy pamphlet. It lists exercises to do with Carly. They are simple;
however, it takes Carly hours to complete them. The hospital also gave
us worksheets to do.
19th: Today Carly and I went grocery
shopping. She walked with the assistance of the grocery cart. Carly
waves at everyone she sees and makes faces at children. She is really
happy, however, unaware socially.
25th: Carly’s short term memory
is improving slowly. Carly has the most difficulty when remembering
peoples names and the past days events. We keep a diary of what we do
everyday, and when Carly wakes she must read it and try to remember.
March 2004
15th: I am too exhausted to take
care of Carly by myself. We started therapy at St. Jude’s today
paying out of pocket, $10,000, despite our inability to afford it. We
can only afford 8 weeks.
29th: Carly’s g-tube (feeding
tube) was removed.
April 2004
6th: Clint Reed, Carly’s college boyfriend of
four years, came to visit Carly. It was so great to see him and so hard
to say goodbye.
15th: Carly makes us so proud! She
began to walk without her cane today! She is still limping and swinging
her left leg as she walks. Carly is still hardly using her left hand;
she has to be constantly reminded to try to use it.
May 2004
1st: Carly began limited (financial
reasons) Hyper Baric Oxygen Treatments, which is brain therapy that
heals the brain by increasing the blood and oxygen supply to the brain.
7th: Carly’s appetite has greatly
increased. She is having better luck swallowing. Movement in her left
arm is still limited but it’s improving.
9th: Coastal Carolina University
held their graduation commencement ceremony today. Clint graduated along
with Carly’s other classmates and friends. Carly would have graduated
today.
12th: Clint has come to see Carly.
He will stay for four days so I can see Brittany at Ohio State. I really
need this rest and I am so grateful to get to spend time with Brittany.
14th: Tonight Carly spent the night
away from home for the first time since the accident. She stayed at
a high school friend’s home and came back early afternoon the
next day.
17th: May 17th: Clint went home
to Australia today; it was a heartbreaking scene at the airport.
June 2004
1st: Carly starts therapy at Mission Hospital,
half a day, three days a week. She goes to outpatient for speech, occupational
and physical
therapy.
11th: Carly's sister Brittany Marie arrives home from The Ohio State
University. Carly is so happy to see her sister again.
14th: Carly starts accupuncture
treatments. She's such a trooper!
19th: Carly is excited to go to
Michelle Davis' graduation party. Michelle was one of Carly's team-mates
at both Santa Margarita Catholic and
Laguna Beach Club. She comments she wishes it was her graduation
party too!
22nd: She has her first Neuropshchology appointment. Carly really likes
the doctor.
25th: Big surpsise for Carly...Clint, her long-time boyfriend and
the love of her life, comes for a brief 4-hour visit at the airport,
from
Australia. Clint is on his way to Canada for Kaite and Mihai Radikanu's
wedding.
27th: Clint Robert Reed {as Carly calls him} comes back for a 4-day
stay on his way back to Australia. Wishes he could stay longer but
needs to get back to his position on the Sidney Razorbacks, a professional
basketball team. Clint will be back after his season ends in April.
July 2004
6th: Carly continues her hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatments about
4 times a week.
11th: Kayte Fogal's Bridal Luncheon. Carly is Kayte's Maid of Honor
for her wedding in August.
16th: Carly starts DPMS therapy. This is a muscle stimulation therapy
sequence to strengthen her swallowing and speech.
18th: Carly's volleyball coach from Coastal Carolina University, Coach
Kristen Bauer and her husband Kevin come to visit for a few days. Carly
is absolutely thrilled!
25th: Carly's assistant coach, Doneva Bays from Coastal comes to visit.
For Carly, this is all too good to be true!
August 2004
2nd: Carly starts horse therapy riding. The gait of certain horses
helps to learn to walk properly.
7th: Kayte's wedding to Ross Anderson. It was a wonderful blessing
to see our Princess Carly actually walk down the isle by herself to
celebrate
this special event, as the most beautiful Maid of Honor ever!
8th: Carly's birthday beach raffle party. It was a huge success,
Carly loved calling out the winners. She said she wished everyone could
win.
19th: Carly, Christy and Brittany fly to Colorado to visit Christy's
parents and have some much needed rest in the beautiful Colorado Rockies.
30th: Carly starts at Coastline Community College Acquired Brain
Injury Program. This is a nationally known school that helps to teach
people
with acquired brain injuries to settle into their new lives. This is
a two year program that includes: goal setting, counseling, neuroeducational
assessment and job training and placement assistance. Hopefully, this
program will help Carly re-learn the skills that will enable her to
get back to Cioastal Carolina and complete her senior year, she was
so close to graduation!
October 2004
Oct 2- Carly is doing her hypo or horse therapy every Saturday at
The Shea Center. It helps her remember the regular walking gate by
feeling the horse walk.
Oct 5- She does her physical therapy at Mission hospital with occasional
visits at our house by a physical therapist.
Oct 11- Carly is seeing a chiropractor who is stretching and doing
cranial sacral therapy.
Oct 14- Carly's 1st anniversary of her accident. We had a celebration
party to thank about 60 people who have helped so much with Carly's
website and fundraiser.
November 2004
Nov 7- Carly had a fundraiser put on by Bob Ooosdyke owner of Reniu
Spa in Dana Point. It was a great success and we are so thankful
to Bob and his staff at Reniu.
Nov 11- Carly's conference at Coastline Community College Aquired
Brain Injury Program. She is doing well there but still complains
that she can't believe she doesn't get any college credit for it!
Nov 21- Our whole family returns to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
for Thanksgiving. We visited Dr.'s, therapists, nurses, EMTs, and
many friends, coaches, and teachers. It was wonderful to have them
see how far Carly has come and thank them for all their help.
December 2004
Dec 2- Carly is still going as much as possible to her hyperbaric
oxygen treatments. She goes about 2-3 times a week.
Dec 6- Carly has started speech
therapy twice a week to improve on her cognitive abilities as well
as her actual peech. It is a
slow process but we will get there.
Dec 16- Carly's last day of school at Coastline untill Jaunary 31st.
We are continuing our therapies elsewhere and at home for the holiday
season.
Dec 25- Carly's whole family including
her parents, sister, grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins were all
together at home in Dove Canyon
to celebrate Christmas and how much we have to be thankful for.
Jan/Feb 2005
Carly continues to attend Coastline Community College
where she is doing very well. Her goal is to return to Coastal Carolina
University and finish her degree where she has just 25 hours remaining.
We would like Carly to complete one more year at Coastline but she
is determined to return to South Carolina to complete her degree
this September. If you know Carly, you know the level of her determination!
Carly
continues Physical Therapy several times a week, with continued
progress being made on her left side.
Speech Therapy continues twice
a week, with extremely encouraging results. Carly memory is improving,
she loves math and her speech
has improved slowly but measurably.
Carly enjoys spending time with
her Neuropsychologist who has gained her confidence and gives her
someone to share her thoughts and dreams
with.
Horseback Riding Therapy each Saturday continues
to be a therapy Carly really enjoys. A horses gait is very similar
to a human gait
and thus enables Carly to feel proper gait.
Carly received botox
shots in her left calf to help relax her muscle that is hampering
her walking due to its spasticity. We're pushing
really hard to take advantage of the window of opportunity the
botox provides.
Carly wants to drive again, so with that in mind
we have scheduled her for a special needs driving analysis at St
Judes
Hospital. We'll
keep you posted!
Carly and her mom are taking Pilates together and
seem to enjoy a non-therapy setting and the special time working
on something together.
Pilates has Carly determined to walk normally again and dreaming
of running in the future, something she really enjoyed prior to
her injury.
Carly wanted me to share that she feels so blessed
to be alive and to be recovering and that she thanks God each day
for
her life, family
and friends.
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