Timewaster's Guide Archive
General => Everything Else => Topic started by: Mr_Pleasington on May 23, 2005, 01:01:52 AM
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My graduation party was on the 22nd. Big affair, lots of people and lots of fun.
My sister, who is four years younger than me, was helping my grandmother get the parking brake unstuck from her minivan which was on a hill. Something went wrong and my sister ended up pinned between the minivan and the floor of the woods at the bottom of the hill. Fortunately, many of my family are volunteer fireman/EMTs and as such there was a crew of skilled care workers right on hand.
She was taken to the local hospital where we learned she had fractured her tenth lumbar vertebre. She was airlifted to Barnes hospital in St. Louis, which is near where I live.
We found out the bad news soon after that. Two of her vertebrae were 100% dislocated, sheering the spinal cord. It is mostly, if not all, severed. We won't know for sure until rehab starts, but she'll most likely never walk again.
She goes into surgery tomorrow to fuse the spine so she can sit upright. It's a seven hour surgery and she may need another after that. Then we'll know how bad the damage really is.
For those who haven't met her, my sister is near-saintlike. She lives to serve others. She's been on countless mission trips to other countries and spends her summers working for Campus Crusade for Christ. She has the deepest faith of anyone I have ever met and that's one of the things that is getting her through this. She's the strongest person I know.
She's also a very active young lady. She loves playing all types of sports, hiking, backpacking, biking, and pretty much anything that keeps her active. While she is pursuing a nursing degree, she's always longed to coach volleyball. Knowing that she may not be able to participate in her passions breaks my heart as I type this.
We have a tight community in my hometown and the outpouring of support has been nothing less than amazing. People are bending over backwards to make our lives as easy as possible as we spend days in the hospital. Right now there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people praying for my sister now. I know we have over 30 churches involved. This support is what she is drawing strength from.
That's why we need more. If you pray, please keep my sister Jessi in your thoughts in prayers. If you don't pray, please send some good vibes her way. She needs all the help she can get right now.
Also, my grandma was slightly injured but is doing fine other than her misplaced guilt on blaming herself for what was a complete accident. My grandpa, her husband, has a very bad heart and does not deal well with this kind of news which led to him being admitted to the hospital on the same night as my sister and grandma and his weak heart started to act up. Both grandma and grandpa are physically fine now, but emotionally distraut. Please keep them in your prayers too.
Thanks to all of you in advance.
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I'm so sorry.
I wish the best for your sister, you, and your family.
I will be prayer for all of you.
Fittingly (ironicly?), I was reading this (http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1997.htm/ensign%20april%201997.htm/enduring%20well.htm?fn=document-frame.htm&f=templates&2.0) as you were posting.
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Your sister and your family are in my prayers, Dr. P. I'm sorry to hear this news.
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Ouch.... that's horrible. :'(
Small consolation might be the recent strides forward in cybernetic - style walking frames. A japanese company has working prototyes that do all the walking for the person, but i'm not sure if it goes off hand inputs (joystick etc) or if it simply amplifies the movement in the legs.
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Link to walking frame (http://www.asahi.com/english/nation/TKY200501030081.html)
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I'm sorry Mr. P. My little family and I will pray for your sister.
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She and your family are in my prayers, too, Dr. P. I hope they're able to at least stabilize her. That's a horrible thing to happen--but from the way you describe her character, she'll be able to handle it and use it to bless others' lives eventually, too.
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We'll definitely be praying for you guys, Mr. P. If there's anything else we can do, let us know.
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Same, just let me know if you need something.
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Thanks, everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
She had surgery today to fuse the spine and it was a complete success. We also found out that the spine was crushed, not severed. The doctor's prognosis remained the same, but it gave all of us a little hope she'll get some feeling back below her hips.
The outpouring of support from our community and from her friends in numerous Chrisitan organizations has been amazing. People are praying for her worldwide now. That's all we have to hold us together, but right now it's enough.
She's been stronger and more brave through this than I could ever imagine being.
Your prayers are being heard.
I'll keep you all up to date.
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Well its a good sign that the surgery went well and that the spine wasn't severed. Hopefuly things will continue to go well.
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Miracles can happen, and if she works hard, who knows what she can do!
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She was moved to rehab yesterday...the same place that Christopher Reeves went to actually. They haven't been able to get her pain regulated since they stopped the morphine pump so it's been a rough couple of days.
No improvement either. There's still hope of her getting something back, though.
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I'm not a praying man, but I wish the best for her and will ask those I know who do pray to do so for her.
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I am very sorry Mr. P, and I hope that everything works out for the best.
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I'm not much for prayers either, but I hope that things work out for you, your family, and her. My dad hurt several vertebrae last summer, and through a series of surgeries he has recovered most of the way. Some of the things they can do for people with spinal injuries these days are amazing.
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A bit of good news...
After her PT session today she was able to move her leg down to her ankle!!!!!!!
Woo hoo!
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That is great to hear.
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that is pretty awesome. So soon!
After my friend's stroke it was a month or so before he could even twitch his buttocks -- and his spine was doing just fine.
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Still, that would be a odd phone call -- calling people, excited that you can twitch your buttocks.
I missed this thread before, Dr. P. She's in my prayers, and I hope for the best. I'm glad to hear she's doing better.
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what's weirder was that I spoke with his wife at the time. Not him -- he was still having a hard time speaking. "There's some buttocks movement" is how she put it, I think. Yeah, that's pretty funny now that I think about it. Mr.P: you should ask your sister if she can move her butt.
Of course, at the time, it was much harder for us all to deal with, so it *was* pretty exciting to hear it. I'm grateful he came though and I'm still praying that Mr. P's sister does the same.
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My sister can't really twitch her butt, but we're hoping she can eventually. She's beginning to get some feeling back in it, but not much.
As an update, not much prognosis progress, but she is adapting amazingly. She can transfew to and from her wheelchair in just about any situation and will be in leg braces part-time soon. She gets released on the 8th.
Now the bad news, my grandfather (the one with heart trouble from the original post) had to have his leg amputated since his weak heart couldn't get blood down there. This was nearly a month ago now. He's been in the hospital ever since with infection and complications. Today he went in to get more of his stump chopped off since it wasn't healing.
Honestly, I'm not expecting him to be around much longer, but I'm hoping.
So my family is having a hard time staying on its feet (heh).
What a weird summer this is.
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I'm not christian and I only pray when it is absolutley nescesarry...
I'm praying right now.
Best of luck.
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Thanks, TFO.
That said, I think prayer has done nearly all it can.
Things are currently moving towards the best possible circumstances and really there is nothing more to be asked.
Now we wait and watch.