12.31.02 Chelsie had the cast removed from her right arm today, and they said that everything looks great and she doesn't need to have another one another put back on. Now there's one cast gone and two to go. She is starting to roll from side to side and push her bottom up with her leg muscles even with the cast on. In therapy today, they had her sitting up on a bench and made her inch her way down the bench sideways using her legs and arms. Chelsie went to the dentist so they could check on the broken tooth she has. She was able to open her mouth wide enough for them to give her an exam. Tonight she said "aahh" and "Momma." Chelsie also wanted to tell everyone "HAPPY NEW YEAR", but since she couldn't say all of that she decided to just blow a party whistle to send the message.
12.30.02 Chelsie had another great day in OT/PT therapy. She also started getting speech therapy twice a day, and it turned out she had her best day of speech therapy on the 2nd session today. Check out the pics of the week link forpictures of Chelsie in therapy.
12.29.02 Chelsie had a very good Sunday. The nurses taught her how to use the nurse call button when she needs them, and she has used it twice to call them. She also learned how to turn on the TV using the button, and she has even done that. Her mom and dad asked her to give them a big smile today and she gave them one of those special Chelsie smiles and even gave dad a hug today.
12.28.02 Chelsie had a very good day in PT/OT therapy. In fact, today was most likely her best day with them ever. She sat by herself on the side of the therapy table for the first time and did it several times without any help . She even shot baskets with a ball through a hoop for the therapists.
12.27.02 Chelsie is making great progress with her feet and her arm. They changed her casts today. One foot is at 5, and the other is at 8. Her arm is at 21, all are trying to get to 0. Chelsie is lifting her head up to help change her clothes and also putting her left arm through the arm hole of the shirts. She is starting to roll a little to one side, so she is not flat on her back. Her Mom walked around the end of her bed today and asked Chelsie that if she could see her, then hold up two fingers. Sure enough, those two fingers came up instantly. The big thing today was when she kissed her little brother on the cheek for his 14th birthday. What a present that was.
12.26.02 Chelsie had a very good day in PT therapy today. They were very happy about the progress she made today using her legs and arms. Her right arm, where the cast is, continues to make improvement. Her dosage of stimulus medicine was even increased today. The doctors think it will speed up her recovery and actually waking up.
*Thanks to all who replied with the "In the Valleys" link! It's restored now!*
12.25.02 MERRY CHRISTMAS! Chelsie had a great day at home with her family. She really seemd to enjoy a nap in her own bed, and she got to open gifts with her friends and family. Check out her Christmas pics posted of festivities at the hospital and her trip home. Chelsie made the trip home very well--much better than nervous mom and dad did!
*Important* The link for "In The Valleys" was accidentally lost. If anyone knows the address for this link, please e-mail it to [email protected]. Thanks so much!
12.24.02 Chelsie received an early Christmas present from the speech therapist today-- ICE CREAM!! She was able to bite down and chew on the nuk brush on both sides of her mouth, so they brought in the ice cream. She started stretching her whole body like she was trying to wake up out of this coma. A picture of her tasting ice cream is posted to the pics of the week. A doctor used the word "remarkable" to describe her progress over the last few days.
12.23.02 Chelsie received a new cast on her right arm today after they measured it, and it is at 25 degrees; zero is getting closer all the time. She thinks with the holidays coming up that she gets a break from the therapists-- wrong they have shown her Mom how to do her therapy, so the hard work still continues. With Chelsie resting better at night, that means her days are more productive.
12.22.02 Chelsie likes Sundays. It is a day she can relax and have no therapy of any kind--except her dad trying to teach her how to give him a kiss on his cheek. He finally accomplished it late this afternoon. She practiced her communication skills with the thumbs up today as well.
12.21.02 In PT/OT Therapy today they asked Chelsie to left up her left leg 5 times and her right leg 5 times. She accomplished the left leg the right leg only 3 times, but that was great. Then they had her pull items that had been velcroed to a board off of the board. With some assistance, she managed to get the job done. Her candy cane casts have been renamed to Peppermint casts for Peppermint School and ALL of HER kids there that she loves so much. Chelsie finished her day with her wonderful girl friends who came by for their annual Christmas dinner. What a beautiful sight they all were.
12.20.02 Chelsie continues to show improvment. Today was most likely her best day since arriving at ACH. All forms of therapy worked with her new signals: thumb up for yes and down for no. She started lifting her head off the pillow and turning it to make herself more comfortable this evening. Also, when her head fell over while she was in her wheel chair, she lifted and fixed her head back like it is suppose to be. She got new casts on her arm and both legs today. Both feet and her arm showed lots of improvement. Her new casts are red and white candy striped. We also learned that she gets a day pass to go home for Christmas day. She still has a lot of work ahead of her and still a long way to get out of coma.
12.19.02 Chelsie finally did some communicating with the occupational therapists today. They put some of her lotion under her nose and told her to give them a thumbs up if it smelled good. She responded and then they told her to put her thumb down, and she did that as well. When they told her to move it from side to side, guess what--she did that too! She is even cradeling a bear in her left arm, which is something she would not do about 4 days ago.
**A Side Update** Luis, the exchange student in the car accident with Chelsie, received news that he doesn't have to have surgery on his shoulder. This is great news!
12.18.02 Today Chelsie underwent a normal day of therapy. Her school teacher took her on a shopping trip to buy Christmas presents, so she could get some gifts for her family. Chelsie made some purposeful hand movements for her Dad this evening as well. Chelsie also recieved a very special message in her guestbook today. Be sure and check it out :)
12.17.02 Well Chelsie must have been a wanted girl today. She had a visit from the Arkansas State Troopers. Lucky for her they didn't come to arrest her, just to give her a trooper teddy bear. Then 3 young men from the Riverblades Hockey Team came and had their picture made with her. She started moving her mouth in a position like she was trying to blow bubbles or even blow out a candle. Maybe that will lead to words being said. She is maintaining her weight fairly well over this 7-1/2 week time period. The weight loss is about 9 lbs.
12.16.02 Chelsie continues to have great success with the cast on the right arm. She gained 5 more degrees in 3 days. The therapists are pleased. She opened her mouth enough today so we could put medicine all over her tongue and gums a couple of different times.
12.15.02 Swallowing is becoming easier for Chelsie. She did a lot of it today. Pretty soon she will get to try ice cream! She took a trip outside to the hospital entrance and saw Santa ride in on a motorcycle. She even had her picture made with Santa at the age of 18. She is getting stronger in holding her head without any support.
12.13.02 Wow, what a wonderful 18th Birthday Chelsie had. So Many Birthday Wishes Her speech therapy went very well today; she finally opened her mouth and even stuck out her tongue. If she continues doing that, they will start giving her ice cream. She received all new casts, one on each leg (one red, one green) and a green one on her right arm. The arm straightening is doing great. We are at a negative 35 working on a zero degree. Her right foot changed some, but her left did not, so they gave her some medicine to relax her, so when they put the new casts on her feet, they could be pushed back a little farther. The opening to her trac has healed over nicely. She doesn't even have a bandage on it any more. She is gaining more control in holding her head up for a few seconds by herself.
12.12.02 Chelsie had a productive day in school today. The teacher had her hold a piece of clay in her left hand, told her to put her finger prints in the clay and she made a small impression in the clay. He also was telling her to push a button on a music box and she did. They took the pic line out of her left arm today. The respiratory treatments have been discontinued. She is becoming a free lady every day.
12.11.02 Chelsie did something she hasn't done for us while she has been in the hospital. She had some tears roll from her right eye today and some last night as well. She did well in her normal therapy today. As for her MRI: the medical term as we were told is Evidence of extensive shearing injury to the brain with global atrophy, so it looks like Chelsie will be in for a long rehab. This is something we have expected from the start. The MRI also reported damage to all lobes of the brain.
12.10.02 Chelsie had a very busy day today. She started by being put on the tilt table to strengthen her ankles (pic of her on table in pics of the week link). She got a new cast on her arm, and the swelling is about gone. They were proud of the way her arm has straightened in the last couple of days. They put a new green cast on her for now. The big news of the day is that today she had an MRI of her brain, and we should get the complete results back tomorrow. Early results don't look as promising as we had hoped, which could mean lots of extended therapy. Chelsie may have to just work a lot harder.
12.09.02 Chelsie made an improvement on her right arm that had the cast on it. Today when they took off the old cast, they measured her elbow. It had made a 10 degree change, which was good. The new cast today has her elbow straightened out even more. Maybe she will continue making progress with each new cast. She has not been as agitated today as well.
12.08.02 Sundays are rest days for the hospital, so Chelsie had a day off of therapy. Her eyes have started to focus more than before. Chelsie had a very good rest last night. Tomorrow will be a very busy day for her. She'll have new casts on her lower legs, a new cast on her arm,and lots of therapy.
12.07.02 Chelsie had a restful day. She had a couple special visitors come by--Minnie Mouse straight from Disney World came to Chelsie's room. She got her picture made with her. (We will post it later) Taylor Johnson and her Mom came by for a visit today also. Taylor had a car accident with a brain injury similar to Chelsie's incident. She has gone through a coma in Arkansas Children's Hospital like Chelsie is now. Taylor had her accident on July 25 and is in advanced rehab in a place that we will most likely send Chelsie to later. See pics of the week to see a picture of Chelsie, Taylor, and her mom Paula at Chelsie's bedside today. We look forward to seeing Taylor visit each time to show us hope for Chelsie and that she will make a recovery like Taylor has.
12.06.02 Chelsie got new casts on her lower legs. They are red. She had a very busy day of therapy. She spent a lot of time in her wheel chair. Chelsie is beginning to move her right hand and right foot some tonight, which is the first time in a long while. There are some new pics of her in therapy posted today in pics of the week.
12.05.02 Chelsie had an active therapy day, but there is not much of a status change for her. A picture during speech therapy has been posted to the website under Pictures of the Week. They work all of the lip/mouth muscles, so when she is awake these muscles will work for talking and chewing. She has adapted to all of her cast well.
12.04.02 Chelsie had a cast put on her right arm late yesterday to help straighten out the elbow. They also did an ultra sound on the arm and everything looked really great. The swelling in that same arm is going down. She continues to be active with this level four, but that is because of the exercise she is giving herself.
12.03.02 Chelsie received new casts today. She sat in a wheelchair for about 3 hours this morning. She is being stubborn; we try to pad her bed rail, so she won't hurt herself, bu it doesn't matter what we put around it. She is finding a way to move it, so she can find her security blanket (the rail).
12.02.02 Chelsie continues to be agitated and she is starting to bruise herself by hitting the bed in her frustration. They put a p.i.c. (peripheral intravenous catheter) in her arm today, so they can give her medicine and draw blood from it and not have to stick her all the time.
12.01.02 Chelsie had a pretty good day today. Her eyes were open most of the day except for when we put her in a wheel chair and took her down to the 1st floor to view the Christmas decor. She slept most of that trip. Chelsie's parents had an a object in their hands and had her pick it up from one hand and transfer it back and forth between them. She did that chore pretty well.