01.31.03 Chelsie had another great day, but we left some of yesterday's update off. Yesterday, she walked 200 ft. using an ARJO walker and participated with speech in a group session called FEAST, which stands for functional eating and swallowing time. They also worked with her on oral motor skills, making plans on working to get off nector thick liquids, working on safe swallow, and making the correct food choices. Today she wasn't nearly as tired as yesterday. The staff said she even dressed herself--except for putting her shirt on backwards! She did all of this independently, with just a little trouble with her shoes. She also came up with things/ideas in conversation that weren't routine. These subjects took a lot of thought processing. Mom, Dad, and lil bro Chase visited her this evening, and she looked great. They took several pictures of her in her room. Check them out in January pics of the week.
01.30.03 Chelsie knows how to make her mother's day. When mom walked into the occupational therapy room this morning she looked up from her table and had the biggest Chelsie smile (the one we have all come to love). She accomplished the task of writing two pages of words. This was a big step since she had not been writing at all. She said Timber Ridge is very pretty. She said her roommate did not snore last night, but she also said she was asleep. Today was a day for everyone taking care of Chelsie to get acquainted with her and her with them.
01.29.03 Chelsie is at her new home for now at Timber Ridge Ranch. She arrived there at about noon today. We got her settled in and her room all fixed up. Chelsie will start a full day of therapy and school tomorrow. She had a little bit of school today; in fact she read off of the chalk board several sentences for the teacher. Her Dad called and talked to her at about 8:30 tonight and had a good conversation with her. She said she had a hot dog for dinner and had just taken her first shower there. Several of her friends called her tonight, and she knew their voices without them telling her who they were. It definitely wasn't easy for Mom and Dad to leave her this evening. Chelsie's new contact information is posted under the "Timber Ridge" link.
01.28.03 Chelsie had a very good day again. She gave herself a shower and blow-dried her hair. We had our last meeting with the medical staff today about her progress and made plans with school officials about her needs for graduation. She is off to Timber Ridge Ranch at 10:30 tomorrow morning. The last couple of days she has had several people read her messages out of her guest book. She has been amazed by all the messages for her recovery. Her Dad asked her what she thought about the website and she said it was really cool. :) See pics of the week for new pictures. There is also new information under the "Explaining A Coma" link
01.27.03 Chelsie had a wonderful day in all of her therapy sessions and even in school. She worked very hard and did everything they asked without hesitation. She completed tasks that she hadn't been able to before as well. Chelsie walked with a regular walker today, but still with some assistance from the therapist. We feel that the agitation stage maybe over with.
01.26.03 Today Chelsie had her best day since her accident. It started by taking her to Sunday school and then to church. When it was time to sing, she started singing. We were all amazed in her singing so well. She also read the church program. Then Chelsie went to have dinner at home. Her Dad asked her to say the blessing for the first time in over 3 months. She said the whole blessing by herself. She sat in her chair at the table and then she went to the couch to watch TV. She never got into the wheel chair while at home. A little bit later she watched some of the super bowl.
01.25.03 Chelsie laughed out loud for the first time today when her long time friend Jeremy came by for a visit and talked with her. She even smiled several times on her own. On the last trip to her room from therapy, the therapists took off her braces and had her walking without them. She still has a long way to go to have full balance, but she is working hard. See pics of the week to see Chelsie walking without her braces.
01.24.03 Chelsie had a good day with her PT/OT therapy. She worked hard in both today. She even did a good job for speech therapists also. When her Mom and Dad played her favorite song today "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me, she sang the entire song to the music remembering all the words. It brought tears to our eyes.
01.23.03 Chelsie had a very busy day. She started off with a trip to the hairdresser--her first time in over 3 months. Then she was off to an assembly at her school and had lunch with her classmates. Then we attemped to take her to one of her classes, but by then she was really tired, so back to the hospital she went. We showed her the special on the local news tonight that they had filmed of her at school. A few minutes later she started asking us who started this website and why. She still doesn't understand all of it yet. Next Wednesday will be a big day for her and the family. She will start her rehab at timber ridge. This will be a hard thing for her Mom and Dad, and they will need lots prayers to help them get though her being there alone.
01.22.03 Chelsie had a really good day with all of her therapy sessions. She is telling us she has a headache. Hopefully this won't be something that happens often. Chelsie said dad eat your heart out; you didn't get the first dance. My good looking therapist Steven did!! (see pictures of the week). Chelsie was treated by the hospital to a dinner at Red Lobster. She liked the shrimp, salad, and baked potato a lot.
01.21.03 Chelsie asked her Dad to take her out of the wheel chair and put her in the bed today. Her Dad told her she needed to stay in the chair a while longer. She didn't like that answer, so she reached over and grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the chair. Chelsie also wasn't very nice in speech therapy this morning. She took the flash cards and threw them off to the side. However, despite her stubborness, she managed to take her socks off by herself today.
01.20.03 Chelsie was a real sleepy head today. She even got put in time out twice today during group school. I guess she wasn't being a good girl! The Doctor put Chelsie back on her wake up meds today because she has been wanting to sleep way too much the past couple of days. Needless to say Chelsie wasn't a happy camper today. It was Chelsie's way or no way.
01.19.03 Chelsie had a day pass to go home for the day. She started by going to Sunday school--her first time since her accident. Then she went to children's church to see all the little kids at her church. Then she was off to her house for a nap and dinner with her family. Matthew who goes to her school, was moved from ICU this afternoon to across the hall from Chelsie's room.
01.17.03 Chelsie worked really hard in therapy today, especially on the neck and leg exercises. She started feeding herself some of her meal. She gets a little tired and needs some help toward the end when some of the food falls off the fork.
01.16.03 The school teacher said he could see a change in Chelsie since Monday. She can read pages that have just two or three words on them. When you get a lot of words they seem to over load her mind and she will just quit altogether. Sometimes she tells us when she needs to go to the restroom.
01.15.03 Chelsie started the day off by calling her dad and telling him Happy Birthday. She is doing great with her eating. She ate all three meals today. Maybe it won't be many more days until the tube feeding can be stopped completely. Chelsie is getting stronger in both her legs and arms. She worked really hard for in therapy this afternoon, doing everything she was asked without hesitation.
01.14.03 Chelsie is working really hard on being able to brush her hair and teeth without any help. She is starting to put cards that tell a story in the right order sequence. Tonight she is not in a very good mood at all. She is wanting her pa paw to come get her and take her to her own room at home. Since that can't happen, she is shaking the bed rail. The doctors said Chelsie is doing part of level 5 on the coma scale (check the link above). It looks like she may have 3-4 weeks left here at Childrens Hospital.
01.13.03 Chelsie is trying to tell her therapists when she will do therapy and when she won't. Since she is getting a little stubborn, they are coming up with daily goals for her to accomplish. After she has done them, then she can rest. Chelsie is doing really well in speech therapy. She is saying the months of the year, days of the weeks, her address, telephone numbers and remembering every day things that we all take for granted. She makes complete sentences that make sense along with correct meanings.
01.12.03 Chelsie had a day pass to go to church and home today. While driving in to town, dad asked her if she knew where she was and she said she was just entering Lonoke. After her church service she went home and had two helpings of her mom's homemade chicken and dumplings. Then snow started falling in town and we had to take her back to the hospital a couple hours early.
01.11.03 Chelsie had a very restful day, and is looking forward to getting a day pass tomorrow to go to church and home for a few hours. She has been progressing very fast in her pt/ot therapy. The therapists have mentioned she was going too fast and want to slow her down. She even walked down the hall today without a walker.
01.10.03 Chelsie told us for the first time she needed to go to the bathroom. She got to take her first shower today since all the cast are off. She said it sure was nice. Chelsie is working real hard for them in therapy, even though she will tell them when it is hurting. She has learned that the only thing she is in control of is the eating. When she's feeling OK, she has no problem eating, but when she's in a mood she won't eat at all.
01.09.03 Chelsie is one happy person because she finally got all of her casts off today. She walked for approx. 70 yards wearing some ankle and foot braces. Chelsie told her dad and the school teacher that school was boring and too easy, so the teacher said he was going to make it a little more challenging. Tonight while she was sitting in the wheel chair in one of her moods, she just reached down with her hands and rolled herself right out the door into the hall.
01.08.03 CHELSIE WALKED!!! She walked from her room to the therapy room (approx. 35 yards) with her casts on. Then she had therapy and had to walk back another 35 yards to her room. It was amazing! Needless to say, she was very tired afterward. Chelsie is in a mad mood also. She wants to go home. She realizes she is not at home but doesn't understand everything she still needs to do before she can leave. She even wanted her brother to come and drive her home. When she is like this she won't eat and doesn't like anyone.
01.07.03 Chelsie took her first steps today, even with the casts on. There was a couple of different times that she was agitated and climbed out of the wheel chair and also her bed. Lucky for her someone was there to catch her before she went to the floor. The doctors evaluated her sinus and eye CT's (a type of X-ray) and told us that the surgery could wait for 6 months.
*Important* Another Lonoke High School student is in critical care right now after suffering a head injury. Matt Duncan is currently at Children's Hospital and is on a vent. We don't know very many details, but please keep him and his family in your prayers.
01.06.03 Chelsie had the swallow study done today and was able to have real food this afternoon. She ate some mashed potatoes, apple sauce, and banana pudding. Every meal, she will receive some normal (real) food along with her formula through the feeding tube. As she eats more, she will receive less formula. She really liked getting to have a drink of water the most. Chelsie continues to do different things in therapy as well as doing them for a longer period of time, which means she is gaining a little bit more strength in her body. See new pictures in pics of the week.
01.05.03 Chelsie had a fantastic day. She went to Church for the first time since the accident. Then she took a nice two hour nap in her own bed. Chelsie wanted to tell Mr. Gib what a wonderful job he did on her favorite song and THANK YOU. Mom and Dad had to wipe tears from her eyes while Mr. Gib was singing but Chelsie wasn't the only one crying, so were a lot of people. She told her family when she was at home to get her up and take her outside. She liked the sun hitting her face as she strolled around the neighborhood.
01.04.03 Chelsie is feeling a lot better today. She is also getting stronger in holding her head up straighter by herself. She told her mom that she wanted her voice back. She told her Mam Maw she needed her soft blanket. Chelsie took a stab at trying to brush her teeth by herself, but she still needs a little help with that task.
01.03.03 Chelsie had a really hard therapy today. They laid her across a huge orange ball and stretched every muscle in her body. She moaned and told them about it the whole time. When it came down to the last minute they told her to count. You can imagine how fast she counted to sixty! This evening she has been uneasy due to an upset stomach. The talking continues with her even being able to read words printed across shirts.
01.02.03 Well Chelsie may have taken the talking a little far on her 2nd day. She told one of the therapists "don't" when he was stretching her right shoulder and even tried to move his hand off of her shoulder. She also told him "ouch" this afternoon when he was twisting her from side to side. Chelsie is getting ready for a big step. They had her stand up today; those skinny legs didn't show signs of being too weak. She also counted 17 bean bags at the same time she was putting them in a bucket. That was truly amazing. The school teacher has stepped up the pace as well. He gave her a quiz today since she is talking (she passed). She was able to spell her name, not just say it. The speech therapist gave her ice cream this morning and pudding this afternoon. Her swallowing is a little slow, but with practice it will speed up. She didn't like the trip to the dentist today. She had to have a temporary crown on the tooth that was broken off when the vent tube was put in the night of the accident.
01.01.03 Chelsie started the new year off with a bang. She started talking today. We dialed the phone a dozen or so times for her to tell family and friends "Happy New Year." She even answered some questions a few people asked of her when they heard her voice. She said several phrases today including "I love you," "love you bunches," and "Happy New Year." She even told her grandfather "Happy Birthday" today. She is really making progress towards recovery but has a lot of long rehab ahead of her.