Friday, October 31, 2008

Update 2 on Sad Situation - The result of drunk driving

Back on Sept 25, I wrote about a terrible accident that claimed the life of an unborn baby and seriously injured the mother. A drunk 18 year old hit their truck broadside. On Oct 1, I wrote an update about how the mother was doing. Yesterday I received another update on this girl from a friend of mine. This is what she writes...

I have a very good update on Angella. I went to see her today and she is now moved to the rehabilitation area. No more ICU... Yah!!!! and she can have flowers and balloons and magazines and etc... etc.... and real food. LOL!

She is so much better than my last visit when they had nicely taken her tubes out and she could only whisper and was still highly medicated. She can lift her right arm higher & can write or print her name (she's practicing because she has some limited mobility with it due to breaking her elbow) She has about an 18" scar down the back side of that arm that is like a zipper. Her right leg which was also broken is easier for her to move than her left leg. Due to the crushed pelvis she cannot move that leg yet and has to wear a boot because the foot wants to drop.

Her abdominal cavity is still not closed. They have packed it with some sort of a substance I have never seen before and covered it with clear tape. Due to infection I believe they have left it open, but tomorrow (Friday) they plan to go in and take a graft from her right leg and close her abdomen too, somehow using the graft in that. She did tell me that they did take her uterus. It was my understanding that because of infection they finally had to take it. They did leave her ovaries and so she hopes to at least be able to have eggs that may one day be used with a surrogate... (just her thoughts now).

She still has a very long road. They came in to turn her while I was there, because she is not able to move on her own. She hopes to be coming home in about 3 weeks. The doctors say she has made remarkable progress. Right after the accident she was given a 1% chance of surviving. Does anyone think this is a miracle? I told her how many many people had been praying for her and asking about her. People she does not know.

She never mentioned the baby, she only mentioned something about being pregnant. But she does know. I sensed a lot of depression. I tried to encourage her and get her to laugh. But she only smiled and I could tell she is very sad. But she is determined to walk and get better... and so I just encouraged her to take it a day at a time. That the Lord may have closed one door.. but I'll bet you he has another one open for her - I told her!

The hospital has given her a laptop to use, so she can e-mail. So I made sure I still had her e-mail so we can chat daily... I hope.

I CANNOT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH for praying for her. Prayer changes things! The prognosis was grim... but now look ... she may get to actually go home in about 3 weeks. Please continue to pray for her, if you think of it... tomorrow is surgery for her. And I guess, (according to her Dad) her Mom is not so good, kind of depressed too. The finances, and working and then the hospital every day... it can take a toll...

Please continue to pray for Angella. At this time, I do not have an update on the drunk boy who hit their truck and caused this tragedy to happen. His life too will never be the same.