Like most five year olds, Brooke is full of imagination, loves to dance, and is very creative. The difference between Brooke and other five year olds is that she suffered a c4 injury this past fall, which has left her a vent dependent, quadriplegic. Despite her physical limitations, Brooke is still full of life.
October 13th started off like many of our mornings, hectic. Before the madness began, sweet eight month old Aubrey woke up early to play. Dustin was going out of town for work, and he was leaving a little later than normal. Aubrey woke up like she did every morning, full of smiles that reached her eyes. Since Dustin was still home, we took a little time playing with our youngest daughter before getting up big sister Brooke. After we were all dressed and ready, we did something else a little out of the ordinary for a week day. We all had time to eat breakfast together before Dustin left for the week. We had no idea how special that morning together would be in the weeks to come.
On our way home that afternoon, the girls and I had a errand to run for Dustin, since he was out of town and couldn't do it himself. I had a gut feeling that day that I should just go home, I was tired, and had a lot to do with Dustin being gone. I should've listened to that gut feeling. We were involved in an automobile accident. What happened in the hours that followed are still a fog. When our car stopped, I turned to look at my precious babies. Aubrey was being so quiet and looked at me so serious, then layed her head down and closed her eyes. I begged her to open her eyes but when I looked beside her and seen Brooke my heart stopped. Brooke was laying over the back hatch of the car. I'll never forget the look on Brookes face when I pulled her from that car, not breathing. We were taken by ambulance to CMC Northeast in Concord NC. I finally got to talk to Dustin and let him know what happened, but he had no idea just how bad things were, neither of us did. Some of our family and my best friend met the ambulance at the hospital and we did all we could do in a time like that, pray. Brooke had to be intubated at the scene because she wasnt breathing on her own, Aubrey was still breathing on her own but it was apparant both girls had head injurys. We weren't being told much, but that the girls were in critical condition and needed to be airlifted to Levine Children's Hospital.
Dustin met us as we were getting signed in and someone was taking us to the PICU where the girls were. Almost immediately we were told that both girls were in very serious condition and the next few hours would be difficult. Both girls had suffered a traumatic brain injury and had swelling that the doctors were trying to control. It wasn't long before we were being told to prepare for the worst, and in Aubrey's case there just wasn't anything they could do, they didn't expect her to make it through the night. For the rest of the night and early morning hours the next day, we paced the halls, we cried, we prayed, we sang, and we rocked Aubrey. She was still hanging on, fighting for her chance. A sweet nurse had a regular hospital bed moved in her room instead of the crib so that I could lay with Aubrey. At home, Aubrey was co-sleeping with me, and I was still nursing. Within the next few minutes (or so it seems like now, I'm not really sure how long) Aubrey's heart started slowing down, she was loosing her fight. Our sweet baby went home to meet Jesus the morning of October 14th, while I held her in my arms.
As devestated as our family was, we still had another sweet girl fighting for her life. In the days that come we suffered another devestating blow when we learned that Brooke had suffered a c4 spinal cord injury. Doctors told us that she would most likely be on a vent the rest of her life, need a feeding tube in place, and because she had yet to wake up, we were unsure of the extent of her brain damage. Brooke's heart kept stopping, making the need for a pace maker imparative. Within the two weeks we spent in PICU, Brooke had to have a spinal fusion, a pace maker, a shunt (to help the fluid drain from her ventricals better), a trach, and a g tube. On Halloween we were transfered to a regular room, and then we were off to rehab. We stayed in the hospital until January 6th.
During our stay in the hospital, we were very fortunate to have the nurses, and doctors, committeed not only to Brooke's care while at the hospital, but they worked hard to ensure Brooke would be properly cared for by us once returning home. Dustin and I worked hard learning how to care for our sweet girl. We learned how to properly do trach care and trach changes, how to adminster medication through her g-tube, how to set up feedings through the g-tube, how to clean the g-tube site, how to transfer Brooke correctly, how to do passive range of motion and other PT and OT excercises, how to properly bathe her, how to cath her, and so much more.
Brooke continues to prove doctors wrong every day. She is talking on her own without the assistance of a special valve or voice box, she is no longer on tube feedings and can eat a regular diet, no modifications, she has complete feeling and sensation despite her level of injury. She no longer has to wear a neck brace, and is stregtening her neck and shoulder muscles more every day. Brooke hasn't had any major memory loss. She was able to go to preschool for the last five weeks of this school year and will be going to kindergarten on track this fall. In May Brooke was able to partcipate in her dance classes dance recital in her own way.
Brooke is breathing more indepently on her own, meaning the vent is doing less work for her. We are working hard to regain some movement but we have a long road to go. Brooke is such a hard worker and she is so postive, despite her physical limitations she is still a five year old little girl.
Our main goal/need for donations is to help ensure Brooke have everything she needs to live a full and happy life, even if it is in a modified manner. Our family is so grateful for the chance to tell our story, and hopefully inspire others that have gone through a life changing tragedy.