This is just to let everyone know how all of the prayers sent our way have helped Shannon become who she is today. Shannon decided to stay in school an extra year and graduated from high school in May of 2005 with honors and an Advanced Acedemic Diploma.She now plans to start college in the spring of 2007 to study in medical research to help find ways to help other people who suffer from TBI and other brain disorders. All though she still has many obsticles to over come,her spirit and drive to continue to get better everyday has be an inspirational part of my own life. She is my hero and I want to be just like her when I grow up! Yes, I say this because she has faced this with more grace,dignity and maturity than I think I could have and than all of her doctors ever thought she would.
Shannon suffers from short-term memory lose,double vision,tremors,sever headaches,balance problems and a small speech problem.She has had many surgeries to improve her vision and surgery on her ankles to help her stand and she has to have someone with her 24 hours a day to help her with the everyday normal functions that most of us take for granted.We now face the one surgery that I have feared most of all.....deep brain-stem stimulation to stop her tremors so she can live a more independant life and be able to stand and walk for the first time in 3 1/2 years without assistance.I know God will take care of her. If he didn't have plans for her, he wouldn't have let her come this far, but as her mother I still have fears of what if something goes terribly wrong and I lose her.
Shannon has talked to me in depth about the surgery and has expressed that God has taken care of her so far and he will be by her side throughout the whole surgery. she has stated that she is not really living right now and this is what she has to do.I have to admire her courage and put my own feelings aside. I know how hard it is on me and the rest of our family living with the after effects of her injuries everday, but I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is for her.She remembers everything about her life before the accident, all her hopes and dreams, all the plan she had made of going to college and the names of the children she had planned to have. She just doesn't have the memories from her junior year in high school before the accident, the accident itself and what happened while she was in a coma. She has beautiful memories of her "vourney" she was on while in the coma that will make the hair on your back stand up and if you are not a believer in God, you will be after your her tell it. I am and always have been a believer and I can tell you this, I have never fealt the spirit of God like I did when she told me where she had been and to look at the angles surrounding her to keep her safe.
Shannon is a very remarcible young woman who has experience more in 3 1/2 years that I have in my whole life. For any family that is at the point that we were in not knowing where to turn and what would happen next.....I hope this update will give you the strenght to not give up on the battle. If we had given up like alot of Shannon's doctors had told us to, where would she be now? We know the fight is not over yet and the vourney is long, but I see Shannon living her life as she had planned and having her own children for her to stand by through all of lifes challenges just as we have with her. I see her being an inspiration to those who don't know if they can continue.
God bless everyone who reads this and gets the courage and strenght needed to continue in your own battles with your family member going through the same as Shannon. Keep up the fight!
My daughter,Tabitha who is 16 is fine.she walked away with neck strain and minor cuts on her arms.my daughter Shannon who is 17 wasn't as lucky.she suffered a broke neck that we were told should have killed her instantly.she suffered major head trauma due to the roof collapsing.we were told she would not make it out of the emergency room.she fought to stay alive.we were told she would probably not make it the first 24 hours but she didn't give up and neither did we.we were then told the next 5 to 7 days would be the hardest due to all of the swelling and this would be the determining point.although she was in a coma she fought back and we fought with her.her doctors gave up on her and told us to find a nursing home,put her in it and go on about our lives.I'm sorry but I took a chance when I gave birth to her and I am not giving up yet.besides,it's in a higher powers hands now and miracles do happen.
Shortly after I was told to put her in a nursing home ,we had a wonderful doctor walk into her room from another hospital to talk to us about giving Shannon a chance to recover and asking could he help give her that chance.it was like our prayers had been answered to have a doctor that believed miracles do happen and someone higher up is in control.after being in the first hospital for 2 months with little response,we had Shannon moved to her new doctors hospital where he started taking her off all the drugs to keep her from coming out of the coma and within 3 days she started responding.she stayed in the hospital for 3 weeks under this doctor ,[3 months total time],and has been home now for 3 months.
Everyday is an experience for us.Tabitha blames herself and has alot of guilt because she told Shannon the light was green.my husband and I have not been back to work since the accident.we have stuck together not just for Shannon,but for Tabitha also as well as for each other.I don't think our immediate family could get any closer now.
I haven't questioned why this has happened because your not suppose to question god.I have questioned how the truck drive could not have known he hit them and why did he not atleast blow his horn if he was going to run the light.I mean if you could see Shannon's car you would ask the same question.his tire marks are across the hood.I thank god everyday that my girls are still here.I'm very lucky that I didn't have both in the same situation as Shannon.I thank god everyday that she is fighting to get better.she can't speak,walk,sit by herself,feed herself,or bath herself yet.she can now nod yes or no when asked a question,she will wipe her face when you ask her to,she works her arms and legs by herself when she is laying in bed.her left side was affected more and today for the first time she moved her left arm and leg just enough to know she was moving them by herself.everyday we are amazed at how hard she is trying and how far she has came from a child who wasn't suppose to! live.
These past few months have been life changing for all of us.on January 21,2003,Shannon and I were talking about college and on the 22nd our last conversation was before she left for school.she told me as she was on her way out the door to have a good day at work and she would see me later.she turned around,came back in the door,hugged me and said"I love you mom and you be careful today."she then left for school and hasn't spoke those words to me since.she came mouth a few words and I know it's just a matter of time before she speaks again,but I miss hearing those words from her and her coming up hugging me just because.
It's amazing to see that when something like this happens everyone wants to help when there's really nothing that can be done because you at the hospital,but the minute you get home and you can use the help no one comes around or they give you 100 excuses as to why they haven't been by,or they see you when you finally get someone to sit with your family member so you can go to the store and they say is there anything we can do,knowing all along they have know intention of doing anything anyway but it makes them feel better.during all of this you just want to say "well if you are really serious yes I have 3 loads of laundry,my grass needs cutting and I would really like 5 minutes to clear my head otherwise don't ask if there's anything you can do because you have enough to deal with and don't need the nonsense from them.sometimes I wonder am I the only one who feels this way?everyone wants to say "well,I did this and this while you were in the hospital".well,who cares,the real ! work starts when you get home and don't have all those nurses and doctors to take care of everything.the real work starts when we are on our on to be doctor,nurse,speech therapist,physical therapist,mom,dad,best friend,etc.don't get me wrong,because I would do all of this by myself again if need be,but it is aggravating that people are like this.
My family will get through this and Shannon ahs let us know she will keep fighting and beat this.I ask god everyday to let her finish the dreams she has had since she was able to talk the first time.time heals all wounds and patience is a virtue.that is what helps get me through this.
Thanks for letting me share my story and god bless you all.
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