Cyndi Dyson
Update 08/18/04
Today is August 18, 2004. Kayla is now almost 12 years old and has started
middle school last week. She also became a woman last week! I was not looking
forward to either one. My baby girl is growing up so fast. She's still a very
happy girl, thank god, we all know how the raging teenage hormones can make them.
Everything is still pretty much the same with Kayla physically. We had another
surgery on her hip in March. Another body cast, she was not happy about that. I
hope our story has helped someone along the way. I'm not working anymore because I
have no one to keep Kayla for me when the are out of school. Money is very tight
and I'm going nuts being cooped up in the house all day long, but I'm here for my
children. They all seem to be happy well adjusted children for now. We'll have to
wait and see what happens to Taylor in another year or two when she hits the teenage
years. I think she's the one that will give me a run for my money. Take care all.
Update 09/18/02Today is September 18, 2002, Kayla will be 10 in 10 days. It's been almost 4 years since her accident. She has come a long way. Kayla is still nonverbal and confined to a wheelchair, but hasn't lost a grade in school and has a very good social life. She's getting ready to get a Dynavox which I think will help tremendously. She also has a new little brother which she has wanted since her sister was born. Alan is 10 months old and Taylor will be 7 in 6 days. Life has gotten easier in many ways and harder in many more way, but life goes on with or without us, so I keep plugging away. Kayla has suffered so much and still seems to be able to laugh and smile all the time, so I guess I can too.
She's had titanium rods placed on both sides of her spine and been through a major hip surgery, among several small surgeries. Yet she still comes out with a smile on her face and just loves everyone. Nothing ever did happen to the man that hit her. He didn't even have the decency to fix the dent Kayla's head made in the front of his truck. Even after I'd begged several times. So shame on him, he will have to face God one day and answer for that. Have a good day and remember it does get better and it could be much worse.
Original Story
My story starts on October 30, 1998. It started out as any other Friday morning. I was running late for work as usual! I dropped off my oldest daughter Kayla at her bus stop, she looked over her shoulder and threw me a kiss and mouthed I love you. I smiled, then I rushed off to drop my other daughter at the babysitter's house, then off to work, barely made it on time. The day was still nothing out of the ordinary until about 4:15pm, I answered the phone at work and it was the fire department telling me that Kayla had been involved in an accident involving a car. All I could think was is, what was she doing in a car. She had rode the bus home to my sister's house. They wouldn't tell me if she was OK, just to go to the hospital. The whole way there I'm thinking OK it's just a broken leg, everything's fine. Well it was a broken leg alright along with bruised lungs, lacerations and the big one a severe closed head injury. I just remember trying to get to her and they wouldn't let me. I kept saying she needs her mommy. They told me the situation was very grave and they didn't think she was going to make the life flight to Mobile, AL. Needless to say she did! She spent 2 weeks in ICU in a coma. They transferred her to Scottish Rite in Atlanta, GA where we spent 8 1/2 weeks. She is doing well now. Cognitively she is fine, she's just stuck in that little body. We are battling muscle tone and decreased muscle mass. And she seems to keep a smile on her face throughout it all, except when her little sister who is now 4 aggravates her. Kayla is now 7. Kayla was and is my angel and it kills me to see her want to get up and play with everyone and can't. I know it kills her too.Email Cyndi
