We Southern women know just how to say it….especially when we use the phrase “bless her heart” right behind speaking less than favorably about another woman’s behavior…choices, etc.  But this time the phrase is full of all the sincerity this Southern mother can offer.  Hillary is heading to surgery once again, but this time just three days before she had hoped to walk down the aisle (cane free) for her sister Brittany’s wedding.

When Hillary visited her doctor this week to begin the refill process for her baclofen pump (the implant pump to control spasticity) Veronica, Dr. Konrad’s nurse practitioner, was unable to find the crucial portal which removes– then refills– the liquid baclofen.  After many, many tries at inserting the needle, scraping poking and sliding all around the pump, Hillary was sent to xray to pinpoint the portal’s location.  Hillary had been such a trooper though it all.  When we returned hoping to wrap up the process, we were told the rough news that the pump had flipped internally on her and Dr. Konrad would have to do surgery within days.  The pumps alarm will begin going off on Sunday morning, but that will be the least of problems if her baclofen is not refilled within days.

So our girl will have to be in surgery on Tuesday morning, and then try to rally for the wedding festivities which will begin on Friday evening.  Bless her heart!!!  The great news in this is that Hillary has remained positive and hopeful through it all.

Please pray for Hillary’s quick and safe recovery and for our guidance as we determine next steps for her in the coming days.  And of course anyone who knows the stress of weddings will understand our extra prayer request for all our family as we arrive on “Wedding Week” in Nashville.

XOXOXO

–Shawn

Hillary is our family’s hero and it’s not just because she has worked so hard to get well.  She is our hero because she wants to be a beacon and force of support for banning texting while driving. If you have run into her while shopping over the last many months, you know she will quickly tell you not to be “inTEXTicated” while driving as she had been. (Early on when her speech was so slurred and she spoke so quickly, we had reminded her most people might think she was saying “intoxicated” when she said she was “inTEXTicated”.)   If you’ve seen her out you also know when your quick visit comes to an end she will leave you saying,  “Wear your seatbelt…I was an idiot and didn’t wear mine!”  And no doubt when you head on your way you tell yourself you will never text and drive again.  (Sadly, even though we are living the aftermath of the dangers of texting while driving, I have to force myself to turn my BlackBerry off on the road to ensure I won’t peek at an incoming message.)

You may have just become aware of the controversial public service announcement now airing on TV in Great Britain which graphically demonstrates the danger of texting and driving.  In fact, the thirty minute public service announcement is so graphic, YouTube has flagged the video as unsuitable viewing for anyone under the age of 18.  The commercial shows three young women texting to a friend while driving down the highway.  As the driver continues to text, she unknowingly moves into the wrong lane and hits an oncoming car killing at least one of her passenger friends.  Another car then hits both crashed cars and kills a young father.  The immediate aftermath of the crash and emergency transport activity is visibly and emotionally horrific to watch.  But Hillary will tell you, “Watch it!”  She will tell you to let your young drivers (and soon to be drivers) watch it.  Our girl will say, “Insist your successful businesswomen and businessmen colleagues and friends watch it.!”  She (and we) hope perhaps watching this painful film will dissuade us all from the instant gratification we get on discovering that next BlackBerry or iPhone message that just came in while we are barreling down the highway to get to our next stop.  And yes, it’s hard not to look…turns out we are addicted!  Research has recently proven we get a little shot of dopamine (the feel good internal chemistry we humans crave) every time we receive a text message—which explains why we just can’t seem to stop peeking at these short little update messages while we are driving.  And if that’s not enough, we now know our driver reaction time while texting is nearly 27% delayed than that of a driver under the influence!  A texting driver is more likely to be in a crash than a DUI driver! 

So please help Hillary and our family spread the word: “Driving while inTEXTicated ruins lives!”  Technology continues to grow at an overwhelming rate.  Fortunately some of that new technology is the very thing that is turning Hillary’s life around, i.e., Bioness and other cutting edge therapies.  But with growing technology comes the dangerous use of that technology on the road.  Perhaps that is why Vanderbilt’s Director of Trauma, Dr John Morris, always reminds his audience the disease of trauma is the fastest growing disease in our nation and the number one killer of people in the prime of their lives.

Hillary’s TBI (traumatic brain injury) or as she calls it “DBI” (damn brain injury) surely did not happen because God wanted her to be a beacon guide for prevention.  Our family doesn’t believe God causes such things to happen.  It was Hillary’s own youthful belief in her invincibility and her own behavior of texting while driving that changed all of our lives forever.  That said, her positive and steadfast belief in God and His direction for her life is the most powerful of all outcomes from her crash.  And Hillary believes she has a story to tell to all of us.  It began with a dangerous text message while driving; instantly connected her to three Angels that stayed with her as she lay nearly dying on the side of the road that day– to the proof that God and His love and our world of friends’ prayers carry us even through the long trauma journey ahead.   

Still….Please don’t be inTEXTicated! 

XOXOXO

–Shawn

Something Hillary took for granted pre crash!  She hasn’t been able to put both hands behind her head in two years.  Check out that smile!

And if you know Vance then you know his personality is sooo different from our other grandson!  With righteous indignation to the absurdity of texting while driving (touched with sweetness and kindness and a little fear), we can just see Vance saying,  “Are you kidding me Daddy/Mommy/ Anybody???!!!!   You text and drive?!?!?”    How this little guy loves his Aunt Hillary!!!

                     “Please don’t be inTEXTicated!”

(Thanks for the precious picture Scotty!)

We are thrilled to tell you Hillary is in Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital.  After slowly increasing her dosing of pump meds to reduce the tone she has in her left arm and leg, her medical team decided they should set things in fast forward motion and up her doses every day in rehab.  With that capacity she is taught how to physically manage the change (and new found flexibility) by receiving multiple therapy sessions per day.  And has it EVER paid off!  Within two days she was able to walk without her cane; though it will take a little longer to be completely cane free.  She is preparing to walk down the aisle as Maid of Honor in her sister’s wedding….escorted by her precious son.   He is thrilled about the possibility that the cane is hitting the dust and has been practicing with me trying to get her pace down.  When I first showed him the tempo she was walking he said, “Well that’s just like every bridesmaid walks!”  

Hillary is exhausted as you can see in her eyes…but she is thrilled to see the daily progress she is making.

More to come!……and thank you for your continued prayers for our girl and this family. 

XOXOX

–Shawn