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P: 570-824-4737 |
On October 12, 2004, our daughter Jenna was life flighted to the Janet Weis Children's Hospital, Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA when she began suffering from a series of seizures which was later determined, after a lot of tests including a brain biopsy, to have resulted from a severe case of viral encephalitis which has left her cognitively and physically impaired. We owe the people who took care of her at Janet Weis a great deal of gratitude - we feel they saved her life. However, on December 16, 2004 she began her rehabilitative recovery at the
A. I. duPont Children's Hospital, On Monday January 24, 2005 Jenna will be getting an injection of Baclofen directly into her spinal fluid in an effort to see if she is a candidate for an internal Baclofen pump which will help with relaxing her intense muscular tone, if all goes well the pump will be surgically installed by the weeks end. We have put together some pictures we have taken during her therapy sessions so that all of you can see how she is doing. We will be updating her progress every weekend so you will be able to follow along with us. Please click on the picture of Jenna below to see what she has been doing the last few weeks. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. Please continue for we have a long road ahead of us. FEBRUARY 2, 2005 UPDATE: The Baclofen trial went well on Monday January 24, 2005, so on Wednesday January 26, 2005 the Baclofen pump was placed in Jenna's abdomen on the right side of her belly button. A catheter has been surgically placed from the pump, which is the size of a hockey puck, around her side - within her body of course - to her spine where another two inch incision was made at the base of the spine to assist the surgeon in directing the catheter up within the spinal column to the base of her neck. The Baclofen is now being distributed to her spastic muscles thru her spinal fluid continuously. Jenna was in surgery for roughly three hours. The initial response to the medication was outstanding, however Jenna did run into some complications with the combination of pain meds, anesthesia, & the Baclofen so the docs decided to back off of the Baclofen for a few days and is now beginning to have the dosage increased on a gradual basis. God willing, she is on track to get full effect of the medication here shortly. It looks as if Jenna may very well be coming home as early as February 10, 2005 unless she starts attaining a certain number of therapeutic goals - we will keep you posted. Thank you for your interest in our Jenna's progress - this update is a bit late, please be sure that we hope to have this updated by mid-day Monday's. Again, thank you & please continue to pray for our Jenna. God Bless. FEBRUARY 11, 2005 UPDATE: Hi Everyone!! Jenna will be home on Thursday, February 17, 2005. She will be transported via ambulance, she should be home by mid-day. Due to her condition, she is eligible for home health, however the home health agency is experiencing trouble attaining Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist, RN's or LPN's that are willing to work with a pediatric patient with a tachometry, so if anyone out there knows anyone who may be interested please let us know & we'll get them in touch with the home health agency. The surgery for the Baclofen pump went really well. Her spastisity in her body has decreased somewhat. She is beginning to move her arms, hands, and legs a little. As they increase her dose of the Baclofen she should be able to move them a little more. She is already trying to do a thumbs up and she is able to look around for you if she hears your voice. I almost forgot, her therapist is teaching her how to make a bunny nose expression on her face. She will be getting therapy at home for a little while until she starts to
achieve her goals at a quicker pace. Her doctor feels that being home
around her family and friends will do her a world of good. She loves to
hear us read the emails that she has been getting. Jenna and her
therapist got to throw a surprise party for Thank you for your continued prayers for our Jenna and our family. God Bless you all. FEBRUARY 24, 2005 UPDATE: Sorry it took so long for this update, but things have been pretty hectic. Anyway, Miss Jenna came home as scheduled on February 17, 2005. She appears to be very very happy to be home, almost as happy as Mommy. We are adjusting fairly well to the whole transition, the nursing that we
have is excellent, however we are still having issues with filling the
schedule as we basically have only one dependable daytime nurse and two
nighttime. Therapy however still needs to be worked out. We will
be traveling down to Jenna enjoyed her 7th birthday at home, only fitting since she had to
spend Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, & Valentines Day all
in the hospital! She was awake most of the day for her visitors, but
all the excitement overwhelmed her and she slept through the cutting of the
cake. Her family and friends have all been taking turns coming over to
see her. She seems to enjoy being around the kids when they are
playing, dancing (which Mackenzie really enjoys!) and reading to
her. Although it has been hectic for us to get everything in its place for Jenna; she has had quite the relaxing week with therapy. We are hoping that her therapies will be worked out in a more rigid schedule for her soon. Although, Julie, her nurse, gives her quite the workout. Please continue to pray for Jenna's recovery. She really needs it now just as she did in the beginning. Thank you to all who have made dinner and sent it over (what a wonderful surprise!). Thanks to those who have blessed us in helping with the gruesome task of unpacking and organizing the house. God bless you all and thank you all for your prayers, support, kindness and generosity. Please continue to check for updates, we promise they will be a little more consistent. MARCH 28, 2005 UPDATE: Hi Everyone, Jenna has officially begun her outpatient therapy at John Heinz
Rehabilitation in We recently visited the PICU at Janet Weis Children's Hospital, Jenna goes back down to APRIL 7, 2005 UPDATE: Jenna seems to be coming along. She is still getting her Baclofen pump medication adjusted since it is not at the correct maintenance dose yet. It takes a while to get to that particular dose since it is dangerous to go up too fast.
Jenna has to go to Janet Weis Geisinger,
We recently got a phone call from the David Blight School of Dance and they would like to dedicate this year's dance recital to her and another girl that is also very sick. APRIL 13, 2005 UPDATE: Jenna had a CAT Scan done within the last couple of weeks
that showed she has some increased fluid in her ventricles in the
brain. She went to Janet Weis Geisinger, APRIL 19, 2005 UPDATE: Hi everyone, Jenna went in for surgery on April 14, 2005 for the shunt to be in place to allow for the excess fluid to drain from the ventricles in her brain. She tolerated the surgery really well and is very sore. She came home on Saturday, April 16, 2005. She started back with therapy that following Monday and seems to be doing ok. She is starting to find her voice and is learning how to use it all over again. Sometimes she is a little louder than the average bear but she is definitely trying to get the hang of vocalizing. JULY 27, 2005 UPDATE: Hello again. I know it has been a while but things
have been crazy with follow up appointments in
As of July 18, 2005, Jenna was admitted to the Children's
We have had the opportunity to be blessed with the support
of very special people that have organized and dedicated their time and
energy to a variety of fundraisers. In the spring there was
a weight loss challenge at the Stars and Stripes Gym in
On June 18, 2005, there was a golf tournament for the
On July 24, 2005, The Outsiders,
Also on July 24, 2005, the Hunlock Trap Club, The Wilkes-Barre Township Red Robin has contacted us thru Roger Morgans and advised that they are interested in having a fund raiser at the restaurant on night - we will post the date as soon as we figure it out.
We were disappointed that we could not attend the bike run
or the trap shoot. Jenna is in the Children's
I have to take this time to quote a thank you that we received a couple of years earlier that seems fitting for this particular time in our life: "We love that song, "I believe there are angels among us, sent to us from somewhere up above...", that God sends us the angels that we need, just when we need them in our lives." Jenna and our family have certainly been surrounded by angels indeed. I was unpacking one day and came across this beautiful thank you that was sent to us when TJ and Heather Cook got married. When I read it I immediately thought that it was perfectly fitting for how we feel about those that have surrounded us during this tragedy. We honestly believe that if it weren't for the support and prayers that all of you have given to us that we would not be where we are now. God bless you all.
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