<p>Hey everyone...
Your response has been just amazing though not surprising as this is just such a great group of folks. I know it has taken a while to get back to you but I feel you guys are waiting to hear something, anything, so here goes. Believe it or not, I am typing this from my daughter's hospital room which is a pretty nice one as it has its own computer in it!! Before I go into further details, just to allay any concerns, take this image of the moment....right now, both my girls are watching A Mighty Wind on the room's VCR and the three of us will be having a "sleepover" together in the hospital. The room is full of floral arrangements, balloons, posters/cards from peers, etc. </p>
<p>This is an ordeal for my daughter and a long recovery process but thankfully, there will be a full recovery and a happy end in sight. But it sure is very hard to see your child suffer and I know YOU guys know what I mean. I have basically been living here. </p>
<p>So, to update you from wherever I left off a few days ago...So, I think I told you guys that after about 48 hours, my D was released from Intensive Care (a relief to me in itself) but they could not find another bed at the hospital for another 48 hours after that so we were there for four days. Initially, I felt anxious about their watch over her blood level due to the bleeding of her lacerated liver and I did not get much sleep but eventually that stablized and she seemed out of the woods on that count and so I was not too worried after that. She has been on mucho pain meds as she is a pretty beat up kid. Her whole back and butt is badly bruised and then she has the fractured pelvis which entailed her leg in traction for five days until the surgery, plus the internal stuff and a broken rib. She thankfully has no other injuries and is not cut. Even with pain meds, it is very hard for her to be comfortable lying on a bed when she is lying on these parts that hurt and her leg was in traction but she has dealt well with it all and in fact, is very positive and mature about the whole deal. </p>
<p>I was not that worried about the surgery, even though it is major surgery because I feel that while it is a difficult ordeal, it is something that can be healed and it's a bone afterall. The surgery did not take place until late yesterday. My D was not worried and was the one assuring US that it would all be all right. It went very well. She got five screws and a metal plate in her hip. She is expected to have full normal use of it in six months. When they went to do it, they discovered a legion/hematoba on her lower back as it was bruised worse than they realized but that should heal. There is a risk that it could be infected (not known yet) but she is on antibiotics. </p>
<p>Today had some ups and downs because her blood levels that I had been so relieved about earlier in the week, now dropped quite a bit but not due to any bleeding (thankfully)....rather due to losing blood in surgery on top of being on the low side as it were. And then she got very weak all of a sudden and that had its moments but they decided to give her a blood transfusion and she now seems much better and was back to chatting with friends on her phone and some visitors. So, hopefully that is solved. It is a recovery process to be sure but she will eventually be fine. It is very hard for her to be comfortable and she is moved this way and that to help. Her sister has been by her side all weekend. </p>
<p>The hope is that she will be here 5-7 days and go home (maybe to rehab as transition, not sure). She will then have to be on bed rest for two weeks just to be safe and heal internally without jostling about. Then she will be on crutches 8-12 weeks so as to not put weight on the one hip/leg. Then she will have physical therapy for 3 months to get it all back to shape and ready to go to college! </p>
<p>She has had many friends travel here to see her and many more calling and sending things from all facets of her life. That's been great. </p>
<p>Another motorist who had stopped to assist her and call 911 located us and traveled to this hospital to meet us and find out her condition (plus we have spoken a few times to the other person who helped her and stayed with her and tried to call me at the time). This man said that he witnessed the accident and actually she was not thrown from the vehicle onto the interstate as she had thought. Rather, after she hit the rock ledge head on, the car flipped over 2 1/2 times and landed on the driver's side in the middle of the road and my D crawled out of the passenger side window (which was on top but was blown out) and down the car and across the road into the snowbank. She does not recall crawling out of the vehicle, just lying in the road but I am sure instinct and desire to get out of the car got her to where she was. She is a lucky kid all things considered. It will be a long road but one with a positive outcome and full recovery. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, today she got a large merit scholarship and Honors College, from one of her colleges and that was a happy moment. </p>
<p>I have not gotten back to anyone's emails but hopefully can send a group one out soon and some contact information to whomever asked for it by sending me an email. Not sure when but at least I got out this one update. </p>
<p>Your thoughts and prayers warm my heart and my whole family thanks you. We'll get through this~ she has been a trooper. I'm gonna go spend a little time in another room now with my 18 year old D cause the younger one just fell asleep and this one has to go back to college tomorrow. I am glad she came and I can tell she did not want to be anywhere else during this time. </p>
<p>I can't thank you all enough and wish I could respond to each individual post and email but can't now.
Love you all....
Susan</p>