Jenny Crain - update only thread

Go To Other Thread To Debate wrote:

While Jenny remains unconscious today she did get on a bicycle with the support of her care team and was able to move her legs and pedal. Wow! This is a good sign. Yet more is needed. The next key milestone her doctors are monitoring is for her to blink her eyes on command. The goal is to have her blink once for yes and twice for no.

It's going to be an uphill recovery for her. Please open up your wallets, even if it's just 10 bucks.

any updates?

Thank you SO much for creating this (separate) thread. So great of you to do that! :)

My thoughts and prayers are with Jenny.

Here is an even better update:

September 21, 2007

JENNY MADE IT HAPPEN TODAY!

Today Jenny responded to direct stimuli for the first time since the accident more than four weeks ago.

Her doctor asked her to lift a finger – Jenny Made it Happen!

Then she asked her to lift two – Jenny Made it Happen again!

Jenny did this more than once before several witnesses. This is a very positive sign.

The next goal Jenny, her family and friends are working toward is to get her to be awake for three consecutive hours.

Jenny’s care team has asked that visitors limit their visits to 10-15 minute intervals. She needs the energy to work with the physical and occupation therapists. Jenny needs visitors while making sure she has the capacity to work with the rehab team.

Best news of the day!

September 22, 2007

JENNY FLASHES A PEACE SIGN

While Jenny's mom Donna was visiting today something special happened. Here is Donna's email describing her observations:

"Just wanted everyone to know that when I visited Jenny this AM with her friend Amy Edwards from N.Y., I asked her to give me a peace sign. She smiled slightly and gave me the peace sign with her right hand.

Yeah!

Donna"

Awesome.

I hope the improvement has continued.

Agree 100%. Can the moderators clean up this thread?

September 25, 2007

JENNY PREPARING FOR REHAB

While Jenny’s condition remains basically the same, her care team is preparing for her transfer to a rehabilitation facility in Milwaukee.

Jenny continues to minimally respond to stimuli: she is blinking her eyes and giving finger/hand gestures. It is anticipated that Jenny will be moved in the next few days.

As Jenny acclimates to her new environment, we are not sure what the visitation schedule will be. Jenny’s family wants a good mix of visitors and focused therapy. Please stay tuned to this page for information on supporting Jenny’s rehabilitation.

Thanks you for your devoted support for Jenny .

JENNY TRANSFERRED TO REHAB CENTER

Today Jenny was discharged from the hospital and transferred to Columbia St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. Jenny was wide-eyed as she was transported across town. She settled in well and was quite tuckered out from the move.

Beginning tomorrow at 7:30 AM Jenny will start an intensive rehabilitation regime that will include training her to swallow (once her jaw is healed and unwired) and physical therapy.

As Jenny acclimates to this new environment, visitation will be limited to family-only for at least the first week. This is designed to give Jenny the most energy and the best chance to benefit from rehab. Jenny’s family and her rehabilitation care team will revisit visitation conditions next week.

Please send cards and flowers to:

Columbia St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center

c/o Jenny Crain

#2 Center

2025 East Newport Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53211

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive to Jenny. She needs you now more than ever.

With all due respect for her privacy and her well being, it does appear to be the case she has regained consciousness, right? If so, tremendous news, and updates are appreciated. The vast majority of posters here just really want to know about her condition, because it is really a sorrowing event to hear of someone so active and vibrant have this kind of challenge. We can picture what it is like to work hard to get a marathon time down by ten minutes - but it is really challenging to think that Ms. Crain is going to have put marathon type training efforts (and maybe more) just to walk and function in daily life. So most of us have simply genuine concern, and the other material posted is frankly extraneous and not appropriate in today's factual context.

We likely all felt the same way when Doug Padilla had his accident. And news of her condition furthers interest in Jenny, which because of the financial issues, is a reality that some of us can help with in terms of donations. I wish her and her family well.

I know this is supposed to be the "update only" thread, but figured I would put this here. Somebody just told me about goodsearch.com, a Yahoo powered search engine which donates money to a charity of your choice for every search you do. I am not sure if the "Make It Happen" fund would qualify, but here is the link to add it, for whoever is in charge of the charity itself. If somebody can add it, it is a quick and easy way to raise some money for the fund. Hope that helps.

September 29, 2007

JENNY'S REHAB TEAM FOCUSING ON ESTABLISHING ROUTINE

The initial days of Jenny's rehabilitation is designed to establish a baseline of her condition. Jenny needs as much energy as possible to handle the rigorous therapy she is undergoing. For this reason visitation to Jenny as been limited to family only.

Since our last update, Jenny's care team has been focusing on having her respond to verbal commands. While Jenny cannot identify people per se, she has responded minimally to questions such as "are you comfortable."

An important advantage to a rehabilitation setting is the consistency of her care team. They can establish a more in depth relationship with Jenny with greater understanding of what works best for her.

NEW WEBSITE -- JENNYCRAIN.NET -- IS LAUNCHED

Over the next week we will be migrating these updates to Jenny's new web site -- jennycrain.net. Please visit this web site and give us your feedback.

September 29, 2007

JENNY'S REHAB TEAM FOCUSING ON ESTABLISHING ROUTINE

The initial days of Jenny's rehabilitation is designed to establish a baseline of her condition. Jenny needs as much energy as possible to handle the rigorous therapy she is undergoing. For this reason visitation to Jenny as been limited to family only.

Since our last update, Jenny's care team has been focusing on having her respond to verbal commands. While Jenny cannot identify people per se, she has responded minimally to questions such as "are you comfortable."

An important advantage to a rehabilitation setting is the consistency of her care team. They can establish a more in depth relationship with Jenny with greater understanding of what works best for her.

NEW WEBSITE -- JENNYCRAIN.NET -- IS LAUNCHED

Over the next week we will be migrating these updates to Jenny's new web site -- jennycrain.net. Please visit this web site and give us your feedback.

October 2, 2007

JENNY GETS INTO THERAPY ROUTINE

Today Jenny's care team had her standing up with support. Since moving to the rehabilitation facility Jenny gets intensive therapy two times per day -- at 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Every day she dresses in street clothes and she is out in public within the rehab center. While Jenny is not communicating, she has been responding by blinking signals to yes and no questions.

Jenny's jaw remains wired shut. She is tentatively scheduled to be temporarily transferred back to the hospital on Thursday to remove the wires from her jaw. This will allow her to begin to advance her rehabilitation by attempting to get her to take liquids and eating food.

Visitation of Jenny remains limited to family-only until further notice.

Jenny's family continues to face difficult challenges with her health insurance company to ensure she gets the optimal treatment she needs. Please pray for Jenny and her family in this difficult time. Together we can help Jenny Make if Happen.

The posting on October 7, 2007 will be the last positing to carepages.com. Beginning Monday October 8 we will begin exclusive posts to jennycrain.net.

October 5, 2007

JENNY'S CONTINUES TO TAKE SMALL STEPS FORWARD

After more than a week in rehab, Jenny continues to take small steps forward. The rehab team is working aggressively with her. Jenny has moved her arms on occassion. Jenny's therapy regime includes her standing up with the support of parallel bars, the use of an exercise ball, range of motion exercises, and moving her around. While her eyes are open, she is not able to follow people around a room.

Next week Jenny is scheduled to have the wires removed from her jaw and some follow-up tests. She will be transported out of the rehab facility for these procedures. Once her jaw is free and clear the next thing her doctors will be looking for is whether she can swallow and begin to eat.

During this initial phase of her rehab, visitation remains limited to family only.

Our final posting on Carepages will be Sunday. Please visit

www.jennycrain.net

for updates on Jenny's condition.

JENNY SHOWING SLIGHT PROGRESS WHILE FACING SOME DIFFICULT CHALLENGES

Published October 18th, 2007 Update

October 18, 2007

JENNY SHOWING SLIGHT PROGRESS WHILE FACING SOME DIFFICULT CHALLENGES

Jenny is showing progress in rehabilitation. Since our last update, Jenny has progressed to 3 hours of rehabilitation per day. She is getting a little stronger each day and is able to handle more rigorous exercises. Recently, Jenny stood with limited support for about 20 minutes. Her eye movement looks pretty good, except during her infections (more on that below). While her eyes are still a little off she is making facial expressions and mumbling, suggesting she is trying to talk. She is paying more attention to activities around her.

While she has shown some progress, there are several concerns that her team are focusing on. She has had episodes of infection in her lungs and intestines. These infections result in a set-back in her rehab regime. Another concern is that her left side is not responding as well as her right. For example, when she works on standing with parallel bars she can grip with her right hand but not her left.

Important goals for Jenny are rebuilding muscle mass and gaining weight.

Jenny’s jaw remains wired. Her doctors were hoping to remove the wires this week, but after tests decided to schedule it for next week.

Jenny’s family is working with her care team to determine visitation protocol.

Thank you for your continued love and support for Jenny.

Jenny Takes Significant Strides

It’s been over four months since Jenny’s accident which occurred on August 21, 2007. While the first three months showed positive but slow change, in the last few weeks Jenny has taken significant strides forward in her recovery.

On December 23rd, Jenny spoke for the first time saying both her name and Merry Christmas! Since that time, she has also recited the days of the week, the months of the year and has read the time off the clock on the wall of her room. She has verbally recognized her mom and other family members, an incredible Christmas gift to all! While her speaking is whisper-like at this time, her care staff assures us that this is a natural starting point in terms of talking.

Another significant step in Jenny’s recovery is her ability to take a few steps with the help of her physical therapists. She is spending three hours a day in various therapy sessions and is also staying awake for a majority of the day.

Jenny’s trach was removed in early December providing her better mobility of her head and neck, however, she continues to be dependent on a feeding tube for nutrition. Her ability to eat will determine the timeline for removal of the feeding tube. A main focus for therapy is her mouth and jaw in an effort to increase muscular strength and mobility in these areas.

Jenny and her family continue to offer all of you our gratitude and thanks for your ongoing support. We feel a great sense of hope as we turn the calendar to 2008…Happy New Year!