Journal entry by rebecca linn —
1/19/2019
It’s been 5 years, 60 months, 260 weeks, 1825 days of ups and downs, challenges, and speed bumps. We believe the power of prayer has truly helped Shelby achieve the life she has today. I haven’t been able to take my Saturday alarm @ 11:45 am off my phone labeled The power of prayers in numbers. ”Prayer alone with the Lord is powerful. Prayer with the community is most powerful, for the Lord himself said: “Where two or three are gathered in my name I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20
We Thank God everyday for the Foley Fire Department, Foley Police Dept., Benton County Sheriff’s, State Troopers, Gold Cross, North Memorial Air Care, North Memorial Hospital, Gillette's Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, our Friends and most of all our Family who continues to support Shelby.
I stopped updating the Caring Bridge and Facebook because this is no longer my story to tell. The memories we have of that day and the months to follow Shelbs doesn’t remember. We all continue to support Shelby with her TBI it’s never going away. I’m very torn about posting this but we’ve had so much support and it’s a life changing journey for us all. She has made the most progress she is going to make she powers through the hard days better than anyone could ever imagine. She looks like your average 22 year old there are moments in her day to day life where you wouldn't know any different. She still comprehends at a 5th grade level but wants all the adult things, which is exhausting to her and can give her headaches.
She still has many triggers that set her off, cell phones ringing, loud noises or places, bright lights, family gatherings, church, weddings, someone bringing up college, which she feels is unfair because she wasn’t able to attend. Her friends are now moving on with their lives. She has love/hate feelings seeing friends and classmates that have moved out on their own and have graduated from college, started careers, now getting engaged, getting married, and having babies. Which leads to the daily question. Will I ever be able too?
There are many simple everyday tasks she has trouble completing on her own. Such as making a meal, brushing her teeth, showering, and taking care of her dog. She is willing to do all of these tasks but without those continual reminders, none of these tasks would ever be completed. She doesn’t understand time management, and can’t remember simple things like if she ate a meal. She takes off outside and visits the neighborhoods or goes for walks without telling us and can get lost easily. Continues to sleep walk and be up all hours of the night. When taking her out shopping, she has no understanding of how much she can spend and has no problem filling the shopping cart with random items. She is still so spontaneous that on those days we are better off staying home or we find ourselves in those awkward conversations or offending people and really not meaning to.
Shelby gets over stimulated a lot throughout the day. We must give her constant reminders that she needs to rest her brain. The healing she has overcome, the power and drive to continue on is so tremendous. Her faith and strength is what pushes her. The improvements are less noticeable now but they are still there. She’s taught herself how to crochet found different techniques with paintings.
Shelby graduated from Courage Kenny in Golden Valley from there 6 month TBI program.
Shelby bought a puppy that has turned into her emotional support dog. She named her Daisy they are inseparable. Having Daisy has giving Shelby a responsibility she really needed.
She has a job she is so thankful for and it gives her some self-worth feeling. Working Saturday and Sunday every other weekend 3 hour shifts. She has been on leave for the last 2 months because it is exhausting her to the point where she can’t not function for 2-4 days afterwards and sleeps those days away.
In April of this year we noticed more neurological changes again with her pupils. We had an appointment scheduled with Rehabilitation Medicine Physician. When walking out the house the day of her appointment she turned dusty grey and then white, which lead to her sweating profusely. Keep in mind her heart rate and blood pressure were normal. But after this event she was extremely exhausted the rest of the day. Her Rehabilitation doctor scheduled a CT scan which showed no changes. “Good” However the symptoms continued. We scheduled an appointment with her neurologist who did another work up, EEG which also came back with no changes. He wanted blood sugars tested and her thyroid to make sure there was no new changes her blood sugar came back in normal range and her thyroid showed no changes to continue medication at the same dose. 🙌🏻 So a referral was placed to see a cardiologist. He took the time to listen, looked at the pictures we captured seeing something wrong but not coming up with a diagnosis. He ordered an EKG, Echocardiogram, holter monitor for a month and ambulatory blood pressure all coming back normal. And the symptoms continue to be more frequently. Currently a referral to the Mayo Climic has been placed waiting for an appointment to be scheduled.
Shelbs likes to keep us on our toes and started to say at different times her hip hurts and her gate was getting very sloppy. Her doctor recommended PT and a request an MRI of her hip. She has two tears one to her labarl and one in her glute 6 weeks of PT completed and second visit with surgeon lead to injection in the hip. Looking for any signs of relief in hopes that we won’t need to proceed with surgery. Fingers crossed and a lot of prayers that surgery is not needed. If you recall we were set back 3 months with her last surgery and she went back to the age of a 4/5 year old. The last thing we want is to put her brain through surgery.
It is now been 4 years with her person, her mentor, her rock and the one who gives her the most drive and pushes her to want more. Morgan continues to stay by her side 50 hours a week. She is now Shelby’s IHS worker, owns her own business and takes care of Shelby as if she was her own. Morgan has a precious little boy that Shelby absolutely adores, they have the strongest bond.
We have plans in the near future to build Shelby an apartment of her own attached to our current home with safety devices in place. This will give her her own space and feel like she has more independence.
As far as the rest of the family, Carter is a junior in high school is now driving and wants to further his education as a chef. Aaron is working for Knife River and owns a home by Munsinger Gardens and has an amazing girlfriend that everyone enjoys spending time with. Mark is working for Alpine Cabinetry and still in love with Jeeps. I was fortunate two years ago to be able to leave the hospital so I can be more flexible for Shelby’s and be able to take care of my medical needs also. I now own MiracleS Home Care and I am able to take care of others with different disabilities doing Adult Foster Care, IHS and Respite Care.
#ShelbyStrong
#TraumaticBrainInjuries
❤️🙏🏻❤️
Heavenly Father, we believe in your power to restore health and well-being. Please lay your hands upon Shelby and remove any pain from her body. Grant her strength.
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