Coosa Valley Cachers

If you guys have read either the Rome News Tribune or the Rome News Wire website I'm sure you noticed the reports of a female injured at Coosa High School. Well... that unfortunately was my daughter.

Both reports were close but in their usual fashion to try and beat the other with a headline managed to get only part of the story or wrong facts.

They were at band camp this week and had broke for lunch break. She was going to get in the car with the boy that caused her to get hurt. As she walked behind the car he revved the motor like he was going to back up. Acting silly, like kids will, she jumped up on the trunk of the car and acted like he had hit her. So he thought it'd be cute to try and scare a bit and dropped the car into reverse and hit the gas. The car only traveled about 40-45 ft when he hit the brakes. (NOT 100+ feet like reported by both sites) Unfortunately the car had nothing on the back for my daughter to grab onto to hang on so when he stopped the momentum just shot her backwards off the car. She landed on her feet but then fell backwards onto her bottom and then basically her body at that point whipped her head backwards into the pavement.
She has a major concussion, a fractured skull, about a 4 inch laceration where her head hit & a few minor scrapes to her lower back.
She has been pretty much out of it all day, but this evening she has been able to answer simple assesment questions correctly. (Most of the day she has answered Bush when they ask who the president is. ) She does have some short term memory loss and the doctors say she may never remember the accident. Just talking with her this evening the most recent thing she can remember before waking up in the hospital, is talking on the phone with one of her friends late Wed. night.
Right now, her prognosis is good that she'll have a full recovery in time. (Thank the lord!!)
The doctors are saying she was a VERY lucky young lady.The bone that was fractured in her skull is the same one that carries the facial nerves from the spine to the face. She has complete motor functions to her face (as well as the rest of her body!!). Also, the bone that was fractured will now be able to move out and give her brain room to swell (on the outside chance that it does) lessening the chance of any permanent brain damage.

Just keep her (and us all) in your prayers!!!

Also pray for the boy that caused the accident (Stephen). Him and Libby are like brother & sister and he is devistated. We don't have have any hard feelings toward him and he needs all the support he can get right now as well. It was just kids being kids and unfortunately they didn't use the best judgement for being safe around cars. It was unfortunate that they had to arrest him for wreckless driving, but due to the seriousness of her injuries, they had no choice.

Heading back to the hospital now, but I'll update you guys when I have some news and can get back online.

Thanks!
D-man

UPDATE: Libby is doing a bit better this morning. She's able to stay awake a bit longer while we are talking to her. But she does have some blurred vision. She's answering her assesment questions better now. Shoot! She even knew the date right and I got that wrong when he asked her. LOL
They are looking to move her to a private room later today. Which will be a good thing, if we can keep the visitors to a minimum. Last night there were probably over 50 kids here, plus family & friends from our church. It was a packed house!! Of course we didn't let everyone in, just a few of her closest friends.

Thanks for all your prayers and support!!

D-man

BIG DAY!!

Libby gets to go home this afternoon!!

While it's still gonna be a while till she's fully recovered the doctor thinks that good ol' "home rest" is gonna be the best medicine for her right now.

She'll probably miss the first week of school when it starts back next Monday, but he thinks that the following week is a resonable target to shoot for to start getting her back into her normal routine. Marching is still up in the air right now. He said he wanted to see how she progressed after she went home before allowing her to get more active.

Her mom & I want to give a BIG Thank You to everyone that supported and prayed for all of us during this very difficult time in our lives.

-Dwayne & Scarlett Hays-

Great news!

Glad to hear she is alright! Sure it was quite a scare for all of you.

Nuttin better fer heaalin home where things are formiliar

Bad news.

Lib went to the Dr. yesterday and she has total hearing loss on her right side.

She has also lost her sense of smell. Loss of smell is a common side effect of a serious head injury, but he said she may get that back eventually. Only time will tell. But her hearing will never come back due to the type of fracture she had. It basically went through the bones that houses the inner ear where the sound producing organs of your ear are.

He did say that she had above average hearing in her left ear though and that it will help her better adapt to get used to not having any hearing on the right side. Now that she can only hear through one side she cannot locate where a sound comes from. He said that over time her brain will adapt and she will be able to tell the direction of sound.
Since her plans were to attend Jacksonville State after she graduates this year to become a music major she was really worried that this would keep her from being able to that. He assured her that is still a very viable option for her and that she should not give up hope of being able to do it. He told her that he knew several people that could only hear through one ear that music was a big part of their lives.
Right now she is having a teacher come to the house 2 days a week and doing home study until she is able to go back to school at the end of the month. That way she will not be counted out for missing the first month of school. Plus it will keep her from being behind when she does go back. He said he will let her go back half-days when she felt she was up to it. But, that would totally be her decision on when "she" felt she was up to it. We were thinking that she may try to go back this coming week, but after getting the bad report on her hearing, she's really bummed and really not up to trying now.

So, just keep us in your prayers that we can keep her spirits up and to not give up on her dreams of music.

D-man