Update - 2/28/06

Matthew has made remarkable progress in the month since the accident. We are so thankful that he has come so far in such little time considering the seriousness of his brain injury.

This weekend Matthew was pretty low-key. He had a fever on Saturday and Sunday, but he was much improved on Monday without the fever. They did determine that Matthew has Influenza B. As many of you may know, health and wellness is one of Brenda's top priorities. Consequently, making sure her son's immune system is strong when he's fighting to get better all the time is extremely important. I'm happy to report that Matthew's doctors are in agreement with her and have given the OK to add another important supplement to Matthew's feeding regimen. He will now receive Shaklee's Nutriferon which is backed by 40 years of research showing its benefits for boosting the immune system. For more information on what nutriferon is, check out the following website: http://www.nutriferon.net/

Currently Matthew is being fed Shaklee's Energizing Soy Protein, Citrus Boost, Liqui-Lea, Optiflora, and Omegaguard. More nutrients will be added as he progresses and the doctors determine what will help his brain and whole body heal. So many people have mentioned to Brenda that they have wanted to know more about this "healthy stuff" and just haven't gotten around to talking to her about it. If you're one of those people, then check out Brenda's webpage: www.shaklee.net/ahealthieryou . It would be a great way to help yourself toward feeling better and helping the Kurz family as they handle the enormous change in their financial situation caring for Matthew.

Despite having influenza, Matthew still works hard to follow instructions, even when he's tired. He waved goodbye on command with his left hand - moving his fingers up and down a little bit. His PT therapist was asking Matthew to squeeze his hand, and he responded very lightly. The therapist said, "come on, Matthew, squeeze my hand tighter" and Matthew squeezed very lightly again. So, the therapist said, "Now, Matthew, I have 80 year old patients that can squeeze tighter than that." Matthew proceeded to give a "vice-grip" squeeze to the therapist's hand and the therapist responded, "Okay, okay, Matthew, I'm sorry."

The staff is also having to keep a close eye on Matthew and his increased activity. He's starting to grab at things and has pulled out his IV and catheter. They had to put a mitt on his hand to keep him from pulling out his feeding tube. I don't blame him - if I had all those things attached to me, I'd be trying to get rid of them too.

Matthew can see!!!!! He got his replacement glasses on Saturday and is looking around the room like he's seeing things for the first time.

Check back later today or tomorrow and we'll have the link for viewing and purchasing prints of Matthew's artwork. This will be a great way to help fund Matthew's education!

Brenda and Erich will be with the other three boys on Wednesday so that they may worship as a family at Ash Wednesday service.

It's a juggling act making sure everyone is taken care of, but the Kurzs are managing. Thanks to Dad playing "Mr. Mom" and people like the boys' Uncle Joel, the house isn't "falling apart" when Brenda is away in Columbia.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Matthew and the whole family.

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/25/06

Yesterday while Matthew was in surgery and they had replaced the trach, they decided to look around in his sinus cavities and other areas with a scope. They discovered there was a lot of "stuff" that hadn't been coughed up like it should have and so they suctioned alot of "gunk" out. Someone in Matthew's condition can often contract pneumonia, but thankfully Matthew has not come down with pneumonia. He does have the flu, though. So, right now the only visitors Matthew can have are Mom and Dad. My trip to Columbia today has been postponed. I was hoping to give you a firsthand report on Matthew.

Despite going through surgery yesterday and having the flu, Matthew was a real trouper and did everything the therapists told him to do on their regular visit in the afternoon. The speech therapist continues to work with Matthew on his responses and hand signals. Each time he responds to her questions quicker and she has told him to put his hand/fist in a very definite position for yes/no so that is very clear that he understands the question and has a clear response.

The physical therapist commented to Erich that he's noticed Matthew has more range of motion when the therapist moves his legs and arms around. More positive news!

There is no doubt any longer - the Kurz family will definitely have to move. Finding a house for sale in the Cole Camp area that is wheelchair accessible and fits their needs is almost impossible, so they will need to build a house. Your help is needed in this challenge - fundraisers for funds for a downpayment are greatly appreciated! The doctors are predicting it could be 6 months or less that they will release Matthew, so this house needs to be built ASAP! Thanks to those of you that have suggested pursuing ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition. We could submit an application, but we can't count on the Kurz family being chosen in the timeframe needed. And there is another complication - they don't own the house they live in - it's the church's property.

Andrew has another speech contest today (Saturday) in Cole Camp. We'll be cheering for him from afar.

Lucas and Timothy have come down with colds so their weekend activity has changed too. They were going to see Matthew, but now they can't. Let's pray they can stay well so that they can be with their brother again soon.

The Lord be with you all.

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/24/06

Your prayers are needed! Matthew is going into surgery this morning. Yesterday they removed his trach and we were all excited. Through the night his body was in distress and the doctors realized they removed his trach too soon. So, the trach is going back in this morning.

His sodium levels are still too high, so continue to pray they discover the cause and are able to get the levels down.

On a positive note, yesterday the doctors held a balloon above Matthew and he attempted to reach it with both hands. The doctors were cheering and excited for Matthew's response. Afterwards, Matthew was exhausted and wiped out. It took a lot of effort!

Andrew got the OK to permanently leave the neck brace OFF!!! Praise the Lord! He also got the OK to go back to playing sports. He's a happy camper!

Thanks so each of you for your support and love for the Kurz family.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/23/06

Praise the Lord for his gracious care of his people!

Wednesday was a RED LETTER DAY for Matthew!!!!

First thing in the morning when Brenda came in the room, Matthew's face brightened up, his eyes got wide and the corners of his mouth went up - HE SMILED!!! That's a major accomplishment because his brain has to be retrained to use those muscles in the way they are suppose to be used.

Matthew also moved his left leg just a little bit for the first time!

One of the therapists worked with Matthew to make sure that communication is clear - thumbs up and long blink still indicating "yes" and a clenched fist for "no". She asked Matthew if he knew where he was and he answered "yes". She also asked him if he knew he's in a hospital for rehab and he responded "yes". Brenda later "talked" with Matthew and is confident from his responses that he is very aware of what is going on. He gave clear signs that he knows he's been in an accident and is in the hospital. Brenda also talked with Matthew about how important it is that he work very hard to get better as fast as he can. He responded "yes" to all. He's a fighter!

My apologies to all and to Andrew. I gave the wrong date in the last update for his doc appointment. He is seeing the doctor today, Thursday (2/23) at 1:00 p.m. We look forward to hearing good news!

A question was asked by someone reading the last update - "is there a fund set up for the Kurz?" Right after the accident, the following information was shared on the yahoogroups. I'm sure it is still good and honored by the Cole Camp bank:

If you would like to donate to the family's expenses, you may do so by sending a check to:
Citizens Farmer's Bank
East Main Street
PO Box 219121
Cole Camp MO 65325
(660) 668-4416
Be sure to mark your check "Matthew Kurz Medical Fund" so that it arrives in the correct account.

"If you but trust in God to guide you and place your confidence in Him. You'll find Him always there beside you to give you hope and strength within. For those who trust God's changeless love build on the rock that will not move." Lutheran Worship Hymn #420, stanza 1

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/22/06

There is so much to be thankful for! Let us rejoice that Matthew makes little improvements every day.

Yesterday Matthew sat in a chair for FIVE hours. They are working to help Matthew with his neck control. He has been yawning and as Brenda described it, has been making "natural Matthew sounds" when he yawns. Brenda was showing Matthew cards he has received and he raised his RIGHT arm to touch the card that she was holding! Matthew is really trying hard to do everything the staff tells him to do. They have commented on this fact many times to Brenda. Some patients give up or despair and don't try hard when they are in such a condition (or even better conditions), but they are impressed with Matthew's persistence and efforts.

As I mentioned before, there is concern about Matthew's liver count being a little too high. To be more specific - his sodium count is too high in his liver. There is a possibility that a small gland that is connected by a very small "thread" was torn or severed during the "jostling" of the impact of the accident. If this is the case, then there is treatment that would involve medication for the rest of Matthew's life and he would have to be very active (exercise, running, biking, etc.) for all of his life to compensate for that gland not functioning.

The doctors are also cutting back on the size of Matthew's trach little by little.

Yesterday the staff asked Brenda a lot of questions about their house for the time when Matthew is released and can return home. They are sure that when he returns home, he will have to be in a wheelchair for a good portion of the day, even if he is walking because it will take a LONG time for his strength to be built back up to stand and walk. Consequently, after finding out how small the Kurz' house is and one bathroom with limited room for manuevering around, the doctors insisted that Brenda and Erich begin the process of looking for a new house. Please include this concern in your prayers as you continue to pray for Matthew and the whole Kurz family.

Andrew has his final (we hope) follow-up appointment today (2/22) in Columbia. We are anxious to find out if he gets the "all-clear" sign and is given the OK to return to playing sports.

"He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Is. 40:29-31

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/21/06

Matthew's liver count is a little high and the doctors are a little concerned. Please pray that they discover the cause for this elevated count and are able to correct it for Matthew's sake.

On the positive side, Matthew's girlfriend, Paige came to see Matthew yesterday. He squeezed her hand and stayed focused on her the whole time. As a "birthday present" to her before she left, he waved goodbye by raising his left hand a bit and moved his index finger back and forth. Wonderful!

For some time now, Matthew has been yawning but it's been an involuntary opening of his mouth. The therapists were working with him yesterday to open his mouth on command. He was able to open his mouth about a 1/2 inch on command, and then later in the day Brenda saw Matthew working on it on his own and trying to open his mouth several times.

Brenda didn't have the results of the latest CAT scan when we spoke this morning and our phone conversation got cut off so I'll update you on the rest of the information later as soon as I can get a hold of her.

Thank you for your continued prayers!!!!!!

Rachel Asburry

Update - 2/19/06

The Kurz family is thrilled with Rusk Rehabilitation Center! Brenda has described it as "an excellent place for Matthew to be." The staff is kind, pleasant, supportive and eager to help Matthew through everything.

Each day Matthew gets better with focusing his eyes in the center of his vision and to the right. This is great news! Matthew's responses to people's requests are also improving. He was holding Brenda's hand and kept tightening his grip. Brenda told him that she loves to hold his hand, but it was getting a little tight and uncomfortable, then Matthew relaxed his grip. Matthew also lifted his left arm and grabbed Erich's hand and squeezed. Matthew also continues to use a long blink to answer yes or no to questions.

There are other things that are occurring that the doctors see as very promising and GOOD signs. The right side of Matthew's body hasn't been as strong as the left, but it appears the right side is "starting to wake up". He is moving his right arm and fingers a little more. Matthew has also been "storming". This is a process that the brain trauma patient will go through that the doctors' tell Brenda is VERY good. "Storming" is a sign that the brain is trying to work - it causes profuse sweating all over the body. Matthew was drenched in sweat on Saturday - YEAH!!

Matthew has also gone for a stroll in a wheelchair with Brenda. They had to do some searching to find a wheelchair for someone as tall and slim as Matthew. He reclines in the wheelchair and his eyes are open and alert as he looks at what comes in his view. Brenda discovered some beautiful watercolor pictures and wheeled Matthew over to them. She said he studied them with wide open eyes! This certainly made a mother of an artist very happy!!!

Monday morning Matthew has an early appointment for another CAT scan. We are confident they'll see more improvement from the earlier scans.

I'm sure that many of you know that Matthew is a budding artist. He has been accepted into the Kansas City Art Institute. After the accident, Brenda and Erich visited the school and found out that they are holding Matthew's place in the Fall and if he isn't ready for returning to school in the Fall, they will keep his spot open for him whenever he's ready! Praise the Lord!!! Because of Matthew's high SAT scores, he's eligible for scholarships. The school also has a psychologist that works with students that are challenged or disabled and uses art in his therapy, so when Matthew is ready, he'll have plenty of assistance and help to make transitions.

Some people at the hospital have been interested in purchasing copies of Matthew's artwork that is displayed in his room. Stay tuned for more information if you would like to purchase a copy of Matthew's artwork too.

If you would like to send Matthew cards and letters, here's the address:

Rusk Rehabilitation Center
Attn: North Hall, Room 238B
315 Business Loop 70 West
Columbia, MO 65212

We also have some updates on the rest of the family. Rev. Kurz returned to his preaching duties this morning. Brenda has been by Matthew's side constantly and Erich will relieve her in a few days. Brenda continues to carry on her Shaklee business, no matter where she's physically located. She shares Health and Wellness wherever she goes!

Andrew's MRI showed that his vertebrae 3 and 4 are a little out of place, but further study is needed to determine if this is cause for concern or is just the way Andrew has always been. Andrew feels good and his neck doesn't cause him pain or discomfort. Last week he was in a conference speech contest and he won 6th place in improv and his whole team medalled in the competition! Very exciting!!!

Lucas' finger is doing OK. It doesn't slow him down from studying one of his favorite subjects - BUGS! Much to Brenda's chagrin and now to Grandma Kaiser's chagrin, Lucas has been catching bugs and then storing them in the freezers. Now he's studying these bugs with another "bug lover".

Since Mom and Dad are away from home more, Timothy is enjoying overnight stays with friends - something he eagerly asks to do. Both Timothy and Lucas are proud to wear their Matthew pin at all times.

Before I close this update, Brenda has asked for prayers for the lady she stayed with last night. Early this morning, Jean King was rushed to the hospital. Brenda doesn't know yet how's she's doing.

O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples. And I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your mercy is great above the heavens. And Your truth reaches to the clouds. Ps. 108:1-4

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/17/06

Matthew has moved!!!! He was transferred to Rusk on Thursday, Feb. 16th and has begun his "rigorous" routine of rehabilitation. Brenda and Erich are thrilled with the team of doctors and therapists working with Matthew. He's got a great group of people by his side to help him on the road to recovery.

At this time, only immediate family are able to be with Matthew at Rusk. He will be in intense therapy and on a tight schedule from 9:00-3:30, so it is important that Matthew not have the additional stimuli of visitors right now. We will let you know when he is able to start receiving visitors.

Matthew's improvement is still measured in baby steps and we are thrilled with the most recent MAJOR baby step. He is regularly tracking with his eyes, not just to the left, but also to the right! He followed Brenda with his eyes to the right and she moved to the left - he "stayed with her" and then remained fixed on her for a period of time. WONDERFUL! And to make it easier for him to see, his replacement glasses have been ordered!

After a long delay on Thursday, Andrew FINALLY had an MRI for his neck injury. Brenda will find out the results of that test this morning at 10:00 a.m. When the doctor checked him out, Andrew didn't feel any pain in the areas that the doctor put pressure on. So, Andrew (or "Biscuits" as some affectionately call him) will be anxiously awaiting the announcement at school that he can take his brace off.

Please be aware that Brenda and Erich will be intimately involved in Matthew's rehab process on a daily basis. They will not be able to answer their cell phones or call people back in the middle of the day. The good news is that they will be "technologically savvy" and now a have laptop computer with them at Rusk with wireless internet connections so they can respond by email later in the evening. So, if you need to contact Brenda or Pastor Kurz directly, please email them at bekurz@iland.net. We will continue to provide this blog update so that they aren't bombarded with requests for info on Matthew and Andrew. But I'm sure they will enjoy receiving little notes of encouragement as they go through the rehab process with Matthew.

Pastor Kurz will return to the pulpit this Sunday to preach for the first time since the accident. We pray the Lord grants him peace and wisdom as he prepares for this "first" sermon.

On a lighter note - the Kurz' family has been visited in their home by a little mouse for the longest time. It was even scurrying down the steps in front of Matthew some time ago and they couldn't catch it. It managed to allude all the traps and feasted on the food bribes within the traps. This morning they discovered a dead mouse (not sure if it's the same one) in the boys' closet upstairs that had been there a long time. It could have stunk up the room with a nasty smell, but thanks to the Shaklee Air Source machine, there wasn't an odor in their bedroom!

My husband and I are privileged to provide these regular updates for you. We are glad that it is beneficial for all of the Kurz' family and friends. It is helpful for us as well as we go through this with the Kurz family and help others to stay in touch.

God be with you this day!

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/15/06

There has been a delay!

After Matthew's surgery on his collarbone, they said they needed to wait 36 hours before moving him to Rusk Center. This is to confirm that he doesn't have an adverse reaction to the medications/sedations used during the surgery. So, he won't be moved to Rusk until late Thursday, but more likely on Friday.

Also, they didn't take the trach out afterall. It had be left in for emergency purposes for the time being.

Brenda is by Matthew's side all day today - with encouragement and comfort for her son.

A note to all who read these updates and messages: I will be putting together a journal for Matthew of all the words of encouragement, notices of prayers uplifted, and anything that was shared on the yahoogroups site as well as comments on these "blogs". If you would like to add to this journal, please do so by submitting comments to the updates! When Matthew gets to the point when he can read again and learn about the days and weeks that he's mentally missed, I'm sure he will enjoy reading the words of love and encouragement that have been shared on a regular basis. This will also be a journal of encouragement for Andrew, as well as the rest of the family.

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/14/06

Today is a BIG day for Matthew. This morning he was in surgery to have the injury to his collarbone fixed as well as having the trach removed. As of this writing, we haven't received a report on how the surgery went, but we pray all went well.

After the surgery and recovery, Matthew is being moved to Rusk Center in Columbia, MO for rehabilitation. We rejoice that he is doing well enough to begin this next phase of recovery.

This past weekend Matthew was sitting up in bed and trying to move his arm on his own. The most exciting part of his response was on Saturday. His baseball coach came to visit and when he first walked in the room, Matthew was facing the door. When his coach moved around to the other side of the bed, Matthew turned his head and followed his coach with his eyes. This is the first time he had done something like that. More rejoicing!!!!!

On Thursday, one of Matthew's doctors, his nurse and the life therapist at University Hospital will be making a presentation to the Cole Camp High School students. It will be a wonderful opportunity for the students to understand what Matthew is going through and what it takes to recover from a brain injury.

As we mentioned in a previous update, Andrew was examined to see if he could get the brace off last week. Unfortunately, he still has to wear the brace. He will undergo an MRI this Thursday (2/16) to see what the progress is and determine future treatment. As you can probably guess, Andrew is NOT happy about this.

And if all of this wasn't enough, another family member has an injury. Lucas has a broken finger! So, Mom had to help him with his valentines this year.

Thank you for your continued prayers for the Kurz family. We are thankful for our gracious Lord's care of Matthew and Andrew and the peace and comfort He gives to Brenda and Erich.

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 2/10/06

Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good, and His mercy endures forever!

Yesterday I had the great privilege of seeing Matthew once again. His condition has changed so much since the last time I saw him on Jan. 31. As you know, he has been opening his eyes for a few days now. When I saw him, he was blinking his eyes and moving them, side to side and up and down, with some regularity. When I walked into Matthew's room, I noticed that he was moving his left thumb. Great signs to see!

After greeting and talking with Brenda, I went to the other side of Matthew's bed to pray some Psalms with him. As I was praying the Psalms, I also noticed that Matthew's eyes seemed to move a little bit more than they had when I first walked in. A few minutes later, I was holding his left hand, the one which he was moving before. The nurse told Brenda and me that he has been moving his thumb repetitively in an attempt, it seems, to remove the pulse-ox monitor. When I later asked Matthew to squeeze my fingers, he did tighten his grasp. I asked the nurse if she thought this was intentional on his part, and she said yes.

Another bit of great news about Matthew's condition is that he is being weaned off of the ventilator. On Wednesday, midday to afternoon, he had the surgery to put the feeding tube in, and after that they put him back on the ventilator for a couple of hours, after which time they took him off again to let him breathe on his own. Sometime in the middle of the night, they put him back on the ventilator, but only for a couple of hours. When I was there Wednesday, from about 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, he was breathing completely on his own, and had been doing so for those several hours since the middle of the night time on the ventilator.

Because of this great progress in breathing on his own, it is very likely that Matthew will be able to go to Rusk Center in Columbia for his rehabilitation (physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy). But as in all of these developments, we'll have to wait and see.

When I was at the hospital, I also got to see Andrew. He had a 12:00 noon appointment to see the doctor and, hopefully, get his neck brace off. Erich was teasingly telling him that he might have to wait another week, and Brenda told me that they might ask the doctor to play along and tell him that he had another week! :-) So, Andrew, did you get your brace off after all?

Once again, thank all of you for your prayers and for the great support. Brenda even told me the story of one employee (at a bank, I believe, but my memory may not be accurate) who was looking at an internet site--one for contributing to Matthew's medical expenses. When this employee's boss came by, he noticed his worker on the internet when he should not have been. When the employee told his boss about the young lad who was seriously hurt and in a coma from a car crash, his boss said, "Yeah, I heard about that one. Here, put me down for $20." Thanks to all for supporting the Kurz family--in prayers and with money--during this time.

Randy Asburry
Matthew's Godfather

Update 2/7/06

Greetings, family and friends of Matthew.

First, let me give an update on Andrew's condition and then I'll give some good news about Matthew. Last week Andrew was experiencing some discomfort in his ear. Evidently, some blood had settled in the ear canal, but it has been clearing up on its own. So, Andrew is doing quite well. He should get his neck brace off tomorrow, Wed. 2/8.

Now to Matthew. He is still stable. The shunt to his brain--that measured his inter-cranial pressure--has been removed, and the doctors are no longer concerned that additional swelling will occur. On Saturday (2/4) Matthew opened his eyes when his father Erich was there, and we are told that his eyes are open most of the time. However, he is probably not focusing on anything or anyone in the room. He is still unresponsive to verbal commands or requests.

On Sunday, 2/5, my wife Rachel went to see Matthew and pray with him and sing hymns for him. As she was holding his hand and singing, she felt his hand tighten, but this was probably an involuntary action. The medical team has also moved Matthew to an air bed, as he had developed some bed sores in the other bed.

On Tuesday night, 2/7, Brenda called with some joyous news. The nurse took Matthew off of the ventilator to see how he would breathe on his own. The goal was to keep him off the ventilator for one hour. Matthew surprised everyone by staying off the ventilator for *six hours*!

That's a very good sign, especially since his rehabilitation and therapy depends on being free from a ventilator. While the family did begin looking into a couple of other clinics for rehabilitation, it looks like the Rusk Center in Columbia, MO, which has a policy that the patient be off the ventilator, will be able to take Matthew after all. Please pray that this will work out.

On Wednesday Matthew is scheduled to have some surgery--I guess we can call it minor surgery--to put a feeding tube directly into his stomach. I'm also told that Matthew is listening to music, although I will freely admit that I have no idea who "Sigur Ros" is. :-)

Please continue to pray that our merciful Triune God, the great Lover of humankind and the great Physician of body and soul, will grant healing and recovery to Matthew. May God bless you!

Randy Asburry

Matthew's condition continues to improve, even if in baby steps. The doctors and nurses have taken him off of the sedation medication. Matthew's eyes have been fluttering and trying to open, and today Erich (Matthew's father) joyously watched Matthew open his eyes. Erich also observed his son move his arm toward his body. The CAT scan done on Friday, Feb. 3 looked good. Evidently there does not seem to be the excess fluid that the medical teams were expecting, which is a good sign.

Keep praying to our gracious and merciful God--the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--that He may continue to heal Matthew and give strength to the Kurz family.