Update - 4/30/06

Yesterday was a rough day for Matthew. He was in a lot of pain and was moaning alot. But today things are MUCH better. He hasn't needed much pain medication and he's much more relaxed and comfortable. The surgery went well to put in the shunt. The shunt is not a temporary shunt that drains fluid outside of the body. The incision into his skull is enclosed and looks like a little bump on the back of his head. There is some sort of monitor that detects if the pressure is too great in his brain and fluid is released in tubing down to his stomach. All of this is internal and can't be seen on the outside of his body. One of the doctors told his parents that they should see great progress in his development now that pressure has been released.

The dead skin was removed from Matthew's foot and a scab is already forming on his foot. It looks like it should heal really well. Today Matthew isn't bothered by nurses changing the dressing (a big improvement from yesterday).

Matthew still won't eat, but at this time there doesn't need to be concern about that. He probably doesn't have much appetite from the medications he's on from the surgery and all the procedures. Hopefully when things "normalize" in his routine and what he's receiving, he'll get his appetite back.

Andrew was telling Matthew about prom this weekend and those in the room noticed that Matthew's eyes were bright and he was focused on Andrew as he was talking. Andrew was also showing him pictures and Matthew focused on them as well. He went back and forth with his focused attention as though he was engaged in the conversation.

Another thing that is good to see is Matthew hasn't been drooling out the right side of his mouth. Brenda has noticed some improvement in the right corner of his mouth where before it was drooping.

We are all greatly relieved that these procedures have helped Matthew and were completed with success to the benefit of Matthew's health. Praise the Lord for his care of Matthew and his guidance of the medical team.

Andrew has some more good news. He tried out and MADE the summer Junior Legion baseball team. He's very excited and we'll all proud of him. He'll be playing right field.

Hope you have all had a good weekend!

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 4/28/06

Matthew is being taken to the hospital earlier than expected this morning. He was originally scheduled to just have his foot taken care of. Now they have decided that he needs to have a shunt put in to reduce the swelling in the ventricles of the brain. They will do both procedures while he's at the hospital. He is tentatively expected to stay at the hospital through to Monday. Please pray for the Lord's guidance for the surgeons and medical team and protection for Matthew!

Brenda also asked me to tell you that Matthew hasn't been wanting to eat for a couple of days. He clamps his mouth shut and they can't get him to open up. Thankfully, he is still getting nourishment through the feeding tube.

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. . . For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you." Isaiah 41:10, 13

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 4/26/06

Good news!!!! Matthew is doing much better. He is so much more relaxed now after the medication has relaxed his muscles. The muscles spasms have greatly been reduced and consequently, Matthew's pain is reduced. It is such a relief for Brenda and Erich to see Matthew more comfortable and relaxed. He still has some pain from the incision, but that will improve in time. The staff was even able to take Matthew off of three of his other medications and the doctor gave orders that Matthew does not need to be restrained.

Today they were able to extend Matthew's right arm so that it was almost straight. His arm also rested across his body rather than curled up tight in a clench. The therapist was also able to move Matthew's left ankle a little bit which is a great improvement. Previously his ankle hasn't been able to be moved at all. In addition to this therapy, he was also on the tilt table at a 55 degree angle and didn't complain (by moaning) at all.

This Friday the plastic surgeon is scheduled to examine Matthew's foot. He plans to scrape off the dead skin. One of the doctors at Rusk has tested Matthew's blood and there are no infections in his blood, which is very good news considering the wound on his foot.

Yesterday, the Kurzs received a report on the CAT scan taken of Matthew's brain last Thursday. The CAT scan shows some swelling in the ventricles of the brain. At this point they are just going to keep an eye on it. Please pray the swelling does not get worse or impair Matthew's progress.

Let us rejoice that Matthew is feeling better!

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 4/25/06

Matthew just came out of surgery! They inserted the pump and began administering the medication for relaxing his muscles. Everything looks good so far. Later today they hope to see some results from the medication. If all goes well at the hospital in the next few hours, Matthew should be able to go back to Rusk this afternoon. Thank you for your prayers!!!

Matthew has been holding his head up more each day. Yesterday he lifted his head, looked out the window and with his head relaxed on his pillow he rested for 15 minutes before his head dropped back down.

You may recall one of the therapies that Matthew goes through is laying on the tilt table and then they raise it to see what degree of angle he can handle. This has been difficult for him to do lately because of the pain and discomfort from the wound on his foot. He would get very aggitated because it hurt to put pressure on it. Yesterday the therapist put Matthew's put in a position that kept the pressure off his foot and Matthew handled the tilt table very well (sorry, I forgot to ask what degree the tilt table was at).

It has been determined that the ulcer/wound on Matthew's foot is not going to heal on its own so the staff at the hospital is recommending that a plastic surgeon take a look at it and perhaps they will have to scrape the dead tissue off and fix that area of his foot.

Matthew's parents are pleased with little things that Matthew is doing that seem so natural and require some cognitive awareness. When Matthew is full and doesn't want any more food, he gently holds on to his mother's hand and pulls the utensil in her hand away from his mouth. One thing that Matthew's godfather, Randy witnessed was Matthew will grab a towel or napkin and wipe his own mouth while eating or when the drool on the right side of his mouth bothers him. He doesn't do it all the time, but it's good to see when he does.

One time Matthew didn't want to Brenda to brush his teeth and he pulled her hand away from his mouth. She told him he must have his teeth cleaned and asked him to help her. So she put his hand on hers and they did it together.

From preliminary reports that I have received, the fundraiser dinner last weekend went VERY WELL! There was a great attendance and a long line that went out the door and around the building for a long time. Those that organized the meal planned for 800 people and when it was over there wasn't much food left. Someone with firsthand involvement can give us more specifics. Thanks to all that contributed with silent auction items and helping hands!

Andrew is doing much better. He is back to school and trying to not over-exurt himself (Mom's orders as well as the doctors!). He is pale, but has returned to his chipper self.

Guide me ever, great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but you are mighty;
Hold me with your pow'rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me now and evermore;
Feed me now and evermore.

Open now the crystal fountain
Where the healing waters flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliv'rer, strong deliv'rer,
Shield me with your mighty arm;
Shield me with your mighty arm.

Lutheran Worship Hymn #220

God's blessings on your day!

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 4/19/06

We hope all of you had a blessed Easter! May your Easter joy continue through the entire Easter season.

Matthew was with his girlfriend, Paige on Easter morning and then with his mother and brothers later in the day. He didn't have the best of days - was very aggitated and uncomfortable. As Matthew's aggitation continues, the staff is becoming more and more confident that a great deal of his aggitation is from the pain Matthew is in. His muscles are so tight and his legs hurt and this would make anyone uncomfortable and aggitated. Matthew just can't voice his discomfort to those around him, except with moans. The surgery for putting in the pump to administer the medication for relaxing his muscles is scheduled for April 25th. Hopefully we'll have wonderful reports to give after that surgery and Matthew's aggitation will decrease. The staff at the rehab center has also lowered the dosage of two medications that Matthew was on and we pray this also leads to less aggitation.

There is a great deal to be concerned about in regards to this surgery. First of all, Matthew has to be physically well, no infections, no fevers, etc. at all before they can proceed with the surgery. If they have to postpone for any reason, Matthew's progress toward improvement with his muscles and ultimately with mobility can be greatly impaired. So, please pray for Matthew's health and wellness so that the surgery takes place on time.

On the "flip side" of this is the side effects from the medication. Even though Matthew did very well with the trial dosage of the medication and his muscles were relaxed, there is always the possibility that the regular administration of the dosage can cause Matthew to be very sick and even have seizures. It can take time, even weeks for the dosage to be adjusted just right and Matthew to receive it well. We pray for a smooth adjustment period!

Some of you may try to reassure us with your comments or question why these things have to be done. We are trusting in our Lord's care for Matthew and know the doctors are doing what is necessary for Matthew's recovery. We share the seriousness of this with you so that you know what Matthew is going through and how far he is from being "whole".

Matthew also has a very deep wound or ulcer in his left foot. This wound developed when he was at the hospital several weeks ago. The boot he had to wear to keep his foot in a proper position was not put on correctly and a sore developed. This sore has been getting worse instead of better. They left it alone to let it heal on its own, but it hasn't healed. It is swollen, black and painful for Matthew. Just recently they began to use a wound cleanser and putting medication on it.

There are also some indications that Matthew may have some paralysis on the right side of his face. He has been drooling in the last week or so more from the right side of his mouth. When he attempts to put his mouth around a straw, the right side of his mouth doesn't close on the straw. When he tries to smile, the right side of his mouth doesn't move. It is possible that this is a temporary paralysis, but it could be permanent.

Now for some positive news: Saturday was Brenda's birthday and Matthew gave her the best present ever - he said "mamamamama"! Yesterday Matthew had one of his favorite meals for lunch - barbecued chicken and pork and beans. He would make a "mmmm" sound after bites and then once Brenda and the other person in the room heard him say "mmmm more". He sure enjoyed that meal.

Matthew has also been holding his head up more on his own, which is terrific. Yesterday he made some attempts to help his nurse with getting himself dressed by pulling down on his shirt.

Today Matthew has a special visitor who hasn't been able to see Matthew in a while because of pastoral duties. His godfather, Randy is with him right now. I hope that Randy can give you a first hand report of Matthew's condition in the coming days.

On the homefront, Andrew is not well. He developed mono and is at home sick. This young man has been working hard to stay on top of his school work and all his activites and now he's run-down. He is getting lots of rest and hopefully will be feeling better soon. Brenda has not been able to go home to be with him so that she doesn't contract any illness and then take the chance of infecting Matthew.

Blessings to you this day!

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 4/13/06

Blessed Holy (Maundy) Thursday to all of you.

There hasn't been much change in Matthew's aggitation yet (although Brenda notices that he's a little calmer for her), but we still appreciate all the prayers for this particular aspect of Matthew's recovery.

Matthew continues to put his glasses back up on his nose as normal as he used to. This is good to see. Yesterday, Brenda saw Matthew lift his torso up off the bed, reach over with his left arm to his right leg and kind of curl up. This is another new action she hasn't seen him do before.

There are plenty of challenges in caring for Matthew. It's like a "wrestling match" all day long keeping Matthew away from the tubes and devices that he's attached to. Anything that is tight and constricting is very uncomfortable for brain trauma patients and they try to get rid of the discomfort. Unfortunately, those things are necessary for them to have attached to them. By the end of the day, Matthew's caregivers are exhausted trying to keep up with him.

A member of one of Pastor Kurz' congregations has asked me to include the following information for anyone interested in helping out with the Kurz' finances:

Holy Cross and St. John's Lutheran Churches are sponsoring a Free Will Donation Fund Raising Dinner on Sunday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The dinner will be held in the Lutheran School Gym, Cole Camp and will feature smoked pork and turkey, sides and desserts. A silent auction will also be held. The proceeds raised will go to Matthew's special needs with matching funds available from Thrivent Chapter 7792 and Holy Cross Chapter 7792.

Pastor Kurz and Brenda want all of you to know they pray you have a blessed and joyful Easter. They want you to know how much they appreciate all the words of encouragement for them and the prayers you lift up for Matthew on a regular basis. The following hymn brings great comfort to them and they would like to share it with you:

I know that my Redeemer lives!
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever-living head!

He lives triumphant from the grave;
He lives eternally to save;
He lives exalted, throned above;
He lives to rule His Church in love.

He lives to grant me rich supply;
He lives to guide me with His eye;
He lives to comfort me when faith;
He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears;
He lives to wipe away my tears;
He lives to calm my troubled heart;
He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives to bless me with His love;
He lives to plead for me above;
He lives my hungry soul to feed;
He lives to help in time of need.

He lives, my kind, wise, heav'nly friend;
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives I'll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King!

He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to His name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same;
What joy this blest assurance gives;
I know that my Redeemer lives!

Lutheran Worship 264/The Lutheran Hymnal 200


Peace be with you,
Rachel Asburry

Prayer Request - 4/11/06

Please lift Matthew up in prayers to our heavenly Father. The doctors are very concerned that Matthew is still in Stage IV (see Update - 3/24/06 for explanation of Stage IV). They believe by now he should be out of Stage IV and less aggitated. They are giving him medication to help calm him down, but it is not helping like it should.

Please pray that our Lord guides the doctors to quickly find what is causing Matthew to be so aggitated (whether it be one of the many medications he is on or something else) and that our heavenly Father heals Matthew so that he may move to the next stage of progression.

This is a very serious turning point and we urgently request your prayers.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. . . The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." Psalm 46:1-3, 7

Rachel Asburry

Update - 4/10/06

Good morning!

The big news over the weekend is Matthew is working very hard to make sounds and form words. On Friday he was able to make a very clear "H" and "N" sound when trying to saying "Hi" or "No". He was able to make the consonant sounds very clear. It takes alot of effort on Matthew's part and a great deal of concentration to get the sounds out. He has to go through every little step of getting his mouth and tongue in the right position - things we take for granted every minute of every day.

He continues to have different pitches in his moans and on Saturday he was saying "la la ..."

Another major task the therapists are working on with Matthew is to have him hold his head up like we do. Most of the time when he's in the wheelchair or sitting on the edge of the bed, his head hangs down and the "wonderful" view Matthew has is of the floor! It takes a lot of effort for him to lift his head up and to hold it up. On Sunday, his mom and girlfriend were excited that he held his head up for almost a whole minute and looked at both of them. What beautiful sights they are! Brenda can tell that Matthew LOVES to be outside because he holds his head up alot more when he's outside.

During one of his meals on Sunday Matthew grabbed the towel that was laying on his chest that Brenda keeps handy to catch any spills. He lifted it up and wiped his own mouth and Brenda said it looked so natural. Some of his natural habits are starting to show!

We also know that Matthew doesn't like to be left alone. He wails at night and the nurses have to go in and calm him down to let him know he's not alone and they are nearby.

Hope you all have a blessed Holy Week as we approach the time when we remember our Lord's suffering and death to save us from our sin and his victory over death through his resurrection so that we too will have eternal life.

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 4/5/06 follow-up

Brenda just called me and said the orthopedic doctor decided not to take the loose screw from the plate out yesterday. He decided to give Matthew's incision a little longer to heal on it's own. If it doesn't close up in the next 3-4 weeks, then they will go in and remove all nine screws and the plate because the bone has healed just fine. Head trauma patients' bodies will over produce bone when they are healing and that has happened for Matthew - one area of the collarbone is larger than the other side. No cause for concern about that at this time.

Brenda also said that Matthew did something very normal yesterday that was exciting to see: he pushed his glasses up on his nose by himself. Once again we rejoice in the little things!

God be with you this day!

Rachel Asburry

Update - 4/5/06

This morning Matthew had one of the screws removed from the plate that is holding his collarbone in place. The screw had come loose and was making it difficult for the incision to heal. The hope is that the incision to put the plate in for his collarbone will fully heal shut now that the loose screw is gone.

Matthew continues to be very aggitated and because of it, he has been moved closer to the nurses' station so they can keep a close eye on him. Just remember that the aggitation is part of the process for the brain in its recovery.

In answer to a question in another comment made to the previous update, several scans were made of Matthew's brain earlier on right after the accident. These scans showed red tiny dots all over the brain. Those red dots were broken blood capillaries. As Matthew's head was jostled back and forth in the accident, neurons that were once connected are now broken. Those connections are permanently severed, but the brain has an amazing ability to make new pathways for messages to be transmitted. So, nothing is 100% certain in diagnosing what Matthew will be able to do in the future. So far the doctors are very pleased with Matthew's progress and because he was in tremendously good health before the accident - he didn't drink, didn't smoke, is young, was taking good Shaklee nutrition :) - he has a lot of plusses on his side for his body to heal and regain alot of his former abilities. As I've mentioned before, I'm definitely not a medical professional and am trying to explain this as best I can from a lay person's perspective and from what Brenda has communicated to me that she is told by the doctors. Let's applaud Matthew's successes and encourage the Kurz family when things are rough and try not to spend time figuring out the diagnosis and future which is very uncertain at this time. We'll leave that in God's almighty hands!

On the bright side, Matthew is now able to sip from a cup, rather than have liquids spoon-fed to him. He is also lifting one leg a bit and moves it in a position on the bed that has always been a natural way for him to lay. Matthew also has different pitches in his moans and sounds that he makes. He's progressing from the monotone sound to pitches and it sounds to Brenda like he's trying very hard to work toward talking again.

On Andrew's 16th birthday Matthew tried really hard to say something, but couldn't get it out. He squeezed Andrew's hand and finally gave him the "thumbs up" sign to wish Andrew "Happy Birthday". Speaking of Andrew's birthday, he had a WONDERFUL day. He was thrilled with all the birthday wishes, funny cards and fantastic celebration.

As I reported this weekend, Brenda's father, Norbert Kaiser fell several times and was taken to the V.A. hospital in Columbia. It was finally determined that Norbert had a light stroke. He was confused at times and was very much like his grandson - pulling out tubes! He's doing better and they will probably release him to return to the nursing home in Cole Camp where he will undergo therapy and work to regain strength and mobility.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Matthew and the Kurz family. And I personally thank you for the encouraging words that you express in comments of how you appreciate the updates in the blog. I'm glad to know that it is of great benefit to those who know and love the Kurz family. My husband and I are blessed to be able to help in this way.

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother

Update - 4/1/06

What a beautiful day it is in Missouri! Sunny and warm - I'm sure Matthew will be taken outside today to enjoy the sunshine.

Matthew has been pretty aggitated toward the end of this week. He didn't want to eat much. As you can tell from past updates, positive things are happening, but there are always "little steps backwards before moving forward." We all have our good days and bad days.

When our weather started warming up this week, Brenda took Matthew outside in the wheelchair. She gave him a little "pep talk", encouraging him to keep fighting to get better. When they went back to his room, Brenda talked with him more about how much she wants him to get better. She sat next to him on the bed and put her arm around his shoulders. Matthew leaned against her, relaxed and then fell asleep. Brenda said it was a wonderful moment and a treasured memory.

One of the comments for the previous update asked about Matthew's tight muscles and abilities. Because of the severity of Matthew's brain injury, there is so much that Matthew's brain has to relearn to do that we take for granted. The brain has to relearn to communicate with the rest of the body. When there is great force of impact (such as in an automobile accident), there are shearing forces that produce stretching and tearing of axons and insulating mylon sheaths. The damage causes a change in the balance of signals between the nervous system and the muscles. This imbalance leads to increased activity (excitability) in the muscles and they "over-tighten". It is very common for head injury patients to have abnormal physical movement such as tremors or spasticity.

Matthew is NOT walking and is not even close to walking. He has to be lifted in and out of the wheelchair to go anywhere. He is not able to do anything for himself. He has to be fed by others. This might sound like a brusk way to describe it, but maybe this is the clearest way to let all readers know how long a "road" Matthew must travel. It is too early to say if any of the above (muscle spasticity or Matthew's inability to care for himself) is permanent. That is the purpose of the medication - to help relax the muscles so that permanent tauntness does not set in. Matthew has made lots of progress from being in a coma to now awake, swallowing food, and squeezing a person's hand in greeting (just a few examples of what he can do). We will continue to pray that all the things he is going through now are transitions to ultimate healing.

The family is very excited to celebrate Andrew's 16th birthday. They had thought maybe 20 or so people would sign up for the spaghetti dinner - but they are VERY excited that SIXTY people are expected to attend. Andrew is honored that so many want to share in the celebration of his birthday.

We just got word that Brenda's father, Norbert Kaiser had to be taken to the hospital. He has been in the nursing home in Cole Camp for the last month and a half. This morning he fell several times so they had to take him to the hospital. We'll let you know when we find out more details of how he's doing. Please keep Norbert in your prayers as well.

The King of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never.
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.

(Stanza 1 and 6 from Hymn 412, Lutheran Worship)

Rachel Asburry
Matthew's godmother