Update - 3/14/08
Matthew continues to make great strides with his ability to walk. He is able to control both his right and left legs in taking the steps on his own while using a walker and he is able to switch his weight by himself with each step. His physical therapist is very impressed and positive about the future.
Little by little Matthew is able to do more with his right hand. Previously he was only able to hold a marker in his hand. Now he is able to move the marker or pencil around the page. This simple step is a milestone! He is also able to lift and push 10 lbs with his right hand when he goes to the gym to lift weights.
Matthew is also continuing to increase in his ability to talk and comprehend what is going on around him. Here are a few examples of his conversations with his family:
"Matthew, I have a thought?"
Matthew's response: "And that is . . .?"
"What would you like to do?"
Matthew's response: "What are my choices?"
This indicates higher thinking skills!
Recently the Kurz family was contacted by an organization called EFECT (Encouraging Families with Exceptional Children Together) to tell their family's story following Matthew and Andrew's car accident. EFECT is a non-profit organization developed by parents for parents of children with disabilities ranging from autism to brain injury to deaf to down syndrome (see their Web page: www.efect.org). They produce a newsletter to support their members and the following article will appear (or has recently appeared) in their newsletter. The Kurz family would like to share that article with you as well.
Journey of Hope
By Brenda Kurz
On January 25, 2006, our lives suddenly changed in ways we never could have imagined. Our oldest son, Matthew, 17, and his brother Andrew, 15, were driving to school when they crashed into a stopped school bus as they came around a blind curve. The impact was so great that the car slid under the rear of the bus. Although no one on the bus was injured, Matthew suffered massive head trauma and a broken collarbone. He was in a coma for two and a half weeks. Andrew also had a concussion, cracked a vertebra in his neck and had to wear a neck brace for a month while healing from cuts and bruises. After the accident, we found ourselves not only in the new, unfamiliar world of traumatic brain injury, but also navigating through a new world of hope and faith, family and friends. Before the accident we lived in the small town of Cole Camp, Mo. My husband, Erich, was serving as the pastor of two rural Lutheran churches. I was the busy mother of four boys ages 10-17 and also ran my Shaklee home-based business. Our lives have changed drastically, but through the losses, changes, and uncertain times, new doors have opened in the way of new-found blessings, strength, and reasons for comfort and joy. Our son Andrew has recovered from his injuries very well. He is presently attending college at Rockhurst University in Kansas City. For Matthew, though, he will be recovering for the rest of his life.
Matthew was in intensive care at the hospital at Columbia University for over three weeks. From there, he was moved to Rusk Rehabilitation Center, also in Columbia, where he received care and therapies until July 7, 2006. During those days, we celebrated every sign of progress, no matter how small, as big steps on the way in our journey of hope. The first time Matthew moved his big toe, ever so slightly, our family and friends rejoiced. In the waiting room we hugged, crying tears of joy. The first time Matthew opened his eyes just a little, and looked at us, is a moment we will never forget. The doctors couldn’t tell us what Matthew's life would be like because every head trauma is different. Matthew's brain suffered severe injury to the right front temporal area, as well as multiple areas of bleeding and clotting throughout his brain. Life has had to start over for our son. He is relearning how to talk, how to walk, and how to perform other basic functions. One of our biggest challenges was to find a home that would be suited to our son’s new set of needs. In our more than 17 years as a minister’s family, we had never owned a home. The doctor told us we probably had about four months to try to make housing arrangements before Matthew would be released from Rusk Rehabilitation Center. When that time came, we would need to be ready to bring Matthew home.
At the time Matthew couldn't walk, talk or sit up on his own. He received all his nutrition through a feeding tube. He needed 24-hour care for every basic need. Some people, not understanding the intense care and attention Matthew needed so much- and not realizing that with these injuries you have to fight for every bit of progress- even thought we should put Matthew in a nursing home. As parents, the thought of our son in a nursing home was never acceptable. We had also visited with other head trauma families and they encouraged us, saying that caring for Matthew at home would be his best chance for maximizing his recovery and keeping the progress going.
Our Thrivent Financial for Lutherans representatives, Bob Boone and Fred Hollick, were instrumental in organizing the fundraisers that helped us to meet the down-payment for the new handicap-accessible home we were able to move into in November 2006. Matthew's care at home has been provided through Special Health Care Needs. In July of 2006, he started 24-hour care and now needs only nighttime care. We are so thankful for Matthew’s care, and for the nurses who have helped us so well, in our home. Many people ask how we, as parents, manage to take care of Matthew and our other three sons. As tragic and trying as the times have been, Matthew’s traumatic brain injury has also brought with it many new blessings for our family. In the hands of our heavenly Fathers, our sons’ accident has served God’s good and loving purposes along the way.
It has been two years since the accident and this journey of hope has been an up-and-down road of many emotions. Each day we begin with prayer: "Lord, thank you for the many blessings you have given us. Give us Your strength and wisdom to care for our son." We are living day to day with the many needs our family now has. Every new task Matthew learns is something that shines more light through the window for us to see the new Matthew we now have, and for us to recognize the gift from God we have in him. We focus on the present, and we hope for the future: what we as parents have now, how we can encourage Matthew and our family to grow and recover, how this accident has brought our family closer together. In two years, Matthew has come a very long way on his journey of hope. On May 21, 2006, he graduated from high school on his own merit, based on the requirements he had already met before the accident. That day was the first time we saw him smile and raise his head on his own. In November, he started to stand with help. On the 13th of November, he was able to say his name. Then very slowly, with prompting, he said, "Mom, I love you." It was music to this mother’s ears.
That first Christmas after Matthew’s injury, carolers came to our new home. The last song they sang that night was "Silent Night." To our great surprise, Matthew started to sing the song with them. It was the first time we had heard him sing since the accident. In February of 2007, Matthew started to eat little bits of real food and drink from a cup. In March he was able to transfer, with help, from his wheelchair to his bed. In June he started to stand using parallel bars, and first took a step with his left foot. During the fall of 2007, he started to walk, with therapists helping to pull his right leg while he moved the left on his own. On October 31st, Matthew's feeding tube was removed and, at long last, he could eat meals with the family.
On the two-year anniversary of his accident, Matthew started taking his own steps with his right leg. He now walks using both legs with great effort and the assistance of a walker. These are just some of the celebrations we count as blessings. Matthew still has great difficulty with word recall and often needs prompting to talk. In the last three months, he has started to initiate his own thoughts and sentences. This is very big cause for celebration, and wonderful sign the front lobes of his brain are healing. It has been two years now, and Matthew is still showing signs of healing and progress. We are so thankful for this blessing! What the future holds for Matthew, only God knows. Matthew may never be able to care fully for himself, walk a long distance, communicate his thoughts or needs completely or have a job or a family of his own. Our Lord is carrying us on this journey of hope. Among the many changes in our lives since the accident, my husband began serving as a chaplain for Crossroads Hospice in September 2007. Through our trials and our times spent with other hurting families, through seeing times of struggle as opportunities for sharing love and compassion, Erich felt God was calling him to help others who were dealing with changes and with losses in their lives. It has truly been a joy for him to become involved with the work that Crossroads Hospice is doing at such a significant time in the lives of so many people.
Our family now lives in Sedalia, Mo., closer to Matthew’s therapies and the many trips to Columbia. Matthew has had nine surgeries and another surgery in the near future is still a possibility. In many ways, life has been given a new meaning for us. As a result of this ongoing journey of hope, we have learned to appreciate the little things more and more. And we have learned to use the life God has given us to help bring hope to others who might be dealing with traumatic brain injury, or with other challenges and changes in their lives.
Little by little Matthew is able to do more with his right hand. Previously he was only able to hold a marker in his hand. Now he is able to move the marker or pencil around the page. This simple step is a milestone! He is also able to lift and push 10 lbs with his right hand when he goes to the gym to lift weights.
Matthew is also continuing to increase in his ability to talk and comprehend what is going on around him. Here are a few examples of his conversations with his family:
"Matthew, I have a thought?"
Matthew's response: "And that is . . .?"
"What would you like to do?"
Matthew's response: "What are my choices?"
This indicates higher thinking skills!
Recently the Kurz family was contacted by an organization called EFECT (Encouraging Families with Exceptional Children Together) to tell their family's story following Matthew and Andrew's car accident. EFECT is a non-profit organization developed by parents for parents of children with disabilities ranging from autism to brain injury to deaf to down syndrome (see their Web page: www.efect.org). They produce a newsletter to support their members and the following article will appear (or has recently appeared) in their newsletter. The Kurz family would like to share that article with you as well.
Journey of Hope
By Brenda Kurz
On January 25, 2006, our lives suddenly changed in ways we never could have imagined. Our oldest son, Matthew, 17, and his brother Andrew, 15, were driving to school when they crashed into a stopped school bus as they came around a blind curve. The impact was so great that the car slid under the rear of the bus. Although no one on the bus was injured, Matthew suffered massive head trauma and a broken collarbone. He was in a coma for two and a half weeks. Andrew also had a concussion, cracked a vertebra in his neck and had to wear a neck brace for a month while healing from cuts and bruises. After the accident, we found ourselves not only in the new, unfamiliar world of traumatic brain injury, but also navigating through a new world of hope and faith, family and friends. Before the accident we lived in the small town of Cole Camp, Mo. My husband, Erich, was serving as the pastor of two rural Lutheran churches. I was the busy mother of four boys ages 10-17 and also ran my Shaklee home-based business. Our lives have changed drastically, but through the losses, changes, and uncertain times, new doors have opened in the way of new-found blessings, strength, and reasons for comfort and joy. Our son Andrew has recovered from his injuries very well. He is presently attending college at Rockhurst University in Kansas City. For Matthew, though, he will be recovering for the rest of his life.
Matthew was in intensive care at the hospital at Columbia University for over three weeks. From there, he was moved to Rusk Rehabilitation Center, also in Columbia, where he received care and therapies until July 7, 2006. During those days, we celebrated every sign of progress, no matter how small, as big steps on the way in our journey of hope. The first time Matthew moved his big toe, ever so slightly, our family and friends rejoiced. In the waiting room we hugged, crying tears of joy. The first time Matthew opened his eyes just a little, and looked at us, is a moment we will never forget. The doctors couldn’t tell us what Matthew's life would be like because every head trauma is different. Matthew's brain suffered severe injury to the right front temporal area, as well as multiple areas of bleeding and clotting throughout his brain. Life has had to start over for our son. He is relearning how to talk, how to walk, and how to perform other basic functions. One of our biggest challenges was to find a home that would be suited to our son’s new set of needs. In our more than 17 years as a minister’s family, we had never owned a home. The doctor told us we probably had about four months to try to make housing arrangements before Matthew would be released from Rusk Rehabilitation Center. When that time came, we would need to be ready to bring Matthew home.
At the time Matthew couldn't walk, talk or sit up on his own. He received all his nutrition through a feeding tube. He needed 24-hour care for every basic need. Some people, not understanding the intense care and attention Matthew needed so much- and not realizing that with these injuries you have to fight for every bit of progress- even thought we should put Matthew in a nursing home. As parents, the thought of our son in a nursing home was never acceptable. We had also visited with other head trauma families and they encouraged us, saying that caring for Matthew at home would be his best chance for maximizing his recovery and keeping the progress going.
Our Thrivent Financial for Lutherans representatives, Bob Boone and Fred Hollick, were instrumental in organizing the fundraisers that helped us to meet the down-payment for the new handicap-accessible home we were able to move into in November 2006. Matthew's care at home has been provided through Special Health Care Needs. In July of 2006, he started 24-hour care and now needs only nighttime care. We are so thankful for Matthew’s care, and for the nurses who have helped us so well, in our home. Many people ask how we, as parents, manage to take care of Matthew and our other three sons. As tragic and trying as the times have been, Matthew’s traumatic brain injury has also brought with it many new blessings for our family. In the hands of our heavenly Fathers, our sons’ accident has served God’s good and loving purposes along the way.
It has been two years since the accident and this journey of hope has been an up-and-down road of many emotions. Each day we begin with prayer: "Lord, thank you for the many blessings you have given us. Give us Your strength and wisdom to care for our son." We are living day to day with the many needs our family now has. Every new task Matthew learns is something that shines more light through the window for us to see the new Matthew we now have, and for us to recognize the gift from God we have in him. We focus on the present, and we hope for the future: what we as parents have now, how we can encourage Matthew and our family to grow and recover, how this accident has brought our family closer together. In two years, Matthew has come a very long way on his journey of hope. On May 21, 2006, he graduated from high school on his own merit, based on the requirements he had already met before the accident. That day was the first time we saw him smile and raise his head on his own. In November, he started to stand with help. On the 13th of November, he was able to say his name. Then very slowly, with prompting, he said, "Mom, I love you." It was music to this mother’s ears.
That first Christmas after Matthew’s injury, carolers came to our new home. The last song they sang that night was "Silent Night." To our great surprise, Matthew started to sing the song with them. It was the first time we had heard him sing since the accident. In February of 2007, Matthew started to eat little bits of real food and drink from a cup. In March he was able to transfer, with help, from his wheelchair to his bed. In June he started to stand using parallel bars, and first took a step with his left foot. During the fall of 2007, he started to walk, with therapists helping to pull his right leg while he moved the left on his own. On October 31st, Matthew's feeding tube was removed and, at long last, he could eat meals with the family.
On the two-year anniversary of his accident, Matthew started taking his own steps with his right leg. He now walks using both legs with great effort and the assistance of a walker. These are just some of the celebrations we count as blessings. Matthew still has great difficulty with word recall and often needs prompting to talk. In the last three months, he has started to initiate his own thoughts and sentences. This is very big cause for celebration, and wonderful sign the front lobes of his brain are healing. It has been two years now, and Matthew is still showing signs of healing and progress. We are so thankful for this blessing! What the future holds for Matthew, only God knows. Matthew may never be able to care fully for himself, walk a long distance, communicate his thoughts or needs completely or have a job or a family of his own. Our Lord is carrying us on this journey of hope. Among the many changes in our lives since the accident, my husband began serving as a chaplain for Crossroads Hospice in September 2007. Through our trials and our times spent with other hurting families, through seeing times of struggle as opportunities for sharing love and compassion, Erich felt God was calling him to help others who were dealing with changes and with losses in their lives. It has truly been a joy for him to become involved with the work that Crossroads Hospice is doing at such a significant time in the lives of so many people.
Our family now lives in Sedalia, Mo., closer to Matthew’s therapies and the many trips to Columbia. Matthew has had nine surgeries and another surgery in the near future is still a possibility. In many ways, life has been given a new meaning for us. As a result of this ongoing journey of hope, we have learned to appreciate the little things more and more. And we have learned to use the life God has given us to help bring hope to others who might be dealing with traumatic brain injury, or with other challenges and changes in their lives.
posted by Randy Asburry @ 8:44 AM
2 Comments:
At 4:32 PM,
Anonymous said…
what a witness to the faith you have continued to share with all of us.
There are many of us who have followed your family's struggles with prayers unknown to you.. God is a miracle worker!
At 3:40 PM,
Anonymous said…
This is very exciting news. I have prayed for him many times. It is wonderful to know how our faithful God answers prayer.
Post a Comment
<< Home