Friday 10:18am

Michael and I looked at one another and gasped with surprise! LAINE STILL HAD ALL HER TEETH! Dr. Gal said the surgery went better than expected!!!! Her mandible break was repaired with 2 plates and a screw.....she sheared a tooth but it was still there to wire her jaw straight. If she did not have the lung issue Dr. Gal said he would have sent her home!!! No exterior scars!

Yes, as I am sitting here with anticipation to see our daughter.....I feel the strength of all your e mails and phone calls....supporting Lainey and the love of our family. I can't tell you how INCREDIBLE I feel right now!!!!! The green light is bright with hope across the lake.

ALL OF YOU......thank you. Thank you for bringing us into your lives and keeping us safe. Our gallant boy Frodo I know has watched over his loving partner...and I am sure when Laine was under anesthetic....she could feel his soft muzzle nudging ever so gently on her sweet face.

Laine will be able to see us in an hour or so. I will walk confidantly down the hall thru her ICU doors.

thank you my dear dear friends. thank you.

Valerie

Friday May 2nd 7:30 am

"Consistantly we are getting better than expected news" Michael said while the 5 of us are waiting in the ICU wait room for her to be taken to surgery. There has been a change regarding the use of a Halo.......NO HALO! So as I write she has JUST been wheeled down the hall to OR. I will keep you informed as to her results after her surgery.....we can see her probably about noon.

again, THANK YOU for all your precious e mails.....they mean so much to me.

Valerie

4:30 PM Thursday

I sit quietly by my daughter's bedside and begin to realize what the "roller coaster" ride is all about.
Laine is aggitated because she wants answers to questions that neither her mom or dad can understand. Her communication skills are crippled by a moraphine drip line and the incredible frustration in this 10 x 10 room is emotionally exhausting. So vivid the memory of tragedy paling the one of victory.
My one source of strength comes from a home page website where I know thousands of our friends are supporting us with prayers & love.
I feel it. I hold it. And I thank each and EVERY one of you for it. That "it" keeps me returning to her tiny room with a comforting smile.
Valerie

Laine's Medical Update - Thursday, May 1st, 2008 - 12:30pm

It's been five days since Laine's terrible fall and with each new day we've been blessed with signs of progress. One of the emotional elements of healthcare management is to prepare families for both good and bad days. The proverbial emotional roller coaster ride. So, far our set backs have been few and Laine's forward steps have been consistent. One backward step came about last night when Laine's fever suddenly spiked up to nearly 103. It was determined that she had an infection and a case of pneumonia; both being complications that are quite common with a lung injury of this sort. They started her on three seperate antibiotics and her fever has already come down significantly as a result.

The good news is that Laine's lungs continue to gain strength and her doctors have again lowered the level of assistance being contributed by the ventilator. At one point, Laine was drawing almost all her own breaths. It turned out to be a bit premature, so they went back to the previous settings. Laine's jaw surgery is now scheduled for first thing Friday morning. The plan is to plate the lower jaw line and then reset the right upper jawbone and then wiring it all together.

As far as Laine's attitude goes, she is an amazing kid. They've begun to cut back the level of her pain/comfort meds so from time-to-time, she'll drift back into consciousness, opening her eyes and trying to get herself oriented. She's begun to ask the obvious questions, like what happened and where am I? Not a moment after she was asking about her beloved horses, Frodo and Eric. Keep in mind that communication is now done by lip reading and hand gestures because the tracheotomy has rendered her vocal chords temporarily inoperable. There is a certain "fiest" in Laine today and while the communication process is very frustrating, she was tried desperately to communicate in her sedated state. There was one point that Laine was particularly struggling to ask the nurse something that she couldn't make out. Eventually, they were able to determine that she was asking for a mirror. Now, while that's normally a simple request, one has to think about the benefits of providing it in this instance. We did, she looked for a moment and then drifted back into a peaceful rest.

April 30th at 11am in the ICU wait room

Laine continues to progress well. Yesterday was hard on me because the nurses are gradually lowering Laine's sedation so if I went to kiss my daughter's precious forehead or hand she would wake and struggle to get up. It is a horrible situation to watch your own daughter caught between the zones of medication and reality.

Laine goes for surgery on her jaw thank God today. She is third patient in the OR room so time is still up in the air as to when she actually goes. I am ancious to see my girl's face afterwards. Her jaw will be wired shut and they are putting a trachea tube in so ventilating will be more effeicient and easier for her to withstand. Her lungs are doing so much better ....I am so THANKFUL for her combative spirit. That's John Wayne stuff right there. Michael and I will update her surgery later today when she gets wheeled back to her ICU slot. My girlfriend of 30+ years is the designer and "keeper" of Laine's website so she will be sure to post it immediately. I can't even start to thank ALL of you for your e mails, calls, cards, gifts, and mostly PRAYERS for my daughter's recovery.....I love each and every one of you and all your efforts are paying off. There is NOTHING more precious than your own child. NOTHING.

Which brings me to our boy Frodo Baggins. Briefly, our devastation will be felt for YEARS TO COME. Laine's partnership with her boy will never be equalled. He is gone. We have only memories. While I was running this morning I thought of how in shock not only I am in but my family around me that he is even gone. When I drive home to Crow's Ear Farm and see my black beauty is missing from the famous "Jamie field" and stall #2......it will be another whole round of heartache and void that both Laine and I will endure. Laine's partner gave her confidance. So much is now gone for my beloved daughter. I am extremely concerned as to how and if she will even pick up the broken pieces and continue on with her eventing carreer. It will be a choice and decision only she can make. I have deliberately NOT mentioned Frodo on our website because Laine DOES NOT KNOW about his dimise. When she was first flighted into emergency on Saturday Laine's hands were bound but she was able to finger out the letters F_R_O_D_O on her sheets......I protected her from the truth and said Katie her incredible groom was taking care of him. Katie thank God, was the only one with him and said he remained our 'champion' even till the end. So please, until I can find the right moment to grapple the strentgh and tell Laine.....let's keep this "mum's the word". I need your continued support on this. I do believe this task, will be one of the most difficult ones for me to carry out.....and nurse along for the months and years ahead. I THANK ALL OF YOU.

Valerie

FLASH UPDATE:
12 NOON

the OR room is unavailable today due to emergency priorities. Friday will be our targeted date. Laine is having a tracheoscomy as I write to better her ventilating and possible breathing on her own. I will update later tonight or tomorrow regarding her procedure today.

Laine’s Medical Update – Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 – 11AM

This morning we are pleased to see more incremental progress with Laine’s lung injury. While she remains on the ventilator, she is beginning to take some breaths on her own. Her vital signs are also improving. Her fever, while still high, is down to a less critical level. Her blood pressure, which has been running low, is beginning to rise up to a more acceptable level and her blood oxygenation saturation is very good (meaning that her lungs are performing their primary function of distribution oxygen and eliminating carbon dioxide). She still has three chest tubes inserted that allow for the release of pressures and draining of excess blood in her chest cavity. Her right lung, which was the one most badly damaged, has effectively resealed itself and is now leaking only minimally.

Once the respiratory function is stabilized, then we can start to deal with the myriad other injuries. Top on that list is resetting Lainey’s broken jaw. That surgery is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, although that is subject to change. Her jaw bone was completely severed near the chin line with a secondary break higher up near her facial plate, just below the right ear. All surgery is risky; and more so in Laine’s case given her fragile state.

At this point we’re not looking too far beyond the jaw surgery. We’ll keep the reports coming as we learn more. In the meantime, we’d like to thank everyone once again for all your heart felt prayers, emails and cards. When Laine does regain full consciousness she’ll enjoy reading them.

On A Personal and Lighter Note: I would additionally like to add that Laine has been particularly uplifted to hear that Karen O’Connor and her coach and ‘big brother’ Buck have called expressing their concern daily and are wishing her a speedy recovery. Karen asked me if there was ANYTHING she could do to help out….I paused…and then asked her if she was going to Jersey Fresh ***. She responded saying “this is about the Eight St. James Trophy isn’t it”? I said yes. She said it is as good as done! So now dear friends this is what we have. Buck and Karen entered in the 3 star. One trophy. A well dusted area in our farm’s trophy cabinet. And the words “bring it on” from Karen to Buck. The rest will be history.

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart for all your countless prayers and expressions of love for my baby daughter. Sincerely.
Valerie

Laine's Medical Update - Monday, April 28th – 1PM

Laine’s condition is improved as of this afternoon although she is still listed as critical. Our first concern is still her damaged lungs and restoring adequate respiratory function to them. We are happy to report improvement on that front; although Laine is still breathing with the assistance of a ventilator. Once her lungs are more fully stabilized, she will be going to the operating room to have her broken jaw reset. Given the degree and complexity of the fracture, it is going to be a difficult operation. So, that is our next big hurdle. Other than that, Laine is resting comfortably and showing slow but consistent signs of improvement. Again, thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes. They seem to be working.