May Update
5-2-98
5-2-98
The very next day after our last report, Sunday, the 26th, was a wonderful day. Her cousin walked in the room and she pointed at him and said, "Matt!". She later said the nurses name, and then said "Mom". All that afternoon, she laughed, winked, did "thumbs up", and found the buttons on her bed and put it up and down.
Monday, she told her Aunt to, "Leave me alone." The Doctor told the family he felt it wouldn't be necessary to send Catherine to Barrows and she should stay at Flagstaff Medical Center rather than changing from such a supportive, loving atmosphere. We were praying to make the best decision for her and after praying, weighing and discussing, decided that we agreed with the doctor. She is virtually blossoming in this positive atmosphere. By weeks end, she progressed from using single words to sentences. She has started to move and exercise her left leg and even uses her right hand to work the stiffness out of her left hand and arm. She has been reading some of the larger posters on the walls of her room and conversing with family members. She has also begun to eat some pureed food, but no liquids yet.
As she has become aware of her surroundings and circumstances, the realization of her condition really hit her. She has been experiencing some depression as she feels embarrassed and aware of her deficits. This is very normal and is more progress up the ladder of recovery. We are trying to balance giving her space and support while praying that God will help her through this next stage, just as He has each one.
Catherine is starting more intensive rehab therapy on next Monday. Please continue to remember her in your prayers as you have, mentally, physically and emotionally.
 Brother Billy
Paul Branham returning to see what God is doing. 5-2-98 |
An encouraging word for Amber Hawkes 5-2-98 |
One very grateful father - Joe Daulton 5-3-98 |
This certainly doesn't look like the brain dead child of 2 1/2 months ago. 5-4-98 |
Cynthia grooming Catherine's hair 5-6-98 |
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5-9-98
The doctor, hospital staff, and family met again last Monday to discuss Catherine's progress. The staff is planning on beginning intensive acute rehab this coming Monday, which will take about 6 hours a day. However, Catherine continues to improve greatly every day. She is very much aware of her surroundings and is remembering many things, such as her own telephone number, as well as her access number to get in the computer where she was working before she got hurt. We are told it is quite common for brain injury patients to have a lack of "short term" memory even though they may have good "long term" memory. Thankfully, Catherine has both excellent "short term" and "long term" memory. Catherine is really expressing herself in her own unique way -- She told her mom that she was so mad at the Devil. Her mom asked her, "Do you want to kick the devil in the teeth?" She replied, "Yeah, but where are his teeth?" Mom told Catherine that she was hungry, and she replied, "Don't eat here, it's nasty." This is likely due to the fact that she is having her food pureed. She has been complaining of blurry vision. Cynthia called her eye doctor and he said it was double vision due to the right eye "wandering" a bit, and is directly related to the brain injury. He then said that, "The Lord will heal her vision just like He was healing everything else. The one thing the medical profession forgets about, is the Love of God." On Friday the feeding tube in her stomach was removed. She is now feeding herself and eating regular foods. Yesterday she had cake and ice cream with some of her friends to celebrate Amber's birthday. Tonight her Daddy brought pepperoni pizza for dinner. We have had her outside, wheeling her all over the hospital grounds.
On a humorous note; her cousin brought a water pistol and she had great fun squirting everyone from her family to the staff. She's a pretty good shot too. Also, she was given her watch this week, and has been keeping everyone to a tight schedule, down to the minute. She even tells the therapy staff if they go over their allotted time. Her mother was supposed to return by 5 o'clock and was informed she was 2 minutes late!
5-16-98
On Monday the hospital gave Catherine a barium swallow test, which showed that she was swallowing well enough to have liquids. The doctor said when he came to visit that he is telling everyone that she has exceeded all his expectations. She has trouble sleeping at night and tells us when she got her sleeping medication and if she slept at all. She wants someone to sleep with her every night. Since no one came on Tuesday night, she asked a nurse for the phone and punched in Amber's phone number and asked her to come spend the night.
On Wednesday, she said she was so homesick that she wanted to go home. She said she had already been there 3 months. When she was told that she had 2 more months of rehab, she said she was going to complete it in one month. The doctor gave her a pass to leave each afternoon after her therapy. Her father helps her in and out of a wheelchair. For her first trip, she wanted to go home. She laid in her bed, remembered where things were in her room, typed an e-mail message with one finger, and was so happy to be home.
On Thursday, she showed her Mom she could move the fingers on her left hand. Their outing was a trip to the mall. She was a bit self conscious, but enjoyed getting out again. She wanted a crispy, spicy chicken sandwich from Wendys and a frosty.
Friday morning, she called her Mom 3 times, asking her to hurry up to the hospital earlier. (She hasn't learned to weigh the effects of her words or actions on others yet, which goes along with what the doctor said to expect about not being "socially sensitive".) She ate M&M's with her left fingers!!! This is fast improvement with the small motor coordination. She went to the office where she had worked and checked everything out in the afternoon. Her sister Joy, spent the night with her and in the night she asked "What is 30 from 16?" Joy told her that would be a negative 14. Catherine said she had 28 days left 'til she could go home, because there were 14 days left this month and 14 in June. It's on her mind all the time that she wants to go home and is working really hard.
Catherine and Joy talked about all the prayers that the Lord had answered since she has been out of the coma. They made a list of prayers and concerns that Catherine has, and then agreed to check them off as the Lord answers. Would you please pray with her regarding these:
Excited to be going home on her first 2 hour hospital pass, 90 days from the day of the accident. 5-13-98 |
brother Steve on hospital grounds. 5-22-98 |
5-23-98
This week Catherine had problems with being very cold on her right side. Not just her skin, but inside the muscles. The rash on her right side got worse. The Dermatologist was supposed to come on Monday but didn't make it, so we put her in a "soda bath" in an attempt to help, as it was driving her crazy. This helped some and she was later given medication to clear up the skin.
The family commented that she woke up from her coma with her taste buds still the same, liking the same foods as she always did. She said that was true except she likes M&M's a whole lot more than she used to. She has an M&M dispenser and eats them all day, first thing in the morning 'til last thing at night. She loves all her junk food: french fries with ranch dressing, Wendy's frostys, and burgers.
Wednesday, we met with the reporter and photographer from the Arizona Daily Sun at Jitters, a coffee house Catherine always enjoyed. She tried a mocha with hazelnut and vanilla at the recommendation of one of her therapists and thoroughly enjoyed it. A follow up story is supposed to run in Sunday's paper.
The ophthalmologist gave Catherine glasses with one lens frosted to help her with her double vision. It's like having a patch over one eye.
On Friday, which was High School Graduation Day, Catherine went to two of her friends' homes for their celebrations. Her mother asked her if it was too many people for her and she said it wasn't. She really enjoyed herself and seemed very comfortable. In the afternoon Steve, her brother with his wife Joy and their newborn daughter, Gabrielle, came to see her for the first time. Catherine was so excited to see Joy and her newborn neice who has her middle name. She told Joy she hadn't seen her since she woke up. Catherine laughed and had a wonderful time.
First thing this morning (Saturday), Catherine said she wanted to go to church in the morning, so tomorrow will be her first time back in church. Her brother, sisters and grandparents will all be there to share with us in that special time.
Catherine also went to the city park today and enjoyed spending time with her whole family. Grandpa and Grandma Armstrong arrived from Texas and took the whole family out to dinner. Thinking she would be too tired after having already left the hospital on an outing, her mother offered to stay with her but Catherine insisted she wanted to go too! So, go she did!!
Here is the "follow up" story in our local newspaper: 
Catherine with her brother Steve - 5-22-98 |
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Catherine, with brother Steve and his wife Joy, holding her niece who was born 5 weeks premature, put on life support, and not expected to live, meet for the first time on 5-23-98. This miracle baby, Gabrielle Ruth, shares her aunt's middle name. Another miracle for the Daulton family! |
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After her first time to church on 5-24-98, she spent a couple hours enjoying a Sunday dinner at Furr's Cafeteria. Buddies together again after dinner, right. |
5-30-98
As requested, Catherine went to church for the first time last Sunday, May 24. It was a lovely day as her brother Steve, sister Joy and baby Gabby, were all there as well as grandma Neta Armstrong from Texas. Catherine was assured before hand that if she grew tired, we would take her home. Instead, she was in no hurry to leave and asked to be taken to the front of the sanctuary for prayer to walk. She also wanted to accompany the family and friends to Furrs Cafeteria for lunch and was still enjoying herself when her weary parents decided it was time to go home.
On Wednesday a friend from Alaska came with Joy to see Catherine. They all went to "Jitters" for coffee and the owners recognized Catherine from the newspaper article. After greeting her, they gave her a cap with the Jitters logo.
Catherine has been on somewhat of a plateau this week. She is working everyday in her therapies, making slight progresses but not as fast as she would like. Her mother tells her that it takes work to rebuild her muscles. The family reminds her of a poster on the ceiling above her head: "Lord I'm better today than I was yesterday. Yesterday You helped me. Today You did the same. How long will this continue? Forever, Praise His name."
The neuropsychologist said that he feels that Catherine would benefit from Barrows outpatient cognitive program. The family is praying about this, as everything would have to fall into place just right to be able to go there. There are real constraints with the HMO plan which only covers 60 days of acute rehab. She will have used 30 of those by June 11 and you can't stop that clock once it starts. Barrows has an interview process and then a determination of acceptance and a one month waiting list. The insurance would definitely have been used up by then. So please pray with the family concerning this possible step in her rehabilitation.
When she woke up Sat. she asked her friend for a Bible and worked on memorizing Psalms 84:11 & 12
Quotes from Catherine:
She said that the accident had been a good thing because she has bonded more with her family and the people in church. She feels closer now than ever to friends and family.
Her mother told her she was eating too many sweets and she replied that that is what's keeping her so perky.
