By BettyJean Kling and Louisa
My Louisa is making very big progress — I don’t even know where to start.
I have her brushing her hair and doing sign language and snapping her fingers and well she hugs and kisses her mommy and rubs my face and back with tenderness.
I guess you know she got the trach out because I taught her to flip the Dr. the bird right?
Well anyway I now know that she has sight and can mimic hand motions that she sees however, they are delayed. I am very excited.
Lou and I have come a very long way and I am so excited – I can hardly write this!
WE were able to get the attention and finally some help when I stopped the ER Dr. from inserting the Trach for the 5th time – I burst into the ER screaming that they had no permission to reinsert that damned thing she keeps ripping out of her throat.
The Dr. tried to remove me but I insisted that Lou could communicate and then Louisa got the chance to prove it. We were in blizzard conditions and no one was there but Lou and me – no one to stop us now!
Lou could say no (I do not want it reinserted) with 1 finger then yes (she was sure) with 2 fingers and finally flip the bird (can you hear me now) to assure the Dr. who then understood.
Indeed the Dr. understood and when the Dr. acknowledged as much – Lou placed her hand over her throat and managed a faint smile!
That did it and we were on our way! The Dr.’s they came in one after the other for days warning us what might happen and continued to warn us. They frightened us and gave us every warning they could muster but Louisa and I braved onward. I knew if she ripped it out 5 times she either could live without it or rather not live and I was damned well going to give her – her dignity. Over the next 9 days in that hospital – I barely left her side.
Since then Lou and I have managed to show them all the things we have been working on every night for a nearly a year. Louisa had earned the right to have services reinstated and NOW she finally is receiving; PT, OT and last Thursday we started speech therapy finally! After one year of solitary confinement, no therapy and never leaving her room Louisa is off life support machines, the trach, and has gone outdoors into the sunshine and yesterday I took her out of her room to meet the other patients she has lived in residence with for one year and has never met. I have made many friends there and now they know who else it is I have been visiting all year.
Part of the plan for now is that I accompany her because Lou is not yet responding to anyone else but me so I must be present but I will teach her to be comfortable with others and if not – then I will gladly stand by her side till we make it together over that finish line. Louisa and I are coming home one day.
Filed under: Domestic Violence, Feminism, The Majority United, Violence against women, Women's Rights | Tagged: Domestic Violence, Feminism, Free US Now, Louisa's Law, The Majority United, Violence against women |
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Betty Jean
I have prayed so much for this news.
How wonderful, how blessed you both
are to have each other.
As they say all things are possible with LOVE.
My thoughts and prayers as you continue on your journey together.
Blessings, my friend to you and Louisa who
Obviously inherited her mothers determined
Spirit.
I am overwhelmed by these responces and all the love and concern for my daughter.
The emails poured in like crazy and it took me a while to get to this blog but I want you to know that I amdeeply touched and very appreciative of your thoughts and prayers and how long you have stuck with us on this.
Thank you so much
Many hugs to you and Louisa, BettyJean!
I feel those hugs and I will bring Louisa one today from you.
Wow, BettyJean. You and Louisa are amazing. Thank you for keeping us up to date.
I will continue to keep you notified with pleasure
NOT SURPRISING! When you go to your Webster’s or Funk and Wagnall’s to look up the word tenacious they refer you to this blog. Betty Jean is the embodiment of tenacity for just as in this fight for Louisa, she has continued to fight for freedom, for truth in government, for women and so on, even when others have kowtowed, bowed, given in to pressure or ridicule, or just walked away. Louisa is made of the same fabric as her mother. Together, united, they will overcome. BJ & Louisa are showing the world YES WE CAN, not the White House!
Just as in this fight, we must not give up or give in to the machinations of those who refuse to hear our voices. Let’s stand with BJ & Louisa and KEEP FIGHTING!
Well done my friend!
You are far too kind but I am eating it up. heheheh Listen – I am only doing what a mother does – louisa is the all star here! She is the one that is doing the hard work- please keep her in your prayers.
A mother never gives up – we all know that but for this kid to come back like this is nothing short of a miracle- and I am over the moon happy and thrilled.
Today she made the high 5 with me!
I am living in a dream and I wish I never wake up every day she seems to get better than the day before.
Thanks you all for your prayers!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’ve known for some time now that she was “in there”.
Now, it is undeniable to the nay-sayers too.
WAY-to-GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I knew she was in there but I wasn’t so sure she could come out of there- now I am sure she can! Yipppppeeeee!
Betty Jean, I am so thrilled for you. That is a testament to both answered prayer, and the power of a mother’s love.
So far she only responds to me but she will respond to me in the presence of others so everyone now knows what she is doing .
I also have her out of solitary confinement and we are showing off for all the world to see her so there will be no more hiding her in her room from now on.
That is great news, Betty Jean. It is definitely an answer to prayer. I know good things are in store for Louisa.
Thank you for your prayers – keep them up – we need them for continued success.
BettyJean,
You are a wonder. Thank God you have the determination and tenacity to keep on going. This is truly an answer to a mother’s prayer.
God Bless you both.
Oh thank you so much- It truely is a blessing to me- I know I am not deserving of answered prayer any more than another mother but i am sorely grateful that I am this blessed .
My prayers have always been that the Lords will be done and I am assuming this is his will !
Isn’t it grand that God’s will matches mine– this time?
I think so!
I was prepared for anything but gave it over to God to handle and just did what he would have me to do – trusting i could handle what would come.
I never tried that before – I will never try it any other way from now on!
After an arduous uphill climb, you both survey the panorama of the world you have conquored in partnership with the divinity shared within. Praise God!
The tiny little bird, hatched, may now grow under mama bird’s wing and get ready to fly again. Relish every milestone and know we silently cheer each breath she takes in triumph over doubt.
Oh Anna,
Only God knows where we will go and what we will do – but i am ready willing and able to go where it takes me. This time is so precious to me- just that I have the time and the pleasure to see my daughter look at me and hug me and smile at me and yes hug her momma.
These simple things – I thought i would never again enjoy.
Oh but I so enjoy these simply wonderful pleasures from my daughter!
BJ, what a great miracle and I am so happy for you both. Love conquerors all things….wishing you and Lou many more blessings.
I never knew I could feel such a deep love- but when I look at my daughter – I feel so deeply and I see she depends and loves me so deeply – I almost wish everyone could feel as deep a love as I do when I hold my Louisa in my arms. I am so grateful to have her one more day!
I Corinthians 13:13
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
It truly does conquer all. God bless you.
And when only these three remain – they are all you need to sustain you somehow ! And God has indeed blessed us – thank you for reminding me of these three; Faith – Hope and Love!
I am very happy to hear this. Here’s to BJ and Lousia.
Thank you dear heart !
A mother and daughter’s love and devotion to one another is so “very special”!
Thank you Betty Jean, for letting us share in your joy and Louisa’s road to recovery.
May all of your hopes and dreams and your strong faith and the many blessings bestowed upon you both, lead you and Louisa home, one day soon!
Thank you so much for all you have been doing. While i have been busy – you have been covering my blog for me- – And doing such a great job too. thanks for all you do and for you kind thoughts and prayers . All these things help sustain me thru these long hard days.
Keep fighting for her and by her side. It may be a long journey, but you WILL bring her home.
Psalm 84:5
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage
Hi there Stiletto, Thanks for stopping by and all the well wishes – I so appreciate it.
When i realize all those folks out there that i don’t see day to day but who are still there thinking of my louisa and run over to share a kind word- or a prayer – it warms my heart and renews my confidence in humankind.
We are all wonderful people and sometimes when all seems so dark – something reminds us that we are wonderful beings! Thank you !
i am so glad for both of you. Your love and caring and keep on trying attitude is an inspiration to everyone.
The journey is started and will have a happy ending.
What a wonderful thing to happen and thank you for sharing and giving us hope.
WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE, MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE
I absolutely love your line Pumas, Bubbas, Equalists, etc – it made me chuckle – Louisa would love that too.
I could hear her giggling now.
I love it.
I am hopeful and I did share because I was thinking this story would bring hope to others. This story was not supposed to go this way – no – they told me she would not make the first night . that was Dec 15, 2008.
For the next 4 weeks each and every night they told me it would be her last night . Still they tell me she is apt to get Pneumonia and die anytime now!
Meanwhile from comotose to hugging her momma and kissing and smiling- I will take every day I can!
This is just wonderful news!! It will only get better!
As I said this is better than I ever expected and i am so grateful as all I ever wanted was a squeeze of her hand and to hold her a few more times and to tell her how much i loved her and i was given so much more than that.
Oh yippppeee for asking so little that whatever i get is more than I expected and I can ask for nothing more therefore I am satisfied with whatever I get.
When it becomes more – It is bonus- so everyday – I get a jackpot !
Whatever I did to deserve such a blessing – Iam so grateful!
This is WONDERFUL news BJ! You may add my hugs, prayers, and well wishes to all those that have already said it better than anything else I can add!
There is no power stronger than love, and no love stronger than a mother’s (except God’s). May God bless you for giving Lou the strength to do this, both by raising her the way you did and by being there for her every minute that she needed you. She cannot say it yet, so I will take the liberty of saying it for her: No matter how strong her spirit is, there is no way she would have fought back to this level without knowing that God and her mother were both there for her 100% of the time! I’m sure once she can speak fully again she will say how blessed she is to have you, BJ!
Thank you Grail- that does make me feel good in spite of myself. I have never wanted anything this badly in allmy life and today louisa tried to write her name- imagine that. She took a pen and held it perfectly and scribbled.
I am going out to buy her an easel as she appears to want to write or paint and she was very interested in the Easter decorations on the wall thansk to her Father and Step Mom who by the way deserve tons of credit too.
Today she showed us that she intends to make advanced in leaps and bounds now- there is no holding her back – she has learned that we can do it and someone is paying attention! she believes in herself again.
Oh my God, Betty Jean, thank you for letting everyone know about Louisa’s progress. I have thought about you and your family so often over the past year or so and wondered if Louisa was still with us. I used to be with the Hillarys Village bunch before it went defunct, so I got to hear news about you and your girls occasionally, but since then I could never hear anything.
I was incredibly sorry to hear about the loss of your other daughter Denise; she sounded like a real fighter just like her sister and her mother. Some things are just meant to be perhaps, but you got to enjoy her sweet presence for quite awhile, and made lots of good memories with her.
Now you have been blessed to gain some time to help your last daughter come back to the world to begin a brand new life!
I know that this is not the way you would have wanted things to turn out for either of them, but it is indeed such a blessing for her to come this far with such horrendous odds against her.
I have a beautiful daughter as well, and like you, had she been in a position such as your sweet girl, I could have never stopped fighting for her to get her life back!
You are one of the most amazing women I have ever heard of, even if we’ve never met. I read your Freemenow blog and tune in your radio show sometimes, and see the tremendous amount of work that you do for women and other causes. I greatly admire the caring nature and tenacity that you extend towards helping people and all the things you care deeply about.
Please know that you are not alone in your efforts–especially with your daughter. I’m so happy that she has made such progress, and I know that both of you will give it your best efforts to bring her all the way back to where she needs to be.
My prayers and hopes are with you both; cherish each each moment with her,
and SEIZE THE DAY!
May God bless you
Thank you Carol – i am so glad you found out and that it is good news. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such a lovely and heartfelt message.
I can not express my gratefulness.
OH Betty Jean…. I’m speechless and crying. How wonderful for you both.
Fight on! Know my prayers and thoughts are always there for you both.
Thank you dear friend. Today she is trying to say hi she is managing to whisper the hu sound a bit I think!
She also started to hold a pen and scrible!
She seems to be bloosoming like crazy all of a sudden!
BJ, you and Louisa are amazing and inspiring. When one thinks they are having tough times in life (Like me), all it takes is reading the wonderful successes in the face of true adversity like what you and Lou have, to humble and straighten up our attitudes.
Thank you so much for keeping us posted on her truly miraculous recovery.
XOXOXOXO’s to you both.
I share your joy and success for your girl.
May you continue to feel it.
I told you we were always here, we all don’t talk
much, but we are here and have been since this
whole “sh**T* started with the primaries.
Peace and Love to you and your loved ones
You all really are still there! I am humbled by all of you– truely humbled! Thanks you so very much!
By the way Today I bought Louisa an easle one side chalk board the other dry earas.
She picked up both the chalk and the pens – she knows how to hold them and what to do with them.
She is attempting to draw a straight line- she is not there yet but she looks at the L in Lou and trys to make one!