Kellen's Rehab & Recovery

On February 13th (Friday the 13th, no less) 2015, our big sister, Kellen, was doing what she loves most... riding her bicycle. She cruised along that morning, soaking up the sun on her shoulders, enjoying the beauty around her. Then, in a moment, everything changed. A pickup pulled in front of her and she did not have time to stop. Going around the vehicle was not an option, either, because there was another vehicle right behind the pickup. She struck the back of the pickup going about 30 mph and was thrown 12 feet over the vehicle, hitting her jaw on the pickup bed as she went. As she was being taken to the hospital, Kellen recalls asking "Is this real, or am I dreaming?" She wasn't dreaming...

Kellen sustained damage to her T4 vertebra, brain hemorrhaging, her jaw was shattered on one side, and broken in 4 other places. While in the hospital, there was immediate concern regarding Kellen's cognition/brain function, but as soon as she woke up, these concerns quickly subsided. Because a breathing tube had been placed, Kellen attempted to communicate via sign language, and then used a letter chart to spell out what she wanted to say. Her friend Mindy joked “You need smarter friends, Kellen!” because none of them knew sign language. Even early on, when confined to a hospital bed in the face of what must have been the most frightening experience she's known, Kellen's spirit shined through. She thanked each and every nurse and doctor who walked into her room. Her quick wit kept everyone on their toes, and, at her worst, she still found a way to be silly/funny. The first thing she asked Abby when she arrived, "Can you tell me a joke." Videos from the days she was in the hospital capture glimpses of her grit and sparkling character: a wink at the camera, a flick of the finger, determination when walking a few steps for the first time.

Kellen underwent surgery on her jaw while she was in the hospital, during which they placed hardware to aid in realigning everything. Since then, she has had two other surgeries and is scheduled for another in June. Although she has made leaps and bounds in her recovery, she still has a long road ahead of her. In the past three months, she has been restricted to a diet of only (very, very) soft foods and liquids, as she is unable to chew. She often dreams about pizza and longs for the day she can crush an extra large pie from Papa John's in one sitting.

After being in a back brace for over a month, Kellen felt a new sense of freedom when she was told she didn't have to wear it anymore. Not only did this mean she could sleep more "normally" again (rather than flat on her back inclined no more than 30 degrees, it meant she could be more independent throughout her day. Since being rid of her back brace, she has been able to do simple tasks that we take for granted, such as getting dressed and going to the bathroom. She can even drive on her own again.

Never one to take a day off, Kellen has stayed as active as he body allows her. She often takes walks, but refrains from running (the jostling is painful to her jaw), and she has been on the bike a few times. She faces each day head-on, but every day is still a struggle. Despite her overall optimism, Kellen is experiencing emotional trauma because of the accident. She has struggled with the abrupt shift of being a 200-miles-a-week cyclist to having to rest her body most of the day and walk to maintain fitness.

Currently, Kellen is not working because she fatigues quickly. She is blessed to work for a wonderful company that understands the need for her to rest her body and recover; however, Kellen has faced financial difficulties, as she is only receiving a fraction of her paycheck. Three months post-accident, Kellen is still waiting for the payout of her personal property damage.. her beloved road steed was totaled, as were all her clothing she wore that day. Even though Kellen is not at fault for the accident, the insurance company has caused a lot of undue stress in the past few months. At this point, it is uncertain when she will receive a check from the insurance company for her personal property. Right now, Kellen's main priority needs to be taking care of herself and helping her body recover. She should not be worrying about how she will pay her water bill or pay for her meals. For this reason, we humbly ask for help. We would like to ease Kellen's mind in knowing that she does not have to worry about making ends meet, but instead can focus everything on healing. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate any donation you may have to offer.