Amanda

On Good Friday, 32 year old Amanda was driving to the store to buy butter to make cookies to bring to her husband at the firehouse in Alaska where they live.  Amanda is the daughter-in-law of my neighbors in New Hampshire. 
As she traveled along the Seward Highway, a 30 foot section of ice gave way from the cliff along side the road and landed on top of her pickup truck crushing the roof down to the level of the windows, and pushing her upper torso down to her thighs.

A tow truck and a nurse were among those immediately behind her.  The nurse looked in and saw Amanda turning blue.  She reached in to reposition her neck, opening an airway, probably saving her life.  The tow truck operator decided to try to use his forklift to raise the roof as much as he could.  This also probably saved her life.  The nurse manually stabilized her neck while the tow truck operator and several others took pressure off the roof.  Once the paramedics came, the nurse vanished from the scene and has not been heard from since.  Truly a Guardian Angel!

Amanda was in ICU for over nine days.  They surgically removed the right side of her skull which they are preserving it in a freezer while they cauterized the bleeds and allow her brain to heal.  Once the healing is done, they will detach the skin again and reattach the skull.  Amazingly, this procedure was developed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for our service people with traumatic brain injuries, with the difference being the removed portion of the skull is embedded in the person's stomach in the war zone because there is no refrigeration available, until they are flown to the hospital!

Each day has shown considerable progress in her healing.  In addition to the brain injury, she has fractured vertebrae, a fractured pelvis, and a fractured jaw.  In recent days she has shown cognitive ability returning.  The other day she was able to pick up the telephone, dial her husband's number, adjust the volume, and hang up afterward - a relatively complex procedure.

She had been moved on Monday to the Neuro-Rehab unit, but yesterday was readmitted to the ICU because she awoke in a sluggish state and there was fluid leaking from her incisions.  This is a temporary set-back; apparently spinal fluid is naturally released in cases like these to relieve pressure.  A drain was inserted to assist in this process.  Her alertness returned following the procedure, but they will keep her in ICU awhile longer so as to more closely monitor her signs.

I am constantly amazed at the miracle that unfolds on a daily basis with Amanda.  And the parallels with Good Friday and Easter send shivers down my spine.  It reminds me of how precious life really is, and how fleeting is everything we tend to busy ourselves with each day.  Please join me in praying for Amanda, for all those who are caring for her, and for her immediate family and friends.