From the Beginning...Prayerfully following the Jack Family

Sept. 9th
Helllllooooooo! To all my friends, family, and blessed strangers who continue to keep us lifted in prayer and support! This is the latest of the many medical status' of the Jack Women--we're tough, but even we're being pushed to OUR limits!
Firstly, Abby is having her last surgery tomorrow, the 10th. They will be replacing her original skull plate back into it's original home. She will, they tell us, be home free after this (yeah God!) Her operation begins about 7:30 in the AM and will last about an hour. Then she will stay the night in the PICU and hopefully be sent home on Friday, maybe Saturday. Then, that's it! She's done! No more soft sided head, no more helmet! Just Abby being Abby the way God meant her to be. I can't tell you how long I have waited for this day, but the Lord has used this very thing as a way to remind me again that it's best that He is in charge instead of me. If I had had my way, her surgery would have taken place a month ago. Now that I see how much she has changed and strengthened and advanced in that one month, I am grateful that I didn't get my way. She's in a much better position to handle this surgery! God has also conveniently scheduled Lauren's middle school retreat for today thru Friday, so she will be easily distracted from our stress at home, and we won't have to worry about how to juggle her schedule and Abby's at the same time. Things are running like a well oiled God-machine! Oh, and she is definitely on board to be on one of the "Thanks to You" posters at the University Hospital. DJ and I hope she's not "peaking" too early in life....
Now for my stuff. Last Friday I ended up in the ER with severe "tummy pains" which turned out to be a gall bladder attack. After a lovely Labor Day weekend, I saw my surgeon Tuesday and he told me he could take it out on Monday, the 14th. I said, "Fantastic! I don't actually have anything to do that day, so, sure! Whoopee!" Well, maybe it didn't go exactly like that, but it was pretty close. I am getting to the "numbness" stage now. I know precisely what you folks are thinking right about now, BUT, not to worry, my knee surgery isn't until the 23rd, so it's all good! Oh, man, I am pullin' my hair out right about now. Yikes! In between all this, we (and I mostly mean Darrell) are juggling my new Physical Therapy routine and Lauren's new school/volleyball/volleyball tournament schedule and our regular doctor's appointments. All with one driver--one very tired, very abused driver. Poor baby. When I get my license back in October, I'm going to go get him a medal!
So that's us in a nutshell. One large, jumbled, chaotic nutshell. Good thing the Lord is handling all the details and keeping us all sane. We make it through the rough patches because of the dedication and obedience of y'all as you feel led to pray for us. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!! We love you all. I will do another update before the end of September. Along the way, consider no news to be great news on our end. You will for sure be notified if things go awry or if I freak out in any way.
Until then, may the Peace of God be with you and your families. We love you all!
Darrell and Rachel and Lauren and Abby

Rachel Jack
210-413-4800



July 30th, 2009 Great News!!!

Hello, hello, hello! I am taking a minute to give y'all what I consider to be great news!
As you all know, we have had a lot of work to do since Abby came home from the hospital--physical therapy being our primary tool to help get her back on track and moving forward in her development. Well, it's been a long road, but a fun one. With the help of weekly visits from a physical therapist and daily sessions with Mom, Abby has been working hard to strengthen her muscles, improve coordination, and just generally perfect her baby fabulousness. Before the accident, she was working on standing up, rolling over, sitting up with help, etc. All very normal goals for a six month old baby. Unfortunately, her 5 week stay in the hospital along with the 3 week induced coma caused her muscles and muscle memory to suffer some major setbacks. You may remember me telling you that she was pretty "floppy" when she came home. We were told by her doctors that her recovery would be slow, and phrases like "only time will tell" were used to try to prepare us for potentially devastating news. Darrell and I knew what they were trying to tell us....that her injuries were so severe that she wouldn't make it, then they said she'd make it but don't expect too much, then.....you get the point. We have been challenged as a family to keep our eyes on God and stay away from the "what ifs". I can tell you there have been days that have broken our hearts, but we are committed to staying positive and holding onto the promise of full recovery that we feel has been given to us by God. Abby has been amazing through it all! She has given her all every day, working her little heart out and rewarding us with smiles and laughter even when we don't see the "progress" that we so desperately look for.
This week, Abby seems to have turned a corner. She is rolling over, holding her own bottle, reaching for things she wants, "talking" to us, and even practicing standing on her own! These may seem like small things, but they are huge markers of success in this little girl's life! She is "my Abby" again....mentally and physically. She's the baby that she was the day before this horrible mess even happened, and I am so grateful to see her again!
Thank you for your continued prayers. The Lord is so faithful to fulfill His promises, but always in His time, not ours. We'll be in touch as her surgery approaches. Please know that we covet your prayers and good wishes.
Rachel and Darrell Jack

July 7th, 2009
Update from Rachel:


Well, hello everyone! It has been a long time since my last update. I have been waiting until I had some "big" news to report, but some of you have told me that the little things are important to you also. So, here I am on a Tuesday afternoon, trying desperately to avoid the Michael Jackson memorial extravaganza, and decided to write this instead.

Abby has been home since May 29 (wow, sorry, it HAS been too long...oops) and she is doing wonderfully well! She is doing physical therapy with me every day, and once a week someone comes to the house to assess her progress. I will try to 'splain where she's at developmentally without putting labels on her. Abby's fine motor skills are very good and age appropriate. This is when she reaches for things, tracks with her eyes, holds objects, brings things from table to mouth (or floor to mouth, or lawn to mouth, or backseat of the car to mouth--you get the idea). In these tasks, she is right on track. Her gross motor skills are a little bit delayed. Sitting without assistance, crawling, standing, etc. are things we work on in PT. Five weeks in a hospital bed can definitely hurt a girl's progress as can 3 weeks of induced coma. These are small things to worry about in the scheme of things. Time is a blessed luxury that we have lots of, and we plan to use it to strengthen and play and teach Abby about this wonderful world that God has given her.

Our darling little girl is almost 9 months old now, so the fact that she doesn't know the Encyclopedia Britannica Volumes 1-4 by heart doesn't concern us greatly. She had a CT scan a little over a week ago. We are now waiting for her neurosurgeon to let us know when he will be scheduling her for her last surgery that will replace the parietal bone of her skull. He was on vacation (what?!!!!) last week, hence the delay. This should be a short and uncomplicated procedure where they put her own boneplate back into place (it's been in storage at minus 60 degrees F), and send her to the PICU again for a day or so of observation. Her nurses are THRILLED at the prospect of getting her back for a short visit but then kicking her back home! She has been a bright spot for them; they tell us she's the reason they do what they do every day. In a world of broken children, traumatized by accident or by neglect and abuse, these brave people push forward for the occasional glimpse of the healing hand of God. Their reward is in a smile, a laugh, sometimes just that first independent breath. We are grateful for these women and men who worked so hard to save our daughter's life.

My health is progressing along...much slower than my speedy, super baby! I was hoping to hear from my ankle specialist yesterday that I would be able to start putting weight on my right leg. Alas, he said no to this damsel, and sentenced me to another turn in the CT scanner. He doesn't know that I might just have to pay someone to toilet paper his house if he doesn't let me fly soon! When he DOES release me to walk again, I will start PT for myself, and then make an appointment to see my knee specialist. Are you following the medical tree here? See, I don't just have a doctor, I have an orthopedist. And not just an orthopod, but a "specialized", specialized specialist! Keep up here. I have an ankle guy, a knee guy, two back guys, and a head guy. The knee guy won't see me until the ankle guy releases me. The back guy will take care of my lumbar spine only, I have to see another neurosurgeon for my neck, and then my neurologist will only treat me for the epilepsy and the migraines! If you are confused, join the club! I think when this little adventure is over and done with, our medical bills will amount to about $450,000 combined. Thank God for health insurance!---and yes, my progressive friends, I will come back to this in a minute. ANYWAY, my knee surgery will be done hopefully in the next month or so. The plates and screws will have to come out of my ankle, and I also have developed something called tarsal tunnel syndrome (think carpal tunnel but in the ankle). These surgeries will happen sometime in the fall.

I would like to take a moment to say something that has become very important to me and my family over the last 3 months. You all know that our accident was brutal and violent; what you may not know is that while my injuries were severe, they were at least straight forward and conceptually easy to fix. Abby, on the other hand was not. Her head injuries would not have even been addressed by 499 out of 500 surgeons. Without the opportunity given to us by God and the wonderful people at University Hospital, Abby would have died at North Central Baptist that night. Dr. Jimenez was at the right time and at the right place for our family. He is an aggressive surgeon, but even with his years of experience and background, he was pessimistic about her survival. He called the shots that night in the OR and followed his heart and his conscience (and dare I say the voice of God) as he operated. When we were ready to leave the hospital with Abby, her release was contingent on her having a special helmet to wear to protect her head. Otherwise, they said she would have to stay in the hospital for another 2 months until she was fully healed. The helmet cost was $800. Blue Cross didn't want to cover it because they said they would only cover what STATE (translate government) medicaid programs covered, and medicaid stopped paying for these years ago. Can you imagine releasing a child from the hospital without 1/3 of her skull? No protection, no safeguards, nothing. I will say this one time here and now. If our country had nationalized health care at the time of my accident, my daughter would be dead today. They would not have operated on her and they would not have protected her. Her injuries disqualified her from the actuary tables. She is here today because of God and the ability of my husband to be "persuasive" in his arguments. Governments are not as easily moved.

Enough of that!

Darrell continues to play taxi driver, cook, housekeeper, yard boy, and all around provider. What a trooper! Y'all say a prayer for him, he is vexed by needy females at every turn!

Lauren is doing well with all of this. Poor kid got another summer yanked out from under her, but she's been very upbeat about the whole thing. She is adding to her storehouse of domestic knowledge with things like laundry, cooking and the all important mastery of the coffee maker. She played league volleyball in June, is at culinary camp this week, and has been participating in some kind of torture called "Training and Conditioning" during the months of June and July! Lulu is one tough cookie! Volleyball camp starts in August and then school---wow, I just freaked myself out!

I guess you all can tell that I have done a lot of thinking over the past few months. I hope you all have the information you wanted, and if I offended any with my opinions, I do apologize. These issues have become real for us, and because of that, I feel an obligation to share my experience, my strength and hope with all who will listen.

Thank you for loving us. God Bless you all, and I will be back shortly with more info on surgery dates and times. Don't grow weary in doing well!

Rachel Jack


May 21, 2009

Abby and Darryl's Homecoming!


From Rachel:
Tomorrow, Thursday, Abby and Darrell come HOME!!!!!!!!!! Thirty five loooooong days later, our family will finally be back under the same roof! What a journey. We have been challenged in the last five weeks in ways I could not even imagine were possible. We have walked death's razor edge, sometimes with grace and sometimes clumsily, but we are finally here at the end to rest in the safety of God's arms. In Isaiah 43:1-3 we are told that we will pass through floods and fire with God, and he promises to save us from the destruction of both. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord!
My friends and family, and you kind strangers out there, you have blessed our socks off these last weeks! I am proud to be associated with people like you all. You have been there to feed us, drive me around, take Lauren shopping for wedding clothes, taken pets to groomers, cleaned our house, brought meetings to me, shuttled Lauren to and from school, brought us communion, flowers, cards, emails, and phone calls! And most importantly, you have covered us inside out, upside down, over and under with unfailing, unceasing, holy intervening prayer.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

Mother's Day Eve 2009
Oh, happy day! God is amazing and ever faithful! I am so excited to be able to write this email of good news. Let's start with Abigail, baby extraordinare! As some of you may know by now, Abby came out of her procedure yesterday morning without her breathing tube, and more importantly, without a tracheostomy! Her vocal chords are functioning, the swelling in her airway is greatly decreased and she is breathing like a champ! Her snarky ENTs had to be reminded by me the day before the surgery that a trach was NOT a foregone conclusion. I guess they just weren't hearing the same things in their heart that I was hearing in mine. Anyway, that's behind us now, and we are moving on to the next step which is getting Abby home. She is off the ventilator, as I said, but she is now also off her feeding tube, and her morphine. She is being x-rayed again today on her legs to check that progress, but we're probably only about 5 days away from her being out of her harness...dang she heals fast! Mom took me to the hospital today after I was released from the Nix from my surgery. When we got there, I don't mind telling you my heart was pounding to see my baby lying in her bed looking so much like herself! I got to hold her for the first time in over 3 weeks!!!!!!! I thought I might die from relief! I gave her a bottle and best of all, she smiled at me. Dare I say she even laughed a little? I got my baby back today. It was a beautiful thing that I will never forget as long as I live. She also tried to suck her thumbs, yes both, just like she did before the accident. Unfortunately, one is taped up to the pulse-ox, but she got satisfaction from the other one.

The doctors tell us that she will not need any rehabilitation when she is released from the hospital. I don't know if they will release her directly from the PICU to home or if they will send her to the step-down unit on the same floor for a few days. Either way, they are definitely working on a discharge plan for her. I don't have time frames yet, so be patient and I will let y'all know as I find out.

Thanks, thanks, thanks to all of you who prayed without ceasing. My baby is a living example of how God hears ours cries. As we have moved out from the accident, I am being given more details of Abby's injuries. I was recently told that when she went in to have surgery the day of the accident, the neurosurgeons found two blood clots in her head. One was between her brain and the membraine that protects the brain, the dura, and the other clot was between her scalp and her skull. Both were the size of the surgeon's fist. Folks, I don't know any other explanation for her survival other than God. I knew that the Lord had big plans for Lauren--as evidenced by the foiled attempt to kidnap her in the hospital nursery when she was born--and now I know that He has big plans for Abby as well. I am humbled to be the mother to both these great kids, and I can say with certainty that this is the best Mothers Day gift I could have ever gotten.

May all of you be blessed as I have been blessed.

Happy Mother's Day!
5/9/09

Abby has been successfully extubated and breathing on her own since I believe yesterday morning. Rachel’s surgery was completed yesterday and she is going home today. Praise God! Please pray for continued improvement, and also for peace on Sunday. It’s hard to spend Mother’s Day with your baby in the hospital!

Blessings,

Angela Gilbert


5/3/09


Following surgery, Abby is doing well. The ENT's didn't find anything conclusive so they will be running tests to determine their next move. The neurosurgeons were very pleased with how well she did and are confident that they got rid of the infection.

Mom Rachel says, "Thank you, Lord for another successful surgery!"

and
"Thank you Prayer Warriors for staying with us!"
For more detailed info. please go to:

www.bobbmiller.com

4/30/09

Abby went off the vent Tuesday and has been breathing on her own ever since. She's a tough one, that Abby and continues to improve every day. Kemper Krabb came and prayed with her and Darrell this morning, and I know that was welcome. She has a bit of fluid still in her head (not on her brain), but the neurologists believe it will be reabsorbed on its own without their asistance. Please don't grow weary of doing well. We need your continued prayers until she is safely out of the woods. Thank you for your diligence. This mother's heart breaks every day that we are apart, but I know that God will work something good from all of this horror. Pray for continued courage and fortitude in Darrell and me.
Please pass on our gratitude for fervent and continued prayers! We couldn't do any of this without our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Rachel Jack
4/25/09

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14

A Group from Riverside was blessed to pray over baby Abby today.

Praises for clear reports and please continue to pray that she will be breathing on her own on Monday...and be able to go home soon.

4/23/09

....hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 42:11c
Rachel Jack and Baby Abby update:

Rachel is home! Baby Abby is continuing to improve! Praise God!!!




O LORD my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.

Psalm 30:2

God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

Psalm 46:5

Rachel Jack (mother) and baby Abby were in a recent auto accident. Their current prayer needs are as follows:
Baby Abby
- Pray for the swelling on her brain to disappear.
- Pray for complete healing- that there would be no
lasting effects from the injury.
* The next two or three days are critical for Abby
Rachel
- Pray for healing of her back, ankle and knee.
- Pray for peace and comfort for Rachel. She and Abby are
in different hospitals (Abby is at University Hospital and Rachel is at BAMC).
She is worried about Abby-and the separation exacerbates her worry.
Lauren
- 12 year old daughter (not in accident) but please lift up for emotional strength.

Thank you for your faithfulness.