March 12, 2005
The First Anniversary of Amanda’s Accident—A Reflection
One year ago today, Amanda fell off the roof of my house and an unimaginable journey began—not only for her, but for the entire family.
Last night, Amanda sat in my lap as I read to her from Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” 
As I read, the message of this classic book touched me profoundly. It related so well to Amanda’s life, especially all she’s been through this past year.
“You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
Who soar to great heights!”
This certainly describes where Amanda was at a year ago. Her life was full of promise and excitement! The very weekend of the accident Amanda was to have had her first soccer game of the season, and she was all set up with new speed skates for the local speed-skating team she was on. She was practicing with girlfriends from school to put on a little musical skit during chapel. Middle school was just around the corner and Amanda was already looking forward to joining the track team in sixth grade. Yes, life was good!
“I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a lurch.
You’ll come down from the Lurch
With an unpleasant bump.
And chances are, then,
That you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a Slump,
You’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
Is not easily done.”
Oh boy…what a slump. What a sad, sad time the first half of this year was. Grueling days and nights at the hospital…then at Charlotte’s Institute of Rehabilitation. Amanda was non-responsive and often seemed in distress. It was an excruciatingly painful time for us all.
Then there was the period of adjustment when Amanda came home—a whole new way of living. So much to learn! So many things to research and explore…simply overwhelming! So much bureaucracy! The medical community, so valuable to Amanda in the past, has little to offer her at this point. The alternative and experimental therapies are numerous and they ALL claim to work miracles. It is mind-boggling for us average folk to wade through all of this and determine just what is the best treatment program for Amanda.
“You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…”
Patience! How hard it is to watch time slide by and to believe that Amanda is in there, just waiting to come out! There is so much we want to try, to stimulate her to greater awareness and functioning, and yet we are mired down in the daily process of living—holding down jobs and parenting as best we can. We are convinced that Amanda has incredible potential, yet we struggle to find the time to really delve into an aggressive program of therapy and all the appointments that would entail!
Please pray for Amanda’s family to find a way to balance the demands of work and family, so we can provide Amanda with the appropriate care she needs to recover to her fullest potential. With determination and hard work, this next year could bring about some powerful, positive changes. We know that Amanda, with her courageous spirit, is not ready to give up!
“NO!
That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape
All that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
Where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping,
Once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!”
KID, YOU”LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
