Translate This Page To: Spanish German French Italian Portuguese Norwegian Brought to you From FreeTranslation.com Give a gift in honor of this child. Amber Elizabeth Lynch UPDATE: 12-27-07 Amber is doing great!! We went to the neurologist last month and she said that Amber is doing wonderful! She hasn't had a seizure in almost a year!! This is very good news for us. Her learning is going real slow but she is trying to keep up. She just turned 14 years old in October. It's hard to believe that over 6 years ago they gave her a year to live and look at her now. She is a beautiful teenager (and yes she has the attitude to prove it lol). The power of prayer keeps her going and all the miracles I could of ever asked for. When they diagnosed her with this disease and told me everything that could happen to her, I thought she was lost forever. But GOD restored my faith and has left her here with me longer than the doctors ever imagined. I pray that she is here for many more years, but I know that she is in GOD'S hands and only HE knows what HIS plan is for her. So I take every day, every hour, every minute I can possibly have with her and enjoy her and show her all the love I can possibly give her and I help her LIVE a life of fun and happiness!! Thank you and everyone for your continued prayers and support for my sweet Amber! Love, MaChelle' UPDATE: 5-20-04 Just a note to let you all know that Amber is out of her coma!! I found out Monday that the Dr saw her Thursday May 13th and made this determination, but am just now getting the email out, sorry. Thanks for all your prayers, but don't stop now, she has a long way to go still. Love, Kelly Lynch PS will send more pictures soon UPDATE: 4-26-04 I am having computer problems and will update as soon as possible. UPDATE: 1-23-04 I just spoke with Amber's physical therapist at the Broward Childrens Center. During therapy, Amber is being helped to lean up over the bedrails to see what is going on around her. She is smiling at the sight of seeing the other children in the play area which is near her bed. She is lacking the needed control to be able to sit up, but clearly shows the "want" to. She is making progress though it is slow, so for that we praise God. Please continue to pray for her to be able to make great accomplishments, to be able to come home soon, but in God's time. I am so thankful for all of your prayers Sincerely, Kelly This song reminds me of Amber and how she was hurt. I rely totally on God for support, since lately nothing anyone else says seems to help with the loniliness and pain I have been feeling. I miss Amber so much. thank you. Streets of Heaven by Sherrie Austin UPDATE: 1-01-04 Just a note wishing you all a safe and Happy New Year!!!! Happy '04 !!!! UPDATE: 12-12-03 Hi there!! Here are some pictures from today when we went to visit Amber today. There are 4. I met a lady named Linda on the internet. She lives close to our area and this is the second time she has taken me down to see Amber. She is Godsent. Amber is doing better, has lost her 2 bottom teeth since we last saw her, not that long ago. She is doing well in all therapies and she is eating more daily. She has even started eating graham crackers. I don't know that she is chewing them, but she is eating them. There was a dog that came to her classroom today too, part of her pet therapy. She loves animals. She was fascinated by the Christmas tree lights on the tree in her classroom today. Smiled a lot!! UPDATE: 11-07-03 Saw Amber today, she is doing great. She was in school for these pictures. Looks really pretty and well, for somebody who was in bed with pneumonia Monday thru Wednesday this week huh? She is improving and eating everyday now, for at least one meal. Also she goes in this thing called the "stander", where she can stand up for an hour. I have been told only 3 people in her class can tolerate it, and she is one of them! Yay Amber!! Keep up the great work baby, and you'll be home soon!! ADDED: 10-27-03 Before My Accident Written July 7th, 2003: I was 4 years old and was hit by a car on December 21st, 2002. My Mommy and Daddy were at. I was with my Nana house-sitting for my Aunt Lisa. I was there with my older brother Billy,9 years old, and my older sister Brittany,14 years old. My Nana was at the store. We had been out all day, we were tired and Nana was grocery shopping for our dinner that night. The dog got out and I wanted to help my sister go catch him. His name is Rocky and I love him. I didn't want him to get lost or hit by a car. My sister told me "No" I can't go out there in the road. I went back in and when she couldn't see me, I went outside anyway. I went to the edge of a busy road called Wellington Trace. I saw a car coming, and I waited for it to pass by. I then ran across the street not seeing the traffic in the other lane traveling in the opposite direction. One car saw me and swerved to miss hitting me. Behind that car was another being driven by an 18 year old boy. He was using his Mom's car. He had a friend with him. I don't know if they weren't paying attention or what they were doing. I had made it across the road, just by the outside white line, but I got hit by the right front bumper of his car. He stopped and got out to see what he had hit, and when he didn't see anything, he went to get back in his car and leave. People went running up to his car and said "You can't leave, you just hit a little girl." My sister ran to be by my side, told me I was gonna be alright, and after hearing me moan and hearing me exhale the air from my lungs, she saved my life by running to the fire station about 500 yards away from where my body came to rest. I was then "bagged" and taken by ambulance to a field where I was then picked up by Trauma Hawk* and airlifted to Delray Trama Center. I had a collapsed lung, my right Femur was broken, my right hip was too. I had a skull fracture and had lost lots of blood. The boy who hit me was not charged. My family was and is still very sad. I didn't mean to get hit by a car and hurt myself, it was an accident, but I do want lots of other people to be careful of that happening to them or anyone in their family. It can happen to anyone. I am the youngest of 3 children. My sister is 14 and my brother is 10. I know they miss me and I miss them too. My whole family misses me and I miss them all very much. I have been in a coma since the day of my accident. I am better than I was when it first happened, but I have a long way to go before I will be able to go back home. After leaving Delray Medical Center, I then went to West Boca Medical Center where I stayed for about 2 weeks before being transported to Broward Childrens Center which is where I am now. I live here now because this is a Rehabilitation Center for children like me who were either hurt badly by an accident, or born with severe brain injuries. Nearly all of the kids here have suffered and are still suffering from a Traumatic Brain Injury. The staff loves me very much and they take very good care of me here. Though I miss my family very much, this is the best place for me right now, so that I can get better and then go home again to be with them. I missed Christmas and my presents are still waiting for me at home. I turned 5 February 21st in BCC and I will start school while here too. My Mommy is sad. She says I am supposed to go to school by my house where my brother and sister started school when they were 5............I will write more later. My Medical Progress I am the victim of a pedestrian/motor vehicle accident which occurred December 21st, 2002. I was transported to Delray Medical Center, a trauma center. I sustained as a result of this accident, traumatic brain injury with severe encephalopathy (a disease of the brain; especially one involving alterations of brain structure). I also sustained a right femur (thigh bone) fracture. I received a spica cast while at Delray Medical Center. This cast was later removed and a uniplane external fixator device (pins and bar)was applied. I received a tracheostomy and a G-tube on January 13th, 2003. I was then transferred to West Boca Medical Center and then to Broward Childrens Center, a pediatric skilled nursing facility on February 6th, 2003. I turned 5 years old February 21st, 2003. *SOME INFORMATION MAY BE REPEATED AS I WANT TO BE SURE TO COVER EVERYTHING..... I remain totally dependent on caregivers for all of my needs. I am awake and during speech I display minimal spontaneous imitative vocalization (according to my speech therapist). I blink to threat. I have a lot of non-purposful movement primarily on my left side. There is little movement from my right side. I maintain my right arm flexed and fisted. I remain with a G-tube for my feedings and a tracheostomy tube by which I receive humidified air through a trach collar. I am on continuous pulse oximeter monitoring. I had the pins in my right femur removed by my Orthopedic physician on March 11th, 2003. The pin sites are now completely healed. I receive Physical therapy as recommended. In April 2003, I had episodic tachycardia. I was seen by a Cardiologist, and a 24 hour Holter monitor was ordered. I also had a left foot ulcer which was caused by my foot splints. The wound has improved. I then had serial casting done May 23rd, 2003 to both legs. I am currently following up with my Orthopedic physician. June 13th 2003: My Neurologist reports that I am unresponsive and that I make no eye contact, but that I blink to threat. Furthermore, I am comatose due to traumatic brain injury, and I am off all anticonvulsants. I currently weigh 53.6 pounds (pre-accident weight was 38 pounds) and I am 44 inches tall. Per a report dated June 19th 2003: I am considered comatose. I am at risk for speech and/or language and sensory deficits due to my neurological status. My respiratory status has overall been good. I have a left hand splint. I appear to hear since I consistently startle to various sounds and I am able to localize on all planes. I smile at times to verbal stimuli. My vision is hard to assess but I maintain eye contact at times according to my after school teacher. I follow pictures and will track for short distances. I will occasionally follow simple commands. My physical therapist reports some improvements in my motor control and passive range of motion. My speech therapist reports increased sensory awareness. I have shown a decrease in agitation with attempts to participate in cause and effect activities. I have had an increase in vocalizing sounds. I am totally dependent for all of my needs. My functioning is not age appropriate due to my complex medical needs and total dependence for all needs to be met including dressing, feeding, bathing, positioning, transferring, toileting. I am incontinent of bowel and bladder and wear diapers. I am fed through a G-tube. I am receiving therapeutic feedings of pureed food and thin liquids by mouth. I have a temporary wheelchair. I will be registered for school for this Fall. I participate in recreational therapy, including the after school program in the Broward Childrens Center classroom. During therapy, I participate in story time and exercises. I have a headband to hold my head up. It has been reported that I smile at times to verbal stimuli. I maintain eye contact and will vocalize with sounds. I follow pictures with my eyes. This is easier to my right side. I startle to certain sounds. I participate in arts and crafts with hand over hand assistance. I seem to enjoy pet therapy. It was noted that during a pet therapy visit I was alert and opened my fingers on my own to pet the therapy dog. I receive occupational, physical, and speech therapies at Broward Childrens Center. Physical therapy focuses on neuromuscular retraining and stretching. Speech therapy focuses on therapeutic feedings. I have begun eating by mouth, pureed and thin liquids, upto 2 ounces. I have also shown an increased tolerance with my passy muir valve with minimum spontaneous and imitative vocalizations. I will occasionally follow simple commands and require moderate assist for cause and effect play. I also receive habilitation services. My goals are to maintain proper positioning in bed, wheelchair, and adaptive equipment, maintaining current passive range of motion, opening eyes with auditory or visual stimuli, and following simple commands. Goals are measured through sensory stimulation, passive range of motion, positioning, splinting, and wheelchair repair.I receive passive range of motion and stretching to my bilateral upper and lower extremities to assist in maintaining muscle, skin, and joint integrity secondary to my immobility. I receive trach care, g-tube feedings, suctioning, and repositioning 24 hours a day. More information will be added periodically, please check back soon under My Present Condition and continue to pray for me. My Present Condition I am doing well and making progress daily. I am eating 4 ounces of applesauce-like foods 3 times per week now. I receive 120 minutes of physical therapy, 120 minutes of speech therapy, and 90 minutes of occupational therapy per week. I am "crunching" in an attempt to sit up on my own. I am still considered comatose, though a number has not yet been assigned to my level of coma recently. Come back soon for more info...