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Here is their story.
John Deatrick was in an accident at work which left him with a brain injury.
If you live in Southern Indiana, you may have already read about this in the paper. His name is John Deatrick. He works for the town of Corydon. And as the "mayor" Fred, likes to say, he is one of the best. On December 9th, a Sunday, John and Nicole wrapped the last of all of their Christmas gifts to their children, Emmalou 6 and Coleton 4. They made a stocking stuffer bag and stared contently at what was going to be a good Christmas. They then parted ways, him upstairs and her down stairs and wrapped gifts to each other. Needless to say, they were happy. Oblivious to what was about to happen. They still had some extra time; grandma had the kids, so they decided to put some of the new baby's furniture together. They put her travel system together. Then pushed it around his Mom's basement (that's where they hide the kid’s gifts as their house is way too obvious) and put it back away where nobody would touch it until baby Brynlee would be born. That night Nicole made a Facebook status: “Enjoying some down time with my husband, 6 weeks until we welcome our new one.” If she only knew then what she knows now? She would have kissed him longer that night, held him tighter. She would have watched him sleep. Smelled his scent. Savored the sound of his deep voice. But, she didn't know. So off to bed for pillow talk and cuddles. They woke up as usual that Monday morning, the 10th of December. Their four year old slept in. Coleton never slept in, mom was happy! Emmalou as usual was up and daddy got her ready for school and fed her. She kissed them both goodbye and reminded John that they had an ultrasound at 10am. I love you's and see you soon's. But, that didn't happen. At 9:30 am her husband was involved in a near fatal accident. He fell 20 feet into a manhole. His fall was caught at 18 feet by a metal bar from a motor piercing his body. He was bleeding, and unconscious. Firefighters saved her husband. They lifted him from a near impossible space and he was flown to U of L hospital. Upon arrival doctors told Nicole he had severe bleeding in his brain and a blood clot. He had hit his head several times on the fall down and once again when his body was pierced. His puncture wound on his side was the size of a tennis ball and two or more tennis balls deep. They said he would not wake up. They said if he did he would not be John. Devastated, Nicole held his hand and prayed by his bedside for four days. His brain was so swollen his ICP and blood pressure was crazy. His side was still bleeding. He was critical. They couldn't perform surgery to close the side and stop the bleeding because of his brain. His body wouldn't be able to take it. Finally at 3am on the fourth day he was rushed into emergency surgery to remove part of his skull, relieve cranial pressure and allow the brain a place to swell. His surgeon came out and said it was a success. He didn't have as much bleeding as was initially thought. But, they won't know the extent of the brain damage for months, if not years. The next two weeks Nicole stayed by his side waiting for him to come out of his coma. His hip is shattered and fractured. He was pegged (feeding tube) and a trachea was put in. John was released from U of L and into Frazier rehab. They were then living there at Frazier until he was released. You cannot leave them with a TBI, they do better with family. And you cannot leave them at Frazier or they are wheeled to the nurses’ station in wheel chairs, strapped in and spend the entire day just sitting there in the hall. It's a sad sight to see all those without loved ones just sitting in chairs in the hall. John is doing well. He cannot bare weight on his left leg. He cannot really talk, just a whisper (they call it a brain whisper). I am told it may be forever. Only time will tell if his brain will catch on to that and be able to speak. The other day he got his trachea out. The next day he had a swallow test to see if he can eat or drink. He is learning how to reuse his left arm. His brain, the right side, bled where communication is and the control for the left side of his body. So he doesn't move much on the left side. But, Nicole has faith he will. It just takes time. His head is very swollen still. So the bone flap from his skull is still out and may be out for weeks or months. When the swelling goes down he may be able to talk more or move more. They just won't know. It is a funny thing, the brain. To pinpoint where his brain damage is, is impossible. It is so frustrating. To top it off, they were nine months pregnant. They missed Christmas with their children. Missed the past three weeks and counting. People from their church and community have given them homes to stay in. Until one night a friend moved into their home to stay until they return to them. So finally the kids get to stay. Their kids got to see daddy for the first time a couple of weeks later. Scared is one word that comes to mind when Nicole looked at their little faces as they looked at him. Emmalou told daddy to be strong, to keep fighting and to come home. Coleton shied away and just spoke a few words about why daddy's head was funny? Why does daddy have a helmet? Why can't daddy walk? Why does daddy have tubes in his neck and belly? It was difficult. But, Nicole answered them to the best of her ability. She does believe her husband can make a pretty darn close to 100% recovery. Nicole believes God has the power to do that, she sees it. But time is what he needs. John is talking, thinking, and doing well. He doesn't remember the accident, or the hospital or even arriving at rehab. But he remembers the past three days which is an amazing sign. When the doctor came in John said "look at this (pointing over his body up and down) can you imagine this. My wife is pregnant and I have two small children at home. This is too much. I need to go home". It was heartbreaking. But a good sign. They said to say that shows a higher level of thinking and moved him from a 5 to an 8 on the Ranchos Scale. It goes 1-10. So that's how much progress he has made in a week! See, on the 9th their biggest concern was who would photograph their newborn when she arrived. What was the budget? And now it is just life. Just being alive! John is the sole bread winner. Nicole now has to figure out how to pay the bills, where they will come up with the money, how to care for him and the kids. Their whole life changed December 10, 2012 at 9:30am in two seconds and 18 feet. Their high risk pregnancy, money, her disease, Emmalou’s grades was once their concern. Now she just hoped he could see their first born together and brought into the world. The doctors say he can speak someday, and not whisper. She hopes his left arm can cradle their newborn and hold her hands. Nicole hopes the adoption of her two can be finalized into theirs. He is so amazing, the kids do not even know they are adopted by him. Gosh, men like him are hard to find. The doctors kept saying their love is what pulled him trough. That they can see how much he loves her. When he came out of the coma he couldn't speak at all. And she wasn't in the room; one of the only moments she stepped away and he grabbed a paper and pen and wrote "tell my babies I love them". What an amazing father. The kids haven't left his mind. He kept coming to and freaking out, he thought there may have been a car crash and the kids were hurt. Finally Nicole wrote on a paper and hung it on his wall "only you were hurt. The kids are with a sitter. You fell into a manhole at work. It was an accident. We love you and you'll be okay". That helped. I want to nominate him, because he is amazing and amazing dad, husband, provider, employee, and friend. He has touched so many. John is doing well. Nicole’s hope is she can nominate him and he can recover. Get his bone flap back in. Walk again, hold his newborn daughter and their other two children and have his picture taken with "his babies". She has hopes of walking into U of L on that 5th floor to hang that picture on the survivor’s wall. Big thanks to his nurses and doctors and to show others you can go through this and come out. Nicole hopes their story inspires others to believe love can cure things doctor do not think will happen. That blood doesn't make you a daddy; John's heart made him a daddy and do not take life for granted. You never know when it can change. Nicole says she cannot wait to kiss, really kiss her husband and to hold his left hand, or to have an in depth conversation.
John is out of Frazier and baby Brynlee was born on the 18th.
Please Dontae Now By Clicking Here!
Here is their story.
John Deatrick was in an accident at work which left him with a brain injury.
If you live in Southern Indiana, you may have already read about this in the paper. His name is John Deatrick. He works for the town of Corydon. And as the "mayor" Fred, likes to say, he is one of the best. On December 9th, a Sunday, John and Nicole wrapped the last of all of their Christmas gifts to their children, Emmalou 6 and Coleton 4. They made a stocking stuffer bag and stared contently at what was going to be a good Christmas. They then parted ways, him upstairs and her down stairs and wrapped gifts to each other. Needless to say, they were happy. Oblivious to what was about to happen. They still had some extra time; grandma had the kids, so they decided to put some of the new baby's furniture together. They put her travel system together. Then pushed it around his Mom's basement (that's where they hide the kid’s gifts as their house is way too obvious) and put it back away where nobody would touch it until baby Brynlee would be born. That night Nicole made a Facebook status: “Enjoying some down time with my husband, 6 weeks until we welcome our new one.” If she only knew then what she knows now? She would have kissed him longer that night, held him tighter. She would have watched him sleep. Smelled his scent. Savored the sound of his deep voice. But, she didn't know. So off to bed for pillow talk and cuddles. They woke up as usual that Monday morning, the 10th of December. Their four year old slept in. Coleton never slept in, mom was happy! Emmalou as usual was up and daddy got her ready for school and fed her. She kissed them both goodbye and reminded John that they had an ultrasound at 10am. I love you's and see you soon's. But, that didn't happen. At 9:30 am her husband was involved in a near fatal accident. He fell 20 feet into a manhole. His fall was caught at 18 feet by a metal bar from a motor piercing his body. He was bleeding, and unconscious. Firefighters saved her husband. They lifted him from a near impossible space and he was flown to U of L hospital. Upon arrival doctors told Nicole he had severe bleeding in his brain and a blood clot. He had hit his head several times on the fall down and once again when his body was pierced. His puncture wound on his side was the size of a tennis ball and two or more tennis balls deep. They said he would not wake up. They said if he did he would not be John. Devastated, Nicole held his hand and prayed by his bedside for four days. His brain was so swollen his ICP and blood pressure was crazy. His side was still bleeding. He was critical. They couldn't perform surgery to close the side and stop the bleeding because of his brain. His body wouldn't be able to take it. Finally at 3am on the fourth day he was rushed into emergency surgery to remove part of his skull, relieve cranial pressure and allow the brain a place to swell. His surgeon came out and said it was a success. He didn't have as much bleeding as was initially thought. But, they won't know the extent of the brain damage for months, if not years. The next two weeks Nicole stayed by his side waiting for him to come out of his coma. His hip is shattered and fractured. He was pegged (feeding tube) and a trachea was put in. John was released from U of L and into Frazier rehab. They were then living there at Frazier until he was released. You cannot leave them with a TBI, they do better with family. And you cannot leave them at Frazier or they are wheeled to the nurses’ station in wheel chairs, strapped in and spend the entire day just sitting there in the hall. It's a sad sight to see all those without loved ones just sitting in chairs in the hall. John is doing well. He cannot bare weight on his left leg. He cannot really talk, just a whisper (they call it a brain whisper). I am told it may be forever. Only time will tell if his brain will catch on to that and be able to speak. The other day he got his trachea out. The next day he had a swallow test to see if he can eat or drink. He is learning how to reuse his left arm. His brain, the right side, bled where communication is and the control for the left side of his body. So he doesn't move much on the left side. But, Nicole has faith he will. It just takes time. His head is very swollen still. So the bone flap from his skull is still out and may be out for weeks or months. When the swelling goes down he may be able to talk more or move more. They just won't know. It is a funny thing, the brain. To pinpoint where his brain damage is, is impossible. It is so frustrating. To top it off, they were nine months pregnant. They missed Christmas with their children. Missed the past three weeks and counting. People from their church and community have given them homes to stay in. Until one night a friend moved into their home to stay until they return to them. So finally the kids get to stay. Their kids got to see daddy for the first time a couple of weeks later. Scared is one word that comes to mind when Nicole looked at their little faces as they looked at him. Emmalou told daddy to be strong, to keep fighting and to come home. Coleton shied away and just spoke a few words about why daddy's head was funny? Why does daddy have a helmet? Why can't daddy walk? Why does daddy have tubes in his neck and belly? It was difficult. But, Nicole answered them to the best of her ability. She does believe her husband can make a pretty darn close to 100% recovery. Nicole believes God has the power to do that, she sees it. But time is what he needs. John is talking, thinking, and doing well. He doesn't remember the accident, or the hospital or even arriving at rehab. But he remembers the past three days which is an amazing sign. When the doctor came in John said "look at this (pointing over his body up and down) can you imagine this. My wife is pregnant and I have two small children at home. This is too much. I need to go home". It was heartbreaking. But a good sign. They said to say that shows a higher level of thinking and moved him from a 5 to an 8 on the Ranchos Scale. It goes 1-10. So that's how much progress he has made in a week! See, on the 9th their biggest concern was who would photograph their newborn when she arrived. What was the budget? And now it is just life. Just being alive! John is the sole bread winner. Nicole now has to figure out how to pay the bills, where they will come up with the money, how to care for him and the kids. Their whole life changed December 10, 2012 at 9:30am in two seconds and 18 feet. Their high risk pregnancy, money, her disease, Emmalou’s grades was once their concern. Now she just hoped he could see their first born together and brought into the world. The doctors say he can speak someday, and not whisper. She hopes his left arm can cradle their newborn and hold her hands. Nicole hopes the adoption of her two can be finalized into theirs. He is so amazing, the kids do not even know they are adopted by him. Gosh, men like him are hard to find. The doctors kept saying their love is what pulled him trough. That they can see how much he loves her. When he came out of the coma he couldn't speak at all. And she wasn't in the room; one of the only moments she stepped away and he grabbed a paper and pen and wrote "tell my babies I love them". What an amazing father. The kids haven't left his mind. He kept coming to and freaking out, he thought there may have been a car crash and the kids were hurt. Finally Nicole wrote on a paper and hung it on his wall "only you were hurt. The kids are with a sitter. You fell into a manhole at work. It was an accident. We love you and you'll be okay". That helped. I want to nominate him, because he is amazing and amazing dad, husband, provider, employee, and friend. He has touched so many. John is doing well. Nicole’s hope is she can nominate him and he can recover. Get his bone flap back in. Walk again, hold his newborn daughter and their other two children and have his picture taken with "his babies". She has hopes of walking into U of L on that 5th floor to hang that picture on the survivor’s wall. Big thanks to his nurses and doctors and to show others you can go through this and come out. Nicole hopes their story inspires others to believe love can cure things doctor do not think will happen. That blood doesn't make you a daddy; John's heart made him a daddy and do not take life for granted. You never know when it can change. Nicole says she cannot wait to kiss, really kiss her husband and to hold his left hand, or to have an in depth conversation.
John is out of Frazier and baby Brynlee was born on the 18th.
Please Dontae Now By Clicking Here!
Hi all!
My name is Sandy and I am the owner at Sandy Wright Photography. I feel that photography can be such an intimate and personal experience between the subject, the photographer, and the viewer. I constantly am looking to make that experience as unique as possible. As the photographer, perhaps I should tell you a little about myself.
I have two of the most amazing men in my life. One being my husband, Steve who means the world to me. He just graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. The other being my 2 year old son, Jace. He is a wonderful little guy. When I am not doing photography or working I am spending time with him. He is truly an amazing little guy and my little miracle. I am a sister, a daughter, a friend, a confidant, and I dabble in crafts from time to time. Of all the things I am, I love being a mother to my little, silly guy the best.
I grew up in the small town of Vardaman, Mississippi, and I think sometimes growing up in such a small town made me love meeting new people, making new connections and friendships. In 2006 I moved away from my hometown to the Louisville area and spent my time working with the disabled, mostly brain injury patients. I find helping people in whatever ways I am able to be very fulfilling. I am a chatty person, I do love to talk but I also love to listen. One of my favorite things about being a photographer is when my clients open up to me and share their wants, visions and special moments in their lives.
I’m told I have a quirky personality. I love to joke around with my friends, family, and clients. I have been known to laugh with clients when they do something silly, and I like to think my lighthearted nature puts nervous and shy children and parents at ease in front of my camera. I do my best to make my session’s fun and less awkward, so please feel free to let loose and crack jokes and laugh all you want. I encourage it.
When you book me as your photographer, you not only get a photographer but a friend. I love developing relationships with my client's and watching their families grow. Being a part of it, to capture these memories is such a great joy to me. I strive to make you and your family feel as comfortable with me and the camera as possible so I can catch those candid moments you will cherish for a lifetime.
I love to hear my client’s ideas and special requests, so if you have them, please share them with me! I absolutely encourage it; so don’t hesitate to speak up. After all, our session aren't about me but, you and your family!
I also am a proud photographer for this truly amazing foundation. Please visit their website at www.inspirationthroughart.org As soon as I found out about this, I had to submit an application. I was thrilled when I got an email back from them.
Thank you so much for visiting my page, taking the time to read this and for considering me as your photographer. I promise that whatever the occasion, we will work together to make it as fun and memorable as possible! If you have any questions, or would like to book a session, please feel free to contact me.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
Sandy Wright
My name is Sandy and I am the owner at Sandy Wright Photography. I feel that photography can be such an intimate and personal experience between the subject, the photographer, and the viewer. I constantly am looking to make that experience as unique as possible. As the photographer, perhaps I should tell you a little about myself.
I have two of the most amazing men in my life. One being my husband, Steve who means the world to me. He just graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. The other being my 2 year old son, Jace. He is a wonderful little guy. When I am not doing photography or working I am spending time with him. He is truly an amazing little guy and my little miracle. I am a sister, a daughter, a friend, a confidant, and I dabble in crafts from time to time. Of all the things I am, I love being a mother to my little, silly guy the best.
I grew up in the small town of Vardaman, Mississippi, and I think sometimes growing up in such a small town made me love meeting new people, making new connections and friendships. In 2006 I moved away from my hometown to the Louisville area and spent my time working with the disabled, mostly brain injury patients. I find helping people in whatever ways I am able to be very fulfilling. I am a chatty person, I do love to talk but I also love to listen. One of my favorite things about being a photographer is when my clients open up to me and share their wants, visions and special moments in their lives.
I’m told I have a quirky personality. I love to joke around with my friends, family, and clients. I have been known to laugh with clients when they do something silly, and I like to think my lighthearted nature puts nervous and shy children and parents at ease in front of my camera. I do my best to make my session’s fun and less awkward, so please feel free to let loose and crack jokes and laugh all you want. I encourage it.
When you book me as your photographer, you not only get a photographer but a friend. I love developing relationships with my client's and watching their families grow. Being a part of it, to capture these memories is such a great joy to me. I strive to make you and your family feel as comfortable with me and the camera as possible so I can catch those candid moments you will cherish for a lifetime.
I love to hear my client’s ideas and special requests, so if you have them, please share them with me! I absolutely encourage it; so don’t hesitate to speak up. After all, our session aren't about me but, you and your family!
I also am a proud photographer for this truly amazing foundation. Please visit their website at www.inspirationthroughart.org As soon as I found out about this, I had to submit an application. I was thrilled when I got an email back from them.
Thank you so much for visiting my page, taking the time to read this and for considering me as your photographer. I promise that whatever the occasion, we will work together to make it as fun and memorable as possible! If you have any questions, or would like to book a session, please feel free to contact me.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
Sandy Wright