Mary’s Journey Home
On September 17, 2013 around 6:00p.m.(MTZ) my daughter Mary Frances was involved in a near-fatal car accident. She had been visiting her boyfriend while he finished up his custom cutting job in Chinook, Montana. The evening of the wreck they were checking farm equipment and making sure everything was set for them to start their drive back the next morning. They were on a g
ravel road, and approached the top of a hill. No sign, no warning, there was a curve that was blind at the top of this hill. Her boyfriend Jake tried to make the turn, but unfortunately they didn’t. They proceeded down an embankment that was on the driver’s side. Mary Frances slid out from her seatbelt, was ejected out of the passenger side window, and landed in the field. Mary hit the ground before the truck. The way the truck was traveling down Mary’s head absorbed the full energy of a Ford F250. The truck then flipped four times. Jake was thrown around in the cab of the truck, but sustained very minimal injuries. When he climbed out the window to go look for Mary, she was nowhere to be found. Luckily someone greater was watching out for her on this evening. Jake said he saw a light, and there lay Mary Frances’ body. She was gurgling blood, and not breathing. He gave her CPR and she took a breath. He ran for help and an ambulance was dispatched. She was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital in Havrn, Montana. The doctors there worked on Mary and prepared her for life flight via Mercy Flight. She was flown to Great Falls Montana, to Benefis Hospital. There was a knock at my door at 10:41p.m. I looked out my bedroom window and saw a Sheriff with his spotlight on my house. I figured one of my 5 kiddos had done something, and went to the door to figure out who was going to be in trouble. When I opened the door the Sheriff asked if I was Mary Frances Lewis’ mother. I’m pretty sure at that exact moment I fell to my knees. He handed Jason a piece of paper, gave me a quick summary of what had transpired, and left. I went back to my room and frantically starting calling the phone numbers he had left. The only information I was given was that she had been involved in a MVA, and was given more numbers to call for more information. I got ahold of the hospital in Havrn, and the nurse took my information and said she would have a doctor call me. After 3 hours had passed I finally spoke with the first doctor who had treated her. He gave me a very brief summary of her injuries, and said she had just left on Mercy Flight. and I still knew nothing. I finally got a call at 4:45a.m. from the Trauma surgeon, Dr. Mortenson. He told me my Mary had sustained massive injuries and was not expected to live through the next 24 hours. Mary had massive brain trauma, both lungs were tubed and had been ravaged and destroyed, 16 crushed, broken, or fractured ribs, 4 fractures in her right clavicle, a right radial break, 9-12 fractures in the transverse process of her lumbar spine, she had gone through 28 units of blood, and had a large contusion on her right arm. Jason booked my mother and me flights, and we flew out of Evansville at 6:30 that morning. We arrived in Great Falls around 10:00pm. I have been in an ICU room numerous times before, but nothing could have prepared me for what I walked into that night. There lay my child, on a ventilator, tubes, IV’s, monitors, machines, c-collar, sequentials, and piggy backed bags of blood. She was alive! She was in grave condition, but she was ALIVE! There wasn’t a place on her body where you could touch her. All I wanted to do was to grab my baby up and hold her. You think as a mom there is always something you can do to ease your child’s pain; however in this situation I was rendered helpless. God was my only answer. Prayers were going up that night like a sky on the 4th of July. I skipped over panic mode and went straight to No is not an answer that will suffice. I read charts, dictation, labs, vitals, scanned x-rays, watched baselines, and did every compare and contrast tactic my brain had ever retained. I had plenty of those “Come to Jesus” talks, but I’m pretty sure had I not been so adamant, and if God wasn’t guiding me Mary would had fallen through the cracks. I watched my child go through the epitome of hell and come out with flying colors. She transitioned from a ventilator to a tracheotomy like a seasoned professional. Machines started to disappear and she began to SOAR! We moved from ICU to PCU within 2 weeks. LOL tell me my child will never live past 24 hours; she will prove you wrong. I was told her vocabulary wouldn’t be more than 20 words the first 6 months; she has exceeded 2000 words, she can count to a thousand, knows her alphabet, can put on her own chapstick, helps with dressing herself. I get to witness a living miracle everyday. Every parent dotes on their child, but I have reserved every right to! She is making leaps and bounds. On Mary’s 30th day at Benefis we had an amazing opportunity present itself. I wanted Mary home, and sent to Vanderbilt. We learned about a world renowned institute called Craig in Englewood, Colorado. I prayed that I would make the best possible decision regarding Mary’s care. It was laid out for me clear as a bell. I chose Craig. They only accept 87 patients at a time. Each patient must be reviewed by a Craig member and meet all their criteria. Mary Frances was an excellent candidate. We have been here in Colorado for 5 days. She has talked my ear off for the last 2 days. She’s still in a coma, but she’s fighting like a champ to wake up. If you ever doubted that miracles happen, let me introduce you to my daughter. She will make a believer out of you! Mary has a long road ahead of her. She has to re-learn so many things. Health wise she is doing great, but ability is where we are going to face our greatest stepping stones. This may be a two year process. I use the words us and our because I will be by my daughter’s side until she reaches every goal she needs to.
