Cristl Update

Cristl has made so much unbelievable progress and she continues to do so everyday! Here is some information from her dad's latest update:

Since arriving at Kernan's on February 29th, Cristl has learned to do the following things:

- Developed smooth and deliberate eye tracking
- Understands and can comply with commands
- Began speaking and can answer questions
- Initiates conversations
- Has gained and/or improved motor skills
- Has gained a range of motion in her left arm
- Has a much improved relaxed left hand
- Has greatly improved her right arm range of motion
- Has gained a significant use and control of her right hand
- Has gained some movement in her right leg
- Has gained a considerable amount of movement and some control of her left leg and foot
- Has gained substantial control of her head while positioned in an upright position
- Has progressed from being NPO, first to eating pureed only foods and then progressing to eating finely chopped food
- Her heart rate and blood pressure have come under better self control
- Continues to develop and use connections to long term memories
-Can identify and explain pain and pleasure
-Can count numbers sequentially (after beginning to speak, she could not count past 3)
- Can complete simple arithmetic questions (if stated in a way that she understands)
- Has developed a sense of humor. She has said a number of “one liners” that have amazed us
- Has developed a sense of humor and has “belly” laughed (usually at slapstick type circumstances)
- Gets embarrassed (during one of her catheterizations she stated that she felt that she was being violated (another example of humor?)
- Seems to understand the basics of right from wrong
- She is polite. She says please and thank you and uses polite responses such as “I am fine, and how are you?”
- Has become very self aware (but does not fully understand or know how or why she got this way)
- She is concerned about her dental hygiene and agrees immediately if she is asked if she wants her teeth brushed
- She enjoys company (although she would rather listen to conversations than to participate in them and she usually keeps her eyes closed but will still answer direct questions)
- Has a definite desire to return to normality (walking, eating, taking care of herself, conversing, working, going out with friends, talking on the phone, etc)

At Howard County General Hospital, Cristl’s ICU Neurologist did 2 MRIs, 2 CT Scans, and 2 EEGs (about 1 week apart). His prognosis at that time was that he did not give Cristl any hope. He did not describe to what extent that “hope” meant, but the implication was that either she was going to die or that she would never achieve greater than a Vegetative State. Thanks to all of Cristl’s friends, the power of prayer, and the positive energy that she has received over these 11 1/2 weeks, Cristl has been granted miracle after miracle. Cristl still has a long way to go, but she will get there.