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Their New Normal: The Woodruff Family’s Recovery by Laura Apel – March 2009 Exceptional Parent Magazine Countless families across the country recognize Bob Woodruff as one of the faces of ABC News. We know him from his in-depth reporting, his position as the replacement for the late Peter Jennings as co-anchor of World News Tonight, and, unfortunately, from his near-death experience when his tank was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on assignment in Iraq. Lee Woodruff knows Bob as her husband of twenty years, the father of their four children and her partner in life. In the hours and days following the attack, America waited and watched Bob’s recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Lee immediately rushed to his side, determined to help him regain his health and return home. For Lee, the entire journey from panic to caregiver, taught her many things about the power of hope, the strength of the human spirit and the ability to overcome fear and remain strong for her family. It was
January 29, 2006 and Bob was reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces
when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle. At the time of the attack, he
was embedded with the U.S. 4th Infantry. Bob sustained serious shrapnel
wounds and a massive head injury. He underwent surgery performed by a
joint Army and Air Force neurosurgical team. A portion of his skull was
removed to reduce damage from brain swelling and he was evacuated to the
U.S. As information began to come in about the attack, Lee learned that after the bombing, helicopter medics were ordered to turn around because of complex gunfight taking place around the tank Bob was in. The military personnel, however, chose to ignore the order. They landed their helicopter and got Bob the medical attention that would save his life. The service members told Lee they were just doing their job. Her immediate hope was that she was raising children with the kind of “stuff” these men were made of. Bob’s initial prognosis was that he was not expected to live. Now, three years since, Bob is back on ABC News and Lee is set to release her second book, Perfectly Imperfect: A Life in Progress. Her first, In an Instant: A Family’s Journey of Love and Healing was co-authored with Bob and became a #1 New York Times bestseller. That day in Iraq immediately changed the lives of Bob, Lee and their four children. They are forever grateful to the men and women of the military and respect the resilience of all families to overcome great challenges. Lee found that taking things one day at a time, being as patient as she could be in the face of uncertainty and never losing hope allowed her to lead her family through their hard times. “I know it sounds like a Hallmark card, but I don’t think anybody should ever be without hope,” says Lee. “Hope is the fuel that keeps the patient going, the caregiver going, the whole family going. It’s like gasoline in the engine; no one should ever be afraid to hope.” Lekotek News -- Bits 'n Pieces Bain & Company Impact Atlanta Project: Lekotek received several months of pro bono work through Impact Atlanta, formed and managed by junior consultants at Bain & Company, a global business strategy consulting firm. Ten to twelve team members select one or two nonprofits each year and work with the organization for four to six months. Lekotek was selected because of its impact in the community and strong staff and board of directors. Bain & Company consultants focused their work on succession planning, funding and website strategies. Local Community Foundation Grants: The Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia provides funds to nonprofits located in Gwinnett county and granted $3,000 to support the Gwinnett satellite located at Children’s Healthcare in Duluth. The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta’s Local Fayette Fund granted $3,500 to support the computer program at the southside satellite located in Fayette county. We appreciate the support of these local community funds and the generous support of all our donors throughout our twenty five year history. Having begun in the basement of Easter Seals, today Lekotek provides services to children and families at five sites. Lekotek Golf Tournament – Monday, August 10th. Due to rain, the golf tournament originally scheduled to be held in May has been rescheduled to August. Additional sponsorships and foursomes are still needed for the event. by Maurie Drambel When we found out we were having twins during my second pregnancy, Ed and I were surprised and anxious. Our son, Will, was eighteen months old and the thought of two additional children so close in age made me wonder if I’d have time to shower every day. Once we settled into the idea, we learned we’d be having a boy and girl and we were very excited. I was put on bed rest at twenty seven weeks which is common when carrying twins and there were no red flags at this point. At thirty two weeks, Katie decided it was time to be born (she still is our busiest child). Still no red flags as twins are considered full term at thirty six weeks. But following delivery, John struggled with heart, breathing and feeding difficulties. He developed severe apnea (breath-holding spells) and bradycardia episodes (low heart rate). After spending three months at Piedmont and Egleston neonatal intensive care units, John came home along with his apnea monitor, pulse oximeter, oxygen and numerous medications. Six months and three MRIs later, John was given the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. After coming home, our days were spent in doctors’ offices and therapy clinics. Where was the excitement I felt when we learned we were having twins? Why were our children spending time in waiting rooms instead of playgrounds? Then I heard about Lekotek. I assumed it would be one more medical or therapy appointment added to an already hectic schedule. But Lekotek was different. From the first visit, Will, Katie and John loved all the toys and software Lisa had waiting for them. Lekotek was as much fun as spending time at the park or a play date with friends. At Lekotek, all three children played together as Lisa used adapted toys, software and computer input devices. Little did John know she was observing and exploring ways for him to participate with his brother and sister and become independent in play. Who knew that children could have so much fun and learn along the way? Fast forward to the present. Will is seven and Katie and John are five. Today our Lekotek leader, Jennifer, conducts play sessions. Jennifer has observed John during speech therapy and collaborates with John’s therapist to help him access and use a communication device. Our family also enjoys Lekotek Happy Tails Saturdays, Holiday Parties, Fund Runs, Sibling Groups and Summer Camp. We are grateful for Lisa, Jennifer and Helene and appreciate all they’ve done to help our kids have fun and just be kids! Software of the Month: Touch Games by Inclusive TLC Touch Games by Inclusive TLC has five different activities designed to develop mouse and/or touch screen abilities. Using the mouse click or touching the target using a touch window affixed to the monitor, the child can create fireworks and/or blast off rockets. Memory Doors is a hide and seek game. A silly monster plays hide and seek behind one of five doors. As the child watches which door the monster hides behind, he then clicks the mouse or touches the appropriate door causing the monster to reappear. We frequently hear “I found you” as the child selects the door the monster is behind. The software has additional games in which Annabel and Honey Bee teach tracking and mouse dragging. Mixed Up Motorway encourages short term memory and sequencing. Lekotek purchased this software at the 2007 ATIA technology conference in Orlando and it’s still a favorite. |