Support Cara's Critical Recovery Journey

♥️Update on Cara ♥️

Cara was transferred a little over a week ago to a trauma rehab hospital and has continued to make improvements, which we could not be more thrilled about. She does range of motion exercises with PT daily to build strength for when she is able to bare weight and can move onto the goal of hopefully walking again. Cara has also been working with a speech therapist, she is now using a smaller trach as she moves towards the goal of having that removed all together. Cara is also starting to speak in a louder whisper, which hearing her voice even at a loud whisper has brought an indescribable feeling of joy to our family. A very big goal Cara accomplished this week was swallowing puréed foods which gets her a step closer to having her feeding tube removed. We are so proud of her hard work, she is such a fighter. Although Cara still has a very long road of recovery ahead of her she is proving that she is determined. Many of you have reached out wanting to visit Cara in an effort to raise her spirits and show her we are all here for her but unfortunately, with Cara having such a compromised immune system, doctors are continuing to advise to keep visitation to immediate family for now. Thank you so much for your continued prayers, love, and support, it really means everything to our family.

***LATEST UPDATE***

Just wanted to give everyone an update on Cara, as so many of you have reached out with your continued support and well wishes. It is without a doubt that Cara will be overwhelmed with emotion knowing so many people love and care about her! She had a tracheotomy this week, which is temporary, her vent was removed and she is now sustaining her breathing and breathing on her own. Speech will be working with her starting tomorrow to hopefully get her talking along with performing a swallow test to also hopefully remove her feeding tube. She currently will mouth mostly one word answers here and there to us when asked questions, as well as use her hands to respond to commands with a thumbs up. Most importantly, Cara is doing all of these things with the appropriate response to what is being asked of her! This is so huge and gives us hope of her cognitive state. She has also started to make better eye contact, looking from side to side if we say something and point in a particular direction. PT has been working with Cara doing exercises on both arms and her leg that did not require surgery and she has been tolerating it great! Everyday Cara is making small strides in the right direction and our family is so grateful for the continued love and support. Continue to keep Cara in your thoughts and prayers, I know Cara appreciates you all so much♥️

**UPDATE**

Today marks one week since Cara’s car accident. This has been the longest, scariest, most stressful, and most difficult week of our family’s lives. Cara is making small improvements everyday and the fact that she was given a 2% chance a week ago has amazed even the surgeons that she is still here with us and fighting so hard. She is a fighter! Cara has started to move her hands and legs slightly, squeezing our hands when asked and even gives her attempt at a thumbs up to her nurse and surgeon when asked. We are thrilled with her progress and can only hope Cara continues to gain responsiveness and can fully regain consciousness. She is currently fighting pneumonia on top of her many life threatening injuries. I know so many of you have asked to see her, but her doctors ask that we continue to allow her to rest and heal and limit the visitation to immediate family only as we attempt to encourage Cara to respond to us. With that being said we cannot ever thank you all enough for the amount of love, support, and prayers you have all shown Cara and our family. We are forever grateful to you all!! Please continue to keep Cara in your thoughts and prayers she is a fighter!!♥️♥️♥️

In the early morning hours of Tuesday July 16th Cara was involved in a tragic car accident on her way to work. Thanks to the emergency responders who performed life saving measures, Cara was airlifted to the Trauma center at Blake hospital.

Upon arrival she was found to have multiple brain hemorrhages, punctured lungs, broken ribs, a torn diaphragm that allowed the colon to enter the thoracic cavity, ruptured spleen, two pelvic fractures, knee fracture and lacerations, among other injuries. Cara underwent emergency surgery to repair her diaphragm, colon, remove the spleen and receive 18+ units of blood. Despite the concerns of the trauma surgeon Cara made it through the first surgery. The next day Cara had a second surgery to repair her pelvic fractures and knee.

As of Friday morning, Cara remains in the ICU and is on a ventilator. She has not been able to breathe on her own, wake up, or respond to commands. We remain hopeful that with a few more days of rest and recovery that she will wake up and return to us.

So many of you have reached out and asked of ways you can help Cara and our family and have shown an overwhelming amount of support, love and prayers. We too pray that Cara will be with us for many years to come. This will be a long road and we do not know what the future holds, but we are taking it one day at a time. Any and all donations will help lift the financial burden to ensure that when Cara returns home, she has the financial support and proper care for her recovery. Please keep Cara in your thoughts and prayers!