Sunday, April 11, 2010

Reflecting on April 23rd....

April 23rd is quickly approaching. To many, this date may seem insignificant but to our family it was the day our lives changed forever. It amazes me to think that an entire family's life can be changed in the blink of an eye but it happens. Many people have asked how I am going to spend that day and I really don’t have a response. While I view it as a very tragic day, I can’t help but to focus on the positive side to this story. The outpouring of love and compassion from family, friends, neighbors, people all over the world that I have never even met. It brings a smile to my face to know that my daughter has brought so many people together in such a positive way. Days after the accident my neighborhood was full of pink ribbons. All over houses, cars, trees…..wherever there was a place to tie a ribbon, one was found. The pink ribbons then started to travel beyond our neighborhood to schools, day care centers, churches, other states and even out of the country. Unity! What seems like such a small thing signifies so much more.

Getting back to the April 23rd question, it is my wish to see as many pink ribbons as I did in the days that followed the accident. I am not asking that they stay up for a long period of time. I am simply asking to make April 23rd an “All for Ava” day. It will serve as a reminder of the senselessness of the act that put us here but more importantly it will remind us of the unity of those near and far that have given our family the strength to live day to day.
Thank you ALL for your continued prayers and support!

Manny, Traci, Jack, Isabella and AVA

Monday, February 15, 2010

Ava Update - February 2010

Several people have asked for an update on Ava and I apologize that it has taken me a while to do so. Besides the fact that it has been a busy couple of weeks, it has been emotionally draining as well. Sometimes I think when I am having a difficult time it is just better that I not write. To others, writing is therapeutic and I am hoping today’s outcome is just that because for some reason I can’t seem to get out of this funk!

Ava started her vision school almost two weeks ago and is adjusting beautifully. To say that she is a super star is an understatement. The class provides her with a security that she will need to get her thru the next stages of her recovery. There are 5 children in the class, three legally blind and two with severe visual impairment. Our hope is to learn how “severe” Ava’s impairment is so that we can develop a plan that best fits her needs. While our hope was to be able to mainstream her next year, it looks like Ava will spend time in a PPCD program or another way of explaining it a “special needs” classroom. A family that we never thought we would be a part of but we are truly blessed.

As mentioned in a previous post, Ava started wearing glasses a few weeks ago on a full time basis. We were told that the glasses will hopefully correct the eye crossing the she is experiencing. If it does not then she will require surgery. Something we may not know for a while.

Within the next few weeks Ava will begin what is called “Orientation and Mobility” therapy. In addition to Ava’s left visual field cut and limited vision in her right eye, there is now concern that she may have a lower visual field cut as well. For those of you around her frequently you may notice that when she walks she looks straight ahead. Because of this she often runs into or over things. With the new therapy they will be able to work with Ava in training her to be aware of her surroundings. One way of doing this is with the use of a cane. The hope is that Ava will not need to use this on a continual basis but the possibility exists. I also just learned that long term there may be a possibility that Ava may never read due to the disorganization in her brain. I was then told that the teacher may start to introduce Braille. Another kick in the gut. My eyes started to tear as I listened once again to the aftermath of a careless woman out of control.
Ava saw the neurologist a few weeks ago. While he is optimistic that her stability will continue to improve he is concerned that she is at risk of injuring herself. She is now wearing a helmet to protect her head and will continue to do so until he sees enough improvement to say that it is safe to take it off.

AS for the legal side of this that unfortunately exists….the trial date was reset by the defense attorney. We have been told that we may not have a new date for several months. It truly amazes me that this is the way the legal system works. Fortunately all the time in the world can pass by but this will never be forgotten or forgiven. I maintain my confidence in our legal system and am hopeful that this case is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It would be a shame to send the message that it is okay to drive while intoxicated, plow down a family and flee the scene of an accident. Not only has our family suffered because of this but people, young and old, all over the country have also been affected. Thank you to all those people that have written letters to District Attorney Susan Reed. I ask that you send another letter and this time in addition to sending the letter to Susan Reed also send a copy of the letter to State Senator Jeff Wentworth and State Senator Leticia Van de Putte. The contact information is listed below.

The Honorable Jeff Wentworth
925 N Frost Center
1250 N.E. Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78209

OR

P.O. Box 12068
Capitol State
Austin, TX 78711

Leticia Van de Putte
Texas Senate District 26
700 N St. Mary’s Street, Suite 1725 A
San Antonio, TX 78205

OR

P.O. Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711

District Attorney Susan Reed’s fax number is
(210) 335-2884

Sorry if this sounds a little redundant….. it is just that when Ava continues to fight for what was taken from her on a daily basis, I feel the one thing I can do is to continue to be her advocate. Continue to be an advocate for all of my children, friends and family that believe this person needs to take responsibility for her actions. We live day to day knowing that this woman is still living right up the street, able to come and go as she pleases. It is gut wrenching when I run into her at Target and she stares at me blankly. And then to have my four year old daughter say is that the lady that hit us and Mommy why isn’t she in jail?...I have no words for her just pain and all I can do is hug her!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. Traci

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Spin to Joy

At the early age of two, Ava has already taught us so much about life. She’s taught us to never take the gift of life for granted and to never give up when faced with adversity. Since the accident, Ava has had to endure countless hours of therapy to relearn the simple acts of swallowing, sitting up, seeing, walking, and talking. She continues to be challenged with her vision impairment, but through it all Ava never shows signs of defeat. There are countless children just like Ava who are struggling with deficits every day. “Ava’s Wish” Foundation has been created to support children and families facing pediatric head trauma and disorders.

Another organization that is doing amazing things for children is the Ironman for Kids Foundation. They purchase and donate special needs bikes to children that physically cannot or do not have the ability to ride a bike. Much like Ava’s KidWalk, this equipment is highly specialized to the individual and very expensive. When Ava was learning to walk again, the KidWalk was so instrumental in getting her to where she is today. These bikes will allow many children to experience a simple joy in life that so many of us take for granted. The “Ironman for Kids” foundation will be holding their annual “Spin-to-Joy Spinathon” to raise money for this great cause and we’re asking for your support. The Lopez’ dear friend and cycling guru, Didi Kolkebeck, is forming “Team All for Ava” to raise awareness and show support for this fellow foundation. The goal would be to fill all 40 stationary bikes with “Team All for Ava” during the 9:00 – 10:00am time slot. Please see below for all the details:

What: “Spin to Joy” Spin-a-thon
Where: Tri-Point YMCA (281 S. & St. Marys St.)
When: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Time: 9:00am – 6:00pm (Didi is teaching the 9-10am slot)
Who: Open to All
How much: $20 donation – gets you a t-shirt and chance for more prizes
*** Getting sponsorships and/or increasing your donation would be greatly appreciated!
Register: Go to www.ironmanforkids.com
Click on “Spin to Joy” tab
Click on “Register Today” link
Click on “Register Now” box & begin your registration
Team: Indicate “Yes” when asked if you’re with a group & type in “Team All For Ava” in the Group box

Thank you in advance for your support! You’ll be helping some beautiful kids with special needs to experience the joy & excitement we can relish anytime: riding a bike.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Happy 2010!

Happy 2010……

I wanted to send a quick update on Ava’s progress. She had an ICP placed on December 30th and then monitored in the ICU for 24 hours. The doctors were able to remove the monitor on the 31st and we were able to ring in the new year with good news that Ava’s pressure in her brain was not elevated. The good news, actually the great news is that she will not require a shunt. The not so good news Is the fact that we still have no answer as to why she has an acute 6th nerve palsy. For the time being I am okay with the not knowing. Ava continues to exceed all of our expectations and she does so gracefully!

Ava continues to receive physical therapy three times a week, speech therapy twice a week and occupational therapy four times a week. Our plan was to try and put her in a school environment to help facilitate her socialization skills and independence….to give her the chance to do what most two years olds should be doing and that is enjoying the simple things in life. A week before Christmas I had a vision therapist approach me with the idea of Ava attending a VI school. Basically a school that specializes in children with severe visual impairment/blindness. I had to fight back tears as I had to be reminded once again of the carelessness that caused this visual impairment in my daughter. I was able to visit the school last week and was overly impressed with the teacher, her qualifications and her drive to help these children. Although a little hesitant with the idea at first, we have decided to start Ava in the class within the next few weeks. I am certain they will be able to foster her continued development.

As promised I wanted to give you all an update on the court case. I was notified Friday that it has been reset to February 1, 2010. Many people have offered to show their support and we are truly appreciative of that. I will continue to keep you all updated as the case evolves. People are welcome to attend the first hearing however I wanted to let people know that there is a chance that it may be reset a second time. Also, I feel that the time for people to attend should be after jury selection. This way the court is able to accomplish what they need to in a timely mannerJ It may take several days, months or even years to prosecute BUT please know that I will be my daughter’s advocate forever. Time will not change that fact. Time will also not change the fact that our family will continue to need the support of each and every last one of you so that this case is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Someone said to me just last night and I have heard this over and over again…. there are consequences for peoples actions……this case is the perfect example!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!

Please send your letters to District Attorney Susan Reed:
300 Dolorosa
Suite 5072
San Antonio, TX 78205

Reference case numbers: 2009CR994 and 2009CR993

Love,

The Lopez Family

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Ava Walks and Walks and Walks...

AVA WALKS AND WALKS AND WALKS………..

Over the past few weeks Ava has made great strides….literally! After Thanksgiving break we noticed an increase in the amount of steps Ava was taking and she is now to the point where I can officially say AVA IS WALKING. Several people have seen her and asked why I never put an update on caring bridge. My response to this was that I needed to wait until she was walking without falling every other step. Once again, Ava has beaten the odds. While it is an amazing thing that she is walking we still don’t know how much she is able to see. We are also unsure as to how much damage was done that is contributing to her lack of balance and coordination. At times she will walk into objects and at other times it appears as if she is just aimlessly walking around and not really focusing on anything. She continues to receive physical therapy three times a week, occupational therapy four times a week, vision therapy once a week and speech therapy twice a week.

As promised I wanted to give everyone an update on Ava’s appointment with the Neurosurgeon. A few weeks ago I mentioned that Ava now has a sixth nerve palsy in her right eye which was diagnosed by her opthamologist. Usually this is caused from increased intracranial pressure in the brain. After much discussion, the Opthamologist and Neurosurgeon have decided that on December 14th Ava will be re-evaluated. If she still has the 6th nerve palsy she will need to have an intracranial pressure monitor placed in her head and receive monitoring in the ICU for one to two days. If the pressure is increased she will require a shunt. Something that she will have long term. She is also going in for an MRI of her spine. She has complaints of pain in her lower back and we need to rule out a few things. I am not a doctor so I don’t even want to attempt to explain all of this. I am asking all of you to please say an extra prayer for her this weekend. While she is a strong little girl she doesn’t deserve any of this.

With that said, I am asking that all of you PLEASE send a letter to District Attorney Susan Reed asking her that this case be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Our first trial date is set for January 19th. I will follow up with details. It is an open trial so if you are able to come and show your support for Ava our family would truly appreciate it. The address for Susan Reed is: 300 Dolorosa, Suite 5072, San Antonio, Texas 78205. Please address the letter to the attention of District Attorney Susan Reed. Email is not sufficient, we need written letters. Thank you all in advance. I would hate to see this happen to another innocent child or family.
Until next time….stay safe!

Love,
Traci

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving, in my mind, is a time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for. Growing up my brother always said that Thanksgiving was/is his favorite holiday. His reasons valid- to have time to spend with those you care about, no concerns about gift giving or receiving, a time to reflect on what matters most in life. It wasn’t until this year that I really have gained an appreciation for his feelings.
This past April my life changed forever. There are many days that my heart aches but just as many days if not more that I hear myself say ‘Wow, I have so much to be thankful for’. I want to take this special time of year to say THANK YOU. To all of my family – for your heartfelt dedication over the past 7 months, for listening to me when I just needed to cry, for being my strength when I felt I had none. Please know that although I may not say it often enough I love you all very much and am wishing you all that Happiest of Thanksgivings.
To my dear friends, thank you for your unconditional love and support. I think of you all as my family. You have been my pillars of strength during one of the most difficult, if not most difficult time of my life. You have made my family your own and for that I am eternally grateful. I hope to be the same kind of friend to each and every one of you.
To the city of San Antonio and those people around the world who have been praying for our family, especially Ava….thank you. I really do believe that all of the prayers have allowed our family to find strength during such a horrific time.
To all of the staff at University Hospital, Christus Santa Rosa and Rehab Associates…..thank you for saving my little girls life. Without your expertise I am certain we would not be where we are today. You all have a special place in my heart.
To Ava’s special friend Rosie….thank you for the countless hours of play therapy/OT you have done with Ava. Thank you for helping to give Ava some sense of “normalcy” to her life. There is a reason she lights up when she sees you because she realizes what an amazing person you are.
To Lilianna, for your beautiful pictures that have helped capture every moment of Ava’s recovery. Thank you for sharing your amazing gift with our family.
To my husband and children……THANK YOU FOR BEING SURVIVORS! I love you all more than words can describe.
With the last part said, I wanted to give a quick update on Ava’s recovery. A few weeks ago Ava had to go in for another cat scan. Unfortunately we were told that she has a new bleed in her head. We have also learned that she has a 6th nerve palsy in her right eye. A few nights ago she went in for more testing…MRI/MRA/MRV. The good news is that the MRV and MRA appear normal. The MRI confirmed the new bleed and also showed a mass effect. This basically means there is some pressure/swelling on her brain that needs to be evaluated. Ava will see a neurosurgeon early next week. Please say an extra prayer that all goes well. I will keep you posted.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
May you take this time to reflect on what you are thankful for. Don’t let time pass you by!
Love,
Traci

Monday, November 9, 2009

All for Ava Party Pictures

Enjoy these beautiful slideshows of Ava, her family, friends and countless supporters at the All for Ava Party! It was an amazing day!

http://www.liliannastoryslideshow.com/avabirthdaygirl/

http://www.liliannastoryslideshow.com/ava%27sbirthdaycelebration/