April's Recovery
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At 3am on Sunday March 4, 2017, John Siegler stood alone while his beloved wife April was taken into surgery, through the double doors beyond which not even family members are allowed to go.
The previous Friday, April began getting headaches so intense that she went to an emergency room and had her vitals checked. Everything seemed normal and she was not admitted. By Saturday, the headaches were constant and more severe. She was vomiting as well. Returning to the ER, a CT scan of her brain showed intense pressure against her skull and brain from fluid buildup. The fluid normally drains out, but a cyst was blocking that function.
The ER April had visited was a standalone facility. Since it did not have a neurosurgeon, she was transferred to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. The transfer took time. Meanwhile, the fluid and pressure on her brain continued to build up. By the time she arrived, she could only squeeze John's hand to let him know she was there. By the time she had gone through the ER processes again and was being prepped for surgery, she was unresponsive to commands.
At about 6am the procedure was finished and April was moved to the ICU. The neurosurgeon said the surgery went well but there was some extra bleeding - possibly due to aspirin she had taken. As explained to John, the doctor removed some bone on the top part of April's head, used a tool to spread the brain in order to reach the cyst, then cut the cyst out. The cyst was in an area that deals with memory. The surgery was necessary but along with the pressure, can cause permanent damage.
Following the surgery, April was completely sedated and on a ventilator in order to let her brain heal. Once or twice a day for about half an hour, staff would turn down her sedation so they could give her verbal commands like moving her fingers and toes. Outside of these short bursts of interaction, she was immobile. John was told it would be days or weeks before they would try to let her breathe on her own.
Meanwhile, hundreds of relatives and friends were hearing about April's condition, praying fervently and continually for her healing. Although John and April had lived in the state for less than a year, friends, neighbors, and John and April's church family surrounded them and their two children, Noelle (age 6) and Jensen (age 4), with love, support, and any help they could offer.
On the Tuesday following the surgery, God gave an answer to many hundreds of prayers. Only about 60 hours after surgery ended - days, or even weeks ahead of schedule - they were able to get April off of the ventilator and discontinue sedation! She was speaking, and moving, and even said The Lord's Prayer with the pastor and others in the room.
In the days since coming out of sedation, she has made good progress. She is far from regaining all her physical and mental capacities, however. We do not know how long April will be in the hospital. Her doctor has said he thinks April is likely to get close to being her old self again. This too, is an answer to prayer. However, recovery may take months to a year or more.
The coming months will be challenging. Will April indeed completely regain her motor skills and mental faculties? If so, how long will it be before she can care for her children? How will this whole ordeal affect them? Will John have to take unpaid leave from his job to care for April? What kind of medical expenses have been or will be incurred? Will April be able to continue with nursing school - the reason the family moved to Fort Worth in the first place? Will April be able to ride horses again? Renovate houses again? Enjoy bargain hunting in thrift/antique stores? Cook healthy and delicious creations for her family and friends? Will her spunky personality be left in tact, lifting people's spirits with her carefree, cheerful exuberance? We do not know. One thing we do know. "...that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). It is clear to those who know her that April does love the Lord. He has called her to faith. And so we know that her story has a happy ending. We just don't know all the details yet.
John said it well the day after the surgery while April was still sedated -
"I know that... God is in control and has a glorious plan for each of us, not to harm us, but to prosper us. This doesn't seem like prospering but we can't see all the way through yet. He doesn't like to see us suffer but it is the consequence of living in an imperfect world, which we made imperfect. If God didn't like us, He wouldn't have made us in the first place. And He loves us."
We thank the many people God has used to bless John and April and their family:
- the surgeon, nurses, and staff at Baylor
- neighbors, church members, and other friends who are caring for children and pets, sent well wishes, and offered to help in any way they can
- all those who are praying to our gracious and powerful God on behalf of April and the family
We want to ease the path of recovery as much as possible for April, John, Noelle and Jensen. Whatever monetary help they receive will be used to cover medical expenses, transportation costs for hospital and doctor visits, meals when there is no time to cook, child care as needed, hiring help for cleaning, yard care, and pet care as needed, and just the costs of living if John has to take unpaid leave from his job to be home with April while she recovers.
Thank you for reading April’s story. Please continue to pray. If you are moved to donate money, we are grateful.
At 3am on Sunday March 4, 2017, John Siegler stood alone while his beloved wife April was taken into surgery, through the double doors beyond which not even family members are allowed to go.
The previous Friday, April began getting headaches so intense that she went to an emergency room and had her vitals checked. Everything seemed normal and she was not admitted. By Saturday, the headaches were constant and more severe. She was vomiting as well. Returning to the ER, a CT scan of her brain showed intense pressure against her skull and brain from fluid buildup. The fluid normally drains out, but a cyst was blocking that function.
The ER April had visited was a standalone facility. Since it did not have a neurosurgeon, she was transferred to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. The transfer took time. Meanwhile, the fluid and pressure on her brain continued to build up. By the time she arrived, she could only squeeze John's hand to let him know she was there. By the time she had gone through the ER processes again and was being prepped for surgery, she was unresponsive to commands.
At about 6am the procedure was finished and April was moved to the ICU. The neurosurgeon said the surgery went well but there was some extra bleeding - possibly due to aspirin she had taken. As explained to John, the doctor removed some bone on the top part of April's head, used a tool to spread the brain in order to reach the cyst, then cut the cyst out. The cyst was in an area that deals with memory. The surgery was necessary but along with the pressure, can cause permanent damage.
Following the surgery, April was completely sedated and on a ventilator in order to let her brain heal. Once or twice a day for about half an hour, staff would turn down her sedation so they could give her verbal commands like moving her fingers and toes. Outside of these short bursts of interaction, she was immobile. John was told it would be days or weeks before they would try to let her breathe on her own.
Meanwhile, hundreds of relatives and friends were hearing about April's condition, praying fervently and continually for her healing. Although John and April had lived in the state for less than a year, friends, neighbors, and John and April's church family surrounded them and their two children, Noelle (age 6) and Jensen (age 4), with love, support, and any help they could offer.
On the Tuesday following the surgery, God gave an answer to many hundreds of prayers. Only about 60 hours after surgery ended - days, or even weeks ahead of schedule - they were able to get April off of the ventilator and discontinue sedation! She was speaking, and moving, and even said The Lord's Prayer with the pastor and others in the room.
In the days since coming out of sedation, she has made good progress. She is far from regaining all her physical and mental capacities, however. We do not know how long April will be in the hospital. Her doctor has said he thinks April is likely to get close to being her old self again. This too, is an answer to prayer. However, recovery may take months to a year or more.
The coming months will be challenging. Will April indeed completely regain her motor skills and mental faculties? If so, how long will it be before she can care for her children? How will this whole ordeal affect them? Will John have to take unpaid leave from his job to care for April? What kind of medical expenses have been or will be incurred? Will April be able to continue with nursing school - the reason the family moved to Fort Worth in the first place? Will April be able to ride horses again? Renovate houses again? Enjoy bargain hunting in thrift/antique stores? Cook healthy and delicious creations for her family and friends? Will her spunky personality be left in tact, lifting people's spirits with her carefree, cheerful exuberance? We do not know. One thing we do know. "...that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). It is clear to those who know her that April does love the Lord. He has called her to faith. And so we know that her story has a happy ending. We just don't know all the details yet.
John said it well the day after the surgery while April was still sedated -
"I know that... God is in control and has a glorious plan for each of us, not to harm us, but to prosper us. This doesn't seem like prospering but we can't see all the way through yet. He doesn't like to see us suffer but it is the consequence of living in an imperfect world, which we made imperfect. If God didn't like us, He wouldn't have made us in the first place. And He loves us."
We thank the many people God has used to bless John and April and their family:
- the surgeon, nurses, and staff at Baylor
- neighbors, church members, and other friends who are caring for children and pets, sent well wishes, and offered to help in any way they can
- all those who are praying to our gracious and powerful God on behalf of April and the family
We want to ease the path of recovery as much as possible for April, John, Noelle and Jensen. Whatever monetary help they receive will be used to cover medical expenses, transportation costs for hospital and doctor visits, meals when there is no time to cook, child care as needed, hiring help for cleaning, yard care, and pet care as needed, and just the costs of living if John has to take unpaid leave from his job to be home with April while she recovers.
Thank you for reading April’s story. Please continue to pray. If you are moved to donate money, we are grateful.
Organizer and beneficiary
Lisa Elsrode Bartels
Organizer
Keller, TX
John Siegler
Beneficiary