Amber's Recovery

On Thursday, January 26, 2012, Amber and Jimmie Brogger were driving home on remote roads to their rural home north of Colorado Springs.  They hit an icy patch at a shaded tee intersection.  Their car slid through the intersection and into the ditch on the other side.  Both were wearing their seat belts and the airbags deployed.  While the car does not appear to have significant damage for what it was through, Amber suffered spinal injuries.  The Flight for Life brought her to St. Anthony's Central Hospital where she underwent spinal surgery on Friday, January 27, 2012 to remove the crushed vertebrae and all the bone particulates, replace it with a cadaver vertebra, fuse several vertebrae together in her lower back, and repair nerves. The spinal surgeon gave her a 70% chance of walking again.  Shortly after her surgery, she was able to move her feet.  Within 48 hours of her surgery, she was able to get up and walk to a nearby chair.  A week later, she can walk down the hallway to look out the big windows.  She is working to be able to start rehabilitation therapy soon.  The doctor anticipates hospital rehabilitation to take 3-4 weeks after the date of her surgery and approximately many months as out-patient physical therapy.

Those of you who know this family, know they are very humble and would never ask for anything.  They have hearts as big as the world and never hesitate to help anyone.  They have 5 boys of their own and have had custody of 2 girls.  The children age from 2 to 16.  Four years ago, Amber suffered a spontaneous stroke which required her to quit her nursing job.  While recovering from the major complications she suffered, she still has side effects that can leave her bedridden for days either at home or in the hospital.  They have a wonderful extended family that will jump right in whenever necessary to look after the children, home school the kids, get groceries, take the kids to their sporting events, etc, basically everything that Amber and Jimmie would do when they are at home and healthy. 

While Jimmie's employer is very understanding and flexible with him in regards to spending time at the hospital with Amber, the family will still be responsible for the medical out-of-pocket expenses and co-payments for her doctor appointments, physical therapy, medications, travel expenses to and from physical therapy in Denver.

We have set a goal of what they anticipate to spend on Amber's recovery this year.  If they have any additional money left over by the time she is rehabilitated, they plan to donate to the Spinal Research Foundation (http://www.spinerf.org/).

This was written by family friends that want to be able to help them out somehow.  Lots of people have asked how they can help, and after seeing how generosity helped out another acquaintance, we thought this would be the best way to get them the help they deserve.