Stand for Eden
Donation protected
Eden started walking at 9 months. Her first birthday pictures are filled with fat-lip smiles from a tumble the day before. She potty trained herself at 18 months. She had a hematoma in her ear from a fall when she was around 2. An adrenaline junkie at the park, around 3 years old, she begged for me to push her super high on the swings. She lost her grip and did a complete flip off the swing, landing in my arms as I stood (thankfully) underneath her. She learned how to ride a bike with no training wheels on the first ride. She did a flip on the bars a couple weeks into kindergarten and fell flat on her back, got up and went into class when the bell rang.
That’s why, on December 23, 2015, when she did a bridge (a backbend where you push yourself up from the floor) on our living room floor and then collapsed crying, I shook it off. When she cried that her legs, back and hips hurt, I gathered her in my arms and rocked her, shushing her, telling her to calm down.
But this time, Eden didn’t pick herself up off the ground, dust herself off and go on her next crazy adventure. Thirty minutes after she started crying, she stopped. Her face changed—it kind of filled with wonder—and she told me, “Mom, I feel like my feet are sleeping.” I looked at her body, which seemed to be posed awkwardly on the bed, and told her to move her leg. She stared at it, saying, “I can’t, Mom.”
I put her and her sister in the car and rushed to the hospital, a day that started her 52-day stay in the hospital where we learned that that backbend turned our independent daredevil into a paraplegic. That backbend, something she had done hundreds of times before, had hyperextended her spine and caused the artery that feeds her spinal cord to stop pumping blood, causing a stroke in her spinal cord. The extent of damage is unheard of. Her stroke was in T8/9, she stretched the ligaments in T3/4, and the damage extends up and down her spinal cord from T2-T12.
In one instant, that backbend altered our lives forever. Eden is now in a wheelchair. She lost the ability to sit up on her own. Her bowels and bladder do not work. We have to wake up twice a night to move her so she won’t get pressure sores from sleeping in one position too long. She also must remember to do pressure relief exercises every fifteen minutes she is in her wheelchair to protect her skin. She cannot regulate her temperature so we have to watch her for signs of her getting too hot or too cold. She cannot reach a sink to wash her hands or brush her teeth. Our bathrooms are not equipped for her to easily shower or bathe. The list of what she now cannot do could span pages.
But what that backbend hasn’t done is take away Eden’s spirit. Her physical therapist, two days after meeting her at acute rehab, nicknamed her, “Daredevil Eden.” Her therapy team said she accomplished more in two weeks of rehab than most kids accomplish in six. Her current PT, the first time she treated Eden at the house, said most kids quit after ten minutes of therapy, but she kept pushing Eden for over an hour because Eden never complained. Eden started back at school one week after she was discharged from the hospital—less than 2 months after being admitted to the ICU where she was hooked up to machines in every way possible.
Because of Eden’s spirit and resiliency, we have never lost hope in her full recovery. Anyone who encounters Eden, including doctors, nurses and therapists always have the same response: “If anyone can recover from this, it’s Eden.”
Eden is going to Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore in April for two weeks of intense physical therapy. After that, she will go to Frazier Rehab in Louisville for three months of locomotor training. Although walking is our ultimate goal for Eden, we have more than the end goal in mind with these therapies. 90% of children with spinal cord injuries before age ten develop scoliosis later on in life. If she does not start standing, her bones will become weak and brittle and she will develop osteoporosis and could break a bone with the lightest tap. Her kidneys are at risk, and she could develop arthritis. These therapies may also help regenerate her bowel and bladder functions and bring back sensation to her lower body. These therapies will also provide what we all need most of all: Hope.
- Kylee Hoelscher, Eden's mother
Eden is five. She did a backbend on her living room floor and is now paralyzed from the waist down. But her story will not end here. We will do anything and everything possible to help her recover. Eden cannot stand on her own, so now we will Stand For Eden and we ask you to join us.
It is our goal to raise funds to assist the Hoelscher family (Nic, Kylee and sister Isabella, age 9) through this extremely challenging time. Every little bit counts. Not only are we looking to raise funds but to ultimately spread awareness, so please feel free to share Eden's story. We are sincerely touched by the support Eden has received thus far and thank you in advance for any contribution you may be able to provide.
Below are just some of the many ways your donations will help.
1. Medical bills so far ($28,000)
2. Renovations to house for accessibility ($10,000+)
2. Flight to Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore ($2,800)
3. House rental in Baltimore ($5,000)
4. Car rental in Baltimore ($1,100)
5. Caregiver at home ($675/week)
6. Upsee Kit ($499.00)
http://www.fireflyfriends.com/shop/us/upsee.html
7. Scooot ($595.00)
http://www.fireflyfriends.com/shop/us/scooot.html
~Information about Kennedy Krieger~
We provide an intense, medically supervised therapy program that offers state of the art therapy; ABRT- activity based restorative therapy, and a variety of modalities to promote restoration of function. Our innovative rehabilitation program includes an experienced interdisciplinary team that consists of licensed therapists, physicians, nurses, nurse care managers, social work and financial counseling. We generally start with evaluations by our physicians and therapists and then design an outpatient and home therapy plan tailored to her individual needs. We offer physical therapy, occupational therapy and aquatic therapy services. We generally recommend at least a 2 week stay for therapy. Patients will often return on a regular basis to update their home therapy plan.
Here are video links about the program:
Tour of the Center - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOk43B1sQF0&list=PL5170B26D0463B5CA&index=21
Aquatic Therapy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F3YU3tXVW0
Therapy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLrLk0z5F88
That’s why, on December 23, 2015, when she did a bridge (a backbend where you push yourself up from the floor) on our living room floor and then collapsed crying, I shook it off. When she cried that her legs, back and hips hurt, I gathered her in my arms and rocked her, shushing her, telling her to calm down.
But this time, Eden didn’t pick herself up off the ground, dust herself off and go on her next crazy adventure. Thirty minutes after she started crying, she stopped. Her face changed—it kind of filled with wonder—and she told me, “Mom, I feel like my feet are sleeping.” I looked at her body, which seemed to be posed awkwardly on the bed, and told her to move her leg. She stared at it, saying, “I can’t, Mom.”
I put her and her sister in the car and rushed to the hospital, a day that started her 52-day stay in the hospital where we learned that that backbend turned our independent daredevil into a paraplegic. That backbend, something she had done hundreds of times before, had hyperextended her spine and caused the artery that feeds her spinal cord to stop pumping blood, causing a stroke in her spinal cord. The extent of damage is unheard of. Her stroke was in T8/9, she stretched the ligaments in T3/4, and the damage extends up and down her spinal cord from T2-T12.
In one instant, that backbend altered our lives forever. Eden is now in a wheelchair. She lost the ability to sit up on her own. Her bowels and bladder do not work. We have to wake up twice a night to move her so she won’t get pressure sores from sleeping in one position too long. She also must remember to do pressure relief exercises every fifteen minutes she is in her wheelchair to protect her skin. She cannot regulate her temperature so we have to watch her for signs of her getting too hot or too cold. She cannot reach a sink to wash her hands or brush her teeth. Our bathrooms are not equipped for her to easily shower or bathe. The list of what she now cannot do could span pages.
But what that backbend hasn’t done is take away Eden’s spirit. Her physical therapist, two days after meeting her at acute rehab, nicknamed her, “Daredevil Eden.” Her therapy team said she accomplished more in two weeks of rehab than most kids accomplish in six. Her current PT, the first time she treated Eden at the house, said most kids quit after ten minutes of therapy, but she kept pushing Eden for over an hour because Eden never complained. Eden started back at school one week after she was discharged from the hospital—less than 2 months after being admitted to the ICU where she was hooked up to machines in every way possible.
Because of Eden’s spirit and resiliency, we have never lost hope in her full recovery. Anyone who encounters Eden, including doctors, nurses and therapists always have the same response: “If anyone can recover from this, it’s Eden.”
Eden is going to Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore in April for two weeks of intense physical therapy. After that, she will go to Frazier Rehab in Louisville for three months of locomotor training. Although walking is our ultimate goal for Eden, we have more than the end goal in mind with these therapies. 90% of children with spinal cord injuries before age ten develop scoliosis later on in life. If she does not start standing, her bones will become weak and brittle and she will develop osteoporosis and could break a bone with the lightest tap. Her kidneys are at risk, and she could develop arthritis. These therapies may also help regenerate her bowel and bladder functions and bring back sensation to her lower body. These therapies will also provide what we all need most of all: Hope.
- Kylee Hoelscher, Eden's mother
Eden is five. She did a backbend on her living room floor and is now paralyzed from the waist down. But her story will not end here. We will do anything and everything possible to help her recover. Eden cannot stand on her own, so now we will Stand For Eden and we ask you to join us.
It is our goal to raise funds to assist the Hoelscher family (Nic, Kylee and sister Isabella, age 9) through this extremely challenging time. Every little bit counts. Not only are we looking to raise funds but to ultimately spread awareness, so please feel free to share Eden's story. We are sincerely touched by the support Eden has received thus far and thank you in advance for any contribution you may be able to provide.
Below are just some of the many ways your donations will help.
1. Medical bills so far ($28,000)
2. Renovations to house for accessibility ($10,000+)
2. Flight to Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore ($2,800)
3. House rental in Baltimore ($5,000)
4. Car rental in Baltimore ($1,100)
5. Caregiver at home ($675/week)
6. Upsee Kit ($499.00)
http://www.fireflyfriends.com/shop/us/upsee.html
7. Scooot ($595.00)
http://www.fireflyfriends.com/shop/us/scooot.html
~Information about Kennedy Krieger~
We provide an intense, medically supervised therapy program that offers state of the art therapy; ABRT- activity based restorative therapy, and a variety of modalities to promote restoration of function. Our innovative rehabilitation program includes an experienced interdisciplinary team that consists of licensed therapists, physicians, nurses, nurse care managers, social work and financial counseling. We generally start with evaluations by our physicians and therapists and then design an outpatient and home therapy plan tailored to her individual needs. We offer physical therapy, occupational therapy and aquatic therapy services. We generally recommend at least a 2 week stay for therapy. Patients will often return on a regular basis to update their home therapy plan.
Here are video links about the program:
Tour of the Center - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOk43B1sQF0&list=PL5170B26D0463B5CA&index=21
Aquatic Therapy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F3YU3tXVW0
Therapy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLrLk0z5F88
Organizer and beneficiary
Heleana Jordan
Organizer
Manhattan Beach, CA
Kylee Hoelscher
Beneficiary
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