This week went well for Laura. In particular, her head and neck control has continued to significantly improve. Even when Laura loses control after tiring, her neck muscles now control that downward movement, instead of an outright release. She can hold her head up for several minutes and even make turns, from an upright position. Amazing! Laura’s vocalizations have become increasingly more frequent and more substantial in volume. She struggles mightily to communicate! Laura’s arm and leg movements have also been improving. We even got some movement out of the left leg, which is the weaker and more disabled side of the body.

We have some unfortunate news to report. Our insurance, as of April 1st, has decided to deny all therapy coverage. Unfortunately, this is not an April fools joke (we wish it were!). This update is not about this issue and we’ll keep things brief. Many of you ask and are concerned about insurance issues. Please, understand that this is the best way for us to inform you. We knew this day would likely come. The question wasn’t if, but more when. Laura will still be receiving the therapy she needs; only now it will be an out of pocket expense. We will tell you this much. When we found out, immediately feelings of rage and anger took over. It was necessary to leave the office and go for a walk to blow of steam and to talk with God. We could write pages on this, but again this will be brief. Immediately, God asked us some questions. “Have I not provided for you up to this point? Am I not worthy of your trust? Do you not credit me with fundraisers, donations, and other areas of support? If I have handled your costs up to this point, can I not continue to do so? Your job is to continue to trust and display your faith in spite of any and all problems. Many times, things must get worse before they will get better.” With that, our talk was over and we are back on track; obediently serving and believing! Thank you for continuing to have faith in Laura’s recovery and God’s ability to orchestrate miracles.

We have several resources to aid in battling our varying life struggles. We have our past experiences. We have the love and support of people. We have the presence of a loving and righteous God. We have the living and breathing Word of God. The problem does not lie in what resources we have. The problem does not lie in not knowing what will happen or what is promised to happen. Many times for us, the problem is not knowing when these truths will become real in our lives. We struggle with patience, obedience, discipline, commitment, and persistence while we stand in faith and wait. God knows that we will be tested and that life will not always be fair. Fortunately, He is there and He is watching how we handle these situations and where we place our trust. Continue to show Him our determination; we will not be denied!

WE ARE PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE BY TROUBLES, BUT WE ARE NOT CRUSHED. WE ARE PERPLEXED, BUT NOT DRIVEN TO DESPAIR. WE ARE HUNTED DOWN, BUT NEVER ABANDONED BY GOD. WE GET KNOCKED DOWN, BUT WE ARE NOT DESTROYED. (2 Corinthians 4:8,9)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

This update is going to be quite different. As far as how Laura is doing, all we will say for today is that she is doing remarkably well. Her best since the accident! More details will come in future updates. For now, we wanted to address a particular issue. Throughout Laura’s recovery and especially in recent months, we have received constructive criticism (please, keep it coming; we enjoy this type of criticism) regarding the optimistic reporting of Laura’s condition. Aside from living without Laura, writing the first paragraph of these updates to inform you of her status is probably the most difficult task we have ever undertaken. It is an extremely fine line maintaining accurate and honest summaries, while including the elements of hope and optimism. Please, know that 1 of 2 criteria are always met when reporting happenings to you. These events have either been witnessed by our very eyes or are reported directly to us by professional staff, working tirelessly and on a daily basis with Laura.

The difficult reality is that there is the need for opinion and judgment when dealing with recovery from traumatic brain injury. There is some great news for those wishing to continue following along with Laura’s miraculous journey. As Laura starts having more major developments (eating, talking, walking, etc.), there will be a significant transition towards the use of more video footage on the website. We will begin taping her on a more frequent basis, so that you could be right there with her on this ride. Based on this video footage, you will then be able to make your own judgments on her progress. Look forward to that reality, it will be here before you can blink! Pray relentlessly for continued healing. Our job is simply to report God’s workings and Laura’s incredible courage and determination.

How will we know when Laura is clearly on the right track towards recovery? How do we know that our spiritual journey is on the right track? Both situations are different, but contain striking similarities. Contrary to popular belief or any misperceptions, both situations get more difficult, before they bear fruit. For us, as we walk with God, temptation increases. Our old habits become burdens and significant obstacles to overcome. We resist the new, as change is hard. We face many fears! As Laura struggles through recovery, relearning how to do absolutely everything, frustration increases. Her old abilities and traits become burdens and significant obstacles to overcome. She may be in denial; her new reality is hard to accept. She faces incredible fears! All of us, through trusting God and relying on encouragement and relationships from others, will be better in the long term, because of the struggle. We must keep our eye on the prize. Our final destination awaits, God’s work is not and will never be complete!

MAKE THIS YOUR COMMON PRACTICE: CONFESS YOUR SINS TO EACH OTHER AND PRAY FOR EACH OTHER SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE WHOLE AND HEALED. (James 5:16)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

* Quick correction: Laura’s fundraiser this Sunday is at The Face and Body in Brentwood, not at Bath and Body. Completely our fault! Sorry for any confusion.

Laura continues this pattern of slow and marginal daily gains. We are still praying for and waiting patiently for functional changes. Functional would include such things as talking, eating solid foods, distinct and controlled arm and/or leg movements, and more (basically, anything that is valuable in improving one’s quality of life or ability to obtain independence). What has been improving with Laura? Her head movement and control is impressively developing. We believe that she is beginning to answer questions by shaking or nodding her head. Laura has difficulty with nodding yes, because if her head moves too far forward, it falls to her chest. She then has trouble summoning the strength to move it back into the correct position. However, she is getting close and her increased strength and control is impressive. This head control could lead to distinct certainties regarding her ability to answer questions, further leading to definite communication. With God’s blessings, a development such as this could lead to a future (hopefully soon) move to an acute rehabilitation program. Continue to believe for that and believe in Laura. She is working incredibly hard. She gives me goose bumps!

We are elated at your choice to follow Laura’s journey in Spirit and Truth; and it definitely is a choice. God’s Word works on and through your Spirits in order to transform your flesh. The Spirit (inner man) through His Word changes and renews your flesh (outer man). This real principle makes drastic changes in your character, demeanor, and overall attitude. We know it is life changing, as the old is replaced by the new. We are born again! Two difficulties remain for our natural minds. First, this process never ends. We are constantly renewed and transformed through circumstances and experiences. This is our faith walk. Secondly, we must choose this path. God works on and with the Spirit to change the flesh, not through the flesh to get to the Spirit. That is Satan’s role! What is surrounding your Spirit, a wall or a doorway?

WAIT AND HOPE FOR AND EXPECT THE LORD; BE BRAVE AND OF GOOD COURAGE AND LET YOUR HEART BE STOUT AND ENDURING. (Psalm 27:14)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

We have a couple of exciting developments to report on Laura’s recent progress. Just recently, she has gained a substantial amount of movement on her right side. In particular, Laura is moving her right leg repeatedly. Remember, Laura’s body will be stronger on the right side, because of the right side injury to the brain (as far as body movement, the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice versa). She knows that the more effort put into these movements, the stronger her muscle development and the quicker her recovery. Also, Laura is really trying to talk of late. She was moaning for me loudly and repeatedly, on command. It was a distinct effort to communicate. She is trying so hard and we desire hearing from her again soon. Once we do, we won’t be able to shut her up! Pray for more progress. We need to collectively encourage Laura to move forward.

We wanted to update you on the 4 facilities for Laura’s possible relocation. As we found out, we weren’t really comparing apples to apples; more like 2 apples and 2 oranges! Barnes/Wash U. and St. John’s are considered acute rehab programs. Carbondale and Mt. Vernon are post-acute rehab programs. In summary, she is staying put at this time. Barnes/Wash U. will be evaluating her soon. Laura is getting closer to an acute program, but is not quite there at this point. We (family and staff) are monitoring her progress closely and will make all of you aware of any upcoming changes. Think of the post-acute programs as a final step option before Laura’s glorious return home.

Given this situation and our daily lives, why is the importance and necessity of our walk with God intensified? By submitting and trusting the Lord, we acquire several benefits otherwise unobtainable. These benefits include but are not limited to divine healing, forgiveness of sins, complete deliverance, eternal life, a clear purpose, and total self-awareness. God doesn’t always cause, but always uses our situations and difficult circumstances to display our need and dependence on Him. Think about it, without these benefits, wouldn’t life simply be unnecessary motion? Seek Him and by grace, you will be given these inherent benefits.

DO NOT JUDGE OTHERS, AND YOU WILL NOT BE JUDGED. DO NOT CONDEMN OTHERS, OR IT WILL ALL COME BACK AGAINST YOU. FORGIVE OTHERS, AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN. (Luke 6:37)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

A rewarding week, for all of those persevering, has come to a close. It was a week in which Laura seemingly found her way back on track and slowly making progress again on the road to recovery. Obvious to most, Laura is marginally more active as each day passes. She continues to fight and struggles to regain that essential mind to body connection. In therapy of late, the staff is working vigorously on Laura’s arms attempting to improve range of motion and reduce tone (stiffness). Without a doubt, Laura has significant potential for a substantial recovery. We need to pray for her emotional and mental status. It is important for her to maintain a positive attitude, a willingness to fight, and a determined spirit. This will not be a short-term battle; Laura has a long road ahead. Thank you for continuing to believe, trust, and stay the course.

Hard to believe that eight months have passed since Laura’s accident and difficult to swallow that this much time has passed without her unique personality present in our lives. As unbelievable as this reality may seem, it is our current circumstance. Physically, our lives have been frozen in time since that fateful mid-July morning. We cannot help but, after eight months, recognize the depth and power of God’s workings throughout this process. God’s Word instructs us that all things will be worked out for the good of His children. Can any of you witness the good being worked through Laura’s struggles?

God gave us a simple reminder recently to trust and to stand firm on His promises and His truths. He promises us many things as believers. We know that He is ever-present. He is unchanging; the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He will never forsake us; in good times and bad. He will work things out for our good. He is preparing a place for us, a perfect place, with Him in eternity. Amazingly, we don’t earn, achieve, or accomplish these promises. They are simply given out of God’s pure love, grace, and mercy. He wants you to have them, but you must make the ultimate choice to believe and accept your gifts. Are you receiving these gifts in your life? If you believe and trust in God and His son, these gifts will manifest and overwhelm your days.

FOR I THE LORD YOUR GOD HOLD YOUR RIGHT HAND; I AM THE LORD, WHO SAYS TO YOU, FEAR NOT; I WILL HELP YOU! (Isaiah 41:13)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

Laura is making these updates rather easy and enjoyable to write. She is back on the recovery path, quite possibly having her absolute best therapy day on record. After what many would call a lull or stall, she is right back on track. The staff had Laura standing in the standing frame machine for over a half an hour (an incredible feat of strength at this stage). Laura was shrugging her shoulders and moving her head in a more controlled manner and to command. In addition, she was following these commands with seemingly little to no hesitation. While Laura has not yet been approved or reached a level to qualify for admittance to a more intensive program, we have complete faith of that impending reality. Now, it appears as if the medical community is leaning closer each day to this certainty. All Laura needs is a chance, one opportunity and she will seize it!

In an effort to better understand brain injury and increase our ability to manage Laura’s care, we have been busy researching. Here is an interesting passage from a book called Head Injury (Sturm, Forget, Sturm 1998). “A fairly rare injury can occur in which the higher functions located within the brain are fully operational and the patient is awake but unable to move any part of the body. This unfortunate condition is called the ‘locked in syndrome,’ in which the patient appears to be deeply unconscious and immobile but is actually completely awake.” Speaking with the professionals working with Laura, this is rather likely in her case. With this said, we are not only requesting, but requiring that conversations around Laura remain encouraging, hopeful, and positive. After all, you wouldn’t want her upset you when she is back with us!

Let’s be real for a minute. This process and many times our lives are completely exhausting. This situation is exhausting for family, friends, supporters, medical professionals, and especially for Laura. Left on our own, we would certainly lose faith, grow weary, and be constantly overwhelmed. The great news is that we are not left on our own and we don’t have to deal with our circumstances with our own strength. Because of what Jesus did for us, we have a direct link to God and have access to supernatural strength. This reality exists in the Spirit, but is verified and confirmed in the flesh. How else could all of us continue in this manner 8 months and counting? When you think about this story, Laura’s struggles, and what everyone is doing; please remember, we are not really doing anything, He is. God receives all the credit, praise, and glory. We simply are not equipped to handle these situations. We are all profoundly blessed to have our reliance and dependence on Him brought into our conscience awareness through this daily struggle.

HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD? HAVE YOU NEVER UNDERSTOOD? THE LORD IS THE EVERLASTING GOD, THE CREATOR OF ALL THE EARTH. HE NEVER GROWS WEAK OR WEARY. NO ONE CAN MEASURE THE DEPTHS OF HIS UNDERSTANDING. (Isaiah 40:28)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

We could tell you what many professionals believe, how Laura’s odds are overwhelming, how she needs a miracle; you already know this. Therefore, we will tell you what we see and what we believe in faith. Last night was so incredible, all I could think of was how I wanted to call everyone and share. Unfortunately, I called no one in order that all of you would get the information today. Laura was doing so much that we cannot even put words to it (only wish there was video). She was basically talking for several minutes (no distinguishable words, yet). With intense coaching from us, Laura was struggling to lift up her right arm and right leg. She did this over and over on command. You can see the intense effort in her face. God can and will complete this process. Please pray for Laura’s mindset and give her strength to overcome her physical prison. We will not relent until victory is ours and glory be to our Lord.

Our family is looking into 4 facilities as possible relocations for Laura. The facilities are St. John’s 3rd floor rehab, Barnes hospital/Washington University, MO Rehab in Mount Vernon, and Carbondale Illinois facility. All these facilities will be evaluating Laura over the next several days. Please pray for guidance and wisdom throughout this process. We know that God will open up the right doors for Laura and her recovery. If she has to leave St. Louis in the short term, we will desperately miss her, but all of us will understand. We will do whatever it takes to give Laura the opportunity to recover and regain her quality of life.

Never has the law of the spirit versus the law of the flesh received such intense testing. Those on the flesh side set their minds on statistics, man’s opinions, and seemingly every insurmountable challenge that Laura may face. Are you walking around and living your life in the flesh? Are you worrying about what others think of you or are you determined to live in the spirit for Christ? If you were lying in that bed and you were Laura, whom would you want in your corner? Would you want people who ride the emotional roller coaster of life or would you want people that believed and trusted in God’s Word and believed in the truth that God’s miraculous healing powers are real regardless of doubt or circumstances? Look in the mirror and decide who you are! Better yet, look above and let Him tell you which team you belong to!

FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS FREED ME FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. (Romans 8:2)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

Laura’s therapy continued over the past week without significant changes. There are a few developments that we have all noticed of late. Her right arm has gained more frequent and increased movement. This movement appears to be jump started by an initial effort from her right shoulder. Also, Laura has begun to shake her head quite rapidly in a “no” fashion. The range of movement is not quite from shoulder to shoulder, maybe half of that range. These are possibly encouraging signs, only time will tell. God is in control, but we do have influence and we can make our petitions known.

Thank you for continued prayers regarding wisdom and direction for Laura. She will be evaluated by several outside facilities over the next few weeks. These experts will decide if a move would be beneficial for Laura’s recovery. The Monday care meeting convinced us that, at this point, Laura is not ready to be brought home to live. Pray that the next step and next phase for Laura will be clearly brought to light for her and for our family.

We strive for inclusion, not separation from God in our personal daily lives. The Bible clearly communicates God’s love and intense desire to have a one-on-one relationship with us. He wants to be included, not excluded from our everyday tasks, challenges, and successes. The difficulty with our faith walk is separating “religious” activities from all other activities. Often times, we attend church, go to Bible studies, and serve God through a variety of ways. These are important and cherished! However, we must also recognize God’s involvement in our careers, our family, and more. Until we understand God’s craving for this relationship, we can’t even begin to understand why we are here and why he chose to intricately design us into His image. Think about Him daily; don’t wait until Sunday to worship!

MY MOUTH SHALL BE FILLED WITH YOUR PRAISE AND WITH YOUR HONOR ALL THE DAY. (Psalm 71:8)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

These weeks keep flying by and we are through another one. To those visiting, Laura looked great this week and continued on her road to recovery. The progress is minimal at this current stage. However, once Laura’s brain is “re-connected,” we will be implementing the principle of momentum. My healthy fear is that Laura will be improving so rapidly, we will have to return to writing updates daily. We welcome that challenge, but solely through the direction of God and our Laura. Keep praying specifically for measured and continual progress. Maintain the faith regardless of what anyone thinks, states, or claims. We are not denying reality. We are declaring the will of the creator of all things, in Him we trust.

One final reminder for the special evening planned by Laura’s family and friends taking place this Sunday evening, 7PM, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Ellisville. Come and enjoy music, messages, and God’s presence, all while honoring the life and recovery of our precious Laura. Be there to welcome Laura to her first event since the accident. This should be a night to remember!

Maintaining a constant sense of peace during intense adversity is an unenviable task. Our emotions cause us to fail and consequently, fall short of this ideal. Why do we often allow these emotions to destroy our chances of obtaining pure and perfect peace? An entire book could be dedicated to explaining the issues and problems that conflict with our ability to achieve peace. Contrary to popular belief, peace is not being comfortable; peace is not calm surroundings; peace is not the avoidance of confrontation. Well then, what is perfect peace and how can we possibly reach it? The bible explicitly tells us to draw strength FROM GOD to change those things within our power, TRUST GOD by accepting those things we cannot change, and ASK GOD for the wisdom to discern the difference. Until you understand and internalize this principle, peace will not be your reality. We pray that peace be with you this day!

YOU, LORD, GIVE PERFECT PEACE TO THOSE WHO KEEP THEIR PURPOSE FIRM AND PUT THEIR TRUST IN YOU. (Isiah 26:3)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin

We are definitely being rewarded for staying the course with Laura. She is looking even better and having more success on her road to recovery. Laura has been turning her head, with a high rate of consistency, in order to answer yes/no questions. Her job is to look towards yes or no to communicate her answers. She is still battling with tone issues, but is improving in that area. Last night, I decided to show Laura a few pictures, many from our wedding, which are in her room. She was absolutely fixated on them. Laura would follow them as I moved them from side to side. Incredible! This progress is slow and we all want more. However, we must praise and thank God for even the smallest signs of recovery. Remember, Laura must first crawl, and then walk; in time, she will run!

I have been receiving an unusually large amount of inquiries recently, asking how I, personally am doing. Throughout this process, I have committed these communications and Laura’s website strictly to God and to Laura. However, situations change and I feel a need to share a few thoughts. I am doing OK. It would be dishonest of me to say that daily life is not intensely challenging. Having said that, I fully understand my wife’s difficult road, the statistics, and the implications of her injuries. I tell her everyday how sorry I am for failing to protect her and if we could only switch places, just show me where to sign up.

Furthermore, I realize that everyone has challenges and problems in life. With my challenges, I have had to strictly set priorities in order to endure through this grueling process. My priorities are, in order: God, my wife, all of you, then maybe myself. In complete honesty, I really don’t have the time, energy, or desire to selfishly focus on myself (making that question difficult to answer). God is using us, Laura desperately needs me, and many people are watching to see if we will trust God till the end. Crediting any one person, especially me, for what is happening with and through Laura, would be a complete injustice (unless that one person is God). There are hundreds, if not thousands of you, contributing significantly through support, encouragement, and through your actions. These scriptures may help you to better understand how I am doing.

LET THE PROCESS GO UNTIL YOUR ENDURANCE IS FULLY DEVELOPED, AND YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU HAVE BECOME MEN OF MATURE CHARACTER… WITH NO WEAK SPOTS. (James 1:3-4)

I AM WITH YOU; THAT IS ALL YOU NEED. MY POWER SHOWS UP BEST IN WEAK PEOPLE. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

YOUR LIVES ARE ECHOING THE MASTER’S WORD… THE NEWS OF YOUR FAITH IN GOD IS OUT. WE DON’T EVEN HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING ANYMORE – YOU’RE THE MESSAGE! (1 Thessalonians 1:8)

We love you,
Jeff and Laura Laughlin