Part Two: She has come undone.

The longest day of my life was February 1, 2014. We spent most of the day not knowing Asiyah's status, not knowing if she was going to make it and trying to figure out what's next. 

We have a cousin in St Croix who is very familiar with the Virgin Islands and their medical care. My cousin strongly suggested that we get Asiyah back to the U.S.  Florida and New York were mentioned but Puerto Rico was also an options. 

I spoke regularly with my mother and my other cousin.  She was the cousin who owned the vacation home in Florida where we spent our girls only trips. All we wanted to do was to be with Asiyah. 

I spoke to Asiyah's husband and I kept telling him that I couldn't lose her. That she was my only big sister. He said he was trying get  her the best care. When I asked more question about her condition, he told me her head was split open. I became so frantic. 

My boyfriend returned to be by my side. I waited and waited for information. I tried to keep a positive front for my children.  I later spoke to Asiyah's friend in Tortola who was with my sister. She said Asiyah was stable and her calm and faithful voice started to make me feel calmer. 

My mother's sister works for United Airways and was able to hold 4 stand-by tickets for us. By that evening it was clear that Asiyah was going to Florida.  During that evening she was stabilized and flown to Puerto Rico and then to Fort Lauderdales' hospital Broward Health Medical Center. 

February 2

My cousin, my mom and myself purchased one way stand-by tickets and were on our way to see Asiyah on February 2nd. As anxious as we were to see her, our connection was delayed even longer by a faulty door that was being replaced while we were on the plane. Fortunately once we got to Fort Lauderdale our other cousin drove us to the hospital. 

My heart was in my throat as I walked down the corridor to see Asiyah. Once I went in the room I felt a bit relieved. She looked at us and her eyes showed she recognized us and tears rolled down her face. 

She was banged up. Serious bruises were on the right side of her face. They were on her cheek and forehead. There were scraps and bruises all over her body. 

Asiyah was hooked up to many machines. She was breathing with a machine that had tubes going through her mouth down her throat to her lungs. She could not move her body, she could not talk or even hold up her own head. 

But once I saw that she was able to recognize us we rejoiced and loved up on her. I mentioned that although Asiyah was alert, she fortunately wouldn't remember those days in Florida.

All through the day she was in and out of sleep due to the accident and the medications.  We stayed by her side. My cousin returned home that evening relieved that Asiyah was aware and on the road to recovery. My mom and I rented a car and stayed at my cousins vacation home in Pompano, Florida. 

Asiyah's  husband stayed by her side at night allowing my mom and myself an opportunity to eat, sleep and bath. 

My sister had a journey ahead. But she had a major thing working on her behalf. She was in good physical shape. She fooled the staff who believed she was in her 20's. Someone even thought she was a teen. At 40, she kept active and that worked to her advantage. 

A cat scan showed no fractures.  Asiyah was responding to some voice commands with her eyes and some nodding.  

They did an MRI to check her head and spine. She was moving her foot but not her hands.  The swelling was going down. 

February 3:

The doctor said Asiyah's lack of movement is probably due to the impact of the accident. This particular trauma was diffused axonal injury. 

Diffused axonal injury is one of the most common and most devastating form of brain injury. It was compared with shaken baby syndrome. When I googled the meaning I feared the worse. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuse_axonal_injury

But what it meant was that Asiyah wasn't moving but she wasn't paralyzed. Her brain was shaken and it was unsure what she would eventually be able to do. 

He also mentioned that her twist hair extension helped cushion her brain from more damage.  They acted as a helmet.  They were similar to the ones pictured below:

On this day her right arm and right leg moved.  

She was alert and responsive when awake. 

She had a slight fever. 

They started to decrease the air on her ventilation slowly in the hopes that she has the strength and ability to breathe on her own. 

February 4:

My sister from Maryland was able to come. With her and my mom we watched Asiyah work her hardest to breath or her own. Sweat poured down her face while she tried with all of her strength to breath. 

The doctor said if she could not breath on her own, they could not put the tube down her throat again. They would have to do a tracheotomy and put a hole in her neck to create an airway. This tube would decrease the chance of pneumonia while she was in the hospital. 

After trying so hard, Asiyah requested the breathing tube. She could not breathe on her own. It was heartbreaking. We were ushered out  of the room so they could prepare for the surgery. 

They started giving her steroids every 8 hours to build the lungs and antibiotics because of the fever. They were treating the fever with Tylenol but they decided to move it along with antibiotics although they didn't have the blood and urine results yet to know why there was a fever. 

While Asiyah was up, she enjoyed us chatting to her, personal family videos, Beyoncé music videos and magazines. My sister and I also took out her twisted extensions for the nurse to wash.  Her hair was filled with caked on blood and dirt.  It was so sad to think of what she had been through.

February 5 

I had my first breakdown. I was leaving that day at 7pm. I felt like I could walk out of here and she couldn't. I didn't want to leave until she was well enough to walk out on her own. In the hospital cafeteria, my mom consoled me and told me it would be alright. 

My mom stayed in Florida. She still had my two sister to care for.  Tjana was in her third year of college and Djenne was in her last year of high school but she was determined to be with her first born. She was definitely my rock and my hero. I called her several times all day, every day. I also texted family and friends to keep them posted on Asiyahs recovery. 

Accompanied with my sister from Maryland, I returned to NYC while she went to Maryland. 

February 11

Asiyah was still running a fever. They thought it may be a lung infection so they increased the antibiotics to every 4 hours. They took a culture and would get the results in a few days. She was moved from ICU to the respiratory ward. Now the focus was to get her to breath on her own. They started trying to wean her off the respirator. 

Asiyah also started getting physical therapy. The focus was on arms first. Asiyah still nodded to communicate but she started mouthing some words. 

February 13

The bacteria causing the infection which was in her throat and not her lungs is pseudomonas.  Asiyah was finally given the proper antibiotics three times per day. 

Asiyah was moving more everyday. Even scratching her own itches. She had a stronger grip. Especially her left hand. We both share that in common as well. Left-handedness. 

They watched Being Mary Jane.  Asiyah stayed alert long enough to watch the whole show. 

When I spoke to Asiyah while my  mother had the phone on speaker, I asked her to be my Valentine and my mom said Asiyah smiled. 

She hadn't had a fever since they started giving her the correct antibiotics. Her friend came from Tortolla and my mother said that really lifted Asiyah's spirits and she has been showing improvements. 

February 17

Today Asiyah started breathing unassisted. They put her in a chair today to sit up. Asiyah had occupational therapy for her smaller muscles like her hand grip and physical therapy to move her limbs. 

Asiyah smiled when my kids spoke to her. This was a busy and hard working day for Asiyah

February 19

Asiyah wrote her name. Yes. Things like writing her name was new. She had to remember where she lived, what schools she went to and what occupation she held.  She didn't even know the password to her iPad or laptop. 

With the speech therapist, she was finally able to eat. She was able to drink apple juice and eat graham crackers and ice cream. That was a happy day. 

With the physical therapist she moved a little more.  One of her high school besties arrived and that lifted her spirits and lead to a more feisty Asiyah. 

She actually mouthed to her dear friend to bring her more ice cream.  

There were no vocalizations yet because there was a feeding tube down her nose. 

Asiyah also ate lunch and dinner this day. 

February 21

More close friends have visited and recovery was coming quicker and quicker. 

Asiyah has completed her antibiotics and moved out of the respiratory ward. 

Asiyah was cleared to start rehabilitation. The plan was that she will be in NYC in a few days to go to NYU's Rusk Institute. 

I had planned to fly back to see her in March but Asiyah progressed so well she was ready to come to NYC.  

February 26

My mom, my sister Asiyah and her husband boarded a private plan to NYC. Asiyah started talking even with the hole in her neck. While she breaths independently, a trac space saver still in her neck. She still can not walk, sit up unassisted or move her legs much but she is heading to her hometown.

ExposureMom

Part 3: Putting the Pieces Together coming soon.