Collection for Jen Maxwell

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WOW - total is now $1,000 - totally awesome! :bigthumb:

So we crested our first milestone! Thank you to everyone that has already donated. It would be great if we could double this! Help out if you can!

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Update on Jen Maxwell:

GREAT NEWS!!! I talked to Susan this morning and Jen is out of her coma!!! Frickin awesome!!! :bigthumb:

Here is a note from Susan on Jen's overall progress this past week:

Jen has been doing awesome!  She's made some huge gains this week, most notably that she's leaving Sycamore for the big city and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago this morning. 

Jen has been standing with help and over the weekend walked about 15-20 feet from the nurse's station to her room.  She's also using her right hand and arm a lot more and showing a large (and appropriate) range of emotions.  She's starting to speak, but unfortunately I was horrible at interpreting her and I think I ended up pissing her off more than anything, so she didn't say a lot to me.

While we are thrilled at the improvements that she's made so far, there is no doubt that she's got a long road ahead of her and will need all of the encouraging thoughts and prayers that we can send her way.

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I collected some more donations and appreciate it greatly! Total is now $1,250!

I will continue to collect money thru Friday. Sunday a group of us will be visiting Jen dropping off the flower arrangements for her and also an envelope with over $1,000 to help her with her medical bills! If anyone mailed checks to me please PM me to let me know there on the way. Thanks again to everyone that has given to help out a fellow rider!

And if you still haven't given - Give what you can! You're helping a fellow rider that has enormous medical bills and a long road to recovery!

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Total raised was $1,400 for Jen. $200 went towards flowers to brighten her room up. Her family is very grateful to all that donated money towards the flowers and also the $1,200 in cash to help Jen with medical bills or any needs for Jen.

Matt and I went and visited Jen today. Jen is improving great! She has a lot of energy and is responsive to questions. We saw some great smiles from Jen that are few and far beyond per her parents. Her face lit up talking about motorcycles too; especially a certain Super Moto that she has sitting in her garage.

Jen has 3 hours of therapy a day to help with her rehabilitation. Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell encourage any visitors to come and say hi. Good times are 5 pm – 8 pm to stop in and show Jen that you're thinking of her! She is located at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago @ 345 East Superior, Chicago - (312) 238-1000.

Please keep Jen in your thoughts and prayers!

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A message from Susan Maxwell:

Andy -

Sorry that I missed you and Matt on Sunday. I was a bit worried that Jen would be grouchy during your visit, since she had been a bit of a pill earlier, but mom and dad said that she perked up a bit while you guys were there. I even heard that you guys got smiles! Lucky!

I'm so glad that you had the opportunity to go and visit Jen. I hear that the room is bursting with flowers and I know that the generous gift that you and the motorcycling crew gave for Jen's benefit was and will continue to be greatly appreciated. I can't say "Thank You" enough for all of the support and well wishes that we have received on Jen's behalf.

I know that it's hard to see Jen as she is now, especially with knowing her before the accident. I think of it as she may not be the same Jen that we knew anymore but she's still the same Jen that we love. I hope that you and the other people that visit her see it the same way and continue to stop by when you can. Jen really seems to react well to visitors and it gives her someone other than my parents, my husband and I to look at!

Susan

[steve p]

any update?

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any update?

Sorry for such a long delay in responding. I have been out of the track loop for a long time. Jen is doing great! Early September she was released out of the Chicago Rehab facility under her parents care. She still has 3 days a week that she has outpatient therapy.

Jen's biggest issue right now seems to be something called aphasia. Simply put, it's a disorder wherein she seems to have the right words in her mind but they get scrambled before they come out of her mouth. She's about 60% understandable and her parents found a support group that should help Jen improve.