In this together.
HOW THEY MET
Laura and Jon met on Match.com
Jon was a Navy SEAL Combat Medic and he was staying in Fayetteville for a year so he wanted to connect with more people so he got on Match. The two met the day he arrived in town.
They quickly developed a bond together from their shared beliefs and outlook on life. They married in 2012.
Our Wedding Night
Mr. and Mrs. Grant
May 10, 2012
Married at historic Rose Hill Plantation
Photos courtesy of Megan Kime Photography
The Car Accident
Right before their 5th year anniversary, Jon and one of his buddies witnessed a huge fire happening downtown in Raleigh, NC. Being a Combat Medic, he would be able to offer beneficial assistance to those injured.
Unfortunately, Laura received a phone call telling her that Jon was unresponsive following a car accident. When Laura saw him in the hospital, he was all bruised up and there was blood everywhere. They didn't think he would make it. They even called in to donate his organs. Thankfully, Jon was still alive but in a coma, and so they waited hoping he would make a full recovery. Laura whispered in Jon's ear, "If it hurts too bad, I understand if you have to go but don't hold on for me."
But Laura had a feeling it wasn't his time yet.
Uncertainty
They monitored Jon's progress. The only response they were getting for a while from Jon were his eye movements. He had a Diffuse Axonal Injury, which is the shearing or tearing of the brain's long connecting nerve fibers. So everything in his brain shook so he had small bleeds throughout his whole brain. When Laura saw him laying there she said, "Guys we got to correct his posture."
Hope
Laura kept track of Jon's posture and would use her Pilates background to make sure he was consistently being stimulated. She would align his spine, stretch his limbs, and rub his feet every day to get his brain stimulated.
In order for him to recover more efficiently, the doctors advised to make sure his blood levels stay low. Though whenever Laura would enter the room Jon's heart would spike up, causing a slight panic in the room and trying to force her to leave. Laura was touched and adamant about staying in the room with the love of her life.
Rehabilitation
The longer you are in a coma, the longer it takes to 'emerge', or reset and for your body to relearn daily functions. Recovering from this brain injury is long, but not impossible.
Laura noted that progress for the body to heal is a slow process. "You may get a flicker of the toe and that might be all you get for a week" she noted. "At a certain point, he would not look to the left for weeks." He was fixated on Laura's sweatshirt and would tug on the string for hours. It was bizarre to Laura how the emerging consciousness works. This continued for about 3-6 months, and doctors warned her that this is the extent of Jon's recovery and that she should stop trying to fix a hopeless situation.
After taking some time to pray, Laura learns to follow her instincts.
LOVE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER: Update on Jon Grant
"I'm strong because you're strong"
- Jonathan Grant
This week has been a strong start to 2020. A huge shift has taken place since diving into Jon’s childhood trauma. I just knew, as Jon kept repeating the same names and places, there was something deeper that needed to be addressed. We aren’t out of the woods with this piece of the puzzle but, I am happy to say Jon’s cognitive abilities have increased tremendously since the focus shifted to trauma.
I will be sharing some of the approaches we have taken and things I have found that work/didn’t work. I feel this piece of brain health is important and something that definitely needs more attention and awareness.
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