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chasinreynolds.com
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Chasin's Story
Elexia Chasin Reynolds, born in October of 1976, is a vibrant and beautiful young lady who has touched the lives of all those whom have had the benefit of knowing her. In 1999, Chasin was beginning her new career in the field of travel and planning a February 2000 wedding in the Bahamas when her life and the lives of those around her were tragically altered.
During the afternoon of July 21, 1999, a thunderstorm was making travel through Austin, Texas a difficult experience. While driving on a hazardous section of Highway 2222, Chasin lost control of her Pontiac Firebird, skidded into the opposite lane and collided with a Ford Explorer. The tremendous impact disintegrated the Firebird and flipped the Explorer. The driver of the Explorer would not require hospitalization.
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Rescue workers at the scene found Chasin unconscious and trapped in the remains of her car. Her body had sustained so much damage, paramedics were unable to determin if the victim was male or female. Rain poured onto her broken body, but could not wash away the blood from her many wounds. Barely alive, she would have to be transported to a hospital immediately if she were to survive.
Brackenridge Hospital
After being cut free of the wreckage, Chasin was flown to Brackenridge Hospital by StarFlight. She arrived in very critical condition and was unable to breathe on her own. The trauma she underwent was so severe, her identification had to be established by the jewelry she was wearing, an engagement ring given to her three week prior.
Chasin underwent over ten hours of surgery to repair compound fractures in both arms and both legs, and to reattach a severed right ear. The surgery was a success. However, her most serious injury was inoperable. Chasin had also sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Brain injuries included a Sub Arachnoid Hemorage, Right Parietal Contusions and Diffuse Axonal Injuries. She remained on life support for ten days.
After a month at Brackenridge, Chasin remained in a coma. The prognosis of recovery was poor. Abnormal brain activity caused her body to assume rigid posturing (tone), and elevated her heart rate and temperature. With the assistance of a tracheostomy, she regained the ability to breathe on her own. Chasin was then upgraded to stable condition and transfered to the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit at St. David's Hospital.
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Brian, Chasin's brother-in-law, collecting the belongings from her wrecked car.
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Chasin in the ICU, Brackenridge Hospital
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St. David's Hospital
The plan here was to stimulate Chasin from her coma and to be rehabilitated to the extent of living a normal life. We became optomistic our first day. Chasin opened an eye and followed an object for a moment. This accomplishement renewed our hope. Chasin was still with us.
Chasin was assigned three therapeutic teams: Physical, Occupational, and Speech. Physical Therapists worked on her lower body while Occupational Therapists worked on the upper portion. They were challenged by the strength of her muscle tone as well as her shattered bones mended together with rods, plates, pins and screws.
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Alicia and Sukai at St. David's
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Speech Therapists were to stimulate Chasin from her coma by providing various methods of stimulation. They also stimulated oral movements and swallowing. Swallowing was vital in clearing her air passage. Until she could swallow, Chasin trach tube had to remain in her throat and her airway and lungs cleared manually.
The entire staff was kind and professional. They provided knowledge and comfort during this tragic part of our lives. We made many friends during our two months there. Although the efforts of the staff were exceptional, Chasin's improvements were determined to be unsatisfactory and was not expected to recover beyond a vegitative state. Her insurance provider required consistent improvent to justify the expence of this facility. Therefore, Chasin was sent home on October 19, 1999. She was still in a coma.
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Going Home
Although the home would appear to be an unlikely place to rehabilitate a comatose patient, Chasin's parents, Chuck and Bonnie, handled the challenge remarkably. They coordinated efforts with the insurance provider and St. David's to aquire the necessary training and equipment to care for their daughter. Their extraordinary efforts were soon rewarded.
Within days, Chasin's rapid pulse rate and high temperature returned to normal. Her vision and ability to follow objects began to improve. After a month, she surprised us all with a smile. Efforts of family and freinds, and the prayers of the community provided the support necessary for recovery. By December, Chasin had broken free of her coma.
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Chasin at Home in October 1999
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Chasin continued to improve. Therapist visited her until the end of 1999. In February 2000, she returned to St. David's once a week for Outpatient Therapy. She also learned how to communicate by pointing at letters. On April 17, 2000, Chasin said her first word, "pizza". A week later, she was speaking in sentences.
Chasin has retained some of her long-term memory. However, she has no memories of 1999. She also has difficuly remembering recent events (Post Traumatic Amnesia).
Great efforts are being made to remedy her short-term memory, and they are starting to work. It was difficult for me( Chasin's fiance') to handle her memory loss. She doesn't remember me from her past. However, she has fallen in love with me again, and are engaged once again.
Chasin remains in a wheelchair and has limited movement on her left side. Her right side is almost completely paralized. Her improvemets are slow in coming, but she is getting better. Therapists are now optomistic and believe Chasin will be walking by the end of 2000.
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CONTINUE CHASIN'S STORY
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HOW CHASIN IS DOING
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THE FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE
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