Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format
Celtic Radio Community > Kirk and Chapel > Prayers For Christina Wojcik


Posted by: Macfive 07-Aug-2005, 08:16 PM
I know a few people are aware of the current situation within my family, but I thought it would be appropriate to post a message here concerning our 22 year old neice from Petersburg Florida.

Please keep her in your prayers, she is a victim of being slipped a drug in her drink and she has suffered a traumatic brain injury. She has a 2 year old little girl too.

Her family is having a very difficult time trying to get her rehabilitation services. The medical center she is at: Largo Medical Center in Largo, Florida. They do not even have a board certified neurologist and the person claiming to be a neurologist, is actually a MD acting as a neurologist. Now we find out he is not even board certified.

This hospital has all but given up on her and they refuse to refer her to another facility. There was talk of the hospital moving her to a hospice facility when it appears to the family that she is making progress each day.

We have started an online journal to document her story which you can read here:

http://justiceforchristina.blogspot.com/

At this time, all we are asking is for people to try and raise this to the attention of media outlets and newspapers. It would be great to get some focus in the Florida St. Petersburg area. Our hope is to have her moved to a rehabilitation facility or better yet to 1 of only 16 TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) units that are in the United States. We would like to see her at Spaulding Rehab's TBI unit in Boston since all of her extended family, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, are all located in the Boston Massachusetts area.

If you could pass this website on to everyone you know. We are hoping that if enough people get involved or speak up then our chances of getting Christina moved to a rehab facility will be realized.

Our heart felt thanks for your prays for Christina!

Posted by: cynni 08-Aug-2005, 03:35 AM
Our Prayers and thoughts are with your neice. It is so sad what people do. They only think of making the $$$$.

Posted by: Monarchs Own 08-Aug-2005, 05:05 AM
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!

Posted by: SCShamrock 08-Aug-2005, 06:48 AM
Paul,

I am sorry to hear about your family crisis. I am at this very moment in prayer for your niece and family, and I will send out the link to all the people I know.

Robert

Posted by: CelticRose 08-Aug-2005, 08:00 PM
Oh my goodness, Paul! How horrible. My prayers and thoughts are with your niece and family. Please keep us posted, ok?

Posted by: ArizonaAmy9 08-Aug-2005, 11:25 PM
I'll add in my prayers and pass your info on. Just an FYI...my sister works for the Police Dept here in Tempe, AZ and so that more people are aware...at least here...we have had an increase of drugs being slipped into drinks...not just on or near the campus of ASU but in high schools. But they are putting it in soda and even gatorade...so it does not have to be at a bar...it can happen so easily and just like your niece...now she and her family are fighting just to give her her life back! Thank Goodnes she is surrounded by a strong and loving family as well...my best wishes Paul for your niece, her daughter and your family....

amy

Posted by: WizardofOwls 09-Aug-2005, 03:53 AM
Christina and your family are most definitly in my prayers! Here is one of my favorite Bible verses:

Ieremiah 17:14

14 Leighis mi, O Thighearna, agus bidh mi air mo leigheas; slànaich mi, agus bidh mi air mo shlànachadh; oir is tu mo mholadh.

Jeremiah 17:14

14 Heal me, O Lord; and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

Posted by: Aaediwen 09-Aug-2005, 06:50 PM
Best of wishes to you and yours, indeed. Speedy healing for Christina

Posted by: Macfive 09-Aug-2005, 07:07 PM
Thank you all so much for your prayers for Christina. We are not sure which way medically speaking this is going to go. Although we understand the laws in Florida are very strange indeed and that it gives alot of power to the doctor.

Just an FYI - the doctor handling her care portrayed to be a neurologist, but he was not. He is not even board certified!!!

We have spoken with her very good friend every night, mother, father and brother. Everything they are telling us indicates that she is not a "Terry Schivio"case.

Some things might be happening, we got some encouraging messages from people that depending on what they find out may act. One from a national organization and 1 from a very well known person (although his message was very brief).

Understand none of us would want to keep someone alive that is brain dead. But that is the kicker, she is not brain dead yet the hospital is treating her as such. Everything we have heard indicates she is aware, trying to talk (with a trach!!) and laughs, crys and follows people around the room. This is not just a brain stem working!

Ok, the latest news is her doctor resigned from the case and FINALLY they are inserting a feeding tube in her stomach for nutrition. She has been losing weight and we want to keep her alive for competent medical professionals can actually review her case, do all of the appropriate testing and give us a definite medical opinion. This poor family has been told a different story every few days.

I'll tell you how desperate we were last weekend we were prepared to fly her to Boston ourselves until the hospital got wind and blocked it.

All I can say is be careful of those Florida hospitals. It seems the laws are more for senior citizens rather than a 22 year old girl in this situation.

Posted by: stoirmeil 09-Aug-2005, 07:40 PM
It seems incredible to me that her family is not allowed to have more of a say. Who exactly is her legal guardian or power of attorney here? The narrative (somebody's post) says that they had it fixed up for her to go to Boston, but then "it did not happen." What happened to that?

It may be because of the embarrassment when Jeb Bush tried unsuccessfully to intervene in the Schiavo case that this is being downplayed or ignored, since I am sure you have all tried to communicate with governmental authority. But it's true that time is very important, if she is going to recover function. The fact that people are consistently visiting, talking, reading to her, and all that is on her side. You're a great family to make a united front to accomplish that.

Posted by: Macfive 11-Aug-2005, 06:36 PM
Some great news is unfolding and we will post an update on Christina's website once it becomes apparent how this is going to turn out.

A major national organization is getting involved. All I can say is that one call by a director of this organization has resulted in a complete unequivable change in attitude by this hospital. Their intention is to get her records to a board of neurologists up in Boston and to ultimately relocate her to a rehabilitation facility - hopefully in the Boston area.

They could not believe what this hospital has been doing. She is their youngest patient and they are not equipped to handle her critical care. It was almost as if they were just sucking the insurance money dry. There will be a complete audit of her records and this is just the start.

Thanks for everyone's prays and well wishes. I honestly believe this can make a difference.

Posted by: Aaediwen 11-Aug-2005, 07:33 PM
The Prayers continue smile.gif

This is good news

Posted by: emerald-eyedwanderer 11-Aug-2005, 07:59 PM
I just now got to read this. It's so sad.. She, of course, will be in my thoughts as well as your family. I am so glad to hear that things are looking up. I hope she has a fast recovery so she can get back to her little daughter.

Posted by: Macfive 17-Aug-2005, 10:52 PM
We've updated her website tonight and have added the latest news as well as the start of many photographs.


http://justiceforchristina.blogspot.com/

Posted by: CelticRose 20-Aug-2005, 07:48 PM
Thanks for the website, Paul. Glad to hear good things are starting to happen.

Posted by: Eventide 21-Aug-2005, 08:35 PM
Glad to hear the tide is turning. That the perseverance and support have been making the waves necessary to end the outrageousness and get down to what really matters!

Posted by: Macfive 23-Aug-2005, 02:51 PM
We have not been updating her site with the latest information because the hospital seems to be trying to stay one step ahead of us.

That might be changing this week. We have pilots volunteering, hospitals, nurses and professional staff. As I speak right now my wife (Killian) just received a call from a very well known senators office. They started calling early today.

So far, we have a flight from North Carolina to Boston and we are trying to find a way to get her from Largo to North Carolina. I think if it does not happen this week, then things will not be as lined up as everything seems to be coming together.

We have filed a complaint with various organization because Largo Medical center in Florida is letting her become atrophy (20%) because they will not do any physical therapy.

Well, hopefully we will have some good news soon. If we can just get her to Boston where they have the best doctors and facilities for this, then she will have the best chance possible to see if recovery is possible. Where she is now, they just want to leave her in a bed 24/7, shut the door and forget about her.....it is sad that medical professionals have no interest in helping her.

If we get her to Boston, we will be making a list of people that would like to donate time to sit with her. Reading a book, playing music.....really just stimulating her is what she needs at this point. Of course, anyone here in the Boston area would be welcome to help out in that way. 90% of her recovery will happen during the 1st year, but as someone said to me "If you don't use it, you lose it".




Posted by: ArizonaAmy9 23-Aug-2005, 02:58 PM
sad.gif It is sad that a hospital full of those who...want to help/heal others are turning such a blind eye to her...thank goodness her family will NOT let that happen! I wish I was on that side of the states because I would be more than happy to sit with her a few hours a week. I know when my Mom was in her last stages, it was through the kindness of others that our family made it through...but it does sound as though her support group is just as strong! My prayers are still with all of you...crossing fingers that all will come together and she can be moved quickly and safely to Boston! My best goes with you Macfive and family...

Posted by: stoirmeil 23-Aug-2005, 09:36 PM
Keep on keeping on, til you get her out of there. It is very exasperating, these delays, because time really does matter. Have your parents had some coaching about basic range of motion things to do with her, so she doesn't freeze up, and preventing foot drop and sores? I gather they are the ones who see her daily. And the idea of tapes of music and human voices, anything meaningful to her, is the best. When people come out of such things and tell what memories they have, it never fails that their hearing comprehension was much more than anyone suspected.

Her age is on her side, though, and such good, strong people fighting for her. I hope in a year's time you are all talking about it among you, including Christina, as a nightmare that's been long awakened from and fading into the past.

Posted by: Macfive 24-Aug-2005, 08:04 AM
Life is definitely a roller coaster at times. After I wrote the above message everything fell apart. An organization called Christian Pilots could not fly her until next week. We could not find anyone to fly her to the transfer point. The hospital refused to let her fly any other way but med evac which is very expensive. They would not even release her to a senators personal jet!

First, I would like to say that I am sure there are good people at Largo Medical Center - but it is the people that are in charge that are the problem. In fact, they stated this week that if we could not move her then she would be transferred to a nursing home which as you can imagine is not what we want to happen at this time.

So, in our hour of darkest despair, because it certainly seemed that the tide had switched on us, something amazing happened - we got a call that she will be flown today to Boston Brigham & Woman's hospital! We are not sure who is behind this, but I will post a message today if it does indeed happen. The cost for med evac is between $12,000 and $20,000!

Oh, and the Chief of Staff at Largo stated to her Dad that it is amazing, there is Brain Activity - he called it a miracle.

The MacArthur Children are busy coloring pictures for Christina and we hope by night fall she is in Boston.

Thanks for all those wings on a prayer!

Posted by: Eventide 24-Aug-2005, 09:04 AM
QUOTE (Macfive @ 24-Aug-2005, 06:04 AM)
Life is definitely a roller coaster at times.
So, in our hour of darkest despair, because it certainly seemed that the tide had switched on us, something amazing happened -
Oh, and the Chief of Staff at Largo stated to her Dad that it is amazing, there is Brain Activity - he called it a miracle.

Thanks for all those wings on a prayer!

They continue Macfive, they continue.

Posted by: Macfive 24-Aug-2005, 10:45 AM
It is 12:37 p.m. and the flight crew is now prepping Christina for the ambulance ride to clearwater and then transport via med evac to logan airport in Boston, MA.

Her room is waiting for her at Brigham & Woman's hospital.

This is really a miracle. We have no idea who is paying for this but they are certainly angels on earth!!

We will probably be posting more to Christina's website soon

Posted by: MDF3530 24-Aug-2005, 03:00 PM
Be sure to thank your senator whose last name begins with a K thumbs_up.gif

Posted by: Aaediwen 24-Aug-2005, 04:40 PM
QUOTE (Macfive @ 24-Aug-2005, 11:45 AM)
It is 12:37 p.m. and the flight crew is now prepping Christina for the ambulance ride to clearwater and then transport via med evac to logan airport in Boston, MA.

Her room is waiting for her at Brigham & Woman's hospital.

This is really a miracle. We have no idea who is paying for this but they are certainly angels on earth!!

We will probably be posting more to Christina's website soon

WOOTAGE! There be hope!

Posted by: Macfive 24-Aug-2005, 07:19 PM
QUOTE (MDF3530 @ 24-Aug-2005, 05:00 PM)
Be sure to thank your senator whose last name begins with a K thumbsup.gif

Politics is one thing, humanity is another and I will say that the senator from Massachusetts is obviously a very caring man and individual.

We are not sure who is behind this "Act of Kindess" - we have a short list of 10 people that we came in touch with - or perhaps it is just someone we have know knowledge about - whoever it is they are a walking Angel on earth!

My wife (Killian) and daughter Vicki are meeting Christina and her Mom at the hospital as I write this. We stopped at Build a Bear workshop and had them make up a bear for her as well as some special color drawings to hang on her wall.

The power of prayer really works. I am so amazed of how things turned out. We feel so good about the developments in the past 24 hours - of course - the real work begins now with rehabilitation and finding out exactly what Christina's rehab potentiol is. What is amazing is the hospital n Florida never once explained anything to the parents, what exactly is wrong or did any extensive testing.

Here is Christina's website. We have updated it with the latest information and a new song for a new day!

http://justiceforchristina.blogspot.com/

Thanks again for everyones prayers!

Posted by: Macfive 26-Aug-2005, 03:47 PM
Just a note that from this time going forward we will be placing all information on Christina at her website:

http://justiceforchristina.blogspot.com

Now that she is in good care, we are not worried about what is placed on her journal. We had been worried the hospital in Largo Florida was monitoring that site.

Again my thanks and appreciation for all of the prayers and well wishes. While it will not be determined for a while whether Christina can improve, time will only tell.

For me, I will be able to get back to a little web developing as I am charged with watching the kids while family visits occur. It has been very draining the past week with little sleep and lots of phone calls and such.

Thanks again everyone!

Posted by: Aaediwen 26-Aug-2005, 04:49 PM
Prayers continue!

Posted by: Macfive 17-Sep-2005, 09:40 PM
I am sorry to report that Christina has passed away. We did everything that was possible to try and save her, but it was just not to be.

She is at peace now.

I'd like to thank everyone for their prayers and wishes.


Posted by: WizardofOwls 17-Sep-2005, 09:46 PM
Oh, Paul! I am so sorry to hear this! My prayers are with you and your family.

Posted by: TheCarolinaScotsman 17-Sep-2005, 10:58 PM
I am so sorry Paul. I know that you and the rest of Christina's family must be hurting terribly right now. You have my prayers for emotional healing for all of you. Remember that the love she and her family had for each other will transcend even this.

Posted by: Monarchs Own 18-Sep-2005, 05:41 AM
My heart, prayers and condolences go out to you and your family.

I am sorry to hear of Christina's passing.


Posted by: stoirmeil 18-Sep-2005, 02:05 PM
I'm so sorry to hear about this, Paul. I think she gave you all a last gift -- all the effort to improve her situation and give her a chance hasn't failed. You did give her that chance -- and she gave you a reason to draw closer and work hard together as a family with a cause. That will never go away.

My thoughts and wishes for healing are with you and your family.

Posted by: CelticRose 20-Sep-2005, 06:19 PM
Oh my goodness! I am just now reading this. Paul I am so very sorry to read the news of Christina's passing. My sincere condolences to your family and Christina's. I will continue to pray for all you who are hurting right now.

Posted by: Rindy 20-Sep-2005, 08:37 PM
Paul, I too am just now reading this and I want to send you my condolences .


Slainte

Posted by: Macfive 05-Aug-2006, 09:59 PM
I wanted to give you all an update on Christina since it has been a very long time. More related to how her family dealt with her passing.

Unfortunately, things did not work out for Christina's Mom and Dad and Christina's Dad (my wife's Brother) is now living up with us up from Florida. He's had a very rough past year and a little good news is he landed himself a job in less than a week!

He's a very kind man and it is really no trouble having him stay with us. My wife is enjoying getting to know her brother once again and my little girl (Michaela) is drawing him many pictures and spending alot of time with him. It is funny how little kids know when an adult has been through a rough time.

There really has been no justice for Christina. I will say this and that is the Pinellas County Sheriff's department in Florida is nothing more than a good ole boy network. Obviously they are not interested in solving crimes, but more interested in making life difficult for the citizens of their county. I am sure they have done some good work, but it is amazing that they would let this murder go unsolved. Pinellas citizens beware!



Posted by: maggiemahone1 05-Aug-2006, 10:34 PM
I'm so sorry about Christina's passing and the break up of her parents. I'm sure your wife's brother is getting lots of love and support from your family. Children do have that way of making life so much more brighter when we adults go thru troubles and trials. I hope that your family and Christina's have brighter days ahead....

maggiemahone1

Posted by: Elspeth 06-Aug-2006, 07:21 AM
Paul,

I just read through this thread, not having been on the site when it was posted. What a horror your family had to endure. A year would hardly begin the healing process.

After something like that, it is no wonder relationships sometimes can't stand the strain.

I pray for all of you to find peace.

What happened to Christina's daughter?


Elspeth

Posted by: CelticRose 09-Aug-2006, 04:13 AM
Paul, I am just now reading this. I am very sorry for the pain your family has had to go through. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. Keep us posted, ok?

Posted by: Nova Scotian 19-Sep-2006, 12:56 PM
As a citizen of the USA and Florida, my prayers go out to her parients for encouragement. I live in Tampa. Use to work in Pinellas Co. as a Paramedic. As for Largo Medical center, I've never had any bad dealings with them dropping off a patient but then again I never was a patient with them. But anyway, keep encouraging Christinas family.

Powered by Invision Power Board (https://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (https://www.invisionpower.com)