Live the Lion was created in an attempt to keep everyone up to date on Lance O'Cull and his road to recovery.

Lance was involved in a car accident near Morehead, Kentucky about 30 miles from where we grew up Thanksgiving weekend of 2010. He was airlifted from the scene of the accident to UK Medical Center in Lexington. The doctors told us that they could fix everything below the neck, but his brain was in God's hands. On December 22, after multiple surgeries, Lance was transferred to The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia for an intense rehabilitation program.

It was there that Lance began to gradually emerge from a coma. Lance was discharged to home, in Vanceburg on February 17th, to continue his therapy with family.

On March 10th, Lance's 25th birthday, he stood on his feet for the first time in 103 days, with lots of help. On May 11th, Lance was accepted into Cardinal Hill's brain injury unit. There he impressed and amazed our family and friends, as well as his therapists through the progress he made everyday.

Between September 2011 and April of 2012, Lance was back and forth between Cardinal Hill's inpatient program and Shepherd Center's inpatient and outpatient program. He has had a couple minor surgeries to enhance his healing and a baclofen pump inserted to help with the tone in his body.

For the past year, Lance is back in Lewis County splitting his time with both parents. He continues to travel to Ashland 3 times a week and Lexington once a week. He is learning to walk again and we couldn't be more thrilled.

It hasn't been easy, Lance has had some setbacks and tears still fall. But he is up and running this marathon. And we are all running right along beside him.

Most of the blog entries have been made by myself, Chelcee, the big sister, Brock, our baby brother, and Dr. Johnny, our dad. Our goal is for Lance to finish this blog as soon as he is able.

God has been with Lance and our entire family, giving us strength. We give Him the Glory. He is the God of Miracles.



~Chelcee




Friday, January 28, 2011

i'm back...

So, I'm back in Atlanta.
It feels so good to be able to look at my brother again!
My Grandma Betty, Ben and I drove down from Kentucky today. We arrived at the Shepherd Center to find Lance moving more than I had ever seen him move. It was probably the second week at UK, when he started rolling his ankle around in the bed, and he has hardly let it be still since. But today, his toes were curling and his whole leg was moving under the sheet. He can even lift his knee up off the bed and put his foot flat on the bed. Plus his head, he keeps moving his head around. I might have mentioned before that he  had a tendency to look only to the right. However, this evening, he was going back and forth from his left to his right. My step-sister, Shauna bought my Grandma Marlene and Papaw John down today as well. They were so excited to see Lance. They last saw him on December 21st, the night before he left for Georgia. My niece Maddie also came along! She was able to thumb-wrestle with Lance.
I only saw Lance for a few hours this evening, hence the short update... I'm not feeling well, so I mostly sat in the corner of his room. I have since dosed or maybe even overdosed myself with nyquil, tylenol and vitamin c, so that hopefully I will be able to see him all day tomorrow.

So many people have complimented my dad, Brock and even me on our writing... Thanks so much. I have to warn you though. Wait until Lance is able to finish this blog. He is the writer of the family. He will have what we have written covered in red ink. I can't wait.

In other news...
The DANCE FOR LANCE has been set...
its going to be Saturday, February the 5th. at Lewis County Central Elementary. 4:00pm-6:00pm
so, go Zumba!
A huge thanks to Kayla Willis, Grace Bentley, Karen Killen, Penny Liles, and Betty Poynter and many other for helping put all of this together.

LIVE THE LION bracelets...
we sort of... kind of..ran out! yikes! we had no idea that so many people would want them.
However, I have ordered more. If you would like one, you can leave a comment on the blog or email me. or facebook me. There will definitely be some available at the zumbathon next Saturday.
Also, If you know Trish Bloomfield Weddington, you can contact her. She's is helping me distribute them!




A couple weeks ago I was trying to explain to everyone how the physical and occupational therapists have casted all of Lance's limbs and then made them in to splints to keeps his muscles stretched while he sleeps. Brock and I thought that strapping all of the splints on his limbs would be a good way of showing you how they look. After I strapped Brock in, he didn't think it was the best idea after all.










I apologize for the scattered thoughts this evening. Dr. Johnny will be back with blogs that make more sense and flow much better.

Please keep Shannon Gilbert in your prayers as she continues to make improvements at Cardinal Hill. Also, Michaela Harr. and so many others... as I watch the news tonight. :(
Love to you all!
~Chelcee
Posted by at

6 comments:

  1. MarilynJanuary 28, 2011 at 11:49 PM

    I am so glad you all had a safe trip and that Lance is doing better and better. I hope you feel better soon, too and can spend a lot of time with Lance.I love my bracelet and wear it with pride. Please give your family my best, and I will be praying for all.

    P.S.Brock is too cute for words in that picture. His expression just melts my heart.

    ReplyDelete
  2. karenJanuary 28, 2011 at 11:59 PM

    Love to hear the progress Lance is making! I sure hope you feel better soon! Well as you know we had a snow day today and my school age kids were with me so among the many activities we did was to make some very special hand prints for get well cards for 2 very special people! Lance and Shannon. I am hoping to get those in the mail soon I wanted to print some pictures to send with them of the kids working on them. we had great fun of course kids always love to paint! I explained to them that Lance and Shannon had been in accidents and were in the hospital to get better and they were so excited to make them both get well cards! I hope they enjoy them as much as we all enjoyed making them! You all take care! Oh and that picture of Brock "Priceless" I think Lance will love that too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. puddin33341179January 29, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    You guys just think of everything don't you with the splints, lol. Great idea. Just messaged Trish since I do know her and asked her to send me a couple of the bracelets since I work with her mother. Thanks so much for all the info you all provide. God's blessings upon you all.

    ReplyDelete
  4. TeresaJanuary 29, 2011 at 1:48 PM

    So glad you made the trip safely. Glad to hear Lance is improving. I would like very much to have a bracelet.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2012 at 9:55 PM

    God's grace and mercy brought her through the coma and she went to Columbus OH to Dodd Hall for her extended therapy. We also were joyful when she took her baby steps and could finally swallow a real bite of food. Praise God for miracles! I will continue to pray for Lance and pray that the
    Lord will continue to give all of you many blessings.

    It has been 8 years since Tammy's accident, and a long road to recovery but she is doing great. When I talked to her last night she was babysitting her grand daughter :) Never give up never stop praying! Love and many many blessings to all of you. Dee Mills, Mansfield, OH

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2012 at 10:02 PM

    Goodness I don't know what happened to the rest of my message but before the above comments about Tammy I had told you I didn't know how I had arrived to this site as I was searching for distant relatives but I was glad that I did as Lance was the young man that I had prayed for so many times. I learned of his accident from some relatives in Kentucky and I was asked to pray for him. My sister Tammy was also in a horrible auto accident with a less than 1% chance of survival.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)