Up Until Now...

Most of you know by now that Rhonda Roberts, aka Big Mama, is recovering well from her brain injury. For those of you who don't know quite what happened, here it goes...


On September 8, 2007, after a long day of SOS fund raising, Big Mama performed at the SOS gospel benefit concert. She wasn't feeling well and had a severe headache. Upon leaving the stage she stated to friends/family sitting nearby that she couldn't see and she thought her blood pressure was a little high maybe. An ambulance was called and Big Mama was taken to White County Medical Center. Her blood pressure was through the roof but she stable and vaguely lucid. After a series of test, a brain bleed was discovered and the WCMC ER team set to work on transferring Big Mama to UAMS where there are neuro-specialist.

On arrival to UAMS Big Mama was taken into the Emergency Room and more test were initiated. During this time her blood pressure continued to improve and the bleed was not getting any bigger. Although her breathing was fine the doctor's decided to intubate and place Big Mama on a ventilator to help maintain her breathing in case anything did change. She was admitted to a CCU room around 5am Sunday September 9th.

By 7:30 the doctor's had come out to tell us that another MRI showed increased bleeding in Big Mama's brain. She was taken in for emergency brain surgery where the neurosurgeon, Dr. Krisht, removed as much of the blood as he could and some surrounding tissue to send off for biopsy & pathology. They also drilled a tiny hole in the frontal area of the skull and inserted a tube to drain the excess fluid and monitor her ICP (inter cranial pressure). Big Mama was in a medically induced coma to help keep her vital signs stable to help provide her body the opportunity to begin healing itself. When the tissue test results came back the doctor's informed us that the mass was a benign tumor made entirely of blood that had burst. Yet they did not know what had caused the tumor to form.

After a few days, the doctor's began weaning Big Mama off of the ventilator and waking her slowly. Throughout this process her vitals signs and her ICP fluctuated but for the most part (and with medication) they stayed stable. A few days after being weaned off the vent, Big Mama was back to eating was began speaking a little. Her vision was still greatly effected. Sometimes she could answer questions correctly and could tell who you were just by your voice and other times she would think she was a kid living at home with her parents and siblings. She was soon moved out of CCU and to a private room where she continued improving both mentally and physically. The first day that she began speaking more than one word at a time, she actually began singing. And her song of choice was Amazing Grace, to which she could sing every word and on pitch at that.

On September 24th Big Mama was moved from UAMS to White County Rehab Center. Here she received intense physical, occupational and speech therapy from the wonderful people at our local rehab. Big Mama was alternately (a) in intense pain; (b) uncooperative; or (c) antagonistic and/or belligerent and at other times periods of near-euphoria wherein she sings -- on key and with every single word of the lyrics -- at the top of her lungs with carefree abandon. She slowly but surely began sitting on her own, then standing and eventually taking a few steps with assistance. She continued to improve and become more "herself".

On October 17th, Big Mama's 55th birthday, she was transferred to Timber Ridge Ranch NeuroRestorative Rehabilitation Center. Timber Ridge only accepts patients who have had a brain injury. They set individualized plans for each 'client' (patient). These plans include physical, occupation, and speech therapy, neuropsychological among other things. This place is on a beautiful 315 acre ranch and has several separate cabins in which up to 12 (patients) stay. So far things have gone good for Big Mama at Timber Ridge. She has had her ups and downs emotionally. She wants to be home with her friends and family but she also realizes that she needs to stay and continue getting well. The patients in her cabin consist of a few teenagers, a couple of people in the 20's -30's and then a few more around her age.

Big Mama is now walking across rooms on her own (although she is truly not suppose to without help). She is "more herself" now than she has been to date. She has even tried to discipline a couple of the teenage girls when they began cursing and were hateful to the other cabin mates! She does still have her sense of humor. When someone asked her if she had any pets at home she replied "Yeah, Owen"! She is most definitely doing better!

This is were we stand at the moment. We have a family meeting with all of Big Mama's therapist, nurses, and case workers on November 14th. She also has a follow-up MRI and appointment with Dr. Krisht (the neurosurgeon) on November 13th. I will try to keep this site updated with Big Mama's progress and I will also TRY to get some pics on here soon. If you would like to send emails to Big Mama, you may send them to bigmamasrecovery@yahoo.com and I will print them and take them to her. I would like to thank everyone for all the cards, gifts, calls and most of all the prayers for Big Mama and our family. We wouldn't have gotten through this without our friends, family and GOD!!