Team Ripley

Team Ripley Team Ripleys journey as she heals from a level-3 diffuse axonal injury. She won’t be awake during this phase, but she’s fighting.

Thank you for standing with her! ❤️

3/15/26Nightly UpdateRipley enjoyed another day away from Craig at our apartment. She enjoyed spending time with Grandpa...
03/16/2026

3/15/26
Nightly Update
Ripley enjoyed another day away from Craig at our apartment. She enjoyed spending time with Grandpa Rich as well as Aunt Erica who braved the snow to visit. We weren’t expecting the snow much less it lasting all day long. We did venture out to enjoy an amazing BBQ joint. It was so tasty everyone forgot to take pictures. However, since Tim will be here this final week, we will be going back. We also stopped for bubble tea and ice cream despite the snowy day. Erica finished up Ripley’s nails just before heading out.
Ripley insisted on NOT eating at Craig tonight, so back out in the storm we went. After a quick bite, where Rich and Ripley got in some laughs, we returned her to the hospital for the night. Hoping for continued rest as she has a busy day scheduled for tomorrow
I feel that Colorado was blessing us with this beautiful snowy day because in a few days, it will be back up in the upper 80’s by the end of the week. Crazy weather! We hope everyone was also graced with their own blessing today. Night Team Ripley♥️

3/14/26Nightly UpdateRipley started her morning with a hearty breakfast before heading to the airport to pick up Grandpa...
03/15/2026

3/14/26
Nightly Update
Ripley started her morning with a hearty breakfast before heading to the airport to pick up Grandpa Rich and Mom. However, they had to make a return trip back to hospital due to Tim sharing his Starbucks on Ripley’s lap. They both blame each other 🤣.
After the airport, everyone headed up to spend the day with Aunt Erica, Uncle Emmett and their dogs. Ripley was able to recognize their home from the trip a few weeks ago. Huge progress with her memory as that was two weeks ago. She is also recalling other past conversations and retaining more information. There is still a lot she doesn’t remember/recall but progress is progress and we will take it!
We spent the day talking in the backyard in 70 degree weather and then enjoyed a tasty dinner and dessert before heading back to the hospital. Hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing day and a full belly.♥️

3/13/26Nightly UpdateToday was simply an amazing day. Ripley started her day by sleeping in an extra hour on top of havi...
03/14/2026

3/13/26
Nightly Update
Today was simply an amazing day. Ripley started her day by sleeping in an extra hour on top of having a good night sleep. She enjoyed a big breakfast with an extra hour to eat as her first therapy appt didn’t start until 10am. However during the first appt, she did get 6 dry needles in her left shoulder(not fun), but her range of motion is improving. For PT she had a mile walking field trip around the local neighborhood checking out the “Little Libraries.” After lunch, Ripley shined in her natural leadership role by planning and hosting a Bingo Activity for others. She had 15 people participate and by the looks of it, everyone had a fun time.
Then after a quick clean up, she was on to her last PT therapy of the week. She had great scores (treadmill games) with one being another big record for her. She did agility drills like high knees, f***y kicks, walking backwards, etc. In all, she did 1.8 miles during that session. For dinner she proceeded to convince Tim to take her to Noodle Factory for dinner, followed by delicious Thai Tea ice cream.
Ripley continues to improve physically, but this week her mental improvement is making big strides. She is aware, and voices that this is not where she wants to be and is ready to leave. We are ready too! Ripley got prepared for bed knowing this is her last night being here without her mom. She is very excited to be back home!
She is looking forward to picking up Grandpa Rich and mom at the airport tomorrow. Rest well everyone!

3/12/26Nightly UpdateRipley had another great night of sleep, only getting up once the entire night. Having a good night...
03/13/2026

3/12/26
Nightly Update

Ripley had another great night of sleep, only getting up once the entire night. Having a good night of sleep has likely been one of the key factors for her improved response time to answer recall type questions. Her sense of humor has also been shining bright. In every therapy she is finding ways to add a witty comment that makes everyone laugh.
Today started with Assisted Daily Living where she works to become more self reliant. This was followed by her two physical therapy sessions in the morning. She rocked them both but no new records. Then for the afternoon she only had speech therapy where she focused on her memory by working on her Craig Yearbook. With this light afternoon, it gave Ripley time for lunch time nap. She was then excited to go to get Boba before dinner. She was very chatty and was able to FaceTime friends/family to show off her drink.
They are reducing meds (including sleep aids) again hoping she can be med free by the time she leaves.
She is getting more and more excited about returning home and is so thankful for all the support. Good night Team Ripley

3/11/26Nightly UpdateRipley tackled another full day of therapies but still managed to have a lot of fun. It started as ...
03/12/2026

3/11/26
Nightly Update
Ripley tackled another full day of therapies but still managed to have a lot of fun. It started as they were making a custom brace for Ripley’s left arm. Ripley continues to have issues with tightening/flexing of her left arm, so at times, uses a brace to help keep it straight. This new (to her) brace starts off as a cast, which Tim promptly took a picture of and sent it to Mom to give her a quick scare about Ripley breaking her arm. Luckily it was laughs all around.
In PT Ripley was pumping iron in the gym, then hiked up/down multiple flights of stairs. Speech was continuing to spend time on her Yearbook. Then Ripley got to workout on a new to her equipment called Alter G where she runs on a treadmill. From the waist down she is in a big ballon that helps support her. This support allows Ripley to run/jog without fear of falling. After cranking out a mile she was glad to be done. She has a good attitude but running isn’t her jam (even though it’s in her genes.) For a cool down she climbed 3 more flights of stairs.
Ripley was rewarded with a long lunch break which she decided a 20 min nap would be perfect.
After lunch was Upper Extremities where she practiced reaching into kitchen cabinets and pulling out needed materials.
Then it was back down three flights of stairs to her Research class. She completed three 10 min games on the treadmill, more than doubling her previous records from the day before. Literally you see DAILY GAINS. Then she hit the stairs again, doing 7 flights under 10 mins.
Just a few weeks ago Ripley took her first couple practice steps on stairs, and today she did 13 flights.
After dinner she was happy to relax by reading the Team Ripley page and all the comments, (She loves and is humbled that so many people are supporting her), FaceTiming family and friends and reading letters/notes of support.
Tomorrow looks to be an easy day with only 4 therapies scheduled so will likely be heading out to explore Denver.
Phew, I’m exhausted just typing about all of her physical activities. Hope everyone has a restful evening❤️

3/10/26Nightly UpdateRipley has a weekly CHILL class that is made up of young adults who are also staying at Craig. Toda...
03/11/2026

3/10/26
Nightly Update
Ripley has a weekly CHILL class that is made up of young adults who are also staying at Craig. Today they made tie dye shirts and said “see you later” to a friend who is headed to another rehabilitation facility.
Also since Friday, Ripley has been busy creating herself a Craig Yearbook, where she interviews her staff team and makes another page in her yearbook. When it started they thought maybe 8 pages, but Ripley is currently at 14 and still has 3 more days to interview people. She has been enjoying this project and we have realized all the people who have contributed to her success at Craig.
Her daily therapies were great as usual however, the two highlights were in PT where she is starting to run basketball court lines, and not to be out done Research (also PT) had Ripley jogging across the gym doing lines, as well as kicking a soccer ball back and forth to an assistant while she was jogging. She had a great time and was having a hard time not giggling.
And lastly as a reward for crushing multiple records Ripley got to skip the cafeteria dinner for some Panda Express.
We are hoping she has another great night of sleep in her “Regular” bed, which was a success. We are so thankful she is finally getting the healing rest of her brain.
Night Team Ripley

3/9/26Nightly UpdateRipley enjoyed having Sister Brooke tag along to all of her therapies today. Ripley showed off by se...
03/10/2026

3/9/26
Nightly Update
Ripley enjoyed having Sister Brooke tag along to all of her therapies today. Ripley showed off by setting new personal records in several physical tests. She also doubled her High Score on the treadmill block game.
Both Ripley’s Speech and OT have discussed Ripley organizing and promoting a hospital activity to help reengage parts of her brain, and being able to do what Ripley loves to do. So later this afternoon Ripley impressed her Speech and OT staff by organizing a “Craig’s Friday the 13th Bingo” activity for other patients and made a very nice advertisement faster than they thought possible. It was to be her takeaway homework. Instead she completed the flyer on her own laptop in less than 10 minutes while still in her session.
In yet another mile stone, Ripley is sleeping in a regular bed tonight. She will have a Tech stay the night to make sure she is safe but she is no longer “Zipped Up” in the tent bed all night. This is to see how she can handle the freedom to get up but understanding she needs to still call staff for support. She is doing well with balance and walking however when she first wakes up, she’s still wobbly.
Looking forward to hearing how the night went in the morning. Until then, sleep well Team Ripley.

3/8/26Nightly UpdateToday Ripley saw her mom off at the airport for the last time, because the next time mom leaves, Rip...
03/09/2026

3/8/26
Nightly Update
Today Ripley saw her mom off at the airport for the last time, because the next time mom leaves, Ripley will be going with her! Even thought Ripley has 16 more days (March 24th is discharge date) , we are beginning to mark the last moment/events for Ripley at Craig Hospital.
Today was filled with spending time with Sister Brooke and Tim. They searched around for Boba tea shops and Asian food to carry out lunch to the Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The nine deer didn’t mind the laughter and chattering coming from them as they enjoyed their lunch. They joked about Ripley wanting to ride a Buffalo but she was thinking it wouldn’t go over to well.
After a few hours in the refuge they returned to the apartment to watch How to Train Your Dragon (live action) for the first time according to Ripley. When it was really about 50th time watching it since her accident but hey, it makes life more exciting watching it for the first time. One of the benefits of short term memory issues.
They finished the evening having dinner at Craig and taking pictures with another 21 year old patient who is leaving this week. Ripley and Brooke enjoyed playing cards in her room until bed time. Overall she had a great full day with lots of laughter and will be ready for the coming week of therapies.
Night Team Ripley❤️❤️

3/7/26Nightly UpdateColorado was coated with a lot of snow yesterday and the drive to the airport was a winter wonderlan...
03/08/2026

3/7/26
Nightly Update
Colorado was coated with a lot of snow yesterday and the drive to the airport was a winter wonderland. Surprisingly the roads were clear and mostly dry which made for an easy trip to pick up Tim and Sister Brooke. The last time Brooke saw Ripley was the first week she was in ICU in California. Ripley was happy to show off how far she has come.
The biggest surprise was Tim joining us for sushi at the same place we had gone last night. Granted they also had teriyaki chicken for Tim to enjoy. Tim even braved tasting one of Brooke’s sushi rolls. We then spent the afternoon at the apartment and Ripley was able to FaceTime a few friends. These conversations really help Ripley to see how much she is loved as well as show her that her life/memories are real. There was a time she wasn’t sure what was a dream. So having her see everyone’s face helps her tremendously.
And since Tim was such a great sport about sushi, we enjoyed dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Ripley is currently passed out in the hospital bed, most likely dreaming about her next meal. Hope others were able to enjoy some of their favorites today. Good night Team Ripley ❤️

3/6/26Ripley had another great night of sleep!  She woke a few times but was able to go right back to sleep.  They have ...
03/07/2026

3/6/26
Ripley had another great night of sleep! She woke a few times but was able to go right back to sleep. They have finally found a great combination of meds to help her find healing and restful sleep 😴
In Speech Therapy the last few days, she has been working on creating a “yearbook” of her time at Craig. She is interviewing her Team as well as other staff she has come to know. They are simple basic questions such as role, time at Craig etc, however my favorite questions is their favorite quality or memory about Ripley. It’s been touching to hear how each person has their own special connection with Ripley. I look forward to seeing how her yearbook turns out!
The remainder of this post will be about one of Ripley’s favorite things… FOOD! With the modifications of her meds she is finally getting her appetite back and gaining some much needed weight. Today she enjoyed a huge loaded baked potato for lunch. And since Tim’s shift is coming up, Ripley had a final opportunity to have sushi! We found this place last weekend and decided to go back. Our waiter remembered us from last time! Ripley and I even braved the snow storm to enjoy the tasty meal.
Ripley is already tucked away in bed replenishing her energy for when Tim and Sister Brooke fly in tomorrow morning!
Hope everyone has a full belly and restful dreams. Good night Team Ripley❤️

3/5/26Nightly UpdateRipley started the day off with OT, PT, Bike and Treadmill (wow) getting the physical therapies out ...
03/06/2026

3/5/26
Nightly Update
Ripley started the day off with OT, PT, Bike and Treadmill (wow) getting the physical therapies out of the way. During treadmill, they are testing her VO2 max along with other measurement/rates of exertion. They wanted her to walk at a good clip and increased the incline hoping to get 15 minutes of data. She did 16. I forgot to ask how far she traveled, I’ll try to get that tomorrow. She earned a quick power nap then enjoyed shaking off the rust at the pottery wheel. The goal in Rec therapy is to really practice using her left arm/hand which continues to be a struggle. She got done early and I mentioned taking a nap. She said she can’t nap. I just said lay down, close your eyes and listen to music…. 1 hour later I had to get her up to have dinner 🤣. We spent the evening chatting and talking with family. She then asked to get into bed to rest. She is currently passed out, just waiting another 30 minutes to wake her for nighttime meds then back to sleep she goes. She has been sleeping so well the past few nights. She is FINALLY getting the sleep and rest she needs to heal her brain. We are so thankful!
Rest well everyone ❤️

3/4/26Nightly UpdateI have noticed these past few days focus on fine tuning the skills Ripley has learned during these f...
03/05/2026

3/4/26
Nightly Update
I have noticed these past few days focus on fine tuning the skills Ripley has learned during these few months at Craig. She has gone from just trying to put one foot in front of another to walking backwards and sideways, and even slight jogging on a treadmill. She has been doing pushups (arm strength) and balancing to strengthen her core. Ripley is being set up to navigate her day with just the use of her iPad/calendar/timers. She is getting ready for the next steps and what life will look like when she leaves Craig at the end of the month and returns home. I feel we are planning yet not planning because she is constantly surprising us with her growth.
This evening we went to replace her phone that was damaged in the accident. We walked to the opposite end of the mall to the nearby Apple Store. They were so helpful because it was loud and busy and while I knew Ripley could handle it, over time it would be draining for her brain. They found us a quiet place to finish the setup. It’s interesting the lens I now look through at the world. I now see how Ripley is going to have to learn to navigate and modify her life to fit these new limitations. However, I do know those limitations will not stop her from achieving anything she sets her mind to accomplishing. And I look forward to seeing every moment of her progress and posting about it on Team Ripley. Thank you for coming along on this journey with us ♥️

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Willamina, OR
97396

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