kaylee.

Here's what happened.

Kaylee plays soccer. She is practically good too. She had a game Tuesday night in West Jordan. The last play of the game Kaylee jumped to block the ball with her body and the forward on the other team took her legs out. Kaylee crashed to the ground slamming the back of her head. The whistle blew. The game was over. The other team left. So did the refs. No one stopped to even see if the girl clutching her head laying on the ground was even ok. I loathe West Jordan.

Her coach ran to her on the field while my mom watched from the sidelines unsure of the extent of the damage. Coach asked if she was ok, and helped her sit up. Kaylee opened her eyes and began her hysterics. Her once deep brown eyes were now yellow and green, and everything before her was dark. It was like she had never opened her eyes. Kaylee was blind. Coach hollered for mom who ran out and asked if she was ok. It was clear she was not. The hospital was close by. The family van was driven across the park to where Kaylee was on the field. They loaded her up and headed to Jordan Valley Hospital.

After a few hours she started being able to see shadows. If your hand passed over a light she could sense a difference in the shades of darkness. She knew my mom's voice, but not my moms name. She didn't know her best friend, her coach or his family. They did some tests and transfered her to Primary Children's. Tests, tests, tests, and more tests. With time her vision began to improve. Blues and greens developed, and although the clarity wasn't good at all she could see colors and shadows and shapes. She recognized my dad, but once again didn't know his name. She can't name her high school, her soccer team name, any of her friends, the boy who takes her to school, and she didn't even know there was a church across the street from her house. She knew she had siblings, but she didn't know who they were or their names.

She can't see anything farther than a foot from her face and nothing to either side, but things seem to slowly be improving. I saw her last night. Broke my heart. I sat across from her. Put my face close enough to hers so she could see me as best she could. Kaylee, do you know who I am? She shook her head sadly and the tears began to fall. She didn't recognize Austin, and didn't even know Dewy existed. She was crying, I was crying. Not for the heartbreak of being unrecognizable, but rather because of her struggle and frustration. My parent's ward reorganized the bishopric on Sunday, and both the former and new bishops stopped by last night. She didn't know either of them. More frustration. More tears.

They say her vision will improve with time, and her memory should as well. No one knows how long it will take. The brain is a miraculous thing that heals itself, so nothing can be done but wait. Kaylee remembers the gospel. She remembers principles, and what she has been taught regarding that area. As I sat across from her last night I sang the words, "latter day prohpets are, number one..." and I paused to which she began "...Joseph Smith, then Brigham Young..." So simple. So reassuring.

Come back to me Kaylee. She needs your prayers if you wouldn't mind.