To: Out of the Closet Into the Light blog
North Star International
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
From: Ruth Fredine ~Homecare Worker, State of Oregon
Author Jordan Jantz pre-approved this letter: 5-15-22
I would like to bring some communication issues to light, for there is healing in truth and prayer. I am writing to provide a summary of the current results of Jordan Jantz and his medical progression since September 11, 2019. That is the day when his life became rearranged: that moment when Jordan fell and was knocked unconscious. For the past two years and ten months, every day has been a renewed opportunity for Jordan to heal during his many medical appointments.
I am a professional at what I do in caring and serving the needs of my clients. I take pride in quality service. I have met several doctors and medical professionals throughout this challenging time in Jordan’s
life. I work with Jordan and speak with him most days about the medical procedures we work on together per the instructions of all the medical team, such as last Tuesday at Speech Pathology at Oceanview Hospital. Jordan presents well initially with his doctor at Speech Pathology. Part of his brain still has access to a good vocabulary and can produce words in the right order. Unfortunately, that part is not fully under his conscious control. When he is asked specific questions and he has to consciously form an answer, it becomes very difficult for him, often leading to an inability to form the answer or choose the right words. This is very difficult emotionally, and frustrating for him, and it produces a lot of stress.For example, when asked which word on a list was puppy, Jordan was able to answer correctly only because he knew that puppy started with a p. It was the only word in the list that started with p, so he got it correct.
This is not actually reading. Instead it’s using tools and clues. Jordan has developed many coping mechanisms like this so he can function. This is not faking knowing something (like reading), this is using the tools he has to get to an answer. Jordan is very honest and is not trying to mislead. He is trying to be functional. He also had a difficult morning communicating with his long-time Physical Therapist last Friday. It was another time when the struggle to communicate became so difficult that the emotional frustration was overwhelming. Jordan is very happy working with his PT and is very grateful for his help.
Some of the changes that have resulted from his concussion include:
*Loss of confidence
*Loss of clarity
*Difficulty retaining memories
*Loss of ability to do basic activities of daily living
*Difficulty speaking and understanding speech.
*Loss of ability to walk without a walker
*Meals on Wheels delivered weekly
*Relearning basic activities of daily living in his environment
*Jordan has a service dog who assists him.
Dealing with these changes and challenges is daunting. While he keeps persevering, Jordan has said that he often feels like his life has flatlined since the concussion. He can tell that life isn’t the same. He works daily at practicing speaking in front of the mirror, so he can associate what he sees and hears himself saying with the words in his mind. One success we’ve
had with this was to associate the word green with his green jade bracelets and with other green things, like grass and trees.
Dealing with issues at this level makes his issues with trust even more active. They are the hardest to overcome. Hopefully more small successes will bring more confidence.
Jordan continues to face the challenge of the trauma from the concussion daily. I have known Jordan for seven years, and never have I seen the brokenness in his speech that makes him unable to perform daily activities he once excelled in independently. His vocabulary was larger than life, along with his personality, which was infectious.
Unfortunately, everything that I am stating here has been removed from his life altogether. I recall many of Jordan’s physicians letting him know that there is no guarantee that he will regain the quality of life that he lived before the fall… which led to a concussion and TBI that Jordan and I and his healthcare team manage today.
I know Jordan as a spiritual man, always has been. Jordan always has given his life to bring awareness of children that are abused and neglected for emotional abuse and mental abuse, is what I know Jordan to always stand up for and advocate for. But he cannot advocate for himself today. And I cannot let someone who has opened up healing for others continue to be abandoned.
That’s why I am writing this letter — to increase the awareness of his communication issues as Jordan meets with several doctors this spring to bring healing to his vocabulary and speech that have been broken. I have worked with Jordan in the pre-K books, helping him trace the letters of the alphabet and learn to repeat the alphabet.
Finally, after a year of working with letters, I can say I feel good that today Jordan knows his ABCs, although he cannot read or write the letters. But he has relearned the alphabet in repeated weekly sessions to learn as much as he possibly can take into his mind and his broken memory.
I’m grateful to have the ability to write this letter because neither I nor Jordan’s doctors knew if Jordan would ever be able to distinguish letters in the alphabet. This to me is my little miracle that I got to be a part of and embrace. I am so proud to see Jordan’s healing continue to come into his life through the patience he has learned to develop, for I have explained to Jordan that the injury he sustained could have very well killed him. And knowing that reality could very well have happened in Jordan’s life on September 11, 2019, I am encouraged to inform Jordan’s church how grateful it has made me seeing the healing that can take place in someone’s life when all I did was decide to walk with Jordan through this difficult period of reestablishing the basic fundamentals of life that he lost.
It has been a pleasure to meet all of Jordan’s doctors and be a part of this healing process in Jordan’s life, since 9-11-2019, when life was peaceful and productive without question of memory or doubt throughout his day. Jordan was always confident — a man of confidence and spirituality, in his home and outside his home. Jordan is a man of light with no facades. This is why I help him — he’s all real and so is his care team — some of the most professional and caring people I have met.
I anticipate with the time that we spend with Jordan, we will see the light in his life again through this challenge of concussion and body trauma.
When I first saw Jordan injured with no ability to communicate I was not sure if his resilience would be enough to meet this challenge. Today I do believe in the power of Jordan’s hope in healing and his desire to help children as he did in his life before this incident.
It has been my blessing to have met all of you on Jordan’s medical team. You have given so much to Jordan throughout this head trauma. I thank you for all your recommendations for Jordan’s future and for all the care you have provided. What a resilient medical support team — more than anyone could ever expect to have in their life that he lives with since his physical brokenness and trauma on 9-11-2019.
Sincerely,
Ruth Fredine, Homecare Worker, State of Oregon
For Jordan Jantz
P.S. By the I would like to specifically thank all the doctors who have taken gentle care of Jordan during this difficult time of change since 9-11-2019.
I thank all of you who have given Jordan life support during this critical transformation of his life on 9-11-2019, almost 3 years ago. I am deeply grateful. I have never known Jordan to put his trust in other people for help… but he needs prayer and to learn to realize that he is not alone in this world as he continues to feel lost today. Your kindness matters.
Agape, Ruth.
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