Less than two weeks after 16-year-old Blake Ephraim suffered a stroke, she is on the road to recovery at the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb.
Blake, a junior at Olathe South High School, is a junior varsity cheerleader and member of the KGDC competitive cheer team, was a 2012 Matzo Ball Queen candidate and coaches young FCCJC cheerleaders. A member of Congregation Beth Torah, she became a Bat Mitzvah and was confirmed there earlier this year. All those activities and more have been put on hold for now while she focuses on her recovery.
The daughter of Lisa and Jonathan Wilcox and Todd Ephraim of Oklahoma City, Blake is now adjusting to her new surroundings at the rehab center.
“Right now she is a little scared and frustrated, and in some pain,” said Wilcox, in a phone interview from Lincoln Monday. “These things are exasperated by the realization she can’t remember names and struggles to find the words she is looking for. The Madonna staff has regulated her pain medication over the weekend and Blake is now beginning to smile and laugh again.”
Blake’s journey as a teenage stroke victim started with what seemed like a normal, everyday illness on or about Nov. 1. Both the school nurse and the pediatrician checked her out and neither was concerned. But as she suddenly presented with an excruciating headache, it didn’t take long before she was whisked away by ambulance to the University of Kansas Hospital after doctors in Olathe suspected a brain bleed. By Nov. 3, doctors had concluded Blake had suffered a stroke.
Surgery ensued, where a large part of Blake’s skull was removed to relieve the pressure on her brain and she was hooked-up to a ventilator to help her breathe. But because she is a strong, young athlete, just five days after the surgery Blake was taken off the ventilator and the work began to regain her speech and mobility.
Because of the craniotomy, Blake now wears a helmet when she’s out of bed to protect her skull.
“That part of her skull is currently resting in a freezer at KU Med Center. Hopefully once all the swelling completely goes down, she will have the surgery to put it back on. We hope that will happen sometime in mid-December,” Wilcox said.
On the CaringBridge page set up to keep all of Blake’s “fans” informed, Wilcox reported on the first time Blake was able to once again call her Mom.
“In all honesty, that Mom was sweeter than the first time she said it to me,” Wilcox said.
Before she left KU Med, Blake was able to walk and talk, although her left side is clearly stronger than her right. She has some memory lapses and is now undergoing speech, physical and occupational therapy. Counseling is also available at the rehab center.
“It’s about the whole person. It’s not just about getting the abilities back but bringing her back to the whole person,” Wilcox explained.
At this point Wilcox said the doctors don’t want to commit to a prognosis, but all are thrilled with Blake’s progress.
“She is so far ahead of where anybody expected her to be, I believe she will have a full recovery. Even her right side is so much better today than it was five days ago,” Wilcox said.
“It’s just a matter of time for her to build up her strength.”
Wilcox also doesn’t know definitively how long Blake will be at the rehab center, but she expects it will be three to five weeks. She firmly believes Blake’s physical strength prior to the stroke is what is helping her progress so quickly now.
“Our kids have got to stay physically active and participate in life. She is where she is today because of what she’s done in cheer. The strength it takes to be a base and lift the girls for stunting, has helped her immensely … I just firmly believe that’s why she’s so far ahead of the game,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox said she anticipates Blake will actually get to go back to school in late January, shortly after the second semester begins.
“Staff at the rehab center will contact the school and begin to help Blake catch up on her studies so when she returns to Olathe South, she will return to a normal school schedule.”
A lot of love and support have helped the Ephraim-Wilcox family — including siblings Alex and Chloe Ephraim — through the past few weeks as well.
“The number of people who have shared that prayer chains have been started or that Blake has been added to their prayer list is awesome. Blake’s co-captain at OSHS shared that God gives his greatest battles to his strongest soldiers. I am moved to tears with the overwhelming love coming at us.”
Beth Torah has constructed a site so that a prayer for Blake and the Ephraim-Wilcox family can be said every hour. Sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4DAEA72BABF94-wearethe.
Social media has been a huge help keeping everyone informed about Blake’s progress.
“Blake is so viral with her story and kids have really reached out to her. It’s just been amazing. I’ve had to join Twitter and because of Blake I have some 360-plus followers, which is simply laughable,” Wilcox said.
“As a mom the gift I have been given through all this is I have been able to see my daughter through other people’s eyes. It’s just overwhelming to see how she inspires and motivates her friends and her family. In this situation, this is the good of social media.”
Social media such as Facebook may also help connect Wilcox to the Jewish community in Lincoln. Through Kansas City and Beth Torah connections, Rabbi Craig Lewis has reached out as have several other members of the Lincoln Jewish community.
Fortunately Wilcox, who is taking a leave of absence from her job as student services director for the School of Professional and Graduate Studies at Baker University, has an uncle in Lincoln. She’ll be able to stay there once Blake improves and gets acclimated to her new surroundings.
Wilcox is an active volunteer in the Beth Torah community and has worked on a variety of projects including fundraisers. She said it has been awkward being on the receiving end of such activities, but she is grateful for everything everyone is doing for Blake and the family.
That includes fundraisers. Earlier this week José Peppers in Olathe, where Blake has a part-time job, donated a percentage of its sales to the fund to help pay for Blake’s medical expenses. The OSHS cheerleaders are selling #Team Blake headbands and wristbands. BE Strong is emblazoned on a T-shirt designed by Blake’s KGDC coach and Jewish friends are selling wristbands with the same slogan.
All funds raised are being deposited in an account at Community America Bank. Donations to the account can be made in person or by mail.
