BEREA —
On a cold and rainy day last October, Chris Botkin, a 2005 Madison Southern High School graduate, was driving to Nicholasville to pick up his cousin.
The two were headed to the Bluegrass Community & Technical College in Lexington, where Botkin attended school.
Botkin’s ultimate goal was to get his degree at a university, and coupled with the deep-sea diving certification he earned in Key West the year before, become a wildlife biologist, said his mother, Sandy Botkin.
However, Chris’ plans were cut short when, according to witnesses, he slammed on his brakes to avoid rear-ending a truck, hydroplaned into oncoming traffic and was T-boned by another vehicle.
Chris was transported to the University of Kentucky Trauma Center where doctors discovered he had a lacerated liver and spleen. Doctors would not work to repair the organs because they told his mother Chris’ brain injury “was such that he would not live,” she said.
Sandy would not give up that easily on a child she considered to be “nothing short of a miracle,” she said.
“A doctor looked me in the eye 25 years ago and said, ‘You’re 100-percent sterile and you will never have a child,’” recalled Sandy, who tried to conceive for more than six years.
She had documented all of her conception attempts in a journal that she kept for the son she believed that she would one day have.
Doctors at UK installed a drain for the fluid that had accumulated around Chris’ brain. He was in a coma.
Sandy remembers leaning over her son that night and whispering to him: “Chris, I don’t know where you’ve been, and I don’t know who you’ve seen, but if it’s all up to you, please don’t leave me.”
“And he didn’t,” she said.
The following day, doctors ran tests on Chris’ liver and spleen and discovered they were healed completely.
“His liver and spleen were healed within 24 hours — that’s the work of God,” she said. “Some people may scoff at that, but it’s documented.”
Chris remained in the UK trauma unit until Nov. 8., when he was transported by medical helicopter to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a catastrophic care hospital.
The Shepherd Center specializes in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury or brain injury, according to the hospital’s website.
At the hospital, doctors worked on moving Chris up the Rancho Scale, a medical scale from one to eight used to assess individuals after head injury and based on cognitive and behavioral functioning as they emerge from coma.
A patient at level one does not respond to sounds, sights, touch or movement. Level eight represents purposeful and appropriate functioning, according to www.rancho.org.
By the time Chris left Shepherd Center, he was at a level three and had started waking up. His eyes would open slightly and he could respond by giving a thumbs-up for “yes” and a thumbs-down for “no,” his mother said.
On Dec. 27, Chris was transported home to Berea with the goal of waking him up to a level four, Sandy said, “but he’s not quite there.”
Doctors from the Shepherd Center have recently re-evaluated Chris via Skype.
One doctor traveled from Atlanta to evaluate Chris in-person. But, the family has nearly run out of hope, Sandy said.
Sandy was a teacher at Foley Middle School for 20 years, and her husband taught at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester for nearly 15 years. Both made a good living, but were forced to retire early to care for their son, Sandy said.
Although they have excellent insurance, their son requires round-the-clock care. Home health care funds have run dry, and the family has racked up around $500,000 in medical bills.
Fortunately, said Sandy, Chris was still allowed to be a dependent on their insurance.
“Thank God for Obamacare,” she said. “I don’t care who you are, everybody needs help now and then.”
The family will conduct a yard sale at their home located at 277 Davis Hollow Road in Berea, Thursday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. until dark.
The proceeds will help with Chris’ continuing health care costs.
“Ever since Chris was born, he’s had these vines that are wrapped around my heart. They would tighten every time something happened to him,” Sandy said.
“People don’t know how much this hurts until it happens to their child.”
Crystal Wylie can be reached at cwylie@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, ext. 6696.
Local News
Mother struggles to ‘wake up’ son after near-fatal car crash
Benefit yard sale Thursday through Saturday on Davis Hollow Road
- Local News
-
-
Hundreds pay tribute as Sheriff Combs is laid to rest
Dozens of his fellow law enforcement officers from around Kentucky came to Church on the Rock on Saturday morning to pay a last tribute to Madison County Sheriff Jerry Combs, who was laid to rest after a funeral at the church.
-
Madison Central High School
Eastern Kentucky University. The school graduated 403 students, and 21 of those were Commonwealth Diploma recipients. Class secretary Caroline Smith gave the opening remarks, and class president Mackenzie Humphrey delivered the address. All speakers at the MCHS graduation were senior class officers who gave the opening, invocation and benediction.
-
Madison Southern High School
Madison Southern High School graduated 250 seniors Saturday afternoon at Eastern Kentucky University’s Alumni Coliseum.
Senior class president Kelsey Choate gave the welcoming. Mona Isaacs, chair of the Madison County Board of Education, gave remarks congratulating the seniors on completing an important milestone in their lives, and welcoming them into society as young adults.
Music at the ceremony was provided by the MSHS symphonic band, directed by David Ratliff, and the MSHS choir, directed by Letha Hembree. -
White Hall teachers say farewell for the summer
White Hall Elementary kindergarten assistant Patti Von Fischer said she found a poem on the Internet that seemed to fit the last day of school perfectly.
“The teachers jumped out of the windows; the principals ran for the door; the nurse and librarian bolted; they’re not coming back anymore,” Von Fischer read over the loudspeaker Friday before students left for the summer. -
Benson will be state’s third highest paid university president
When Michael Benson begins his tenure as the 12th president of Eastern Kentucky University on Aug. 1, his $400,000 salary plus benefits will make him Kentucky’s third-highest paid state university president.
Benson’s pay will be less only than that of Eli Capilouto, president of the University of Kentucky, $500,000 a year, and Gary Ransdell, president of Western Kentucky University, $423,588 a year, according to figures obtained from the state Council on Post-secondary education. -
Richmond post troopers recognized at annual ceremony
The Kentucky State Police announced the 2012 Trooper of the Year, Detective of the Year, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer of the Year and other awards for acts of bravery, life-saving, professionalism and dedication to duty Friday at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort.
-
Second-grade classroom receives recognition for reading nearly 1,400 books
A project at Mayfield Elementary School has received recognition across state lines from a woman who found a balloon released in celebration of one classroom having read more than 1,000 books.
Second-grade teacher Wanda Wilson started the school year by challenging her 22 students to read a total of 1,000 books by the end of the school year. -
Pets of the Week
This week's cat is an 8-week-old female kitten. This week's dog is 1-year-old Nicki, a spayed female who does not care for horses, according to her previous owner.
-
Father/Daughter Dance is June 14 at RAAC
Dads and daughters will take to the dance floor Friday, June 14, for the second annual Father/Daughter Dance to benefit the Hope’s Wings Domestic Violence Program.
The ball will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Richmond Area Arts Center, 399 W. Water St. -
Three Richmond thefts reported Tuesday-Thursday
Richmond police are investigating thefts reported from Tuesday through Thursday.
An employee of Baptist Health, Eastern Bypass, reported Thursday that her vehicle had been broken into during the evening and a small shoulder purse was stolen. The purse contained several debit/credit cards, $70 in cash, and a Pantech slider cellular telephone. Estimated loss: $595. - More Local News Headlines
-
Raw: Train Derails After Overpass Collapse
Raw: Rescues From San Antonio Flooding
Raw: French Soldier Stabbed in Throat Near Paris
Mayor: Person Killed in San Antonio Flooding
Raw: Apple 1 Computer Sells for More Than $650k
Hagel Urges Cadets to End Scourge of Sex Assault
Raw: Gay Rights Activists March in Ukraine
Bus Fire Kills 16 Children, Teacher in Pakistan
Raw: Pakistan Election Results Protested
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
