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Saturday, September 4, 1999
By TONY ZIEBOL Journal Staff Writer SLEEPY EYE -- Using seemingly all the strength she could muster, Emily Steffens smiled and said "Hi." It was barely audible and not much more than a whisper, but when you've been hospitalized with a severe brain trauma for 11 weeks, it was a big step. At least 50 people showed up Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church to welcome Emily's first visit away from the hospital since a June 9 car accident left her in a coma for six weeks. Mayor Jim Broich, who proclaimed Friday as "Emily Steffens Day," was happy to see her. "It's great to have her back," he said. Classmates from Sleepy Eye High School, where she was the 1999 Valedictorian of her graduating class, relatives, city officials, friends and many others showed up to celebrate with Emily, giving her hugs and shaking her hand. "Do you remember me, we sang in church together," said one young woman. Even the football cheerleaders spared a few minutes giving her a pep talk before rushing off cheer the Indians in its season-opening game. "I'm glad to have her home and I think it well help her recovery to be in this environment," said Emily's mother, Melanie Dobson. "I was really drilling her, trying to prepare her for this day." Emily's brother David Dobson, 11, was busy filming the event with the family video camera. Dobson said Emily's condition was really hard on him at first, but has been wonderful when she showed signs of recovery. "He is really good with her," Dobson said. "He was her laugh therapist (at the hospital)." Dobson has been really grateful for the support the family's received and this celebration was no different. "The support has just been incredible," she said. "It blows me away." Although she's finally out of the hospital, Emily still is a long way from full recovery. She will continue to have physical, speech and occupational therapy. "It's not like in the movies where they wake up (from a coma) and say, 'Hi Mom,'" Dobson said. She remembers quite a bit of her life before the accident, Dobson said, but her short-term memory still suffers. Many of Emily's classmates are going away to college and Dobson's afraid her daughter hasn't realized that fact. "I don't think that has registered yet," she said. The final prognosis is unknown, but Emily has been doing better than the doctors thought she would at this point. "I haven't really come out and asked (what the prognosis is)," Dobson said. "Cause I really don't want to know." Emily still needs work on her right arm movement, but she can walk with assistance. Dobson may look into music therapy, since Emily "was so musical." Whatever the final outcome, Dobson refuses to give up hope. The next six months to a year will be crucial, she said. "What keeps me going is I'm looking for the prize," Dobson said. "I want Emily back completely."
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