Snyder_TigerFan
05-11-2009, 10:42 PM
I thought this was a good article on Lance Day. He's come a long way from his recent injury - considering what the doctors first thought.
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/may/10/seeing-another-day/
Seeing another Day
Surviving head injury, Snyder athlete Lance Day determined to appreciate opportunities ahead of him
By Evan Ren (Contact)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
SNYDER -- After being unconscious for nearly three days in a Lubbock hospital, 19-year-old Lance Day was asked by a doctor if he could remember the name of the man standing at the foot of his bed.
The man was his father, Jody.
"Spaceship," Day answered.
"No Lance, this is your father. Can you remember his name?" the physician repeated.
"Yeah ... his name is Spaceship," said Day, barely able to open his eyes.
It was the first tentative moments for Day, the former Snyder baseball and football standout who had just awakened more than 60 hours after being attacked at a Lubbock party -- blindsided and knocked unconscious by a punch to the temple Dec. 6.
The prognosis wasn't good for Day, now a pitcher for Midland College.
Both frontal lobes of Day's brain had been damaged, leaving the teen with only a 60 percent chance of survival. And if he did survive, his doctors believed there was a strong possibility he could be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, or suffer from dramatic personality changes.
His parents tried to cope; his friends and family prayed -- all in an effort to come to grips with an incident which seemed completely senseless.
"I remember not being able to answer any questions," said Day, recollecting his stay at the hospital. "It was like I was in a fantasy or a weird dream. I remember having weird dreams like that in the past, and that's pretty much what it was like."
WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME
In the midst of a road trip with a friend from Midland, Day was unsure about going to a Lubbock trailer park, where an almost-constant college party took place.
But after meeting additional friends from Lubbock who had been there before, he felt comfortable following along. He was told there would be plenty of girls in attendance, so any reservations he may have had quickly vanished.
Ironically, it was his desire to meet girls, which opened the door to trouble -- literally.
"When we got to the party, there weren't any girls at all," Day said. "It was just a bunch of guys, and they were all totally trashed and acting like idiots.
"We were about to leave, but then some girls started showing up, so we stayed."
By his account, Day held the door open for a group of girls arriving at the party. But before he was able to close it, he was shoved by an individual who was angry about cold air being allowed into the trailer. Day explained what he was doing and warned the man not to push him again.
Shortly thereafter, a much larger man -- later estimated at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds -- confronted Day about the door incident. The two were separated and, wanting no trouble, Day decided to leave. He walked two girls to their car and, while returning to the party to get his friends, was attacked in the street.
His recollection of the evening stopped at that point -- ending when the man from whom he was separated at the party took a running start and "sucker punched" him in the temple. He awoke in a hospital bed, after suffering two seizures.
A COMMUNITY KEEPS VIGIL
As Day remained unconscious, a large portion of the Snyder community, many of whom he never had met, rallied behind him.
Cards, letters and countless prayers were just the beginning.
"It was mind-boggling," Day's mother, Vanessa said. "So many people feel like they know Lance, and I can't begin to tell you how many of them called, did things for us and came by to see him.
"It actually got to the point where it was almost too much, because they would drive up to Lubbock and would have to wait for him to wake up because they wanted to see him."
Yet Day did wake up. And shortly thereafter, embarked on a startling 11-day stretch which saw him completely defy his gloomy prognosis -- regaining his abilities to think, speak and walk.
He was released from the hospital in time for Christmas, but it wasn't all good.
Day had lost 19 pounds during his ordeal, along with his sense of taste, smell and a portion of his short-term memory. His personality is slightly less assertive than it was before the accident, and he remains medicated to prevent seizures, another one of which he suffered in April.
His return to Snyder, however, brought an unexpected turning point.
BACK TO SCHOOL
As his brain continued to heal, more and more of Day's memory began to return -- including something important that he had completely forgotten about.
"At the end of December, I finally realized I had missed all of my final exams," Day said. "So I told my mom that I'd have to go back and study all of that stuff again because I had missed my finals. And she said 'Lance, you probably won't be going back to school at all.'
"That shocked me, because I thought I was recovered, so I said, 'No, I'm going back to school.'"
His parents suggested that in his condition, he might want to attend a college closer to Snyder. But Day was adamant. He would return to Midland College and forge ahead with his plans.
Roughly three weeks later, that's precisely what Day did, hitting the books in Midland again, albeit with a new set of challenges. Roughly 12 percent of his left front lobe remains damaged, making word retrieval and short-term memorization difficult.
"It's definitely a lot harder," Day said. "I've got to write everything down on little note cards, which is something I never had to do before.
"I've been in advanced college classes since my junior year in high school and never had to do anything special. Now, I really have to put some effort into it."
That isn't all that Day is putting extra effort into.
Shortly after returning to Midland College in January, Day also returned to the baseball diamond, where he is struggling to regain the form which enticed the Chaparrals to recruit him.
Much of the athleticism which allowed him to quarterback the Snyder football team to the 3A state semifinals in 2007 has returned. But the 91-mph fastball he used to help the Tigers win last year's 3A baseball state championship is conspicuously absent.
Now pegging the gun in the mid-80s, Day has made 10 relief appearances with a 2-0 record and an 8.18 ERA in 11 innings.
DREAMS ARE UNDEFEATED
It is unlikely that Day's brain ever will completely heal. He may never be able to taste a steak again, or smell the fresh-cut grass at a baseball field.
His dreams, however, remain unaltered.
"My goal is to play Division-I baseball and to get a master's degree," Day said. "I'm not going to let this big idiot get in the way of my goals.
"I'm not going to let him dictate my future. I see him almost like an opponent in a game. The opponent may throw things at you, but I'm going to keep doing what I do best and get it done."
For now, simply being in a baseball uniform is a form of victory for Day, but he isn't immune to frustration.
Having committed to the University of Houston last September, the question Day now faces is if he can regain enough of his former skills to reach the Division I level. The Cougars staff is aware of his injury but has invited him for a workout in their bullpen later this year for evaluation.
Those who know Day best aren't doubting him.
"He's like a son to me, so seeing him laying there in the hospital looking lifeless was tough," Snyder baseball coach Charles Bollinger said. "But if anyone was going to recover from something like this, Lance was going to be the one to do it.
"He's always been the type of kid who will bounce back."
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Despite his struggles, Day insists he's a happier person now than he was before the incident.
Filled with a new sense of appreciation for the things he has, Day is less prone to fret over petty annoyances, and more prone to act as a peacemaker when he sees his friends getting angry.
"I'm living my life a bit more satisfied -- even though the whole point of my life before was to never be satisfied, and to keep striving to get better," he said. "Now, if something (bad) happens, I just dust it off, because I'm happy.
"I don't have any reason at all to complain about stupid little things. I'm pretty much happy all the time now, because I've seen how quickly the man upstairs can rewrite your pages."
He's even eating healthier.
No longer handicapped by the taste of foods he doesn't like, Day is now eating things such as broccoli and carrots, both of which he despised before his injury.
"I can't taste it anyway," said he with a laugh. "If it's good for you, I may as well eat it."
Day's sense of humor remains undamaged.
"A lot of prayers have gotten Lance back to where he is right now," Snyder football coach Chad Rogers said. "He's got a great personality ... he's just one of those kids who can talk to anybody.
"He's come by the field house a couple of times (since the incident), and he's still got that glow about him and that big smile."
NO APOLOGIES
As for dealing with his assailant, Day elected not to press any charges -- citing that the punishment the man would receive would likely be negligible. He hasn't received an apology, much less heard from his assailant.
"I still hope that something will change for this guy," Day said. "That's why I didn't press charges because it wouldn't have changed anything.
"A detective told us that he'd probably be put on probation for about two months. That's not going to stop him from doing anything."
In the meantime, Day is doing his best to return to a normal college existence. And, yes, that will include going to an occasional party, during which, Day said, he will keep his head on a swivel.
"It's like God has sent me a different kind of opponent -- a different kind of obstacle to see how I'm going to deal with it," he said. "Well, my plan is to get my degree, and I should be there in about four years."
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/may/10/seeing-another-day/
Seeing another Day
Surviving head injury, Snyder athlete Lance Day determined to appreciate opportunities ahead of him
By Evan Ren (Contact)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
SNYDER -- After being unconscious for nearly three days in a Lubbock hospital, 19-year-old Lance Day was asked by a doctor if he could remember the name of the man standing at the foot of his bed.
The man was his father, Jody.
"Spaceship," Day answered.
"No Lance, this is your father. Can you remember his name?" the physician repeated.
"Yeah ... his name is Spaceship," said Day, barely able to open his eyes.
It was the first tentative moments for Day, the former Snyder baseball and football standout who had just awakened more than 60 hours after being attacked at a Lubbock party -- blindsided and knocked unconscious by a punch to the temple Dec. 6.
The prognosis wasn't good for Day, now a pitcher for Midland College.
Both frontal lobes of Day's brain had been damaged, leaving the teen with only a 60 percent chance of survival. And if he did survive, his doctors believed there was a strong possibility he could be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, or suffer from dramatic personality changes.
His parents tried to cope; his friends and family prayed -- all in an effort to come to grips with an incident which seemed completely senseless.
"I remember not being able to answer any questions," said Day, recollecting his stay at the hospital. "It was like I was in a fantasy or a weird dream. I remember having weird dreams like that in the past, and that's pretty much what it was like."
WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME
In the midst of a road trip with a friend from Midland, Day was unsure about going to a Lubbock trailer park, where an almost-constant college party took place.
But after meeting additional friends from Lubbock who had been there before, he felt comfortable following along. He was told there would be plenty of girls in attendance, so any reservations he may have had quickly vanished.
Ironically, it was his desire to meet girls, which opened the door to trouble -- literally.
"When we got to the party, there weren't any girls at all," Day said. "It was just a bunch of guys, and they were all totally trashed and acting like idiots.
"We were about to leave, but then some girls started showing up, so we stayed."
By his account, Day held the door open for a group of girls arriving at the party. But before he was able to close it, he was shoved by an individual who was angry about cold air being allowed into the trailer. Day explained what he was doing and warned the man not to push him again.
Shortly thereafter, a much larger man -- later estimated at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds -- confronted Day about the door incident. The two were separated and, wanting no trouble, Day decided to leave. He walked two girls to their car and, while returning to the party to get his friends, was attacked in the street.
His recollection of the evening stopped at that point -- ending when the man from whom he was separated at the party took a running start and "sucker punched" him in the temple. He awoke in a hospital bed, after suffering two seizures.
A COMMUNITY KEEPS VIGIL
As Day remained unconscious, a large portion of the Snyder community, many of whom he never had met, rallied behind him.
Cards, letters and countless prayers were just the beginning.
"It was mind-boggling," Day's mother, Vanessa said. "So many people feel like they know Lance, and I can't begin to tell you how many of them called, did things for us and came by to see him.
"It actually got to the point where it was almost too much, because they would drive up to Lubbock and would have to wait for him to wake up because they wanted to see him."
Yet Day did wake up. And shortly thereafter, embarked on a startling 11-day stretch which saw him completely defy his gloomy prognosis -- regaining his abilities to think, speak and walk.
He was released from the hospital in time for Christmas, but it wasn't all good.
Day had lost 19 pounds during his ordeal, along with his sense of taste, smell and a portion of his short-term memory. His personality is slightly less assertive than it was before the accident, and he remains medicated to prevent seizures, another one of which he suffered in April.
His return to Snyder, however, brought an unexpected turning point.
BACK TO SCHOOL
As his brain continued to heal, more and more of Day's memory began to return -- including something important that he had completely forgotten about.
"At the end of December, I finally realized I had missed all of my final exams," Day said. "So I told my mom that I'd have to go back and study all of that stuff again because I had missed my finals. And she said 'Lance, you probably won't be going back to school at all.'
"That shocked me, because I thought I was recovered, so I said, 'No, I'm going back to school.'"
His parents suggested that in his condition, he might want to attend a college closer to Snyder. But Day was adamant. He would return to Midland College and forge ahead with his plans.
Roughly three weeks later, that's precisely what Day did, hitting the books in Midland again, albeit with a new set of challenges. Roughly 12 percent of his left front lobe remains damaged, making word retrieval and short-term memorization difficult.
"It's definitely a lot harder," Day said. "I've got to write everything down on little note cards, which is something I never had to do before.
"I've been in advanced college classes since my junior year in high school and never had to do anything special. Now, I really have to put some effort into it."
That isn't all that Day is putting extra effort into.
Shortly after returning to Midland College in January, Day also returned to the baseball diamond, where he is struggling to regain the form which enticed the Chaparrals to recruit him.
Much of the athleticism which allowed him to quarterback the Snyder football team to the 3A state semifinals in 2007 has returned. But the 91-mph fastball he used to help the Tigers win last year's 3A baseball state championship is conspicuously absent.
Now pegging the gun in the mid-80s, Day has made 10 relief appearances with a 2-0 record and an 8.18 ERA in 11 innings.
DREAMS ARE UNDEFEATED
It is unlikely that Day's brain ever will completely heal. He may never be able to taste a steak again, or smell the fresh-cut grass at a baseball field.
His dreams, however, remain unaltered.
"My goal is to play Division-I baseball and to get a master's degree," Day said. "I'm not going to let this big idiot get in the way of my goals.
"I'm not going to let him dictate my future. I see him almost like an opponent in a game. The opponent may throw things at you, but I'm going to keep doing what I do best and get it done."
For now, simply being in a baseball uniform is a form of victory for Day, but he isn't immune to frustration.
Having committed to the University of Houston last September, the question Day now faces is if he can regain enough of his former skills to reach the Division I level. The Cougars staff is aware of his injury but has invited him for a workout in their bullpen later this year for evaluation.
Those who know Day best aren't doubting him.
"He's like a son to me, so seeing him laying there in the hospital looking lifeless was tough," Snyder baseball coach Charles Bollinger said. "But if anyone was going to recover from something like this, Lance was going to be the one to do it.
"He's always been the type of kid who will bounce back."
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Despite his struggles, Day insists he's a happier person now than he was before the incident.
Filled with a new sense of appreciation for the things he has, Day is less prone to fret over petty annoyances, and more prone to act as a peacemaker when he sees his friends getting angry.
"I'm living my life a bit more satisfied -- even though the whole point of my life before was to never be satisfied, and to keep striving to get better," he said. "Now, if something (bad) happens, I just dust it off, because I'm happy.
"I don't have any reason at all to complain about stupid little things. I'm pretty much happy all the time now, because I've seen how quickly the man upstairs can rewrite your pages."
He's even eating healthier.
No longer handicapped by the taste of foods he doesn't like, Day is now eating things such as broccoli and carrots, both of which he despised before his injury.
"I can't taste it anyway," said he with a laugh. "If it's good for you, I may as well eat it."
Day's sense of humor remains undamaged.
"A lot of prayers have gotten Lance back to where he is right now," Snyder football coach Chad Rogers said. "He's got a great personality ... he's just one of those kids who can talk to anybody.
"He's come by the field house a couple of times (since the incident), and he's still got that glow about him and that big smile."
NO APOLOGIES
As for dealing with his assailant, Day elected not to press any charges -- citing that the punishment the man would receive would likely be negligible. He hasn't received an apology, much less heard from his assailant.
"I still hope that something will change for this guy," Day said. "That's why I didn't press charges because it wouldn't have changed anything.
"A detective told us that he'd probably be put on probation for about two months. That's not going to stop him from doing anything."
In the meantime, Day is doing his best to return to a normal college existence. And, yes, that will include going to an occasional party, during which, Day said, he will keep his head on a swivel.
"It's like God has sent me a different kind of opponent -- a different kind of obstacle to see how I'm going to deal with it," he said. "Well, my plan is to get my degree, and I should be there in about four years."