Taylor Hale's Mom Says Therapy Has Begun for Teen

Therapy has begun for a Waukee girl who suffered a head injury now that doctors have ruled out a spinal cord injury, her mother posted online today.

Taylor Hale, the 14-year-old Waukee teen who was  Sept. 9, was moved to her own room at Blank Children's Hospital last week.

An update on Hale's CarePages page, posted Tuesday night by her mother, Stacy Henningsen, said:

"Just a quick update on Taylor's progress. Doctor's were concerned with a lower spinal cord injury at the end of last week; an MRI was completed today and I'm happy to say that there is NO SPINAL CORD INJURY! So, therapy began today.

"She was able to try and eat soft foods such as applesauce and yogurt and did very well with that. Water, however, is still not an option at this point, so we will work on that later in the week. Therapy is exhausting for her, so when she's not in therapy she's sleeping.

"Continued prayers for a fast recovery and the will to work hard."

Fundraising continues

Family friend Laura Hess and others have been raising money to help the Hale family with expenses. She is currently taking orders for T-shirts and bracelets. T-shirts are $24 each, bracelets are $5. Orders can be sent to prayersfortaylor@gmail.com. Please include the item you’re ordering, quantity, size (for tees only), name, address and telephone number in your e-mail.

Hess has also placed donation canisters at a growing number of area Kum & Go gas stations: at the University Avenue store across from Waukee High School at the store on Fourth Street in Waukee, at 156th Street and Hickman Road in Clive, at Jordan Creek Parkway and Vista Drive in West Des Moines, and on Jordan Creek Parkway across from the entrance to Jordan Creek Town Center.

Casey's General Stores in the area also have donation canisters. They can be found in these stores: Hickman and Warrior Lane in Waukee, Boone Drive and University Avenue in Waukee, and 2250 Woodlands Parkway in Clive.

In addition to the canisters, T-shirts and bracelets, accounts have been set up at Northwest Bank in West Des Moines and all Wells Fargo and Liberty Bank locations to help the family with medical expenses.

At Northwest Bank, send checks payable to Prayers for Taylor, 5700 University Ave., #100, West Des Moines, IA 50266.

To donate at any Liberty Bank, mention the Taylor Hale fund, and at Wells Fargo, reference account number 7735584307 to donate.