A mother stays strong...

By AMANDA GARRETT
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- Amy Stockton was busy Oct. 14, 2005, the mother of three happy and healthy children. A day later, she began a completely changed life.
An accident at a Sunday school picnic left her with a brain-damaged son, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
Stockton now spends her days taking care of Kaleb Owens.
Kaleb, 9, in a minimally conscious state, spends most of his day in a hospital bed or wheelchair. He cannot speak or walk, and is unable to bathe or feed himself.
Wherever the family goes, Kaleb goes.
"Kaleb is the center of our world," said Stockton, who lives on Orchard Lane with her husband, Matt, and her other children Blake, 3, and Gracey, 2.
"He comes with me to the grocery store and to run errands," she said. "I don't want him to feel like he's left out."
Many of the family's trips are to Boardman, where Kaleb receives therapy four times a week to keep his limbs and muscles strong.
Kaleb had gone on the hayride sponsored by Old North Church in Canfield. He tumbled off the wagon and his head was run over by one of the wheels. Stockton has now filed a civil lawsuit in Mahoning County, naming the church and four individuals as defendants.
When the emergency team took Kaleb to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, he was not expected to live, his mother said. Unexpectedly, Kaleb came out of his coma after three months. He's aware of his surroundings at times, while at other times he does not respond.
Doctors will not be able to give a long-term prognosis until a year after his injury, said Stockton, who remains hopeful. "Originally, they didn't expect him to live, so who knows what can happen?" he said.
Since the accident
After coming home in February, Kaleb began having what Stockton thought were flashbacks to the accident. After doctors performed a brain exam they found that Kaleb was having continuous seizures on the left side. Stockton is hopeful tests will reveal that medication now has cured the seizures.
All of his nutrition comes through a feeding tube, although he can eat about 10 small bites of ice cream, applesauce or baby food a day.
Stockton keeps track of Kaleb's progress on a blog, www.caringbridge.org. Anyone wanting to read it should go to "visit" and type in his name -- one word, all lower case.
Before Kaleb was injured, he was an active, intelligent boy who excelled in school, Stockton said. "I'm not just saying that because I'm his mother," she said. "I have the report cards to prove it."
Although Stockton acknowledges that she has her ups and downs, she said she tries to remain strong for Kaleb. "You always think that your children are going to take care of you, not that you're going to have to take care of your children," she said.
"I get tired, and I have my meltdowns, but I really feel sorry for Kaleb. He isn't able to get out and ride his bike and have the life other children have."
Home care
Stockton's priority right now is to keep her son at home. "As long as I'm strong enough, and we can get the home health care, I want him to stay here," she said. A handicap ramp was built through donations.
Although their home was not handicapped-accessible, the Stocktons decided not to leave the Cortland neighborhood. "Everybody in this neighborhood knew Kaleb before the accident, so they don't treat him like he's different," she said.
She sleeps on a futon next to Kaleb's hospital bed, which is set up in the living room. "If anyone's ever slept on a futon for several months, they know you don't get much sleep," she said. Stockton also has to carry Kaleb up and down the stairs to bathe because there is no first-floor bathroom.
Current plans are to build a first-floor bedroom with a complete bath at the back of the house. The addition would also include a loft bedroom so Stockton could have easy access to Kaleb while sleeping in her own bed.
The community has pitched in about $40,000, but the Stocktons still need about $10,000 to begin construction. Stockton would also like to set up a trust fund, so Kaleb will be provided for when she is no longer able to take care of him. Donations can be made to the Kaleb Owens Foundation at any branch of Cortland Banks.
agarrett@vindy.com