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|  The Language of Love: Couple Share Unwavering Bond By MARY HERMAN-CAPPOLI
John and Karen Lavergne know this to be true. It has been 10 months since 38-year-old John Lavergne has been able to say the words "I love you" to his wife Karen. But she knows that he loves her deeply. And he knows the same about Karen. John lost his ability to speak last April when he suffered a traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident. The crash, which occurred at the intersection of Main and Marcy Streets in Southbridge, also left him unable to move his arms and legs or even sit up on his own. "When John was brought to UMass, we were told there was a 98 percent chance he would not survive - but if he did make it, he would live on machines all of his life,' recalled Karen. John Lavergne proved the doctors wrong. He did make it. But his journey has been a long and arduous one. The first leg of that journey was a six-week stay at UMass, where John remained in a drug induced coma, dependent on a ventilator to do his breathing for him. There, he also underwent surgery to alleviate the swelling in his brain. "Karen was always by his side," recalled Holly Tremblay, John's younger sister, who has never ceased to be amazed by the couple's devotion to each other. "They are so close. The bond they share is something every couple aspires to," said Tremblay. Just teenagers when they met during a softball game - John batted a line drive that ended up hitting his future wife - the Lavergnes wed 16 years ago. They've lived in a log cabin in Sturbridge - built by John and his father - since the day they were married. When they weren't working - John at Flexcon in Spencer, and Karen at a local insurance agency - they spent their free time fishing, going to the beach, and taking in movies. John's other love - hunting - took him all over the United States, but his favorite spot was Kentucky, the place he and Karen had dreamed of moving to somewhere down the road. It is a dream the Lavergnes still share. But in the eight months since John was transferred from UMass to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston and then to Fairlawn's Outpatient Center, they have been busy working toward other goals.
And although John still could not stand, move his right arm, or speak, there were signs that the man Karen knew and loved was still there. "The one thing that kept his attention the whole time he was at Spaulding was the Red Sox. No matter what, if they were on, John was paying attention," said Karen, who always ensured the TV set was in the right position before leaving the hospital at the end of the day. In late October, Karen brought John home to their log cabin. Just days later, they embarked on the next part of their journey - outpatient therapy at Fairlawn. Having left her job to care for John, Karen drives him to Fairlawn two days a week for three hours of physical, occupational, and speech therapy. "They haven't missed an appointment, except for bad weather," said Liz Minor, John's occupational therapist. Minor, who has seen John progress from being unable to sit independently to where he can now walk with assistance, feed and dress himself, and pick up objects with his right hand, says she has never encountered a couple quite like the Lavergnes. "I am always touched by Karen's emotion when we review how far John has come and what he has achieved. She shares this joy with John, who has the greatest desire to get better and always chooses the hardest task in treatment," said Minor. "It is also amazing to see them sitting on the mat between sessions, holding hands. There is always love in their eyes as they look at each other and toward the next challenge or treatment." Karla McAuliffe, a Fairlawn speech-language pathologist, also sees the couple's bond as a key factor in John's recovery. "Karen is always there for him, but she also knows when to foster independence," said McAuliffe, who has helped John to regain control over his speech muscles and formulate a communication system based on gestures. For John, one of the greatest difficulties has been coping with the loss of some of his independence. It is an issue he and Karen continue to work through in counseling at Fairlawn. "When he first came home, there were always so many people around," said Karen, who has received tremendous support from both her family and John's. "He thought he could be alone - he wanted his independence." These days, John and Karen do manage time alone to enjoy some of the things they used to do. "We go out to the movies and watch some of the TV shows we always watched," she said. "And this summer we plan to go to the beach - Booth Bay or Ongunquit." But just being with John is what Karen enjoys most. Tears come quickly when she talks about what her husband means to her. "What I love most about him is the way he makes me feel about myself. I can be me with John. And he always made me laugh. He still does," she said. "Even though he cannot speak, he's still the same person. There's no doubt about that." And although the Lavergnes' journey is ongoing - John still needs to improve his strength, mobility, and communication - there is no doubt that Karen will continue to be by his side. "When I met John, I knew he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with," said Karen. "Nothing is going to change that." Read also: Back From The Brink … Webster Man Recovers From Life-Altering Brain Injury | ||||||||||
