WILLMAR -- When 10-year-old Allison Jeffords was crushed under an ice slab Christmas Day, the family was quickly overwhelmed by myriad health questions and even feared for the girl's life. Now in serious condition at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, a lot of questions remain unanswered.
Her grandfather John Soderholm said Friday afternoon that Jeffords' condition had improved and she was not in critical condition anymore. Soderholm said his 10-year-old granddaughter doesn't seem to understand her condition, noting her brain had been through a great deal of stress. "She wanted me to take her home," Soderholm said as he choked up.
Soderholm and Jeffords' parents have been posting updates online through the Caring Bridge organization's Web site. Caring Bridge offers free Web pages for families of sick or injured relatives to share information about the person's progress.
Soderholm said the family is now preparing for another surgery to repair a nerve behind Jeffords' ear. Stress has also taken a toll on the family, but Soderholm said the pace has somewhat slowed now.
"We're better now," he said about the family. "I think things are coming together."
