CT Woman Turns to Arkansas Therapy Facility after 2011 Christmas Tragedy
By: Jocelyn Tovar, KARK 4 News
Updated: December 6, 2012
A Connecticut woman continues on the road to recovery after turning to an Arkansas therapy facility to cope with a 2011 Christmas tragedy.
Madonna Badger struggled to find hope again after the loss of her parents and three daughters in a house fire.
Her journey to heal led her to the Psychiatric Research Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock.
"Don't want to feel grateful, but I feel grateful," she says. " I know love is real and the love I feel and felt for my children is still very much alive and their love for me is alive."
Badger sought treatment at a number of trauma centers around the country before her college roommate urged her to move to Little Rock and give UAMS a try.
"And you know It saved my life," she says.
Badger says the UAMS doctors approached her healing with a wider view than any of the other centers.
"Emotionally, cognitively, spiritually, physically," explains Badger.
"And in her case, you really need to look at complicated bereavement issues as well," explains one of the doctors who treated Badger.
Even more important, in Badger's opinion, was they never made her feel like she'd lost her mind. Instead, she says doctors made her imagine she had three nerves that were severed the day of the tragedy.
"And those were the three nerves to my children," Badger explains.
They told her it would be a rough road back, and, "I had to be a willing participant in my healing," she says.
Doctors say people never fully recover from such a tragedy.
Badger says she plans on keeping a home in Little Rock and dividing her time between Arkansas and New York.
Click here to see Badger's appearance on NBC's Today Show this morning where she talked more about her treatment and told Matt Lauer that seeing her daughters in her dreams is also helping her get better.
Click here for more on her story, including photos of her daughters, on the Today Show website.
People from Little Rock showed their support for Badger live on TODAY Thursday.
Madonna Badger struggled to find hope again after the loss of her parents and three daughters in a house fire.
Her journey to heal led her to the Psychiatric Research Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock.
"Don't want to feel grateful, but I feel grateful," she says. " I know love is real and the love I feel and felt for my children is still very much alive and their love for me is alive."
Badger sought treatment at a number of trauma centers around the country before her college roommate urged her to move to Little Rock and give UAMS a try.
"And you know It saved my life," she says.
Badger says the UAMS doctors approached her healing with a wider view than any of the other centers.
"Emotionally, cognitively, spiritually, physically," explains Badger.
"And in her case, you really need to look at complicated bereavement issues as well," explains one of the doctors who treated Badger.
Even more important, in Badger's opinion, was they never made her feel like she'd lost her mind. Instead, she says doctors made her imagine she had three nerves that were severed the day of the tragedy.
"And those were the three nerves to my children," Badger explains.
They told her it would be a rough road back, and, "I had to be a willing participant in my healing," she says.
Doctors say people never fully recover from such a tragedy.
Badger says she plans on keeping a home in Little Rock and dividing her time between Arkansas and New York.
Click here to see Badger's appearance on NBC's Today Show this morning where she talked more about her treatment and told Matt Lauer that seeing her daughters in her dreams is also helping her get better.
Click here for more on her story, including photos of her daughters, on the Today Show website.
People from Little Rock showed their support for Badger live on TODAY Thursday.
