Mon 07.19.04

I apologize for doing this in an email, but I just wanted to let you all know that my brother was in a very serious car accident very early yesterday morning.   He was by himself and hit a tree head on.   The worst part is he was 2 minutes from my parent's house and was either not wearing his seatbelt or only wearing his lap belt.   SO PLEASE, I beg you wear your seat belt's, his condition probably would not be as severe as I am about to tell you:

He has head trauma and bleeding, severely bruised lungs, broken neck and multiple fractures along his back.   He had internal bleeding pretty bad yesterday and had to have emergency surgery for that and had to have his spleen removed.   At this point he is in the most critical of conditions at shock trauma.   If he survives, he will most likely be paralyzed.   He is heavily sedated and has several more surgeries ahead of him when he stabilizes more.

For updates, please email or call me.   I am here in the mornings and evenings, but am at the hospital during the day visiting hours.   They are very strict about visiting hours.   They are from 12-4 and 8-9.   They are allowing people to see him, but it is very devastating to see.   As you can imagine, my parents are in an extreme emotional state right now and as much as they appreciate the prayers and concerns, they are really not up to accepting phone calls and they are spending almost all of their time at the hospital, which does not give them a lot of time for calls.  

We have a lot of people's thoughts and prayers and I know we can count on you as well.   I just wanted to let you all know.

Thu 07.22.04

Well, we have made great strides from where he was 5 days ago.   He had an all day surgery yesterday to repair the breaks in his neck.   They were able to do the repairs in one surgery rather than two, which was good news.   We still need to see if he needs to have surgery on his lower back and/or jaw.   They will have to do a further surgery to repair the incision on his abdomen because his intestines were too swelled to do it right now.   They have a temporary patch like thing there now.   He is still unconscious, but we believe he can hear us.   We have seen him do a lot of movement in his shoulders.   He has also moved his lips and his head a little.   We have not seen any movement in his hands or legs, but that is still not to say a miracle can't happen.   Only time can tell and we have to wait until he becomes more alert and can react more.   He is still on a ventilator, but he is breathing on his own with the vent.  

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers; we still need them.   My parent's spirits improve more each day, which is great because he will need them to be strong to help him recover.

Mon 08.09.04

The accident was three weeks yesterday.   David is very alert and interactive by wording what he wants to say.   We have learned to read lips or have him spell things out when we really can't understand.   By working with a therapist, he seems to be moving his left wrist some, which is good news.   My parents were so excited later the same day when they pulled hair on his legs and his foot reacted.   After they spoke to the doctors they were told not to get too excited because you can have reflexes and not necessarily be able to move them on your own, but the wrist was pretty optimistic and to focus on that.   He is still on the ventilator, but they are slowing turning the settings down.   Now that he is down to 20, he is on a list to have a MRI done.   Apparently the metal he has is compatible and the biggest thing is to get the vent setting down so they can do some sort of manual vent while he goes for the MRI.   We are not sure how much an MRI would tell us, since he seems to be getting more arm strength, it will lead us to believe it is not totally severed.   We shall see.   No exact date for that yet.   My cousin's daughter lent him her X box, so he has been watching DVDs to help pass the time.   He was getting bored with the limited television selection.   I wish I had something more profound to tell you, but as always with this, time will tell more and it is a slow process.

Wed 08.11.04

The doctors had decided to just keep an eye on the bones in his middle/lower back to see if a back brace and time would allow the bones to heal on their own, or if they would need to intervene with surgery.  Well... David had surgery this past Monday to fuse those bones together.  It seems to have gone successful.  He is on blood thinners to avoid clotting and because of that, he loses more blood than average.  So he had to have more transfusions.  (Which by the way, don't forget to give blood when you can, if he does not directly get it, it will save someone else's life).  Ok, I am off my soap box now.  Anyway, so he is still recovering from surgery and has a temperature that they have to get back down.  All in all, he is doing well and alert.  He does still get very confused at times when the pain medicine kicks in, but usually he is pretty alert and knows us and what is going on.  We have not heard anymore on the MRI, but that should be the next step once he is a little more recovered from the surgery.  They were successful in weaning him down to the next ventilator level, but I am not sure if that has changed since he has had surgery.  My dad was back to work last week and my mom was only working mornings.  She is back this week as well; they are trying to save as much time as possible for when he is in rehab and at home.  Still taking baby steps, but no steps backward, so that is always a good thing :)

I spent sometime alone with him yesterday and was talking to him about the accident.  He does not remember much, but he remembers it raining and thinks he may have fallen asleep.

Sun 08.15.04

David was off the ventilator all day today and on a machine that just sends a little extra air.   My mom said even people with just sleep apneia use this machine sometimes.   We aren't sure yet if they are going to put it back on for tonight, but he is doing great without it today.   I assume he can totally talk now, but dumb me forgot to ask.   He had a MRI last night: the spine is not severed!!!   He could still not get back functionality because nerves could be damaged, but this is a good start.   The MRI showed a little bit of swelling still.   We have not seen any more movement, but he also has not started any kind of aggressive therapy.   The next steps are to keep him off the vent and my parents are looking into rehab options.   Most of the time he is aware of what is going on, but he can get totally confused at times from nowhere, which they believe is related to the head injury.   Part of rehab will be to focus on eliminating confusion as well.   So as always, one day at a time, but it is nice to finally have almost all good news to share.   Keep up the prayers, they are working so far and we greatly appreciate it!!

Sun 08.22.04

David was having a lot of trouble getting good sleep.   They went from putting him on the vent setting of 16 to taking him off, so they decided it was best to ease a little slower and he was put back on a setting of 10 earlier this week.   He has been stepped down to the intermediate care unit yesterday since he was the most stable and they needed his bed for someone more critical.   Unfortunately, they are always getting new admissions.   The accident has been 5 weeks today and it seems like years sometimes.   My parents are actively visiting rehab centers and they hope to have him out of the hospital and into rehab within the next couple of weeks.   He is having surgery today to put the skin graph over the mesh covering in his abdomen.   He still has times of confusion, but they seem to be much worse when he is sleep deprived.    I am sure it is hard to sleep when nurses are constantly poking and prodding you.   When we ask him questions, he can answer them all correctly, so when I say he is confused sometimes, it is more delusional, not forgetful.   So like everything, I guess time will tell how that will improve as well as his movement.   He is still not moving his fingers or legs.   I am sure we will get a better idea on that when he gets into rehab.

Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers.   My parents are still holding up pretty well, they are just very anxious to get out of shock trauma and into rehab.

Fri 08.27.04

I just talked to my mom.   For the past 3 or 4 days Dave has been going approx. 4 hours at a time on just oxygen.   All other time is spent on the CPAP machine which is like a really, really low vent setting that helps open his airway and push more oxygen through.   He had a swallow test today and passed, so he can now eat or drink what ever he wants!!   If he is not off the CPAP machine, he will be going to Good Samaritan, if he is, he will go to National Rehab in DC.   Either way, they are hoping to have him out of Shock Trauma by Tuesday or Wednesday.   Now that he is out of the critical state, he is just not getting the care he needs at Shock Trauma.   My parents are very anxious to get him out and started in rehab.   If he ends up at Good Samaritan, they will evaluate as he gets stronger to see if they would want to eventually transfer him to National Rehab.   No new movement, but hopefully as soon as we get him into rehab and really focus on his limbs and strength, I will have more to tell you on that front.

Mon 09.06.04

David was supposed to be moved to National Rehab in DC tomorrow, but.....   Friday they noticed fluid in his left lung and drained it and were keeping watch.   They saw more this morning and when they drained it, his lung collapsed, so they are having to put a chest tube back in.   They do not know what is causing it and cannot find any infections.   There has been talking of it possibly being one of the screws from his back surgery.   My mom is going down there now and demanding a second opinion since it does not seem like anyone is making this a priority.   Unfortunately, now that he is more stable than the others, it is hard to get the attention.   So if it ends up being the screw; that could mean another surgery, but we just don't know.   I'll let you know more, when I know more.

Tue 09.07.04

Well, my brother was supposed to be moved to rehab today, but he had a set back.  Twice they have drained fluid from his left lung and the second time, the lung collapsed (yesterday).  I had mentioned before that they were wondering if the screws were too long from the surgery in his back.  The doctors have consulted and do not think that is the issue.  They believe he has scar tissue and adhesions in his lung from the accident and have decided to do surgery tomorrow at 1:30 to try and remove the adhesions, drain the rest of the fluid, and re-inflate the lung lyposcopically.  They are hoping that will solve the issues.  He will have to temporarily go back on the ventilator and they are hoping (barring no complications) to have him in rehab a week from tomorrow.   

Wed 09.08.04

The surgery went really well.   They think they got all the adhesions and he was already off the ventilator before even leaving the OR.   They also think that was the cause of the fluid and ultimately the collapsed lung.   They hope to take each of the chest tubes out this week and if all goes well, best case he could possibly be in rehab by Monday.

Fri 09.10.04

The chest x ray from this morning did not look as well as they hoped.  They are putting him back on the low CPAP vent settings to help him breath and continuing with the chest tube for suction out his lung.  They are moving him back to the Intermediate Care Unit on the 4th floor and he will not be going to rehab on Monday.  They do not foresee this as a major setback, but obviously not what we hoped.  I got all this from a message from my mom, so I will update you with more over the weekend when I know more.

Mon 09.20.04

Dave is finally showing improvements on the x rays for the first time since the last surgery.   They have been starting to wean him from the vent again and he was successfully off of it for six hours today.   A bed at Good Samaritan Hospital opened up, so my parents are going to send him there so he can start rehab and take his time with the vent weaning.   They are hoping he could go as early as tomorrow.   So if you were planning to visit anytime soon, be sure to call first because we are hoping to get him out of Shock Trauma once and for all!!

Tue 10.05.04

Forgive me if I am repeating myself, as you can imagine, I lose track of who I have told what.  Dave was supposed to have surgery this morning on 1 of 3 bed sores he received during his time at Shock Trauma.  Apparently these things can get so bad, that you have to basically get rid of or heal the old "dead" skin in order for new skin to rejuvenate.  The surgery went ok, but they determined that the 3 wounds are all connected under the skin.  What this means is, while this heals (estimated 3 weeks, but I am worried possibly longer based on horror stories I have read), he can not get the acute therapy he needs.  There are 2 other programs my parents are going to try to get him into 1 at National in DC and the 2nd at Good Sam.  If that does not work, he will have to be transported to another nursing facility while it heals and eventually move onto rehab.  Obviously, not what we want and yet another set back, but optimistically and hopefully a minor set back.  Because of all this, the family meeting was postponed and obviously now they are forced to another plan anyway.  It is a neverending, frustrating process.  Visits and words of encouragement keep him and my parents going.  I wish I could do more for them and I am trying to get information on products/services they will need when he finally comes home.  That is all he wants is just to come home, so we have to keep reminding him to work hard to get to his goal.  He is very much awake and aware of everything.  Mentally he is doing well.  Part of rehab is that he has learned the realism of his situation and is beginning to deal with it.  I know many of you are as clueless as I am on all this and want to know the answer to the big question, long term prognosis, will he walk, has he had any new movement?  He has not had any new movement, however his injury is considered incomplete (which is a good thing).  He can move more than what is expected with his injury level, but nothing concrete YET.  Part of rehab is to teach him how to perform every day tasks.  It is a waiting game, if rehab and time don't heal, then hopefully stem cell research will.  He has to want to fight it and more importantly beat it.  Hope is going to be the key factor in this all.  He can get functionality back up to years after the accident.  It is a horrible and torturous waiting game. 

Fri 10.08.04

As many of you are aware and some of you may not know, my 24 year old brother was in a horrible car accident 12 weeks ago, which left him paralyzed.  He is going to need a lot of equipment and home renovations not covered by insurance, so I am trying to start some fundraising efforts going.

Mon 10.11.04

Still good news.  Not only has he been off the ventilator since being transferred to Good Samaritan, but his trach was down sized and now plugged.  Meaning, he does not need a trach, oxygen, or anything else to help him breath.  We are hoping the trach should be removed completely this week and possibly the neck collar as well since it has been 12 weeks since he had the neck fusion surgery.  His chest x rays are looking "excellent".  He had the surgery last week on his bed sores and they have wound vacs on those (some kind of suctioning mechanism).  Those are going to take some time to completely heal, but no sets backs at least.  They are beginning to teach him how to use a splint to learn to feed himself and hopefully soon they will start putting him in a chair again for small amounts of time.  He is in good spirits, but of course just wants to come home.  A referral has been put in and hopefully this week he may move on to National Rehab in DC, which has a lot more to offer him therapy wise.  Yesterday, I saw him move his left wrist and fingers more than I ever have, so that is always promising.  My parents are beginning to investigate what kind of home improvements, equipment, vehicle, etc, they are going to need.  It is going to be a lot of money that is not covered by insurance, so I am moving full speed ahead to get some fund raising started. 

My parents are in lower spirits today with the news of Christopher Reeve's passing.  That always gives you a scary reality check.  Like I reminded my mom, Dave is not dependant on a ventilator and has lesser injuries, so we have to count our blessings where we can!

Dave had his feeding tube removed, as usual nothing goes easy for him. The tip had broken off and they had to take him over to the hospital. They sedated him and put a scope down his mouth and they was able to retrieve the rest of it from his small intestine. They also had to put in an IV, he gets very upset these days about needles. He has just tolerated so much!

His flap surgery for his bed sore is scheduled for early morning Thursday next week. They expect it to be about a 3 hr procedure. He is very upset about putting a crimp in his rehab and when he can come home.

Still waiting for clearance from Neurosurgeon to remove neck collar. That will make him happier.

His breathing is fine, no more episodes with congestion. He had to have blood cultures, urine culture, and more lab work yesterday due to a fever of over 101 the night before. He was not a happy trooper!

I know DC is far away, but he is so lonely there and desperately wants to come home. We see a HUGE difference in his spirits when he has visitors. If you are able to go see him, please do. He talks normal and jokes and could really use some company. Please do not worry about what to say, talk to him like normal and the conversation will create
itself. Honestly, staying away because you feel bad is worse!! As the weeks have worn on, the days get longer and longer for my parents and brother and company is greatly welcomed! I will attach the hospital address and his room # at the bottom of the email. It is best to visit after 4 on week days or on weekends 9-9.

Ideally we are hoping he will be home in time for Christmas. He is learning the basics of how to continue to be independent and care for himself. Then only time and patience will predict the future. My husband Chris is very busy with starting to renovate their home in preparation for Dave coming home. And I am very busy with trying to relieve some of the financial burdens.

Thu 10.28.04

I believe if I am not mistaken today was Dave's 8th surgery since July.  Today they performed a re-constructive flap surgery on his bed sore/s.  They were hoping to only have to do a spinal, but his blood pressure was a little up and down so they decided to put him under.  As of 1:00 pm today he was in the recovery room and the surgeons think it went well.  Basically they made two incisions to the side of this big wound and sutured muscle and tissue to cover the hole that developed as a result of the worsened state of the bed sore.  They also removed dead tissue and other gross stuff that I am sure has a more technical name :)  He is on bed rest for 7-10 days and can only sit up at 15 degree intervals when eating.  This is to keep the pressure off the flap.

Tue 11.02.04

I was reading over the progress on the website and realized, I forgot to mention, he has had the neck collar off for about a week now.  So much more freedom for his head.  Can you imagine laying in bed with the collar for 3 months???  He still has the plugged trach for precautionary measures with him having that surgery last Thursday and he has continued to need some suctioning.  My mom said he had a 102 fever yesterday, so they are doing some blood and urine tests to make sure nothing is going on.  Unfortunately, he has had several bladder infections and is more prone to fevers these days, you just have to make sure nothing else is going on.  He is getting limited bed side therapy while he is on bed rest, but the doctors say his flap (reconstructive) surgery on his bed (pressure) sores is looking good.  My parents are very busy test driving handicap accessible mini vans, and my husband is cruising right along on renovating their basement into an efficiency apartment.  We are 19 days away from the first major fundraiser.  The support of all of you has been so amazing and I think it is going to be a good success.  We made $320 on the customized name puzzles and I have received numerous donations.  We are trying to nail down a date and location for the bull roast in January and we are beginning the planning stage for a basket bingo in February.  The costs for everything are so unreal and overwhelming since they are all at once!  Words can not express my family's gratitude with making such a difficult experience, so much better and easier for all of us.  You are amazing and we love you all!!  Dave welcomes any and all visitors.  He gets lonely down in DC :)

Tue 11.19.04

Big accomplishment. After four months, Dave finally got his trach removed from his neck. He has been able to get up from bed for multiple, short, durations. He is feeling good and we are hoping to have him home by December 15th.

Mon 11.29.04

Thanksgiving was nice.  Chris and I went to his family's and then joined my parents and Dave at the hospital.  Dave has been getting up for almost 2 hours at a time twice a day and doing fine.  His arm control has improved so much in the week since I had seen him last.  He is able to control his arms enough to scratch his face when needed and he even told me he had moved his thumb once this week!!!  He is still very anxious to come home and counting down the days.  My parents got their Toyota Sienna handicap ramp accessible mini van this week and thanks to everyone who supported our first fund raiser, we were able to cover the costs for the chair ramp to get him up and down the stairs between the basement where he will be and the family room.  We are actively trying to finalize the details for the next event in January.  Stayed tuned!

Mon 12.06.04

Big news, Dave had his first REAL shower in 4 1/2 months Friday!!!!  He has worked up to almost 3 hours twice a day in his chair and we are all busy with getting things ready for his home coming.  The shower was a little awkward and he is a little dangerous at times driving his wheelchair, but as we have learned, with time, each day gets a little better.  Everything is still on schedule for him to come home December 15th and we are all excited, overwhelmed, anxious, and just about every other emotion you can think of.  His spirits are great and he is ready!  The therapists were very excited yesterday to see how well he has been able to move and wiggle his right thumb.  He is working very hard and the competitive spirit in him is proving to be to his advantage with wanting to over come this.

My mom is planning to take some time off to get him settled and they will do home therapy for a few weeks.  Then the plan is for him to go to a 5 day a week out patient program at NRH (National Rehab in DC) until a new program opens at Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore.  We are all very excited because John McDonald (who worked with Christopher Reeve) is opening an aggressive stimulation therapy/research facility at Kennedy Krieger.  This will be one of a very few programs like this in the United States.  We hope to get him involved in this program when they open later in the spring.   Dave's spirits are great and he has a goal to be fully recovered by the time he is 30 (at latest).  We have recently found out first hand, that it is not impossible.  Patrick Rummerfield, the first fully recovered quadriplegic, is assisting John McDonald with the program at Kennedy Krieger.  Both Dave and Jeff have spoke with him personally and are very anxious and excited to begin the program.  What an amazing person.  Not only has he fully recovered, he is a triathlon competitor and he is training to become a NASCAR driver!!!

To take it a step further, there is another organization called the Miami Project, which their sole mission is to find a cure for paralysis.  The project is backed by THE BUONICONTI FUND TO CURE PARALYSIS.  Marc Buoniconti was injured in a football game in 92 and this organization is headed by him and his father Nick (who played professional football)  to raise funds and awareness for spinal cord injury and most importantly a cure!  They have chapters all over the United States that help with raising funds and awareness and I have signed up to become and head the Maryland (Baltimore) Chapter.  I am going to continue fundraising efforts after all the events for Dave, with a new mission to find a cure.  I am hoping to have the craft/demo day be an annual event.  We are looking into the golf tournament this spring to potentially be the first event.  Committee members thus far include myself as Chair person, Dave, Jeff Walker, Trish Blueford, & Kim Heard.  If you are interested in joining the committee or helping with the events, please let me know.  Dave and Jeff are ready, and I as well as so many of you have already shown, are just as ready to help!

Sun 12.12.04

The news gets better each time I post lately. Today David left the hospital for the first time in almost 5 months without being in an ambulance!!! He had a day pass. My parents took him to breakfast, then he got to stop by and see his new pad. Chris has been doing an amazing job and made a 6 month project happen in like 6 weeks. Dave was very excited about how it looked and can't wait that much more to come home. Then after a brief stay there, since they are still working, they spent the afternoon at the Walkers where I joined them in celebrating Dave's freedom and Jeff's birthday. A great day and we look forward to his homecoming in 3 days!!!!!!!! I am still pricing out the bullroast, so bear with me. It is still on for Friday January 14th at the Winfield Firehall here in Sykesville.

Wed 12.15.04

Dave is finally home after 5 months of being in the hospital!!!  We are all very excited to have him home and he is glad to be there.  It is taking some adjustment getting used to his new needs, but we are all really glad to not travel to DC anymore!!  His spirits are good and Chris did a fabulous job on getting his room ready for him.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!

Wed 12.22.04

Dave has been home a week today.  It has been great for him, but quite the adjustment for my mom.  As with everything else in life, it takes time to get adjusted and to find an arrangement that works best.  She has a tendency to get overwhelmed with everything instead of taking it one day at a time.  There are a lot of things that go into caring for him and that is easier said than done for us to give her that advise.  The home therapy is a joke, but they are at the mercy of the insurance company to wait until his insurance changes over before having the authorization to send him back to National in DC for an outpatient program.  A home nurse came out a few times, but was not providing much value.  Finally they sent an aid out, who seems to be helping.  He has a few other issues to work out, but they have an appointment with a  Urologist next week, so hopefully that will be taken care of sooner, rather than later.  He has visitors coming and going and even got to go to a friend's house for a few hours and our house Saturday night to celebrate Chris's 30th birthday.  People have been so great to accommodate for his needs.  He is the same old Dave in every way except physically.  He is not embarrassed and speaks freely and is very approachable, which is great.  He is very much awaiting the bull roast and birthday celebration.  Christmas will be at my parent's house this year, but the extended family (Grandfather, Aunt, Uncle, cousins, etc.) are coming over and we are bringing the meal, so my mom has no worries.

We have run into numerous road blocks by not being a 501 3c non-profit organization, yet by law you can not have an non-profit status to benefit only one person.  So my cousin and I are looking into opening a non-profit organization to benefit Dave, my parents, and their needs, PLUS a portion of that money raised would be set aside to help other local families in the same situation.  You learn by trial and error.  We thankfully had the Walkers as a base, but there are many other things we have learned along the way.  When it is all said and done, I plan to try and write a guidance book or pamphlet or something to help people learn what we learned, but made easy!  This would be separate from the trust fund that is already set up in Dave's name.   Future fundraisers to the shared fund for Dave and others would be tax deductible, and thus a different motivator for some to help out.  I need a name for this new organization for any of you with ideas.  It does not stop there, I am waiting on the Buonticonti Fund to register with the state of Maryland and then we can move forward with raising funds to find a cure.  I look forward to being that closely involved and getting first hand information on a cure and what's being done.  Some people have asked me how I plan to keep up with all this while working and having two small children.  There are two ways to deal with personal tragedy, you either wallow in your sorrows and spend time dwelling on what will never be or you find a way to make good of a bad situation and you help others with what you have learned and do what you can to better the situation.  We have chosen the second route.  I have done some volunteer things at work and always enjoyed it, now I have a very personal motivating factor.  Plus, the love and support of family and friends has made this all better and I know there are so many others with me with the same determination and that is all the power we need.

I like to keep you all abreast with how the funds have been spent.  I like to know what my money goes towards and I am sure you do as well.  Half of the lift to get Dave and his chair up and down the stairs has been paid for.  We are still waiting for it to come in and then it will be installed.  Secondly, we plan to use the majority of the remaining money to put a big chunk into the handicap accessible costs on the mini van.  We had no idea of exactly the costs that were going to be involved and I thank each and every one of you, who have helped to alleviate as many costs as possible.  Every little bit helps.

Have a WONDERFUL and save holiday.  Stayed tuned for some recent pictures of Dave and his new room.  Let me know if you plan to attend the bull roast.  I am trying to offer spots to family and friends before extending to others, but I plan to fill the 300 vacancies either way.  The Home Interior candles and custom name puzzles will be on-going fundraisers if you have any interest in either, check out the fundraising portion of the site.

Mon 01.10.05

DAVE NEWS:
Dave has been home for almost a month now.  He is doing great and getting into a routine.  It has been pretty hard on my mom.  She is his primary caregiver.  An aid helps three times a week in the mornings with getting him bathed and helping to get him up and into his chair.  He also gets home therapy three times a week.  A case worker came out and is trying to put a plan together to get the needed authorization to get David into the day program at NRH and for my mom to ultimately get back to work.  Like everything else with the government the authorization takes forever and hopefully it will all work out.  I think it will be good for him to get therapy every day and for my mom to find a distraction in work.  Everyone is looking forward to the bull roast this Friday.  It is a great opportunity for them to see friends and family they have missed and not had the opportunity to see.

FUNDRAISING NEWS :
First of all, I want to give you my heart felt thanks for all you have done and all you have given to make this tragedy easier on my family.  We have been so successful thus, far and have so much more to do in order to help others.  We have hit many stumbling blocks along the way, the biggest one being the limitations with fundraiser when you are not a non-profit organization.  What we have learned is, you need to benefit more than one individual in order to establish a non-profit organization.  My cousin Karen and I are in the process of starting a charity organization called From One Family to Another.  This is a non-profit organization which will continue to provide any medical equipment, renovations, or care giving assistance to Dave, as well as a portion will be set aside for the needs of other paralyzed individuals ages 18-30 in Carroll and Howard counties with similar needs.  While we can help everyone, we can help those nearest to us, experiencing similar heart aches.  We will no longer run into limitations in the types of fundraising we can do, but also donations will be tax deductible!!!  The second organization we are starting is the Baltimore, Maryland Chapter of the Buonticonti Fund.  As you may remember this money will goes towards finding new ways to regain sensation and to live successfully as a quadriplegic, but ultimately the goal is to find a cure. 
Stay tuned, for more fundraising events.

Wed 01.26.05

With every couple of steps forward there is a step back.  We are having trouble getting authorization for his outpatient program at NRH.  Apparently physical therapy is covered, but not occupational (because he is over 21) and the program has both.  So my mom is spending her time fighting the chain of command in the government to appeal this.  It is a set back for Dave because the home therapy is not as good as what he would get in an outpatient program.  So keep your fingers crossed.  My mom was going to try to go back to work late this week or early next week, but again, there was a discrepancy with the type of home care that would be covered and they now have to find the right person for Dave’s needs and my mom needs to get a comfort level with this person before going back. 

During the time when he does not have visitors or therapy, or other maintenance, he has been watching a lot of movies.  That gets old, but now he has a computer set up, with a special mouse that he is practicing using himself.  He is now checking his email account, so feel free to send him a personal message to dmharris23@hotmail.com. I am no longer reading this for those of you who knew I was trying to keep his account active for him until he could use it.   He also got a special video controller from his friends Kristy and Kevin for his birthday and he can use his Play Station 2.  It gives him something else to do, plus it is good hand control and range of motion therapy as well!!

On a fundraising note, we have submitted the papers to the National Heritage Association to start our new organization called From One Family to Another- a part of the National Heritage Association.  This will give us the non-profit status for raising funds.  Much of the money will be set aside for Dave and his costs and needs, while a portion of it will be set aside for other paralyzed victims ages 18-30 in Carroll and Howard counties, including our dear friend Jeff.  We can’t help everyone, but we want to help who we can, especially those closest to us.  The even better news is, donations will be tax deductible!!!  Also, the Baltimore, Maryland of the Buoniconti Fund has been formally established.  A letter is being drafted from the main office to some of their contacts in the Baltimore area to let them know that we exist.  I have several event planned for the year, some going to From One Family to Another and some to the Buoniconti Fund.  As always, stay tuned, and please let us know if you are interested in helping at any of these events.

Wed 02.02.05

Good news. Medical Assistance finally determined that David is eligible for the day program at National Rehab. We are just waiting for some logistical things on the NRH side. A nurse began this week in taking care of Dave and my mom was finally able to return to work today. I think work will be a good distraction for her, and the program at NRH will be a good distraction for Dave. Bill (Dave's nurse) has been committed to another patient for a while now and if that person is released from the hospital, we are back to square one. So HOPEFULLY NRH will get their act together and Dave can start in their program sooner rather than later.

Side note, From One Family to Another- part of the National Heritage Foundation is an official non-profit organzation and tickets for the March 5th Basket Bingo are officially on sale.

Tue 02.15.05

Dave started the outpatient therapy at National Rehab in DC yesterday.  It was a pretty emotional day.  There are times where we are accepting because we get no choice and dwelling on the whys just makes it worse.  But there are some days you just can’t help it.  Thankfully, medical assistance is paying for transportation both ways.  It was pretty tough for my parents to watch an assistance program take their grown son away to a day program.  It is not a life you would have ever expected to live.  We are thankful for these services, but these are the constant reality checks that this is real and six months later the situation is what it is.  Dave was a little grouchy about getting up early to get ready, but I think he was looking forward to the change in scenery.  Unfortunately, the day did not go as smooth as we had hoped.  He says he called at 2:30 to be picked up, the transportation service says he called at 3:30, irregardless it was more like 5:30 when they came to get him and he did not get home until almost 7.  The two nurses that were supposed to rotate for his afternoon/evening care bailed because they thought the job was going to be day hours as it has been up until now, so we are back to the agency to find someone for the time frame my mom needs.  She has been back to work for almost 2 weeks now.  So hopefully the day program routine has a few quirks to work out and then they can establish a new routine that works for everyone.  The night nurses (when we find them) will take on some of the responsibilities that my mom has been doing up until now and hopefully she will begin to get some decent night’s sleep.

The other thing by talking to many of you, is that I don’t think you are all aware of how far he has come physically.  Quadriplegic does not necessarily mean from the neck down, it means loss of function that affects all four limbs.  Dave can use his arms and wrists.  He just can’t wiggle or use his fingers to grip or pick things up.  He can loosely hold some bigger items, but not smaller things.  There are lots of adaptive devices that my mom has found that allow him to answer the phone, feed himself, play video games, control the remote, surf the internet, and even sign his name.  He also maneuvers his own wheelchair without assistance.  I think we forget to mention these type of details because for us it is not enough.  We and Dave will continue to do what we need to do to get more.  You can not be greedy enough.  They say if you want something bad enough, you can make anything happen, and we will….. EVENTUALLY!  Attitude and hope are half the battle.

Fundraising front:  THE BASKET BINGO on MARCH 5th IS SOLD OUT!!!  If you have reserved tickets, please contact me so I can collect money and get them to you.  The golf tournament tickets are also on sale, please check out the website if you are interested in playing.  It is May 18th.  We have a planning meeting this Saturday at 10 am at my mom’s house to discuss the events remaining this year including last minute bingo details and the golf tournament.  If you would like to attend, let me know.  We are also still looking for some Chili and BBQ beef for the bingo if you could help us out.

Fri 02.18.05

Well outpatient is going a lot better now.  He has scheduled pick up times, which has made for much shorter days.  He is doing really well and my mom said she can already see a big difference in the use of his left arm in just one week!  He was so excited when he came home yesterday, so he is very serious and committed to his therapy and very proud when he makes accomplishments, as he should be.  I watched Dana Reeve speak on Oprah the other day.  What an amazing woman.  She is a reminder that when you have a down day, you have to remember how close we came to not even having these moments and memories with Dave.  You gotta put things in perspective and then your down day is suddenly an up day.  One thing we are pretty upset with this week is Governor Ehrich and the State of MD trying to do away with the REM program.  I send you all and email and ask that you PLEASE send Governor Ehlrich an email or letter urging the state not to stop this program.

MORE ON THE REM PROGRAM AND HOW TO CONTACT GOVERNOR EHRLICH & THE STATE OF MARYLAND REGARDING THESE ISSUES

Mon 03.28.05

On Saturday March 26, Dave wore tennis shoes for the first time since July! His pressure sores on his ankles have healed and he no longer has to wear the "Frankenstein Boots". He also FINALLY got a loaner shower chair and is able to take showers every time now, rather than sponge baths and is feeling good! He continues his out patient therapy at National Rehab. He is making friends, getting in a routine and most importantly making small strides towards progress. He is now able to eat several things with just his hands that he was not able to do in the past.

On a fundraising note, the April 2nd event has been rescheduled to May 14th at Circle D farm. Please join us for a night of socializing, dancing, dinner and fun! We have also decided to branch out on our own and we have formed From One Family to Another, Inc. rather than being a part of the National Heritage Foundation. We have three main purposes, to purchase items needed and not covered by insurance for paralyzed SCI patients, to assist with fundraising for families with greater needs, and to be a first stop place for newly injured. A resource and learning place. We have lots of plans and we are workly as quickly as possible to get them all in the works. Stay tuned, we will soon have www.fromonefamilytoanother.org up and running!

Thu 04.07.05

Great news, the REM medical assistance program Dave is a part of has been extended through at least 2006!  Thanks to all of you who took the time to write letters to Governor Ehlrich.  Also, www.fromonefamilytoanother.org is up and running.  Stay tuned for lots of information in the coming weeks.  We are just getting started with our website.

Wed 05.04.05

It has been a while since I have updated you.  First things first, Dave had an appointment last week with Dr. John McDonald of Kennedy Krieger.  He was one of Christopher Reeve’s doctors and is starting a therapy clinic at Kennedy Krieger with the help of Patrick Rummerfeld, a fully recovered quadriplegic!!!!  They were very excited about Dave’s potential for a couple of reasons, that he got reflexes back so quickly, his injury is still fairly new leaving a greater chance for more recovery, and he had a head injury, which statistics show causes a little more delay in return functions.  He should begin this program in late May to early June.  They do research and what I call more advanced rehabilitation compared to Kernan and NRH.  We have seen quite a bit of improvement just in his outpatient therapy from NRH.  When laying on a mat he can now support his own weight without failing over and he is eating quite a few things with his hands without any adaptive devices.  Studies show that repetitive motion is a major key and Dr. McDonald reminded David to continually try and move things even if he has not been able to in the past, you never know.  Well, those words really sunk in and he has been trying to move his left foot and guess what, several times yesterday he moved his big toe and possibly some others on his left side!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is huge and it is very exciting.  It may be all that ever happens, but the little things matter so much more now than they ever did before.

On a not so great, but necessary note, Dave has to have another major surgery on September 15th.  Last summer, the doctors had to temporarily close his abdomen with mesh until he healed.  Now, he has to have that removed and have his abdomen sewn back together properly.  This will be a seven hour surgery at Hopkins and he will be there for at least a week, but it must be done.

Fundraising News: I seem to have a knack lately for picking bad weekends.  I have to reschedule the May 14th fundraiser because people kept backing out on me at the last minute.  I think with summer coming weekends are pretty well booked.  So I am trying once more to get this dinner/dancing thing at Circle D worked out.  I think a Friday night may work better this time and as soon as I confirm a DJ, I will announce the date.  I am aiming for Friday June 24th from 6:30-11.  All proceeds benefit From One Family to Another.  We assist families in Maryland with a spinal cord injury.  We want to help them purchase things, host fundraisers for the more expensive items, and most importantly be a resource and support system for families experiencing something we have already been through.  The website is continually being updated and there are small things you can do to help.  If you shop from Amazon, Bass Pro, just to name a few, by connecting to those sites directly from us, we earn cash!!  Be sure to check it out: wwww.fromonefamilytoanother.org.  Stay tuned, there are lots more affiliates to be added soon. 

Fri 07.08.05

Dave went to his first baseball game last night since he accident.  As part of the FOFTA fundraiser, we went to see the O’s play Dave’s favorite the Boston Redsox.  Thanks to the after math of tropical storm Cindy, it was a pretty wet game and ended up getting called in the 6 th inning.  But most importantly, we all got out, had some fun, and assisted FOFTA with raising funds.  Dave has two big weekends coming up, a trip to Philly this weekend and a trip to New York next week both for weddings.  Hopefully his first time travel experiences will be event free.  The big news of the month is his outpatient therapy at NRH in DC is coming to an end this month and as of July 25 th he FINALLY begins the program at Kennedy Krieger!!!  Just in time for the one year anniversary of his accident.  What a year it’s been, but he has surely come a long way and has so much support, that’s when you really see the importance of friends and family.  Again, words can never express our gratitude.

PS: Dave has been struggling on and off with Kidney stones, which they say can be common with SCIs.  On July 5th he had to have a procedure to blast some larger stones that he had not passed yet.  Things seem to be better on that front already!

Dave was admitted to Howard County General Hospital yesterday. He and my mom were up all night with what they thought was the flu. His temperature reached 104 and would not break. He started not feeling well the day before at KKI and they took some blood work, which showed abnormal white blood levels and the doctor advised he be taken to the hospital. They have determined that he has some type of infection. At this point they are waiting to see if surgery will be necessary or if antibiotics will help with the problem. They are continually checking his blood counts and running tests. All I know is that he will be there for a few days and I will let you know as I know more.

They were supposed to leave for their first trip since the accident and go to Miami starting tomorrow. Obviously that won’t be happening, but we are optimistic and hoping they can still go, just a day or two later than originally planned.

Wed 08.15.05

Well Dave’s infection ended up keeping him in the hospital from Tuesday evening until yesterday around 4 or so. He did end up having surgery to help drain the infection on Thursday afternoon. He is doing well. His white blood count is back to normal and he no longer has a temperature. The bad news is they had to cancel their first vacation since the accident to Miami. Oh well, he is doing well and they can reschedule the trip for another time. He should get clearance later this week to return back to the program at Kennedy Krieger. He is still on for his mid September surgery on his abdomen.

Dave had his surgery today. They finished in one surgery and were able to bring is abdomen back together normally and have a nice straight line. He will be in ICU for the next 24 hours on a ventilator and under sedation for precautionary measures only. They believe everything went well. He did have a lot of adhesions inside, which I think is kinda like scar tissue, so they really can't estimate his departure date. As always, I will keep you informed as I know more. He is at Johns Hopkins in the Wienburg building.

Mon 03.13.06

In January, Dave started practicing using a manual chair. It has power wheels to assist with the frequency of how often he has to roll and to
maintain his strength, but he has so much more independence now. The chair is light weight, so he won't be as restricted with where he can go and he will continue to build his strength and self confidence. In February of 2006, Dave and my folks FINALLY got to go on a vacation. They went to St. Marteen's. It was the first time they got on an airplane and there were no wheelchair accessible vans on the island so for the first time they had to transfer him from car to chair and vice versa. It was a lot of work for everyone and they learned many things along the way. They had a few struggles, but all in all had a fabulous time!

On another note, he is continuing his progress at Kennedy Krieger. They just re-evaluated him and he is getting some use in his triceps!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is doing so well they scaled him back from 5 days to 3 days a week in January. FOFTA is currently hosting a lottery fundraiser to assist Dave with purchasing a muscle stimulation machine ($15K) so he can continue his therapy on his off days at home. Dave maintains his great spirits and his sense of humor. He may have physical limitations, but he has come an incredible journey in a short time and is still the same old Dave we all know and love.

Mon 07.24.06

July 18th was the two year anniversary of Dave’s accident. As I look back and reflect on where he’s been vs. now, he is nothing short of amazing. He continues to keep his wonderful attitude and hope. He has made great progress at Kennedy Krieger. He will be released from the outpatient program in September, which means he will continue his therapy at home via a muscle stimulation machine. So I am trying to scramble and raise the remaining $6000 needed for that! Stay tuned for Lottery fundraiser #2.

Dave recently had an evaluation from DORS. His next journey is a job and driving assessment. DORS will help Dave find a job based on his interests and ability. They will also assess and “teach” him how to drive with hand controls. There is a waiting list, so I will keep you updated when the time comes for him to drive again. As his physical rehabilitation comes to an end, it’s time for him to start focusing on his vocational training.

This month, he got in the pool for the first time. My parents got a ramp, as well as his all terrain wheelchair that FOFTA purchased for him and he was able to get in the swimming pool, float on a raft and relax. He and my folks are about to embark on their second vacation. They will be heading to Miami in August and will be sure to stop off to finally get their tour of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

He and Lindsay have been dating for over a year now and doing well. They enjoy going out to dinner and going to the movies and spend much of their time together.

Next weekend, a bunch of his frat brothers are coming for a reunion visit at the house and he is very much looking forward to see them all.

While he has not moved any fingers or legs or had any drastic recovery, as we would all hope, reality is sinking in for us all. He has done amazingly well and has really learned to do so many things with the functionality he has, as well as the amazing (YET EXPENSIVE) devices available on the market. My father in law and brother in law recently installed a door that Dave can open and close himself via a garage door opener like remote. He is loving life with this new found freedom. It’s amazing the things we once took for granted. Continue to support stem cell research and the studies to find a cure, we continue to hope for progress in the scientific arena to one day really improve Dave’s physical progress.

Thanks for taking the time to continue to check up on Dave. Your support has been and continues to be so vital for us all!

Tue 08.29.06

Dave was very excited about his visit to the Miami Project. Scientists are very optimistic that human trials could begin in 3-5 years. They told Dave, he is in great shape for a quad and to keep it up. The weather was a bit too hot for Dave. Thankfully they all had the foresight to take his play station, which kept him occupied on the afternoons when it was too hot. What most people don’t realize is that the spinal cord regulates the body’s temperature, which Dave’s can’t do. This means that he can not sweat above his level of energy, which helps the body regulate temperature. He gets colder and hotter faster than the average person. So he has to be careful about how long he is extreme heat. The trip was uneventful and they had a very nice time. He should begin driving classes in September and soon after they will do a job assessment and his independence will just continue to blossom. Knock on wood he has had no medical issues and 2006 is shaping up to be a great year for Dave. We still need about $5K more for his exercise machine. This is what helps keeps his muscles strong for when the time comes for a cure. He is being released to home therapy September 15th, so we need to hurry and order this machine, so he can continue his regiment at home. We are selling lottery tickets for $10 each. If your number matches the evening pick 3 any evening Monday – Saturday in October you could win $50- $250! Email Christie at christie@fromonefamilytoanother.org if you are interested in purchasing or helping us to sell the tickets.

Tue 01.08.07

Each month since Dave’s accident in July of 2004 have gotten a little better. There were some ups and many downs. I have happy to report that things are going really well! In October of 2006 Dave moved in with his girlfriend Lindsey, whom he met when he was at National Rehab in DC. They started dating around April of 2005 and as of 12 am New Year’s they are ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just as exciting Dave, got his driver’s license on December 22, 2006. The next step is for the van to get the necessary equipment so he can actually drive. Then from there, he will work with the same state agency to start looking for a job. Things are going incredibly well for him and with enough persistence and determination, it just goes to show you life can still be great!

Thanks so much to Jenny Blazek, Kim Heard, Jim Dyas, and Randie Thomas for helping Dave get back and forth to his driving classes, it paid off!!!!

Wed 01.30.08

In December of 2007 after a year’s wait, Dave got the van back with all the enhancements and equipment needed for him to be able to drive himself. It looks like an air plane control system inside the van and by first glance it looks like you’d have to be a pilot to operate it. I hear it’s a lot easier than it looks, but I haven’t driven it.

It’s count down time. The wedding is April 12, 2008. Dave and Lindsey (more Lindsey) have been working hard this past year to plan their wedding. The dresses have been ordered, the place is booked, and we are all counting down.

Stayed tuned for pictures from the blessed event………

Now that he has his van back, he continues to play phone tag with the lady who can help with his job assessment. You gotta love the state, they are there to help, but BOY DO THEY TAKE FOREVER!!!!!

Thu 02.21.08

Nothing like a little excitement 2 months before the wedding……

2 weekends ago, while my parents were on vacation, Lindsey called me to say Dave was in the hospital. Apparently he had not been feeling well since Thursday and they started treated it like his usual UTI infection. By Saturday night it was bad and he could not stop vomiting. She took him to Howard County ER and apparently he had a massive Kidney stone, which was obstructing normal flows. He sat in the ER for like 10 hours, they put a frosty something tube in his back directly into his kidney to drain infection surrounding the stone and the stuff that wasn’t flowing properly. By Monday he was in the ICU, the infection had spread to his blood stream. The nurses are not equipped to deal with him. Lindsey had to stay the night every night. They thought at first it was only going to be a few days. She was off for a week and finally Tuesday when my mom called, he asked her to come home. They cut their 2 ½ week Hawaii trip short by 6 days. He was released the following Saturday night. He has 3 pretty significant pressure sores from being in there. Insane how fast they form! He’s home on IV antibiotics and he saw a kidney specialist yesterday. A February 28th surgery date has been scheduled to remove the stone once and for all. Hopefully that will go smooth with no complications because the wedding showers are in early March and the wedding is fast approaching!!!!!