Re: Updates on DaniRella's family

Thats amazing im glad he is feeling and looking much better!

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what a beautiful update!!!! Sooo happy to hear of his progress!

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Thanks girls for the update.
I am so happy to hear that he is making progress.

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It is so great that he is doing so well! I hope things keep getting better at this incredible pace!

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At least he's having *fun* these days....ya know what I mean. It's good to see how motivated he is and yet how these exercises bore him.



Glad to know you're doing ok too.

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Your updates are amazing!!! Each one brings tears to my eyes!!

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I love reading these updates. Really brings a smile to my face to read all the successes in Kenny's recovery. Best part is being able to picture Kenny's and also Christopher's faces from seeing them in the papers.

Uh-oh, the warning box just popped up.
The topic you're about to post a reply to us more than 10 weeks old.

I can't believe that is has been that long already.
Continuing prayers and best wishes for Kenny's recovery.

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Dani -I am sooo very happy he is making such progress - great news! I know it is going to keep up!

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WONDERFUL updates dani!
I keep praying for his GREAT progress and am happy to hear that they are being heard

I still dont know how you do it, all the updates! Clearly your entire family is just AMAZING at EVERYTHING! heheh

keep staying strong & being positive. it takes you long ways. and if theres every someone you need to talk to you know you have my ear. as well as 3984 others but i do know how HARD it is, the ups and downs so anytime you need an ear, Im here!

i dont come on too often anymore but when i do its great to check up on you and hear GOOD things.

ONLY GOOD THINGS FROM NOW ON!

Re: Updates on DaniRella's family

****** JULY 31st *******

Kenneth had a test today - basically, they bring him into a room and hook him up to a bunch of stuff and there is a screen that shows his head, neck, throat, etc almost like an X-RAY and you can see what goes into his mouth and what gets swallowed and where it goes. If it goes into the right place - down the throat and to the stomach he passes and that means he is doing well and can eat on his own. If it goes down and into the lungs that is NOT good and he fails. That means he needs to stay on the tube feeding until the therapists can get him to chew, swallow and eat properly.

Well, initially they told us that him swallowing could take WEEKS -- weeks?!! Kenneth swallowed in about three days LOL. Somehow, I'm not surprised! Then, he was doing so well that his therapist nominated him to take this test and squeezed him in to take it this morning because yesterday he was actually taking the spoon, with his own hand, and feeding himself apple sauce. He would put it up to his mouth, put his lips around it, chew, swallow, everything - neat, perfect, like normal! It was amazing. The therapist was so happy she said 'off to the test he goes!' and he did... and...

HE PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS!!

The people in the room with him (docs, techs and therapists) were CLAPPING and cheering b/c he did so well. He even DRANK water totally on his own and fine and he never even PRACTICED that with the therapist before. He ate sliced peaches, apple sauce (which he LOVES) and chocolate pudding.

They were so pleased he doesn't even need to be put on a blended diet first -- he can go straight to CHOPPED! YAY! GO KENNETH! We were so happy and proud. You can tell he is very happy to be tasting real food so in a few days that tube will be removed from his tummy and he'll be smooth sailing in terms of eating on his own.

Two friends of his came to visit him this week - on Monday was Angelo and I have never seen Kenneth smile so big. He walked in, Kenneth took one look at him and SMILED and his whole face just lit up -- Angelo was so stunned by how good he looks now (hasn't seen him since NUMC) he just started crying and had to walk out a minute --- it just amazed him. So, it was touching... very touching. Then, when he was talking to Kenneth he would tell stories and at funny parts Kenneth would smile and laugh - he understood everything.

Then, on Wednesday his friend Pete came to visit him -- and again, HUGE smile every single time he saw Pete or Pete talked to him --- I showed Pete how much Kenneth likes to thumb wrestle and he did it with him. It was a great day and Kenneth was DELIGHTED to see some of his friends. Pete was also amazed at how much better he looks.

That's about it for now -- We have the race in New Jersey this weekend (on Sunday) that Big Brown is running in. It is the first race since Belmont and the owners are AGAIN offering to donate money -- they are AMAZING people and we can't get over their generousity and how much they truly care. We are ALL going and I hope BB wins!! I love that little pony!

On August 14th there will be a HUGE fundraiser at Mulcahy's in Wantagh thrown by the Nassau County PD for Kenneth and his fund w/ Christopher. We are told they don't know how many to expect but there will be A LOT and they are thinking about closing down the street. There will be a cash bar, food, TONS of prizes and music -- feel free to come on down - it sounds like it'll be one big block party woo hoo!

I don't know who is going to be watching Nassau though LOL

OK - I'm a happy girl today

Thanks everyone for the prayers and well wishes -- and such kind words and responses for Kenneth. I was so amazed by them I was showing some of the replies to my Mom.

Re: Updates on DaniRella's family

Wow dani!!!!! That is such great news!

Sounds like he had an MBS done... AND the fact that he can drink liquids by himself is AMAZING since liquids are much more difficult than solids and have a greater rate of aspiration!

I love to hear all the news about him, so please keep updating as he progresses more and more!

my continued prayers!

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absolutely! great news!!! he's making great progress, its so wonderful to read about it!!

ps i'm sure all the therapists have to keep re-writing their goals cause he's surpassing them so fast!!!!LOL!!! good for him! keep it up Kenneth we're all pulling for u!!!

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****** August 5th ******

We've been busy! Sometimes just watching Kenneth makes me tired - he is so strong and hard working. Well, first we had another horse race on Sunday - it was Big Brown's first race since Belmont... and... He WON!!!!!! I thought I was going to FAINT watching this race - omg! It was such a great race and he is such a gorgeous horse it just takes your breath away. The race was in New Jersey so it was easy for my family and I to attend. We all went - my husband, myself, my sister, my nephew (Kenneth's son, Christopher), my parents and the 'Commish' joined us as well which was SO nice of him.

The owners of BB were so kind to invite us all to this race, called the Haskell Invitational, and yet again offer to donate MORE money (from this purse) to Kenneth and Christopher's fund. They are amazing people - I just can't say it enough. I was very happy that my parents were able to attend and finally meet the owners themselves... now that Kenneth is doing better, they felt comfortable coming. The owners truly made us feel like we were a part of their own family - we were there in their private tented area with food, drinks and it was beautiful. We had pretty much front row seats to see BB race and the Jockey, Kent, even took time out to meet us all and sign an autograph for Christopher. We were THRILLED when he won and the owners were so happy - they really deserve it.

After that we went back to the hotel and the next morning (Monday AM) we had to be up at Kessler for a meeting on Kenneth with everyone that oversees him. We met with eleven people from Kessler - his two neuro docs, speech therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist (not the ones he works with -- the case managers who take the info from the therapists and analyze it), a neuropsychologist, the head of nursing, an insurance person who takes care of the coverage end of his case, etc. I can't remember everyone but it is everyone assigned to manage him lol. My mom, Dad and myself sat in on this meeting where we were 'briefed' on his current condition and progress...

Now, we have been in communication with another police officer and his father (nypd cop) who, ten years ago, was in a very serious accident in had a TBI like Kenneth. In fact, his condition was medically thought to be worse than Kenneth's condition! Well, he is currently back at work - not on full duty - but he works in the precinct and handles calls, writes tickets, etc. He is walking, talking - the whole bit. You really would not know unless he told you what happened to him and he had actual brain matter REMOVED -- he is a true inspiration to us all. He was kind enough to share his story and his father WARNED us about the above meeting. His son also rehab'd at Kessler and he said how phenomenal the facility was but that they were very 'realisitc' with him -- and his father told us that him and his wife left that first meeting in TEARS it was so negative. They told us that the docs said he would never walk or talk again -- and we were TERRIFIED of what we'd hear during this meeting.

So, we got in there and (to our surprise) they told us that Kenneth is doing 'fantastic', that he is currently ahead of schedule and that we definitely have a long road ahead of us still, of course, but that they are optimistic and 'excited' about his future recovery. They feel as though if his current progress is any indication as to his future prognosis - we have every reason to be VERY hopeful. They did a special scan of his head on July 4th at NUMC -- and then they did the same scan on July 28th at Kessler. The difference in the two and the amount of improvement that has taken place is - as they put it - 'dramatic' and 'drastic'. The color red on this scan is a bad thing - and there was almost ALL red on the 7/4 scan and there was almost NO red on the 7/28 scan -- that means that the healing IS taking place. All of the people that deal with him - therapists, docs, nurses, etc say he is a pleasure to have as a patient and that they feel he has really come a long way -- and will do well on the still long road he has in front of him.

They compared it to a baby -- it is like he has to re-learn everything --- eating, speaking, walking, etc. And he is - so far, the breathing, sitting up on his own, holding his head up, smiling, doing certain things on command, eating on his own, etc has been accomplished -- which is, for just two and a half weeks, A LOT of progress. Now, we need to work on speaking (they are almost there - I can just feel it) and walking when his pelvis can hold weight (three more weeks until that can start to happen). You can see his brain reconnecting and the part that is damanged, although relatively small compared to the rest of the brain, it affects the rest of the brain because it is like taking a chip out of a computer -- all the wires that do other things but run through that chip get effected. So, we realize that this healing process is a fragile one but it is taking place right in front of our very eyes.

He has begun arm wrestling with me now and he is so freaking strong, now that he is eating, I CAN'T beat him!!!!! How ridiculous?! We continue to thumb wrestle everyday. He smiles and laughs every single day. Today he laughed when the Billy Mays infomercial came on just like he used to before the crash -- he always made fun of those ridiculous commercials and he, again, chuckled today when the 'orange glow' one came on lol lol. His favorite was magic putty but we'll take whatever we can get hahaha.

We were so relieved after that meeting that it was like the weight of the world had been lifted -- b/c, if they told that other officer he was never going to walk/talk again and he IS -- and they are telling us they are very optimistic about Kenneth - God knows how far he can come!! We are so blessed.

OK - I think that is about it for now lol I think it is more than enough It is amazing how much can happen in just a few short days. I have to say - I've never seen anyone eat like he does LOL it is literally like he hasn't eaten in two months - he gets three huge meals a day and he LICKS the plate -- it is amazing. He looks GREAT. I got him a hand mirror and he checks himself out in it from time to time -- making sure his face is still there lol which it is - nothing about his face was changed. He smiles and checks out his teeth -- how his hair is growing in with the scar on his head, etc. He is so funny but that's SO Kenneth.

Alrighty - I can't tell you guys how much I love writing these positive updates and how much I love reading the great replies.

Thank you, again, so much.

Re: Updates on DaniRella's family

What FANTASTIC news!!!

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bump for day peeps - posted kinda late

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Wow it's amazing to hear how great he is doing!!!!!!!

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So happy to hear that he's doing so well. I often think of you all.

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That is fantastic news!!! I am so happy to hear how well your brother Kenneth is doing!!! I will continue to keep him & your family in my thoughts and prayers

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That is fantastic news! Your family in my thoughts and prayers.

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WOW Dani - this is AMAZING

He really is improving so well!!!

I will keep him in my prayers, as I have been doing!