****** 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
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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.
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