Please Help ....

1/12/07

Hello All,

We had a meeting with one of Brian’s neurologist’s and his lung Dr on Thursday. We weren’t especially pleased with what they had to say. All his vital’s are good and he is physically healthy. However, he is not responding the way he should be. He is in what they consider a "Persistent Vegetative State". The only command he seems to be responding to is blinking his eyes a certain number of times to answer yes/no questions. And even that is not consistent. He’s not squeezing hands or moving voluntarily at all. The Dr’s can’t say if he will ever come out of it. We get the same "Some people can come right out of it, some it takes 10 years, and some never do" story that all Dr’s say about Brain Injuries.

Kennestone Hospital is an acute hospital- they aren’t really equipt for the long- term care Brian will require. We are in the process of trying to find a facility that will provide the physical therapy, stimulation, encouragement, etc essential for giving Brian every chance possible to pull through this. Thankfully we received a call today and although it’s not final yet, it looks like Brian’s Medicaid and other benefits have been approved. That’s fantastic news- now he can’t be turned down from any of the facilities we’re trying to get him moved to for not having insurance.

Brian needs everyone’s help now more than ever. He needs to know that everyone is still there for him. He needs to see all the people who love him and want him to come back. After the accident he had a dozen or more visitors a day- that number has really decreased. I know you’re all busy and have things going on- life, work, kids, you name it- I know. Trust me, I do. But your friend and mine needs a bunch of pep talks right now- I know a lot of you are checking this often, so it’s time to act. I firmly believe seeing everyone will help him find his way back through the fog I can only imagine he is lost in.

Please go visit him whenever you can. Talk to him, play music, watch tv, show him pictures, read to him, chill....whatever you’re comfortable with.

Has Brian ever helped you move? Paint something? Build something? Do yard work or any other crap chore that even you don’t want to do? Picked up a shift when you were too hung over or lazy to go to work? Been there with a wise-ass remark to make you smile? A story to entertain you? A shoulder to cry on? A really great friend with a heart of gold? Yeah, that’s what I thought. So it’s time to return all those favors. He needs us. It may be his only chance to come back.

Please help him.

Not only for his sake, but for Olivia’s too. He is such a great person with the biggest heart of anyone I know. Olivia has so many of his wonderful qualities and she deserves to have his influence through out her life. She will be a better person for having him in her life and so will I. So will you.

So please take a few minutes a couple times a week to help Brian. Please.

Thank You,
Jessica