Day 77 & 78 (June 27&28)
Just a quick update....Brian continues to do well in his therapies. He reached 90 degrees in the standing frame today! Next week, his PT will see how his blood pressure regulates without an additional dose of blood pressure medication. (he's been receiving an extra dose before getting in the standing frame).
I continue to work on transfers from Brian's wheelchair to his shower chair. Hopefully, we will have a solid plan before the girls get to Denver so they can help me once we get home.
Tomorrow is the big night! It sounds like so much fun!! If you are attending A Night at the Races, please post a pic on the "Brian Heine's Road to Recovery" Facebook page or tag me in a Facebook post. Brian and I would love to see you all! We are sincerely appreciative for all of the countless hours friends and family have spent making this night happen. Thank you for attending and we hope you have a great night! We can't wait to hear all about it!
Day 75 and 76 (June 25 & 26)
Brian did well yesterday. Many of his therapies were geared toward me helping Brian. During PT, we worked on using the lift and sling system to get him from his chair to the mat and then back to the chair. It will be the same apparatus I use at home. The goal is to get a smooth transfer with the least amount of people.
I learned how to secure his chair in a vehicle. Now we will have the freedom to leave campus using public transportation. There is an Englewood Trolley that takes you to places near Craig, so we may start with that.
Brian had his final (hopefully) surgery today. It was a catheter procedure. Although the procedure itself wasn't major, Brian has a hard time with anesthesia. I'm hoping he rests well tonight and can make it to his classes tomorrow.
The fundraiser is just around the corner! There are so many friends working their heines off to make this a fun night. We hope you can come! I hear there are TONS of cool raffle and silent auction items. Thank you for the donations. Brian and I are truly appreciative.
Keep us in your prayers and thank you for all of the uplifting words. I read your comments on the blog and Facebook to Brian.
Day 72-74 (June 22-24)
Brian has had a good three days. Brian's other childhood bestie, Eric, drove in from Kansas City to spend the day with him on Friday. Eric got to see a few of Brian's therapies and he went on a breakfast outing with us. It was our second time getting off campus and it felt AMAZING! They sent us without a respiratory therapist, so I was in charge of Brian's care. I was a little nervous, but know it's something I need to get used to doing. It was great seeing Eric. Brian loved spending time with him and John. It was just what he needed!
The weekends are always slow so Brian worked hard on his pacing. He paced for 2 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Last week, Brian rocked it in therapies. I can't wait to see what this week brings!
Making plans to get the girls back out to Colorado. Missing them like crazy!
Check out Brian's FaceTime pic with our dog, Elsie...I think it's the cutest! Thanks for all your love and support.
Day Seventy and Seventy-One (June 20 & 21)
Mr. Brian Heine had his best two days at Craig. He has set new personal bests...90 degrees on the standing frame for ten minutes. Brian also made it up to 70 degrees on the Erigo machine (tilt table with elliptical type foot movement), his neck muscles are strengthening AND he didn't need additional oxygen from a tank! He is oxygenating on his own most of the time, but he still needs ventilation support from his ventilator. We are thrilled with his overall progress this week. What a difference from last week!
Thank you so much for making the Applebee's Dine to Donate a success. I hear there was a wait at dinnertime and the place was hopping throughout the day. I sure wish we could've joined everyone, but we were there in spirit. Brian and I loved seeing all the pictures of our supporters.
Brian had a quick visit today with his lifelong best friend, John. The last time John saw Brian was at Barnes. He was pleasantly surprised at the progress Brian is making. It's always nice to hear that from people who haven't seen him in a while.
The Night at the Races is just around the corner. It sounds like such a fun time! It's not to late to register.
As always, thank you so much for supporting us along this journey...keep the prayers coming, they are working!
Day 68 & 69 (June 18 & 19)
The last two days have been great for Brian. He's done very well in therapy and has made it to every class! Brian's spirits are up too...it's nice to see him back in action!
Forget about cooking tomorrow and head over to Applebee's in Crestwood. They are giving 15% of the proceeds to our family to put towards medical equipment, home renovations, and all that fun kind of stuff. Just print the flyer or show the flyer on your phone to your server. Thank you so much for supporting our family and keep the prayers coming!
Day 65, 66, 67 (June 15-17)
Brian continues to bounce back from his surgery. He worked with Technology Lab on Friday using voice activated software. Other than that, Brian took it easy.
The weekend was slow. Brian slept in both days, which I'm sure his body needed. Blood pressure kept us on our toes this weekend. I'm sure hoping that gets better in time.
Brent and Laura (my brother and sister-in-law) made a home-cooked meal with Brian's special request, blueberry pancakes! We celebrated Father's Day and my dad's birthday. My dad has been in Colorado since we came to Craig to lend emotional support and help manage the home renovations. We appreciate all of his help!
It's hard to believe that it is the second Father's Day without Brian's dad. George was one-of-a-kind. We miss him so much! I know he's saying "oh yeah" at all of Brian's inappropriate humor he gives to the staff.
Before the injury, I've always said how blessed the girls were to have Brian as their dad. He sure is demonstrating the meaning of patience, perseverance, and graciousness as he fights the battle of his life. We missed the girls like crazy today and can't wait until they return!
Praying Brian can regain his strength to have a beneficial week of therapies.
Don't forget...Night at the Races is just around the corner (June 29) ...it's not too late to join the fun! :)
Day 63 and 64 (June 13 &14)
I wanted to thank everyone for their words of encouragement from the last post. They definitely lifted my spirits!
It's been a slow few days as Brian recovers from his surgery. He's been sleeping more and he's had a break from therapies to recuperate. Brian started eating again this afternoon so I'm hoping that will put a little more pep in his step!
If you are looking for a good excuse not to cook on June 20th, head over to the Crestwood Applebee's. They are donating 15% of food proceeds to our family. Just print the flier below and give it to your server.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Day 60-62 (June 10-12)
With injuries like Brian's, the brain has a difficult time sending messages through the spinal cord to the systems in the body. Because of this, Brian elected to have a colostomy yesterday. It will give Brian peace of mind when he's out, help caregivers with his care, and most importantly...it can be reversed down the road. Thankfully, the surgery went well and he has been resting all day. The wound care nurses will monitor his surgery site and bloodwork will be drawn to make sure his body is responding appropriately.
I've had a hard few days processing everything that's happened since January. I'm not sure why the magnitude of our situation is hitting me now, but I hope it passes soon. It's easy for the unknowns to creep into my thoughts. Please keep praying for our strength to get through this.
Day 58 and 59 (June 8 & 9)
Brian has been doing well. He had a little episode with blood pressure after PT on Friday, but Brian ended the day strong with diaphragm pacing. Brian met with a former Craig patient who has a similar injury to his, but that patient doesn't have a ventilator. We had the opportunity to ask him questions about life after Craig. There is so much to learn about Brian's care before we leave. They assure me I will be ready...let's hope so!
Brian's family leaves in the morning. It was a great visit and we are sad to see them go. Time always flies when family is here. The family was so impressed with Craig and couldn't believe Brian's schedule is so busy during the week!
Please continue to pray for our strength to get through this difficult journey. Some days are harder than others. I'm so proud of Brian and the positive attitude he continually displays.
Day 56 & 57 (June 6 & 7)
The past two days have been great for Brian. He got up to 70 degrees again in the standing frame on Wednesday, so today Brian tried a new piece of equipment. It's like a tilt table with foot pedals that move in an elliptical motion. I think his therapist was pleasantly surprised that things went so smoothly. The transfer to get him on the table definitely takes a team effort!
Brian's family made it safely to Colorado yesterday. They were surprised at how good Brian looks since the last time they saw him! It's nice to have family visit to add new life to the day!
Thanks for all your continued prayers and support!
Day 54 and 55 (June 4 & 5)
The past two days have been good for Brian. He's been doing well with his therapies. Brian made it to over 70 degrees in the standing frame, so he will try a new piece of robotic equipment on Friday!
We met with the Transportation Clinic today to look at handicapped accessible vans. We learned about dealers in the St. Louis area that could help us purchase a van. This will be something we explore prior to coming home.
We received a huge box of goodies for our family today from the friends at Cope Plastics, a customer of Brian's. Look at the neat shirts they created in honor of him! We are excited to wear our shirts tomorrow!
Our stay at Craig has been extended to July 18th. We are excited that Brian will have more time to wean on the diaphragm pacer and work on his therapies. It also means our kiddos need to get back out to Colorado sooner than later!
Brian's mom, brother, and sister arrive tomorrow. We are excited to see them. They will get to experience all the cool things Craig offers and meet the awesome people that work here.
Thank you for your prayers and positive vibes. They are working!
Day 51, 52, and 53 (June 1-3)
Our last few days with the girls were great! Maddie and Kenzie went to Brian's therapies on Friday. In PT, the therapists attached a red laser to a head contraption. Using a bullseye picture in front of him, Brian tried to get the laser in the bullseye by moving his head.
In tech lab, Brian was introduced to a voice activated computer program called Dragon. He had better luck using this program than on his cell phone.
Brian continues to work hard on the diaphragm pacing. He's making small improvements and we are thankful for that! Brian has such determination to do well with pacing...it's A LOT of hard work and wears him out.
The girls went back to St. Louis Sunday morning. Brian and I were very sad to see them go (LOTS and LOTS of tears), but we know they will have fun at their camps back home over the next few weeks. They definitely brought a new energy that revitalized our spirits. It was so nice having meals with them, playing countless games of Uno, and watching them interact with their dad. Just hearing them laugh (and bicker) were things we've missed. Plans for their return are in the works depending on Brian's discharge date.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
