A Great and Busy Week

A Great and Busy Week (Oct. 25, 2018)

Brian and I had a great week!  We were out and about almost every day.  On Tuesday, we went to Maddie's Student Led Conference at her school. The staff was extremely accommodating to us and were even waiting at the door for our arrival.  Maddie was so proud to have her dad there too!  That made him feel extra special.  I had to chance to be swabbed as a possible bone marrow donor while we were at her school.  Check out "wil ohler’s fight with leukemia #wilswarriors" on Facebook to read about how a Lindbergh High School senior is fighting a battle with cancer and needs to find a bone marrow donor.  There are several locations having bone marrow drives in the upcoming weeks.

On Wednesday, we took a trip to see our Edward Jones advisor.  That night, friends came by the house for dinner.  It was nice to get caught up on the latest and greatest with them and enjoy a glass of wine too. :)

Thursday was Abilities Awareness Day at Crestwood Elementary.  I haven't been back in the building since Brian unexpectedly took a trip to the ER last January.  I was excited, but nervous to see everyone because I knew it would be a reminder of how life was prior to Brian's injury.  However, Brian and I were welcomed with hugs and smiles from the students and staff.  Brian gave 4 presentations to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders.  He talked about his injury, how its impacted his life, and how we choose to live with JOY each day. The students were absolutely amazing and asked such thoughtful questions. I'm so proud that Brian wanted to speak to others, especially because we've only been home for 2 months.  He loved every minute of the day.

We also got to meet Officer Flamion and his wife, Sarah.  Sarah has helped me so much with the many questions I've had about doctor recommendations, daily living, and just the complexity of caring for someone with a spinal cord injury.  We enjoyed lunch with them after the presentations and look forward to visiting again soon. 

Like always, we thank you so much for your love and support. Can't wait for another great week!

Our New Normal

Our New Normal (10/10/18)

We continue to adjust to our new life.  I think we will never fully understand how drastically life has changed, but we are getting through each day with the best attitude we can.  We have more up days than down.

Brian's health remains good.  He has PT coming to the house three days a week for range of motion stretching and neck strengthening exercises. Nursing stops by to check in and draw bloodwork once a week.  In the new future, we will transition to an outpatient PT program that will help Brian continue his recovery.

We've had a great few weeks.  My brother came into town for Brian's birthday. We haven't seen him since we left Craig hospital. Brian had an awesome visit with a former co-worker and got caught up on all the scoop in the industry.  We hosted a game night at the house and hosted several family gatherings. Kenzie had homecoming and Brian was thrilled that she wasn't embarrassed to have friends come by for pictures. 

We have been test driving two vans and hope to finalize the purchase this week.  So far, we've taken trips to family members' home to see if Brian can enter using portable ramps, saw our niece's soccer game, made a trip to Ted Drewes, and picked up Maddie from school.  Freedom feels so good! 

We want to thank everyone again for your generosity throughout this journey. Here is an update of  how your donations (private, GoFundMe, fundraisers) have helped us cover some of the costs we are incurring: 

$33,000: Home renovations to accommodate Brian's power chair
$21,500: Backup generator, updated electrical panels and circuits for medical equipment
$20,000: Down payment for a used accessible van. Very limited options due to the dimensions of Brian's chair including the ventilator tray. 
$5,400: Motorized garage lift to enter the house
$1,500: Elevator feature on Brian's chair.  This allows him to communicate "eye-to-eye" with others.  If recovery progresses and he regains movement, it will also help him reach items in the cabinets.
$1,500: Voice activated technology with microphone
$500: Voice activated SMART home modifications
$500: Portable ramps
$400: Monthly prescriptions
$2000+/month (out-of-pocket cost) home health care (a few hours a day, Monday-Friday).
$$: All bills/medical supplies not covered by insurance

With that being said, we are excited to announce that we are in the planning stages for our First Annual Brian Heine Benefit Golf Tournament.  Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 26, 2019 at the Legends Country Club in Eureka, MO.  More details to come. Brian will be active in planning a day of fun for all!

Please pray or send your good vibes for Brian's continued improvement, strength, and mobility.  We prepare for today and remain hopeful for things to come! We are grateful to our supporters. 

A Night at the Ballpark

A Night at the Ballpark (10/10/18)

This is a past-due update...we had the pleasure of attending the Cardinals game in the press box on Sept. 2th.  We chatted with Cards broadcasters, Dan McLaughlin and Al Hrabosky.  Dan talked about Brian during the broadcast that night. Click on the video below to hear it! (Don't mind the crying baby in the background...lol)

Here are a few pics from the evening.  A special thank you to Brian's brother, Jeff, for arranging the evening and Dan Farrell for making it happen.  People are so kind.

Another update coming shortly!