November 13, 2019
Brian is out of surgery and it went well. They were able to get the 6 stones (a few the size of marbles), but couldn’t get the newest one due to his position on the OR table. Praying for an uneventful, infection-free road ahead. ❤️
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Surgery day
November 13, 2019
Brian is having surgery today to remove the 6 kidney stones in his right kidney and one newly discovered stone in his left. We are both very anxious about the procedure, but hope this will eliminate the constant infections he is getting. Prayers and good thoughts appreciated!
Brian is having surgery today to remove the 6 kidney stones in his right kidney and one newly discovered stone in his left. We are both very anxious about the procedure, but hope this will eliminate the constant infections he is getting. Prayers and good thoughts appreciated!
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Post tournament update
Oct. 19, 2019
Our first annual Heine Strong Golf Tournament was a huge success! The weather was perfect, everyone had fun, and we felt so loved and supported.
Unfortunately, three days after the tournament, Brian was complaining of breathing complications. We took a trip to the ER to have him checked out. He had pneumonia and stayed in the hospital for 16 days. Definitely not what we hoped for, but Brian was in the right place to recover. He spent his birthday in the hospital and missed Kenzie's last homecoming and Maddie's first homecoming.
During his hospital stay, Brian also developed a wound. We met with the wound care clinic yesterday and it will take months for Brian to heal. We also had to postpone his surgery to remove the kidney stones until next month. I'm looking forward to getting them removed because I think they are the cause of many issues. Praying an infection does rear it's ugly head again before November 13th (new surgery date).
Like always, Brian maintains a good attitude and that helps me try to remain positive. But these setbacks have been very discouraging and overwhelming to both of us. We ask for your prayers/good thoughts to get through this time. I know people wonder if it's a good time to reach out to Brian, come by for a visit etc. The answer is YES, it is a good time. He wants to hear from you and needs to know you think of him.
These hard times remind me of how blessed we are to be surrounded by loving family, friends, work family, and even people we don't know who rally behind us. We appreciate you and thank you!
#heinestrong
Our first annual Heine Strong Golf Tournament was a huge success! The weather was perfect, everyone had fun, and we felt so loved and supported.
Unfortunately, three days after the tournament, Brian was complaining of breathing complications. We took a trip to the ER to have him checked out. He had pneumonia and stayed in the hospital for 16 days. Definitely not what we hoped for, but Brian was in the right place to recover. He spent his birthday in the hospital and missed Kenzie's last homecoming and Maddie's first homecoming.
During his hospital stay, Brian also developed a wound. We met with the wound care clinic yesterday and it will take months for Brian to heal. We also had to postpone his surgery to remove the kidney stones until next month. I'm looking forward to getting them removed because I think they are the cause of many issues. Praying an infection does rear it's ugly head again before November 13th (new surgery date).
Like always, Brian maintains a good attitude and that helps me try to remain positive. But these setbacks have been very discouraging and overwhelming to both of us. We ask for your prayers/good thoughts to get through this time. I know people wonder if it's a good time to reach out to Brian, come by for a visit etc. The answer is YES, it is a good time. He wants to hear from you and needs to know you think of him.
These hard times remind me of how blessed we are to be surrounded by loving family, friends, work family, and even people we don't know who rally behind us. We appreciate you and thank you!
#heinestrong
Thursday, August 29, 2019
One year ago
8/28/19
One year ago...
Brian came home from Craig Hospital by air ambulance. It was his first time home after 9 months in hospitals. Just a few hiccups along the way, but overall, a good year. Grateful to be home surrounded by family and friends.
UPDATE as of 8/29/19 The golf tournament has SOLD OUT!!
One year ago...
Brian came home from Craig Hospital by air ambulance. It was his first time home after 9 months in hospitals. Just a few hiccups along the way, but overall, a good year. Grateful to be home surrounded by family and friends.
UPDATE as of 8/29/19 The golf tournament has SOLD OUT!!
Monday, August 5, 2019
Golf Tournament and Update
August 5, 2019
The First Annual Brian Heine Benefit Golf Tournament is just SIX weeks away. Registration is open until SEPT 1st. If you are not a golfer, but would like to attend the "19th Hole Celebration", we'd love to have you!
$150 tournament dues include:
*18 holes with cart at The Legends Country Club
*Beer, soda, water on the course
*Boxed lunch and snacks
*Sponsor-provided door prizes
*Tournament awards
*19th hole celebration
*Silent auction
*Beer, soda, water on the course
*Boxed lunch and snacks
*Sponsor-provided door prizes
*Tournament awards
*19th hole celebration
*Silent auction
$35 19th hole celebration for any non-golfers
*Food, soda, water, beer provided
*Wine and spirits available at cash bar
*Silent auction, raffle baskets
*5:00 p.m.
*Wine and spirits available at cash bar
*Silent auction, raffle baskets
*5:00 p.m.
HOW TO REGISTER:
1. Online: form.jotform.com/heinestrong/golf
2. Mail:
Brian Heine
9845 Gerald Drive
St. Louis, MO 63128
1. Online: form.jotform.com/heinestrong/golf
2. Mail:
Brian Heine
9845 Gerald Drive
St. Louis, MO 63128
Quick Brian update:
Things are getting better. Brian is still waiting to get his kidney/bladder stones removed. Hopefully that happens soon. His heart wasn't functioning properly when he was in septic shock, but thank goodness, that is improving. Brian will see a specialist to monitor his progress. Blood sugars are a bit whacky, but that could also be infection related. He's just keeping me on my toes!
Things are getting better. Brian is still waiting to get his kidney/bladder stones removed. Hopefully that happens soon. His heart wasn't functioning properly when he was in septic shock, but thank goodness, that is improving. Brian will see a specialist to monitor his progress. Blood sugars are a bit whacky, but that could also be infection related. He's just keeping me on my toes!
Brian's been busy working on the golf tournament, which he really enjoys doing. It gives him a sense of purpose.
Thank you for the Amazon Wishlist donations and other donated items. Your generosity is truly overwhelming and humbling. I know we continue to say that, but I have no better words to describe our gratitude.
If you know anyone that may be interested in caring for Brian a few days a week while I'm a work, please send me a message or email Brian at bheine12@gmail.com for more details!
Monday, July 15, 2019
Friday, July 12, 2019
Brian Update
July 12, 2019
It's been quite a week for Brian. I had to call the ambulance on Sunday morning because he wasn't feeling well. Brian ended up in septic shock and has been in the ICU ever since. Doctors found a kidney stone that was obstructing the kidney, which caused an infection. Unfortunately, that infection moved into the bloodstream. Brian also had a bad UTI, most likely resulting from the kidney issues He still has several kidney stones that need to be removed, but that can't happen until the infection is completely gone.
The good news is Brian is responding well to the IV meds they are giving him. If his next blood culture comes back negative, we can hopefully head home in a few more days.
Being back in the ICU brings up tough memories.from when this all began. Luckily, Brian is in great spirits and the staff loves him. We are very appreciative of the amazing care he's receiving.
We welcome any prayers/good thoughts/positive vibes you send our way.
On a side note...Brian is on my "heine" to send out a golf update. I will try to post that tomorrow. Thank you for all of the donations and sponsorships for the tournament. We've been receiving items from the Amazon Wishlist each day to use in our raffle baskets for the 19th hole celebration. We continue to be humbled by the kindness and generosity of everyone. xoxo
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
July Update
July 3, 2019
Happy Summer from the Heines!
Brian is busy planning his golf tournament. It's neat to see him so involved in the process and have a "sense of purpose" as he likes to say. Health has been relatively good. We've had many issues with his catheter and landed in the ER with a two-night stay at the beginning of June. He has 6-7 kidney stones that will be removed in a few weeks. Other than that, his neck continues to get stronger each day.
We met with the neurosurgeon regarding the nerve transplant surgery. He's not a good candidate YET, but the doc hasn't ruled it out for the future. Brian needs to get more activation with a shoulder shrug in his trap muscles. They will serve as the donor nerves. The good news is the receiving nerves in his lower arms are good to go! It wasn't exactly the news Brian wanted to hear, but we're holding on to the "YET."
Summer has been a little hard for us. We find ourselves getting stuck in the past....what we used to do, vacations, trips to see friends, and little things like running an errand whenever we needed to. Delivery services like DoorDash, InstaCart, and Shipt have become lifesavers for me.
We celebrated our 20-year anniversary the same night the Blues won the Stanley Cup! Yay us and yay Blues! It was so much fun watching the playoffs and I was sad to see it end.
The girls are doing well. They take full advantage of sleeping in and enjoying a less hectic summer schedule.
*********************************************************************************
Registration for The First Annual Brian Heine Benefit Golf Tournament is OPEN!
You can register with the following link: form.jotform.com/heinestrong/golf or send payment to Brian through the mail at: 9845 Gerald Drive. St. Louis, MO 63128. If you would like a electronic copy of the brochure, just send us your email and we will be happy to get one out to you!
So many people have reached out wanting to donate to the fundraiser. Thank you thank you for your kindness!
Here are a few ways to help:
Brian Heine
If you are an out-of-town golfer and need to rent clubs, please email Brian at bheine12@gmail.com.
Anyone have a beer connection? Let Brian know! Rest assured though, his TOP priority is to make sure people have fun and drinks are flowing the day of the tournament. Brian's willing to sell his body to get money for the beer, but he says he won't get much for it because it doesn't work the way it used to. Brian had another thought to have a dunking booth with him in his electric wheelchair. I guess that's one way to have a fun time?!? It'd be a time you won't forget...haha! He's still got that inappropriate humor, what can I say?
Here are a few ways to help:
- Amazon Wish List for Golf Tournament Items will be used to create raffle baskets.
- Unused gift cards or unopened items around the house you don't need. We'd be happy to take them off your hands. :)
- Various sponsorship levels (see the sponsorship letter below)
- Donations for silent auction.
- $10 (or more) gift cards
We are happy to pick up the items or they can be mailed to:
Brian Heine
9845 Gerald Dr.y
St. Louis, MO 63128
The money we raise will go directly to paying for caretakers and monthly costs for supplies and medications not covered by insurance. One hour of care is $25 out-of-pocket. We were able to afford 4 hours a day when I returned to work and hope to pay for more after the tournament.
If you are an out-of-town golfer and need to rent clubs, please email Brian at bheine12@gmail.com.
Anyone have a beer connection? Let Brian know! Rest assured though, his TOP priority is to make sure people have fun and drinks are flowing the day of the tournament. Brian's willing to sell his body to get money for the beer, but he says he won't get much for it because it doesn't work the way it used to. Brian had another thought to have a dunking booth with him in his electric wheelchair. I guess that's one way to have a fun time?!? It'd be a time you won't forget...haha! He's still got that inappropriate humor, what can I say?
We cannot fully express the love and support we've received throughout this journey. It's a very humbling experience and I don't know what we'd do without our supporters!
NOTE: Click on the brochure to enlarge.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
April Update
4/30/19
My goal was to update monthly, but somehow, two months flew by! We only missed a few holidays this go around, so we are improving. :)
Things continue to be uneventful at the Heine house. Brian is doing well medically, all things considered. Sleep is inconsistent and there are times I feel like we are on a reality show to see how many consecutive nights Brian can stay awake...LOL...not a game I'd recommend to anyone. :)
Brian's neck strength is improving. He held his head upright for 8 minutes, which is pretty fantastic! I'm praying this trend continues. On Friday, Brian received a call from his neurosurgeon to consult with one of his colleagues about the possibility of nerve transfer surgery. This surgery could potentially give Brian movement in his arms. Brian's having a nerve conduction test in 2 weeks to begin this process. "Cautiously optimistic" is how we are taking this news...it's a glimmer of hope we haven't had. Specific prayers requested for Brian that the conduction test will go well, so he can hopefully be a good candidate for the surgery.
Over Spring Break, we took a trip to visit one of Brian's former customers, Cope Plastics. They have been an awesome supporter of Brian during this journey and it was neat to meet everyone in person. He loved catching up with old friends and hearing about the latest and greatest about the lucrative industry of plastics. :)
The kids are doing great! Lindbergh hosted the Missouri StuCo Convention and it was unbelievable! I saw the blood, sweat, and tears Kenzie put into helping plan this event, but I had NO idea how amazing it would be. I'm so proud of Kenzie for taking a leadership role of co-president and I am beyond thrilled with the way the ENTIRE Lindbergh council worked together to ROCK the event!
Maddie just made freshmen cheerleading for Lindbergh...GO FLYERS! She's so excited for high school and can't wait to show her school spirit! Maddie will also be running for a position on Student Council before the end of the school year. She attended the StuCo convention and loved it! In March, Maddie received the Hawkins Award recognizing her "above and beyond" efforts to help others. This was given to her by Truman Middle School and the Lindbergh Schools Builders Club. We are very proud of her!
EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT! Registration for The First Annual Brian Heine Benefit Golf Tournament is OPEN! Brian has worked so hard with the help of friends and family to create the brochure and has begun planning special events for the day. The brochure and sponsorship letter are below for anyone interested. There are different levels of sponsorship outlined in the letter below. Proceeds will help cover the cost of Brian's daily care. We are hopeful the event will be a huge success!
Registration info is included on the brochure, but you can also register with the following link: form.jotform.com/heinestrong/golf
We are looking for connections to anyone that can get beer, soda, and water donated, along with Silent Auction items. Let us know if you may be able to help! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
NOTE: Click on the photos to enlarge them.
My goal was to update monthly, but somehow, two months flew by! We only missed a few holidays this go around, so we are improving. :)
Things continue to be uneventful at the Heine house. Brian is doing well medically, all things considered. Sleep is inconsistent and there are times I feel like we are on a reality show to see how many consecutive nights Brian can stay awake...LOL...not a game I'd recommend to anyone. :)
Brian's neck strength is improving. He held his head upright for 8 minutes, which is pretty fantastic! I'm praying this trend continues. On Friday, Brian received a call from his neurosurgeon to consult with one of his colleagues about the possibility of nerve transfer surgery. This surgery could potentially give Brian movement in his arms. Brian's having a nerve conduction test in 2 weeks to begin this process. "Cautiously optimistic" is how we are taking this news...it's a glimmer of hope we haven't had. Specific prayers requested for Brian that the conduction test will go well, so he can hopefully be a good candidate for the surgery.
Over Spring Break, we took a trip to visit one of Brian's former customers, Cope Plastics. They have been an awesome supporter of Brian during this journey and it was neat to meet everyone in person. He loved catching up with old friends and hearing about the latest and greatest about the lucrative industry of plastics. :)
The kids are doing great! Lindbergh hosted the Missouri StuCo Convention and it was unbelievable! I saw the blood, sweat, and tears Kenzie put into helping plan this event, but I had NO idea how amazing it would be. I'm so proud of Kenzie for taking a leadership role of co-president and I am beyond thrilled with the way the ENTIRE Lindbergh council worked together to ROCK the event!
Maddie just made freshmen cheerleading for Lindbergh...GO FLYERS! She's so excited for high school and can't wait to show her school spirit! Maddie will also be running for a position on Student Council before the end of the school year. She attended the StuCo convention and loved it! In March, Maddie received the Hawkins Award recognizing her "above and beyond" efforts to help others. This was given to her by Truman Middle School and the Lindbergh Schools Builders Club. We are very proud of her!
EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT! Registration for The First Annual Brian Heine Benefit Golf Tournament is OPEN! Brian has worked so hard with the help of friends and family to create the brochure and has begun planning special events for the day. The brochure and sponsorship letter are below for anyone interested. There are different levels of sponsorship outlined in the letter below. Proceeds will help cover the cost of Brian's daily care. We are hopeful the event will be a huge success!
Registration info is included on the brochure, but you can also register with the following link: form.jotform.com/heinestrong/golf
We are looking for connections to anyone that can get beer, soda, and water donated, along with Silent Auction items. Let us know if you may be able to help! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Greetings from the Heines
February 27, 2019
Well, to say we haven't updated in a long time is an understatement. I was going to say it's been "awhile" or "a while", but couldn't figure out which to use. LOL...
We'd like to begin by saying Happy Belated Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's Day, and Happy Groundhog's Day.
We are getting into a good routine and things have been uneventful, which in our minds, is positive. Brian is doing well. He's medically stable, but still inappropriate. Again, we view this as a positive thing, as Brian still has his wit and wicked sense of humor. Brian receives physical and occupational therapy to stimulate his muscles and strengthen his neck. We hope to ditch the head pads as soon as he can control his head independently.
Brian has working hard on his first annual golf tournament coming September 26, 2019 at The Legends Country Club in Eureka, MO. More information about this exciting event will be posted soon. I'm keeping Brian busy with a long "honey do" list each day.
I returned to work at the beginning of January. It was a bit nerve-racking at first for both of us. We'd been together around the clock since this injury happened. I can definitely say I missed him traveling. :) I love being back at work. It's great to see my colleagues, and the kiddos energize me. I'm lucky to have a job I love!
Kenzie is doing very well. Her high school is hosting the state convention for Student Council, which is a huge honor. She is the co-president for this major event and has been working her heine off to make it a success. Fingers crossed the weather cooperates next weekend so that kids from across the state can travel safely to St. Louis. Kenzie is also now a working woman. She is beginning to understand the value of a dollar and learn that money doesn't grow on trees. Kenzie selected her senior courses for next year and I'm in shock that she won't be with us much longer.
Maddie is doing great! She just finished her cheerleading season at school. She was voted Miss Congeniality by her cheer coach who described Maddie as having sass and class. Ha! That's pretty spot on. Maddie joined Student Council at her school. She was named Guidance Student of the Month for December. We just finished completing her high school course selection for her freshmen. I cannot believe it. Maddie wants to be a Physical Therapist and work at Craig.
Elsie is still the furry baby princess of the house. As much as I'd like to say I am her master, she really owns me. So much for all the training books I read before we adopted her.
Well, to say we haven't updated in a long time is an understatement. I was going to say it's been "awhile" or "a while", but couldn't figure out which to use. LOL...
We'd like to begin by saying Happy Belated Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's Day, and Happy Groundhog's Day.
We are getting into a good routine and things have been uneventful, which in our minds, is positive. Brian is doing well. He's medically stable, but still inappropriate. Again, we view this as a positive thing, as Brian still has his wit and wicked sense of humor. Brian receives physical and occupational therapy to stimulate his muscles and strengthen his neck. We hope to ditch the head pads as soon as he can control his head independently.
Brian has working hard on his first annual golf tournament coming September 26, 2019 at The Legends Country Club in Eureka, MO. More information about this exciting event will be posted soon. I'm keeping Brian busy with a long "honey do" list each day.
I returned to work at the beginning of January. It was a bit nerve-racking at first for both of us. We'd been together around the clock since this injury happened. I can definitely say I missed him traveling. :) I love being back at work. It's great to see my colleagues, and the kiddos energize me. I'm lucky to have a job I love!
Kenzie is doing very well. Her high school is hosting the state convention for Student Council, which is a huge honor. She is the co-president for this major event and has been working her heine off to make it a success. Fingers crossed the weather cooperates next weekend so that kids from across the state can travel safely to St. Louis. Kenzie is also now a working woman. She is beginning to understand the value of a dollar and learn that money doesn't grow on trees. Kenzie selected her senior courses for next year and I'm in shock that she won't be with us much longer.
Maddie is doing great! She just finished her cheerleading season at school. She was voted Miss Congeniality by her cheer coach who described Maddie as having sass and class. Ha! That's pretty spot on. Maddie joined Student Council at her school. She was named Guidance Student of the Month for December. We just finished completing her high school course selection for her freshmen. I cannot believe it. Maddie wants to be a Physical Therapist and work at Craig.
Elsie is still the furry baby princess of the house. As much as I'd like to say I am her master, she really owns me. So much for all the training books I read before we adopted her.
We are so thankful for the support we continue to receive from everyone. Our family has been amazing helping out with Brian while I'm at work, helping me with his cares, and keeping Brian company.
P.S. Apparently photography hasn't been at the top of my list as I have no photos of the family except this one at Halloween. Maddie was Eleven from Stranger Things.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)