After a busy Thanksgiving holiday, we are now in full Christmas mode and SOOO much is happening!

Kyle continues to make progress in his rehab and we received some of the best news yesterday that Kyle has been accepted into the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fisherville, VA and will be going there on Monday, January 4th. He'll be there for an undetermined amount of time while they focus on sharpening his activities of daily living, physical therapy, and independence skills. Also, they will be working closing to work with him in the vocational skills area, getting him ready to go back to work and school. His family is thrilled that this is happening so fast after his discharge from Kluge, so that he can really continue to focus on his recovery.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy continue in the home and we have a wonderful home aid, Sam, that stays with Kyle during the day to help him out. Kyle's physical health is good and he loves getting visitors at home!

Christmas is extra special this year with Kyle home and then getting ready for the next phase of his life. Our family wish you all a very Happy Holiday season and we pray for your good health and success in 2010!

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Our family had so much to be thankful for, mostly for Kyle coming home and being able to spend the holiday at home! We had a wonderful day with family and good food and Kyle enjoyed just getting out and about.

He's had a busy week and a half home and is beginning to get into a regular routine. PT and OT have started coming into the house and working with him 3 times a week, and he is working very hard to become more independent. As much as we all want this to happen, we have to keep reminding ourselves that it will take more time and we need not rush his progress. He's doing a great job transferring into his wheelchair, mostly by himself, and has even been able to go out on his own with some friends for a couple of hours last weekend!

Last night, we were fortunate enough to get tickets for seats at the National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse in Washington, DC., and sat only a few rows away from the President and his family. Kyle just loved being out of the house and did so very well with the huge crowd. This injury has proved to us that while we have to take more time to go places and be more aware of our surroundings, it will not prevent Kyle from participating in and enjoying outings. We found the crowds to be very respectful of him, always asking if we need any assistance, and overall being very accepting of his situation. This wasn't always the case in the past and we find it very refreshing that people we've never met make an effort now to say hello or offer assistance.

Kyle has some minor medical procedures taking place in the next couple of weeks and we will be travelling back to Kluge for some follow up, which will allow Kyle to visit his friends and staff.

While you are busy preparing for your holiday plans, please know that our family is very appreciative of EVERYTHING that you have done for Kyle, from your prayers, donations, gift, emails and cards. We could not have gotten through this without you and we are feeling truly blessed that Kyle is now home and able to get on with his life.

When he was asked on Thanksgiving day what he was thankful for, Kyle answered "a second chance." All of his family second that and are just thankful that we have that second chance to allow him to live his life to the fullest and please know that you are all a part of the second chance.

Make sure you take the time this holiday season to tell those you love how much you appreciate them and how happy you are that they are in your life.

Below is a picture of our good friend, Diane Dawson and Kyle at the National Christmas Tree Lighting, December 3, 2009.

A New Beginning...

After 4 long months, Kyle will be coming home tomorrow, Tuesday, November 24th. He has been working so hard to regain as much independence as possible so he's on his way home...just in time for the holidays!

It's been a busy couple of weeks for Kyle, with some great news - he is now able to wiggle his toes on his right foot and lift up, ever so slightly, his right leg! This is wonderful news meaning that the nerve connections in his spinal cord are making connections with his muscles. Kyle's PT's, Marc and Brian, have been working with this new discovery to continue to strengthen his legs. Kyle is now able to transfer himself from the bed to the wheelchair and back in to bed. This is all wonderful news and will allow him to continue to work on his activities of daily living at home.

Kyle will be home for about 6 weeks and then go to the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fisherville, VA. We're not sure the exact time frame he will be there, but it could be 1 to 3 months. They will work with him to strengthen his already developed skills and help him with vocational skills to get him ready for work, college and more independence.

Kyle has also been working hard to educate the public about his story and the dangers of driving drowsy. He was featured on WUSA Channel 9 two weeks ago. Here's the link to view the broadcast - http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=93566

He appreciates everyone contacting him and sending cards and letters. His new address for those who want to continue to write to him is:

Kyle Preston
60 Larkwood Court
Stafford, VA 22554

We'll be sure and post some pictures of his coming home!

Kyle continues to make good progress. We have a definite return home date of November 24th! Just in time for Thanksgiving and Kyle's favorite holiday for food!!

He's working hard in physical therapy and occupational therapy and we are now starting to evaluate equipment and determine what he's going to need to come home. He continues to work hard on transferring from the bed to the wheelchair and back...it's not as easy as it looks! He'll continue with outpatient therapy when he returns home in a few weeks.

Then, he'll get ready for his next journey to the Woodrow Wilson Rehab Center in Fisherville, where they will access his condition and work on sharpening his skills in areas such as computers. He will start that program on January 4th.

Thanks to everyone that has offered their assistance in helping us get the house ready for Kyle's homecoming. We'll be calling you all very soon!

The holidays will have a special meaning for us this year as we celebrate Kyle coming home and just being thankful that we can all be together!

More soon!

It's been a busy couple of weeks for everyone..sorry for the delay. Let's get you updated on Kyle's progress.

The biggest and best news is that his neck has healed wonderfully from the surgery back in August. It's been almost 3 months and Kyle has done everything right...tolerated the halo well, done really well in the new neck brace and now his medical team takes off the neck brace at least one hour a day. This decision was made on Tuesday, and so Tuesday, the brace was off for one hour. Each day, an hour is added to remove the brace so that Kyle can get used to not having anything on his neck and start to learn different therapy methods to get around! They will do another set of xrays on day 24, just to make everything is still good, and then no more brace! Very exciting!

We have a target date of November 24th for Kyle to be released from KCRC. Thanksgiving will be extra special this year! In the next few weeks, Kyle will be working super hard to concentrate on his activities of daily living, or ADL's as we call them such as doing laundry, cooking, bathing, brushing teeth, shaving, everything that is done is every day life. He will also have another trip outside KCRC to go shopping next week!

Kyle is doing a great job handling all the different aspects in life. He is handling things in a very mature manner and continues to strive for his independence. The holidays will be extra special for everyone this year since he will be home.

Again, we'd like to thank everyone that contributed to the benefit concert evening at the University Cafe for everyone that has made a donation to the medical fund. All of the proceeds will help as we are learning about all the equipment Kyle will need to successfully gain his independence back. Insurance doesn't cover much of what is needed, so everything that people have so kindly given will be used for this equipment.

The family is working on establishing a foundation in Kyle's name to help bring awareness of drowsy driving to the public and hopes to be able to even establish a scholarship for students at his high school, North Stafford High! If bringing this issue of drowsy driving to the forefront helps even a handful of people a year, then Kyle's desire of this not happening to others will come true.

In November, there are several events happening that will benefit the Medical Fund. On November 12th, a talent show at North Stafford High School take place. The cost of admission will be $5 with all the proceeds going to Kyle's fund. It begins at 7:00 pm and will take place in the NSHS Auditorium.

Also, on November 19th at CiCi's in North Stafford at the Doc Stone location, a fundraiser will take place. We invite you to come and enjoy a great dinner where part of the evenings proceeds will go to the medical fund as well.

The family would like to thank Barbara Smiley and NSHS SCA and advisor Pam Smith for making these events a reality. Kyle has a very strong loyalty to his school and all these events make him smile - he just wishes he could be part of them. But he is in spirit!

Kyle still loves to get cards and here from friends, so feel free to drop him a note. We'd hoped that he would be home a little sooner, but we feel the training and rehab he is getting at KCRC is top notch and they want to continue to work with him to help get him in the best shape to come home and get back to life in Stafford!

It's been a busy week for Kyle! On Tuesday, he had his first trip outside the Rehab center and his medical team let him pick the location...he chose Red Lobster! Kyle had a great time and did really well! The trip is to help him begin to adjust to life outside the center and in a wheelchair. Kyle was remarkably poised and calm, even when there were issues with furniture permanently placed in the way of getting to the table. It's incredible how many businesses set up their locations and they are not easily accessible via a wheelchair. Makes you think!

Team meeting was held yesterday and Kyle continues to make good progress with his rehab. He is meeting some of his goals, able to set new goals and continues to work hard on goals a little harder to reach.

Kyle will have another evaluation on his neck next week to determine whether or not he has to have more surgery. Keep your fingers crossed that all has healed well and he'll be cleared on the orthopedic side.

He wants to thank everyone that has donated items for the Benefit this weekend at the University Cafe in Fredericksburg. There is over 50 items for raffle and over 20 items for silent auctions! Businesses, friends and family have been SOOO supportive of this effort. There are raffle items from restaurant, retail stores, nail salons, massages, car washes and MUCH More including the big prize - $250 gift card from Wegmans! We love Wegmans!! Silent auction items range from a brand new recliner, health club memberships, hand made wicker baskets full of goodies, electric guitars, and much more! We have even been given a week at a beautiful oceanfront condo in Ocean City!!

We hope to see you on Saturday for an evening of fun and friendship!

What a week it's been! Kyle has finally had the halo removed and it's been replaced with a more open neck brace. At one point, the next brace was so uncomfortable that Kyle was asking to have the halo put BACK ON! his medical team made some adjustments and that seemed to do the trick. In three weeks, his Orthopedic team will administer a "flex test" on his neck and if he passes that test, he will be cleared from an orthopedic standpoint to come home. If he fails that test, he will most likely need additional surgery, which would put him in the hospital for at least another 3 weeks.

Physical therapy is going well and he's learning more and more every day. He was in occupational therapy kitchen and made his signature dish, chicken Parmesan with some assistance!

His appetite is back in full force, asking for everything from Five Guys burgers to Taco Bell to Cracker Barrell for breakfast! He energy levels are up, even thought he's finding it tough to drink the needed amount of fluids every day. His wonderful nursing staff make sure he's drinking what he needs to drink though!

It was a busy weekend for Kyle as many friends and family came to visit. It was wonderful to see him laughing and smiling with family and this seemed to bring a sense of normalcy back to life.

He has a busy week ahead of him and we have another team meeting with his med staff to chart out the next few weeks of his stay. Looks as if he could be home as early as the first part of November, and then home for the holidays and then to the Woodrow Wilson Rehab Center in Fisherville the first part of January.

Hope to see everyone at the Benefit Concert this coming weekend. Adam and Diane Dawson have done a MARVELOUS job of getting fantastic performers and dozens and dozens of raffle tickets and silent auction items! Thanks also to Carol Major who has been pounding the pavement and getting all kinds of donations for the event, as well as Barb and Jessica James and Theresa Barraclough. We are truly blessed to have you in our lives and here for Kyle. Thank you so much for ALL your support.

If you are unable to come to the event and would like to purchase raffle tickets, you can purchase them with the PayPal account set up on this site. They are $1 a piece and you do not have to be present to win. We will be posting all the raffle items later today. Just make the comment "raffle tickets" if you purchase through PayPal. We will be selling them at the event as well.

Thanks again everyone for your notes and calls! Your thoughts and prayers are getting Kyle through the toughest days of his recovery....and they are working!