August 1st was a bittersweet date for our family as it marked the one year anniversary of Kyle's accident. We were fortunate enough to spend that week in the Outer Banks of North Carolina with our dear friends the Grants, the Goods, the Drurys and the Schwendemans. While the accident last year was certainly a turning point in Kyle's life as well as the family, we are so proud of him and what he has been able to achieve in 12 months!
Kyle graduated from North Stafford High School in June and participated in the ceremony at the school. It was so wonderful for him and for us to celebrate his remarkable achievement and finish up his last three classes that year, mostly from a hospital bed. This could not have occurred without the assistance of Barbara Smiley, Susan Weber, Mrs. Gingrich and the rest of the faculty at North Stafford High School. They did everything they could to make sure Kyle had all the resources he needed to finish up and get his diploma. Kyle worked very hard and at times it was very tough, but he accomplished his task and everyone is so very proud of him!
The "man cave" is finally finished and Kyle has moved into the basement of his dreams. Like we promised, a 52 inch flat screen HD television was installed on his wall (we would get this for him only if he graduated on time...amazing was electronics can do to motivate a kid!), furniture, wonderful new bathroom and all his gaming tools are now in place...and we don't see him much upstairs! He's very comfortable down there and is happy to have a place where he can entertain his friends and spend some time with them.
He continues to work hard on keeping his body in shape and taking care of himself physically. He begins an extensive aquatic physical therapy program for 4 weeks at the National Rehabilitation Program in Washington, D.C. on Sept 10th. This will allow him to get familiar with mass transit and testing out everything he has learned from months of therapy and support from some of the best in the field. He's nervous but excited at the same time that he'll be able to explore on his own again. After this therapy, he will continue PT in Stafford and build up more strength to get ready to begin college in January.
While at the beach, we reflected on the past year and Kyle was able to talk openly and candidly about it. He continues to ask questions about what we remember when we first saw him in the ICU at Mary Washington and he talks about what and how he felt during the weeks after the accident. He is of the mindset that yes, this happened, and yes, I am in a wheelchair, but I am still alive and thankful for that. He just wishes that others will learn about what has happened and what something like not getting enough sleep can do to do and those around you that love and care for you. We are very proud of Kyle, what he's been able to accomplish but yet at the same time, scared for what the future may hold for him. You only want what's best for your loved ones, and we have never wanted less for Kyle. We are sure that he will overcome his future challenges and use his experience to help others....we couldn't ask for more.
More soon!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
It's Finally Spring
Sorry for the length of time that we've posted, but things have been quite busy and getting Kyle settled at home has been a big priority. Kyle came home from Woodrow Wilson Rehab Center on Friday, March 12th having met most of his rehab goals! After being there every week since January 4th, he has built up his strength, mastered his transfers (from bed to wheelchair, wheelchair to chair), able to go up curbs at least 3 inches high and many more daily activities of independence that we are able to do without thinking twice.
We continue to work on renovating our basement with the help of some of the most wonderful people - Gary Daniels, Tim Albright, and Cathy who have spearheaded the project, bringing in experienced laborers, electricians, plumbers and the most wonderful tile man I've ever met, to make the basement Kyle's Man Cave. We hope to have everything done in a few weeks and then Kyle can move out of the upstairs family room and into his newly renovated digs!
Kyle is under the care now of a wonderful Physiatrist - an M.D. that specializes in rehabilitation medicine. Gary and Kyle went to see her last Friday where she performed an initial evaluation of him - she actually met Kyle for the first time when he was in Intensive Care at Mary Washington Hospital - and she is telling us she wants to change his condition from at C6 complete Quadrilplegic to a C7 Incomplete Quad....this means his level of injury to his spinal cord is actually lower than initially thought, as he is able to move more of his limbs and has regained some of his lower body sensations! This is wonderful news as now, she believes that with adaptive equipment, he will one day be able to stand and possibly walk with the help of braces and crutches! This was wonderful news, news that we always hoped we would hear from someone.
He will start an intensive outpatient physical therapy regimine 3 days a week including aquatic therapy and she hopes to strengthen his mid section to support his weight a little bit more. We are so optomistic of her findings and Kyle wants to work hard to achieve these goals.
Over the summer, Kyle will concentrate on finding some work in the area to get him out of the house a little more and try to continue to learn more independence skills and get into a community college this fall and take some classes.
Our family continues to receive so much love and support and we are just so appreciative of everything that has been done and continues to be done for us. Kyle is a very lucky kid to have so many people care about him and our family is truly blessed to have these people in our lives. We are looking forward to getting together with friends and family again in early summer at a fundraiser that is being put together in Alexandria. Kyle's got a few pieces of exercise equipment that he needs in order to stay in shape and stay strong and our family is putting a fundraiser together to help with the purchase of all the equipment...we're so very lucky.
We continue to work on renovating our basement with the help of some of the most wonderful people - Gary Daniels, Tim Albright, and Cathy who have spearheaded the project, bringing in experienced laborers, electricians, plumbers and the most wonderful tile man I've ever met, to make the basement Kyle's Man Cave. We hope to have everything done in a few weeks and then Kyle can move out of the upstairs family room and into his newly renovated digs!
Kyle is under the care now of a wonderful Physiatrist - an M.D. that specializes in rehabilitation medicine. Gary and Kyle went to see her last Friday where she performed an initial evaluation of him - she actually met Kyle for the first time when he was in Intensive Care at Mary Washington Hospital - and she is telling us she wants to change his condition from at C6 complete Quadrilplegic to a C7 Incomplete Quad....this means his level of injury to his spinal cord is actually lower than initially thought, as he is able to move more of his limbs and has regained some of his lower body sensations! This is wonderful news as now, she believes that with adaptive equipment, he will one day be able to stand and possibly walk with the help of braces and crutches! This was wonderful news, news that we always hoped we would hear from someone.
He will start an intensive outpatient physical therapy regimine 3 days a week including aquatic therapy and she hopes to strengthen his mid section to support his weight a little bit more. We are so optomistic of her findings and Kyle wants to work hard to achieve these goals.
Over the summer, Kyle will concentrate on finding some work in the area to get him out of the house a little more and try to continue to learn more independence skills and get into a community college this fall and take some classes.
Our family continues to receive so much love and support and we are just so appreciative of everything that has been done and continues to be done for us. Kyle is a very lucky kid to have so many people care about him and our family is truly blessed to have these people in our lives. We are looking forward to getting together with friends and family again in early summer at a fundraiser that is being put together in Alexandria. Kyle's got a few pieces of exercise equipment that he needs in order to stay in shape and stay strong and our family is putting a fundraiser together to help with the purchase of all the equipment...we're so very lucky.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Hello everyone! Sorry it's been so long since we last posted. It's been a VERY busy time for us and we are still in the midst of a lot of changes and renovations and rehab and work and ....just a busy time!
As many of you know, Kyle left for the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fishersville, VA, just outside of Staunton, VA on January 4th. He is in the inpatient rehab therapy facility and works with their Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Vocational Rehabilitation area. He is there Monday through Friday and then home on the weekends. When he first entered, a long list of goals were set for him such as being able to transfer from the wheelchair to the bed, chairs, and car, being able to work in the kitchen, do laundry, clean -yes clean-, dress, all these wonderful things that those of us not in a wheelchair and that have use of all our limbs take for granted....he works very hard to achieve these goals and is doing a tremendous job.
It was a little rocky at first, but Kyle has developed great working relationships with his PT and OT staff and has been able to reach most of the goals that have been set for him! He is now able to do so many things on his own or with minimal assistance and we expect Kyle him permanently by March 5th!
The week of Feb 22nd, Kyle will start the Vocational Rehab part of his stay, where they will work closely with him to determine what skills he does best to get him ready for the working world. He hopes to go back to work part-time at Wegmans when he comes home and they will get him ready for that! Things like handling money, operating a computerized cash register...all those things. Then, they will focus in on the skills he does best and might want to carry over for a more permanent job in his future...He's not quite sure what he really wants to do as a career, so this program may help him come up with a list of things he can do really well and then he can work from there.
We are busy working on the basement, or his "Man-Cave" to have ready for him when he comes home. We have been very blessed to have some wonderful friends in the construction business who have volunteered their time and talents, especially with the very difficult bathroom set up we've had to build. We can't thank them enough for all they've done! The basement won't quite be finished when Kyle comes home but when it's done, we will be holding a "Welcome Home" party for all Kyle's friends and our family! We'll be sure and let you know when that will be. We've been faced with snowstorms just about every weekend since early January that has pushed our renovation schedule back at least a month..what a pain this snow has been!
Kyle is also very blessed to have some wonderful people that held a fundraiser for his medical fund. The Falls Run Players, a group of very talented people in the Falls Run community in Stafford, held a weekend of skits and plays for audiences the weekend of January 13th. Kyle was home that weekend and we were invited to come and see their performance! What a wonderful evening! So many thanks to Jodi Trzyna for organizing this event and to all the performers! Kyle was just overwhelmed with appreciation for what everyone did for him and they were able to raise over $2000 for his fund! It's just so touching that people who had never met Kyle have done so much to help him...we could never thank them enough. We hope now that these friends will stay in our lives for a long time!!!
Kyle faces new challenges every day and he has had wonderful direction from great professionals who have taught him how to approach these challenges. He does a great job trying to become more independent and rely less on people to help him. He will always need some element of help, but he try's very hard to minimize that. We're very proud of him and what he has been able to accomplish since he was released from Mary Washington in August. We hope to be able to continue to find programs for him that will help him continue to learn independence and skills.
Thank you again to everyone that has written, called, stopped by and to say hello to Kyle or just give words of encouragement and support. We all appreciate it so much!
More soon - I promise!
As many of you know, Kyle left for the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fishersville, VA, just outside of Staunton, VA on January 4th. He is in the inpatient rehab therapy facility and works with their Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Vocational Rehabilitation area. He is there Monday through Friday and then home on the weekends. When he first entered, a long list of goals were set for him such as being able to transfer from the wheelchair to the bed, chairs, and car, being able to work in the kitchen, do laundry, clean -yes clean-, dress, all these wonderful things that those of us not in a wheelchair and that have use of all our limbs take for granted....he works very hard to achieve these goals and is doing a tremendous job.
It was a little rocky at first, but Kyle has developed great working relationships with his PT and OT staff and has been able to reach most of the goals that have been set for him! He is now able to do so many things on his own or with minimal assistance and we expect Kyle him permanently by March 5th!
The week of Feb 22nd, Kyle will start the Vocational Rehab part of his stay, where they will work closely with him to determine what skills he does best to get him ready for the working world. He hopes to go back to work part-time at Wegmans when he comes home and they will get him ready for that! Things like handling money, operating a computerized cash register...all those things. Then, they will focus in on the skills he does best and might want to carry over for a more permanent job in his future...He's not quite sure what he really wants to do as a career, so this program may help him come up with a list of things he can do really well and then he can work from there.
We are busy working on the basement, or his "Man-Cave" to have ready for him when he comes home. We have been very blessed to have some wonderful friends in the construction business who have volunteered their time and talents, especially with the very difficult bathroom set up we've had to build. We can't thank them enough for all they've done! The basement won't quite be finished when Kyle comes home but when it's done, we will be holding a "Welcome Home" party for all Kyle's friends and our family! We'll be sure and let you know when that will be. We've been faced with snowstorms just about every weekend since early January that has pushed our renovation schedule back at least a month..what a pain this snow has been!
Kyle is also very blessed to have some wonderful people that held a fundraiser for his medical fund. The Falls Run Players, a group of very talented people in the Falls Run community in Stafford, held a weekend of skits and plays for audiences the weekend of January 13th. Kyle was home that weekend and we were invited to come and see their performance! What a wonderful evening! So many thanks to Jodi Trzyna for organizing this event and to all the performers! Kyle was just overwhelmed with appreciation for what everyone did for him and they were able to raise over $2000 for his fund! It's just so touching that people who had never met Kyle have done so much to help him...we could never thank them enough. We hope now that these friends will stay in our lives for a long time!!!
Kyle faces new challenges every day and he has had wonderful direction from great professionals who have taught him how to approach these challenges. He does a great job trying to become more independent and rely less on people to help him. He will always need some element of help, but he try's very hard to minimize that. We're very proud of him and what he has been able to accomplish since he was released from Mary Washington in August. We hope to be able to continue to find programs for him that will help him continue to learn independence and skills.
Thank you again to everyone that has written, called, stopped by and to say hello to Kyle or just give words of encouragement and support. We all appreciate it so much!
More soon - I promise!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
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!
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!
Friday, December 4, 2009
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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.
Monday, November 23, 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!
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!
Friday, November 6, 2009
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!
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!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
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!
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!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
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!
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!
Monday, October 12, 2009
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!
Monday, October 5, 2009
What amazing progress! Kyle is doing outstanding with his activities of daily living and is smiling, laughing and eating again! He continues to impress his medical team with his determination and perseverance and wants to accomplish just about every task on his own. He has the desire to work hard to achieve his daily goals - helping to get dressed, working on transferring from the bed to the wheelchair, being able to sit in his chair for hours at a time text messaging friends and watching t.v. It's truly like life before the accident, only he's sitting in a wheelchair! He has a great outlook now and wants to work hard to come home and spend time in his "man cave" and is now looking forward to getting back to work at Wegman's and getting enrolled in some online classes!
We are still waiting to here when Kyle will be going to the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fisherville, VA. This facility will help him polish his skills and prepare him to go back to work and get ready for more school.
The Freelance Star Newspaper, based in Fredericksburg, is writing a feature story about Kyle and his accident and his rehab. They were at the KCRC most of the morning Saturday, speaking with Kyle about his progress. He spoke with such clarity and had so many positive impressions about his recovery and his future. Kyle told me yesterday that he wants to be able to help people in his situation in the future and help them through the initial rehab in hopes that they can see what hard work can lead to. It's very refreshing to hear a 19-year old speak like that. He said he doesn't want anyone to have to go through what he's gone through and has promised to do what he can to make teenagers aware of the dangers of falling asleep behind the wheel.....it was truly moving to hear him speak like that so early in this stage of his rehab.
He is trying hard to contact everyone that has left him messages on his blog page and CaringBridge page to thank them for the words of encouragement and support. All he could say was "wow..they left me a note" and "these comments are so encouraging"...he has read every single one of them!
Tomorrow, we will once again meet with his medical team to outline his goals and objectives for the remainder of his stay at the KCRC. He has jammed packed days of PT, OT, Rec Therapy, and school, so he'll be working hard for the next few weeks.
Thank you to everyone that has prayed, written, donated, and thought about Kyle for the last 2 months. He is using all that energy to work hard to get better and come home! Keep channeling that energy to him...it's not going un-noticed!
We are still waiting to here when Kyle will be going to the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fisherville, VA. This facility will help him polish his skills and prepare him to go back to work and get ready for more school.
The Freelance Star Newspaper, based in Fredericksburg, is writing a feature story about Kyle and his accident and his rehab. They were at the KCRC most of the morning Saturday, speaking with Kyle about his progress. He spoke with such clarity and had so many positive impressions about his recovery and his future. Kyle told me yesterday that he wants to be able to help people in his situation in the future and help them through the initial rehab in hopes that they can see what hard work can lead to. It's very refreshing to hear a 19-year old speak like that. He said he doesn't want anyone to have to go through what he's gone through and has promised to do what he can to make teenagers aware of the dangers of falling asleep behind the wheel.....it was truly moving to hear him speak like that so early in this stage of his rehab.
He is trying hard to contact everyone that has left him messages on his blog page and CaringBridge page to thank them for the words of encouragement and support. All he could say was "wow..they left me a note" and "these comments are so encouraging"...he has read every single one of them!
Tomorrow, we will once again meet with his medical team to outline his goals and objectives for the remainder of his stay at the KCRC. He has jammed packed days of PT, OT, Rec Therapy, and school, so he'll be working hard for the next few weeks.
Thank you to everyone that has prayed, written, donated, and thought about Kyle for the last 2 months. He is using all that energy to work hard to get better and come home! Keep channeling that energy to him...it's not going un-noticed!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
We continue to be able to report that there is nothing but good news on the Kyle front! He is talking, eating chicken nuggets and french fries, emailing friends, doing REMARKABLE in physical therapy, helping to dress himself....it's just amazing the progress he has made in the past few days.
He has been moved to a new room and is now in "rehab" status, no longer inpatient acute care. So, the clock ticks from this moment on and we start to see the light of him coming home soon! His medical team is in the process in the next 3 days of compiling all of Kyle's goals and the time frame to reach those goals. We will meet with them next week to review his progress and then determine the amount of time he will remain at KCRC. He will now be working in rehab for about 5-6 hours a day...very busy boy!! His lungs are clear, he's tolerating the food - in small quantities and somewhat bland items for now, no infections - his medical team is amazed at the difference and this really stems from having that tube inserted into his PEG feeding tube that allowed them to increase his nutrition formula every day and gives him the energy he's needed to progress further. He is gaining strength and is working hard on transfers from a wheelchair to the bed and a bench. Everyone is very proud of him and his determination to get work hard and get home!
Next step will be another rehab program in Fisherville, VA, where he will sharpen his ADL (activities of daily living) skills and enter into a Vocational Rehab program. They will work very closely with him to recapture the skills he needs to perform certain job duties and working in any sort of office/job atmosphere. We'll know more about that program soon. He will probably come home for a short period of time before he goes in to that program.
Keep those good thoughts and prayers for strength coming! They are working and he's getting stronger every day!
He has been moved to a new room and is now in "rehab" status, no longer inpatient acute care. So, the clock ticks from this moment on and we start to see the light of him coming home soon! His medical team is in the process in the next 3 days of compiling all of Kyle's goals and the time frame to reach those goals. We will meet with them next week to review his progress and then determine the amount of time he will remain at KCRC. He will now be working in rehab for about 5-6 hours a day...very busy boy!! His lungs are clear, he's tolerating the food - in small quantities and somewhat bland items for now, no infections - his medical team is amazed at the difference and this really stems from having that tube inserted into his PEG feeding tube that allowed them to increase his nutrition formula every day and gives him the energy he's needed to progress further. He is gaining strength and is working hard on transfers from a wheelchair to the bed and a bench. Everyone is very proud of him and his determination to get work hard and get home!
Next step will be another rehab program in Fisherville, VA, where he will sharpen his ADL (activities of daily living) skills and enter into a Vocational Rehab program. They will work very closely with him to recapture the skills he needs to perform certain job duties and working in any sort of office/job atmosphere. We'll know more about that program soon. He will probably come home for a short period of time before he goes in to that program.
Keep those good thoughts and prayers for strength coming! They are working and he's getting stronger every day!
Monday, September 28, 2009
KYLE IS OFF THE VENTILATOR!!! This is the best news we've received in 2 months! He is breathing well on his own and they will monitor him for nighttime breathing to make sure he doesn't need to be on a C-Pap machine (a setting that just forces some air into his lungs).
This new development will certainly help his rehabilitation plan and his outlook. Next, we just wait for that halo to be removed the first week of November which will make all the difference in the world.
They are starting a plan to begin feeding him solid food as well! Planning is under way for him to probably be switched over to the Rehabilitation side now that alot of his chronic conditions are being resolved. We'll know more tomorrow!
Thanks everyone for your prayers and notes of encouragement! They are really working!!!
This new development will certainly help his rehabilitation plan and his outlook. Next, we just wait for that halo to be removed the first week of November which will make all the difference in the world.
They are starting a plan to begin feeding him solid food as well! Planning is under way for him to probably be switched over to the Rehabilitation side now that alot of his chronic conditions are being resolved. We'll know more tomorrow!
Thanks everyone for your prayers and notes of encouragement! They are really working!!!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Not a bad couple of days for Kyle! He appears to be handling his feedings really well - now up to 80cc's an hour!No nausea either. This will mean he will stronger more naturally and faster!
This afternoon, he had bout of very low blood pressure, but they were able to get it back to normal after about 2 hours and plenty of IV fluids. He's been complaining of nasty headache, so no PT today, just Occupational Therapy.
The C-diff appears to be on the way out - yeah!! - so we'll see when the isolation mode will be lifted. It appears to be about 2 weeks until they will have a more set plan for taking him off the vent..we'll follow closely.
Thanks everyone and we hope that those of you in the Northern VA area will be able to make the special evening of music and conversation at the University Cafe, Oct. 17th. Diane, Adam, Barb and Carol have arranged for DOZENS of raffle items and silent auction items, not to mention the wonderful music lined up! We can't wait to see all Kyle's friends and gather for a great evening. For those of you who can't make it, we will miss seeing you in person, but you will be there in spirit.
More later!!
This afternoon, he had bout of very low blood pressure, but they were able to get it back to normal after about 2 hours and plenty of IV fluids. He's been complaining of nasty headache, so no PT today, just Occupational Therapy.
The C-diff appears to be on the way out - yeah!! - so we'll see when the isolation mode will be lifted. It appears to be about 2 weeks until they will have a more set plan for taking him off the vent..we'll follow closely.
Thanks everyone and we hope that those of you in the Northern VA area will be able to make the special evening of music and conversation at the University Cafe, Oct. 17th. Diane, Adam, Barb and Carol have arranged for DOZENS of raffle items and silent auction items, not to mention the wonderful music lined up! We can't wait to see all Kyle's friends and gather for a great evening. For those of you who can't make it, we will miss seeing you in person, but you will be there in spirit.
More later!!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Kyle continues to make pretty good progress! Had a little setback yesterday with an upset stomach during physical therapy, but he was actually able to drink a little ginger ale yesterday! He tolerated it well and he indicated it helped his stomach! They also placed the valve in his trache tube that allows him to breathe air in through the trache and them he has to breath out of him mouth, allowing air to cross over his vocal cords and he's able to speak! He tolerated the valve for about 5 minutes - they will progressively leave it in longer each day. His throat got a little sore and the breathing in was a tad bit uncomfortable, but that's to be expected. They will continue that routine each day, allowing him to get used to it more.
He continues his therapy routine each day, getting stronger and progressing in learning new ways of getting around and transferring. His Physical Therapist, Marc tells us he is a very instinctive person and seems to know the natural way of moving around from wheelchair to PT mat. Kyle is embracing his therapy in a positive way, which makes it more probably that Kyle will reach all the goals that will be set for him while in rehab!
We should know more soon about a timeline regarding his stay in the acute care setting and moving to a rehabilitation status. Also, his medical team will update us with a timeline to wean him off the vent!
More soon!
He continues his therapy routine each day, getting stronger and progressing in learning new ways of getting around and transferring. His Physical Therapist, Marc tells us he is a very instinctive person and seems to know the natural way of moving around from wheelchair to PT mat. Kyle is embracing his therapy in a positive way, which makes it more probably that Kyle will reach all the goals that will be set for him while in rehab!
We should know more soon about a timeline regarding his stay in the acute care setting and moving to a rehabilitation status. Also, his medical team will update us with a timeline to wean him off the vent!
More soon!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Just sitting here with Kyle who is having a really good day. Was on the PT mat this morning for over 1 hour and did great. He is on limited ventilator support, feeding amount has been increased to 20cc per hour and seems to be tolerating a little better. He's texting away this afternoon, watching the Food channel - his two favorite things.
They've decided to keep his halo on for 5 more weeks, the full 3 months. Better to be on safe side and not remove it. So he'll skip the CT scan next week and just continue with x-rays to make sure all is well. His feeding tube insertion went really well and this will allow the amount of nutrition to increase. Hopefully mid-week, respiratory will insert a valve in his trach to allow him talk. This will be huge for Kyle as he has been trying to communicate better for weeks.
He's looking forward to a relaxing day tomorrow and starting his week again on Monday with PT, OT, Rec therapy and speech. He's going to be a busy boy!
He wanted us to thank everyone for the cards he's received. They are hanging on the wall reminding him every day of everyone that is thinking of him!
They've decided to keep his halo on for 5 more weeks, the full 3 months. Better to be on safe side and not remove it. So he'll skip the CT scan next week and just continue with x-rays to make sure all is well. His feeding tube insertion went really well and this will allow the amount of nutrition to increase. Hopefully mid-week, respiratory will insert a valve in his trach to allow him talk. This will be huge for Kyle as he has been trying to communicate better for weeks.
He's looking forward to a relaxing day tomorrow and starting his week again on Monday with PT, OT, Rec therapy and speech. He's going to be a busy boy!
He wanted us to thank everyone for the cards he's received. They are hanging on the wall reminding him every day of everyone that is thinking of him!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Well it's been a pretty good couple of days. Kyle's procedure to have the tube placed inside his feeding tube went well and his medical team will slowly increase the amount of feedings in the next few days. He continues to be fever free but still in isolation due to the C-diff infection. We are hoping that will just run it's course and run away soon!
His respiratory team continues to slowly begin to wean him off the vent and we should know soon a better time frame of when they think that will become a reality.
So Kyle will continue his PT, OT and Speech therapy while his medical team continues to treat the other chronic physical issues. Still no time set for when he will enter the "rehab" status full time. While keeping him in the acute care status works to his advantage in getting him healthy, we can't help be sad that he won't be home sooner than later. But we all take this one day at a time and leave his health up to the professionals who are doing such a great job with him at UVA. They are truly wonderful and doing a great job with Kyle.
Thanks again for sending all the cards to Kyle. He loves getting mail and it brightens up his room and his mood. He is very appreciative of all your thoughts and inspiration.
More soon...
His respiratory team continues to slowly begin to wean him off the vent and we should know soon a better time frame of when they think that will become a reality.
So Kyle will continue his PT, OT and Speech therapy while his medical team continues to treat the other chronic physical issues. Still no time set for when he will enter the "rehab" status full time. While keeping him in the acute care status works to his advantage in getting him healthy, we can't help be sad that he won't be home sooner than later. But we all take this one day at a time and leave his health up to the professionals who are doing such a great job with him at UVA. They are truly wonderful and doing a great job with Kyle.
Thanks again for sending all the cards to Kyle. He loves getting mail and it brightens up his room and his mood. He is very appreciative of all your thoughts and inspiration.
More soon...
Monday, September 14, 2009
Well, it's been a couple of really good days for Kyle. He's doing well in physical therapy and actually was sitting straight up by himself today! He has not had a fever in 5 days and while today he had an upset stomach, he seems to be tolerating the feedings - only 6 cc's an hour which is equivalent to about 1 teaspoon and 1/2. We did find out that a wisdom tooth on the right side of his jaw decided to pop through, so we are waiting to talk to the Dentist about pulling that out at some point. That may have attributed so some of that jaw pain he's been experiencing.
His breathing is good - breathing room air, keeping up his oxygen saturation levels and only has about 30% assistance with the pressure. They will continue to monitor this closely and begin to wean the assistance down in the next couple of weeks! His lungs seem to be clearing up nicely and his C-diff is probably on the way out, but he's still in "isolation" mode.
So many thanks for everyone that has been down to see him and he loves getting cards and letters. Here's the address if you'd like to drop him a note:
Kyle Preston
C/O KCRC
2270 Ivy Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903
More soon!
His breathing is good - breathing room air, keeping up his oxygen saturation levels and only has about 30% assistance with the pressure. They will continue to monitor this closely and begin to wean the assistance down in the next couple of weeks! His lungs seem to be clearing up nicely and his C-diff is probably on the way out, but he's still in "isolation" mode.
So many thanks for everyone that has been down to see him and he loves getting cards and letters. Here's the address if you'd like to drop him a note:
Kyle Preston
C/O KCRC
2270 Ivy Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903
More soon!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Kyle asked that we post a couple of pictures of him in rehab so everyone can see the wonderful progress he is making. We'll add pictures as he continues to push forward!
The first two pictures is Kyle outside last Sunday in his wheelchair being visited by Sheena the therapy dog. Everyone knows Kyle loves animals and Sheena was certainly a hit! He got to feed her and visit with her and she'll be back to see him on Sundays!
The third picture is Kyle with his Occupational Therapist, Sue. She has been helping him with his activities of daily life and helps adapt some of the equipment he has like a laptop to use to communicate. He's now able to text on his cell phone and she works with him every day to help make daily living easier for him!
Doesn't he look great! He really likes being in the chair and going outside...nice change of pace for him. We'll post more soon!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Well, today didn't go quite as planned. The procedure that was supposed to take place was a J-tube or Jejunostomy Feeding Tube was to be placed in his belly today. However, when we got to the UVA Medical Center, the MD performing the procedure said they couldn't do it. The PEG feeding tube he currently has should not be removed or altered for at least 6 weeks after it's been installed. It will be 4 weeks tomorrow....soooo....no procedure. Kyle was already anaesthetised, so they went ahead and did some x-rays on his jaw, as per his Dentist's request to get his dental issues taken care of. And...while we were at the medical center, we discovered that Kyle has a C-Diff infection. What this is - Clostridium difficile - is a bacterium that causes upset stomachs, diarrhea and while everyone has it in their body, it becomes more pronounced in people who have just finished or are on long term antibiotics. So for a while, we have to wear gowns and gloves to make sure it's not carried out of the room and given to other patients. His medical team will closely monitor him and while other people can usually solve this issue by eating yogurt, he still can't have anything by mouth...so we'll wait this one out.
He handled the drive and the moving really well and just took it easy for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, he will return to his regular schedule of physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy and speech therapy. He will also have some chest x-rays and neck x-rays done as the orthopedic team will be evaluting how much longer he will need to wear his halo! He is scheduled for a CT Scan in 2 weeks to determine if the bone in his neck has fused and if so, off comes the halo and on goes a hard collar. At the same time, they are begin working hard to wean him off the ventilator! Very exciting!!
He handled the drive and the moving really well and just took it easy for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, he will return to his regular schedule of physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy and speech therapy. He will also have some chest x-rays and neck x-rays done as the orthopedic team will be evaluting how much longer he will need to wear his halo! He is scheduled for a CT Scan in 2 weeks to determine if the bone in his neck has fused and if so, off comes the halo and on goes a hard collar. At the same time, they are begin working hard to wean him off the ventilator! Very exciting!!
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