Hello to all our friends and readers,

 

I do not need to tell you all it feels like years since I lit this blog up.

I have been feeling down a lot since our mediation in March, now the feelings are like we won but lost and got nothing fixed along the way.

The guilty parties paid some money and then hid all the wrong doing and carried on with their business, like nothing happened.

As far as they are concerned it never happened, I am here to tell you, I am going to air it all, the legal and lawyer bullshit, including our own lawyer as well as the government and private contractors robbing us the citizens blind.

The care givers and the exorbitant amount charged and very little service provided.

If most of you knew the amount of cover up and wrong doing that goes on it would make your head spin. This refers to the accident as well as all those who would get rich off the backs of the injured.

I feel the system pushing me hard, I guess the thought of having to fight the system to make things better was all I could see for so long, I always believed that if we were to win and make those who were guilty pay that Chris and I would feel vindicated and could move on. This will never happen unless we all stand together and make the system change, yes make not ask for change.

Remember we are the system, the people; we are the ones that must change.

We learned the hard way that all those in the system are there for a reason......... to make money. To date everyone who has put their hands on anything to do with Chris or his case with the promise of helping has made more money than I care to divulge.

I am just coming out of a pretty devastating low after all those years of fighting and now feel the anger swelling, as I watch all but Chris and me move forward.

My energy is coming back, the calls and emails from those in need for advice or hints on how to navigate the system is charging my batteries I hear and will help.

Please remember above all it is your support, love and caring for us and wanting to help evoke change that makes this all possible.

Hearing of how the injustice is growing and not getting better will drive me back to the blog. I will also explain in more detail why I had to stop writing the blog and became quiet for so long.

It feels so good to start up again and get Chris back on the fast track to independence.

I will soon be addressing these and other stories as well, by telling how and why the system that allows the robbing and threatening of those who cannot fend for themselves still survives even after wrong doing and being caught in the act!.

The most disgusting are the very caregivers whom you trust and people in positions of trust that continue to take and take and take, it really is all about the money!

Then there are those Managers, sub-managers, team leaders.....yada yada yada in the health system doing the wrong thing over and over because they can.

They answer to no one, they do not understand most of the things they are asked to make decisions on, while they continue making life changing decisions every day, even though they have no knowledge or up to date training in the fields they are judging?

These decisions are even over riding the therapists decision, who are supposed to be in charge of the clients well being?

The system isn’t flawed it is truly broken, all in the name of dollars or lack of!

I have just started the road to writing my first of many books to help those in need and to expose those who will cheat the people they serve.

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, even those who have stole from us and lied to us.

Back writing very soon,

Kevin and Chris

 

Update Mid Summer

Update Mid Summer

Hello all it has been a slow summer with everything moving at a snails pace. Therapies have been running at three quarters with holidays and all.
Chris is doing well and we so appreciate the emails and inquiries as how he is doing even though I have not kept up on the blog as I should have. There is so much going on in the back ground and keeping busy, I have less time now than I was hoping for.
We are going to mediation on the 15th of August, very interested to see how things will work out. House searching is still on going and very difficult to jump into anything as it has to be just right.

The Lokomat device is wonderful and giving Chris a chance to walk for 35 minutes each week. I am trying to find a way to increase it to three times a week but money and open times are holding us back.

Still having trouble with the Ministry of Disabilities as they will only over the bare essentials and really not even that it is ridiculous what is needed and what they say is needed, guess they have never had to be in a position of need at this level. I believe if I keep at it, and make sure the fire is hot then things will keep cooking.

Thank you to all the doctors who continue to follow and support Chris and to all his many many friends for the encouragement and added drive you give me to keep the wheels on the road and the pedal to the metal, all this and stay focused on the journey and not the trip. Life itself is a long relentless path but it is the people that make it worthwhile.

Just quick follow up to some of the questions I have been getting, Chris is in great shape adjust finished a physical, with all the tests in and looking great, he is probably in better shape than me.
He is one determined fellow as most of you know; having said that I know his journey into medicine is nowhere close to being over.

Christopher got into medicine to make a difference and I will make sure he is able to do that in a way he would enjoy and be able to take part! I do believe before this is over there will be major changes to different Government Ministries and those who do business with them. The health department, those who deal with brain injury will be brought into the light and public view and maybe get some of the badly needed recognition that is sorely missing. I was told I could not change the world let alone the system but with seeing Chris everyday and what he has had to endure, I can not express the hopeless feeling I get not being able to change it fast enough. It will change and Chris will be the driving force to make the change.

The court case is set for October 3, 2011. The TV stations have already been talking about covering the story, I think you all will be amazed, if you are able comedown and watch or make sure you tune into the evening news for updates.
If anything happens in the mean time I will update immediately, if not I will try to keep it regular as time permits.

Thank you all so much to all my friends in Alberta, BC and across the country, your support and caring fuels the drive.

Talk soon,

Chris and Kevin

Hello everyone,

Here we are in the early days of July, Summer has somewhat started and we are still in lots of turmoil as how things will progress. I try to keep Chris informed on the things that are going on with the legal side of things but find I am much stronger in convincing him we are going to do all we can do to keep his therapy going and the results continuing to happen as it has been happening.

Needless to say he loves and responds to therapy and excersce more than anything else. So with that said, as the wheels turn and all the crap keeps floating from all sides, all I can do is assure him that soon he will be home and therapy will be directed by his involvement and desires.

The Lokomat has been fantastic and an unbelievable experience, if any of you would like to come to a session let me know and I will open up time for it.
We will be fitting for a new easy chair of sorts built to fit all of his body for comfort and support should be done in the next couple of weeks.

Therapy is going great a little slower with summer and the heat but still pushing forward and looking at all the new things that are happening out there, Chris may become an expert on rehab as he has surpassed the doctor of physiatry that we first had in Surrey who could not figure how to tie his shoes and having difficulty coming into the 21st century with rehab and knowledge. So glad we asked all the questions and pushed all the professionals to their limits to get the results we have, the exciting part is we have only just begun!

Society shirts should be available in a few weeks time will keep you posted, you can order by email at drbigelow@gmail.com

I am still finding it hard to make time to post videos of Chris on the Lokomat but promise to do it very, very soon.

Thank you all,

Chris and Kevin

June 27, 2011

June 27,2011

Hello everyone,

Chris has had a good weekend and starting out all charged up this Monday morning. Heading to Abbotsford for our twice a week visit to Physio, we have an eye appointment this week and will be walking the Lokomat again on Wednesday. All the extra stretching Chris is getting on the off Physio days has been great for increasing breathing and awareness. We will start our speech sessions with a new therapist as ours is off teaching for the months of July. The therapies and there impact on Chris has increased greatly since Fraser Health bailed out on us at the end of April. people can work on what they were trained to do rather than what they are told to do, a great benefit of being independent.

Will update shortly as things transpire this week.

Thank you again, for all your support and help when asked.

Kevin and Chris

Monday June 20, 2011

Hello All,

Chris has started going to NeuroMotion to use the Lokomat walking system, here is some background,

NeuroMotion Physiotherapy is the only clinic in British Columbia to have a Lokomat®system in their clinic. The Lokomat is a gait orthosis that assists walking movements on a treadmill to improve mobility in individuals with various neurological and orthopedic diseases and injuries. Body weight supported treadmill training has been extensively researched and has been shown to be an effective method of improving recovery in individuals with neurological injuries and diseases.

The Lokomat consists of a robotic gait orthosis and a body weight support system that suspends the user over a treadmill. It has computer-controlled motors, precisely synchronized with the treadmill, that move the user’s legs through trajectories that mimic physiological gait patterns. The training parameters are individually set and adjusted to meet each individual’s needs. A wide range of training possibilities exist with the Lokomat as the therapist is able to adjust the amount of body weight that is supported, the joint angles, gait speed, and guidance force. By adjusting these parameters to the individual user’s needs, the therapist is able to optimize the functional training. Assessment tools built into the system, standardized measures, and functional goals are used to measure the patient’s progress.

In principle, all gait-impaired patients, whether the cause of the impairment is cerebral, spinal, neurogenic, muscular, or osseous, can be trained with the Lokomat system. Most of the data gathered to date on the Lokomat system is based on experiences with patients with spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.

Chris' session will be posted on Utube for all of you to see, as soon as I can figure the connection out.

Speech, Physio, and OT are all secured to continue, even though the manager at Fraser Health's ABI program tried to shut it all down. We have overcome most of the obstacles created by the system, Fraser Health and those who would interfere or stand in the way of progress.

The CSIL program we have fought for, for almost three years has again been stopped. This is now the second time we have had it taken away, without just cause, as the rules for us seem to differ and the definitions used for being a part of the program do not apply to us, we seem to get special attention the wrong kind, with us having to pass through a microscope of constantly changing rules. It is amazing how the personal feelings and preconcieved notions of a few can ruin the lives of so many. This belief that people belong in an extended care facility if they are not able to care for themselves has got to change and reflect the peoples needs on a person by person basis and not lumped together as an average. These problems have hounded us for our whole journey to-date and continue as we try to move forward!

We will endeavour to move forward walking around the obstacles we encounter, I feel that in the not so distant future we will be required to start turning over those rocks and walking over the obstacles. It always astounds me how those with nothing to lose and who have no accountability create all the problems?

Till the the next update, which will be after Chris' next session.

Thank you,

Kevin

Post Fraser Health Meeting

Hello, 

Back on track with all most everything, it still is a daily struggle, but we move forward each day. Chris will be trying out a new. Walking machine on Wednesday hooray! If it goes well we will be doing it every week in conjunction with other therapy. Speech and communication is very time consuming and tedious but on the days Chris is up to it, it is the most amazing thing you have ever seen. W ho would have thought such a simple thing would bring tears to you eyes every time. It is moments like this that let me know he is so frustrated and wants to speak so badly........unbelievable amount of work but very minute is worth it.

We will have Fraser Health on board until the end of July but for care costs only so we will remain being responsible for the therapy costs on a daily basis.
Therapy has been going great since Fraser Health pulled out at the end  ofApril leaving us with nothing, I am sure the therapist or more at ease and can do what they were trained to do, with out someone watching over their shoulders every second and constantly trying to get them to reduce therapy time. Independent therapy and therapists are the only way to go, a world of difference.
We did Have CSIL support to help pay some of the care costs but Fraser Health decided we were not spending it the way they wanted us to. (seems the purpose was for CSIL was for us to do what made best sense for us, without their control) Guess as long as they are involved they will make it as hard as possible to live life the way we see fit.
If we could only put more accountability into their decisions, better yet get someone who can think and pay attention longer than five minutes.

Till next time with more to add,

Kevin

Hi everyone update and explanation!

Hey everyone,

Please read over the story from CBC that started all of this crap with the Health Authoity (kind of an oxy-moron...Health Authority) more like dictatorship. There is no authority on health or brain injury that is hired by the government to help with the recovery or rehabilitation. they are hired for their ability to pinch pennies and refuse service.

Please forward to all the people you know and get them up to speed on Chris' story. The gloves are coming off and the fuse is about to be lit. I will start up dating tomorrow and it will be every other day. It will include Chris' progress and all the crap we have had to endure just to keep the help we were promised after being yanked back here from Ponoka right in the middle of treatment!

Thank you,

Kevin

The story from CBC is below.

Dr. Christopher Bigelow is receiving extensive rehabilitation in Alberta and is beginning to move his limbs and interact with others. (Shelley Bigelow-Bradshaw)
The family of a B.C. physician who suffered a major brain injury in a car accident is speaking out about how he was denied rehabilitation in his home province and given only limited support for treatment elsewhere.

"The hurdles have been non-stop," said the man's father, Kevin Bigelow. "It's awful. It's just like pulling your heart out."

Dr. Christopher Bigelow, 33, is undergoing intensive rehabilitation at a facility in Alberta. According to his father, most doctors in B.C. said his condition was hopeless. Despite that, reports now indicate he is showing some improvement.

Christopher had recently graduated from medical school when the car he was riding in was in an accident in November of 2007. Before his family found treatment for him, his father said, he spent a year lying immobile in Surrey Memorial Hospital, without any rehabilitation and with minimal assistance.

Bigelow had suffered a severe head injury, leaving him in what doctors described as a "minimally conscious state."

"It got so we hated to leave him, because we weren't sure what would happen," the father said. "The care there was — from what I've seen elsewhere — substandard.

'He's a victim now of the very system
he wanted to help.'

— Dr. Christopher Bigelow's father, Kevin
"He worked long and hard at what he wanted just for the dream of being able to be a doctor — and practise in this place. And this place has sorely let him down.

"He's a victim now of the very system he wanted to help."

Bigelow said Christopher was deemed not responsive enough to qualify for treatment at Vancouver's G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre, and doctors suggested the family place him in a long-term care facility. His father is adamant this will never happen because the stimulation for him in that setting would be minimal and lacks the intensive rehabilitation he is receiving now.

A car accident in the fall of 2007 left Christopher Bigelow barely conscious and suffering from severe head trauma. (Kevin Bigelow)
"We spend millions of dollars saving lives, but we don't care what happens after we save the life," Bigelow said. "We give them three months to show us signs that they are going to come back and, if not, we get rid of them."

The family found space for him at the Halvar Jonson Centre for Brain Injury in Ponoka, Alta. Bigelow has been there since March. He is now correctly answering questions and responding to commands non-verbally. He has also started to move his limbs.

B.C. funding set to end
"When we come into the room, he will look our way and his arm will start to move," Bigelow said. "When you are standing beside him, he will be reaching out to touch you or to grab your hand. And when he has your hand, he will squeeze almost enough to break your finger."

The B.C. Health Services Ministry agreed to pay for his treatment in Alberta, on a temporary, time-limited basis, but that funding is set to run out Jan. 15.

"Nobody listens," Bigelow said. "Nobody cares. To government, it is just dollars and cents."

"We shouldn't have to go to the media with this," said Chris's sister Shelley Bigelow-Bradshaw. "I always just thought this was something that you would get help with."

Kevin Bigelow offered to pay for his son's rehab but said he was told this would not be allowed under the public health-care system. The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia has paid out some money for special equipment and therapy outside the Halvar Jonson Centre, but the claim from the accident has still not been fully settled.

The family is pushing the B.C. government to pay for an extension in Alberta, because there is still no comparable treatment for him at home.

Dr. Chistopher Bigelow's father, Kevin, and his sister Shelley are urging the B.C. government to pay for more rehabilitation in Alberta. (CBC)
"There have been times lately — with the fight with the B.C. government — that I am thinking, 'Why did we save him?'" the father said. "Because I can't imagine being locked in a body not able to move and show emotion and fight every day."

Doctors support family's request
B.C. neurologist Dr. John Diggle treated Christopher prior to his move to Alberta and continues to confer with his doctors there. Diggle wrote letters of support to the Health Ministry in November, saying, "He has made moderate gains in his functional status …based on those gains … I would fully recommend an extended stay at the Halvar Jonson Centre."

Alberta physician Dr. George Rosenkranz has also written in support of continuing Christopher's care in Alberta. "The intervention has stopped his frequent epileptic seizures and since then he has very slowly, but definitely, started to follow simple and repeated verbal commands," Rosenkranz wrote in another recent letter to the B.C. Health Ministry.

Despite those medical opinions, the latest correspondence from the ministry indicates funding is still only in place until mid-January.

Submit your story: http://www.cbc.ca/bc/features/gopublic/

Kevin Bigelow said he needs time to find a new home to accommodate his son's needs, before he can bring him home. He also wants to arrange private therapy at home, which he said can be expensive and difficult to organize.

"I'm not asking for the moon," Bigelow said. "I just want the rehab and the things that he is moving forward in. I want a chance for me to work with him for as long as it takes."

"He deserves the chance to keep progressing and to get back to wherever he can get," his sister Shelley said. "He's a human being."

No response from B.C. minister
CBC News asked for an interview with B.C. Health Minister Kevin Falcon but did not hear back about the request. The ministry sent a statement, which reads:

Surrey, B.C., resident Christopher Bigelow graduated from medical school at age 31, just before his injury occurred. (Kevin Bigelow)
"The Ministry of Health Services recognizes the desires of Dr. Bigelow's friends and family that he continues to receive the best care possible … the ministry will continue to support the best plan of care for Dr. Bigelow based on the expert advice and recommendations of his health professionals in Alberta and in B.C."

Professionals who work in the field of brain injury confirmed services for the most severely injured patients are lacking, in B.C. and elsewhere.

G.F. Strong "doesn't have long-term services of that type," said Dr. Jennifer Yao, medical manager of the acquired brain injury program there. "Some people are left in the cracks. This is an area that could be improved upon."

"There's definitely a need for additional rehabilitation services for this population," said Jerry Stanger, director of brain injury services for the Fraser health region, which also did not accept Dr. Bigelow for treatment in its program.

"Our rehabilitation services are currently under review."

Growing national problem, association says
The Brain Injury Association of B.C. says that brain injury is the number one cause of death and injury for people under 45. It estimates 160,000 people in B.C. suffer from brain injuries, with 14,000 new injuries occurring every year.

"There aren't enough services at any price," said B.C. Opposition Health Critic Adrian Dix. "And people say, 'Isn't it expensive? Can we afford it?' Well, in many cases not providing the services is incredibly expensive — because these patients end up back in acute care with serious complications."

B.C. Opposition health critic Adrian Dix says lack of rehabilitation for severely brain injured patients is a serious, national problem. (CBC)
"This is a national issue. What we need right now is to take the issue seriously. We need to respond to the very significant recommendations from brain injury groups and make improvements in the system. Because it's not going to get better."

Shirley Johnson, president of the Brain Injury Association of Canada, said more people are surviving brain trauma than ever before, with new medical technology to keep them alive.

"It takes a tremendous toll on family caregivers," Johnson said. "The majority of people in Canada do not have the money it takes to pay for the care that's needed. What it comes down to is, it's up to the families."

Kevin Bigelow flies back and forth to Alberta constantly to help his son with his rehabilitation. He said caring for him and fighting for resources has become a full-time job and depleted almost all of his savings.

"If your loved one has a serious brain injury, unless you are very, very wealthy you are not going to be able get the help. It will not be there for you," he said.

Update long overdue.

Well I am sitting in a muffler shop waiting for Chris's Van to be fixed before tomorrow morning so we can make it to Abbotsford for his physio session of walking strides and hand stimulation which takes place twice a week; this gets his legs stretched and circulation going as well.

Speech and swallowing is going great, our speech therapist has reached out beyond our own group, as well as the health authority to bring in GF Strong people to assist in technology and communications because Fraser health does not understand the very basics, of brain injury or how to treat it effectively. Chris's speech therapist also got the CAYA program involved and we have waited nine months or so to get in but finally met with them last week. It looks like they will help us with computer and software to help with communication and access switches. We should be getting that in the next week!!!!!

Our OT has been working hard to adjust and find the things we need but even
she is having a terrible time with the system as it gives her the run around and around.

It truly seems that the system uses therapists that are under an ongoing contact that keeps their costs down and in turn keeps the amount and quality of therapy down. They approve and spend foolishly without proper knowledge or without having properly trained people to over see, the most important part is quality of therapy, not just throwing money aimlessly hoping to make it go away.

Sorry to those of you who use this as an only means to checking in on how Chris is doing, but all of the changes in the system his court date is approaching rapidly and preparation is paramount. Therapy is still going very well Physio exceptional we do have the odd day and that is expected. Heather I am sure you would vouch for that, although Ponoka didn't have many off days.

We are waiting to hear from Chris dentist to get in for a cleaning and check up. Chris is still waiting for an eye exam which will have to wait until June. His 6 month check up with DR Reebye was great and very encouraging to hear that all the work we do is not in vain and shows extremely well with the condition and place Chris is in after all this time and struggle! Chris is still making great strides moving forward. All of this even though Fraser health has had us applying for equipment that they new we would not get.
Same old crap let you do all the work wasting time for something that is never going to be approved.

I guess most in the health care system just show up and collect a pay check the human side really plays nothing into decisions that are made.
At the present time Fraser Health will be planning on pulling all funding and support on April 26, 2011. This means an end to all therapy all health care workers helping Chris and they would like to see him sent to an extended care home with no therapy cut and dry ending what ever progress and hope Chris had!.

I still am in disbelief that ICBC and those responsible are still thumbing their noses and refusing to step up and be that pillar of the community they all talk about. Can you imagine having an accident on your way home one day and a month later being sent to a care home and throwing away the key, that is just how the system works unless you have an endless supply of money.

Just when did we stop caring and letting unelected and elected morons tell us what we were able to do or not to do, what we are not entitled to, how we are lucky to have what we have which is not very much!

We have been waiting ten months for a bed and mattress that would fit Chris properly, for a standing frame for physio, chair that he can sit in? Do you think the people who are responsible for providing these pieces of equipment and necessities care one iota, nada!

Fraser Health in all their wisdom by yanking us out of Ponoka before we were ready to go, have done a substandard job at providing the basics for health care and have kept us on edge guessing at what might be provided or approved or just ignored long enough so they can say it’s to late for them to help with those needs.

Thank god we had the smart and experience people in Ponoka with years of professional training and a deep understand of brain injury and what it takes to evoke change.

To be continued!!!

Kevin

New Year New Times

Hello and Happy New Year to all,

We hope you all will have a happy and prosperous New Year.

Believe it or not, (and most do know) I have struggled to sit and write this with all the goings on during the holiday season and the need to always be ahead of Chris’ therapies.

Chris’ adventures have had him out lots for many occasions, from Thanksgiving dinners and his nephews birthday party as well as lots of visits to and from family over the holidays for dinners and breakfasts with all getting together.

We have now expanded on his physio getting him up on a walking machine and with guidance and assistance helping him to form strides and stretch out his legs and hips as well as changing his stretching routine to the floor and moving things that have not moved in a long time. Sometimes feels like therapy will never end and then I realize how lucky we are to be experiencing this great thing of exercise that so many of us look at as work!

It has been a rollercoaster of a time since returning home in April. First was missing all the great people in Ponoka the openness, with access to great therapists being able to talk with professionals when needed as well as address all of Chris’ needs without having to leave the building so to speak?

Then there was dealing with the mess of broken promises that whisked us home to nothing, not a plan or rehab to be found, just a bunch of Health professionals (and I use that term loosely) from Fraser Health and the Ministry of Health thinking, if they got us home and out of the system we would go away and disappear.

As time marched on, new people came into Chris’ life and the cycle of rehab and worry got a little less intense. My views on rehab and the Ministry of Health have not changed, I have just started to see that there are people in the “system” that do care and truly would like to help, I am glad to have met them and love working with them and I know Chris is getting to know and trust them as his workouts have been great.

We still have the odd day where Chris does not want to take part or gets frustrated but that’s the way it works, sounds weird but it is great to know he can get frustrated and show those emotions.

I took part in the West Coast Brain Injury Conference in November and it gave a whole new breath of fresh air to all the things Chris and I deal with on a daily basis. I now know that I was not crazy believing in all the things I talked and preached about to so many. There are so many wonderful people stuck or maybe I should say in the same place we are in dealing with the injuries and the need for understanding and desperate need for more rehab and counselling with guidance.

If any of you are interested or know someone in need check out the site at: http://www.brainstreams.ca/

Lots of new research being uncovered hopefully it will change the way health care workers and I hope administrators approach rehab and individuals.
I must say from experience that each case must be examined on its own merit and sometimes a leap of faith is required to clear hurdles. I really owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Gray and Dr. Rosenkranz as they, I think changed their minds on several different occasions and at one point took a leap with me, but my listening, talking, watching and paying attention to all that they had to say has stuck with me and changed the way I approach life, for myself and Chris and really hits home with the adversity in Chris’ daily activities and life. Sometimes it is what is not said that means so much.

As all of you know I am not one to wait for things to transpire or people to drag their feet and hope the right things will just happen. So I continue into this New Year with a new boost of enthusiasm and a stronger mind set than in the past. We will have a whole new set of challenges ahead this year but we will succeed and move forward (even if I need to get a bigger pair of shoes). I only wish I could make a bigger difference for those who are following in the same path we are traveling to help with the red tape and silencing the nay Sayers.

We plan in the very near future to put together information and help for those who can not stand up to bureaucracy and ignorance. It can not come fast enough to those in need I know we have been there!

We have applied to PWD (persons with disabilities a level of government on the health side of things if you will) for standing frame that is so badly needed along with a request for a chair that Chris can just relax in, instead of only having a bed or wheel chair.

Months to approve or deny these requests do not bother them at all; it would seem they just don’t give a dam.

All of this is drives me crazy and really makes me wonder, if I can not get answers or intelligent decisions from them with my being of sound mind and body how the hell is someone with a disability supposed to navigate all the red tape and get what is needed or required to move forward.
It would seem that these are the most vulnerable and neediest people in our society, yet PWD personnel do not interact or keep you informed on requests you have made or keep timely the requests being made. Sometimes decisions are made locally if not too much work and then some are sent to the VAT of confusion in Victoria to be denied, so they can have a clear conscience when telling you no it’s beyond their control.

This year will bring a lot of new needs as far as equipment and living arrangements are concerned. We are continually working on the house and have several in sight some are just out of reach and all the begging and pleading with ICBC has fallen on deaf ears. They clearly have no conscience or care for the clients they sell insurance to. Make sure all of you review and tighten up your coverage’s, what you think you have covered and what they will cover is two different things.
I just learned they wrote a cheque to the government that came from excess premiums charged on our backs for somewhere around 450-500 million dollars for what? This money could have been used to lower our rates or to better the lives of the victim’s who thought they would be covered in the event of an accident. Clearly this government could not care less for you or me or the hundreds of insured and badly in need of help. They would rather use the money to spin a picture of all the good they are doing….. I’m still waiting to see the good?

Will keep you informed of our house hunting and if some of the ones we are working on come through.

Thank you for your patience and understanding and all the support over the last year.

Kevin and Chris

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

I know it has been a long time life is crazy busy and sometimes I just do not have the energy to write. There is lots to update on and I will do it in the morning and bring everyone up to date on Christopher's progress.
Please be patient and thank you for being vigilant and checking the blog often for updates. All of the loose ends and work through the months of November and December have ended and now the push forward will have fresh approach and lots of energy, something I was lacking going into November. It has taken most of this two months to finish and rebuild.
tomorrow will be a complete up to the minute of all activities.
Chris is doing well and some interesting changes have taken place
Till tomorrow,
Good bye,

Kevin

Delays are always going to be !!!

I will start by saying, saying sorry for the delays just doesn’t cut it, so….. I am not apologizing for the delays you just have to know it is a very busy time and I will do my best to update as frequently as possible. I will add in smaller updates as they occur so they are brief and cover all that is happening.

So things have been moving forward and upwards, not as fast as I want but in the big picture, fast in comparison to all the crap that has been thrown at us. As long as we can walk around, through or over the crap and keep the peddle to the medal for what Chris needs it is good, life is good, it really is how you play the game.(of life).

New meanings for everything I have encountered and everything Chris has had to endure. I am still in an impatient frame of mind when it comes to new things happening, then I remember what my cousin quietly told me. If you plant seeds in the garden they do not grow over night, but if you nurture and tend to their needs and have a whole lot of undeniable belief in what you are doing or planting those seeds they will grow and develop, even without all your worry!

So onto the update…….. We have a standing frame that works perfect for Chris and have applied for funding for it. We have purchased a Lazy Boy chair and it has added a great break during hectic days it is big enough to allow his niece and nephew to sit in with him.. Speech has been going great, Chris has started on yogurts and mashed potato with gravy and some other soft foods and water. A cold has set in and put things on hold for a few days. Chris made it out for thanksgiving dinner and for Halloween, he even got to trek around with his niece and nephew for a while during their trick or treat time. He just got measured for new orthotics for his feet which will make standing a lot easier and more effective.

Funny, nothing we need, can we have, we have to beg and grovel for extended periods then maybe if we are lucky we will get the funds or portion of what is needed.

For this reason I will never forgive or forget ICBC and their walk away attitude nor the health system that wanted to walk away and wash their hands of our problem. They have the power to help to make this journey a little less painful if that’s possible, but they choose not to, they would rather have us drag it through the courts for several years so they can collect interest on the money that would change Chris’ quality of life for the better today I hope none of them are in this situation and have to deal with the same BS.

Here are a couple of links for you to check out pretty cool stuff.

http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/episode/2010/11/03/wednesday-november-3-2010/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/vegetative-patients-may-be-aware-newly-recruited-researcher-says/article1779227/

Thank you all,

Kevin and Chris

End of summer update

Hello,


Few things have been happening in the late days of summer. Chris did make it out to a couple of weddings, his cousin’s and one of his good friend’s.

He attended a BBQ at the pool he does his water therapy at last weekend the 19th.
Also went with Shelley a couple of weeks before that to a family day BBQ.

His Therapy has been moving forward with good strides, never as fast as I would have it, I just have to keep repeating to myself everything in moderation and remember he can not go as strong as before his injury.

Thank to all who made the effort to come and visit as I know the sound of all your voices stories made a difference this week. Hope to see all of you over the next month.

We are presently trying to obtain privately all of the necessary equipment Chris requires and were promised we would get when we got home, they just didn’t tell us we would have to get in line and wait and wait and wait. Waiting is not my strong point government interference and stalling is my pet peeve. So I guess I will do what has become my every day requirement in this post accident life that is to go forward with out delay and walk over the hills or through the mountains to get what Chris needs even if it requires begging or embarrassing those who deny the needs of others.
The latter seems to work with those in power positions as they treat funds and programs as if they were their own to distribute!

We have to date been turned down for all the equipment or tools we have asked for even though the therapists have applied for endless others and they are not turned down.

Most of these denial letters do not give names or telephone numbers to contact nor do they tell you what papers or documents are missing, so there is no way to fine tune or shorten your wait you must apply all over again and again and again! No wonder so many people give up and turn away (I believe this is what is hoped for from the ministry). Ever wonder what the government does with all the program monies that are never paid out to those who need them. Just think of the millions of dollars they have to spend on other more important things like Olympics, political parties!!!

All of the federal and provincial programs are designed so if you are disabled and have no one to fight and beg for you, you go without too bad for you?

Our provincial government goes on TV to tell us of all the wonderful programs and additions they are putting in place for us, but unless you are someone who needs it you will never see the bungling and waste that goes on day in and day out.

On the positive side, I took Chris out to one of the companies I met at the rehab trade show that was held in Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, to get measured for his own standing frame that will allow him to gain strength in his legs and trunk as well as balance. They also make chairs and additional seating options so his days can be more varied and accommodating to his requirements for more comfort.

Speech therapist is working closely with the other therapists and people from GF Strong to bring in some of the technology I have been ranting about for so long.

All in all each week we make more progress, moving forward to overcome our disabilities instead of wallowing in them.

Fraser Health still has rumblings going on, staying on top of them and ahead in knowledge has not been the problem, instead it is the nagging ongoing waste of time and money they represent, as well to many levels to the management structure, to many people with time on their hands and no purpose in their hearts. Maybe we will be in for a house cleaning before long as the waste can not go on like this forever; political unhappiness in this province is going to rumble through the system before very long. Even the suppliers of the needed equipment for the disabled have been told of countless cut back to equipment and lists of needed equipment they will no longer pay for even when backed by doctors and therapist’s letters and reports.


For those who did not read the Sunday morning Province newspaper, the story on A6 about
Will Campbell, will give you some insight as to what we are up against with ICBC.

In this story it is the same Lawyer, Michael Ragona QC and the Law firm Alexander Holburn Beaudin and Lang, which he is apparently a partner, that has been assigned in Chris’ case to block any money or funds to help with alterations to our house or to make Chris a home so he can get back to his family and be with the people he should be with. ICBC is responsible for all of the short falls and bullshit we have had to endure. We have made endless requests but to no avail they simply do not have to listen because there is no accountability for ICBC or it managers and adjusters. Looking from the outside they have done a gross injustice to the driver of the vehicle who they supposedly represent, as well as to Chris and his deserving requests for assistance, assistance which by the way has been given in countless other cases, just not ours for some reason. That reason will remain unknown because there is no accountability!

Once we started our fight to get Chris what he needed out of the medical system, ICBC hired this guy and shut down all talks with us and to this day refuse to discuss and advances or assistance. Even though Chris’ personal information was passed around through the ministries without our consent, makes you wonder how secure all your information is with them, doesn’t it?

All I can do is stay the course, stay focused and what ever changes I can help make, hopefully will make it better for everyone in need.

Till next time, remember Chris would love to see all of you!

Good bye,

Kevin

I know, long overdue

Hello All,


I was reminded by the people in Santa Barbara that they keep informed by reading the blog. My not posting through the summer more than I have is due to things running a little smoother, the pace at which things have been happening or not. I promise to at least tell a little each week if not each day. As things progress I will update immediately.

Chris was out to his good friend's wedding on September 3, 2010. That Friday Michele and I took Chris to Scott’s wedding at Crescent Beach Park and then to the reception in Richmond. Thank you Scott for the Invitation and not forgetting that although Chris can not talk he knows everything around him and showed the emotion during your wedding,

I have found that allot of people have excluded Chris from their lives; I am sure because they do not know how to deal with the change. He is still that same loveable Chris struggling to speak, struggling painstakingly to get movement back to break free from the prison he has been left to.

Please all of you remember when you visit do not make special conditions, treat Chris like Chris; he needs to know that you understand, more so that people see the progress he has made, and not all for nothing.

I can only imagine the pain and loneliness that he experienced trapped inside watching the system try to shut him down and push him aside these last few years. I have felt and lived it, you don’t know what it is like to have one so dear and close to your heart ripped from you all to soon, I not only felt that I lost my son, but my best friend. This is not the end, but the beginning for nothing could have prepared us for this, but we both can see that change is possible and not just for us, but to use what we have learned to help others from the inside out.

But the fights that have been fought, the knowledge that has been consumed and the understanding of brain injury has made me so dam determined to give him every chance and access to all avenues to fight his way back and eventually to tell his story.

It is all to long a road to walk alone, I thank Michele for staying close but for understanding the bond we have and giving me all the room and help I need, she really has been the glue with my family that has kept me together and focused on Chris and his needs.

I recall him telling me how lonely it was at med school and with missing family and friends while in residency away from home. His biggest joy was to return home to be with family and friends he missed so much.

Without being to forward or pushy Chris really does need the support of all of you now, his progress continues each day. You can feel the emotion and passion when someone whom he has not seen or heard from for a while shows up to say hello or help out.

We are getting help from the therapists from GF Strong with our speech needs thanks to Alisa the speech therapist who has worked incredibly hard since Chris was returned home all too soon.

Heather (not our Ponoka Heather who helped start it all) but our home Heather, she has taken the ball passed from Ponoka and carried it well, she has immense insight and feelings of Chris’ needs and pushes each day to strive further working to strengthening him so he can move forward in other areas. Included in the thanks are for Chris' help when I am not there, Joanne and the people at aqua-therapy. More equipment and software I hope will soon be ours to access even if we keep getting turned down by the different ministries for funding as we have been. Some where we will find the funds to get what is needed.

My not being up to date with the information on Chris has reminded me of the phenomenal amount of fantastic people following and keeping tabs on us, again sorry to all of you who check in each day and find nothing new. I will endeavour to be more consistent, I am sure you can appreciate the difficulty with time, watching and fighting the system that Chris can not defend himself against, look after all his needs now and for the future as well trying to work since being home catching up after a couple of years away. I am doing my best and Chris is keeping me on that track. So I will end with a last thank you to all of you and a special thanks to the doctors who worked with Chris who are always there to help and support when needed, you can not put into words what it all means to have that support.

THANK YOU SO MUCH,

Kevin and Chris

A little reading material

Hello again,


A little reading material,

This site was forwarded to me with the comment “But who reads it?” I do appreciate the information it reinforces the fact that others are as concerned about the lack of resources and knowledge to deal with Brain Injury as I am, but feel the despair in the lack of acknowledgement of Brain Injury and what is needed. This report I believe was prepared around 2000-2002 and has little impact on the current way we deal with Brian Injury. It is a vicious circle as we try to identify and change, but spend valuable rehab dollars getting reports and studies to tell those, who are not listening or do not care, what they need to do to effect change. Time has come to fund the care givers and front line workers in Brain Injury so real change can happen!

It is a long read if you are up to it browse through see where your tax dollars are being spent but not providing any benefit!

http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/library/publications/year/2002/MHA_Brain_Injury_Guidelines.pdf 

Excerpts from the above:

For families and significant others, the effects are equally devastating. There is a struggle

to understand the full impact of the brain injury on the loved one, issues of grief, loss and intimacy, reorientation of roles and responsibilities within the family and the impact on one’s own coping skills and resourcefulness. The costs to society are enormous, not only for care, treatment and rehabilitation but also in lost productivity, the personal contribution to society and the generational impact on the community.

Persons with brain injury receive a range of services from acute care to institutional rehabilitation and community-based support services (who are they kidding). Acute care and hospital-based rehabilitation services for persons who have brain injuries are reasonably accessible in British Columbia (not in our province wonder where they investigated?). However, persons with brain injuries often (always) experience difficulties in obtaining the community services many of them subsequently require.

The estimates for traumatic brain injury (an injury to the brain resulting from a blunt instrument or other cause) range from 100/100,000 to 200/100,000. Using a rate of 150/100,000, this translates into about 6,000 traumatic brain injuries. Based on US statistics, about 20% of individuals will die as a result of a traumatic brain injury before reaching a hospital, which translates into a surviving 4,800 individuals with traumatic brain injuries in the province. Of these remaining 4,800 individuals, the following has been observed, based on US statistics:

• 3,840 will acquire a mild brain injury, requiring services in 10% to 18% of the cases (384 to 691);

• 480 will acquire a moderate brain injury and 7% (34) of these will die. Of the remaining 446, one-third (47) will have no disability and two-thirds (399) will have a disability; and,

• 480 will acquire a severe brain injury - 50% (240) will die. All the remaining 240 will have a disability.

Think of the odds if you are one of the 480 as Chris is, to survive and being able to start communicating when given the proper tools and assistance and support. This is where the government and Fraser Health wanted to shove him into care extended care home in front of a TV for the rest of his life. He is now showing us he is still the same Chris inside wanting to get out and tell his story, with his medical training I am surprised the fumbling and bungling has not killed him. This is exactly what is needed to change if you can fight through all the perils and percentages of death that we predict even though we are only guessing because we truly do not understand human capabilities and what we do not understand we make up or disregard.

My friends this is a lifetime fight not only for Chris and I but for all of you as you age or injuries happen in your life. We are all human and open to injury and having to deal with the system that does not work, but continues to spend all of our resources and most it with no accountability.

This leaves 1,023 to 1,330 people of all ages requiring rehabilitation every year as a result
of a traumatic brain injury. There is minimal data to determine exactly how many require services as a result of a non-traumatic brain injury. An estimate in Alberta places the number at 40% of the total number of individuals who receive a traumatic brain injury (409 to 532). Extrapolating this to the population in British Columbia, this brings the total to between 1,432 to 1,862 British Columbians requiring rehabilitation for Brain Injury services per year.

Chris is still striving to live, to be heard, to be understood and teaching us all what a fighter and believer he is through all of this despair and frightening experiences he has endured through the system.
Can you imagine having to go this alone, dealing with health authorities that tell you there is nothing they can do, and yet every step of this fight we have proven them wrong.
When will justice be served and those in postions of  abusing power and denying access be tossed and those with insight and knowledge be allowed to spread and bring badly needed change to this extremely underfunded area.

I would hope that all Chris’ dedication and commitment to medicine was not going to be lost after this terrible injury, I do now believe that Chris can make tremendous changes in the medical system from his first hand experience and fight.

We only have to think a few years ago at the vibrant, extremely smart, knowledgeable, and loving personality that was a part of our lives, none of that has changed, only we have, looking at him as though he is not the same or able to understand us.

Try giving him the time and love he showed all of us and he will still make you laugh, cry, and see another part of you that you don’t even know exists! Remember he is only a short drive away from any of us and is badly in need of all those familiar voices and friends he held so dear!!!!

Thank you again for your time and patients and most of all your understanding!

Kevin and Dr. Christopher Bigelow

Busy Summer

Hello all,

Not much to tell, therapy is going good not expanding as fast I would like, but the equipment we need we keep getting turned down for. Application after application we apply, it is as if someone on the government's end can't wait to say no.

The funny or not so funny part is that nowhere on the forms do they give you instructions or an explanation of why our applications are turned down, they do not give any contact information or numbers to call to inquire. We will keep striving and working hard to expand on what was already built with hard work and therapy Chris is getting stronger all the time and if need be we will have to raise more money privately for the equipment needed instead of waiting for months or years. It is quite apparent that the well being of an individual is not as important as keeping the budget and expenses to an unreasonable level.

How many of you have been left without? Or your family members or friends unable to get what they need to recover and heal, I'm sure it's in the thousands and thousands of people tossed aside without care or thought and yet our government justifies massive spending and huge projects but forget about the people that make up this place we value so much!

Updates will be more frequent as time permit thank you all for your patience and support.

Chris and Kevin

Going to a Wedding

Hello everyone,

Everything is still chugging along slowly but with direction. Got to get in a thank you for the staff at Connect for their care and understanding and caring as well as putting in the little bit extra help needed, you guys are fantastic!

Special thanks to JoAnne and her exceptional attention to detail.

Fraser Health I am sure are still spinning ways to get out, but after our last meeting they have been more helpful and obliging, at least one anyway!

Chris is doing great, equipment pieces and parts for everything are always in a state of almost here or almost fixed. I can hardly wait to get through the last of my work and back to taking care of it all my way, with the help of the extremely competent and caring therapists we have been brought together with. You do not have to settle for second or third best keep looking and talking there are lots of dedicated and bright therapists out there.

Chris is off to his cousin Bob’s wedding today, should be a great trip out and seeing all the family together. Times like this get me feeling down, then I am reminded of all that I have to be grateful for and making his dreams come as close as possible will always be the driving force behind what I do.

Will update how things went tomorrow got to go Chris is waiting!

Bye for now,

Kevin

Friday Update

Hello,

Just a quick update, things are going really good. Chris is finding more and more ways to let us know what's bugging him.

The Therapists have been fantastic looking for more tools and ways for communication; we have applied for some programs that will help with the cost. Fraser Health is seemingly on board with the way things are going, time will tell. I would rather find what we need without the hassle but what ever it takes!

Still looking for a house to fit us getting pretty close, would be so much easier if ICBC stepped up as promised to help with the housing issue, but they have more important things to do with our money, like keeping the managers well paid and fed.

Can't find a case like it, where they would advance some of the claim to help out with housing and therapy. It is an on going issue I will fill in more in the next couple of days.

Also post when new things are happening!!

Thank you all,

Kevin

Good evening can't sleep

Good Evening,


I thought about all the crap that has been brought forward to block Chris’ progress and have to ask why?

Is it because the people that perpetuate this are ignorant to the fact that rehab works?

It has been shown over and over that continual rehab from an early start is most productive, and yet it is seldom started when it should be if at all.

If it were not for all the contacts through doctors that Chris worked with and for I would not have known either.

Fraser Health and the Ministry of Health never offered and in fact turned us down to be a part of their program, most of the doctors involved were of the belief that you don’t touch or move anyone after a brain injury.

Use to think it really was the way they thought but soon realized that it was just plain ignorance. Those who fight and persevere through the gamut of obstacles set in place by the Health authority seem to get some token of help, but it always is being pulled back. It is as if when you make progress a red flag goes up that says this could cost us more so lets stop it. I wonder really wonder how these people who work for Fraser Health go home at night and love and be loved.

I only hope their children never experience the devastation Chris and all of us have had to endure, through the injury and tremendous losses. We still fight the archaic system every step of the way. If any of these people’s children experienced a tragedy like we have, would they fight or give up and swallow all the crap they have forced down others throats.

Their work requires them to be sneaky, dishonest, story tellers and at all costs cut back any and all therapy the bottom line here is dollars and we have all seen what our government, Health system, Health region find important and it is not people. Nor is it caring whether someone heals and moves forward it all comes down to how many dollars are saved or not spent.

I will attend the meeting Wednesday morning even with reports missing and two of the three administrators missing with nothing of importance to discuss we will have them pay an extremely large amount of money to sit and rehash the bull around and around, I think when they have meetings it makes them feel justified in get ridiculous high pay for really providing nothing of value. If some of these people in Fraser Health had to work in the private domain they would be out of a job. Interesting enough that the cost of administrators and bureaucracy in the Fraser Health region alone amounts to around 9 billion dollars a year. If we cut that in half and gave it to those who supply rehab we would have a healthy change to injured people in this region.

Lots more to add and enlighten but it will have to wait.

Good night will fill in the missing pieces tomorrow.

Kevin

Moving Forward Against All Odds

Good morning,


It has been over a month since any updates have been done to the blog, mainly because I've been very busy, Chris's therapies and running great and expanding

The therapies that Chris is taking part in have been absolutely fantastic his physio is ramping up and working in cooperation with the speech therapy. Occupational Therapy is working with both other disciplines to find the equipment and other environmental controls that will assist.

The amount of energy Chris puts out trying to communicate is unbelievable I am in awe at his strength and determination. Chris knows he has to struggle to communicate to let us know the things that he needs.

He is now answering questions putting sentences together, picking out pictures.

We just have to find an easier way for him to communicate all of these feelings to us.

Our daily job is to strengthen the areas that he needs to use so as to promote communication; I feel we are well on the way to doing this.

It will be a couple days before the next update, tomorrow Wednesday morning we will meet with Fraser health and the therapists that are treating Chris.

Until now Fraser health remained running in the background I'm sure looking for ways to cut back or to weasel their way out of all of the things that were promised.

I have never seen an organization run the way this one does, it seems to be run by people who have no training or background in rehabilitation or successful medical research in the field in which they are employed.

When given information by highly trained professionals, doctors and by the therapists highly trained in this area of injury they still want to look the other way and pretend they know best.

It's about time that some of the research on training or lack of, be made public for all to read, you would then understand why people in these situations in need of therapy but not able to get it, can not move forward and have very little hope of ever doing so!

Basically our health system would have a social worker or their appointee decides who and what you will get for therapy if any at all. It is sad that these decisions are made by someone with less or no training in the discipline in question and have the ability to toss aside the trained professionals report and recommendations’ and come up with their own personal decision based on what?
That being said, would then lead one to believe that a social worker could then double as a neuro-physiotherapist saving the system a whole whack of money. But wait a minute; why should they do it when they actually think that a care aid or rehab assistant can take the place of a fully licensed physio therapist with neuro training.

My goodness does the physio therapist association know this, if this is true why would anyone want to put in the years of training to specialize in this field for which there is an unrelenting need, when in fact anyone can do it. I have been hands on with this for almost three years now, I have seen it all, but the wasted money for all the multiple layers of bureaucracy to over see highly trained professionals is most daunting and the biggest waste of medical and rehab dollars in a system that is dysfunctional and a waste of tax payers dollars.

We will wait and listen; we will be patient but only as long as it is in Chris's best interest.

It's so very true, information is a powerful thing in the wrong hands it could be devastating,
yet in the right hands it can evoke change for thousands.

We need to keep researching and keep promoting, knowing that brain injury is still in its infancy for rehab. It is definitely about time that trained professionals as well as those in administrative positions in this field get up-to-date and not 20 years behind the time even more so if they are involved in making policy and overseeing programs of this magnitude.

At the end of the day Chris is doing great the therapists are doing a wonderful first-class job and at Connect the place Chris resides for the time being, are great listeners and caregivers we appreciate the care and dedication provided by these people. I hope that they're doing a good job does not affect the support the ongoing care at Fraser health and the ministry of health are going to provide.

Thank you all for your patience and your ongoing support we will in the near future be putting together another news story that will engulf allot of these issues and start to show the positive things that can happen in brain injury rehab.

Bye for now and thank you,

Kevin & Chris

Early June 2010

Hello again,


Nothing but good news happening with Chris these days, he floored all of us by hitting a 100% while working with the speech therapist. Questions ranged from simple pictures then to words, then onto phrases, then sentences and questions that required some form of calculation.

Even for me it left me in tears and I am the one that requires proof before getting too excited.

Along with all of this I picked up his TV on Monday and installed it on the wall so the angles now are good for him from any side or distance, made sure we got all the right connections so as to attach the computer and other forms of technical support that will help us to communicate more effectively and at a quicker pace. Physio sessions were great as well Chris responds quicker and uses visual targets to answer questions. We are now working to strengthen his muscles that he needs to use while sitting and interacting; this in turn is working with the speech therapist in her quest to find the right tools to use. The OT has brought in a lady from GF Strong to assess what Chris needs in the way of switches or tools to interact in his environment.

It has been a struggle to arrange for the equipment needed but special thanks to Sheila at Mr. Doig’s office we have been able to get the things we need and in place so they work until I can get it together with the equipment we need for the future.

Heather you have a very special place in Chris’ and my hearts, I can not begin to thank you. You know I credit a lot to you and your determination, your passion and drive in making others see what only I thought I could see. This page is not long enough to go on thanking everyone, Anthony for all the quirky gadgets Graham and Laurie for the evening shifts when Chris started moving and communication with his fingers and no one wanted to believe them, their determination to show the others it was happening, all of the nurses and aides that cared so much from the heart for Chris when it became much more than just a job.

To all the staff from administration to education to Rec-therapy thank you for the magical time of transformation that we were given there with you, for listening to me over and over and believing in my determination to make a difference in this area of brain injury. Our fight is not yet over but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

To Doctors “R” and “G” thank you for the chance and the open door to change, without that chance I am afraid I would have failed in this journey as no one in this province will listen or seems to care.

Larry the support and encouragement and you always being there when I needed that extra push or paper completed, will always be remembered, I am even more determined to make people open their eyes and see the injustice that has been brain injury up until now, every life is worth fighting for people just don’t know how to.

Now that I am home it is still a battle, but showing others the things I learned while there with Chris have enabled me to enlighten other caregivers and therapists on how and why “you never say never”!

I must add here that the therapist and care workers we have working with us are fantastic I will not go as far to say better than Ponoka that will never happen, but they have come in with open ears and understanding mostly not being influenced by word of mouth and misdirection. They are very special people that have those same qualities as those in Ponoka, it really has to stem from experience and a way of believing in something. Just wanted to be clear that good therapists and people are every where you just have to open your eyes and not take what is given, always ask questions and ensure that those you are trusting your future with are people you can believe in and trust yourself.

Maybe one day soon we will carry that message clearly, and in a way that the politicians that hold access to the funds to create that change can understand!

This is such an exciting time, thank you all for sharing your time, thoughts and support. If I need your backing and support in the future to make changes or to rally for more for the disabled I know I can count on you, and really in crazy times like this who could ask for any more than to have a great bunch of friends, supporters and believers that know that one person can make change, albeit a slow one. Chris and I will keep the push on making people who are accountable, accountable and those who control funds that will effect the changes needed for people who can not speak for themselves.

Thank you all,

Kevin and Dr. Christopher Bigelow

Updates twice a week or as needed.

June 1, 2010

Hi,

Welcome to June 2010. Chris' therapies are going great new ideas and things to try are getting him more into the therapy than I thought possible this soon after returning home. Finding the right therapists after having the best in Ponoka was a chore but we have come close and Chris is making up lost ground because of the unorganized and hastily, unorganized and poorly arranged transfer back home.

G.F. Strong is lending us some environmental controls and helping us to get this rolling, speech is working on Chris' swallowing and taste as well as trying to use the controls once in place. Physio has some great ideas and really is excited to work with Chris and it shows in Chris' responsiveness to her and his participation in all of his sessions.

Anyone who can say that rehab does not help after a certain amount of time has obviously been misinformed and not educated enough to make decisions or in fact has never worked with brain injured people in a productive way. Always looking to decrease therapy for anyone is a no brainer as we all know as things get better and stronger the need for therapy increases and never decreases.

I think a debate on TV with some of Fraser Health’s officials and or people from the Ministry of Health would be quite enlightening either in showing the shallow depth of training or that in fact its the dollar that rules all and not the injured person's best interest at all. Perhaps some day in the future we will be able to see the benefit to people, society, family and the reduced burden on health care by increasing therapy, making people better and stronger and not draining the all so precious health dollars.

I will have to keep a close eye on the people at Fraser Health and the Health Ministry as I know their intentions were anything but what has turned out. They have been doing what is needed as I have requested with a little pressure.

I will be paying attention to every detail and request made by anybody that has any thing to do with Chris' recovery detail, documenting it all, as a lot of people do not see things with clear glasses or take each case on its own merit and will always be trying to sabotage the efforts I have worked years for.

The buttons you talk of being pushed are still there waiting, in fact over loading. As I see it you have to have enough damming evidence to make your point hard and clear, but I hope I never will have to. Moving forward in a positive environment for Chris and other individuals with a brain injury is the most important thing at this time as long as we have this and the cause for brain injury moves forward each day, I am happy and we all should be. I will keep you all informed if the train starts rolling off the track. All of you that read and pass along the information regarding Chris, and the injustices done or tried play such an enormous roll to help to make those responsible for rehab accountable, you all have become a big part in what has become some what of a movement and we will move on.

Thank you to all the Doctors, Nurses,Aides, support staff,  BC health workers, Alberta health workers, health workers in the rest of this country who have written in support, all of Chris' family, friends as well as the many, many, people from BC, Alberta and the rest of Canada who have become a part of our support group, this includes all of the great people from Ponoka for being so dedicated, professional and just plain human beings with big hearts that really care. If only I could instil just a bit of this into our health system here what a different world we would have.

There will be “Dr. Christopher Adam Bigelow Society for Brain Injury” shirts available very soon I will post the details when they are available. All proceeds will go directly to the Society.

Thank you all again so much for the support, concern, caring and love you send. I share it all with Chris and he is aware of all that is going on around him and of the tremendous amount of support out there. He shows it every day by fighting against all odds that makes him that human being we all grew to love and respect.

Bye for now,

Kevin

May 28, 2010 Friday

Hey everyone,


Last week or two have been pretty good, equipment is starting to arrive and therapy is going great.

Thanks to wonderful therapist and the tremendous foundation set by the staff of doctors, nurses and therapists at Halvar Jonson Center. With out their input and guidance we would not have had the insight or backing to make the therapy carry on here at the pace it needs to. With the ongoing input and the open mindfulness of the therapists here to use their instincts to listen and ask questions based on actual findings instead of the usual guidance set out by health authorities.

Funny how the truth has a way of opening up and showing us things that we never thought possible when only given the chance!

Thursday Therapy was amazing great physio session and the afternoon speech session was awe inspiring. As all of our second family in Ponoka knows Chris pulls things out of no where and makes the hair on your neck stand up. While doing speech he was answering the questions and symbols faster and faster as well as putting together three commands at once, we pushed him again and again maybe over doing it a bit but it was so amazing to see and really solidified the fact that his ability to progress and focus on tasks is growing and getting stronger.

Heather our physio therapist at HJC had always seen this in Chris and was able to bring out the fight in Chris, she was so right when telling me he will only respond and answer to those who he knows will wait for the answer when asking a question. My biggest fear when returning home was that no one here would be able to connect with Chris like heather did. Although it is not quite the same strong connection just yet as it was with Heather at HJC, it is building and getting stronger with both of the therapists Chris now works with, I just want to say how grateful I am to have found them and appreciate their dedication and openness.

Since being home I have also had the pleasure to meet more and more people in the brain injury family and will use their stories to keep moving forward in the promoting of therapy and more funding for Brain Injury in this Province.

Equipment is still being tweaked and adjusted as I have time but we will continue to strive to move forward always appreciating each day and the time we have together.

I am trying to keep the updates regular but time does not always allow this.

Thank you Heather for doing the follow ups on Chris and for passing on our progress to all the others at our second home, HJC.

Bye for now,

Kevin

Wednesday May 12, 2010

Hi,

Friday came and went, so much going on and no down time, I am going to have to set a time each day to sit and update as I know from the emails so many of you look each day as to what is happening with Chris.

We have managed to keep him moving and his breathing is clear he is doing great getting out to the pool three times a week, Physio is happening this week and will build up to five days a week with lots of new ideas coming forward we have had to alter the equipment and look at having to buy some as Fraser Health had none and is taking forever to acquire it or just waiting for us to buy it?

First off, Fraser Health had no therapy as promised or planned nor was any equipment in place when we got back to BC, a very quick exit with no thought involved as to how they are going to make the Minister of Health’s comments come true, that was Mr Falcon telling everyone we have places like Ponoka here in BC.

Turns out they were just empty promises to get us home and stop therapy, they were not even prepared to follow all the recommendations from HJC as to what Chris required, they were going to wing it and see how little support they could get away with until the questions kept arising and I guess realizing that not talking to and taking advise from the very place we send all our injured would look pretty stupid, with a little prodding they finally talked to the therapists and have now said they will follow Ponoka's recommendations.

This could mean though that just like working hard in Ponoka and making unbelievable progress they decide to make it all stop without so much as an explanation or reason, still no reason to this very day. We continue to send more people to Ponoka because we do not know how to treat or apply the therapies that are necessary. Talking to a lot of people that do not know up from down and make a lot of comments or promises I just got tired and decided taking what was given instead of what was promised was not going to happen to Chris. We have found some great therapists and are starting to set up our own rehab that follows the blue prints sent from Ponoka.

The promises of transferring seamlessly from Ponoka back closer to home with rehab the same as in Ponoka was an empty promise to quell and stifle the questions and curiosity that is created every time Fraser Health or the Health Ministry has something to say. I also didn’t tell you that coming home to the same treatment that we had in the programs in Ponoka was a dream that turned into a nightmare and to add insult to injury they now require Chris to pay for daily care. Wow in a car accident in your home province as a victim then they charge you to live, while withholding all of the insurance money you are entitled to and knowing they have taken away your ability to work. Thought we did not live in a third world country guess our priorities need to be addressed next election.

I still do not understand why we have people who do not understand rehab, in the positions that will hire or apply the required therapy, all the in house therapy they have is inadequate and years behind the times. Fortunately private therapist with an abundance of knowledge do exist you just have to look long and hard. Time to get a thinning of the many many managers and directiors of nothing and use that money towards
the much needed and ignored therapies.

If you want to read the last newspaper update I think it was the Red Deer Advocate middle of last week.
The link is as follows: 

http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/provincial/Sons_therapy_plan_in_disarray_92869054.html 


The Ponoka paper as well as out local papers I am hoping will finish and print in the next week or so and we are going to do an update with Global TV as to where we ended up and what is in store for Chris. I will post times and places as they come available.

Kevin

Wednesday May 5, 2010

Hey everyone,


Things are moving forward at Connect it is turning out to be quite the place. Good people, that listen and take note, change when change is needed and truly love what they do.

About as close to being in the care of the fantastic people in Ponoka without being there.

No physio yet, new happenings everyday but nothing concrete as of yet, just lots of stretching and trips to water therapy as well as getting in the cycling.

Chris met with the speech therapist today and we talked about his abilities, Chris was able (even though he was very tired) to answer five out of five questions with his arm and hand. She was very excited about his drive to communicate and has started to put together a plan for us to work toward.

Meeting on Friday morning with Fraser health people and the therapists, I will update after the meeting and fill in any outstanding issues or short comings, as well I hope to tell of making great strides in their commitment to the needed, deserved and long overdue rehab plan for Dr. Bigelow.

I shall remain patient, obtain any needed equipment that we can not wait for and keep working Chris hard until the plan is in place. I am again trusting people at their word and hoping there are some smart caring people working in our health care system that will start thinking for themselves, therefore effecting change for all in need.

Till Friday which will be an exciting post,

Kevin

Late Monday

Even with only one visit by a social worker looking in for a few minutes then making the statement “he has transitioned well” eats away at me these people know nothing about Chris or his therapy and yet they would have therapists write recommendations after no real consultation or following the advice of the place we send our injured because we can not treat them here.


A BC resident traveled to HJC to take Chris’ bed once he was forced to give it up and yet our health minister still believes we have places like HJC here in BC but continues to send more of our injured to that slow rehab place in Alberta as he referred to it as.

They are just doing their jobs I hear this all the time, seems like it is the standard cop-out so no one has to answer the tough questions, trouble is they are doing nothing for Chris or his situation or the majority of brain injuries in our province.

I am amazed how people can be in charge of therapy or a rehab program when they do not really understand rehab at all. If they do understand rehab that would mean I have been lied to on several occasions, which I think is a modest statement.

The disregard for the guidance of the HJC just goes to show our government does not understand rehab either or how to put it in place or maybe it is just total disregard for those in need, putting dollars and cents before lives.

I must ask where is ICBC in all of this they are responsible for the auto insurance and the government controls them. The government also controls the health care system and who can and can not access it. The government is also responsible to make the highways and roads we travel safe and secure for our use, we put this trust in them every day we go on the roads to drive, in particular Kevin Falcon (highway minister) when this accident happened, on a highway he was responsible for. Now he is responsible for the health ministry, and not doing any better in that job, in fact he is in a position to hurt a great deal more innocent residents of what we thought was the best province in this country.

The advance in all of this has been taken off the table in support of the health ministry. When asked why they will not help out when they know they are responsible the only response by their lawyer is they need something in return. In return for what, for providing not lifting one finger of help or assistance to a victim of a car they insured. Again another group you have to wonder what a warm and fuzzy evening they spend with their loved ones. ICBC has no defence, no reason to not help as the amount needed to care for Chris for the years to come will add up to ten times the amount they will have to pay.

I ask again where is the human side of the people that work at our Insurance company I hope every day they go home and sit with their families enjoy their company listen to their dreams and future plans then think ahead to all that is possible for their children, all the time knowing they have removed this from Chris and all of his family and all persons with brain injury in this province?

I am sick of begging and fighting for the rights we all deserve maybe it is about time we name the people making these decisions and hold them accountable for their inaction or wasting of resources that have come to be in such short supply. We should be holding the politicians who give lip service to us when we deserve the right to be heard.

It is time the government stopped riding the fence and step in and make the insurance company pay what it owes and stop car accident victims from having to use the limited funds available from our public hospitals and health care system.

To think this government that at one point talked about transparency and openness and now is one of the most backward, self-serving, demeaning governments of the day full of hypocrites and lazy politicians.

Good Night,

Kevin