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
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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
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
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
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
Monday, May 3, 2010
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
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
New week new start
Hey all,
We are back at it, a trying weekend letting everything sink in making sure all of Chris’ needs are being met before taking aim at the short fall. Chris had a pretty good weekend and end of the week last week. What is not going great is the therapy, the therapy that was to start the day after arriving home, it was to be seamless so as not to upset Chris’ schedule he was use to and responding to.
Connect’s staff are trying to get it in order, all the time learning, listening and watching while I show and explain how things worked at HJC and why it was so successful. Showing why a caring private facility can always be a viable alternative to our dysfunctional system. They are very good at listening and addressing concerns no problem trusting Chris' daily care with them, they are a good bunch and I look forward to working more with them.
I will start this week by trying to bring in more therapists as there has been nothing after ten days, this is a direct result of the limitations and restrictions that Fraser Health and the Ministry of Health have put in place, they do not and will not recognize the work and detail that HJC has put together over the last fourteen months of long hard work. HJC provided detailed and extensive directions with full reports and descriptions of what has to be done. They have been available at all times at the other end of a phone to provide direct direction to any that would need it. Hard to believe that one of the most advanced centers for brain injury therapy would not be listened to, even after our Minister of health Kevin Falcon said they would follow the direction of Chris’ doctors in Alberta and BC. To this date none of it has been followed or adhered to.
Withholding access to funds, our health system is depriving Chris of a chance to recover to his best ability. We have spent around 400,000.00 dollars in the last year and a bit to get to this point not to mention the sweat and lost lives, torn dreams, the endless fighting of the system, mostly over things they are unable to comprehend or are capable of understanding.
In the middle of making great strides in Alberta at HJC, without notice, without reason or explanation it has been removed almost instantly. I will be meeting with Chris’ legal team to discuss our options but already have a feeling it will be left to me again to push the envelope to make changes happen.
I am taking Chris to the pool right now and will continue this afternoon.
Kevin
We are back at it, a trying weekend letting everything sink in making sure all of Chris’ needs are being met before taking aim at the short fall. Chris had a pretty good weekend and end of the week last week. What is not going great is the therapy, the therapy that was to start the day after arriving home, it was to be seamless so as not to upset Chris’ schedule he was use to and responding to.
Connect’s staff are trying to get it in order, all the time learning, listening and watching while I show and explain how things worked at HJC and why it was so successful. Showing why a caring private facility can always be a viable alternative to our dysfunctional system. They are very good at listening and addressing concerns no problem trusting Chris' daily care with them, they are a good bunch and I look forward to working more with them.
I will start this week by trying to bring in more therapists as there has been nothing after ten days, this is a direct result of the limitations and restrictions that Fraser Health and the Ministry of Health have put in place, they do not and will not recognize the work and detail that HJC has put together over the last fourteen months of long hard work. HJC provided detailed and extensive directions with full reports and descriptions of what has to be done. They have been available at all times at the other end of a phone to provide direct direction to any that would need it. Hard to believe that one of the most advanced centers for brain injury therapy would not be listened to, even after our Minister of health Kevin Falcon said they would follow the direction of Chris’ doctors in Alberta and BC. To this date none of it has been followed or adhered to.
Withholding access to funds, our health system is depriving Chris of a chance to recover to his best ability. We have spent around 400,000.00 dollars in the last year and a bit to get to this point not to mention the sweat and lost lives, torn dreams, the endless fighting of the system, mostly over things they are unable to comprehend or are capable of understanding.
In the middle of making great strides in Alberta at HJC, without notice, without reason or explanation it has been removed almost instantly. I will be meeting with Chris’ legal team to discuss our options but already have a feeling it will be left to me again to push the envelope to make changes happen.
I am taking Chris to the pool right now and will continue this afternoon.
Kevin
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