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
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
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
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
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