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