I've copy/pasted Felicia's last email here. (Felicia, is Trevor currently in Little Rock, or another town?)
Hi!
So somehow, either I managed to log him out or his password isn't saved anymore. I registered and put the website on my personal computer so I could give better updates more frequent. I'll try to hit the highlights of the past 3 months...
I told Trevor this weekend that I received an email (I preapoligze for my lack of knowledge of motorcycles. After years, I still haven't grasped all the parts...) I mentioned that a guy named Scott from SOCH emailed me. Trevor immediately corrected me by saying, "It's single overhead cam. It's my motorcycle forum. SOHC 4." It's important to note that he said it like I was an idiot. I laughed and asked if he would like a visit from some of the guys/people from the forum. He said, "That would be great. I'd really appreciate that. I'd love those guys. Tell them I said Thank You." We then spent some time talking about pistons, carburetor, and I would describe a part I'd seen in his shop and he'd tell me about it. He still thoroughly LOVES his CB550. He gets borderline teary eyed every time he asks about his bike. I give him the light version of how his bike looks and reassure him with some hard work that I know he can do, he can fix it. That I am confident in.
So, let me get you guys caught up on our world. So much has happened over the last 3 weeks it's just crazy! His progress has been steady ever since he had his bone flap put back in on December 12, 2012. We spent about a week in the hospital with that. He got to sit in a recliner for the first time during that stay! He was talking pretty decent...well close friends and family could make him out and conversation was rocky to say the least, but random memories kept coming back which would let us know he was still there.
Our next move was to Baptist Rehab Hospital a few miles down the road. We were there for about a month. There he got to start sitting in a wheelchair and started doing PT, OT, and speech. The hospital was great! Everyone fell in love with him. (I know I'm biased when I say that, but it's true. I tell him it's weird how many people like him from a short meeting haha) It was the first time everyone knew what we were going thru and were incredibly helpful. He started talking somewhat better and we could see improvements with therapy. He also got started on pureed food while there (I've tried everything that Trevor has ate, worn, laid in/on, and even tasted his liquid meds. Pureed food, not so good. I feel fortunate that we are basically the same size and he couldn't tell us for the longest time how he felt)
Our concern then was, "what are we going to do next?!?" Trevor didn't have insurance (kept trying to use that as leverage to get married haha) and medicaid just recently got approved for the first 3 months of his accident! (we have to apply every 3 months because of this spin down program because they believe he'll get a large settlement or potential. Crazy! I've got a normal 9-5 job and his mom had quit her job to come down here. Rehabs start at like $800 a day... I still can't wrap my head around the fact that someone did this to someone else, but if that someone else doesn't have the money/insurance/connections for rehab, it could drastically impact their future life. It just doesn't seam fair...not to mention the debt that person will have but that is a rant for a later date.
We talked about moving him out of Arkansas (insurance here covers so little compared to Texas or Colorado - which also have top Neuro Rehab facilities also) but couldn't take him away from his friends/support group. I feel like this has equally help him recover. I placed a call into Timber Ridge Neuro Rehab. The only place in the state dedicated to Neuro rehab. We went to visit it. There was a waiting list and it was an insane amount of money each month. They only accept private pay or some insurances. Somehow a door opened up and we did a lean against the insurance settlement and Trevor got to go to Timber Ridge late January. (I think it was because the more we told them Trevor's story and who he was - we come prepared with examples of all sorts - they started falling in love with Trevor and hating the guy that did this as much as we do)
Trevor has been there almost 2 full months and we have fingers crossed another 2 months there. So far his short term memory is getting carry over from day to day but not yet a few days. He's not confident that he can remember things but with just a cue word or letter can regurgitate everything. The right side of his body is fully functional. Still waiting on the left side to fully catch up. However, 2 weeks ago his left hand started moving. Just a smidge but now he can lift up his left arm and fully stretch out all of his fingers. Last week we had a big meeting with all of his different therapy's and PT showed us a video of him walking! I was expecting like 5 steps but he went 200 ft!! The PT lady had to assist his left leg the whole time, but it's a start! He was so jazzed about that!! She decided to try because he'd been trying to pull himself out of his wheelchair. They told us that every week they are having to rewrite his protocols because he smashes their expectations everyday. This weekend he could lift his left leg about a foot off the ground.
He's doing so much better and blows me away every time I see him. I tell him I feel like he's got about 30% more to go to a full recovery. This past week, the struggle has turned into him understanding the whole reality of what happened and what might happen to him. He gets so emotional about it. He asks legit questions that make my stomach turn to have to see him talk about this. He really wants to be normal again. He's confident that he can do it and he says, "I'll do whatever they ask. I'll be a badass." He asks me to marry him all the time. I tell him he has to walk down the isle. He asks if he can get started working on his motorcycles all the time, but then it's like a light switch flips and he freaks out that we are leaving him a Timber Ridge and that he's trying as hard as he can. that's where I wish multi day memory carry over would come in handy.
Everyone has talked about watching for personality changes. Well so far, for better or worse, we still have the same Trevor. haha He's a little more vocal regarding being sweet and appreciative than he was before but overall, he still gets that mischievousness grin and still cracks up at inappropriate jokes. He's been wanting to go on a date with me. This weekend I took him to get a burger and milkshake and we went to the movies alone. Talk about a wake up call for handicap access or lack there of... I take so much for granted! Some random couple had seen his story, recognized Trevor and bought our meal. I was speechless. Trevor sat thru the whole movie and enjoyed it. I was hoping to make it just thru the previews. We've had an awesome weekend!
Oh! He gets to come home on the weekends now! It's the best. He's at Timber Ridge M-F. He can have visitors after 4PM. It's in the middle of nowhere, depending on which route you take, it could be good windy riding roads. So let me know when you guys would like to stop by. Weekends would be better because he's more rested and relaxed and I'll post our address. We are about to move apartments on the 10th. Trevor can now use real bathrooms and showers so we are upgrading to a more handicap friendly place. We also get to get rid of the hospital bed! I am going to miss it tho...it's pretty great to just push a button to set up or lay down haha
We have our criminal omnibus hearing tomorrow. the other side as requested a continuance We are not contesting it this time because we are still waiting on lab test to confirm it was Trevor's blood on the car as well as we are trying to get this guys military records (he was quote unquote dishonorably discharged for drinking and firing a weapon). Also, one of the charges got raised from 5-30 years from 5-20 years. I need to look to see what all the charges are and let you guys know. His mom, myself and our MADD representative got to go speak in front of the judiciary committee to try to get stricter drinking and driving laws passed here in the state. Our laws are ridiculously low... It was outraging at the least to hear the rebuttles from those people but at least some baby steps were made. I need to figure out how to get more involved with BADD...
We also have a follow up appointment with Trevor's Neuro doc (who saw him 3 weeks ago and said "you are having dramatic improvement" and "I foresee good things for you" Dr. Feng was all smiles). We have a follow up because Trevor had developed some fluid on the brain that shouldn't be there. I pray it just gets absorbed and it doesn't look any bigger on the CT scan. Otherwise he'll have to go into the hospital and have it drained. I really don't want to have to make this back step. Everything is moving forward and I really want it to stay that way for Trevor. He wants to testify and tell the guy to burn in jail. that he's ruined his life and his bike. I don't think he'll get to testify because about 30% of the time he still thinks it's 10 years ago (even tho he snaps out of it more quickly now by just saying that was 10 years ago).
Sorry for the long post and I promise to do a better job. Let me know if you have any questions. He was genuinely excited to get to meet some of you guys. I brought it up a couple of times this weekend. I think it would be good for him and so does his mom.
Thanks again for caring about Trevor! You really don't know how much it's helped.
Felicia
