11/8/04 update from Lori

11/8/04
Dear Family & Friends,

Passing on an important update from Lori. As always, thank you for your continued prayers & support!

Blessings,
Gina


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Thanks for your prayers and concerns. Last week was a whirlwind... fighting
the insurance company and then an immediate turnaround. God is faithful.
I got word of the insurance company's approval about 3:00 Wed that they wanted
Gerard midmorning on Thursday.

Gerry traveled well to Bakersfield and the transition went smoothly. He
expressed concerns about being an embarrassment and being sent away; pray
for his understanding and fortitude for his own rehabilitation. He is disoriented
and doesn't realize he is in Bakersfield, far from home. He continues to
"wait" for us to "swing by for a visit when we get a minute or to take him to
church." He refused to get in the van to take him to church Sunday because
"his wife was coming to get him any minute." Pray for his orientation.

Centre for Neuro Skills has a different concept than any hospital or rehab
program that I have experienced. They believe in the concept of a "rhythm
of living" where therapy programs and residential care closely simulate
real-life situations Gerry will face on discharge. The goals stress independence,
self-reliance, and social control. The founder's brother and our case
manager have family that experienced brain injury.

Gerry will reside at the apartments, about 30 minutes away from the clinic.
This is a regular apartment complex that the Centre owns and is not a
locked-in facility. However, they have a security system similar to stores
with someone monitoring a bank of cameras and staff with walkie-talkies that are
continually monitoring the grounds.

At the apartments, there is a very detailed program on a point basis that
breaks down all the tasks of daily living to multiple steps. Gerry will be
graded on his initiation of task, and proper completion, of each step. He
has an RA who stays with him at all times, recording all behaviors, providing first
a verbal cue if necessary, physical/verbal cue or doing the step for them if
he can't complete same. This information will be input into a computer program
to prepare his own individualized treatment program. The RA also helps with
continuous and immediate feedback. His deficits will also be incorporated
into treatment tasks at the clinic.

Gerry is given a certain amount of money weekly for groceries and
activities. He is expected to prepare his own meals, plan a menu, shop for groceries,
budget monies, do his laundry, self care, cleaning, time management, etc.
Gerry packs his own lunch and takes a Centre bus and "commutes to work" at the
clinic. At the clinic he has 4 therapy sessions and one hour of counseling a
day. He then commutes back "home", has an hour of rest/recreation of his choice
and then preps his evening meal, does laundry, chores and then several times
a week goes out for a community outing, i.e. movie, hockey game, haircuts,
bowling, church.

Gerry will not have a lot of down-time, however, daily he is to check his
mail box and e-mail. It is always more encouraging when there is mail in the
box.

Please e-mail him. Include in your note,
how you know Gerry and pictures are also welcome. They recommended a few weeks
of transition before he can accept telephone calls from friends.

I am also encouraged that they strongly consider family participation
important and strive to keep the family educated in the treatment program,
working with expectations, fears, etc. We can all participate in counseling and
perhaps even have family sessions via video-teleconferencing. Pray that we will all
get the help we need to make the long term transition to Gerry's disability.

Pray that the children and I can adjust and have peace during this "new"
stage with Gerry so far from home as we entrust Gerry to this program for
the next 4 months. I am further encouraged that a follow-up survey with all CNS
clients, 6 months after discharge, showed 94% of clients maintained or
improved discharge levels. Continued long-term discharge services are also available
to us.

Lori

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
John 14:27.

Update 11/3 from Gina

Dear Family & Friends,

We are so happy to pass on this incredible praise report, and thank you for praying with us!

God Bless,
Gina
----- Original Message -----
From: AGA News
To: AGA Group 04-05
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 9:09 PM
Subject: Marinucci No. 64


Nov 3, 2004

Lori has great, Great, GREAT news!
Gerry has been approved by Aetna insurance to go to Bakersfield for additional rehabilitation for the next four months. Lori praises God for this development. Lori is very happy with this outcome and gives the glory to God. Thank you for your prayers and thank God for His kindness in this situation.

Gerry will be transferred tomorrow, Thursday, and Lori and Gina will be driving. Her prayer request is for traveling mercies and the transition. Please pray that Gerry will adjust well to his new surroundings and understand that this is for his benefit immediately and for the family in the long run.

Lori is grateful for all of you that visited Gerry in Escondido and as of early Thursday morning there is no longer any need for you to stop by.

Lori and the family thank you for all your care and all your prayers.

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A note from Steve: I talked with Gina and Lori recently and both were really hoping that Gerry would be sent here because the evaluation the facility did with him showed he'd gain much from being treated there. So this is very good news.

Update from Gina 11/1/04

11/1/04

Dear Family & Friends,

Last week Gerry came home again for the weekend from Escondido. The Bakersfield Centre for Neuro Skills came out to evaluate Gerry for their renowned program. The evaluation was close to 4 hours, and Gerry stayed alert and focused for the whole thing. We learned more in this one evaluation than we have in the last 8 months! We believe that the Centre for Neuro Skills is where Gerry will get the treatment that he needs with the professionals who specialize in brain injury. Their recommendation is for Gerry to stay inpatient at the Centre for 4-6 months. They stated that Gerry is an ideal candidate for the treatment they provide, and they are hopeful that upon completion, Gerry could stay by himself, and possibly handle the tasks & responsibility of employment.

This weekend was again a difficult one with unfounded agitation, aggression and outbursts. The girls were hardly at home, and Gerry still lacked patience and understanding about his inappropriate reactions. This weekend was an experiment in our minds to see if his behavior from last week would be repeated.
The fact that it was confirms without a doubt that Gerry is not ready to be in his home environment until he receives the treatment he needs. Also, Gerry has been talking about hearing voices, and we ask for your prayer as we don't know if this is from his brain injury, or a psychotic result from his new medication. We pray for answers and the right treatment, and for Gerry's peace as he struggles through this difficulty.

God is working through these difficulties...a higher-up supervisor at the insurance company verbalized to Lori that they have not handled Gerry's claim properly, and have given verbal assurance to see what they could do to convert the 'skilled nursing home benefit' to pay for therapy for Gerry. Lori has gotten verbal assurances before that have not gone through. Bakersfield is submitting their evaluation to Aetna, and said that Aetna seems to be trying to work with them. Bakersfield also noticed that Lori and Gerry's insurance possibly allows for 60 days of treatment per calendar year, which means if Aetna approves Gerry to go to Bakersfield asap, Gerry can benefit from close to 60 days of treatment before the end of the year, and hopefully get another 60 days of treatment in 2005. Again, we see God working greatly as the insurance previously would not even consider Bakersfield, and your prayers for this miracle are much needed and so appreciated.

Lori stated tonight that she believes it was necessary to go through the many difficulties to get to this point where the insurance realizes this treatment in Bakersfield is necessary for Gerry. We know God has used all the circumstances for His purpose and pray for His continuing provision. We ask you to pray along with us for the door to open for this treatment as soon as possible (hopefully this week), as the outcome would dramatically change for the better the future for this family.

Thank you to all for your prayers, to those who have graciously committed to visiting Gerry in Escondido, to all of you for your endless support and encouragement.

God Bless you all!

Gina