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.