Update 3/6/05 from Gina -- Gerry's going home

Dear Friends & Family,

The insurance has set Gerry’s final discharge date for this Tuesday, the 8th. Lori will be going to Bakersfield on Sunday with her Mom to take Gerry to church and to thank the wonderful people there for welcoming Gerry into their congregation during his stay at CNS. On Monday, Gerry’s final day at the clinic, Lori will receive more training on how to keep up with Gerry’s therapies at home. There will also be a conference call with Aetna before discharge. Tuesday morning, they will head for home! Lori says the benefit to having Gerry discharged a month early is that he will still have a reserve of benefits if needed after he returns home. God’s timing is always perfect!

Gerry is so excited about coming home, it can’t happen soon enough! When Lori asked him what kind of things he was looking forward to doing when he came home, he said “driving the car, and swimming in Freda’s pool!” She reminded him, with humor, that he can’t drive because his eyesight is not good enough, and he said “Yeah, you’re right.” As summer approaches, he may want to jump in the deep end of the pool and swim just like he always did! Please pray for Gerry to accept his limitations due to his injury. Lori said that Mike, his neuropsychologist, said that is very common with brain injury patients, that when they leave CNS, they think they’re leaving their brain injury behind too. We pray for Gerry’s acceptance of his new reality. Life will not return to the way it was, but it can be meaningful and filled with God’s purpose.

Lori is going to take two to three weeks off of work. She’ll be trying to establish the routine and structure so important to brain injury patients. She’ll be working on Gerry’s therapies at home, and also working on getting outpatient therapy set up for when she goes back to work. Please pray that she can get insurance approval for ‘Rehab Without Walls’, an outpatient therapy program that comes to the patient’s home. Also, as of 4/1/05, Lori’s company is changing insurance companies altogether to Blue Cross. Please pray for a smooth transition, for no problems with coverage, and guidance as to whether to choose an HMO or PPO, etc. After a couple of weeks at home, and hopefully some of the questions are answered as to therapy schedules, etc., Lori will then have a better idea of her needs for help with Gerry. She does ask for your prayers for a smooth adjustment at home in regards to Gerry’s agitation, and prayers for her and the girls as they adapt to their dad’s new life at home. Also, prayers for Anessa, as she broke her shoulder last week when she fell off a horse while training for an upcoming horse show. This has been a wonderful outlet for her, and she will have to put her horse back riding on hold for several weeks while her shoulder heals.

Thank you all for your prayers and support! We are so thankful, and we look forward to seeing how God will work as he brings Gerry back home!

Blessings,
Gina