Mike is back in Pennsylvania

Hello everyone. Just wanted to let everyone know that Mike is back at his home in Pennsylvania. He truly enjoyed his visit with us and his long time dear friends. We talk to him a lot and encourage him to stay active. Especially with his therapies. I myself told him to look at it like going to work everyday. It gives him a reason to wake up and get out of that bed and move that body. He does go to therapy almost everyday Monday through Friday at Delaware University. The really cool thing about going there is that he gets new physical therapy students every so often who come in with new ideas. They see he is just an amazement to have come so far and tell him about other traumatic brain injury patients that haven't come as far as him. They also have different ideas for him to try to get his balance and walking back. They work him hard and try to find new things for him to do, so it keeps him not doing the same things all the time. I also told him to look at it like going to a gym and working out. Oh how we hate that sometimes and we have to push ourselves so hard to get there but love the results we get.

So Mike will definitely be in Physical Therapy for a long time to come. His recovery will continue but very slowly. Please continue to pray for my loving brother and wish him the best. My family and Mike thank everyone for all their support and may God continue to bless each and every one of you.

WE STILL BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
WE STILL BELIEVE IN MIKE REA
WE STILL BELIEVE IN THE FOBS

Vacation Time for Mike

Hello everyone. Well I had my gallbladder surgery yesterday and everything went great. I never knew you could feel 100% better by removing a body organ. But enough about me. So my sister came from South Carolina to make sure all was well and then her and my mother left to go up north to Pennsylvania to pick up my brother. Yes he is coming for a visit finally. We are all so excited and happy. As I write this they are about 3 hours away from North Carolina and should be here around 7PM. Nancy will stay through Sunday and then go back to home to work. I hope I'll be able to help drive him back home with Mother when it is time for him to go back home. We have a lot planned for him while he is here and I'll write all about it. I will have new pictures to post and stories to tell. So again thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. God bless everyone.

WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
WE BELIEVE IN MIKE REA
WE BELIEVE IN THE FOB'S

How Lucky Mike Is To Have Such Dear Friends

Sorry we haven't posted a blog in such a long but I am sure everyone knows how it is sometimes. Mike is doing very well. He is a very strong willed person and he wants to be back to normal so bad. He has a very dear core group of friends that have helped him so much with his ongoing recovery that really have made a big difference in his life. He needed rides to his physical therapy classes, groups work outs, doctor appointments and anything else he needed. The core group has been fantastic. They are Angels sent by God.

We had let Mike drive in parking lots when we were visiting last and he didn't do to bad. He made the comment that he use to tell people that he could ride a horse better than he could drive a car but that it is reversed now. He can drive a car better than he can ride a horse. So he was set up with a driving instructor and he passed Mike to drive. Mike even had a flat tire one day and changed it himself. I asked him how he loosened and tightened the bolts and he told me he did what he could do with his hands and then would jump on the tire wrench to loosen or tighten it more. Wow!!!

Yes they sold their home. But before that they had sold Mike's horses, horse van and all the horse things and equipment, his truck and some home furnishings. They were going to live with his wife's mother but then a dear old friend of Mike's offered them to live in this 200 year old farm house on their farm. It has been refurbished but still has oil heat and no air condition. Mike says he loves it though and the children like watching the horses and cows on the land.

I feel like when people are saying that my brother is walking and driving that they picture it like we drive and walk and it is just not like that. He still has a very long way to go and a whole lot more recovering to do. He loses his balance a lot because he hardly has any balance at all. What he has accomplished is all on his own and with his such strong will power like I have never seen before. The riding therapy and water therapy are the two main things that helps him to get his balance back, if he'll ever get it all back only God knows. He still has a very long way to go and a whole lot more recovering to do. Yes he is walking with a cane but he walks very slowly because he still doesn't have very good balance. It is like watching a little old man with a cane if you can picture that but it is my brother trying his hardest to walk right and with a steady gait. When we say that he's driving we mean that he is driving an old, old Honda Accord that does have some heat. He has to be very careful and have no distractions while driving. His concentration has to be totally on his driving. His wife won't allow him to drive the family car or drive with the children in the car. I guess the liability of it all. He still has a very long way to go and a whole lot more recovering to do.

We have received so many calls, emails, and communication from AlexBrownRacing site that we know everyone is still hanging in there with us. And due to the very needed Extreme Home Makeover for the Luther family there still is hope for Mike. Thank you to Alex Brown and Laurie Hammer for everything.

We all still believe in miracles and want to thank everyone for everything that they have ever done for my brother and us. We love you all and think of you often (everyday). May God bless each and everyone of you.

WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
WE BELIEVE IN MIKE REA
WE BELIEVE IN THE FANS OF BARBARO

Thank You So Much Laurie

My sister Nancy, Mother and I were sitting around the Christmas tree, exhausted from wrapping, cooking,(and staying up way too late last night catching up!) when I received an email from Laurie H. Nancy on her laptop, me on mine and Mother on hers all went to AlexBrownRacing.com immediately. We were all so touched! Once again the Fans of Barbaro have lifted us up, made us speechless, and reminded us how lucky we are to have each and everyone of them in our lives! Here is Laurie's poem.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS MIKE

'Tis Christmas now we all do see,
The greatest of heroes Mike is he.

For love of horses all see your care,
You inspire us all with courage rare.

You never gave up or did give in,
We followed you close and you did win.

Please know you're always in our hearts,
You're number 1 and there it starts.

If we could make it there would be,
Home brand new and stables to see.

We wanted you to have your dream,
Your very own Home Makeover Extreme.

Although it's not happened now just yet,
To us you're the greatest we've ever met!

Our love to Mike Rea, his family and his horses always. Mike, you are the best!

Laurie Hammer

I promise to blog again probably after the New Year and give everyone an update on Mike's life and everything. Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!!

We're Back Home Now

What a wonderful weekend we all had with Mikey. We didn't get home to North Carolina until late Monday night. Nancy had to spend the night with us because it was so late and she got up early Tuesday morning to go home to South Carolina. So now I will tell you about our fabulous weekend.

We picked up Mikey Saturday morning at his home. He was packed and rip roaring ready to go. His wife was giving her sister a baby shower later in the day and had some shopping to do. First he wanted to get a hair cut. So we took him to the place that he wanted to go to. He and Nancy went inside while I got him one of his favorite hot coffee's at the Fox Hollow Coffee Shoppe. After that, we went back to the hotel to drop off his stuff and pick up mother. Talk about a tearful family reunion. Well a mother's love and a son's love is always something and so strong.

So off we go to find this brain game my sister Nancy read about. It was by Nintendo. Mikey hasn't forgot his since of direction. He took us right to Best Buy in Delaware. We found it and the game just happened to come with the brain game also. It measures your improvements with each game you play and keeps a graph to show you how you have improved. Mike loves it!

Then he asked if we could go the Bayard House on the Chesapeake Bay to eat on the water. It was so beautiful and the food was so good. We headed back to the hotel. Mikey wanted to go swimming and get in the jacuzzi at the hotel. With me being the only real swimmer in the family I knew I was going to be the one in the pool with Mikey. I thought that when he had been going to the YMCA that he had been kicking his legs, swimming a little bit, and at least dunking his head under water. But he wasn't. He was just doing leg exercises. I had no idea that was all they did. So we put on our bathing suits and went to the pool. I had Nancy go with us just in case I needed her to help me with him. So we started in the shallow in. Seeing that he looked like a fish out of water I got the buoy that you throw to rescue someone with. I had him hold on and I would pull him through the water while he was kicking his legs. Well what we found out is that he swims just like me or a pro under water. Using his arms and legs on top of water not too good. At first he was swimming from side to side back and forth and then we started doing the length of the pool. I got so tired and he just wanted to keep going and going. Then we got in the hot tub for awhile. I think it makes you feel like a wet noodle when you get out and also leaves your pores open. So I said we had to jump back in the pool to cool off and close our pores. First I went and then yes, Mikey jumped in with the promise that I would be right there. Back to the room we went. I fell asleep but they ended staying up awhile visiting.

The next morning Mike was doing push ups on the floor. We were so proud of his improvement and just wish he felt as positive about his improvement as everyone else does. We have pictures and Nancy is going to put them on here for you. Mike had to be at the Extreme Home Makeover at Freedom Hill that afternoon so we took him home and we all headed out there. Mother, Nancy and I rode the shuttle bus to the site. I can't even tell you how many people were there but I can tell you it was so hot that I got sun burned. We yelled, "Move that bus!!" and "Move that trailer!!" because of the house and the barn. It all was very exciting. Mikey was supposed to be riding in the new indoor ring when the Luther's came in to see the new barn but with all the confusion and people that didn't happen. He did get to welcome Renee and her family home though and was interviewed again. Then we all met at Pat's Pizzeria to eat dinner. All the children, his wife, and a family friend. We had a great time. We all had a long , hot, exhausting day.

Monday we went to tell Mike good-bye. He had already played his brain game that morning and rode his adult tricycle. We asked him to ride again so we could get some pictures for ya'll. So I hope you enjoy these pictures. The trip seemed so short and we can't wait to come back to visit. Mike is continuing his therapies at the University of Delaware. Hopefully getting three visits per week soon. He will also continue his therapeutic riding at Freedom Hills where he is also helping out around the barn two to three days per week. I recommended trying to get some swimming therapy because it makes you use so many muscles, arms, and legs. We'll just have to see what happens. He is going to ask about it.

Again thank everyone for their support and prayers and please continue praying for my brother. He has come a long way but does have a long way to still go. God bless everyone.

WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
WE BELIEVE IN MIKE REA


Up, down and I promise he came back up about 5 to 8 times.


Mother and Mike, Looking at Alex Brown's Racing Site,
Abigail, my baby girl




Great Exercise!!!

Hello Everyone, We're in Maryland

We are so sorry for not blogging lately. With all of us back at work and trying to live a normal life we've been so busy. I myself have seen Mikey two or three times since Barbaro's Celebration in April. One just being this past weekend. I am here to tell you that he looks great. I mean he always has been such a handsome man but disabled wise he is doing well. I will try and catch you up on his progress.

Christiana Physical Therapy released him to Union County Physical Therapy. Then they released him to swimming at the YMCA. He has been therapeutic riding at Freedom Hills for a while now. First it was one day a week and then it went to two or three. Lately I think it got up to four days a week and he was also cleaning tack (bridles) and helping around the barn. Mikey is now going to the Delaware University to get his physical therapy one day a week. This he has to pay for out of own pocket since he doesn't have any health insurance. Well the students there enjoyed him so much and were so interested in him and his progress they have decided to do a study on him and brain injuries. So now he goes two days a week and he is going to start going three. Thank God for students and their studying.

Mikey is so strong willed that he got an adult tricycle. It has two gears also. He rides it a lot. All around his neighborhood. He even rode from his home to Sunbridge where he was on the rehab floor for almost 3 months to visit everyone. I about died, only because he had to cross a very busy highway to get there. He also walks on his treadmill. He still walks very slowly with a cane and practices all the time without the cane. He walks farther and farther without his cane weekly.

Mikey's birthday was September 12th and the Fans of Barbaro just made his day. He loved all the cards, donations and the giant gift basket. He wants to thank everyone so much but his computer is so messed up right now. He is going to get on mine tomorrow night and get on their site and talk to everyone. My mother, sister and I arrived in Maryland tonight and we are picking up Mikey in the morning early. He is going to spend the day and night with us. We can't wait.

So for now I am going to go and will blog more tomorrow night. When we get back home hopefully I will have new great pictures to post. Thank everyone so much for being there and hanging in there with us. May God bless each and everyone of you.

WE STILL BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
WE BELIEVE IN MIKE REA

Yes, We Are Still Here Alive And Kicking

Hello everyone. We are so sorry that we haven't blogged in a while. Nancy is hard at working with her real estate business, and I have been working hard at the military hospital here at Fort Bragg, NC. I work on the mother/baby floor and boy I've never seen so many babies born in a day. We are always so busy. Almost all of the mothers husbands are gone. Their in Iraq, Afghanistan or somewhere that has to do with the war. It is hard for everyone involved. Mother is still trying to cope with Mikey's accident that he had one year ago yesterday. Mike being her only son, her age and just the accident itself has really taken a toll on her. We all try to help her understand it and work with her almost daily.

Just to let everyone know though, Mikey is doing well. He lost his insurance because of the disability he and his family receives. So he is doing his own physical therapy right now. They gave him a list of things to do daily. He says he does them plus a lot more. He told me he walked around his neighborhood block with his cane. He said right now he doesn't have enough courage to do it without his cane. But he tries to get around the house without his cane. He told me he makes the bed, takes dishes out of the dish washer, helps in straightening up the house, and even pulled some weeds out of his yard. He was sitting on his porch and throwing the ball to his son to hit with a bat, but his son got so good at hitting the ball back they had to stop that before they broke a window or something. Most of all Mikey loves going to Freedom Hills for his therapy riding. He was only going once a week but now that the children are out of school they are going to try to go three times a week. That would be great for him. So all in all this past year has been a series of ups and downs for everyone involved but Mikey has really come so far it is truly amazing. Of course he doesn't think he has and is always striving to improve in everything he does. One good thing is that he goes back to his neurologist for his check up soon and I know that doctor will let him know how well he is doing and if he needs to be doing anything else to help him with his recovery. Boy it has been a long road but I know God is watching over him and helping him with everything that he does. It just doesn't seem that long ago that we got that dreadful phone call and got in the car and raced to be by his side and help in any way that we could for him. But I do know for a fact that we would all do it again if needed.

Well I hope that all the Fans of Barbaro are doing well. It was great to meet and see everyone. Hopefully we will all be able to get together soon again. Oh yeah, the other thing that has kept me so busy is my only child's wedding. She is getting married on June 30th. It has taken up alot of my time with all the planning and getting everything ready. I'll get my sister Nancy to post a picture for everyone to see after it is all over with. We are still trying to get Mikey to come. The road trip would probably be too much for him but we have offered to fly him. We will just have to see what happens. She is the first grandchild and his first niece to be born.

It's time for me to go now but I promise I won't let more than a month go by without blogging again. We always want to thank everyone for everything ya'll do for Mikey over and over again and may God bless each and everyone of you.