Hello Again from Mike and Family!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone. Please bare with me because it takes very long for me to post. I am using a land line and it is sooooooooo slow. Mike is doing very well. He loves Sunbridge and gets a kick out of the fact that he is the youngest patient there by many many years. Sunbridge has one wing that is dedicated to rehabilitation. All of his therapists are working very hard with Mike because his will to fully recover, his positive attitude, and faith are contagious. He told Nancy tonight that he has faith and knows that it is God’s plan to heal him but that he must plant the seeds and work hard with the therapists so in God’s time he will reap what he sows. They talked for hours because they both missed each other so much. Yes, Nancy is here. She actually left last night and drove to Raleigh for fear the weather coming in might keep her from flying out. I went to the BWI airport to pick her up today and they are so strict for arriving flights that the police women wouldn’t let anybody wait to pick up passengers. I had to drive around the loop about ten times until Nancy could get her luggage and come out. Finally she did and I pulled right up and then had no problems. As you can see, the weather has kept me from leaving yet. Maybe tomorrow sometime I’ll take rent a row boat to get back to NC! Mike was so excited and overwhelmed to see Nancy and to hear that I wasn’t leaving. We’re a family together again even if for a few days. Bruce Miller was there visiting when we arrived. He is such a good friend of Mike’s. Rochelle and the children have enjoyed visiting also. The other patients enjoy the children, especially baby Gracie. Rochelle was holding her going down the hall and stopped because an elderly lady was admiring her. Gracie bent right down and gave her a kiss. It was so positively sweet. The children are in school during the week but try to come every evening. They love their daddy so much.

Mike’s sense of humor and quick wit are coming back. He had us in stitches again tonight making jokes about nearly everything. We all laughed so hard our sides really hurt. He stated to me as I was transferring him from his wheelchair to his bed, “Cathy I just don’t understand why I can’t walk or get my feet to do right.” Then Nancy said, “Maybe because they’re the farthest from your brain.” Then he said, “Maybe I’m getting better from the top then down.” Seriously since he has become used to Sunbridge and settled in there has been a lot of laughter.

When Mike was at Kernan and during his agitation state, Nancy was the only one who could calm him down. She would rub his head and tell him to think of a beautiful relaxing place. They would close their eyes and together describe a grassy meadow with a Carolina blue sky and white fluffy clouds. Mike would say “and the grass is thick and green” and then Nancy would say “there is a soft breeze blowing again your face” and Mike would say “there are horses running in the distance” and so on and before you knew it, he would forget about being upset. Tonight, Nancy asked Mike what he wanted to do tomorrow. He said, “walk barefoot in the grass.” We all fell silent and felt his sadness of missing the simple things in life. Nancy wants to take Mike outside tomorrow weather permitting and let him take off his shoes and let him feel the grass. I hope it does not rain!

I know this post is already long but there are so many things I want to let everyone know about. Just one more for tonight guys. Mercy you are angel sent from God to help us help Mike in anyway we can. What you and the Barbaromaniacs are doing on TWR’s site is awesome. For those of you who haven’t seen Mercy’s proposal for Mike’s nomination to Extreme Home Makeover, please visit Tim Woolley's Racing and look under Discussions and Chats, then under Barbaro for A Barbarion’s Response to Mike Rea or under Mike Rea and Extreme Home Makeover Nominations. Here is part of her email that she sent to Nancy and what made us all realize this could happen: “I first saw about Mike’s unfortunate accident (which occurred on my birthday) on TWR’s site while checking for Barbaro’s updates. As a result, I wanted to read more about Mike and went on your site where I found out his favorite song was “I can only Imagine from Mercyme, another coincidence. While attending Mass, the sermon was about the fish and the loaves, giving and sharing, & we should do the same - give something to someone that you don’t expect anything in return….so I sent my donation. I dropped it in the mail box, got in my car & turned the key, immediately Mercyme came on – “I can Only Imagine”….I took it as God’s way of saying He noticed a small good deed. The following Sunday night my daughter & her family came over for dinner & she turned the TV on to Extreme Home Makeover – and then I knew…..your brother immediately came to my mind. I told Danah (my daughter) then, “This is it – this is what Mike Rea needs and I have to get involved and the reason why I became entranced with Barbaro in the first place”. We’re working on the application this weekend to go with the letters from everyone! Will keep everyone posted of our process. Believe in Miracles- Believe in Barbaro- Believe in Mike’s Recovery. God bless everyone and thank you for your patience with the lack of postings lately. Good night and continue your prayers for Mike and Barbaro on their recoveries.