Hello everyone. I know it has been awhile since the last time I blogged but with my back going out and trying to get back to work, well it has been something. All in all things are going well with everyone (Mother, Nancy, Me, and Mike and his family). Mikey called Mother and I a couple of days ago and I was going to blog then but I really had a lot of studying to do to pass the Neonatal Resuscitation Program. It has been nearly 7 months since I had to resuscitate an infant, but I passed with flying colors. Thank God. So Mikey sounded extremely well and happy. He says that he is still progressing but just wishes that it was faster. His physical therapy group went on a field trip to the grocery store for practice. Mikey said it was a lot easier to push the shopping cart around instead of using his cane. He is now using the four legged prong cane only that I am aware of. He had a dentist appointment and everything was good and then an eye appointment and only needed prescription reading glasses. You know how it is when you get past 40 years old? Boy I thought I was going blind. I couldn’t read the newspaper or vials of medicines.
The biggest reason I blogged tonight was to copy and paste this fabulous email from Mercy Turano. She is one of the Fans of Barbaro but has also become a dear friend to us. I think she is really one of those Guardian Angels that was sent by God to watch over Mikey and try to help him with his recovery. Mercy is the one who started Mikey's Extreme Home Makeover Nomination first. So here is what this wonderful Angel is doing for my loving brother and his family:
Hey Guys,
I want to tell you about my weekend - it was Mike Rea from beginning to end. Being that Extreme Makeover was doing a house in my backyard literally (10 miles away) I had to take advantage of the situation. So I started early Friday morning trying to update and rework Mike's Extreme Makeover nomination and add some new info and still put it all in one page...of course, the computer wouldn't cooperate - something screwy with the printer. But I really wanted to download Mike's picture with the two horses so I could make thank you cards out of them and I kept trying - but the color was totally off. Anyway, I nixed that idea and went out to get blank thank you cards.
At the store, I found these horses about 10" long that were a dead ringer for Barbaro with a saddle and a red blanket, so I bought 9 of them along with 11 boxes of assorted English shortbread cookies - wrapped those up in red paper and then put the Barbaro horse on top tied with raffia. I wrote on the thank you card (this was Mary Dubbink's idea) "Compliments of Mercy Turano, Friends of Barbaro and The Mike Rea Makeover Posse thanking each of the Extreme Makeover designers for taking the time to read about Mike Rea and for all the good work they perform and that I hoped to see them soon in Mike Rea's backyard." Their Executive Producer, Denise Cramsey got a stuffed Barbaro horse along with the cookies and Ty Pennington, being their "alpha dog" got the cookies along with a stick horse that also looks just like Barbaro, complete with horsey sounds. It took me practically all day to shop, wrap and get the letters done - I stuffed the "one pager on Mike " inside the thank you cards and also put an additional one tied to the Barbaros' legs (for additional leg support, HA!) on the outside of the package for good measure .
I finished just in time to meet my husband at the book store where Paige (the cute blonde, Extreme Makeover designer with the pink hard hat ) was signing her book. Of course, I had to buy one so I could get up close and personal and deliver the goodies. But it was really a great avenue - very intimate, only about 40 people, she's extremely personable, answered questions, chatted and was just a delight.
I was able to go up and talk to her briefly about Mike - she did ask about the horse on the package and of course, I went into the Barbaro connection. I had put everything in one big shopping bag and asked her to deliver to the rest of the gang. She was very gracious and said she most definitely would give it to them and that she would read Mike's story, so I hope at least one of them will read it .
THIS IS IMPORTANT - she did say that the one thing that impresses them is when a community rallies behind the person and they get a lot of nominations...go figure, early on we thought bombarding them would have the opposite effect and as a result, it was decided that Nancy should just sent in one main application with all the letters from the FOBs inside. But you know, we can't worry about that now...what's done is done and we've given it our best shot. I had originally planned on taking them Kryspy Kreme donuts but had to nix the idea 'cause when I called their manager again to place my order, he told me that they had already delivered 25 boxes to them EARLY that morning ....they STOLE my idea... oh, well...hopefully, all's well that ends well and I hope we're on our way to that Extreme Makeover for Mike!!!!
Should we rethink our strategy and bombard them - or as the Beatles would say...."Let it Be, Let it Be"???
Mercy
See what I mean everyone. So now hopefully we will be hearing some more from the Extreme Home Makeover crew.
Maybe we all should start emailing them or something. I'm going to ask Nancy and Mercy if they have any email address and I will let everyone know it.
Barbaro had a set back with his hoof but seems to be over coming it well. Just like Mikey they both will continue with their recoveries because of who they are: Champions and Heros. God bless everyone.
WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES, WE BELIEVE IN THE FANS OF BARBARO,
WE BELIEVE IN BARBARO, WE BELIEVE IN EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER,
WE BELIEVE IN MIKE REA
