Mike Rea's Recovery Info & Updates

Mike's family created this blog to acknowledge our heartfelt appreciation for all your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes since his accident. Please check back regularly for updates on his condition and recovery process. We know all of you will keep Mike and his family in your prayers!

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Location: Newark, Delaware

On June 16, 2006, Mike was doing what he loves most in the world~training a race horse! One minute, friends saw him go by at a full gallop. Thirty minutes later, he was found unconscious and barely breathing. Mike endured an emergency helicopter ride to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Unit where doctors determined he had suffered a severe brain injury and was placed in ICU in critical condition. After three weeks, Mike was transferred to Kernan Rehabilitation Center, then Sunbridge Care and Rehabilitation. He returned home in October ‘06 and continues to work on his recovery. We have experienced much hope and joy as we have witnessed Mike's miraculous journey towards recovery. Mike IS A MIRACLE (the exact words of his neurologist) and continues to surprise his health care providers. Mike faces each day with courage, faith and perseverance; his new job consisting of physical therapy and theraputic riding. Mike is currently undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and is experiencing great progress! FOR THOSE WHO HAVE OFFERED ASSISTANCE, A "MIKE REA RECOVERY RELIEF FUND" HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO HELP WITH MIKE'S MEDICAL AND DAILY NEEDS.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

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!!!

Friday, October 19, 2007

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

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