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 22, 2008

God's love is forever

Hello again everyone,

I just want to tell everyone how things have been since I moved to my new apartment here in Newark,Delaware close to Delaware Park, my old stomping grounds before my marriage, and close to Fair Hill, my stomping grounds during my marriage. Now I'm close to all my new locations involved in my recovery, the University of Delaware and Carousel Farms where I now ride once a week. There for a while I was feeling like I had disappointed God in letting my marriage fall apart and that greatly affected the way I felt about everything but so many great things have happened lately I realize that I'm not the one disappointing God about anything. In fact he is actually proud of me and all I've gone through and still have the desire to serve him. There have been so many ways he has shown me he is still concerned about my well being and happiness. It started with me being able to drive myself to a cookout I was invited to by an old friend who now works for Michael Matz and saw lots of people I haven't seen since the accident. Then an old friend of over 30 years who I used to be very fond of who then married a trainer and had a baby boy so I lost touch with her she saw the extreme home makeover show I was fortunate to be a part of and called me and we had a great conversation and she informed me she has been divorced for 15 years and her baby boy who once peed on me is now in law school. My how time passes when your having fun. So she just spent the weekend with me and all the feelings that were there 35 years ago are still there for both of us now that my wife has decided to live another life away from me. Rachelle asked me to be the God father of her beautiful baby boy Aaron who is named after Erin who is the little girl that passed away after a determined battle with a brain tumor and I'm very impressed with her mother who has been selected to be the God mother of Aaron. All of this combined with me having lunch with one of the first therapists that worked with me at the University after I was even well enough to leave the hospitals and start riding with Renee at Freedom Hills, then have spent the last year allowing the physical therapist at the University make all the decisions on my rehab thanks to Delaware Park footing a big part of the bill once my insurance stopped and they're the ones that got me started at Carousel Farms who by their generosity foots that bill and now to find out that the one therapist there is a born again christian who I had lunch with and invited me to his church and I invited two of my friends that live close to where the church is and have also been close friends of mine from the past. The wife I met fist at Atlantic City race track with my old golden retriever and first horse I ever owned or trained, then met the guy who became her husband and the one jockey that has won the most races for me through the years and the two of them have been my closest friends in the Lord and shared lots of spiritual closeness and meaningful experiences with. And after a beautiful church service went to their house and spent some quality time and had dinner with them. What a way to end a beautiful week and for me to remember God never lies. I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU is now one of his promises I live by. Thanks for the time it took you to read this for those who did and thank you Lord for giving me the strength to type it all. Mike Rea

15 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

God is great!!!! What a wonderful post! I am so glad things are working out so well. You did all of this through Jesus and you are right; He will never leave us or forsake us.

LyndaP

8:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike, your strength and faith have served you well. What a lovely post. Keep up the good work. Diane FOB

8:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike, I love reading your blog entries. Each one demonstrates remarkable progress. Now you are not only making huge progress with your physical obstacles, you are facing those that "life" kicked up, and once again, show your tremendous strength. What an amazing thing to happen, to reconnect with someone who was so important to you years ago That has to have been one of God's gifts to you! It's just great that you are the godfather to little Aaron. What a blessing to Rachel and her family. They chose wisely.

I'm thrilled to know you are able to drive! How estatic were you that first time back behind the wheel? Probably wasn't as great as the first time you were able to ride again, but what a great step! I'm so proud of you. You inspire me.

Love to you and your mom and sisters

Cheryl

8:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike, so good to read a post from you!! Yes, God is Good! I wish you all the best from Kansas.

Kelly

9:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Mike! GUESS WHAT! I went horseback riding at Thorncroft Therapeutic Center 2 weeks ago and found out I CAN RIDE! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!! You know I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sit a horse because my balance is so bad but I was put on a big ol' draftie and off we went - I even trotted! I'm hoping I can take riding lessons there because they have the best trained horses in the world who take care of their special riders.

Yesterday on Oprah Winfrey was a brain scientist named Jill Bolte Taylor who suffered a left hemisphere brain aneurism and lost everything. It took her 8 years to recover and she is doing amazingly well. Here's a link to her interview on Oprah:

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20080904_tows_stroke/1

I found that she was telling part of my story, maybe your story of survival is in there, too. Hang in there, Mike, you WILL continue to get better as long as you keep trying. Never give up the fight!

Love you, my friend, I'm very proud of you!
Robin

9:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Mike, I continue to be amazed at your progress and your spirit. You are right that God is not disappointed in you...far from it! You have shown a faith in him that he will certainly reward.

It is so great to hear that you have been able to move closer to everything, and that you have met up with some old friends and find that the bond is still there. And congrats on being godfather to Aaron...the pictures we saw of you with him were wonderful! Always remember there are many of us who think of you often and pray for your very best. Take care!

11:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Mikey, good to see you posting.

You still haven't figured out paragraphs and the darn little enter key!!! :)

Miss your emails, Kahluha is getting to be one flashy filly, moves like the wind.....she is brave like you, too.

May God go with your every step, Love from your crazy Canuck friend. Moe

11:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike - so good to see you blogging again - your life is coming together very nicely - I'm very proud of you!

XXOO

Sally in Paws Rump

12:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You post made me smile...we all need to be reminded of just how wonderful our God is everyday...you are an inspiration to us all

6:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Mike, so happy that your happy. God is good,he know what he is doing, sometime it is hard to let him take the first step. Just let him take the lead.

Good to hear from you.

Have a great day.
Carol N

8:53 AM  
Blogger LindaVA said...

What a great post! It made me happy today to read how well you are doing and of all the wonderful things happening in your life.
Keep the faith!

LindaVA

9:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike - my sincere congratulations on being named precious Aaron's Godfather! I have to admit that I had "insider information" that you would be chosen, and I think it's a match made in heaven...

Blessings to you as you continue to progress in your recovery, reconnect with old friends...and continue to labor in the Lord's vineyards.

12:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Mike..I love what you wrote...YEA!!!!! I am so happy for you!!!!! Thank you so much for this wonderful news........God bless you over and over..Love,Linda A.

12:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike-
I am so happy to read your blog entry. I have been praying for Erin and her family for a long time now. How great that you will be Aarons godfather along with Annie being godmother. Congrats to you.
You are an inspiration. God bless and keep up the good work
-Joanne

10:04 PM  
Blogger lj hearn said...

hey Mike,

God sometimes closes a door, but then He will inevitably open up another one for you! There is a plan for us all, if we don't muck it all up for ourselves. This rekindled old spark may burn brightly once again and flame on, eh? Great stuff Mike and I wish you many happy days, and nights and nooners and well,...you know,.... Don't ya? You'll be sure to let us know how the love connection progresses! Your wife made a HUGE Boo Boo I think. You are probably like starting all new from scratch now!! Seems to me that most women would find that exciting!

You look at all things different now, or so I imagine! It's gotta be great and in some ways weird for you to be at the same old stomping grounds again as a different man. A wiser man perhaps too, huh? Your priorities have likely changed a lot and I'm so happy you're getting the support you so richly deserve, Mike!

I wish you continued healing of your body, and your heart too and I hope you find love again soon too. If you want it there are many gals about, I daresay that would be happy to oblige you in this regard also. I've heard some talk, okay? You know the racetrackers and backside blather! They do enjoy a good love story!

Enjoy your new home, and your new life! It's going to be all that you care to make of it! I have learned to have Hope from you Mike and Faith that once was uncomprehended by me! And you teach us the meaning of Will, and Good Will too. You're a treasure we all do value. God's speed and may you continue, to share all the love of horse and human! You inspire us all!

Smile, . . .
lj (jock4hire)

4:54 AM  

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