| Author | Message | ||
     Midnightrider |
I’ve made a few posts here in the past about a motorcycle accident that my 19 year old nephew, had back in October. ATGATT, but still ended up with a broken femur, a broken shoulder blade, and worst of all, a closed-head (no fracture) traumatic brain injury. He is awake now, but still hasn’t spoken. Just recently he started to have some voluntary movement with his head and hand. No one can say, at this point, how far he will recover. In any event it will be a long, long road back. His mom’s a nurse, his dad works for New York State. They have good medical insurance – yet the portions not covered and the out of pocket expenses are staggering. Family and friends are holding a fund-raising benefit this weekend, in Auburn, NY. If there are any of you who can make it, we’d love to see you there. If you can’t make it, I’ve included a link to an electronic flyer that has a link where you can make an on-line credit card donation if you would like to. I’ve also included a couple links to recent stories in local newspapers as well as a story that was in the New York Times a couple weeks ago. The Times article featured Adam’s Occupational Therapist, but many of the photos and the slides from a multimedia presentation include Adam. Thank you for your time. http://adam.caliva.us http://blog.syracuse.com/listenup/2008/01/friends_of_adam_lepak_of_weeds.html http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1201168667316200.xml&coll=1  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/health/15tren.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=Jodi+Levin&st=nyt&oref=slogin&oref=slogin | ||
| Rocketsprink |
I will be making a donation. Very sad. Goes to show that it can happen anyplace, anytime, to anyone. I wish him and your entire family good luck and God speed. | ||
| Midnightrider |
Thank you very much! | ||
| Nautique4life |
I just made a donation as well. Hope everything works out for the best! Thoughts and prayers to you all. | ||
| M1combat |
My step mother received the same sort of injury. Sounds like she was just as disabled. Unless you knew her before that you probably wouldn't be able to tell now (this was about 14 years ago). I'll pray for Adam. Keep up the therapy. It works. My Father and her would sit cross legged in their house. My Father would throw a tennis ball to her. It was quite some time before she realized that the reason he was doing that was so she would catch it. It was quite a bit more time before she could catch it. She has come a LONG way. She can drive now (has a license anyhow  ) and yes... she can ride a motorcycle again. Treatment for that type of injury has come a long way. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Don, Give Adam my best, tell him we're all waiting and looking forward to going for a ride with him. M1, Your Dad is a special kind of guy. But I'll bet you already knew that. Jack | ||
| Nevrenuf |
donation sent midnight, wish i could do more for ya and my thoughts and prayers for your nephew and a swift recovery. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Done. Midnight,my son's best friend had same sort of closed head brain injury and was in coma for some time,but with good therapy he is now back to doing the things a teenager should be doing.It was not quick or easy but he made it. I can only hope Adam will do the same. | ||
| Midnightrider |
Thanks to everyone. I will pass along your kind words and stories. Adam made some pretty significant progress last week, then got ill (probably an infection of some sort) and regressed. Of course Mom took it pretty hard. Now it seems like he is moving ahead again, thankfully. I look forward to the day we can joke about him getting his picture in the New York Times | ||
| M1combat |
The human mind is absolutely amazing. It will take those parts of itself that aren't being used and replace the functionality of the parts that are damaged. The repair process is a long and winding road. I would guess Adam's favorite type. Yes he is Jack. I do my best to learn from him. Knowing him has given me a fairly keen sense of who is "good people" and who isn't. | ||
| Us_uly |
A little help sent Adam's way. Tell him to get well soon. | ||
| Midnightrider |
You folks are the best! The family is quite surprised at the number of responses and the number of donations so far. Now I keep getting the question - "Who are these people (badwebbers) again?" Thanks again | ||
| Midnightrider |
Dear Badwebbers, On behalf on Adam and his friends and family I'd like to take another opportunity to say thanks again for the generous contributions. The benefit was a huge success. There was a nominal cover charge for a spaghetti dinner that over 400 people paid and probably 100 actually ate. There were auctions and raffles for an unbelievable amount of merchandise that was donated by by local and out-of-state businesses and organizations that generously answered mass mailings and personal visits asking for help. Bottom line was that a small group of about 30 family and friends spent weeks planning, organizing, and working at a benefit in a small town in Upstate NY (population 35,000) to raise well over $10,000 for a very worthy cause. Many, many times different members of the group and the banking committee came to me and said something to the effect of "Tell me about your biker friends - we've gotten credit card donations from all over the country in the last few days. What exactly is a "bad weather biker?" I never got tired of telling the story, and always ended it with "as you can see, it's kind of a family" You have our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation Don | ||
| Blake |
Thanks for the report Don. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
besides the occasional rift that goes on here(myself included) this has been a great thing that you have started blake so i think the biggest thanks goes to him midnight. as for me, it's nice to be in a position to help people when i can. you never know when you'll be asking for it yourself. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Sweet.That's why I keep coming back here. | ||
| Midnightrider |
Absolutely. My thanks and the family's thanks to Blake - were it not for his efforts we wouldn't have a place to talk shop, generally BS, and in special cases ask for and give help when it is needed. Thanks Blake |
