Here's my inspiration each day...

RunFatGuyRun

I posted this yesterday in the 'Introduce' me topic, but I wanted to share it here in the 'Motivation and Support' section too. Anything is possible as long as we remain dedicated and work hard.

My son's story and my inspiration each day...

On Saturday, February 19, 2011, Nick Ventura suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while snowboarding at Holimont Ski Resort in NY. He was on a blue run which would be a very easy run for him. We're not completely sure of all the details, but he was found unconscious near some trees. He did have his helmet on and this most likely helped save his life. His friends did not see him at the bottom of the run and began to look for him. Ski patrol had found him in the meantime. The winds were too strong for life flight and he was taken via ambulance to Women and Children's Hospital in Buffalo. He had a fractured skull and four significant contusions in his brain.

His mother and I received a phone call from ski patrol at Noon to alert us of the situation and immediately left Cleveland and headed for Buffalo on that Saturday afternoon. The healing process was touch and go and we followed our medical team's plan. It was waiting game for his reactions to their treatment. Nick was unconscious and heavily sedated for several weeks while his injury healed. He was considered to be a major head trauma case or severe TBI and we followed the medical steps necessary to treat his injury. One of the senior nurses told us to find a pediatric rehabilitation hospital before he can be moved to another floor, get him into rehab as quickly as possible. This would be one of the best suggestions we’d hear.

Nick was at the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, NY until March 28, 2011 when he was discharged and transported to the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation (CCCHR) where he remained for 10 weeks until he was discharged on June 11, 2011. He continues improving but still attends physical and speech at the Middleburg Hts. Campus. Nick had to relearn to walk, talk, and eat again and did so with the assistance of the Therapy Staff at CCCHR. As with any traumatic brain injury; all injuries are different and there is no long term prognosis. Nick is now in the 8th grade at Lakewood Catholic Academy in Lakewood, Ohio where he is student council president and is getting A’s and B’s.

Nick has made remarkable strides throughout the recovery process. Not only was the initial care he received from the medical staff in Buffalo critical, but so was the commitment and care he received by the Doctors, Therapists, and Nurses at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. The initial responders to Nick’s accident also made an important impact on how Nick would eventually recover.

It's through this process that I have been motivated. Not only to be there for my son as he moves on in life, but also because I saw how hard he worked and how dedicated he was to recover. Things that were easy for him before were a struggle, but he never gave up. Not its my turn not to give up. I want to live a healthy lifestyle lead by example. Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone on reaching their fitness goals.

Here are some stories on Nick's recovery and rehabiliation.

Channel 5 News Cleveland
from April 2012

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/health/local-student-survives-severe-brain-injury-celebrates-anniversary-by-promoting-injury-awareness


Channel 2 News Buffalo
From February 2012

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=156326

News (full video from Sept 2011)

http://youtu.be/ETbsa5K1TKA

Channel 3 News Cleveland (March 2012)

http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=236958

Channel 19 News Cleveland (March 2012)

http://www.woio.com/category/211979/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6863275#.T2pGz5NWegB.facebook
Buffalo and Ellicottville News

From February 2012

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/southern-tier/article735717.ece

http://ellicottvillesnow.com/article/2012/03/nick-ventura-inspiring-young-man

http://www.thevillagerny.com/?s=nick+ventura