Our lives were forever changed the day of my husband's motorcycle accident. But I wouldn’t realize the extent of the impact on our lives. It has profoundly changed every aspect of the way we live. Watching the struggles he has each and every day.We have to gather strength and help him through learning to live in a new way. Watching when he's struggling because he can't remember his son's life. He doesn't remember whether hes eaten. Or whether you've told him something. How his body is feeling. His cognitive responses have changed. Dressing, physical care. Can't remember how to get home. He's lived in the same house and area his whole life. Deep personality changes. Cognitive issues. Everything is being relearned and having new approaches on how to do things.
His injuries are presenting new challenges to the way we live. Such as needing a different vehicle he can no longer get in and out of our truck. We are going to need a disability accessible vehicle. different chairs ie: largeman Recliners that have motortor that raises the chair to help him standup. Moving furniture out making way for medical equipment. Bed,chairs,etc He is in extreme pain everyday.
He has severe spinal injuries,spinal stenosis. Brain injury& internal injuries that have had physical repercussions on everyday life.
We need to build or Rehab a disability accessible Home & make modifications to the home for him wide open sliding doors disabled accessible bathrooms, counters, bedroom etc.. We had contractors in to our current home and due to our lot & next door City well & interior we have to find a different home to Rehab. putting a addition to our home isn't feasible.
My husband is my best friend, We have been married for 32 years. He Played football for CB, SC College, Montana. Loves motorcycles, baseball,football. Watching movies with our son. He has always been a man of strength for our family. He's always been a protector.Our son, has disabilities and my husband has always been a protective wonderful dad. In fact, the guys where he worked would refer to our son as a mini version of his dad. My husband was always making sure everyone was ok. He worked really hard to make sure that I could be at home with our son taking care of his needs.
It' has changed the way we have to do everything but we are moving forward trying to be positive. We are just grateful hes still here.
He was on his way home from work when a driver ran a stop sign, hitting him on his motorcycle. He was sent across multiple lanes of traffic, and though he was wearing a helmet. He helmet was cracked for the top all the way down the back. He suffered severe brain injuries. He suffered spinal injuries as well. He also had his arm nearly detached with only one tendon left attached he has multiple screws holding his arm on. Broken collarbone.He had severe road rash down his left side. Internal injuries were discovered shortly thereafter.
A month after the accident, he was rushed back to the ER. Where he almost died from internal injuries that were not spotted after the accident. He had gangrene from internal injuries and had to have part of his colon, intestines, and appendix removed. He has suffered long term problems with his digestive system ever since then
After his accident we noticed his behavior was becomin very strange. He wasn't the same person. After several MRIs and CAT scans, Matt was diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). It is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions as well as asymptomatic concussions. The brain trauma triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau. These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last brain trauma. The brain degeneration is associated with common symptoms of CTE including memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, suicidality, parkinsonism, and eventually progressive dementia.
Matt was also later diagnosed with spinal stenosis. He lives with so much pain he collapses from the deterioration of his spine and has limited use of his arm. Injuries to his feet and spine make walking very painful. Matt uses a walker, but it is difficult for him to maneuver the walker between rooms due to the size of the doorway and the rooms. We need a medical bed.Matt has also wandered off on a few occasions. One time, it took over 7 hours to find him. I have never experienced fear like I did that day. We are now down to selling his truck we can't get him in-and-out of his vehicle that's another expense. We will need something that is disability friendly. But cost to adapt a vehicle for his disabilities but something we don't have.
I have become Matt’s full-time caretaker. Between the money I earn,Matt's Retirement and insurance, it just hasn't covered all the medical expenses and bills. The money you donate would go toward:
_____A disability accessible home/rehab
