July 18, 8pm Update:

Thanks, in part, to a delicious home cooked meal and the addition of an air mattress on his bed, Matt had his best night of sleep yet. He was able to sleep almost the entire night. He woke up feeling refreshed and ready for therapy. Therapy is going well, but it will be a slow process. Matt is giving 100% to his rehab sessions...he remains positive and optimistic.The air mattress on his bed will assist in preventing skin breakdown (imperative for someone who cannot move in bed).

The next step is to improve Matt's nutritional intake- also a key component for recovery. The hospital food is sub-par, at best...home cooked meals seem to really hit the spot. Food (especially home cooked) feeds the body and spirit. So, if anyone in town is interested in cooking a meal for Matt and his family, please let me know! eanolan@hotmail.com

Thank you, thank you!

J uly 16th, 11pm Update:

Today, Matt was able to complete 3 hours of therapy in one day. As a result, he was officially admitted into the Providence Rehab Program. This means that his medical care will be transferred from the surgeon to the Medical Director of Rehab. This new doctor is well known as being THE best Rehab physician in the valley. She is well respected by the medical community and has a very skilled and knowledgeable team of therapists. This program transfer also means that Matt's days of lounging around the hospital will be no more ;). The therapy routine is very intense and, as Matt said, "The therapists might look all nice and cute, but they're hard asses!"

Needless to say, they will work him to his max each day. So, every solid night of sleep he gets and restful nap he catches during the day, will help to enhance the effectiveness of his therapy sessions…which leads to better recovery.

MATT’S INSTRUCTIONS:
Strength, endurance, determination and the will, attitude and stubbornness to keep pushing himself beyond what is known to be possible are all traits that Matt possesses. But on the really tough days ahead, he may need some reminding. Over the next several months, please help remind Matt of why we love him so much and that ANYTHING in life is possible. Thank you for continuing to hold Matt in your hearts and sending great vibes to his pinkies! It truly makes a world of difference.

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
~Charles R. Swindoll

July 17, 2009, 12am Update:

Matt’s restless nights tend to make for some frustrating mornings. But, despite the lack of consistent, continuous sleep as of late, he always manages to end the day on a positive note….especially when his favorite nurses, Brian and Antonio, work with him. Tonight, he is listening to a guided meditation and imagery CD in hopes that it helps him to relax and sleep soundly. (Needless to say, this will be a first for Matt!)

Some things to mention:
1. The number of people visiting Matt each day is wonderful and really lifts his spirits. Matt is a “people person” and it’s important that he connect with you. Your support helps to recharge his batteries. However, the nurses have requested that visitors say their evening goodbyes by 8:30pm. The hope is that he can quite down earlier and have a better chance for restful sleep at night. Thanks for your help with keeping Matt on the nurse’s good side! ;)

2. Currently, Matt and his family do not have the time to research “spinal cord injuries”. If anyone has information regarding contacts, resources, technological advances in stem cell research, treatment options, recovery stories, etc., please send it my way! Finding out about other options, new technologies or success stories serves as a great comfort and support to them.

If you have any information you’d like to share with them or some time to do some research that would be wonderful. You can email the info to me or add it as a link to this group. Sharing this information with the group could be of great benefit to all of us. Knowledge is power!

Good night. Rest well.

July 15th 11PM Update:

After a restless, sleepless Tuesday night, Matt took a short nap and then rallied to have a great therapy session. Although the day didn't start out very good, it ended well and he is expecting to have a great night sleep. His buddy, Pete, is staying with him in the hospital tonight. Having someone stay with him at night is the key to Matt’s peace of mind and comfort. Thanks to all who have volunteered to help. If anyone would like to volunteer, let us know by emailing mattnevergivesup@gmail.com

As for his health, his vital signs remain stable, lungs are clear and O2 saturation levels are within range on room air. His right arm is still stronger than his left. No changes regarding the feeling in his chest. It is likely that the physical and occupational therapy will be the most exhausting and strenuous experience his body has ever been through. So rest will be crucial during this time.

MATT'S INSTRUCTIONS: Continue putting positive thoughts and prayers out there! Feel free to use your creative flair...cheers, chants, songs, pictures, poems or whatever else you can think of to get his LEFT TRICEP moving and help push him through the rigorous therapy sessions. Please note the new blog spot listed now has links to see some of Matt's crazy kayaking adventures. Also, there is a place to donate money to help Matt and his family pay for medical equipment and nursing services, now and in the future. Matt's road to recovery might be a long one, but it's lined with beautiful people cheering him on. You all give him a tremendous amount of strength. Thank you, thank you!

July 14th 10PM Update:

Thanks to all of you for praying and breathing deeply with Matt yesterday. All of his hard work and yours made a world of difference. He is off oxygen and all IV fluids and his lungs are clear. Because of this improvement, he was released from the CCU and transferred to the Inpatient Rehab Unit at 6pm this evening. He will begin intense physical and occupational therapy tomorrow. Matt's "fan club" continues to stream into the hospital. So many folks have come to visit, that the hospital made sure Matt got the biggest room on the rehab floor. At one point this evening, there were 20 friends visiting in his room.Matt's spirits remain strong and he has never once complained about the situation he is in....what an amazing human being and an inspiration to all of us. Personally, I am blown away by his courage and optimism. Matt is so grateful for all of his friends, family and even strangers who are holding him in their hearts. Every evening, we read the latest posts on this facebook group. Your kind words and support gets him all choked up. He is still "shocked" by all of the support streaming in; the visitors, cards, food, long drives to the hospital, FB posts, etc. You are all wonderful, loving friends. Matt and his family say "thank you, thank you, thank you".

MATT'S INSTRUCTIONS:Since his lungs are looking so good, Matt has asked that we concentrate on helping him to regain strength in his LEFT TRICEP. If he can get the strength back in his left arm, then therapy will be alot easier and he will be able to do more things for himself. With much gratitude,Beth

July 13th. 9am Update:

Good morning. Last night was a little rough for Matt due to pain and the uncomfortable C-Pap mask he has to wear which helps to maintain his lung function. They finally managed to make him comfortable around 3am and he slept for a solid 3 hours after that. The good new of the morning is that the neuro checks showed improvements from what they were on Sunday morning! Matt held his left arm in the air for 8 seconds, which is 5 seconds longer than he did on Sunday morning. Also, he has more feeling in his chest region. The nurse was very excited about this!! The goal for today is to work his lungs to that he can avoid developing pneumonia. Pneumonia would be a big set back and would guarantee a longer stay in the CCU.

***MATT'S INSTRUCTIONS: Today, please focus your efforts, prayers and energy on giving Matt the strength to cough and breathe fully and deeply. Pray for clear looking lungs on the next x-ray. The sooner he gets out of the CCU and into the Inpatient Rehab Unit the better!Matt's nurses and therapists have been outstanding. He is in good hands. Thanks to all who visited this weekend, especially those of you from out-of-town. MATT'S QUOTE FOR THE DAY: "I can feel the love and it's strong." [Referring to everyone's prayers, thoughts, visits, cards, emails, etc.]

July 12, 2:45pm Update:

Although Matt had a good night sleep, he has been very exhausted today. The Occupational Therapist worked with him and the doc stopped by. No new changes to report and unfortunately, we have not seen any movement in his fingers, like the nurse said earlier. They are watching his lungs closely and making sure he practices coughing and does his lung exercises every hour. His parents just arrived...they will be having some much needed family time now.I'm learning that this whole experience will be a long process with many ups and downs. We will embrace the good moments and stand by him during the not so good moments. Thanks for your continued love. You are amazing support.~Beth



July 12, 2009, 6am Update:
Matt had a great night. He slept very well and his lung function has improved. Also, just in the last 12 hours, his left arm has gained more strength AND he can now move some fingers on his right hand!! His mom and dad will arrive today (they were in Greece when the accident happened) and his good friend RT, from Seattle, is flying in today...Matt is VERY excited.Matt sends his love. Be encouraged and be happy....he is doing great.