Summer - Winter, 2003

Tomorrow Dad and I go to court to be declared your guardians. Because you are now 18 years old you are considered an adult and we really have no rights where you are concerned. We want what is best for you and want to make sure you are protected. If and when you wake up and care for yourself, we will dissolve the guardianship. I pray that happens.

Friday we went to the ear specialist and you have a chronic ear infection that is not getting better. We have to find out what is causing the problem so they are sending you for a cat scan. Depending on what it shows you may need surgery otherwise you will have permanent hearing loss. Well, the day has come and we went to the hospital for the cat scan. As usual you were great and we had a good day. The weather was beautiful and you enjoyed the time out. The results of the cat scan were positive as far as no damage to the mastoid.You tested positive for 3 bacterial infections, 2 of which are not good. We had to go to a infectious disease doctor at the hospital and he consulted with Dr. Brabston and Dr. Taylor. The decision was made that you would have a central line put in that would enable you to get IV antibiotics for 2 weeks. The antibiotics were given twice daily and you were monitored very carefully for infection. The doctor’s were happy with the results and now you are on ear drops as a maintenance.

It is now summer and you continue to go to school and everyday I come and we go outside to walk or sit on the patio. Grandma and PopPop come every Sunday for church and to visit with you. I wish with all my heart more of your friends would come but they are all working and getting ready for college. I was especially sad because you have not seen Brian since the party in June and he did not come to see you before he left for school. Your girlfriends have come, especially Stacy and Tori and Katie.

It is now the end of summer and We had our IEP with Mrs. Dabonovich from the high school. During the meeting she mentioned an article she read in the New York Times and she mailed it to me. As I read the article it was about coma versus vegatitive state and it spoke about a Dr. Nicholas Schiff from Cornell University and Dr.Giacino from JFK in Edison. I decided to call Dr. Schiff in Cornell and he answered the phone and spoke with me. He asked questions about your accident and where you were at that point. He suggested I call Dr. Giacino in Edison and I did. Well, first I had to fax your records to him and then wait. Always a waiting game Aaron, but this time it paid off. Dr. Giacino called 2 weeks later and we spoke for some time. He asked if we would bring you to the center for brain injury in Edison for an evaluation. Your Dad and I rented a van in late November and off we went for the day. Dr. Giacino evaluated you for several hours and it was decided that you should be admitted to the center for 4-6 weeks. We had to request a TBI pass and that took some doing. First, I spoke with Jean in admissions and she notified the Medicaid office in Passaic County. Well, by then it was after Thanksgiving and it would take some time for the Medicaid nurse to come and evaluate you.

It is now getting close to Christmas and there still has been no evaluation for JFK, but Dad and I wanted to wait until after the holidays. We rented the van for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It rained so hard Christmas Eve and we decided not to take any chances and bring you out. However, Christmas Day was a huge success and you were wonderful. We went to Aun’t Antoinette’s in East Hanover and all your cousins and Aunt’s and Uncle’s were there. They all got to spend time with you and we took lots of pictures. You looked so handsome in your new green sweater and cacky pants and moccasins. You wore your gold cross and new ID bracelet we got you for Christmas. It is now New Year’s Eve and we are spending time with you at the center. I bought food for the nurses and staff to enjoy.