Dear friends and family,

            We appreciate everyone who has continued to check in as we have all been adapting, withstanding, mourning, and celebrating the life and change we have found ourselves in. Today I hope I can give a look into much of what has occurred since the last post.  

On November 1^st, Kevin, Mom, and I flew back to New Smyrna. The condo renovation my parents had started months before was lagging, making the transition that much more disorienting. Kevin’s bathroom had the only working sink and shower. There were no appliances or countertops. Boxes hide most of my parent’s belongings and crowded the little free space.

However, we had the sectional and dining room table that still allowed for us to gather and Kevin’s bed and medical equipment reminded us what is essential to getting by at the end of the day.

Our wonderful friends provided dinners, a mini fridge, and the use of their condos when they were gone. These kindnesses allowed us more room to focus on everything that lay ahead.

No time was wasted – Mom immediately established doctors for Kevin. They began PT (physical therapy) and OT (occupation therapy), weekly massages, and soft tissue work with a chiropractor.

            This chiropractor was just the person they needed when they began their work outside of CRAIG Hospital. He was incredible both professionally and personally and used similar techniques to CRAIG. Unfortunately for us, he moved to the Tampa/St. Pete area with his family but his impact is still felt.  

            A few weeks later, my fiancé Erickson and I flew back out for Thanksgiving. My Mom’s parents, Nancy and Joe, were kind enough to host us as we were still without appliances. Dad’s Mom, Carol, and his sister Colleen also joined us.

            For Christmas, we had a total of 12 people to New Smyrna. This included Erickson’s parents, Molly and Tim, who were in New Smyrna for the first time! My family loved being with them and we were all glad they enjoyed the joyful calamity that happens when we are all together. Our friends once again made this holiday possible by providing extra places for us to stay!

 These holidays were singular in so many ways. They were our first since selling our childhood home and moving Kevin back. Because of this, they carried so many emotions but being with family provided constant familiarity and warmth. 

            Fast-forward a few months, in March we FINALLY received an oven and all the appliances for the condo.

Around this time I also flew in to spend a few days with everyone before attending the Global Pet tradeshow in Orlando. My Mom’s longtime friends Teri Gagliano, Weeze Cullen, Joanne Stake, and Erika Ben-Zeev threw me a beautiful bridal shower. The joy that day provided and the chance to see my Mom surrounded by dear friends will never be forgotten.

 Around this time Mom’s friend Vicki Night told us about CORE – Center of Recovery and Exercise in Longwood. Kevin and Mom go there twice a week now. CORE has incredible equipment and trainers that provide so much.

April was as full a month as any. Dad’s mother and sister rented a condo for the month at Errol. It was great to have them so close by. Later in the month, all my Dad’s siblings came for a weekend to host a Celebration of Life for Casey’s stepfather that passed away a few weeks before. Kevin hadn’t seen some of these family members yet and he said it was nice to catch up.

Not long after, an exciting event was hosted by the Oceans of Hope Foundation. The group provided a tandem kayak for Kevin. He had a great time being on the water with our friend Mike (who is the Executive Director and Kevin’s masseuse) and my Dad who joined on a paddleboard. The same organization later held a surfing event for differently-abled participants, which provided my Dad a chance to volunteer as he is a lifelong surfer. Kevin and Mom attended and watched 40 partakers take to the waves. 

At the end of the month, Kevin’s friend from Denver, Kelly, came to stay for a long weekend. Kevin and Kelly became friends in Colorado while working for Fidelity. Kevin enjoyed having her there and Mom said she was a positive, bright light to their weekend.

In May, Mom, Dad, and Kevin drove to Atlanta for the wedding of one of Kevin’s oldest friends, Cale. Driving 9 hours to Atlanta in the van and navigating a hotel for the first time is no small thing. I am endlessly proud of my family’s persistence and determination in moments like this. The wedding was beautiful and provided a chance for Kevin to be with many old friends.

In June, three pressure wounds showed up (a common challenge for those with spinal cord injuries). There was one on each foot and one on his elbow. We started working with a home wound care nurse to help teach us how to best care for them. The same nurse referred us to a wound care doctor who is providing more help. These wounds are tricky and take quite some time and plenty of patience to heal. One resource Kevin and Mom utilized was a hyperbaric chamber as we have heard it can help these wounds. Kevin went for 5 sessions.

Kevin also must have some procedures to assist with similar wounds. He has undergone one and has one more to go.

 In late June, I flew to Tampa for my bachelorette party. My Mom surprised me on the first night when we stayed with our dear friend – the mother of my maid of honor, Tamara. Happy tears were cried.

My Dad is staying busy with work but can do so, for the most part, from home. Mom and Kevin are so grateful that he can do his work from home to provide extra help and support when needed.

The last thing I would like to highlight is that amongst the demanding physical work being done, all the doctors at CRAIG made it clear that mental upkeep is just as important and arduous. What Kevin must reframe, release and reimagine is immeasurable. Time, grace, and endurance are necessary here. Kevin and my parents wake up every day to fight the good fight, even when they must combat uncertainty and change from all angles.

Thank you for caring about my sweet family enough to read this far. There is still so much to navigate and learn, but one thing we’ve come to understand well is that our community is essential to all we do.

 Much love,

Katie and the Cavanaugh family

This post comes on the other end of Kevin’s journey home. However, before I get to the journey, I want to share a bit about his last week at Craig Hospital.

Last Week at Craig

Last week, Jack Lerner and his Mom came to visit Kevin! Their family have been amazing with their support in the last few months – Jack always lending and recommending movies, his Mom sending sweet baked goods and notes and their Dad helping Jack find all the best sports gifts.

Kevin and Jack went to see Dune at the local movie theatre on his birthday. Kevin said it went pretty smoothly and they both loved the movie. That night, Erickson and I joined the boys and Mom for a birthday dinner at a local taco place. 

Thank you all for the incredible birthday wishes you sent from all over the world. I know Kevin felt very loved.

On Friday, Kevin got lunch with the Lerner’s. Later that night, he went to see the Nuggets play with Jack and his friend Christian. He had a great time and we were all thrilled to know he was out at a game.

On Saturday, Erickson and I came to help pack and provide a visit from Butter. She curled up on his bed with him and they fell asleep watching the Gator game together.

Kevin’s Uncle Mike and Aunt Pam also came by to give Kevin love before they left.

The Flight Home

Flying home 10 bags of belongings/medical supplies and a Power chair weighing hundreds of pounds is no small thing. 

We were so lucky to have an amazing shuttle driver and Alison from Craig with us. 

The shuttle helped us get to the airport and check in our bags with ease. Getting through TSA was dicey, with Kevin’s security check taking triple our own time and involving an explosive test simply because he was in a powerchair. However, Alison assuring us that this can be standard took a lot of the anxiety out of it.

At the Gate, Alison, Mom and I got Kevin as prepared as we could. Alison and Mom had laminated care cards ready for storing his chair and all travel tools we needed.

In order for us to board, we preformed the transfer from his powerchair to an assistive tool called an Aisle Chair. From there we got him onto a travel pillow and into his airplane seat.  All of this had been taught to Mom and Kevin at Craig and I am so grateful for that consideration.

The flight went fairly smooth, Mom just had to figure out a strategy for Kevin’s essential weight shifts while in air. As always, she is a force of nature. 

When we arrived, we had some issues with Kevin’s chair not powering on and some of the parts being damaged. An Aisle Chair never arrived to get him out of the plane and this proved difficult, especially with one less pair of hands. 

Airlines were not required to report how many chairs are lost or damaged until 2018. Since then, we have learned that roughly 29 chairs or scooters a day (or 10,548 a year) were lost, damaged or stolen in 2019 alone. 

We were so lucky that we eventually got power to the chair so we could get it and Kevin to the car. It is my hope that including this description not only illustrates how amazing Kevin, Mom and the Craig staff are but also that it encourages everyone reading to look out for others when traveling in the future.

Dad drove the van the hour from New Smyrna to meet us. He helped get all of our bags packed in and 2 hours after landing we were on our way home!

Throughout the journey, Kevin endured all the anxiety and discomfort without a word of complaint. He has gotten through so much in the last few months and while I know he is in survival mode, I couldn’t be more in awe of him. 

Now that Kevin is in New Smyrna Beach with Mom and Dad he has time to finally rest. Between the three of them they will need to create a schedule and move towards things that bring them all joy. New Smyrna is a place that has always been special to us and I am so grateful that is where he will get to mend and reassess. 

I hope everyone who can visit in Florida goes to visit him. I hope you watch games and bring your dogs. I hope you make him laugh and lend a shoulder to lean on. I hope you remind him this is the start of whatever he wants life to be. 

Thank you all for all the strength, time and love lent over the last few months. When grief strikes, rearranges, dissembles, convenes like it has – you find who you can wholly count on. 

I will update here with significant updates but until then – much, much love. 

Katie and the Cavanaugh Family 

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

If you wish to make a donation to Kevin’s fund to assist with the cost of a beach powerchair, assistive home features/remodels, medications and other tools for his life ahead please select Kevin’s name on the drop down menu at the link below: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

Thank you all for being patient for this update! Between preparing for the move to the on campus, out-patient apartments and getting engaged (which Kevin was told/asked about far beforehand) it has been an eventful few weeks!

I wanted to say a quick “thank you” to everyone who sent us congratulatory messages on the engagement. Words fall short to describe what it means to me to have a partner who has made such a significant promise after such a trying time and who already is like family with Kevin!

Craig and Progress

Kevin and Mom are now moved into their outpatient apartment on the Craig campus! This means Mom and Kevin stay together and do everything entirely on their own. So far, they have carried the incredible team the two of them have made into this space and are working harder than ever. It also means they have a lot more freedom and time to adjust before moving to Florida. They’ve been acclimating to their van and spending time out and about. 

During the weekdays, there are still some classes at Craig to attend but they end earlier. Kevin is working everyday on his arm strength and range of movement. The progress is slow but significant to us, each day that he can stretch a bit further or find more strength is a great victory.

In our last post, we shared that he had spent time in the pool. At that stage, the pool involved floating and lightly stretching with the physical therapist. Now, he swims around with his arms and wears a snorkel set. He has interest in getting scuba certified down the line and with Craig’s guidance we now know this is entirely within reach. 

With Kevin’s work on his arms he has now been given an adaptive brace to be able to eat independently. The first meal with this brace they told him he could take it slow as he adjusted to it – but instead he pushed on and ate an entire meal of 6 different foods. His second meal involved pizza from the chain we always ordered from as kids and a movie on TV. I will never again take for granted the simple, once improbable, joy of being able to eat cheap pizza alongside him.

On November 1^st Mom, Kevin and I will fly back to Florida. I will stay for a few days to help Mom and Dad get him settled. Kevin is daunted by flying with a new set of challenges but excited for the family, friends and mild weather on the East coast. 

Visited

As always, we can’t say thank you enough to everyone who has visited!

Our longtime family friend and neighbor Vicki came by to have dinner on Kevin’s first night of outpatient. Kevin’s friends Kelly and Troy took him out to his first dinner without Mom on Saturday. The Place family visited and brought along Parker’s new puppy for Kevin to meet. Mom’s dear friend Abby came by to get dinner and offer lots of love. Kevin’s friends Christian and Steven spent a night with him to cheer on the Gators and help Mom go to a family wedding. Several of Kevin’s uncles visited while they were in town to bring laughs and support. Mom’s friend Janet also came by to see her and give support!

Other

Kevin’s birthday is next week, Thursday the 28th. We’d love it if you could send some love his way! Dog pictures are always welcomed.

I also wanted to note that anything sent to my Mom or Kevin after this weekend can be sent to their Florida address rather than mine or Craig’s. Just let me know if you need it!

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

If you wish to make a donation to Kevin’s fund to assist with the cost of a power chair, beach powerchair, new adaptive vehicle, assistive home features, medications and other tools for his life ahead please select Kevin’s name on the drop down menu at the link below: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

All our love,

Katie and the Cavanaughs

Everyday now, we are focusing more on all that falls into the category of “after”.

The first transition will be moving Mom and Dad into a Craig apartment and out of Kevin’s old place early next week. The week after, Kevin will move into that space with them. 

These apartments are on the same Craig campus but do not have a medical team. They allow Kevin to attend classes focused around his goals while offering the freedom to go out at the end of the day. We hope this time will allow them to adjust to operating on their own and acclimate to a new kind of normalcy before moving home to Florida. 

This weekend, Mom and Dad will begin doing all of Kevin’s care 100% themselves while under staff supervision. This is meant to prepare them for taking over care when they leave and I know they will do great. 

Kevin has been working hard to prepare for “after” in many ways. He has been working on his arm movements everyday and finding relief from shoulder pain with massages and cupping. He has also been spending time in the therapeutic pool which has been fantastic. 

The pool sits at body temperature to help those with spinal chord injuries as they aren’t able to regulate their body temperature. The time in the pool focuses on physical therapy that benefits from the weightlessness of the pool. It feels special to see Kevin in that space where he is significantly unburdened and yet pushing himself in therapy. 

Kevin was able to request an outing and he chose to go to Red Rocks park during the day. It was a great opportunity to take the first trip in the van and navigate a public place. 

Earlier this week, Kevin received a very special video this week from our family friend Karen Wilson. The video is from Tim Tebow. In it, he wishes Kevin well and says he hopes he gets to see him! For the kid who had Tebow’s jersey painted on his wall growing up, this was an incredible message of encouragement and we are so grateful.

On Tuesday, Kevin had a visit from my longtime friend Lily and her sweet dog Marvin. A goal Kevin made with me was to get his arms strong enough to pet a dog. When Marvin visited, he did just that.

We are learning that Kevin making obtainable goals at this stage is so crucial to his mental and physical recovery. As his family and friends, it is important to support him in these goals and in help to always find the next ones. It is just as important to not suggest goals that create pressure and anxiety from being too grandiose, all-encompassing or vague. Moving to a hand operated chair, eating his favorite banana bread himself and yes, petting a dog – these are all the types of things he can see the process and the finish line within. 

We are all more proud than we could ever say that Kevin keeps fighting the good fight. The road ahead will not be easy, but with the future outside of the hospital beginning to materialize as nearly-tangible we are all feeling the pull of hope.

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

If you wish to make a donation to Kevin’s fund to assist with the cost of a power chair, beach powerchair, new adaptive vehicle, assistive home features, medications and other tools for his life ahead please select Kevin’s name on the drop down menu at the link below: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

All our love,

Katie and the Cavanaughs

Health Updates

The last week was a rough one for Kevin. He has been having sleep, blood pressure, appetite and digestive issues that are making his daily activities harder to participate in.

He is still struggling with the muscle tightness and pain that limits his physical therapy. Despite this, he is still working on his arms every day. Mom is also doing an amazing job learning the stretches she can do with him to help his stiffness.

Kevin’s personal power chair came in last week! It will take some time to adjust/fit it specifically for him but we are glad to have it here. We also applied for a scholarship that would help provide Kevin with a second chair made just for getting onto the beach.

Kevin has been in a clinical setting for a long time now. Understandably, he is feeling the effect of being in a Hospital situation for so long. We are all looking forward to October when he will be moved into a Craig outpatient apartment with Mom. He will still be on the Craig campus but he will have more freedom to leave and a bit more comfort/normalcy.

Visitors

On Friday, the 3^rd, I celebrated my birthday with Kevin and Mom. They got me beautiful flowers and cards and I felt so grateful to spend time with them and have something to celebrate together.

That Saturday, college football started up again. If you know Kevin, you might not be surprised that he was looking forward to this. Kevin and Mom enjoyed watching the Gators win both Saturdays in a row. Be sure to root for them (yes, that even means you, FSU fans)!

On Sunday the 5^th, Kevin’s friends Kelly and Rob came to visit. They sat out in the garden and visited for a few hours while the weather was nice. It means a lot to him to be able to spend time with his friends.

Last Tuesday, Kevin got to see a great group of people! Our previous neighbors of 22 years, Luci Belnick and Jeff Cohen, came to visit. On top of the happiness of seeing familiar faces, it was also a great visit because Dr. Belnick was Kevin and I’s primary care doctor for many years. Because of this, she is generously helping us connect with medical professionals/specialists back in Florida that Kevin will need.

That same day, Mom’s cousins Kent and Dennis also came by to visit! It is always a comfort to see family.

Dad also flew in so he got to see Kevin that night! We are all very glad to have him back here in Colorado with us for awhile.

This last weekend, Kevin’s friend Christian came to visit to watch the Gators together. They both went to UF so they had a great time cheering them on. Erickson, Dad and I also spent time at the hospital watching (you guessed it) more football with Kev.

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

If you wish to make a donation to Kevin’s fund to assist with the cost of a power chair, beach powerchair, new adaptive vehicle, assistive home features, medications and other tools for his life ahead please select Kevin’s name on the drop down menu at the link below: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

Thank you all for all your kindness.

Much love,

Katie and the Cavanaughs

There is much to update you all on but I would like to start with something we’ve been waiting to share, something that has mattered tremendously to us all.

When Kevin was first in the ICU, he was still able to move his arms in a limited way. A week or so in, the movement completely halted.

About two weeks ago, he suddenly found that he could move his arms a bit again. Since then, he has slowly gained some more control. After his baclofen surgery and the reduction of his seizures, he has been working on his arm movements in therapy.

This is tremendous news for so many reasons. It gives us hope that he may be able to use a chair with hand control rather than his mouth, granting greater independence. It also opens the door to the outpatient program at Craig, something we hoped for so he will get more time with the resources here. I, of course, am beside myself with the knowledge that our shared goal of getting a hug from him feels achievable.

We ask you to join us in acknowledging this hope as both remarkable and fragile. We are beyond excited, but all holding our breath to see what may come as he continues to push himself and discovers what may be within reach.

_____

Last week, Erickson and I stayed with Kevin Thursday through Sunday. I didn’t think I could have any more respect and pride for what Kevin and Mom do in a day, every day, but somehow that respect and pride grew.

Some of our highlights were watching Kevin do 4 miles on the FES bike, challenging his arms in occupational therapy, easily maneuvering into a modified van and being freed of his trach AND neck brace!

We also made time for burgers, guitar, movies and friends over the weekend. Kevin got visits from family and friends – including his friends Christian and Seth. I have to give an extra thank you to Seth for showing up even after a flat tire on his way!

_____

The coming weekend should be a good one as I am celebrating my birthday with Kevin on Friday and Dad flies in on Labor Day!

Thank you all for the thoughts given, time spent and strength lent.

_____

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

If you wish to make a donation to Kevin’s fund to assist with the cost of a power chair, beach powerchair, new adaptive vehicle, assistive home features, medications and other tools for his life ahead please select Kevin’s name on the drop down menu at the link below: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

Kevin’s Baclofen pump surgery was last Thursday and although it came with a challenge or two, it marks the beginning of what seem to be new possibilities.

We weren’t expecting to see many improvements with Kevin’s spasms until the adjustment period for the Baclofen pump set in (it takes a few weeks to reach the final dosage). However, he’s seen a significant improvement already since leaving surgery! Once he recovers from the surgery itself this reduction in the spasms will allow him to patriciate in the type of physical therapy he needs. Before the surgery, I wasn’t able to even give him a hug or hold his hand without seeing a spasm – so you can imagine what it means to see such a great reduction in them already.

As I said, the surgery did come with challenges. Kevin experienced a spinal fluid leak from a puncture during his surgery. When spinal fluids leak, they cause the supportive “cushion” they provide the brain to sag, creating intense pressure. This pressure leads to a near constant, severe headache.  Because of this, he will be getting a blood patch tomorrow morning. This is when his own blood is taken and inserted via an epidural, allowing it to clot and cover the leak.  We are hoping he will only need one blood patch procedure and that the leak will heal in the next few days.

We are hopeful that after the blood patch tomorrow Kevin will finally get his trach out! This will also require some monitoring and healing but Kevin has been looking forward to getting it out so we are excited for him.

Starting Thursday, Mom will be taking care of some arrangements for when Kevin moves to New Smyrna, so she will be away and I will be full-time with Kevin until Monday. We will update when we can but please know we may be running around quite a bit!

Much thanks and love,

Katie and the Cavanaughs

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

*Be sure to choose his name from the dropdown menu

This week was one of high highs and low lows.

Kevin’s spasms worsened and came alongside other difficulties with blood pressure and pain. These complications made it so he was not able to leave bed for a few days.

Kevin’s catheter surgery was scheduled for last Friday, but the doctor had a family emergency so it was not preformed. However, this gave Kevin and Mom the chance to ask for his Baclofen  pump surgery (to reduce spasms) to be moved up. Now, the Baclofen pump surgery will be this Thursday! We are all glad for this as he can’t complete his physical rehab work until his spasms are more manageable. We are also hoping Kevin will be able to get his trach out a few days after surgery! His catheter surgery will now be in three weeks, but as most patients don’t even get this procedure until they are out of the hospital this is not an issue.

When the family met with all his team last month, one of my questions was if patients with spinal cord injuries have reduced immune system function. His doctor informed me that there is ongoing research on this question but that it is not yet clear. Because of this, we were all excited to hear Kevin agreed to be part of a Craig research study on the effect of spinal cord injuries to the immune system! The study required an extra draw of blood and for Kevin to answer a questionnaire. I am proud of Kevin for participating and grateful for Craig for conducting the research so that families in our place may have answers in the future.

On Friday, even though his spasms were bad, Kevin was determined to get out of bed. He attended a full day of classes and spent most of the day in his chair. One of the classes he attended involved trying a beach powerchair. They took the chair to the grass to test it out and it seemed like it could work well for when Kevin moves to New Smyrna Beach!

Mom went and looked at a few modified vans this week that would work for Kevin. If she finds one soon that would work, then Craig would schedule us for classes on learning to use it. The family is using funds from Kevin’s donation site to make this vital purchase, so thank you again to everyone who has been so generous.

Visitors

Early in the week, Kevin had a hard time staying motivated to get into his chair as his spasms were so severe. I think there is no better proof for what seeing his friends do for him than the amount of time he is up and about when he has visitors.

Nick Sproles came and visited Kevin on Monday! They spent time visiting and catching up outside.

This weekend, Kevin’s longtime friends Jack Lerner, Buck and Cale Watkins came to visit. They have been amazing friends and I know it has been a comfort and joy for Kevin to see them.

Karen Wilson, a dear friend of Mom’s and the mother of one of my closest friends, bought pizza for everyone! The boys also spent time in the rec room playing games and ended the night with Dairy Queen and football on TV.

Thank you to everyone that visits and offers him these precious hours of normalcy, support and friendship.

Much thanks and love,

Katie and the Cavanaughs

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

*Be sure to choose his name from the dropdown menu

Thank you all for your patience with this update! The last week has been incredibly busy, especially with Dad back in Florida.

Kevin had his second test does of Baclofen (the medication for spasms) in his spine on Tuesday. The results were positive, which confirms that getting the Baclofen pump surgery will be beneficial. However, he can’t have the surgery until the first week of September. This possess a significant challenge for Kevin as he will continue having the severe spasms that cause him discomfort and bar him from being able to much of the physical therapy he needs.

One of the physical therapy exercises Kev can do is the FES bike. The FES bike uses computer generated, low-level electrical pulses to transmit through surface electrodes to the leg muscles. This causes coordinated contractions and the pedaling motion. When he gets on the FES bike he rides about four miles a day!

This Friday, Kevin will get a surgery to get a suprapubic catheter inserted. This is a more permanent solution that is simpler to manage and reduces the risk of frequent infections that are common in other catheters.

Last weekend, our Uncle Mike (MJ) and his fiancé Pam came to visit us at Craig. They are newly engaged and it was our first time getting to meet her! Both had prayers and encouragement for Kevin.

Our dear friend Alina came back to visit with some more of Kevin’s favorite restaurant all the way from Minturn (outside of Vail). Seeing Alina always promises laughs, hugs and great story telling.  

Teresa Colling visited Mom at Craig and brought hugs, emotional support and a signed photo of Kevin, Christian, Jackson and Burns. It now sits where he can always see it!

Today, Erickson and I brought Butter to Craig for the first time! She gave Kevin a face-full of kisses and didn’t seem to notice his power chair at all. Dogs are good like that. At the same time, Kevin’s friend Robert brought us pizza and stayed with us for a few hours! To top off a great afternoon outside, we had dessert sent from the Lerner family!

The support of our friends and family has been such a lifeline in the last week or two. It has been difficult for Kevin to have the fight but not the opportunity to do more therapy while he navigates the spasms and waits for surgery. Thank you to everyone who has visited, sent packages or kind words our way – you are so important to us all!

Much thanks and love,

Katie and the Cavanaughs

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

*Be sure to choose his name from the dropdown menu

Somehow, it’s been two months since Kevin was admitted to the ICU.

I think we are all feeling the two months of these sterile, surreal spaces. Craig Hospital is an amazing institution, one we are lucky to be at, but at the end of the day there is no getting around that Kevin is a patient, that the endless visitors are nurses, technicians, doctors. The setting makes it hard to ever put down the idea of the injury for very long.

I am writing this not to make anyone reading it feel helpless or hopeless, but to give credit to what Kevin and Mom do every single day. I want to be honest about what they face because they deserve the acknowledgement of strength and the prayers, thoughts and love I hope you will continue to send their way.

Kevin’s spasms have continued to get more severe. Because of this, he was administered an anticonvulsant to his spine and monitored on Wednesday. The results showed that it was helpful but that he will need to double his dose. It also means he is a viable candidate for an implanted pump that would deliver this medication to him steadily. We have asked for him to be scheduled for the necessary surgery to get this device although he will likely still undergo some tests and procedures beforehand.

Today, I attended Kevin’s therapies and classes with him. He did more wheelchair training, respiratory therapy and worked with his occupational therapist in the gym. The highlight of the day was his time in recreational therapy. His therapist set up an Oculus virtual reality headset for him and let him explore 360 videos of the Great Barrier Reef, the Sahara Desert and Machu Picchu. He enjoyed it greatly and we all got to silently celebrate his smiles where he couldn’t see us.

This weekend, Dad will have to fly home and Mom will stay with me for a bit. We are bringing a very kind friend of a friend in to cut his hair. I also finally got my forms finalized to bring my dog Butter in for a visit with him.

Thank you for reading and much love,

Katie and the Cavanaughs

Kevin’s Donation Fund:

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/t4f

*Be sure to choose his name from the dropdown menu