Jessica Skaggs contacted me soon after we got to Brooks Rehab and his story touched her heart and she and her son Mason really wanted to do something and help Alex out! They came to see him, bearing gifts and smiles and told him they had this idea of doing this "benefit raffle" to raise money for his recovery and soon began her journey. I have posted the above flyer that she has been working on with various companies to donate items that you can buy raffle tickets for. Yesterday she got a phone call from an Old High School Coach of mine, Coach Richard Pizzolatto, that donated a signed Drew Brees replica jersey that they will be auctioning off!! WOW! Coach Pizz.... thank you so very very much... I just can't believe it! I have had two other girlfriends from high school that I have not seen in over 20 years... Marlayna and Rachelle that sent generous donations to Alex shortly after it happened!! It's just amazing how people I haven't talked to in forever and people that I don't even know have just stepped up to the plate wanting to help out in any way, shape or form and words just can't express my gratitude! I am in awe of the generosity of people's time, efforts and money for my handsome boy! THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! This fundraiser that Jessica has put together is going to be one that the whole family can enjoy!! It's a CAFE not a BAR of which I thought it was and so I thought people couldn't bring their children. WELL YOU CAN! It's going to be a great family fun time for all with lots of good things from various companies all over Jacksonville have graciously donated. There will be the "Pray for Alex Ross" bracelets and "Our Hero" tshirts for sale as well. Alex wants to go really bad... his surgery is Thursday... not sure how his recovery will be or how he will be feeling or even discharged from hospital... if he is ok and up for it... we will be there as well. JESSICA....THANK YOU AND MASON.... for doing a carwash and for putting this together for Alex.... WE LOVE YOU FOR IT and can't thank you enough for all your hard work! When Alex is able to walk again... that will be the biggest reward of all!! Viki... thank you for handling my end of things... you've been a great public relations manager for Alex and we are so thankful to have ya!
Today we spent the day with Alex and were able to go and listen to the "Central Park Jogger's" motivational speech today on traumatic brain injury and how she dealt with it. http://www.centralparkjogger.com/ It gave Alex and I both hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel and he said "it gave me excitement to know that I will be normal again one day"! Aweeeeeeeeeeeeee! I wanted to stay and meet her and chat but I had a meeting with his psychologist today at 1 and we had to skidaddle outta there fast so I could get there on time. We got a lot accomplished Thank God! We now have HOUSE RULES and REWARDS... also some "Down Time" basically time out but we don't want to call it that lol! It's going to be a rough couple of days till he see's that he won't be getting away with as much as he has been and whose buttons he can push and whose he can't! He told her that he knew he needed the boundaries and guidelines.... but as we were leaving he told her...."I don't like these rules", lol! Our goal is to get him to be his normal 17 year old self. Spending time by himself, not having to be entertained 24-7.... no more outbursts... no cursing... trying to get him to control his bladder instead of having me take him every 15 minutes (where's me out!) ... getting him to control his fits and tempers of banging on the walls, trying to get him to understand that we can't jump everytime he says jump that he may have to wait sometimes if we are in the middle of something. Trying to get him to understand time... the essence of time if you will because to him 2 minutes seems like an hour and he wants something.. he expects it right then and there no matter what. Sometimes it's just not feasible or possible so he needs to understand that. you know how you feel when you put your kids on restriction... you are basically putting yourself on restriction as well, lol. That's about what we are going to encounter... an intervention if you will! LORD BE WITH US! We may be pulling his bed in the middle of the room again. His latest thing is that if we don't do what he wants at that moment... he threatens to throw himself on the floor or get himself out of his chair! Well, Mr. Alexander confessed today that he only does it to get our attention and that he would NEVER do that because it really didn't feel so good when he fell out of his bed the other night, ha! We just needed to understand what is part of his brain injury and what is Alex. Kids will push you as much as you allow them too... so in order to HELP Alex we will now have to crack down and he will have to earn his brownies, ipod, head rubs etc. REWARDS if you will! My little Alex is putting on the weight... we weighed him today... he weighed 126.5!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! When we left Shands he weighed 98lbs! CRAZY!!
I have alot of you asking me about Surgery on Thursday and I'm sorry but I don't have alot of information at this point. Tomorrow is our pre op and pre test clinic visits so I should know alot more tomorrow. I do know that we have to be at hospital at 7am and I think surgery is at 9am and takes approximately 2 hours... but I am not 100% certain. I remember her saying 1-2 days in hospital once surgery is over... we may just have to wait and see on that deal. PLEASE LIFT ALEX UP IN PRAYER FOR THURSDAY... FOR MOM TOO, LOL... I WILL BE PARANOID AND A NERVOUS WRECK! I am excited and apprehensive at the same time! As soon as I have more information on the surgery I will post for all to see! God has been GREAT to us thus far and i know he will take care of my boy once again....we have come too far to go back now. THANK YOU GOD FOR ONE MORE DAY WITH MY HANDSOME BOY! Thank you prayer warriors.... you keep us going strong and we couldn't do it without ya!
PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP!
Lisa
