Hi Everyone,

It’s Monday. We are still in the Insurance boxing ring! The ignorance of the individuals that make determinations for a patients progress never ceases to surprise me.

We; myself, the Bryn Mawr therapy team and case manager, have been presenting documentation each week showing Corey’s “functional improvement”. Last week, the therapists submissions were not enough. The clinical manager assigned by the insurance company asked me to list the incremental and notable functional improvement we have witnessed at home that could be a direct result of the exercises and practices our therapy team is performing at Bryn Mawr.

(I can feel you all shaking your heads and I believe I heard a few of you yell “WHAT!!??”)

We complied with the request only to be granted 5 additional visits. Typical Monday; the clinical manager stated “I understand your patient is walking with the BoBath pole but how is that helping her function at home independently”? “It just seems that she has not had significant progress in 3 years”.

(Did any of you hear my scream this morning?)

This person does not understand that Corey’s mere existence is the sole benefit of her long term therapy. The debate, documentation and arguments will commence.

I share this with you primarily to lay the ground work that there may be a few missed posts this week and/or a few well worded entries venting our frustrations! Advocacy work is NOT for the faint of heart nor is it an option to roll over. However, stamina is waning and I need to reach deep within myself for composure as well as the ability to articulate a well thought out factual response as I proceed to discredit the qualifications of the person that is holding the reins for the advancement of Corey’s progress…for instance;

Despite the Insurance’s moronic requests, our girl IS progressing. This weekend she articulated an emotion for the first time. We have been discussing Kate’s emotion cards and how to properly use them. During a random discussion, Corey stated “Mom, I’m angry”. “I do not like ….” I asked Corey to expand on her feelings. We had our first rational conversation that ended with a compromise. (I think that was a first EVER…including her teenage years prior to the accident).

We would also like to share another exciting announcement. Many of you have been asking and we’re happy to say that this weekend we began the outline for our first book. We will keep you posted as it develops but Corey is very excited. In fact when asked how the weekend went when she saw Kate and Natalie, Corey told them Aunt Diane came to visit and we are writing a book! This was the first time she shared a short term memory without a verbal que from me.

If only the ‘decision makers’ could see the ID# on the paperwork is actually a person.

Our person, Corey Beattie, walked 400 feet today in 6 minutes. Yes, she was assisted by her therapists for a moderate assist but 18 months ago her left leg was paralyzed.

Our person, Corey Beattie, held onto a rail today as she pulled her body to a standing position and then reclined to her seat for a sit to stand exercise 15 times in succession in just over 2 minutes. She pulled her self to a standing position for the first time 4 months ago and it took her almost 5 minutes for a single stand.

Our person, Corey Beattie, sat in her wheelchair today propelling her self 100 feet using her right foot and right hand to guide her direction in under 2 minutes. She has had her new wheelchair for 3 months. That same timed test was initially recorded at 8 minutes.

Our person, Corey Beattie, completed her timed progress report by climbing a flight of stairs. As she returned, exhausted, she then “tried something new”; climbing the same flight of stairs sideways. Leading with her right leg, lifting her left to pause before she ascended to the next step.

How has the therapy received directly reflect how the patient performs at home?

Corey Beattie, 21, a young woman who survived more then any of us have experienced in our lifetime, began standing 3 years ago strapped to a table that tilted upright, sat in a custom wheelchair, with a headrest to hold her head as well as at contoured cushioned seat back to secure her torso because she could not sit independently. Every movement, every thought, every word, every bite of food and drink is a sign of ‘functional improvement’.

We can not ask a double amputee and an olympic athlete to compete in the 100 yard dash and expect the same results.

Traumatic Brain Injury is not an event. It is not an orthopedic injury that heals in 6-8 weeks. It is a life altering, life long recovery. Long Term Rehabilitation Therapy to a TBI survivor is the same as chemo to a cancer patient or insulin to a diabetic.

I believe the next step is to re-define the standards of ‘functional improvement’ when looking at the PERSON not the national average of reported statistics reflecting the spectrum of patients from concussion to severe injuries.

Finally, as the client that pays my premium, I have a question for you Ms. clinical manager…I would like a copy of your resume for my records. Let’s begin with your Neuro-Rehab experience, shall we?

Pray for my patience…xoxo

Hi Everyone,

Our presentation went very well. In fact, we almost filled the main patient Dining Room.

We opened with Corey’s Recovery Timeline Video which is very moving as you know. Many of the staff had not seen photographs of Corey prior to her accident. Photographs are very powerful and add a new dimension to the ‘person’ they’ve come to know over the years.

We summarized the initial learning curve of the 1st year at home. How do we adjust and become acclimated to a challenge when we have no training or life experience to guide our decisions? We were in a dark place. The only way out was to find the key then the lock. For us it was learning all we could about Brain Injury, understand what services were available to help us help Corey and create coping strategies as well as a support system.

The keys included understanding and managing medications, therapy, home health agencies, Insurance, bills, appeals and how to navigate the system, as well as work and balance a personal life (we’re still working on the last piece)

Everyone’s keys are different. Once we identified our keys, we unlocked the door and moved past the trauma to begin living our lives.

Our 2nd year became our reality. This “long road” is much longer then we could have ever comprehended. Once we understood Corey’s clinical needs we had to creatively adapt and develop new strategic approaches that would enhance her formal therapy services. Our therapists trained us on the fundamentals and the mechanics but that wouldn’t be enough to keep Corey interested and motivated for long. We researched, studied, adapted and supplemented their exercises to accommodate Corey’s personal interests. We also came to realize that every daily activity is a form of therapy.

As you know, we have always treated Corey as if it were October 1st, 2010 not October 2nd, the day of her accident. We don’t know what her abilities are, what she remembers or what she can achieve so we ask her to do everything and anything. If she struggles with a task, that task becomes the baseline for what we need to work on. Every movement and daily task became a tool to use to discover what we will work towards.

We incorporated Music, Art, Cooking, Sorting Laundry, Living Room Olympics (assorted competitive games on the gym matte), Equine and Water Therapy and our personal favorite ~ Retail Therapy (she is a Fashionista!)

We also discussed our greatest challenge; the emotional and behavioral component to her recovery. The audience found humor in the story of our drive to Bryn Mawr. Corey’s short term memory causes great anxiety. As her anxiety rose, she did not take comfort in the usual mantra of where we were going. She launched her shoe from the back seat of the van hitting me in the head to get my attention as she screamed her objection in continuing our journey. That morning was the birth of Corey’s multiple personalities. Forgetful Fran, Nervous Nellie, Crazy Corrine, Impatient Patty, Negative Nancy, Worrying Wanda all helped to give Corey a voice to recognize and identify the emotion she couldn’t verbalize relieving her pent up anxiety and unveiling Confident Corey. (We’ll deal with the Psychiatric ramifications of this approach another day).

Corey has now advanced in her communication skills through journaling. In fact she wrote and read a speech that closed our presentation. We are attaching the link for you but have also attached her speech in case you can not “hear” her properly.

Now Corey would like to add a note to all of you;

Hi everyone its corey and sure I threw a shoe at mom but that wasn’t corey that was crazy Corrine. So now Corey Beattie is starting her 3rd year and is more like confident corey. I am confident because any problem that is thrown my way I find it easier to manage by simply talking about it.

I hope that after reading this you were inspired to look deep inside yourself, always stay positive and never give up or in! xoxo

Corey Beattie Closing Speech

Thank you everyone for coming
Even if you don’t have anyone to come for
It’s important to us no matter what your reason
I have been working really hard to get to this point
It’s been a little bit scary to get better
Believe it or not I still have a little bit to go
My goal is to be a Chef get married and have kids run around
Some day I hope to travel in France
My motto is never give up and never give in
We hope you learned TBI means To Be Inspired