| Author | Message | ||
     Russell Moderator Username: Russell Post Number: 309 Registered: 11-2002  |
Here is a photo of Brice. His story follows.  | ||
| U.S.S.A. Guest |
Dear Brice, You are walking down the path I lived and I just want you to know there is hope!! There isn’t a day I don’t think about what I went through and how hard it was to express in words the way I felt or what I was thinking. Like you, getting out simple words was such a struggle for me. Like I mentioned to your mom; all of our minds are like a filing cabinet, and every time we see or hear something our minds sort it out and file it away. When we need that thought our mind searches through the files and retrieves the memories and brings them to our lips. Unfortunately, experiencing what we have, it’s like somebody pulled out all the drawers and mixed up all our files and even though in our minds we know exactly what we want to say, we have no control over what can or will come out! This is nothing to be embarrassed or fell sad about because like any disability you have no control over what is happening. Like I told Mom you are a very special boy and God gave you a lot of wonderful attributes. I want your Mom and you to have faith, anyone on this forum who has met me or spoken to me on the phone will tell you that they would find it hard to believe that I ever had a speech problem. You will be in the prayers of people across this nation who read this forum and every day you will get better. Remember the first syllable of a word is the first step to recovery and when you are talking again I want you to appear on a radio station with me! You take care of your wonderful mother and I will see you soon! Get ready; we will have a lot to TALK about. Love you Darling!! Brigid O’Donoghue | ||
| Linda Braschayko Guest |
Dear Brice, I haven't read your story, but I know that you are a very special boy. My son John has epilepsy. We tried a lot of different drugs to try and control his seizures. His seizures were getting worse and worse. We tried the brain surgery cure. They paralyzed him on his entire right side; he couldn't walk and he couldn't talk. He lost all of his language. I tried to put him back in school. They didn't know how to help him. I home school him now. Brigid took John on a hunting trip last fall, which really helped John a lot. Up until then he had been very depressed about his surgery and all that had happened to him. After that trip he perked up and started living life to its fullest again. John is still struggling to gain full control of his right hand. He goes to therapy once a week now. His surgery was 3 years ago in August. Keep looking for answers. Keep looking for cures. The Bible says that the cures are in the leaves. My son is a wonderful young man of almost 14 years now. He has suffered with epilepsy since he was just turning 5. He has more maturity than a lot of adults because he has been through so much in his young life. He has compassion and love for others that some never learn in a lifetime. Use your hardships to learn to appreciate what this life is all about. | ||
| U.S.S.A. Guest |
When you get to the end of a long hard day of work and you feel tired and are ready to go home and call it a day, mounds of energy seem to surface when you hear the beautiful words I did tonight on the telephone. I called Brice’s mom to tell her we had a fishing trip set up at Flat Creek Ranch & Lodge owned by Bill Roller. I told her that Brice would be joined by a young boy with brain cancer who would be going on a deer hunt. I told her that I plan to attend and couldn’t wait to meet, “My Special Boy!!” Mom kept relaying everything I said on the phone to Brice so he could be part of our conversation, and then mom decided to hand the phone to Brice so he could hear my voice. I told him I was very excited to meet him and had a VERY BIG hug for my “special boy” and then Brice said the most beautiful thing to me; he said “Hi” and “I love you.” I didn’t know if I should cry or laugh……….. His mother is seeing improvement daily and things are getting only better for Brice. Children like Brice are “God’s precious angles.” Brice, I will see you real soon …………..my love to you Darling!! Brigid O’Donoghue | ||
| Nancy Strittman Guest |
For the last 7 months our family has been struggling to overcome a terrible disease called Herpes Encephalitis. It started when he was put to bed on March 2, 2003 with a headache and with in 5 days, 3 hospitals, and 2 ambulance rides he was placed in isolation and quickly drifted off into a coma. During this time he was diagnosed with encephalities and we were told the virus had targeted his left temperal lobe. The doctors told us that he had to have surgery to releave the pressure and the swelling of the brain. With out this surgery we had know hope. After 6 hours of surgery and recovery we could finally see him. He was in picu. He had so many monitors and machines and so very many needles in his little body. He was so fragile and so thin and so little to be experincing such a horrible life threatening illness. The doctors told us that there was know hope and all they could do was give him the medication and just watch him. That it could be minutes and he would be gone. We sat with him all night and watched him so he did not die by himself. But he made it through the night and nights turned into days and after 7 days it was time to reduce medication and start trying to wake him up. So they pulled the brain tube out and 10 minutes later the vent. came off and he looked at me with his big blue eyes. And I knew it was going to be ok. He went to rehab after 15 days and spent 2 weeks there. He had to learn to walk again which he did in 1 week. He had to learn to swollow. Everything that is so simple was so hard for him. He was paralyzed on his right side and he has overcome that. He was disfiigured on the right side of his face. But now you can look at him and never know what he has been through. If you did not know his story you would never know the fear he has faced. He is learning to talk. He can say and understand simple things. And he has alot of language disablilities and he can not remember the last 7 years as of yet, but we will. We have alot of faith and we are provided with strength everyday. With those 2 things he is able to get up everyday and deal with daily activities and we started back to school in August, he is in a special class but he is learning and we will catch up. He goes to therapy (speech and occupational) 3 times a week to medical and 2 times a week to school speech therapy and 1 a week to school occupational therapy. We will go for as long as it takes. They will have to run me off, I promise you I will never quit. The only thing I quit was my second job (hair stylist), my first job is I am a momma and a wife and I LOVE IT. | ||
| U.S.S.A. Guest |
Well Brice, it won’t be much longer and we will finally meet. It has been a little over six months since you picture was added to this forum and I first had learned about our similar illnesses and disabilities. Your mother told me the other night you are following in my path and she is fighting to get her words in. I knew your memory would come back and you would be speaking again! I’m so proud of you and I can’t wait to pick you up and give you a great big hug. I will see you in Alabama and I can’t wait to hear you sweet voice!! Your Mom is a very special lady and she has a heart of gold just like you! Brigid O’Donoghue | ||
| Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 35 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 67.54.184.89 |
Last weekend I finally got to meet Brice and his wonderful family. It’s been over two years since his mother first contacted me and told me his story (read above). He has really come along way in the last three years. His parents and sister are really a remarkable family; a family I’m honored to have met. Brice you are very special to me and there will always be a special place in my heart for you. You will have many rough roads to travel but you will never walk them alone! You have a family who loves you and will never leave your side. God bless you darling! Here are pictures of Brice on his hog hunt at Sycamore Springs Ranch in Locust Grove, Oklahoma. Brigid O’Donoghue   | ||
| Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 36 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 67.54.184.89 |
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| Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 40 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 67.54.184.89 |
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