Capt Greene - an update

A welcome update from Alan of GenX at 40 on Capt Trevor Greene's condition. For those who don't remember, the Seaforth Highlander was blindsided during a shura by a fanatic who buried an axe in his skull.

As it turns out, that's not enough to stop such an extraordinary individual:

When we arrived at the Rehab Centre in Alberta, we were told there was very little chance of recovery and that he would be offered medication trials only and wouldn’t participate in rehab. Fortunately, I had become very good at selective listening by this stage. I had read many stories of people overcoming the odds and I knew Trevor was capable of being one of those stories especially since modern research has found the brain to be “plastic” and able to reprogram itself if given proper cues. In my head I would think, “we’ll see”. Knowing Trevor’s spirit, I felt that he would respond and step up to the challenge rather than languish in this huge body for the rest of his life. I knew he would rather die than live in a wheelchair in a long-term care facility. If this was to happen, someone had to give him a chance to succeed. Thankfully, the Centennial Centre gave him that chance. He proved me right. He did succeed and surprised everyone. When we were admitted to the Centre, he had little to no purposeful movement. He is now able to do bench presses, leg presses and more functional activities like eating, shaving and brushing his teeth. His technique isn’t perfect and he requires a little help with each task but he gets better with each month that passes. When we entered the Centre he barely had a voice. He is now able to speak clearly and articulately and almost at his original level. On September 12, 2008 after 14 months in rehabilitation, we left the Centennial Centre and all our friends in Ponoka for our new home in Nanaimo, BC.

It's worth reading the whole inspiring tale. Seeing all the different names of people who helped along the way - soldiers and civilians, Canadians and Americans, all doing what they could - just made my heart swell.

And apparently that story won't just be told on the internet:

On Dec 13, 2008 at 7pm PST CTV will air a documentary on Trevor’s recovery. The story follows Trevor after release from 13 months at Vancouver General Hospital until we moved back home to BC. Trevor and I can be reached on facebook for anyone that doesn’t have our contact information.

Cuidich 'n Righ!

Update: As usual, The Donovan proves classier than me, and says what needs to be said by all who read this story:

If you'd like some good news and a good saga of True Grit, go to Alan's place and read the update on Trevor's progress, and meet a man who stood tall, but just as importantly, the woman who helps him stand - she really doesn't appear in the story, directly, because she suffuses it. She's everywhere, yet mentioned nowhere. Captain Green has gotten lots of support, and "Well dones!" and helping hands.

I'm going to take Alan's role, and be the contrarian of sorts.

Well done, Debbie. You are a shining point of light. [Babbler's emphasis]

Hear, hear! BZ, Debbie!