Dear Friends and Family,
Many of you ask about Brett on a regular basis. It is always appreciated and uplifting to know that so many people care. Our family is indeed grateful for all of the support, prayers and encouragement from all of you. We have seen God at work in so many ways that it is hard to count.
Brett continues to battle pain but he seldom complains. We do ask for continued prayer support for relief in this area of his life.
He remains focused on getting back on the track and riding again. He has equipped his Honda Hawk and a TTR125 with left handed controls and has possible plans for a track day in July. Right now he is riding the TTR125 without his prosthetic arm and he has moved the gas throttle over to the left side but the throttle works backwards. He will fix it later. Check out the video on the blog of him riding around the yard!
Brett has discovered the fun of pistol shooting and has been practicing at the pistol range. He is also improving his bowling game and continues to work out at the gym.
We traveled to Foley and Gulf Shores over the Father’s day weekend and visited with my parents. Brett went swimming for the first time since the accident. I think he liked it but he did describe a strange feeling of his shoulder floating away from his body. It was good to see him do some underwater somersaults!
Stacey is working as a lifeguard this summer at the Ponderosa camp near Mentone but she comes home on the weekend to visit. I can tell that Brett and Stacey have grown closer since the accident.
We are trying to return to a normal routine as much as possible and we are thankful that God has sustained us this far.
Feel free to share this email and/or visit Brett’s blog at BrettCole.BlogSpot.com where I occasionally post pictures and videos.
I hope everyone is having a great summer and we wish a happy Fouth of July. We are thankful to live in America and for our freedom. God bless you.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Brett on TTR125
Brett has equipped this TTR125 with left handed controls. He has also similarly setup his 1989 Honda Hawk in anticipation of an upcoming track day.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Update on Brett Cole as of June 14th 2007
Dear Friends and Family:
Brett continues to make good progress. His phantom pain episodes have become less intense and infrequent. He has become very adept at doing things with only one hand.
His overall health is improving and he is on a regular workout schedule at a local gym. Brett’s attitude and outlook remain positive.
One of the highlights of our trip was a visit with Dug Smith of Roseville, CA (near
Brett was also released to drive by Dr. Alonzo and he has had several solo trips in his truck. Brett is a cautious driver and always checks in with Coleen whenever he reaches his destination. I consider this a major step toward his independence.
Our attorney (Leon Ashford) has done a great job representing us. I would highly recommend him. We received good news that the insurance company of the driver of the SUV has agreed to pay the policy limit for personal medical expense liability. Although it is not much money, it helps salve some of the wounds. It is also somewhat of an admission of their fault.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
From his mother’s heart...
From his mother’s heart:
Brett had a wonderful time at his birthday party at 29 Dreams - as did we all. Thank you again Tim and Kathy L. for everything. Brett was not in much pain if any. I would like to thank all of you who came to be with him. I know some of you would like to have come but just could not make it, but I thank you for your thoughts. Many of you brought gifts for Brett and we were all grateful for that (although it was not necessary) we thank you all. He received some really nice shirts, money, gift cards, peanuts, cards, and I don’t even know what else. Some of the cards were hilarious! His aunt Beverly even bought him a new motorcycle (need I mention it was a toy motorcycle). I would especially like to thank Mr. Will Ratliff and his sweet wife Carolyn for coming by the party. That meant so much to all of us.
Brett has been feeling so good lately, but it seems that the rain upsets his comfort. Last night, at the weekly FBR meeting, he was in a lot of pain. Usually if he feels bad he can hide it. But last night he hurt so badly he could not pretend that he didn’t. He could not hold his head up, but I told him that his friends understood. He had driven us out there, but I had to drive us home as the tears rolled down my cheeks. The next morning the ground was wet so we figured it must have been the coming of the rain that affected his pain level.
God is so good to always give us what we need even before we ask it of him. I just feel the need to share some of the ways God has blessed us. (These are not in any particular order).
1. Before Brett’s accident, God sent Mark C. to talk to Brett about a different career choice.
2. He led us to a church where the Pastor and the people truly have a heart for others. Our pastor, Donald Jennings, came to the hospital the night of the accident and stayed with us until about 3:00 in the morning. He was the first one back the next morning with a basket full of goodies. If ever we needed a pastor to sit with us and pray with us it has been through all of this. Keep in mind that he and his wife had just had their third son. Needless to say a huge thank you to his wife, Laura, for letting him minister to us at this time in their lives!
3. In January, God gave me the desire to read my Bible through in a year. (That has helped me so much!)
4. He had Brett to become friends with Dr. John O. a super guy – not to mention a friend of the Chief of Staff at UAB.
5. He had Dr. Alonso (the best orthopedic surgeon in B’ham) to be the doctor to operate on Brett. He also had many other very good doctors and nurses to care for Brett while he was in the hospital.
6. David was on his way to New Jersey and God saw to it that he was able to catch a flight back to B’ham within about 30 minutes.
7. God arranged for us to be able to stay in the hotel next to UAB the whole time Brett was in the hospital. Because of family, friends, and our church we never had to pay for one night!
8. He spread word quickly to so many friends and family the night of the accident that Stacey and I did not have to sit alone in the waiting room. We were surrounded by many friends that first night and every day and night after.
9. He gave me my dear friend Candice and her daughter, Emily, who came to my house and cleaned it from top to bottom and washed all of our clothes and brought clean ones back to us at the hospital. She and her husband also own a medical company and they brought Brett a TENS unit late one Friday night.
10. He gave us friends and family who brought food, snacks, change, magazines, lotion, antibacterial lotion and wipes, toothpaste and toothbrushes, etc., etc., etc., to the hospital for us.
11. He gave us our friends the Rays who have called or sent cards everyday to let us know that they are still praying for Brett. Many of our friends continue to call and check on Brett as well.
12. He made us to be financially sound enough that I do not have to work.
13. He placed David in a company that has a wonderful owner and great people to work with. (The company also has great medical benefits - thank the Lord for that!)
14. He gave us friends that would help us and support us through these tough times.
15. He gave Brett a very strong will. (It was hard to deal with when he was young.)
16. He gave us as parents the kind of love for Brett that is unshakeable.
17. He gave Brett a sister that loves him dearly.
18. He has opened doors to the world of prosthetics that we had no idea existed.
19. God has opened a door with a fitness club for Brett to work with Chris L. (owner and great guy) who is a personal trainer. His business is not just a business – it is a ministry.
20. God gave Brett a great attitude. (When he is hurting, it is hard to see.)
21. He gave Brett his life!
Brett lived through this horrible accident. With his brachial plexus torn and his nerves ripped, his collar bone, clavicle, and scapula removed, his arm gone, and even some of the muscle in his chest removed, Brett survived! Brett lived to celebrate his 18th birthday! Through doctors, nurses, friends, and prayers of saints, God gave us this great blessing!
God gave us all the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son. May we all always be mindful of how good God is.
There are so many other things that God has done for us – so many that I have probably forgotten most of them by now. God led our pastor to preach a sermon that was so hard to hear, but so needed in our lives. You can listen to this sermon – it is probably one that everyone needs to hear.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SourceOnly=true&currSection=sermonssource&keyword=donaldjennings&keywordDesc=Park+Avenue+Baptist+Church
Look for the (May 6th sermon).
I never thought I would see so many of God’s truths become so real in my life, but my ways are not His ways and my thoughts are not His thoughts. Praise God for that! I am so thankful that He is in control.
God Bless You All!
Coleen
Brett had a wonderful time at his birthday party at 29 Dreams - as did we all. Thank you again Tim and Kathy L. for everything. Brett was not in much pain if any. I would like to thank all of you who came to be with him. I know some of you would like to have come but just could not make it, but I thank you for your thoughts. Many of you brought gifts for Brett and we were all grateful for that (although it was not necessary) we thank you all. He received some really nice shirts, money, gift cards, peanuts, cards, and I don’t even know what else. Some of the cards were hilarious! His aunt Beverly even bought him a new motorcycle (need I mention it was a toy motorcycle). I would especially like to thank Mr. Will Ratliff and his sweet wife Carolyn for coming by the party. That meant so much to all of us.
Brett has been feeling so good lately, but it seems that the rain upsets his comfort. Last night, at the weekly FBR meeting, he was in a lot of pain. Usually if he feels bad he can hide it. But last night he hurt so badly he could not pretend that he didn’t. He could not hold his head up, but I told him that his friends understood. He had driven us out there, but I had to drive us home as the tears rolled down my cheeks. The next morning the ground was wet so we figured it must have been the coming of the rain that affected his pain level.
God is so good to always give us what we need even before we ask it of him. I just feel the need to share some of the ways God has blessed us. (These are not in any particular order).
1. Before Brett’s accident, God sent Mark C. to talk to Brett about a different career choice.
2. He led us to a church where the Pastor and the people truly have a heart for others. Our pastor, Donald Jennings, came to the hospital the night of the accident and stayed with us until about 3:00 in the morning. He was the first one back the next morning with a basket full of goodies. If ever we needed a pastor to sit with us and pray with us it has been through all of this. Keep in mind that he and his wife had just had their third son. Needless to say a huge thank you to his wife, Laura, for letting him minister to us at this time in their lives!
3. In January, God gave me the desire to read my Bible through in a year. (That has helped me so much!)
4. He had Brett to become friends with Dr. John O. a super guy – not to mention a friend of the Chief of Staff at UAB.
5. He had Dr. Alonso (the best orthopedic surgeon in B’ham) to be the doctor to operate on Brett. He also had many other very good doctors and nurses to care for Brett while he was in the hospital.
6. David was on his way to New Jersey and God saw to it that he was able to catch a flight back to B’ham within about 30 minutes.
7. God arranged for us to be able to stay in the hotel next to UAB the whole time Brett was in the hospital. Because of family, friends, and our church we never had to pay for one night!
8. He spread word quickly to so many friends and family the night of the accident that Stacey and I did not have to sit alone in the waiting room. We were surrounded by many friends that first night and every day and night after.
9. He gave me my dear friend Candice and her daughter, Emily, who came to my house and cleaned it from top to bottom and washed all of our clothes and brought clean ones back to us at the hospital. She and her husband also own a medical company and they brought Brett a TENS unit late one Friday night.
10. He gave us friends and family who brought food, snacks, change, magazines, lotion, antibacterial lotion and wipes, toothpaste and toothbrushes, etc., etc., etc., to the hospital for us.
11. He gave us our friends the Rays who have called or sent cards everyday to let us know that they are still praying for Brett. Many of our friends continue to call and check on Brett as well.
12. He made us to be financially sound enough that I do not have to work.
13. He placed David in a company that has a wonderful owner and great people to work with. (The company also has great medical benefits - thank the Lord for that!)
14. He gave us friends that would help us and support us through these tough times.
15. He gave Brett a very strong will. (It was hard to deal with when he was young.)
16. He gave us as parents the kind of love for Brett that is unshakeable.
17. He gave Brett a sister that loves him dearly.
18. He has opened doors to the world of prosthetics that we had no idea existed.
19. God has opened a door with a fitness club for Brett to work with Chris L. (owner and great guy) who is a personal trainer. His business is not just a business – it is a ministry.
20. God gave Brett a great attitude. (When he is hurting, it is hard to see.)
21. He gave Brett his life!
Brett lived through this horrible accident. With his brachial plexus torn and his nerves ripped, his collar bone, clavicle, and scapula removed, his arm gone, and even some of the muscle in his chest removed, Brett survived! Brett lived to celebrate his 18th birthday! Through doctors, nurses, friends, and prayers of saints, God gave us this great blessing!
God gave us all the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son. May we all always be mindful of how good God is.
There are so many other things that God has done for us – so many that I have probably forgotten most of them by now. God led our pastor to preach a sermon that was so hard to hear, but so needed in our lives. You can listen to this sermon – it is probably one that everyone needs to hear.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SourceOnly=true&currSection=sermonssource&keyword=donaldjennings&keywordDesc=Park+Avenue+Baptist+Church
Look for the (May 6th sermon).
I never thought I would see so many of God’s truths become so real in my life, but my ways are not His ways and my thoughts are not His thoughts. Praise God for that! I am so thankful that He is in control.
God Bless You All!
Coleen
Update of May 20th, 2007
May 20, 2007
Dear Friends and Family,
Since my last update, Brett celebrated his 18th birthday, began a weekly workout routine, hit golf balls on the driving range, bowled left handed and shot pistols and a rifle.
Brett continues to make good progress although he is still battling the pain. He has not let this slow him down and the pain intensity has been reduced. I remain encouraged as God shows us daily His grace towards us. We still occasionally wrestle with the grief and anger but mostly we celebrate life. Brett is an inspiration to us all.
Brett has now been fitted for a prosthetic arm and we hope that he will begin wearing this sometime in June. (The prosthetic profession is a fascinating combination of creativity, engineering and physiology.) On June 4th, we will be visiting the Shriner’s hospital in Greenville, SC., where Brett may be eligible for another specialized prosthetic device.
We are traveling to San Francisco on Wednesday for a family getaway and to visit a right arm amputee that has a left handled controlled Honda Hawk motorcycle.
I appreciate everyone’s continued interest and concern for Brett and our family. Keep praying for pain relief and strength for all.
Dear Friends and Family,
Since my last update, Brett celebrated his 18th birthday, began a weekly workout routine, hit golf balls on the driving range, bowled left handed and shot pistols and a rifle.
Brett continues to make good progress although he is still battling the pain. He has not let this slow him down and the pain intensity has been reduced. I remain encouraged as God shows us daily His grace towards us. We still occasionally wrestle with the grief and anger but mostly we celebrate life. Brett is an inspiration to us all.
Brett has now been fitted for a prosthetic arm and we hope that he will begin wearing this sometime in June. (The prosthetic profession is a fascinating combination of creativity, engineering and physiology.) On June 4th, we will be visiting the Shriner’s hospital in Greenville, SC., where Brett may be eligible for another specialized prosthetic device.
We are traveling to San Francisco on Wednesday for a family getaway and to visit a right arm amputee that has a left handled controlled Honda Hawk motorcycle.
I appreciate everyone’s continued interest and concern for Brett and our family. Keep praying for pain relief and strength for all.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Brett Cole update as of April 28, 2007
Brett Cole update as of Saturday April 28, 2007
I am thankful to God that Brett will celebrate his 18th birthday on May 6th. We are encouraged by the progress that he has made over the past 11 weeks. The Lord has answered many of our prayers and we give thanks for his sustaining grace. I ask you to continue to remember Brett in your prayers and ask God to remove the phantom pains. These continue to trouble Brett but they seem to be a little less frequent and sometimes less intense. Brett is scheduled for his third nerve block on Thursday and we pray for further pain relief. He seems to get some relief from these but they have a delayed reaction.
Despite his torment, Brett continues to engage in some of his usual activities. We spent last weekend at the AMA motorcycle races at the Barber motor sports park. (This is an incredible facility that everyone should see at least once.) Brett was fortunate and thankful to receive tickets for each day of the race and he shared the fun with his friend Justin, Coleen, Stacey and me.
Brett spent some time in the paddock area and met a mechanic with only one arm. Brett also was able to sit on the actual Honda race bike driven by Miguel Duhamel. He also met, shook hands with, and got the personal card of Kenny Roberts, Sr. (a famous motorcycle racer with two sons who now race).
Brett continues his occupational therapy at Lakeshore and this seems to be helping him physically and mentally. His grip strength has increased from 112 pounds to 130 pounds. (Be advised that this is a bone crushing grip strength!) He is able to move his shoulder and has some deep muscle control. They are focused on strengthening his pectoral, trapesius, and core muscles. They also encourage him to strengthen his left arm. His scars are healing well and part of the therapy is touch and massage in the injured area.
The therapist (Cheryl) at Lakeshore has been very helpful and encouraging. She has studied to become familiar with motorcycles and has demonstrated a genuine concern and care for Brett's well being. She can get him to do the exercises without Brett complaining, and he doesn't mind when she massages his scars. She instructs him about his posture and he obeys immediately. (Coleen wishes for the same type response from him at home!)
We have visited three Prosthetists that have said that Brett will have many choices on which prosthesis he will be able to use. If he is going to continue to ride the motorcycle on the track (and we know that he will) he will need a device that will not have much movement. Otherwise, he will be able to get one that is myoelectric that he will be able to control by movement of his right shoulder. There are many, many choices in between. We are trying to figure out a way that he can get both. We have decided to go with Brian Mueller from UAB Spain Orthonics and Prosthetics. He seems to be the best all around choice. Brett will need a lot of therapy if he goes with the myoelectric prosthesis. Just being able to learn how to move each muscle to control each part will be a learning experience. Brett will still have to learn to write with his left hand. He was hoping that he could write with his prosthesis, but everyone has told him that is not likely.
This whole experience has made us more aware of the pain and suffering that many of our soldiers are coming home with as well as other accident victims. I don't know how people without faith in God manage to get through the tough times. I am so thankful for all of our friends and family members that have continued to pray, call, send cards, and just let us know that we are still in their thoughts and prayers. I know that it is because of God, family, and friends that we have had the strength to get through each day. We are truly grateful for all of you.
Feel free to share this update with others and/or check the Brett Blog at www.BrettCole.BlogSpot.com where we will be periodically posting other updates and pictures.
PS: Everyone is invited to Brett's party on Sunday May 6th @ 6:00 at 29 Dreams. If possible let us know you are coming by emailing hotdog0959@aol.com.
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