Re-Building Corey

Project 2013-01-11 05:32:45 +1300

At 1am on the 10th of September 2012, I woke up to my bestfriend dying beside me. 24 hours later I was told that husband and bestfriend of 18 years had had two strokes next to me and I was given a 10% chance of him living and needed an operation that was so mind blowing that it still makes me sick when I think about it. I was then told to take my babies in to say there last goodbyes to their dad. I then kissed my mate for what I thought would be the last time, and put his life in the hands of an amazing loving doctor who promised me he would do everything in his power to keep my buddy alive, 6 hours later in Wellington ICU the love of my life squeezed my hand and thanked me for saving his life.





( Corey and his son Bjorn last summer)

Surviving this major operation was just the start of a long road to recovery with left side paralysis and many cognitive issues, and the odds stacked against him to make a full recovery. To be honest, I will be lucky if I every have the man I married back again.

(First home visit since his strokes sharing cheese on toast with Bjorn.)

As days grew into weeks Corey was moved to Star Rehab Ward in Palmerston North where Corey started beating the odds. During this crazy time I was In my last year of study for my Diploma in Photographic Imaging, It had slipped my mind that I had entered two images into the NZIPP awards I was told that my image of Corey, his dad, and our son Bjorn (the above image) had won Gold and another image had won Bronze. This had put me in the running to win Student/Assistant Photographer of the year. Later that evening I was informed that I had won this award which was a happy/sad mement as my bestmate wasn't there to celebrate with me.Four weeks later Corey was standing and trying to walk again. Nine weeks later he was discharged in a wheelchair he could walk very little with a walking stick so the hunt was on to find extra funding to get treatment.

(Rehab at the hospital)

ACC have declined Corey's application, even though Corey had been assaulted on the 8th of September 2012 and had obvious head and neck and facial injures. There was no government funding for Corey for extra rehab/support - just the two hours a week physio and two hours cognitive work which is just not enough.

Corey is determined to go back to his job as a site manager/foreman and be able to be the best friend and dad to his five year old son. This goal is possible with extra rehab and treatment. We do a lot of work at home to help Corey's brain kick into gear as you can see in the image below.

(Brain work its back to basics but Bjorn loves to join in)

There are rehabs out of Palmerston North where Corey can go and stay for some time to get six days a week therapy, but this is all private, and with no funding available to us we have to take the next step and fundraise. We are still waiting on costings for this from the rehab center as they have to do a individual treatment plan up for Corey. These services don't come cheap.

We are lucky to have a strong group of friends willing to go the extra mile for Corey. His work place, Humphries Construction, are going to run a charity auction for him, and friends are donating art, doing bake sales, even offering themselves to be auctioned off.

(Corey's children Nastazya 18 years and Bjorn 5 Years)

We are 100% sure that Corey will get back 85% of his health and claim back his life again. The biggest rewards out of this for Corey is to get back to work and to do the job he loves so much again, to be able to be the dad and best friend to his son, to be able to walk his 18 year old daughter down the aisle on her wedding day one day. And for me the rewards are so great I find it hard to put into words, but to have my husband, my best friend back to feel his two arms around me again would be simply the most rewarding thing ever. We have a Facebook page up and running so his supporters can watch his progress. Feel free to jump on board and follow Coreys journey.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Project-Re-Building-Corey/451502288250727?ref=hl

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