By Bud | November 23, 2008
My last report informed you of the muscle cramp in his left quad. Since then there had been many positive signs. The first one is his mental attitude has been restored to the point where he knows it is just a matter of time. Peter was starting to get discouraged, but the muscle cramp gave him a sign that messages were getting through. His muscle mass in his legs are starting to get restored. Peter can tell that his legs are getting stronger. Thursday at St. Johns physical therapy he was able to pull his legs through with no assistance while crawling. The therapist just assisted him with his balance and guided his legs a little, but as far as pulling his legs through, it was all Peter. Friday at OU med center they again had him using the walker and Peter was able to move his legs on his own with the therapist stabilizing his knees so they would not buckle. The staff at OU Med Center want us to buy him a walker and told us that by Christmas they think he will be ready to try this on his own, with our assistance, at home. I don’t know if Peter will trust our assistance as much as he does the gals at OU Med Center. God has delivered many positive signs in the last week. His healing powers are working. Thanks to all those that have helped us with Peter’s pool therapy the last couple of weeks, Bron and Cole Cummins, Doug Eaton, Steve Earle and Phil Klimas. Without your help the past two weeks Peter would not have been able to complete pool therapy. Thanks.
Words of Wisdom (taken from Doc Blevins daily devotional)
“I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say, segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”
Former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace
“Since my accident, I am a little more mindful of the suffering of other people.”
Former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace
As Thanksgiving approaches this week, be mindful of the suffering of others and give thanks for the blessings that you have. There are others all around you suffering. Take note. We are faced daily with pressure, frustration, fear and uncertainty. Team Jessee is thankful for all of you, for you have made our situation better through your prayers, help and concerns. Through this our eyes have been opened about the plight of others and the daily struggles they are going through and it is our responsibility to help others that do not know where to turn to obtain help. With God’s help we will try to do our part to help others and we thank Him for his guidance.
He will walk again
Have a Happy Thanksgiving
Bud
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By Janet | November 12, 2008
I had the privilege of being “Peter’s Mom” yesterday at OU thanks to Ed Leinbach and my co-workers here at Leinbach Company and their continued total support. It was a great day at OU Medical with the professors and students. I just loved it when I had to look up to Peter when he was walking with the help of the walker!
Please forward on to everyone. I’m not sure where this email will go….but I do know there are a lot of people praying for Peter each day.
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By Bud | November 12, 2008
I just had to get this out to everyone. We are estactic and so are the professors at OU Med Center. Today at OU, they had Peter standing up with a walker and helping him take some steps. While doing this, Peter developed a charlie horse or cramp in his left quad about the size of half a cantaloupe. Peter could not feel the pain from this but the professor said that was probably good since the size of it would be very painful. Muscles reacting to exercise is a fantastic sign even if it is a cramp. Also this morning the perspiration was all the way down to his lower butt cheeks. Praise God for the sign of His healing powers.
Thanks for the prayers and they are working and we know they will work for everyone. Please remember Addie, Katie, Keith and all the others from Craig Hospital and I want a special prayer for Lindsey Couri, she and her dad Rick, will leave Sunday for the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to have a tumor removed from her brain.
He will walk again
Bud
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By Janet | November 9, 2008
Below is Bud’s post below regarding Peter’s progress and the video the Miami Project produced to tell Peter’s story as part of their annual fund raising.
Just to clarify Bud’s first paragraph. We’re praying and hoping that Peter will regain the sensation (feeling) below his injury level at T-9. Approximately at the belly button. Right now he has zero sensation. Even though he is paralyzed he does know where his legs are in space. Meaning he cannot feel anything when we touch his legs, but to Peter his legs feel like they are asleep all the time. He has the huge buzzing sensation that we all have experienced from time to time which is the nerve pain. He has opted not to take the medicine to relieve the nerve pain that he has 24/7 because of the associated side effects. In fact he has opted out of all pain medication for the same reason. I’m grateful he has great control….because sometimes I can tell it’s pretty bad.
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By Bud | November 9, 2008
The past week has shown some small improvements. I say small but any improvement or sign of improvement is huge. On the LoKoMat this last week, they were able to take Peter down to where the machine was only doing 25% of the work with him supporting 90 lbs. of his own weight. They had tried to take him down to 30% with him supporting 122lbs of his own weight but he could not keep up and the machine shut down. Two weeks ago Peter was sitting up in his bed that reclines up. It was one of those days that we have here in OK that is cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon. Peter lowered the upper portion of his bed and then rolled to his right. I noticed on the sheets that he had perspired below his injury level to where it formed a V shape on the sheets. So this meant he had perspired to the top of his butt crack. When you have a spinal cord injury, you are not able to perspire below the injury level. The perspiration was below his injury level and there was no way for it to run down there from his upper back. We have not said anything about it wanting to see if it happen again. Well this weekend I felt perspiration in the same area. We think some sensation is starting to return if ever so slight.
The LoKoMat is an awesome machine and I am a believer that one in Tulsa could help many people. It is not only for spinal cord injuries, it can help stroke victims, muscular dystrophy, ALS(Lou Gehrig disease), and many neuro-muscular diseases. Machines like this should be placed in facilities like the OU Med Center Health and Science Center where it can not only help victims, but train our future therapist. OU has a Physical therapy school here in Tulsa, Schusterman Center, and I am going to start the process of trying to obtain a machine for the Schusterman Center. I don’t have a clue how we will accomplish this feat, but I heard that Rome was not built in a day. Another project I want to work on is obtaining a pool like the one at Jenks High School that is more accessible to victims of the above diseases and injuries. You can go to
www.hydroworx.com and view the features of the pool. Therapy like anything else has been commercialized and due to limits on insurance and people not able to afford out of pocket expenses, their rehab programs get discontinued. I know that if we stopped Peter’s rehab today, his condition would stall and there would be no chance of any recovery. I have vowed that no matter what I have to do that will not happen and if I can help others continue their therapy by making sure his therapy continues, then maybe this whole circumstance will have some meaning. Please pray for me to help me find the way to accomplish these task.
Last September I attended the annual fund raiser event for the Miami Project in New York City. Below is a news release of the event. All of this was organized by our good friend, Scott Roy, Director of Communications for the Miami Project. Peter was one of the victims of a spinal cord injury that was featured in their video narrated by Bob Costas. The first young lady featured in the video is Ashley Moore, daughter of Lisa and David Moore. David is an associate of mine in Florida through American National Insurance Company. David has been very instrumental in helping us and getting us involved with the Miami Project and I can not thank him enough for this and the encouragement he has given us. Read the article and then you can click on The Miami Project under the heading New Websites Launched. This will take you to the home page of The Miami Project. Click on News and Media, click on Multi-Media and then click on Raise Me Up and you will be able to view the video featuring Ashley and Peter. Keep Ashley and her family in your prayers. With the research that The Miami Project is doing and the advancements they have accomplished we know that………………………………………….
He will walk again.
Bud
Enjoy Below
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| THE CONNECTION ~ NOVEMBER 2008 |
THE 23rd ANNUAL GREAT SPORTS LEGENDS DINNER TO BENEFIT THE BUONICONTI FUND TO CURE PARALYSIS
Emceed by Bob Costas, Jerry Rice, Andre Agassi, Scottie Pippen, Joe Gibbs,
Helio Castroneves, Richard “Goose” Gossage, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini,
Angelo Dundee, Gabrielle Reece and Christine Lynn Honored.
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2008 Sports Legends and Honorees with
Nick and Marc Buoniconti
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New York, NY (Sept 22, 2008) – NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti and his son Marc hosted a sold out event, the 23rd Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner, at the Waldorf=Astoria to benefit The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. They were joined by sports heroes, philanthropic icons and business leaders who were out in full force to support paralysis research. The 2008 Great Sports Legend honorees were Jerry Rice, Andre Agassi, Scottie Pippen, Joe Gibbs, Helio Castroneves, Richard “Goose” Gossage, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Angelo Dundee and Gabrielle Reece. South Florida philanthropist Christine Lynn received The Buoniconti Fund Award. Special guest and emcee was sports broadcaster and Buoniconti Fund supporter, Bob Costas. The evening raised over $7 million for the spinal cord injury research programs at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
“This dinner and the support we continue to receive from the best of the best in sports, business, entertainment and philanthropy continues to raise my spirits and that of the researchers at The Miami Project. In turn, that support fuels research and raises the spirits of the millions worldwide who live daily with paralysis because we know that, with clinical trials on the horizon, the day will soon come when they will be raised up from their wheelchairs to walk side by side with us again,” said an emotional Nick Buoniconti.Read more…
CURRENT CLINICAL STUDIES
The Miami Project has many current studies that involve research volunteers. This month, we highlight a study conducted by Dr. Edelle Field-Fote and colleagues entitled Improving Arm and Hand Function in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). This 5-year study is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Various rehabilitation techniques improve motor skills and strength in individuals with hand dysfunction following nervous system injury. Massed practice (repetitive task-based exercise), electrical stimulation (pulses of electricity applied over the skin) and strength training (exercise with weights) have all been associated with improvements in a persons’ ability to use their arms and hands after stroke and SCI. However, there have been no comparisons to determine whether one form of training is better than the others for improving function in people with SCI.
The Miami Project is conducting a study to examine the impact of strength training, electrical stimulation, or massed practice combined with electrical stimulation on improvements in pinch strength and upper extremity function in people with SCI. People between the ages of 16 and 65 with chronic cervical SCI who meet the inclusion criteria are eligible to participate in the study. Research volunteers are randomly assigned to one of the three training groups. Study-related activities are scheduled daily for 6 weeks. For further information, call Joyce Gomes, Research Associate, at 305-243-7118.
Many people with spinal cord injury have expressed the desire to serve as research volunteers for Miami Project studies. We appreciate this enthusiasm because willing and eligible research volunteers are an important part of the clinical research process. Research volunteers are helping Miami Project researchers improve the understanding of various complications of SCI, such as pain, spasticity, sexual function and fertility. They have also helped demonstrate the effects of functional electrical stimulation-assisted walking in people with complete paraplegia as well as the rehabilitative benefits of body weight support gait training in incomplete SCI. Thanks to committed and dedicated research volunteers, Miami Project clinical researchers are making progress toward improving the medical treatments and rehabilitative care available today.
NEW WEBSITES LAUNCHED
The Miami Project and The Buoniconti Fund have embarked on a new, innovative website presence. Our new highly interactive websites will show our constituents and new visitors that we have a website that matches the organizations’ status. Our visitors will become part of our community and feel welcome.
Users will enjoy the convenience of self-service options including profile updates, research participant intake forms, online donations, sponsorships, event registrations and more.
The new websites provide a more user friendly environment for information about the research ongoing at The Miami Project, tools and resources for those in the spinal cord injured community, allow for detailed search results, upcoming events, lectures and much more.
We invite you visit The Miami Project and The Buoniconti Fund today!
NATIONAL CHAPTERS OF THE BUONICONTI FUND
The Buoniconti Fund’s Chapters wrapped up the season with many events and awareness campaigns across the country to support the vital research at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
The Miami Chapter partnered with Coral Gables to host a series of events, the Battle of the Chefs, which allowed guests to watch competing local chefs and raise money for a great cause.
The Charleston Chapter just hosted its “Buoniconti Golf & Tailgate Weekend 2008” on October 10-11 to benefit the Marc A. Buoniconti Fund football scholarship at The Citadel and The Buoniconti Fund. This year’s partnership with The Citadel Foundation brought national and local guests for a weekend of good times and awareness.
We also hosted many annual events including the Cleveland golf tournament, Orlando That 70’s Party, Baltimore Crabfeast and Southeast Michigan’s team in the Detroit Marathon.
A highlight this summer was the Chapters Summit 2008, where nearly 100 volunteers and sponsors came to tour and experience The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, interact and learn from each other, and celebrate our efforts. We hosted the first live broadcast of the Scientific Update during the Summit.
If you’d like to be more involved in your local Chapter, please contact the Director of National Chapters, Kristin Wherry, at bfchapters@med.miami.edu.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Check out the newly redesigned website for our Events Calendar and be sure to join us for these events in your community:
2008
November 8 ~ Cleveland Chapter Reverse Raffle at LaVera in Willoughby Hills, Ohio
November 20 ~ Philadelphia Chapter 5th Annual Raise a Glass for the Cure at Citizen’s Bank Park (home of the World Series 2008 winning Phillies team)
November 20 ~ Women’s Guild Miami Beaujolais Nouveau Release Party at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami
November 22 ~ Pittsburgh Chapter Night at the Races at the Alpine Club in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
December 4 ~ Chicago Chapter’s 10th Annual Indulgence Night at Sofitel Water Tower Hotel
December 6 ~ Tampa Chapter’s Golf Tournament presented by INVEST Financial Corporation at Westchase Golf Club
2009
March 7 ~ Destination Fashion at Bal Harbour Shops in Miami
April 26 - 27 ~ Seventh Annual Buoniconti Fund Celebrity Golf Invitational at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida
October 6 ~ Twenty Fourth Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City
CONTACT US
Questions or comments? Click here. To unsubscribe, click here.
STAFF CONTACTS
Suzie Sayfie, Executive Director (305) 243-7146
Diana Berning, Administrative Director (305) 243-7154
Stephanie Sayfie Aagaard, Director, Major Gifts, Corporate Relations,
Marketing & Events (305) 243-7146
Maria Amador, Director, Education, Program Information & Referral (305) 243-7108
Teri Bendell, Director, Web Services, Auction & Database Management
(305) 243-2267
Megan Hess Director, Annual Giving (305) 243-7159
Randy Medenwald, Director, Government Relations (305) 243-7147
Scott Roy, Director, Communications (305) 243-8393
Francine Schoen, Director, Foundation Relations (305) 243-8311
Kristin Wherry, Director, National Chapters (305) 243-3863
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Topics: Peter | No Comments »
By Bud | November 3, 2008
This last week we saw some improvement on the LoKoMat Machine. The computer on the machine can register the percentage the machine is doing and the amount Peter is contributing. So if the machine says 50%, that means that Peter is doing 50% of the work and the machine is doing the other 50%. If the therapist turns the machine lower to where Peter is doing more of the work and Peter can not keep the robotic legs moving the machine will shut down. Three weeks ago before we left for Cleveland, they started Peter where the machine was doing 100%, then they gradually lower the machine down to 80%, 70%, 60%, 50% and then they went to 35% and the LoKoMat shut down, which meant Peter was not able to make up the difference on his own to keep the LoKoMat moving. This past Monday and Wednesday, they took the LoKoMat back down to 30% and Peter kept the legs moving. The professors at the OU Med school said, “his legs are getting stronger, not as fast as he wants them to, but there is improvement.” We still need for the sensation to return along with the improvement of the legs so we ask that you pray a special prayer this week for Peter to have God keep the healing process going and to give him strength and courage to continue his battle.
Yesterday we attended St. Johns Episcopal Church to thank the ladies prayer group for the prayer quilt they made Peter. We were able to sit with Barbara Lawson and a couple of the other ladies that made the quilt. A special thanks goes to the Mark Byers family, a member of our hockey family, for asking the ladies to make a quilt for Peter. It is special and we have it over Peter every night. Being covered by so many prayers is very important and means so much to us.
In your prayers this week I want you to remember Peter and also Katie Rennie, who has returned back to her home in Southeast Kansas on Wednesday from Craig. The return home is very stressful and I know that it will become easier. There is another important prayer request I have this week. Our friend Rick Couri at KRMG radio here in Tulsa needs prayers for his daughter Lindsey. Lindsey is a strong young lady, around 20 years old, that is battling a tumor in the brain. She will be going in for surgery on Wednesday. Rick has been very helpful to us to spread the word of Peter’s incident on the KRMG web page. I hate seeing this, but now Rick and Lindsey needs our help and prayers. Rick, you and Lindsey are in our prayers and God will get you through this. We know that He does heal those that asked to be healed and we are asking that Lindsey will be healed. We know that Gods healing powers are great and with the power of your prayers asking for Him to heal Katie, and Lindsey, they to will be healed and that………………………………
He will walk again
Bud
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By Janet | October 26, 2008
Friends,
Special prayer requests for Marsha Jenkins (Peter’s counselor at Broken Arrow High School) and Brandon Stone. Brandon has been instrumental in helping Peter figure out some of these spinal cord injury issues.
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Peter and Easton
By Eric | July 18, 2008
The Broken Arrow High School football team is hosting a scrimmage with Coweta and Sapulpa on Friday August 22nd. The scrimmage will be held at the BA High School Memorial Stadium. Admission will be by donation with all proceeds going to Peter. Additional fund raising opportunities will be made available that night. More information about the scrimmage will be made available here and at the Broken Arrow Football Booster Club website, www.batigerfootball.org.
Topics: General | No Comments »
By Janet | July 11, 2008
Received this morning the email below from Robert Giles. Please everyone, pray for Peter tonight at 6:00 PM Central Standard Time
WHO HERE DOES NOT KNOW THAT PRAYER REALLY WORKS? SO I CHALLENGE EVERYONE TO PRAY AT 6:00 PM CENTRAL TIME TONIGHT FOR PETER.
Robert W. Giles
Attorney at Law
Topics: General | No Comments »
By Eric | July 10, 2008
The Oilers Ice Center will be holding a benefit hockey tournament to help offset the medical expenses that Peter has incurred since his injury. The tournament is scheduled for July 25th and 26th. There will be high school and adult divisions. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Topics: General | No Comments »
By Eric | July 9, 2008
The following account has been set up for Peter to help offset the substantial expenses that will be involved in his recovery. I hope each of you will generously donate. I know it will be greatly appreciated by Bud and Janet. It is:
Peter Jessee Trust
Bank address is:
Arvest Bank
6560 E. 71st St
Tulsa, OK 74133
I challenge my friends to donate $100, $500, or even $1,000. (I am donating $500, but would have done more if my insurance premiums hadn’t gone up so much last year.)
Please forward to any other acquaintances of Bud and Janet, but please refrain from any former coaches, referees, school officials, or anybody else Bud has offended over the years.
Thanks.
Best Regards,
Richard Alexander
Topics: General | No Comments »
