Archive for the ‘Niika Posts’ Category
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Going In, One More Time
Hello all ~
Gabe’s just entered the operating theatre here in Santa Rosa with anesthesiologist Dr. Moore, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nathan Ehmer and plastic surgeon Dr. Barry Silberg.
We were up at 4:30 this morning. Gabe had been instructed to cease all intake of food and liquids by midnight, and this morning to wash his hair, scrub his body and put on freshly laundered clothing. We had Gabe checked in at the hospital by 5:30am and found our way to the ICU/Surgery waiting room.
Then, we began what has come to feel like “standard operating procedure” after the 11 trips to the operating basement Gabe made at Morristown Memorial in New Jersey: meet the pre-op nurse, be shown to a pre-op bay. Remove all personal clothing, jewelry and other articles, don the lovely and stylish hospital attire. Settle on the gurney and answer a long list of questions (that were also answered the day before by phone).
Temp taken. Pulse detected. Lungs listened to…..
For Gabe, the next part is probably the hardest – giving blood for tests, getting an IV hooked up. He just doesn’t have the veins for this business. It took four people each several tries to do the job. Ouch.
And in all the gaps is this terrible waiting. The other hard part.
Finally, the surgeons came in to talk for a few minutes, to clarify their plan. The main goal is to remove the extensive calcified heterotopic ossification from his right leg, and find a creative way to close the leg that will allow for more general safety and prosthetic use without excess skin stress and breakdown. Here’s the idea: Dr. Ehmer will remove all the calcification that results from the high level of trauma sustained to the muscle tissue on the right leg. If possible, he wont’ have to reduce the length of the femur much, but will round it some to soften the sharp right angle edge the end has now.
The old skin graft will be removed, then Dr. Silberg will look to see exactly what he has to work with. He has to do some fancy quilt-like piecing to potentially wrap a muscle around the end of the femur, and pull skin down far enough to make a tidy closure that – once healed – will withstand prosthetetic wear.
Dr. Barry Silberg with Gabe last week
Dr. Silberg met Gabe last week. Gabe was NOT too excited about another surgery, but he is looking forward to having this process behind him. Dr. Silberg was nice, seems knowledgeable and interested in Gabe’s case, ready for creative problem-solving, which is just what Gabe needs.
They told me to expect the surgery to take around 5 hours, more or less. There’s a flat screen display in the waiting room listing each patient’s initials, color coding at what point they are “in procedure” and estimating time until they reach the next stage. Is there a layover in Chicago?
Docs say Gabe he may need further skin grafting, but that can”t happen today. If it has to happen, it will be at a later date soon.
We are expecting 3-5 days in hospital, and several days (?) recuperation at home.
One nice thing: We picked up a sweet-natured dog Gabe’s calling, “Sir Henry” yesterday, to take home on trial. A light brown adult chihuahua, Sir Henry isn’t much to look at, honestly, but he has a great personality. Super calm, cuddly and loving.
Pre-op fun with Grandma at a baseball game on Sunday afternoon
A couple of friends said to me – “What? You’re getting a dog? Now?” Sure, it seems like an inconvenient time, but life is surely not always convenient, and little Sir Henry might be the best medicine around in the days ahead!
Thank you as always for your thoughts and prayers. Cultivating good energy is a valuable contribution!
More soon,
Niika
Scant But Good News (Niika writes)
Posted on: July 13, 2010
Quiet Time
Dear Friends and Supporters ~
I just haven’t been able to post here for weeks and weeks. I came to a place in this journey thru Gabe’s recovery where I truly could not express a fraction of what might want to be said. I have looked into this blog screen many times, and typed quite a lot, actually, but couldn’t come to any point. I couldn’t identify what was going on, what was the bottom line, what there was, exactly, to say. I suppose I could have posted a note saying, “Work in Progress.” But I wasn’t even that clear until now.
The stages to this process must parallel what happens when losing one’s home to fire. Discovering the house on fire, there is the moment of shock-induced paralysis, followed by a surge of adrenaline as you watch yourself effortlessly transform into the ‘incredible Hulk’, dig wells, draw water, put out the flames, rescue the loved ones and snatch up the valuables. It’s hard to miss the roar and heat as enormous, crackling flames fill the sky: the whole neighborhood comes out to pitch in.
As the flames diminish and the losses are clear, there are offers of places to stay, and help with basics like finding a rental and fitting it with basic furniture, dishes, towels, sheets. People bring cassaroles and ask with kind concern, ‘How are you doing? You’re so strong, you’re going to be just fine.’ And you know you are strong, and you will be fine. You feel a little impressed with how courageous you were for your loved ones in the face of the fire and it’s hunger for lives.
Well, the flames are out now. Gabe’s survival is no longer in danger. He’s adjusted to the basics of moving through the day, to school, even across the country to rejoin his pals in New Jersey for a good chunk of the summer.
I had planned to help Gabe face his next surgery around this time, doing whatever a mom can do to comfort and cajole. But Gabe wasn’t interested in seeing his body or his summer interrupted by another hospital stay, and his next surgery will wait until Fall.
So I’ve found myself here in this town in which I don’t have much reason to be, in the lone quiet. I’m sitting on the curb in the neighborhood of what life was, staring at where the house once stood and still trying to take in the transformation. The loss is very intense, of course. But the disorientation is the craziest, hardest part. Where are the legs? Not there. Where is my tall son who would carry moving boxes with a grudge, wrap his arms around me from above and run like a deer? Who literally frolicked on the basketball court?
Not there, exactly. His form is changed. And everything is changed.
For all these months, I was busy. I was on the job. I was there for Gabe physically and emotionally in the hospital. Then in rehab. I had to make a lot of difficult decisions along the way, but I made them and we pressed on. I moved Gabe across the country to California where we both thought he might belong – the weather, family, so many reasons. We stayed for three months with a friend who was facing a medical emergency in her own family, while we found a surgeon, a prosthetist. Bought Gabe a car and had it adapted for hand-control driving. Got Gabe started in school.
I searched for accessible housing, found a place near Gabe’s school and rented it. I returned to India for a month to keep our beautiful work going there and I actually rested a little. (I read an entire book!) Then flew back to the New Jersey winter to pack a moving truck. Then flew back to California, met the truck, unpacked and set up a house for Gabe. Had a ramp installed. Threw Gabe a birthday party. Took him sea-kayaking and shopping in San Francisco. Then I hugged my boy and returned to India again for two months of work, and bounced right back to be with him for the surgery, which has been postponed.
Pretty much all year long, I could not find my keys near the door, my car in the lot. I couldn’t really even see what was on my desk or in the refrigerator. Business decisions? Right… I asked people to repeat simple sentences. I could hardly keep my hand steady to write a check without searching for reference points to cling to. Because everything had changed and maybe everything really did change.
The mind has to search and scan and repeat, even though I already know. I already made myself accept everything. And I made my mind insist to itself that things happen for a reason. I believed and manufactured belief in silver linings. Whatever happens in this life is a gift. It has to be a gift, ’cause it was given. This is the way forward. But was I really getting anywhere?
For the first time since the trauma happened last May, life slowed down enough in the last two months that I could slow down too. The pace has been glacial. The permitted actions were only these: 1) Sit; 2) Sweep gaze slowly from left to right, eyes locked on the blackened foundation where the house once stood; 3) Breathe if you can and drop into your heart; 4) Let everything else be. Larger, more grandiose gestures would’ve been forced and false because some soft animal parts in me were determined to do whatever had to be done to reconcile –truly realize, digest, accept, be neutral and become relaxed with–what is. What is now, and will always be.
So I’ve sat on this curb for weeks, and it’s OK. I’ve felt the chill of the darkening sky on my shoulders and heard my voice say, “It’s time to get up, time to go.” But the warm concrete beneath me feels real and I stay sitting. I’m in the old neighborhood, but the house is just gone. There’s no way to go home. Nowhere to go home. I am home.
It’s amazing how the heart can expand to hold both enormous gratitude and heartache–in the same breath! While I digest this loss in solitude now, my heart is also filled with a vision of the great bouquet of loving blossoms offered by so many. It’s been a deep blessing to receive sweet support through the months from different kinds of people, and in a beautiful variety of ways. It must be through the participation of you generous spirits that the field of love has held Gabe and I, and created a kind of sacred space for transforming–metabolizing–raw sadness into this rich sorrow.
The rigorous cognitive dissonance, the heat and noise of shock and loss pounding my brain, is quieting down. The sharp compulsion to take a stance of hopelessness or heroism is softening. The cool stream of sorrow is flowing freely through my heart. This makes my cry, but that’s OK. It’s an honest response to the fullness of human experience. Sorrow, I should be able to live with.
Thank God and all the gods–I’m thinking clear thoughts, finding my keys and pulling back out into the current of life.
•••
In brighter news, I talked to Gabe by phone this morning. He tells me he entered the surf on the Jersey Shore yesterday with the help of a special beach wheelchair on loan to him. He got knocked around by the waves, and bruised a bit, but he actually managed a bit of boogie-boarding! He also walked up a double flight of stairs in his prosthetic legs last week. He misses his legs fiercely and can’t believe how much effort walking takes in manufactured legs, but he’s very grateful to be able to stand up straight some of the time.
•••
We had a beautiful meeting with Dave Kruppa, the stunningly kind man who gave Gabe his legs. Within a few days, I’ll post the story and lovely photos too.
With love,
Niika
Gabe’s got Legs! (Niika writes)
Posted on: April 12, 2010
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Hello Everyone ~
Miracles just keep bringing blessings our way, and this one is SUBSTANTIAL! While I was working in India, a man named Dave Krupa–who lost his own legs many years ago in a New Jersey train accident–GAVE Gabe a set of prosthetic legs! Dave had the set of C-legs in his closet for some time, and he just doesn’t use them. He heard Gabe’s story, felt for him tremendously, and was outrageously kind enough to respond with generosity. He gifted them to Gabe with a caveat – when he’s done with them, he has to give them to someone who can benefit like he has.
Gabe called me in India one morning and said, “Mom – Check it out! I’ve got LEGS! C-Legs!”
Well, honestly, I almost didn’t believe it! I needed to let this news sink in for a few days, and then, I needed to hear that Gabe’s prosthetist felt these legs were functioning, and the correct thing for him at this stage. Now, I’m fully CONVINCED!
And doesn’t he look great? These are a perfect set of starter legs for Gabe, and he’s embraced his opportunity to start walking once again.
I arrived in California last week, and Friday morning was my first chance to see Gabe with his new legs on. We went to a rehab room at his college where on Friday mornings, Gabe can use their set of parallel bars. When we arrived at the school, I pulled his new legs from the car trunk, and carried them into the rehab room, following behind Gabe in his wheelchair. That was my workout for the day! These steel gams are seriously heavier than the flesh and blood variety!
Of course, this is a LARGE moment for celebration: Gabe has legs. He’s starting to learn to use them, and we are so grateful and relieved to be to this second main point on the road to recovery. (This first? Saving his life and healing his up!)
Now nearing the first year anniversary of Gabe’s accident, with so much GRACE behind us Gabe has reached his second big goal. (His first? Surviving!) It’s wonderful, but I have to admit there’s some sadness mixed into the joy of this progress. We’ve come to the end of HOPING for legs, and now they are a reality. There’s little room for fantasy now. It’s clear that walking with artificial legs will never be ANYTHING like walking with the legs Gabe was born with.
Gabe’s in fairly good shape, but he breaks into a massive sweat within about 3 minutes of starting walking practice. And it’s going to take quite a long time to master the use of these prosthetics to the point Gabe can walk without bars, a walker, canes…
This morning, Gabe said to me, “It’s interesting to get back on feet. It sucks that I can’t feel them on the ground. In some ways, its very tough to realize that I will never have that again, ever. I can’t take off running in beach sand, or go hiking up a rocky trail. And I really miss playing basketball – with legs. It was the leaping and laying up the ball I loved so much about the game. It’s been 11 months, and now I’ve got the legs I wanted so badly. And I’m happy about that, but I’m also realizing their limitations.
I think the best part is that I enjoy having shoes on my feet again, and the aesthetics of having a normal-looking body.
This walking practice is incredibly hard. It’s exhausting. Some of my muscles just aren’t there anymore. It’s going to take a while before I can wear these for even an hour. I now understand how lots of people decide to just stay in their wheelchair.
But eventually, I’ll get good on these, and be walking. I’ll never give up. “
After the accident, we’d transformed all Gabe’s pants into shorts, since anything longer wasn’t useful. Today, Gabe’s going shopping for a pair of pants and some new socks to wear. He’s excited to see how he’ll look, wearing clothes like he always did before.
We’ve also just ordered a set of 10′ long parallel bars for the house, so he can practice his walking skills daily, which is essential now.
Gabe’s promising a video post this week – so stay tuned…!
We are SO GRATEFUL for your prayers and contributions. Now Gabe quite literally keep taking the “next step” forward, and we are so bolstered to know you are in some ways, walking right along with him…
With great love and appreciation ~
Niika
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Dear Supporters of Gabe ~
Like you, I’m following Gabe’s progress from a distance, as I’m at Rasa Ayurveda in India for about 10 more days.
On Friday, I opened my email a to find a note and photos from our good-hearted helper, Suzy, who accompanied Gabe for another visit to prosthetist Jon Batzdorf on Tuesday.
“It was a beautiful day today seeing Gabe move forward.
Here are some photos of Dr. B melting the fiberglass sockets with a torch to create the best fit to Gabe’s thighs.
Heating up the Torch
Dr. B was able to instantly make adjustments to this walking device for Gabe by applying the torch, bending it gently and cooling it with a rag.
Applying the Fire
He did this a couple of times trimming off extra fiberglass from the Stubbie to not pull at Gabe’s skin and be most comfortable.
Dr. B is very serious about his work, kind, knowledgeable. Glad you guys found him ~ definitely a blessing!
Very First Steps on Stubbies
Taking some steps on the Stubbies brought Gabe great joy.
(Note – The “feet” on the Stubbies turned the opposite direction that feet are normally to counterbalance Gabe’s body. So interesting!)
A Major Milestone in Gabe's Recovery!
Gabe borrowed some loaner crutches, shortened to about 3 feet, and he is so excited about ambling about.He’s planning all the places he can now get around better with these devices.
This must be like having your child take his first steps all over again for you and tough to miss, but glad you can see these photos now!”
I am really proud of Gabe for continuing to move forward, day by day, making his doctor appointments and arrangements, even while I’m necessarily far away for a bit. Thanks so much to Suzy for writing and sending photos! And we are TOO grateful to Jon Batzdorf for his kindness and wonderful abilities, of course!
I have much more to share in the next few days… And perhaps Gabe will find some time to post also.
Stay tuned!
With love,
Niika
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Gabe Meets Prosthetist, Jon Batzdorf
FANTASTIC NEWS…!
Because of Gabe’s complicated healing process, it’s taken quite a while to reach this moment, but now, here we are:
At last Gabe has begun being fit for his first prosthetic devices!
Meet Gabe’s prosthetist, Jon Batzdorf of Sierra Orthopedic. Prosthetists work with a fascinating mix of biology, psychology and engineering. Skilled and caring, Jon seems to really enjoy his mission to restore locomotion to all kinds of people. (Learn more about Jon’s non-profit work here: http://www.prosthetika.com )
How did we find Gabe’s Jon Batzdorf ? It’s a wonderful story, actually… and I’ll tell it in another post, soon…!
For now, we invite you to share our excitement and glimpse a bit of the process Gabe has begun.
After meeting Gabe and myself, Dr. Batzdorf met with Gabe’s orthopedic surgeon, Nathan Ehmer, to talk about the special challenges Gabe faces related to prosthetic fitting and wear. Every double above-the-knee amputee faces a huge mountain to climb, when learning to walk on prostheses. For Gabe, because of the large area of delicate skin graft tissue covering the end of his right leg, he has had to wait months to even begin to try. And because of significant heterotopic ossification in the same leg, and a less-than-ideal surgical closure on the left leg, Gabe will undergo one more major reconstructive surgery in a few months time.
In spite of these challenges, Gabe’s doctors feel the skin-graft is strong enough now to withstand at least a trial in wearing the first prosthetic devices that will move Gabe toward his goal, of getting up out of that wheelchair! So fantastic!
Taking a Casts of Gabe's Right Leg
First, Batzdorf asked Gabe to wear a special set of “tights”, designed to receive the wet, quick-setting plaster strips Jon applied and carefully shaped to each of Gabe’s legs. Here you can see the plaster cast on Gabe’s right leg, with Jon’s markings in black ink. Once the plaster dried, Jon cut the tights off and ended up with…
Perfect Image
… carefully made casts. With these and some measurements, Jon will create silicone gel liners that will allow Gabe’s legs to wear sockets, onto which prosthetic attachments can be fixed.
Measuring the Width of Gabe's Left Leg, which has thankfully healed with few complications
Jon says Gabe will first be given a set of “Stubbies,” which are foreshortened prosthesis. Stubbies will allow Gabe to get finally STAND UP once again! I can’t describe how much I look forward to seeing my son’s upright body! Stubbies will allow Gabe to feel into a kind of walking, but will not give him any height. After some practice on “Stubbies,” Gabe should be ready to move toward full-leg prosthetics.
Measuring the Length of Gabe's Left Leg
We’re entering this brave new world of prosthetics with a lot of humility. Please forgive any mistakes I’m making in terminology, understanding, etc…! There is so much to learn about the process, about evolving technology, and in discovering what will work best for Gabe.
The financial aspect of this process is a whole other “animal”…! We still have only an estimation of the costs involved to get him up onto his first set of legs. I’ll write a post just on this topic soon…
Since Gabe is so young and has such a great desire to return to a very physically active life, we continue to feel true gratitude for the practical support so many have given to help. We pray that the people, knowledge and resources Gabe needs continue to flow toward him, as we find our way on this path to see Gabe walk – maybe even run! – once again…!
A very special thanks go to George Walchuk and Amy Pizzarello who recently donated toward Gabe’s rehabilitation.
Please know that although both Gabe and I have been required to pick up the normal routine of life–time really does ‘wait for no man!’–and we are so busy trying to “catch up” in both my work and Gabe’s college classes and therefore finding little time to write posts as often as we’d like, we still DAILY feel held in the love and affection we feel from all of you – Gabe’s blog readers and supporters. Your care and interest continue to act as a daily vitamin for our spirits as we take our next steps forward, toward Gabe’s walking, and on into life..!
WIth love~
Niika
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from left to right: Col Fuentes, Jorge Rivero, LTC Juan Mattos Deputy Superintendent of Operations, Captain Ray Lasso Troop "B" Regional Commander
On February 2nd, Jorge Rivero received an award of valor in a special group ceremony by New JErsey State Troopers at the Headquarters in Trenton, NJ.
Sergeant Jullian Castellanos, who emceed the award ceremony, wrote this email to me after the ceremony, and included the wonderful photos of Jorge being honored. (If you look closely, you can see Jorge’s left leg is bandaged as he recovers from his own injury that broke his leg terribly – a sudden and painful fall on the ice in December.)
Here is Sergeant Jullian’s message to me:
“Hello Niika,
We presented 10 certificates for various acts of bravery and service.
Jorge accept the Valor Award from Colonel Joseph "Rick" Fuentes
The Sergeant went on, “I purposely left Jorge’s moment for last. I read Gabe’s letter to Jorge. The audience, including me, was very moved. Jorge received a standing ovation from the entire audience of approximately 100 persons, from the Command Staff of the New Jersey State Police and the award recipients, to the family and friends of Jorge and other attendees.”
How caring for the Sergeant to correspond with me, and allow Gabe’s letter to be read, even though we were unable to attend the ceremony in person.
Here is the letter Gabe wrote, which was read at the ceremony:
“To all who have gathered to commend the bravery and action of Jorge Rivero: My name is Gabe Goreham. I am the young man whose life was saved by Jorge on May 11th, when I lost both of my legs in a terrible accident and I lay bleeding on the roadside alone.
The simple truth is this: I wouldn’t be here today with out Jorge. I am so glad to have a second lease on life. Every day since my accident, I wake up feeling happy to be alive. I never could experienced this if Jorge hadn’t taken the actions he did to save my life.
I think it takes a lot of courage to do what Jorge did-pulling over and helping me – a complete stranger – on the side of the road. He truly
deserves this valor award and I am so happy he is having this moment of official recognition.
Jorge and his family have been so so supportive of my recovery and, I couldn’t have made it this far without them. He is truly an amazing friend, and I love him very much.
I plan to take my second chance at life, and always make the best of whatever is ahead, and be happy.
Thanks to Jorge I get to wake up every day and do that.
Thank you Jorge. I will always be grateful to you.”
Jorge Standing Proud with Gina and the kids
A few days ago, Jorge’s beautiful wife, Gina, offered her own words as a comment here on Gabe’s blog, which I re-post here for all to read and appreciate:
“That’s my husband and I’m so proud of him !!!
He’s is still so uncomfortable with everyone congratulating him. I tell him, ‘Honey you did such a wonderful thing. So many people love Gabe and would have lost him, and you spared a mother of losing her only child.’
Unfortunately people don’t normally stop to help each other. All Jorge wants is for people to start helping each other. He’s always saying, ‘I hope everyone touched by Gabe’s rescue will stop for someone.’ and so on..!
Gabe wrote a beautiful letter about Jorge that was read at the ceremony and it touched everyone there. God bless Gabe for loving life and being such a great example of getting back up when you get knocked down. You are an inspiration to all.
I also have to mention Niika is an amazing person as well. I pray for your strength. I know you dedicated your life to helping women heal and I believe God smiled at you when he gave Gabe back to you.
Hope all is well with you both.
Love, Gina”
Jorge Rivero with his etended Family outside the New Jersey State Police Museum
Jorge – We are so deeply delighted to see you honored in this way. No doubt, Gabe and I will be thanking you–finding big and small ways to do that–all our lives! So, we hope you’ll just get used to that, and enjoy any good things that can come to you, because you truly deserve all happiness!
And of course, we can’t encourage everyone strongly enough: If you see an accident, or someone in trouble, don’t just carry on with your day if you can help. Stop. See what you can do…! Know the numbers for emergency assistance in your area and program them into your cell phone. Maybe even take a weekend to get some CPR and First Aid training soon! What could be better than saving a life?
Gabe is ALIVE today, because this one beautiful man–Jorge–took action. We all have the power to bestow blessings on each other!
With love and immeasurable appreciation for Jorge, his family and all earth-bound angels out there!
Niika
Jorge Rivero to Receive Valor Award • Tuesday Feb 2nd, 2010 • 2pm • Trenton, NJ (Niika writes)
Posted on: January 27, 2010
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Jorge Rivero - Our Hero ! - with his son Chris, and Gabe as he waited for surgery in hospital, June 2009
- We got some incredibly great news yesterday…! For his bravery and stopping to help a stranger in need, Jorge has been selected by the New Jersey State Troopers to receive an Award of Valor next week.
You are invited to attend this ceremony honoring Jorge, to commend the actions he took to save Gabe’s life on May 11th, 2009.
We hear that 17 state troopers and two FBI agents are receiving similar recognition. But for us, the lone civilian in the group – Jorge – is the most deserving of all…Jorge Rivero is the wonderful man who had the bravery and clarity of mind to stop and help Gabe as he lay in a pool of blood on the roadside, moments after his legs had been torn from his body and he’d been dragged a terrible distance by a box truck. If Jorge hadn’t stopped his car, applied a belt to tourniquette Gabe’s fast-bleeding wounds and phoned for the Medi-vac just exactly as he did, Gabe would certainly have quickly bled to death.
Gabe really wants to attend the ceremony to express his gratitude publicly, but he can’t get away from his first semester of college classes and cross the country again so soon. I spent hours on the phone yesterday with the airlines trying to re-arrange my ticket back to work in India, but there are no open seats on outgoing flights from the East Coast that will allow me to attend the Awards Ceremony and still arrive in Kerala, in time for the responsibilities I must fulfill there.
But Gabe and I did get to spend some time with Jorge on Skype tonight, and tell him once again HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM and HOW HAPPY WE ARE that he will receive this official recognition. He deserves this so much! We’re not only grateful, we are just super proud of Jorge!
I phoned the New Jersey State Police Headquarters in Trenton, and spoke to Seargeant Julian Castellanos about the ceremony. Family and friends of Gabe and Jorge are more than welcome to attend this important ceremony.
Location: New Jersey State Police Museum • 1026 River Road • West Trenton, NJ • 08628 (This is a very scenic location!)
Day: Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Time: 2pm (please arrive by 1:30pm)
RSVP: Phone Sergeant Castellanos at 609-882-2000 ext 6515.
Jorge is brave and strong, but he is far from being a prideful man. At first, he declined to accept the award, saying that for him, the fact that Gabe survived and is doing so well was more than enough return on his investment of time and care on the afternoon of May 11th. But the State Trooper who nominated Jorge told him that one important reason to accept the award, is to inspire other people to stop and help strangers in need, instead of driving by without taking action.
Though Gabe and I were in no position to even begin to repay our debt to him, Jorge, his son Chris and his beautiful wife Gina visited us while Gabe lay in his hospital bed. They brought comfort treats for me, and huge to go boxes of Gabe’s favorite treat – sushi! Jorge helped drive family visitors to the airport, and was one of the people that helped keep Gabe’s spirits up as he faced all he went thru during the long weeks in hospital.
On December 3rd, Jorge suffered a bad fall, fracturing his leg in 5 places. He told us that as he lay on the ice in great pain, unable to stand, his thoughts of Gabe’s will to live and all Gabe’s gone thru to re-engage his life post-accident, gave him the strength to bear the pain. What a beautiful heart Jorge has! He tells us he is healing well, but is still facing limited movement and more time required for recovery.
To Jorge – Although we can’t be there in person on the big day, we WILL SALUTE YOU and always hold you in the highest esteem in our hearts and minds. We pray that your body fully heals, and quickly, and that you are able to enjoy all of your life, knowing you’ve made the greatest contribution by your willingness to take action, and save a young life.
To our readers – If you are able to attend this ceremony, please do! Help to represent us to honor Jorge on this special day. If you can, write to us with a description of the event, and send us photos! We’ll be thrilled to post all contributions on this blog, which we will always be a testimonial to Jorge, by virtue of Gabe’s very existence still here on the planet with us all.
Thanks to Jorge – Gabe’s Alive!
With love and appreciation~
Niika
Doggie Time! (Niika writes)
Posted on: January 21, 2010
Young Gabe with our family dog in those days, Paka
Hello all supporters!
It’s been much too long since I’ve posted, and I have a lot to tell you about all that’s gone on in the last many weeks.I hope to post a longer blog this weekend with juicy details of Gabe’s exploits and our progress in setting up his new life!
But first – here’s a request I feel compelled to put out to the universe:
Gabe needs a loving dog companion, and soon would be great!
Starting a new life, in a new body, in a new place –without the continuity of friends– is a truly enormous challenge. And what helps us all meet our life challenges more than positive relationship, love and affection???
We’ve been planning on finding a wonderful dog companion for Gabe, and it seems the time is now. (If you know Gabe, you know he’s a big cuddle bug!)
Gabe’s done quite a bit of research. He looked deeply into registering to receive a dog that’s trained to assist a disabled person, but discovered there are long waiting lists for these highly trained pups. He thought about it, and realized that if there are waiting lists, then there are people who need help with physical tasks even more than he does, and he wouldn’t want to displace anyone’s chance to have the function they can only get from receiving a dog of this kind.
While a well-trained dog could be helpful to Gabe practically, his main priority is to welcome a well-behaved companion dog into his life. What kind of dog is Gabe hoping for? Well, maybe a Golden Retriever, or maybe a chihuahua. Maybe a small or medium-sized mutt. He’s up for a puppy with training support, but could also love a mature, calm dog who loves to connect. Gabe understands the realities of living with and caring for a pooch, and he’s ready and willing…!
We’ve found more heart-felt wishes answered thru this blog than we could have ever imagined, so I’m sending up this prayer: May Gabe enjoy the love, warmth and companionship of a furry friend–and soon!
If you have any good pup ideas or resources, we’d love to hear from you.
If you have connections to a reputable breeder, rescuer or trainer who might be able to hook Gabe up with a suitable canine pal, drop us a line!
With vast appreciation for your love, care and prayers~
Niika
Amy Pizzarello, a yoga teacher from New Jersey– and the wonderful community at Prana Yoga in Pottersville, NJ – offer all the proceeds from Amy’s classes to charity. Yoga means “yoke” or “union.” A main purpose of physical yoga is to re-unite the body, breath and mind. And yoga can also be a great way to come together – to unite in community….!
For the months of December 2009, January 2010 and February 2010, Amy’s yoga classess will raise funds to help Gabe unite with a new set of legs!
- Amy Pizzarello
- (Showing affection to an elephant friend in India)
To learn more about the fundraiser classes for Gabe, and the Prana Yoga studio in Pottersville, NJ,
click here: http://www.pranayoganj.com/
- Gabe Tries Headstand Pose at his Aunt Kaitlin’s House
Here’s what Amy wrote when announcing this special series of classes devoted to Gabe:
Dear Students and teachers of the Prana Yoga Charity Class (held Monday mornings, 9:30 – 11 am)
Over the next three months, we will be raising money for The Gabe Fund, to help a family who have been wonderful members of the local yoga community for many years, and are now in desperate need.
Niika Quistgard is a yoga teacher and Ayurvedic practitioner who lived and practiced in Hunterdon County for many years, during which time she also founded a clinic in India (Rasa Ayurveda Healing Center for Women). She is a single mother, without medical insurance, who has dedicated her life to healing others. In May, her only son Gabe was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident, which came very close to taking his life. Fortunately Gabe survived, but he lost both of his legs mid thigh.
We chose Gabe’s cause for several reasons: Obviously, any parent can imagine the horor of watching an only son go through this pain and torment, and fearing that one may not be able to provide him with the very best care and/or prosthetics because of financial reasons. Additionally, we are drawn to the idea of supporting a local family… particularly such a giving member of the yoga community. As we all know, it is very difficult to make a living as a yoga teacher / healer… particularly for a single mother. Those who do it do it to serve others, to share the beauty of the gift of these ancient practices. And in their time of need, these teachers and healers deserve our support.
Hope to see you in class! Amy Pizzarello
To learn more about Amy Pizzarello’s yoga charity work, click here: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090708/GETPUBLISHED/907080328/Local-Yoga-Studio-Works-to-Help-Those-in-Need
To Amy and the folks at Prana Yoga in Pottersville, NJ –
Thank you so much for caring for Gabe’s future!
With love,
Niika
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So much to be grateful for...!
Guess who Gabe’s been feeling thankful for, days after Thanksgiving???
… Well, how about all his supporters who created, helped organize and participated in raffle fundraisers in New Jersey! ? ! Words can never express our appreciation!
We just got the final total raised by the Clinton, NJ, raffle, created by Bethe Frazer at Coldwell Banker
$2,764 !!!
And who won the fabulous prizes?
Laurie Petro from Annadale won the Taste of Hunterdon Gift Basket!
Angela Passe from Bethlehem, PA won the Amazon Kindle!
Debbie Walker of Annandale won the Net Book PC!
We hope each winner enjoys their prize, and that every contributor enjoys the feeling of knowing they have contributed directly to Gabe’s recovery and progress. Just thinking of your support really does bring us strength, and puts smiles on our faces!
With love and appreciation~
Niika
Gabe's Alive 
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