letters for chi/ fundraiser/ update and prayers

Caín · Jun 10, 2010, 12:18 PM

Quote from: theis on Jun 10, 2010, 12:03 PM
having disabilities.

this is about what is going on right now. he suffered substantial damage to his brain which now basically needs to reassemble and reconnect, in super basic terms. it's like he has to learn everything over. Movement, speech, abstraction, whathaveyou - It really comes down to how bad the injury was and how good the healing/rewiring of the brain will go. Could be that some parts of his brain are damaged beyond repair, which would mean that only serious rerouting (again, super layman terms) would help compensate the loss - which may or may not happen.

you may have noticed his eyes are a little askew now, which is one possible sign of significant brain trauma.

Variable · Jun 10, 2010, 12:48 PM

He was asking if the doctors have identified pertinent brain damage yet, or if it is still unclear. Don't answer questions if you don't even understand what is being asked. Not on this subject anyways. No shit he has brain damage, Theis knows that. He was asking if it was permanent or recoverable.

Caín · Jun 10, 2010, 01:15 PM

Quote from: Variable on Jun 10, 2010, 12:48 PM
He was asking if the doctors have identified pertinent brain damage yet, or if it is still unclear. Don't answer questions if you don't even understand what is being asked. Not on this subject anyways. No shit he has brain damage, Theis knows that. He was asking if it was permanent or recoverable.

what i said was that there already is permanent damage, so no way to tell if he will one day "recover". what's with the aggressive tone, anyway?

Variable · Jun 10, 2010, 01:20 PM

Because you obviously didn't understand the question, and this is just a sensitive subject for some of us. Maybe best to just keep your mouth shut if you don't know what you are talking about. He asked that question to a specific person because she would actually know, not speculate.

Anyways though, sorry if this derailed this topic at all. I'm really happy to hear that Chi seems to be making improvements. Thank you for the pics.

Caín · Jun 10, 2010, 01:24 PM

Quote from: Variable on Jun 10, 2010, 01:20 PM
Because you obviously didn't understand the question, and this is just a sensitive subject for some of us. Maybe best to just keep your mouth shut if you don't know what you are talking about. He asked that question to a specific person because she would actually know, not speculate.

Anyways though, sorry if this derailed this topic at all. I'm really happy to hear that Chi seems to be making improvements. Thank you for the pics.

Wow, for a sensitive topic you are making quite a fuss...

Variable · Jun 10, 2010, 01:30 PM

dude, just PM me if you have anything else to say.

godin · Jun 10, 2010, 01:44 PM

stfu variable. he was just responding to a question. I would have said a similar thing.

Penicks · Jun 10, 2010, 02:14 PM

Good news but those pictures are just disturbing as hell.

Variable · Jun 10, 2010, 02:20 PM

I'm not going to lie, they made me sad. I like that first pic that was posted in this topic though. I don't know if he was actually grabbing at her arm. But that's what it looked like to me, so to see him making cognitive movements is cool.

defTHE1s · Jun 10, 2010, 02:42 PM

OMFG........ !!!! i wanna cry!!

mixed feelings..... glad to se him fully awake but scaried at the same time......

Thanks Gina for the updates, I only wish Chi would fully recover to thank to you personally with a BIG huge

weakcure · Jun 10, 2010, 04:04 PM

Thank you for the pictures. I'm so happy to hear he's making progress!

There Will Be Blood · Jun 10, 2010, 05:23 PM

I don't know if I totally agree to have Chi filmed. Maybe he won't want people to see him in this state he's in. I know I wouldn't!

oneloveforchi · Jun 10, 2010, 08:14 PM

hey guys...

ok... look....

for those of you who just jump right in and say "great progress.. keep going chi" and focus on that.. THANK YOU! chi thanks you and those are the only comments i am going to read to him.

i have to tell you... looking at him now.. compared to the first time i came out here after his accident... he has made major progress. i guess you guys would have to know where he came from to know these pictures are in no way sad.

for those who are discussing his ability or inability to ever be on stage again to grace us with his presence.. i say "who f'in cares??" i really don't care if he ever wants to get on stage again. do i selfishly want to see that man back on stage? yes! but this isn't about me. it's about chi and supporting him thru his recovery so HE can decide what he wants to do with the rest of his life. hell maybe he'll just want to focus on writing. i don't care what he does.. i will always he a fan of chi's.. and his friend forever.

when i am sitting here with him i see a man emerging... nothing less. he is fighting his ass off and it is great to be around him. his presence is still amazing - just the same as him being my favorite tone to watch on stage.

i didn't post the pictures so you could feel sad/scared for him or pity his situtation. the pictures show progress. just me telling people that he is NOT in a coma state.. i could not get thru to people cuz the last and only picture of him since the accident his eyes were closed so i guess alot of people still consider him in a coma state... well he isn't. he spends his day awake and he woke my ass up 2 times last nite... so hell he was "awake" more then i was yesterday.

and what cain said.. he is right. the parts of his brain that may have had some damage and the functions they control will need to be remapped so another part of the brain can continue to take over those functions. this is what defina's protocol does. to what level will he recover? nobody has a crystal ball.. but i am sticking in his corner to make sure he gets everything he needs to make the best recovery possible. why? the man deserves it. most people would have given up already.. chi isn't giving up and neither am i!

the docs did this test yesterday that measures levels of consciousness and it ranges from 1-100 with 100 being the highest. anything over 90 is considered normal like you and i. he was ranging 97-98! so yes.. he is "awake". now it is just time for lots of speech and physical therapy. the docs still need to go over the data from the tests that were done but they did the same series of tests that were done the first time and thompson told me he can tell that his brain has improved. so his brain is healing. maybe not as fast as we would all like it to.. but we have to be patient because chi is being tremendously patient.

chi will be getting a series of mri scans soon that will tell us more in depth what kind of damage (permentant or not) there is. but even so.. the docs i found for him have methods to "reroute" and "remap" the functions of the damaged areas. there are also areas lying "dormant" that just need to be revived so to say. the protocol will accomplish this.

traumatic brain injury recovery is not an over night thing.. slow slow process. he can take all the time in the world as far as we're concerned.

the docs, chengs and myself feel confident he will make a miraculous recovery.

one love for chi,
gina

Variable · Jun 10, 2010, 08:32 PM

That is really awesome news. I had no idea he had made that much of a recovery already. Thanks for the update.

oneloveforchi · Jun 10, 2010, 08:44 PM

Quote from: Variable on Jun 10, 2010, 08:32 PM
That is really awesome news. I had no idea he had made that much of a recovery already. Thanks for the update.

leaps and bounds! seriously.. you would had to have seen him right after the accident to understand just how much recovry has been made.

one love for chi,
gina

Variable · Jun 10, 2010, 08:53 PM

I can only imagine. If you get a chance be sure to tell him that we all love him and are supporting him. Thanks again.

There Will Be Blood · Jun 10, 2010, 08:56 PM

Yes we do all love him. Can't wait to see him on stage again!

Jacob · Jun 10, 2010, 09:17 PM

well spoken, gina. I always get sad when I think of Chi's situation and seeing pictures of him doesn't help. it's inevitable. but trust me, I feel more happy than sad when I read your updates. especially this one. and I completely agree, the thought of him returning to the band isn't even in my head any more. and I hope it's the same for him and the other members - I hope everyone simply supports him enough to get him back on his feet instead of concentrating on getting him back on stage.

deftones86 · Jun 10, 2010, 10:05 PM

People under estimate the power of the human brain. Chi he is pretty much starting out back at square 1 with his speech and motor functions. My cousin had this same road ahead of her after a massive car wreck that left her in pretty much this same state.

Get well chi.

weakcure · Jun 10, 2010, 10:41 PM

I am so, so grateful for your update, Gina. My heart is with him, you, and his entire network of family and friends. I've been through something familiar with my family, so this situation hits close to home for me. Like you said, his increased level of consciousness is evident of a remarkable recovery, and while I don't think anyone should underestimate the gravity of the situation, we shouldn't let ourselves dwell and be lost in it. He is in recovery, and it's a long, gradual process, but it's a positive one.

He is surrounded with love from so many people. Please wish him the best, and while I'd also love to see him on stage, I would love even more to see him smile into the camera and tell everyone how he's kicked ass during this time.

-- Mina