Derek Zike Get Well Fund

Derek is riding around in his wheelchair today getting some rehab and got all the letters from other families’ grandmas today and my parents are both getting massages and I thought it was my birthday haha and Derek doing great but feeling a little nauseus from sittting upright and eating bits of food but he gets a massage later so that will be good… keep praying derek really needs it…
We have had a busy few days. All had a great visit with relatives from Pittsburgh (superbowl champs) and Indy. Derek got really great massages for 2 days from his cousin Kristen. I think it helped move him forward in the progress he has had since. Monday the attending respitory doc came to us 1st thing on monday talking trach. I told her he had good xrays all weekend and had spent 4hr stretches on the candula all weekend that we were seeing improvement. She explained her 13 yr experience and I told I didn’t doubt her experience. I just believed her to have a snapshot of where he was on thurs and friday after surgery. She took xrays gave his lungs an A+ and started respitory bootcamp He has been off the bipap 9-10 hrs at a time and did rehab all this week from a reclined wheel chair for 45min sessions! WHOOO HOOOO! They did a swallow study today and said it was perfect. So guess who had a panera smoothie today?! Guess who brought it to him? The RT gal that has single handedly (almost) brought his lungs back. By the way it was her day off also. So prayers are working keep them coming. We are putting a blank map of the US up as a visual of where all prayers are coming from. The emails and calls make us feel like it is everywhere. We are hanging it Derek’s room. So keep letting us know where you are and where the prayers are coming from. I am so happy I could bust! Best day since we have been here!

There is going to be a Benefit for Derek at the Arctic Ice Arena in Orland Park, IL on February 13, 2009. If anyone is interested in donating to a Trust Fund for Derek or being a part of the Benefit, go to www.chicagofury.com or www.arcticicearena.com for more information. The Blackhawks will be wearing helmet stickers in honor of Derek. If anyone would like one, you can purchase them thru Arctic Ice Arena. All the proceeds will go into Derek’s Trust Fund. the stickers for the helmets are out

Taylor Zike (bro)