If you have not read Matt's blog please scroll down to the previous entry. I know everyone is glad to hear from him personally.
A Happy Healing New Year is what we are wishing for Matt in 2007, and for those of you who want to make charitable contributions part of your New Year's resolutions we are posting how to donate again.
There are two bank accounts you can donate to directly. They are not in Matt's name so please take note of the names;
University Credit Union (any branch) C/O Dale and Patty Lund
Zions Bank (any branch) C/O Steven Andrus and Debra Breitling
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation you can make it through solsantuary, families in crisis.
Instructions for Sol Sanctuary are below:
http://www.solsanctuary.org/donate.htm
Sol Sanctuary has set up a fund
that will accept tax deductible donations for Matt and Brooke.
Click the link above or copy and paste it into your web browser. Find
Support Families in Crisis and click on the make a donation button. You
will be taken to Pay Pal and your donation can be made with your credit
card.
Brooke and Matt will receive all but a 3% handling fee. Upon verification of donation and donors information, Sol Sanctuary will provide a letter of receipt that can be used for tax purposes.
1. Make a donation via web site.
-go to www.solsanctuary.org
-click on families in crisis.
-fill and click submit.
-Page 2 of paypal is where donors can write that they want their donation
to go to Matt and Brooke.
-Donors must put their address and name if they want to receive a tax
deductible donation receipt.
You’ll need to include some or all of the below information.
a) Name of donor
b) Mailing Address of donor
c) Email address of donor
d) Phone number of donor
e) Date of donation
f) Amount of donation
g) Method of payment
h) Name of Family in Crisis
2) to mail check donation, send to
Sol Sanctuary
c/o Jennifer Jacobs
7635 S. Coachman Circle
SLC, UT 84121
Remember to check out the new film “Specimen”, a film by Chuck Fryberger, that will be
screening in Salt Lake City Wednesday, January 3rd at 7:30 pm at the
Tower Theater.
MC is hosting this screening as a benefit to the Matt Lund Fund. It is being presented by our area climbing gyms and shops:
We want to wish everyone who follows this blog a very Happy New Year and want to thank everyone who is helping to make it a healing New Year for Matt.
Just wanted to give thanks to everyone who has helped to make this holiday special. I am grateful to be back with my family. Being able to be with Reagan for her first Christmas has been fun. The donations have been overwhelming and are greatly appreciated. Our families have stepped in in every way since we have been staying at Steve's we really couldn't make it without them. We love every one of you. It was great to leave the hospital, but this week has been so hard to adapt to doing daily functions on my own or with Brooke. Everything from getting dressed, opening drawers, pooping, rolling over, really everything that was once easy now requires time, effort and assistance. My wife has been more loving and caring and strong than I could have ever imagined her to be. I still hold on to a long term vision of walking again, but sometimes in my daily struggles I can loose sight of it. Knowing how many people there are out there thinking and rooting for me helps me to regain strength and sight of my vision. I am now so grateful for all of the traveling I was able to do and all of the connections I have made with people over the years to form this awesome community. Jade Chun has been working with me doing Jin Shin Jitsu since my injury in the hospital and now at home several times a week along with some of her students and colleagues. This therapy has opened up a new form of hope in my recovery. I plan to get back to my dissertation in the new year I actually miss it and all my friends at the University. I will try to write again soon to let you know of my progress in outpatient therapy.
Matt
Deanne Pranke, Cindy Atkinson and Claudia Allen-Kidder organized a fundraiser for Matt and Brooke with Delta Airlines flight attendants. The attached photo shows them presenting their gifts and donations to Matt, Brooke and Reagan at Steve's house. Deanne, who also is a rock climbing friend said that her colleagues at Delta were moved when they met Matt and that he had a special impact on them. The Delta gifts and donations were especially well received by Reagan as she torn open a few packages immediately. Deanne told Matt that she can also extend flight "buddy passes" to Matt and Brooke when they are ready to travel. A huge thank you to the many Delta flight attendants who contributed to Matt and Brooke's Christmas. Matt just finished his first week of out-patient rehab and showed very good improvment in his strength, mobility and skill. Happy holidays to everyone !
Dale
Matt has been home (at Steve - Brooke's Dad's house) for a few days and he and Brooke are slowly getting used to doing a lot more for themselves. It has not been easy for either of them and with Reagan needing her time as well, Brooke is stretched like a rubber band. They have been out to therapy, and to the mall for some Christmas shopping though and both say that it is great "being out."
There have been some challenges, like the stair lift installed on the 15th to lift Matt up the stairs, broke on the 16th. (I believe that it has been repaired) and just getting used to the extra time it takes to do everything you used to do with out thinking about it. Matt seems to be in good spirits so far, though there are trying moments daily.
The house remodel is on hold temporarily while plans are changed. It became apparent that Matt will need a roll in shower rather than a bathtub bench. Changing the plans, getting approval, and digging a larger hole for the footings will extend the time it takes to get them home, but it will make the house more usable.
Today was a monumental day in Matt's recovery. The morning and early afternoon was filled with completing paperwork for Matt's discharge and saying many good-byes to the nursing, therapy and medical staff who were so important and helpful during his 2 1/2 month hospital stay. The attached photos show some of the attachments that Matt and Brooke formed with some wonderful people at the U of U hospital. There were many mixed feelings about leaving the security of the hospital along with the excitement of moving forward into a more independent daily life. The boxes were filled and the room was cleaned and Matt and Brooke have now started another phase living at Steve's (Brooke's father) house while the remodel continues at their own home in Sugarhouse. Steve has made some changes to his house to help make Matt's mobility much easier. Matt will be going back to the hospital outpatient rehab several afternoons each week to continue his therapy, and, in the near future, he will try out the NeuroWorx facility in South Jordan. Please continue to check the www.mattlundfund.com website for more information about upcoming fundraising events. Thanks again to the many family and friends who have helped in so many ways.
Dale
Matt's niece was born on December 9, 2006. Her name is Gracie Tyler Lund (named after Matt's middle name, Tyler). She was born at the University of Utah hospital on the same floor as Matt's room! Matt's doctor's brother actually delivered the baby. It was very unusual to have both of us in the hospital on the same floor. Matt was able to visit his niece whenever he wanted and was there immediately after her birth to hold her. I posted a picture of Matt holding Gracie, one of Brooke, Reagan, Gracie, and Matt's mom, and one of Matt, Brooke, and Reagan at Starbucks.
Angie Lund
Matt will be leaving the hospital on December 15th. He and Brooke and Reagan will be moving into Brooke's Dad's house until the remodel of their home is complete. Matt and Brooke are working hard to try and perfect the skills they will need to get by outside the hospital environment. Matt will have to work hard on his own since therapy will be happening much less often after he gets out.
Matt and Brooke were recently able to watch a practice of the Wheelchair Rugby team (have you seen Murderball yet?)at the Jewish Community Center, and have lunch with the team. Is it possible that they're recruiting Matt as a team member? We will have to wait and see about that, but it was a fun afternoon.
Jansen Gunderson (the man behind the MattLundFund website) will be donating 5% of the proceeds of the sales from his upcoming photography exhibition to the Matt Lund Fund. Everyone is welcome to the reception Friday night, December 8th, so feel free to stop by and say hello. For info see www.jansengunderson.com.
Thanks again to everyone helping out with food, snow removal, visits, money and good vibes! You make a huge difference.
We've added a few additional photos of Matt and some of the rehab team, including his surgeon (Dr. Andrew Dailey) on a coffee break.
Matt continues to do his best during the PT and OT sessions and has gained valuable strength in his arms. His persistent work with weights has helped a great deal with his ability to make transfers to the wheelchair and into Matt and Brooke's car. Progress with the use of his fingers and fine touch has been a bit slower and more challenging. He continues to enjoy visits from friends and relatives, especially on weekends when little or no therapy is scheduled. He has had many good dinners brought in from his favorite restrauants and watched some good movies on DVD. While many of the rehab unit's patients have changed over the past several weeks, Matt has become well acquainted with some of the nursing staff and enjoys their company and help. I thought it would be nice to include some pictures of a few of the outstanding nursing staff and also include photos of Matt's view of his room and rehab unit.
Dale
Hi everyone! I thought I would write and update how things are going. It feels like Matt and I have entered a new stage in the whole recovery process as of this week. It is time to start anticipating Matt coming home and what his needs will be. This is difficult because all of the sudden time seems like a big issue. It would have been impossible for Matt or I to emotionally process this any sooner though. So we are trying to make modifications to our house, order a wheelchair or two, order equipment like shower benches etc.,and I am doing my best to research some companies that may help to offset the cost. This stage is hectic and a little stressful. If it wasn't for the help we are receiving from friends, family and strangers it would be impossible, which brings me to the other reason I wanted to write, to say thank you to everyone for all the love and support. The meals that have been brought to me and to the hospital have been great. The help with the yard and house cleaning, walking Ella, the help with remodeling the house and everyone who has volunteered to help with that in the future, also all of the generous monetary donations that have been made, and all of the organizing of fund raisers, God I could go on and on, Oh yea God, all the prayers thank you. I feel that we are truely part of a tribe. That is a powerful thing. So often individuality and independence are valued so highly that I think we forget that there is a reason we are here with so many other people and that those people around us are our tribe or our community and there is real power in that. So thanks again we feel the love. Have a good Thanksgiving weekend.
Love,
Brooke
Please check out http://www.mattlundfund.com for more fundraisers and information on how to donate.
