Jay's Miracle Journey

Welcome to Joseph (Jay) Dale Briseno, Jr web page. We created this website to provide our friends and relatives about his progress.

Journal

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 1:17 PM CST

Greetings! It’s very cold out here in the Washington DC area and so does our Washington Redskins which are no longer in the playoffs race this year, oh well maybe next year again!

Wow, it’s now over a year since the last time I updated Jay’s web site, time flies very fast. Well, we are very sorry for not providing up to date information on Jay’s condition to our friends and relatives.

Well, since Christmas is around the corner, this is our gift to you, Jay’s current medical condition and plan for next year.

Anyway, for the last twelve months or so there were so many ups and down transition in Jay’s life and in the Briseno’s life as well.

One great transition was when Jay came home from the rehabilitation in James Haley Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tampa, Florida in May 2007. He was able to eat (puree) any food thru his mouth 2x every day, his cognitive was getting better, weaning-off the ventilator and speaking valve training continues at home…it was up, up, up for him.

During this past year, we have experienced extensive stress. In the Fall, Jay started having multiple seizures everyday, insomnia “up to four days without having any sleep”, he quits eating, weaning-off the ventilator and speaking valve training stopped, infections after infections, and his cognitive reduce tremendously down, countless trips to emergency room, and many other medical issue take place. Difficulties and worries may have contributed to a sense of hopelessness and stress. But we must not anguish!

At one point, Jay was taken to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington DC. It was a hard experience to us because it brought back bad memories; refresh old sour wounds, and flashback when Jay was freshly injured and fighting for his life in June 2003.

The bad memories continues in the waiting room, other family members like us wait long hours patiently for a doctor’s update and also give us a go signal to visit our love ones in the room. It’s almost the same scenario back in June/July 2003, family members and friends spend long hours waiting tirelessly to see their love ones, praying, and hoping for the best. Thanks to God, everything went well with Jay; he was released from the hospital to go home.

Just recently we made a decision a plan to take Jay back to Tampa, Florida. It’s time for a skilled doctor and Specialist to see Jay again, hopefully Tampa will able to give him back the quality of life he has lost this year. In March 2009, we plan to take Jay back to James Haley Medical Center in Tampa, Florida for another rehab.

Jay still has a long way to go to make a full recovery, but he has also progressed more than doctors ever thought possible since he was injured. Jay remains a C-3 quadriplegic who is paralyzed from his chin down. He cannot eat, move, speak, see, or breathe on his own. Although Jay is conscious, his ability to communicate is severely limited – he can only blink, smile or grimace in response to voices, sound, and other noises.

Our Christmas message to you is…

If you wake up this morning with more health than illness, can breathe on your own, can log-on to your PC, can sing or listen to Christmas carols…you are more blessed than the millions who will not survive this week.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed more than two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

On the first Christmas, the Son of God was born in Bethlehem, but today, this Christmas, he desires to be born in our hearts.

Lastly, we will close by just wishing everyone a blessed Merry Christmas, a happy New Year and thank you for supporting the Briseno family “Joseph, Eva Marie, Jay, Sherilyn and Malerie.

ANGELS EXIST but sometimes, since they don't all have wings, we call them FRIENDS.

Read Journal History

Hospital Information:

Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Washington DC

Links:

E-mail Author: Jays_journey@hotmail.com

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Note: The foregoing information was authored by the patient, parent or guardian, or other parties who are solely responsible for the content. Such announcements or their content are not necessarily endorsed by CaringBridge, Inc. or any sponsoring agent. This information does not confirm that anyone is or was actually a patient at any facility.