We have detected that JavaScript is currently disabled. CaringBridge is best viewed with JavaScript enabled.

Reeve’s Story

Site created on July 16, 2018

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Reeve had a massive stroke on Thursday July 12th in the morning. Her brother Lucas found her on the bathroom floor unable to get up. He carried her to her bed and asked if she could move her leg. Reeve said no but it was ok. He called Donna and then 911. Donna rushed home and they waited with Reeve for the ambulance that took her to Norwalk Hospital.

In the ER as she was getting a CT scan Reeve began having seizures. An army of medical personnel descended leaving Donna beside herself as Lucas held her.

After her 1st CT scan the surgeon gave us a devastating choice of doing nothing or having a new procedure done, one of the few ever performed on someone as young as Reeve. Her scan showed virtually no blood flow to her brain and we were told she’d probably never walk again at the very least.

The procedure was a success and the surgeon showed us Reeve’s post operation MRI (on his iPhone of course) with her brain lit up like a xmas tree, blood flowing everywhere!!

That began the long journey of CT scans, MRIs, a clot removal procedure and admittance to the ICU.

Fear of her brain swelling required an electrode to be inserted into her head to monitor that condition. July 12th ended with a wire coming out of her head, intubated, multiple IVs and us not knowing if she’d ever be Reeve again.

We set up camp in the family room off the ICU which we dubbed the “meat locker” as the temperature hovered somewhere between cold and ice station zebra. Donna or Massimo or Rob took turns sleeping in her room. For those of you who’ve experienced an ICU stay it ain’t fun. Every 2 hours nurses, doctors or technicians poke, prod, take blood & shine a light in your eyes etc. That with the constant motion on the ICU floor and enough beeping to make R2D2 seem mute takes its toll.

Friday morning at 4am a nurse woke us to say Reeve had opened her eyes a bit. We ran in and she kinda of looked up and gave our fingers a light squeeze. It was a moment none of us will forget.

Friday a clot remnant was discovered in her leg. She underwent another prodcedure to insert a filter
between the clot and her heart & brain. That also was successful.

She wasn’t able to eat or drink water and those of you who know Reeve & her mom they consume water like air! She was given thickened apple juice which she deemed “nectar” and herself a hummingbird. The 1st sip of water was one of Reeve’s most satisfying experiences of the weekend!

Each day saw improvements that the hospital staff couldn’t believe having seen her previously. Our family was flabbergasted and filled with gratitude. One day a few steps. The next a lap of the ICU with a walker, the following day an unassisted jaunt again thru the ER. Heart of a lioness.

Again for those of you who know Reeve, she was quickly recovering her speech and spouting hilarious one liners etc. She has a cognitive condition, “disinhibition” which means no filter. Boy was that a hoot!
The commentary came fast & furious with politically incorrect asides that had us in stitches.

Reeve was stepped down to a regular bed on Monday July 16th and with luck will be transitioning to Burke Rehab in White Plains, NY today. Hopefully a week of acute therapy will have her back home.

There are no doubt many moments I’ve missed in recounting her story but all that matters is she’s coming back full bore.

More to come...

Newest Update

Journal entry by Rob J — Sep 17, 2018

Last Saturday Reeve went back to Norwalk Hospital with blurry vision and dilated pupils. After a cat scan revealed her brain was fine, the neurologist wanted her to have an MRI so off to Yale New Haven she went with Donna by transport ambulance.

There she had an MRI which revealed she’d suffered a minor stroke. Apparently it had no connection to the blurry vision but possibly occurred during her PFO closure surgery. Luckily it was very minor, so minor Reeve didn’t feel it nor suffer any symptoms or collateral damage whatsoever.

The blurry vision has been attributed to all the contrast in her system from the PFO procedure.

She spent the the night in the hospital because there wasn’t anyone to give a definitive answer regarding this latest episode. Don’t get sick on the weekend! Yale New Haven Hospital for the love of mike!

Reeve came home Sunday afternoon and is doing great. The girl is an example for anyone going thru life changing circumstances. Get knocked down, get back up and keep moving forward!!

Read More of the journal titled "Bump in the road..."

Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.

Help Reeve Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $25 donation powers a page like Reeve's for two weeks.

If you donate by May 12, your gift will be doubled, up to $10,000, thanks to a gift from Living Water Foundation.

Comments Hide comments

Read More Journal Entries

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

Personal Fundraiser

Support Links

Helpful Requests

Go to Ways to Help