MEET ANTHONY
Meet Anthony. He is 33, loves everything outdoors – surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, camping and has a degree in Controlled Environment Agriculture. In July of 2020, while exploring surf and work opportunities in South East Asia, he was in a motorcycle accident. Due to Covid shutting down boarders and flights throughout the world he was stuck there for 50 days following his emergency surgery without proper rehabilitation and facing critical health challenges. Mid September 2020 with the help of repatriation doctors from the Netherlands, he made it back to San Diego and to USCD. He was transferred to Loma Linda for inpatient rehab because there were no doctors or facilities accepting new patients with Medical in San Diego. This facility unfortunately struggled to provide Anthony with the care and therapy he needed due to their staffing levels and he was discharged with little hope and added PTSD after only 28 days. His family and friends have rallied around him and raised money to get him as much Physical Therapy as possible since, but he was in need of more intensive hands on therapies. Anthony’s mom found NeuroWorx in Sandy, Utah which specializes in those areas for those with paralyzing spinal cord injuries, and this summer she reached out to Rally4Riley to see about a grant that could help to make a five week intensive program possible. Within a few days of connecting with Mark and him speaking with the foundation board Anthony was awarded the funding he needed to make the trip and treatments possible! On the way to NeuroWorx he was also able to attend the Unite2Fight Paralysis Symposium where he was able to speak to researchers, clinicians and those working to cure paralysis and the issues that arise from it.
** While at NeuroWorx Anthony learned that the hardware in is neck is creating a life threatening situation for him. Out of the 15 screws only 3 are in bone, and those are encroaching on his artery, stabbing the base of his skull and a nerve. He will be going back to Utah in May for reconstructive surgery where they will take out all the hardware, test his bones, fuse C1-2 and based on the testing install support or fusion at C4-C7. Following will be 3 months of in and out patient recovery before he will be able to travel home.
UPDATE: In May Anthony had surgery to correct failing hardware that was creating a life threatening situation for him. Following surgery, he was able to do 30 days of inpatient rehab where he also made the decision to have a baclofen pump installed. This brings microgram doses of medication directly to his spinal cord to minimize his spasms which has helped to regulate his blood pressure. With all of these things stabilized he is now able to make greater gains in physical and occupational therapy, get more involved in adaptive sports and re-engage with agricultural projects. His current goals are to get an adaptive mountain bike, go back to school to obtain his Master Degree, learn to drive again and connect with other like him that need support and mentorship. Rally4Reilly & Friends will continue to support Anthony and his family in any way we can.
** While at NeuroWorx Anthony learned that the hardware in is neck is creating a life threatening situation for him. Out of the 15 screws only 3 are in bone, and those are encroaching on his artery, stabbing the base of his skull and a nerve. He will be going back to Utah in May for reconstructive surgery where they will take out all the hardware, test his bones, fuse C1-2 and based on the testing install support or fusion at C4-C7. Following will be 3 months of in and out patient recovery before he will be able to travel home.
UPDATE: In May Anthony had surgery to correct failing hardware that was creating a life threatening situation for him. Following surgery, he was able to do 30 days of inpatient rehab where he also made the decision to have a baclofen pump installed. This brings microgram doses of medication directly to his spinal cord to minimize his spasms which has helped to regulate his blood pressure. With all of these things stabilized he is now able to make greater gains in physical and occupational therapy, get more involved in adaptive sports and re-engage with agricultural projects. His current goals are to get an adaptive mountain bike, go back to school to obtain his Master Degree, learn to drive again and connect with other like him that need support and mentorship. Rally4Reilly & Friends will continue to support Anthony and his family in any way we can.
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