September 9, on to Craig Hospital

Yesterday was a big day! 2 weeks to the day after the crash, we left Medical Center of the Rockies for Craig Hospital, just outside of Denver. Craig has a reputation as one of the best specialty rehabs for spinal cord injury, and we’ve heard nothing but great things from the staff at Medical Center of the Rockies and from several former Craig patients and their friends and family members. Jesse has had a steady stream of doctors, nurses, therapists, etc. visiting him since we arrived yesterday, and after some new scans and tests, we expect they’ll have him up and moving around and working hard. He is ready and eager to get going, and after talking with the doctors, we feel confident that this is exactly the right place for him to be right now.

We’ll share more about his specific injury and therapy plan as we learn more, but for now, we’re just so, so thankful to be here and for everyone who has been part of Jesse’s care so far. From the first responders on scene in Rawlins, to the doctors at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County, to EVERYONE at Medical Center of the Rockies, every single person has been professional and compassionate and worked hard to give Jesse the best possible outcome. Beyond that, we’ve received so much love and support from our family and friends, and even total strangers, from the flight attendants on my Seattle-Denver flight who sat and talked with me while I cried (and snuck me 8 cans of wine even though there was no alcohol service on our flight) to the staff at the Hampton Inn in Loveland, who were so helpful, accommodating, and concerned. I also got to have dinner with two of my favorite professors from Cornell who happen to be in Fort Collins right now. It was wonderful to catch up with them, and I so appreciate their support and an evening of great company and food. For all of the times that 2020 has made me want to lose faith in humanity, this experience has given me so much reason for hope.

I’ve also posted Jesse’s address on the Contact page. He can receive mail here at Craig Hospital, Attention Jesse McNeil, Room 421, 3425 S. Clarkson St., Englewood, CO 80113. He also has his phone and computer and can receive emails, texts, and calls. His days are FULL and his focus is on recovery, so he may not reply right away, but he absolutely appreciates all of your messages of love and support!