Drew's Safe Housing
Donation protected
Our 33 year old son, Drew Moore suffered a cardiac arrest on Valentine's Day, 2015 when he got home from work. Drew is a chef at Coast Bar & Grill in Charleston, SC. No cause was ever determined, so a defibrillator was installed.
His medical records indicate he was without blood or oxygen to his brain 15-20 minutes. Heart shocked 3 times. Three shots of adrenalin. The 3rd finally got a weak heart beat.
During his 6 week stay at MUSC in Charleston, he began with the ice bed protocol. Put in a medical coma. It took 2 weeks for him to wake from this. Seizures. When he woke, we didn't understand at first he was blind.
His entire right side paralysed. Including the right side of his tongue. On a breathing machine for a month.
When he was discharged after 6 weeks, he was taken by ambulance to Atlanta to the Shepherd Brain Injury Center. He was in their hospital for 6 weeks. Drew had to relearn everything. How to see, move his wheelchair, shower, tie his shoes, feed himself. Everything. They taught us how to describe the food on his plate as a clock. How to hold his fork.
Drew suffers myoclonus (involuntary jerking) and ataxia (gait disorder). For these he is on medications.
Upon discharge of the inpatient program, he began the 10 week Shepherd Pathways outpatient program. Here he was taught how to walk, use his computer, read.
When he was discharged from this, he still needed a lot more neuro-rehab, and not able to live alone. So, he came to Winston Salem with his mamma Sara Edi and his stepfather Barry for follow up rehab for 32 weeks. Here he had 3 sessions a day of neuro rehab, 3 days a week, 3 sessions a week at the Wake Forest Baptist neuro rehab center. 3 sessions a week at the Carolina Center for Cognitive Rehab, they had an intern, Tasha come in 3 times a week to do brain games and brain work with him. Over time, Drew's peripheral vision improved from a tennis ball size field of vision to mostly normal, from side to side. He still has no vision from his nose down.
We found the YMCA had the Milennium Fitness program for stroke victims. So he had 2 sessions a week with Antonio. Then he began Pilates classes at Inner Strength with Noelle to work on strengthening his core and improving balance.
He began volunteering at the Samaritan Inn Soup Kitchen to help cook lunch for 400 homeless people three days a week.
On Tues nights, he rode with Barry to volunteer to drive the church homeless bus to take the people to their designated night shelters.
After 7 months in Winston Salem, Drew's therapists felt he was ready to end formal therapy. And that he was ready to move back to Charleston despite ongoing short term memory issues. On February 9, 2016, Drew successfully worked a trial shift back at Coast, where a job is being held for him.
He is now living in Laurens with his dad and Vaughan until we can find him suitable, safe housing back in the historic district.
So we are looking for help with the expenses for housing for Drew that is safe and close enough to Coast to walk to work.
We are hoping to raise $15,000 in 30 days to supplement the rent money Drew can pay for a year to afford to live close to his work at Coast Bar & Grill. We feel this would help get him back to work and give him time to work out a long term housing plan. If you would like to help, the funds will go to his Special Needs Trust.
We have a long way to go, but bless the journey that is giving Drew back to us, and his life back to him.
His medical records indicate he was without blood or oxygen to his brain 15-20 minutes. Heart shocked 3 times. Three shots of adrenalin. The 3rd finally got a weak heart beat.
During his 6 week stay at MUSC in Charleston, he began with the ice bed protocol. Put in a medical coma. It took 2 weeks for him to wake from this. Seizures. When he woke, we didn't understand at first he was blind.
His entire right side paralysed. Including the right side of his tongue. On a breathing machine for a month.
When he was discharged after 6 weeks, he was taken by ambulance to Atlanta to the Shepherd Brain Injury Center. He was in their hospital for 6 weeks. Drew had to relearn everything. How to see, move his wheelchair, shower, tie his shoes, feed himself. Everything. They taught us how to describe the food on his plate as a clock. How to hold his fork.
Drew suffers myoclonus (involuntary jerking) and ataxia (gait disorder). For these he is on medications.
Upon discharge of the inpatient program, he began the 10 week Shepherd Pathways outpatient program. Here he was taught how to walk, use his computer, read.
When he was discharged from this, he still needed a lot more neuro-rehab, and not able to live alone. So, he came to Winston Salem with his mamma Sara Edi and his stepfather Barry for follow up rehab for 32 weeks. Here he had 3 sessions a day of neuro rehab, 3 days a week, 3 sessions a week at the Wake Forest Baptist neuro rehab center. 3 sessions a week at the Carolina Center for Cognitive Rehab, they had an intern, Tasha come in 3 times a week to do brain games and brain work with him. Over time, Drew's peripheral vision improved from a tennis ball size field of vision to mostly normal, from side to side. He still has no vision from his nose down.
We found the YMCA had the Milennium Fitness program for stroke victims. So he had 2 sessions a week with Antonio. Then he began Pilates classes at Inner Strength with Noelle to work on strengthening his core and improving balance.
He began volunteering at the Samaritan Inn Soup Kitchen to help cook lunch for 400 homeless people three days a week.
On Tues nights, he rode with Barry to volunteer to drive the church homeless bus to take the people to their designated night shelters.
After 7 months in Winston Salem, Drew's therapists felt he was ready to end formal therapy. And that he was ready to move back to Charleston despite ongoing short term memory issues. On February 9, 2016, Drew successfully worked a trial shift back at Coast, where a job is being held for him.
He is now living in Laurens with his dad and Vaughan until we can find him suitable, safe housing back in the historic district.
So we are looking for help with the expenses for housing for Drew that is safe and close enough to Coast to walk to work.
We are hoping to raise $15,000 in 30 days to supplement the rent money Drew can pay for a year to afford to live close to his work at Coast Bar & Grill. We feel this would help get him back to work and give him time to work out a long term housing plan. If you would like to help, the funds will go to his Special Needs Trust.
We have a long way to go, but bless the journey that is giving Drew back to us, and his life back to him.
Organizer
Sara Edi Boyd
Organizer
Winston-Salem, NC
