Andre' s Story

During quarantine, Andre' started noticing he was having weakness in his legs & difficulty walking. Thinking it was from his knee replacement s in 2018, he began immediately implementing some of his exercise learned in Physical Therapy. Following a pool therapy session, he slipped  & skinned his shin on the steps of the pool. This led him to his Wound care specialist as he didn't want this to hinder his attempt to regain his strength. Over the next month,  he began to notice the same weakness in his arms, combined with numbness & tingling in both arms. The Wound Care doctor noticed this decline in mobility & suggested he visit a neurologist, stating that he believed it was related to something wrong in the cervical spine. Andre's mobility rapidly decreased, from using a cane occasionally, to a walker, eventually to a wheelchair by the time the neurology appointment arrived. Up until this point, Kimberly had been doing everything she could to help take care of his needs down to the most personal  needs, brushing his teeth, helping him eat, as well as getting in & out of bed. However due to his still decreasing mobility she could no longer lift him as needed. They depended on friends in the area  to help transfer Andre' from the wheelchair to the bed & return.  Eventually Andre's children had to be called to come assist with many tasks such as getting him in and out of a vehicle, as his mobility had continued to decline. Every time Andre' had a doctor's appointment, Kimberly contacted medical transport service because he had to be transported in a wheelchair or stretcher depending on the appointment. The base fee for these services is $70 to load/unload into the van, plus $3 per mile.  These specialists were from Homosassa to Lutz, with the farthest from home being 30 miles. As an added bonus, these trips were not covered by insurance. 
The day for the neurologist finally arrived. he immediately sent Andre' for an MRI & called before we returned home. A neurosurgeon was needed quickly. Andre' has Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament , OPLL which is a calcification of the soft tissues that connect he spinal bones which results in a narrowing of the spinal cord. The plan was to perform a laminectomy & fusion  from C2-C 8, opening up more space for the ligament, allowing the spinal cord to decompress. The surgery was lengthy & complicated but deemed successful. Full recovery is possible but may take up to a year. Andre' is currently in a rehab facility in Jacksonville, FL where he undergoes intensive PT daily learning how to regain use of his fingers, toes, arms, & legs. It was at the end of one of these sessions, just 18 days after his surgery when a tragedy occurred. Andre' was learning how to recline in his wheelchair as part of his therapy when suddenly the back of his chair broke, sending him crashing to the floor, head first.  Neuro checks were done every 15 minutes to assess & check for damages. Praise God for guardian angels who must have been present and  protected Andre' at that very moment because he did not receive ANY negative impact from that fall! 
Although the road ahead is long , with this change in their lifestyle, Kimberly & Andre" are devoted to each other & to his rehabilitation process. Rev. H. Andre" Buford Executive Pastor at Christ United Church along with his devoted wife Kimberly are eager to return to their church family. Kimberly and Andre' both are educators with little to no sick days left to use during this recovery process which can take up to a year.  Andre' will be at the Rehab facility for at least another month. His recovery  process will continue at home with Physical Therapy which will involve Kimberly being there to assist not only with therapy but also with his every day personal needs that he will be unable to manage completely by himself. There will also be doctor visits that require the use of medical transport. None of these will be covered by insurance.  Please pray and ask God to heal Andre' then please ask for guidance as to how He would like you to minister to this devoted, faithful, and inspirational couple.