Corey; To and Through Recovery

As some of you may know, Corey was in a terrible motorcycle accident on Labor Day, September 2nd. 

 

While getting off the highway on an exit ramp Corey locked up his rear brake and started to slide. When he let off the brake, his bike snapped back, ejecting him from the bike and into a guard rail, head first. 

 

Corey was rushed to the nearest hospital, Hackley Hospital in Muskegon. They did Corey’s initial work up which included stabilizing him, full body scans, sedating him, and putting him on a ventilator. Once stabilized the neurosurgeon came in and told us of Corey’s severe injuries, of his T8 and T9 fractures and his severed spinal cord, making Corey a paraplegic. We immediately wanted a second opinion and had him transported to Spectrum Health Hospital via Aero Med. Unfortunately, all of Corey’s scans came back the same as Hackley’s, as well as the doctors diagnosis of Corey’s spinal cord injury. Here we found out that not only did he have a severed spinal cord but he also had/has six broken ribs, two punctured/collapsed lungs, a broken sternum, broken collarbone, and a small facial fracture on his nose to under his eye (we think from his sunglasses). Pictured is the helmet Corey was wearing at the time of the accident - Needless to say, if he had not been wearing his helmet he would not be here today!

Corey spent 18 days in ICU at Spectrum Butterworth, 11 of which he was sedated and on a ventilator. While on the ventilator, he had a spinal fusion from T5 through T12, to “fix” his spine and to help support to his upper half. He also had several bronchoscopes done to help clean out his lungs, a procedure where they go into the lungs via a scope through the breathing tube and clean out his lungs - he had a lot of secretions and pneumonia. While there Corey also had a second surgery to repair a very broken and dislocated collarbone. Unfortunately, during his time in ICU, he developed a pressure wound, also known as a bed sore, at the base of his tail bone. 

 

After Corey’s initial 18 days at Spectrum, he was discharged and transferred to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital to begin his therapies. After only 5 days he was transferred back to Spectrum for possible infections in his spinal cord incision and his pressure wound. Luckily, when they went into surgery to clean out any infection he may have had, there wasn’t any to clean out.  Corey has started the healing process but there’s a lot of healing time when it comes to pressure wounds. Corey is determined to not let that slow him down, although he does have restrictions due to the severity of his wound. Corey spent a total of 5 days there to assure there was no infection and, as of Monday, September 30th, is back at Mary Free Bed where he continues his therapies and rehabilitation. 

 

What to know about Corey as a person:

Corey is the nicest guy with the biggest heart. He is a great friend to everyone he meets and will give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He is one of those people that always puts a smile on your face and is always making people around him laugh. Corey is a very active person, literally would never sit down, whether he was at Berlin Raceway racing his Super Stock car or being crew chief for his dad’s race, who also races at Berlin Raceway in the Super Late Model class. If he wasn’t at the track you would find him racing around on his go-cart, dirt bike, or mini bike with his buddies, playing basketball outside with the neighbor kids because they asked him to, fishing, hunting or just doing anything outdoors.

 

Corey's family consists of his Mom (Vanessa), Dad (Ken), and two sisters (Amber and Lexie). Corey also has a fiancé (Madison), a baby on the way (Lil Bean due March 1st) and two fur babies (dogs; Bella and Marley).

Corey is a diesel mechanic, working on semi-trucks. Corey loves working on cars, bikes, trucks, racecars; basically anything with a motor. 

 

Our goal:  With the extent of Corey's injuries we are not sure what the future entails - between the medical bills, anything insurance doesn’t cover, lifestyle modifications, wheelchair(s), making a house handicap accessible, etc.... The dollar amount for our goal may change as we figure things out but this is a start, something to help with these unexpected expenses. 

 

A Facebook Page was also created to provide updates on Corey, his condition, his progress, and just his day-to-day life. Here you can read all of the posts and comments from Corey's family, friends and even others we’ve never met, and enjoy all the pictures of Corey throughout the years. Here is the link for the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/387657561946627/  

Please feel free to join the page and follow Corey's journey; To and Through Recovery.