My parents have been a HUGE benefit to my recovery and, of course, my life as a whole. With that being said, I’ve decided that this May blog posting will act as a belated Mother’s Day present AND an early Father’s Day present to the both of them!

First and foremost, I have to start off by giving them both props for being emotionally stable enough to have been woken up at 3AM EST on 2/2/13 by a phone call from two San Mateo, CA police officers informing them that their son, me, Anthony Macchio-Young, was on an ambulance and being transported to Stanford Hospital. After me only living on the West Coast for six days, at that! I could only imagine the inner turmoil the both of them must have been feeling while having to go through the trouble of finding the first flight out of Charleston, SC to San Francisco, CA. Not to mention having to take care of ALL of the other traveling necessities while one’s child is unconscious in ICU from a brain injury. One could assume that these two must have been through this before…but we are all very thankful that that was not the case! So, that can only mean that they are two of the best parents mankind has ever seen!

Belated Mother’s Day:

After my mom, Kim Young, flew out to San Fran with my dad the day after my accident and she didn’t leave my side until after returning home from ICU, acute care, Shepherd Center inpatient rehab and Shepherd Center’s outpatient rehab, Pathways seven months later. All of these initial rehabs were between the dates of 2/12/13-9/7/13. This was a real savings grace because I got to see her face each and every day. And we ALL know what just seeing one’s mom’s face can do in a time of desperation!

Upon returning home she was required to go back to work. At first this was a different, off-kiltering, scenario for me, but I then realized that this was just another obstacle I’d have to overcome “slowly but surely” in my recovery process. Don’t get me wrong, I still appreciate every little thing she does! Whether it be preparing a meal, making my bed in the morning or any motherly type thing that she might do for me! The only thing is that I’m hoping, yet scared, that I will one day learn to live on my own again and I’m sure that I’ll have to relive my mommy withdrawals yet again.

Early Father’s Day:

My dad, Bill Macchio, wasn’t able to stick around during my inpatient days because he’s my family’s primary income source and owns his own business. He made it a point to visit as much as he could, while I was in both California and Atlanta though! Speaking of Atlanta, after my benefit fundraiser in April of 2013, that was organized by a group of family friends in Mt. Pleasant, SC, my dad took the money raised and did some research into the best neuro rehab hospitals within the US and found Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA. After finding the best rehab center closest to home, Charleston, SC, he then began studying the best way for me to get there. After investigating a few options he found that Delta Airlines would be the best choice. He was able to purchase three one-way tickets to Atlanta for a traveling nurse, my mom and me with the funds raised at the fundraiser.

Since my mom and I returned home and she had to return to work it really became my dad’s time to shine! When I’ve got a doctor’s appointment scheduled he’s my number one man to take me or arrange for one of his employees to do so. Every Sunday I look at the upcoming week’s schedule and we then make plans as to how I’ll be able to make it to the various appointments for said week. I, of course, hope that I’ll one day be able to drive myself to appointments, work, social events, etc…

I’m making it one of my long term goals to eventually live on my own once again and let these two wonderfully awesome parents enjoy a life of their own, as most all parents end up doing once their children are out of the house for good. In the meantime though, I’m always attempting to make myself less and less of a burden on them. I can honestly thank each and every one of my therapists for making this more and more a realistic possibility. But I guess I never could have ever gone to and gotten through all my many therapy sessions without my mom and dad’s help, so…THANK YOU BEST MOM AND BEST DAD!