Hello!  It is time for me to write again - I promised I won’t write until I have good news, or something better to say than complains. 

Finally, today the paperwork for the purchase of a wheelchair accessible home got approved.  It has been a very difficult process to obtain a loan at this time.  The banks are being very careful…..  Hopefully we can close on it on Friday.  Mr. Brown the real estate attorney, David Lever, and Joey Barrows worked very hard to get us to this point.  Thank you gentlemen!  When we are ready with the repairs I will upload pictures of the work and house. 

Jitka’s birthday will be the date for a very nice event on Wolfe Island, Ontario that you can read about on Facebook, but here is an appetizer:

Everyone is invited to attend the Benefit Night for

Jitka Virag

Friday, January 25, 2008

at Saint Margaret’s Hall

Wine & Cheese 6:30 – 8:30

Silent Auction 6:30 – 9:00

Dance starts at 9:00 with RWI

In case you don’t remember, or haven’t had the opportunity to get to know Jitka, she moved to Wolfe Island with her brother Kalid and parents, Mustafa and Eliska Ismail when she was beginning high school. She lived with her family and worked for her grandparents, Miro and Hanna Zborovosky at the General Wolfe Hotel throughout high school and university. During those years, Jitka made many friends on the Island and in Kingston and those friendships have passed the test of time. We have put together a benefit night on Jitka’s birthday, January 25^th!  All proceeds and donations will go to the “Jitka Virag Recovery Fund” to help cover hospital, home, and family expenses. Please plan on stopping by Saint Margaret’s Hall to show your support and send your best wishes. If you would like to contribute something to the silent auction, please contact us, as we would really appreciate it! 

On October 19^th our dear friend, Jitka Virag was bicycling home from work, when a car travelling 50 mph near her home in Greenville, North Carolina hit her from behind.  Her extensive injuries included serious head and lung injuries and various broken bones and worst of all, numerous fractured vertebrae with a spinal cord injury at T4-5, which has caused her to be paraplegic. Jitka spent three weeks in ICU then a few more in intermediate care where she endured stomach tubes, ventilators, pneumonia, skin grafts, etc.  Her loving husband, Jani has been a pillar of strength, tending to Jitka as well as caring for their children: Rowan (4) and Ensci (1).  Jitka has astonished us and made us all proud with her bravery and strong will to recover. In December she was transferred to Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta, Georgia for intense rehabilitation. She is expected to return home to Greenville in late January.  

Their current home, which Jani had just recently renovated is a two story and no longer suitable. They have purchased another house that has been vacant for a few years and has had much water damage BUT this house is already wheel chair accessible and close to their current home! Renovating this house will be expensive as will the cost of a vehicle with a wheel chair lift. 

Jitka was able to leave the hospital for a half day on Christmas. She spent it with her family at a friend’s home in Atlanta. Being out of hospital and surrounded by her loving family was overwhelming for Jitka, making her immensely more home sick if that is possible! If all goes well, Jitka will be able to go home in a few weeks, when she will begin the final challenge of adjusting to daily life with the reality of never using her legs. Jitka counts her blessings but it is difficult to imagine what this family has gone through and will continue to endure. It makes us stop and appreciate what we have, and cherish our loved ones. 

We hope to see you on the 25th!

Mandy Clark   Lori Woodman

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         613-549-8541           613-385-8545 

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Everyone is invited to attend the Benefit Night for

Jitka Virag

Friday, January 25, 2008

Saint Margaret’s Hall 

Wine & Cheese 6:30 – 8:30

Silent Auction 6:30 – 9:00

Dance starts at 9:00 with RWI

Cash Bar opens at 8:30

This event promises to be a great event with great food, unique and lovely auction items and great music. 

Thanks to the following folks who have contributed so far

      Active Orthopedic Solutions  Fargo’s General Store

      Agent 99     Frank’s Garage

      Atomica     Henry Saxe

      Blue Print     James Brett Salon

      Mosier’s Groceries & Convenience  Bruce Mellon

      Cathy Colwell & Joe McAllister   PC+NET Solutions

      at Corner Stone Farm, Kingston

      Chien Noir     Pyke Farms Landscaping

      Dennis and Corliss Piasetzki  Pyke View Meadows

      Wolfe Island Riverfront Golf Course RWI

      Brown’s Bay Inn    Cathy Greenlees

      Merry Family Foot Clinic   David Dossett

      Cineplex Odeon Theatre Kingston Woodman Machine

      Telus Communications

      and many more …

If you live in that area please go buy and have a good time!  It is organized by Mandy Clark, her mom, and Lori Woodman.  Thank you very much for every-one’s help there!  Please take lots of pictures!

Also, next week Wednesday I will be driving her home from Atlanta.  I still need to do some training in order to get the blessing of the hospital for her departure, but one thing is certain: Us too will celebrate here at our house on 26th of January, Saturday.  I think from 4:30PM till 7PM I will be thanking everyone who can come for ALL THAT WONDERFUL KINDNESS that has been given to us during this horrible time!  Please come, and let me thank you!  You ladies and gentlemen at PCMH ICU and rehab, employees and students at Brody School of Med., our attorneys and their secretaries, neighbors, friends, the State Troopers, the Fire Department, RBC employees, Susan A + fam, Keller Williams folks, KidzTown ladies, Eric Maas’ friends, all Jitka’s friends,and many more of you plus your families who live close enough to come by: PLEASE come and see us.  (1231 Forest Acres Dr.)  I hope we won’t fit in the house!!!   

Jitka was taken to the Atalanta airport today to experience the way boarding an aircraft is for a paraplegic.  She actually set on a Moscow bound Delta flight at the gate.  I think she had a good time.  I still need to hear about it from her. 

Her skin graft from two months ago still has to complete its healing.  It was ripped open by accident shortly after arriving to Atlanta.  However, she said finally today it seems like having the proper bandage on it for the last couple of days allowed it to start healing. 

Oh, I need to mention one more thing: Please don’t form too strong of an opinion when I express mine about whatever subject.  There are some truly wonderful nurses and people in other profession at Shepherd Center who are really caring about Jitka.  For example there is Jeanette and Erica who trained me a few times.  They are absolutely amazing.  And I know Jitka is very impressed by her PT.  I will get all the names right next time I am there and will have an e-toast to them!   Some of the issues that make her stay difficult come from having a room-mate who require an ICU type of care.  It is just really hard to get a few hours of sleep when people always talk laud next to her in the middle of the night.  Still, it would be unfair to take the praise from those very hard working individuals who have respect for my wife and truly care for her and for all their other patients.  It is a very busy place that needs more employees.  This is my business analysis for the night.