Dianna Babington posted a heartfelt note about all she and Kevin have been through in terms of doubts and fears since a fall in a jumper competition left him paralyzed at the end of August. There is hope on the horizon now because Kevin will be traveling to the Mayo Clinic to see if that famed facility can help him.
After time in the hospital and at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, Kevin and his family went to their farm in Loxahatchee, Fla.
“When we left Kessler,” Dianna recalled, “I was truly sick and worried about coming home with Kevin in his condition with no real medical training. We have had moments where that anxiety has reared its head.
“He was hit with bronchitis, he had a few nights where I nearly called 911 because of blood pressure issues, pain, etc but as a family, we have trudged through it. I am finally feeling like I’m not going to fail. I make mistakes, but I don’t think I’ll miss something life- threatening. We also have a team of friends, an aide, and barn manager Elizabeth Sponseller, and they keep me centered and calm when I feel internal panic.”
She noted the number of people who are supporting Kevin and his family financially and emotionally are making an impact.
Dianna and Kevin Babington.
.”People tell me stories or that they pray two to three times a day and all of it matters. I was told by many medical doctors that recovery was “unlikely” and that is putting it mildly
“It sent me spiraling into depression because I felt like I couldn’t help. I hid it well (or at least I think I tried to).. To see Kevin struggling was and is hard. It’s harder than most can imagine on a daily basis, but this week, we’ve had a sign or two that we are right to have hope! He has reported feeling twitching in his thigh. First on the right, then days later on the left.
“It was brief, but it was real. He also got slight movement in his knee. It’s hard work for him but he is fighting. The spasms he fights make it hard, but he is tough and working through it. I believe the support from all who love him, family and friends, even the horse community at large that just want to send cards from all over the world is making a difference and keeping him positive.
“He also said he felt a twinge in his hamstring. It’s a sign that there is a connection for sure. He has no feeling in his lower body below his chest, but he is feeling these twinges. There is hope for improvement. Thank you to everyone who keeps “showing up.
Want to help Kevin? Tax-deductible donations via check may be sent to the Kevin Babington Foundation, 2402 Players Court,Wellington FL 33414. (To obtain bank instructions for wiring money, send an email to Debbie Welles at the kevinbabingtonfoundation@gmail.com.