My AMAZING Wedding Gift! AbiltyVoice Wheelchair Mobility Blog Post

A Happy Ending For a Deserving CouplePosted by Megan on Tuesday, July 26th, 2011

On Friday The Braun Corporation and Toyota Mobility arranged a very special donation to a deserving young couple.

Rachelle Friedman, a 23-year-old young woman who was paralyzed as a result of an accident during her bachelorette party last year, finally exchanged vows with her longtime boyfriend Chris Chapman. As the newlyweds left their wedding reception, Braun and Toyota surprised them with a wedding gift they hadn’t included on their registry - a 2011 Toyota Sienna Rampvan XT.

The two were married in a beautiful morning ceremony, and a country-themed reception followed at a charming location nestled in the rolling hills of Pittsboro, North Carolina. As the wedding DJ played the last song of the afternoon, he asked the guests to line the brick path outside and led the couple outside for an amazing send-off to their fairytale wedding. Waiting at the end of the path was the wheelchair van under a white drape and topped with a huge red bow.

The BraunAbility Ramp Van Just Moments

 Before the Unveiling!

 

 

“Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Rachelle repeatedly as the accessible van was unveiled and the ramp unfolded to meet the bride. “This is amazing…AMAZING.”

Needless to say, Rachelle and Chris were shocked. The two were supposed to get married last summer, until a playful push into a pool by one of Rachelle’s bridesmaids during her bachelorette party paralyzed the bride-to-be. Instead of celebrating their marriage, the couple worked through intensive care, rehabilitation and eventually settled into their new home outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. Chris never lost sight of their future lives together. “I told her I’d always be by her side,” said the middle school science teacher. “She’d have to try harder than that to get rid of me.”

Chris and Rachelle inside the wheelchair van. Rachelle's favorite features? The GPS and the dual-screen DVD player!

When BraunAbility first heard Rachelle’s story, we worked with her local dealer, Van Products in Raleigh, to loan Rachelle an accessible vehicle while she planned her wedding. Until that point, her mother had been carrying Rachelle by piggyback to get her in and out of her compact SUV. Having a wheelchair van has helped Rachelle see past her disability and has opened the door to post-accident possibilities. She has since become a representative of the Colours wheelchair team, is active in quad-rugby and hopes to devote her time to paralysis advocacy groups in the near future.

One of the very first items on her to-do list after the honeymoon? Learning to drive on her own. “And I WILL be driving this van…not just riding in it,” she told the BraunAbility crew after receiving the gift. When she’s ready for that step of the journey, she’ll have a lifetime of support and service from Van Products behind her.

Some video highlights of the wedding were featured during the Today Show Monday morning, and the couple will be interviewed once they’re back from their honeymoon. Click here for the videographer’s wedding highlights and footage of the donation! The media continues to cover this touching story, including Yahoo News and Autoblog, with more expected as the couple returns from their honeymoon.

We love a happy ending. Congratulations to Chris and Rachelle on their beautiful wedding, and more importantly, on their incredible commitment. It’s just the beginning of a life-long relationship with each other and with BraunAbility!

The Wedding (our 1800registry.com blog)

The Big Day!

Rachelle and Chris finally exchanged "I do's" in an intimate, romantic ceremony with their closest friends and family members surrounding them. On July 22, 2011, they began a new chapter in their lives. As hoped for, the "rustic, elegant, fun" feel to their big day was achieved through amazing decor and personal touches at every turn. Sunflowers were everywhere! Alongside the ceremony chairs tucked inside blue jars, decorating the huppah from top to bottom, and on each and every reception table at the Fearrington Barn, even on the three-tiered wedding cake. During the ceremony, while Rachelle's five bridesmaids stood behind her (resplendent in their gorgeous blue dresses) and Chris's four groomsmen stood behind him (dapper in three-piece dark suits and ties that matched the bridesmaids dresses), Rachelle and Chris faced each other while they said their vows. Chris was seated so he could look into Rachelle's eyes while they exchanged vows.

Rachelle and Chris took a few pictures in the field just outside the barn during the cocktail hour, while guests enjoyed an "adult lemonade stand"--sweet tea with sweet tea vodka and lemonade--a perfect beverage to cool off with in the southern heat and humidity. Entering the barn to "Purple Haze" in honor of their alma mater, East Carolina University, Rachelle and Chris danced their first dance to Rascal Flatts' "Won't Let Go." (Trust me when I say there was not a dry eye in the house watching them!) Then, guests were invited to eat the buffet lunch of a mixture of southern favorites like mac and cheese, fried okra, seafood, steak and an assortment of fruit and cheeses.

The best man, both maids of honor, and both fathers all offered heartfelt toasts to the happy couple. Afterward, Rachelle and Chris cut their cake (fun-fetti, Rachelle's favorite flavor!) and made their way throughout the crowd dancing, talking with friends and family, and enjoying themselves. At the end of the reception, guests lined up and blew bubbles into the sunshine as Rachelle and Chris made their way out only to be greeted by one more surprise: Toyota and The Braun Corporation gave Rachelle and Chris a 2011 Toyota Sienna with a BraunAbility conversion. They drove off, ready to begin their happily ever after.
The day after their wedding, Rachelle and Chris flew to Las Vegas, where they stayed for one night (courtesy of Mandalay Bay), enjoyed dinner and a show (The Lion King, tickets also courtesy of Mandalay Bay). The next day they flew to Los Angeles for their flight to their ultimate honeymoon destination: Fiji. We'll provide a few fun honeymoon details and photos for you when they return!

Post by Jennifer Glatt, 1-800-Registry Wedding Planning Manager

Our Pre-Wedding Planning (our 1800Registry.com blog)

The Planning Blog

Bittersweet

Rachelle had her final dress fitting recently, trying on her dress for the last time before she marries Chris. She wanted to wear the dress she originally chose, but just couldn't envision how it would work given that she is now seated in a wheelchair. Given some of the physical changes she has undergone since her accident, Rachelle was afraid she would have to choose another dress entirely. Thankfully, Erin McLean knew a great tailor: Olga Samarskiy of Raleigh. Olga was certain she could rebuild the dress to accommodate Rachelle's now much smaller torso, creating a structured bodice underneath. With a corset supporting her core and wide ribbons criss-crossing the back of her dress to hold her in tightly, Rachelle can now comfortably wear the strapless gown and sit tall and straight, as well. She rolled herself to the full-length mirror to see the results and even though there were nine of us in the room, for a moment it was as if Rachelle was the only one present. She seemed as startled as she was pleased with what she saw in the mirror. This moment has been a long time coming but finally, it is here. She smiled slowly, then broke out in a wide grin.
Olga placed a two-tiered veil gently atop Rachelle's head as she looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. "A gift, for you," she said.
It's such a joy and privilege to be working with Rachelle to help plan the wedding. Her spirit is such an inspiration to me, and I was reminded that these moments--each of them--are all precious gifts.
Post by Jennifer Glatt, 1-800-Registry Wedding Planning Manager

Groomsmen Attire

With Rachelle's dress and the bridesmaids dresses ready to go, it was time to pick what Chris and his groomsmen were going to wear!
Many guys think they have to rent a tux, which is always a classic staple. However, with the design and casual style we are having at the wedding (not to mention that the ceremony is outside in July!), Chris had his mind set on a navy suit.
Chris, some of his groomsmen, Rachelle, and I went to Men's Wearhouse in Raleigh, NC. When the wonderful people at Men's Wearhouse heard Rachelle's story, they very generously DONATED a trade certificate for Chris and each groomsman to pick out their wedding attire FOR FREE. Not only was this an opportunity for the wedding party to save some cash, but Chris and his guys were able to choose a suit that they can wear again and again after the wedding. In fact, the suit Chris chose was the very first suit he had ever owned that was brand new and tailored just for him. If you haven't seen the selection of suits that hang wall to wall, you are missing out! They have a wide variety of designers at all different price points. Men's Wearhouse was also having a phenomenal BOGO (Buy One, Get One) sale, which meant that Chris was also able to pick out a new (khaki) suit for the rehearsal dinner, as well. THANKS, MEN'S WEARHOUSE!!
Chris was convinced he would wear a dark suit, which Rachelle admitted looks great on him. But, he humored both of us and tried on a khaki suit and actually loved it.
We picked out a tie for the groomsmen that matched the bridesmaids' blue dresses, as well as a crisp white shirt and black shoes. Next we had Chris try on a gorgeous textured white tie. It was the perfect way to have him stand out as the groom.
Then, the big decision came between the khaki and the dark suits. It actually was an easy decision, the navy pinstripe was a unanimous choice for everyone. It looked great on everyone and was so classic and handsome!
Blog post by Erin McLean

Hawaii Sounds Nice, but FIJI won!

"It's our dream vacation," Rachelle and Chris said. Rachelle can't wait to go warm herself in the sun, and Chris is really looking forward to fly-fishing. And thanks to Tokoriki Island Resort, the newlyweds will get to spend seven nights in tropical luxury! Nestled in the northern Mamanuca Islands, South Pacific sunsets will soon be a reality! Secluded in their own private bure, their time away will be renewing, relaxing and definitely romantic.
Want to take a look at their Honeymoon Registry? You'll find it here.

Details, Details...

Today we are meeting with the staff at The Fearrington House to make a lot of decisions! Because they provide so many services on-site, we'll be able to make great headway. This is when the wedding will really start to take shape! First we meet with Jill, who sets out a delicious selection of cake bites and filling choices. We sample vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, lemon and coconut cakes. Rachelle declares vanilla her favorite, and Chris is hard-pressed to choose just one. Thankfully Jill makes their job easy by telling them they can choose three flavors for their wedding cake. Cream cheese, milk chocolate buttercream, peanut butter, raspberry and white chocolate buttercream fillings are samples, and a winner definitely emerges, but we'll keep that a surprise. Chris chooses his groom's cake cake and filling. They are excited to see what Jill will come up with--all they've told her is that for the groom's cake, they want it to be in the shape of a pirate ship in honor of their alma mater, East Carolina University. Purple and gold will be the colors on that one!
Next, we meet with Mary, the florist. She knows sunflowers are the flowers of choice for this wedding, but she also suggests many other cheery, sunny flowers to complement them, such as gerbera daisies, tanacedum, rudbeckia and hypericum berries. Burlap, raffia, Mason jars, old soup cans, colored glass vases, jelly jars, and French flower buckets and wildflowers are mentioned, considered, and excitedly chosen. Mary deftly explains how to decorate a huppah with wildflowers, how the bridal bouquets can be tied and many other issues, and soon we can practically see the ceremony and reception spaces vibrant with color. Some of the details will even be a surprise to Rachelle and Chris, so that's all we'll tell you for now...
Gilda, the Special Events Manager, walks us through the rest of the details, including the selection of the ceremony location and the reception menu. Rachelle and Chris choose hors d'oeuvres for the cocktail hour to be held on the barn patio, and are thrilled with Erin McLean's suggestion of an "adult lemonade stand"--lemonade with sweet tea vodka. Yum! They choose Southern favorites for their heavy hors d'oeuvres meal, to include a seasonal selection of cheeses, fruit, bread and chutneys; a seafood table with shrimp, crab salad and tuna nicoise tartare; a "Taste of the South" offering of smoked bourbon brisket, chicken and dumplings, mac and cheese with Virginia country ham and cornmeal fried okra. Topped off by wedding cake, this event is shaping up to be supremely sweet indeed.

The Dress
We can't provide too many details about Rachelle's wedding dress, just in case Chris happens to be reading this… What we can tell you is that the dress Rachelle originally chose was still the dress she very much wanted to wear. However, her body has changed since the accident and she was worried it wouldn't fit correctly. Thankfully, Erin knew a great tailor who felt certain she could rebuild the dress to fit Rachelle and accommodate the fact that she has lost quite a bit of muscle mass in her torso and is now in a wheelchair. We can't wait to see the final result, and we'll share it with you AFTER the wedding!

Invitations!

Invitations! While Rachelle and Chris and their parents worked out the guest list, Erin and Rachelle began working on the invitations. Rachelle and Chris wanted to use the wording they'd chosen for their original invitations, and Rachelle hoped to use sunflowers in the invitations. Here's what the final version looks like:

Bridesmaids

This is the dress Rachelle chose for her five bridesmaids:
Arabelle Dress in silk chiffon by J. Crew
Color: Mosaic Blue






(Photo courtesy of J. Crew)

A Little Help, Please...

Knowing we would need a local professional to help coordinate the many little details, we sought a top-notch wedding planner based in Raleigh. We knew we'd struck gold when we found Erin McLean of Erin McLean Events. Impeccable taste, unflappable no matter the crisis and beautiful to boot, she has proved to be a Godsend! And I think she knows EVERYONE in Raleigh, I'm not kidding.

Choosing the Venue

Rachelle loved the idea of getting married outside, so she sent me a few venues in North Carolina that had the rustic feel she was looking for. She was hoping for a barn to somehow be involved… and we got lucky with The Fearrington House in Pittsboro, just a few miles from Raleigh. A former dairy farm in the 1930s, the rolling hills, lush acreage and beautiful gardens make this the perfect spot for Rachelle and Chris's wedding. They chose to have their ceremony on the Garden Terrace, overlooking the Belted Galloway cows and their green pasture. A local mandolin player will be providing the music. The reception will be in the barn!

Beginning… Again

Once a date is set, the wedding planning seems to take on a life of its own. Knowing Chris's extended family would be on the East Coast in July, Rachelle and Chris chose July 22 as The Big Day. Then, just like all engaged couples, they were faced with a list of questions a mile long regarding the ceremony, reception, invitations, music, attire, rings, guest list, vendors, menu, accommodations, officiant, attendants, favors, rehearsal dinner, honeymoon… the list seemed endless.
Since she'd planned her wedding before (but then her accident forced Rachelle and Chris to postpone it), Rachelle had a good idea of the "look and feel" she wanted the day to have. Take a look at the inspiration boards she created. Lots of sunflowers, raffia, Mason jars, and her color combination of turquoise and yellow. Her favorite words to describe the look: airy, cheerful, bright, organic, rustic, garden, soft, fresh, whimsical, natural, charming, elegant. Getting married in North Carolina—where she and Chris currently live—practically guaranteed all of that!

17 Days Until Our Wedding! JULY 5, 2011

• Tuesday, July 5, 2011 6:40 AM, EDT

Hello everyone! The big day is only 17 days away and we are so very excited! I did the final fitting for the dress and it looks great! I'm just hoping I don't roll all over it. I believe everything is in place except chris and I should probably practice our first dance! I also want to through in a thank you to BraunAability for providing me with a van as I planned out this wedding! It made leaving the house and going out to places as much as needed and wanted so much easier. And of course I want to thank 1800 Registry for giving me the wedding and honeymoon of my dreams! I don't think I'd be having a typical wedding and certainly not any sort of honeymoon. Y'all are amazing! I will officially be on the today show on august 5th as soon as we get back from the honeymoon! Make sure to watch!


The new bike and wheelchair should be here this week and I'm obviously looking forward to that. Also, lulus.com sent me another package of adorable clothes and shoes. This has seriously been one crazy year and beyond

JUNE 2011

• Wednesday, June 29, 2011 1:32 PM, EDT

Hi everyone! 1800 Registry has made another page from me that's really cool and pretty. Go to https://www.1800registry.com/rachelleandchrisweddingTomorrow is my final dress fitting and interview with the associated press! Today I have an interview with hampton roads magazine today and I recently had one with women's world too! This wedding will be everywhere!!

• Friday, June 24, 2011 5:25 PM, EDT

Hello everyone!

Yesterday chris and I had our 6th year anniversary and had a great time out at dinner. Remember how I had a surprise for him? Well it was supposed to be yesterday but I let him know about a week ago that I was getting a handcycle!! I'll be able to road bike with him ASAP!

My grandparents (also known as bubbie and Zadie) came by to visit as well. It was fun and I'm glad they could see my house

With the wedding on it's way the interview requests have picked up! Today I had a long interview with a Japanese tv station. There will be a 1 hour special on me there!

I tried my dress on yesterday and it looks so pretty. I'm excited to see everything together.

Hope I didn't miss anything!

• Sunday, June 19, 2011 10:12 AM, EDT

Another late update. I had a rough night and my tush is still a tiny red. I'm not for sure I'll make it today to the tournament. But if I do it'll be more like 2pm. Sorry everyone!

• Saturday, June 18, 2011 7:30 AM, EDT

Everyone! I'm sorry it's late notice but I will not arrive till about noon. I need to eliminate hours that I'm sitting on my sore. It's s o close to being gone so vie gotta stay smart. Hope to see you there!

• Friday, June 17, 2011 11:35 AM, EDT

I forgot to mention the Raleigh summer rumble. Oh my gosh! Tomorrow from 9-5 and Sunday 9-4. Here is the flyerhttp://www.ncscia.org/theraleighsidewinders/2011SummerRumbleFlyer.pdfCome on out!

• Thursday, June 9, 2011 5:12 PM, EDT

Hi everyone!!

So gee this has been a crazy time! I had a reallly bad pressure sore that has greatly improved but I'm still staying off of it. So I've been laying down for like 3 weeks now so vie been sooo bored. I did muster up enough energy to go talk to a local 4th grade classroom. I have a teacher friend down the st. Who showed her kids my story. They even made me a poster of words that described me. They always asked for updates with me and wanted to meet me so I had to go before the school year was over. I had such a great time and they are so sweet so here is a shout out to ms Dupree's 4th grade class at Northwoods Elementary! I was also excited that my aunt and uncle came to visit! They definitely kept me company when I had a gross sore and heather gave me beauty
treatments! Mom took them to the best golden coral on earth. An ECU
graduate started it and the headquarters are in Raleigh.

The very next day I had supra pubic surgery. A tube goes through my belly and caps at the end so I can uncap and go to the restroom by

myself! Huge step towards independence.

Well as far as the wedding goes things are moving along! Mens Wearhouse is sending gift certificates to all of the groomsmen, chris, and our little ring bearer! Each person will be able to purchase and keep a suit! We also have a wedding website now at www.1800registry.com/rachelleandchris

Thanks for looking!

\

• Friday, June 3, 2011 10:34 PM, EDT

Hi everyone. Well I can't say vie had the best week. It turns out that I've developed a pressure sore on my butt and apparently it is a stage II. It's screwed up my entire system making me have spasms, nerve pain, and all around just making me feel sick. This is bad timing as ive finally made it to summer! Wheelchair tennis starts this Monday, adaptive water skiing is tomorrow, rugby practice is next weekend and the Raleigh rumble wheelchair tournament is the following weekend. I want to do all of it and there's a chance I won't be able to do any of it. Well see

I have actually scheduled a supra pubic surgery for this coming Wednesday. It is a short 30 minute surgery where a tube will be inserted just above the pubic area going straight into my bladder. I'll be able to release my urine by uncapping the tube making me independent in that area. Hopefully I won't have to cancel do to the spasticity.

Wedding updates to come in the very near future

MAY 2011

• Sunday, May 29, 2011 8:29 AM, EDT

I was reading over my blog last week and realized I left a few things out! When I was picking out my chair, we were discussing the weight of the wheels. The set that I want ( which is super cool!) is fairly heavy for someone with an injury like mine with very limited triceps. They are totally doable but I was offered an amazing additional set of wheels that do something pretty cool. They are called Magic Wheels! If you go to www.magicwheels.com you can read up on them and even watch a YouTube video which gives you a really good idea on how many ways they can be utilized. In short, they provide assistance with hills and rough terrain with a gear shifter on the wheel. I can't wait to use them!

For dinner out my first night in jersey we went to this crazy restaurant! It had ridiculously oversized portions! I ate off other people knowing there would be some serious extras! It was really my first time out without a very close friend or family member to help me out, but again the group was super helpful. One girl Auti basically pushed me and herself when I got tired on a hill. Chelsie and her cool dad were super helpful too. Thanks girls. Shout out to Team Colours! Hopefully I'll be selling these things like crazy when I learn all the info. Oh and I took my mom and grandma to this place, which I forgot to mention has the worlds largest pickle bar. Haha. I got a pancake and took it home in an X L pizza box!

So I picked out my wheelchair back fabric! It is from a website called ninetomatoes.com. They specialize in a design called mandalas. “A mandala is a constant organism that is complete within itself but full of all these compartments. The human mind and energy body are the same. They’re just not always as symmetrical. That’s why the mandalas feel so good because they give us symmetry and balance…” – Lee Harris they were kind enough to give me my fabric for free after hearing my story. The mandala design creator and website owner told me she made this design during a hard time in her life and that it brought her positive energy. I can't imagine a more perfect design! I'm just hoping it will work. :). There is also one more cool thing that happened at the expo but it's a surprise for chris so it's hush hush right now.

This week has been a little rough. It has been a continuation of last weekend with low blood pressure and high nerve pain levels. Last weekend I had a hard time getting out of the hotel because I couldn't sit up, but the excitement kept my mind off of the nerve pain. It's been same all week but more difficult during the rainy week

I do feel pretty good right now though and chris and I are headed to lake gaston today! Wedding planing also continues as I get my wedding website together. 55 more days!

• Sunday, May 22, 2011 11:21 PM, EDT

A year ago right now I was having the best time ever at my bachelorette party and everything in my life changed a couple hours later. But I'm celebrating my quadiversary this year as so many amazing things have happened. Quad rugby, new friends, closer old friends, National news, a home remodel, a loaned van from BraunAbility, a free wedding and honeymoon from 1800registry, and now i'm a new member of the Colours wheelchair team! Why not embrace it! This next year of my injury will be dedicated to helping others like I was helped. I've got to figure out something super cool to do. Something huge.

I was at the abilities expo this weekend and I had a blast seeing all of the equipment and fun stuff for people with disabilities. I finally picked out my Colours Wheelchair and met the other girls from Team Colours! They are so super sweet and welcoming. I was the only quad and being one year post injury they were there to help me out. Thanks girls!

Thank you sooooo much to everyone who has been there for the past year. You win some friends and you lose some, but relationships have grown with those who have been there from the beginning. Can't put into words how much your letters and messages helped me smile in the beginning and have continued to lift me up. THANK YOU! :)

• Wednesday, May 18, 2011 6:48 PM, EDT

We have had a pretty calm few weeks until recently! The other week i went to a doctor who is helping me do some electrical stimulation on my arm. When the E-stim was on and i attempted to pinch my fingers, it worked! We will see what happens with that!

This past Friday, chris and I were able to have our first date night in a very long time. We went out to the comedy club to see Ralphie May. He was so hilarious! It was so nice going out on the town together.

Things have been really great lately as wedding plans are coming together! This past weekend chris and I headed to the Fearrington House in pittsboro, nc to do some wedding planning. We started off with some cake tasting and I'm thinking that was one of Chris's favorite Parts. Im not super adventurous as i really dislike chocolate. I. Know it's weird but, hey, we all have our corks! We picked the schedule, the yummy menu and threw around some cool decoration ideas! Ive also tried on my original wedding dress and im so happy to say it will still work in a wheelchair. The wedding will be on July 22nd and we are all just so excited! We have been waiting so long for this day and I couldn't be happier!

This coming weekend is the abilities expo in new York and I am so excited to be attending! It will be a very long ride in the van so it's a good thing it's super comfy! I am still a pretty new injury and so I have a lot to learn. I'm very excited to be meeting some members of the BraunAbility family!

APRIL 2011

• Thursday, April 21, 2011 6:56 PM, EDT

Ok so I hope I can remember everything!

Chris has been on spring break so we've been hanging out this week. We started off going to the lake this past weekend which turned out to be an eventful day of weather in central NC. 12 or so tornados ripped through the state missing the lake house and our knightdale home by just miles. We were very lucky

And here is the update you have all been waiting for. Chris and I are getting married on July 22nd! After my call in interview with HLN, 1800 registry had approached me and offered to pay for my wedding and honeymoon! As many of you know, the today show had plans to make us the wedding of the year but that isn't going to work out. I would have to have had a timed short wedding with a stop watch! Not my idea of romantic. But they will be assisting 1800 registry in some form with the wedding and sending some cameras down for some footage. Hopefully we will get to go to NYC again! The wedding will be here in NC and I couldn't be happier with the venue, wedding planners and other vendors!

There is some other cool news too! Colours wheelchairs is sponsoring me and I get a whole new cool looking chair. These chairs are super nice and stylish and I just can't wait to get one! Yay

In more current news, we are headed to the mountains in the van for some family fun! Chris and his dad are going to go fishing while the ladies and I have fun in the cabin and around town!

aND today? I got dressed 100% on my own this morning! That is a new first! :)

• Thursday, April 14, 2011 9:35 PM, EDT

Lots of updates! So the other week was very eventful! I had my first meeting with some wedding planners and things are underway! But I'm leaving it at that for now!

Last week was also the senior games sand I had a blast! I watched a bunch of seniors from the center sing, dance and cheer their hearts out. I have been coaching the wake shaker cheer squad for 2 years now. Well this will be my 3rd. Unfortunatly only one senior could participate this year so I stuck with her and helped and I was super proud of her!

That night mom and I drove chris to charlotte where he would begin his race the next morning. We had the 3 of us, Roger the pup, and chris's bike all packed in the van and we were all sooo pumped for him. There were about 20 handcyclists and a bunch of regular cyclists. Well chris did it! He rode 60 miles a day to Myrtle beach, sc! We made it just in time to see him finish the ride and it was so amazing. Everyone came in together escorted by honking motorcyclists.

Other news? Lulus.com has offered to send me a box of some fun clothes that I pick out...and i've died my hair super blond!

• Sunday, April 3, 2011 3:35 PM, EDT

if you missed george to the rescue, you can copy and paste these links in your browser to watch it!

part 1

www.nbcdfw.com/blogs/open-house/GTTR_2_1_Part_1_New_York-119070474.html

part 2

www.nbcsandiego.com/blogs/open-house/GTTR_2_1_Part_2_New_York-119027339.html

• Saturday, April 2, 2011 6:43 PM, EDT

updates!

chris and i have received our new split king sleep number bed! i can make it soft for sleeping and hard for rolling, dressing and transfering!! my other bed was way too high but i do miss it :(. ive gotten my rugby chair trainer and im also getting my new vitaglide in the mail tuesday!

this past tuesday chris and i were in a photoshoot for BraunAbility. it went really well and we had a great time. i went super blond for the shoot! cant wait to see how it turns out!

on friday i spoke to chris's and another teacher's class (also a close friend of ours) who are studying the nervous system. it was very fun and they had lots of questions. i know they were excited to meet mr chapman's fiance!

also on friday, we packed the van for a trip to the lake! we packed me/wheelchair, chris of course, both dogs, a large crate, weekend ags and fishing gear...phew!!! we finally have a relaxing weekend and boy are we being lazy! we are crowded around the TV right now to watch George to the Rescue at730!!

also thank you to those who donated to chris for his race! hes reached his goal and hes ready to ride!

• Saturday, April 2, 2011 3:40 PM, EDT

George to the Rescue tonight at 7:30 on NBC!!! check your local NBC listing. So excited to see it!!

MARCH 2011

• Wednesday, March 23, 2011 10:41 PM, EDT

I think I forgot to mention the April cosmo with me in it is out. I'm on page 178!

• Wednesday, March 23, 2011 11:19 AM, EDT

Hey everybody!

Rugby is over and I'm pretty sad. I looked forward to it so much and I have to say I miss the guys!

Last week went pretty fast then we headed to va beach again! I was sick all weekend but still had fun hanging out with one of my best friends and my nephew jeramiah! That kid is hilarious. We had so much fun with him that we took him with us to Carolina for the whole week! Boy does he love chris! He's had so much fun riding in the elevator and ceiling lift. He's also had some fun with my puppy Roger. Yesterday we drove a couple hours to the NC zoo. He saw a bunch of animals and mom and my brother got a workout. So many hills that it was literally impossible to push alone.

I'm pretty tired of not being really strong so I ordered some things to make me stronger and more independent. I goot some heigene items, a bed that will make it easier to transfer, and some things to work out with. I'm really going to go hard everyday to get better.

More news! BraunAbility and Van Products has asked me to model for their brochure with the van that I'm in love with. It's a black Toyota Sienna sport and I'm pretty axcited about it. I think chris is going to model with me too

Wedding details may come soon along with some other things that are up in the air. Of course I will let you know!

• Friday, March 11, 2011 8:40 PM, EST

What a day at the tournament! We weren't very successful today but we are keeping our heads up and hoping for a win or 2 this weekend!

On to a different note. Everyone and anyone who's been following my story knows that my fiancé chris has been my rock and has just plain and simple been amazing! So I want to help support him in an upcoming event he is participating in called Cycle to the Sea. It is a 3 day cycling ride from Charlotte , nc to Myrtle beach where he will go 60 miles a day! It benefits spinal cord rehab in the Charlotte area. I think it's our turn to give back and support others with my injury. He will
ride starting April 7th and has to raise $1,000 to be an official
participant. I can't tell you how excited he is so let's help him
reach his goal!

You can go to this link

http://events.carolinashealthcarefoundation.org/site/TR?px=1206282&pg=personal&fr_id=1190&et=DSKFZwRZVojUFco1y0D4Vw..&s_tafId=3472

Or you can mail a donation t

Cycle to the Sea
c/o Carolinas HealthCare Foundation
P.O. Box 32861
Charlotte, NC 28232

Make sure you say it is for chris chapman and email me so we can put it on his progress on his website at rachelle3109@aol.com

Let's cheer him on!

• Saturday, March 5, 2011 6:29 PM, EST

The cosmo issue is out on stands! Check out the April issue!

Also the schedule is out for the va beach tournament!
My team will play

Friday- 9:30am and 12:30pm
Saturday- 12:00pm
Sunday- depends on who we beat. But we will find out at the end of the day Saturday.

Hope to see everyone there!

• Saturday, March 5, 2011 6:29 PM, EST

The cosmo issue is out on stands! Check out the April issue!

Also the schedule is out for the va beach tournament!
My team will play

Friday- 9:30am and 12:30pm
Saturday- 12:00pm
Sunday- depends on who we beat. But we will find out at the end of the day Saturday.

Hope to see everyone there!

• Friday, March 4, 2011 7:04 PM, EST

The people at BraunAbility and Van Products have been super nice and awesome to work with!
Check this out! It's my blog about the van

http://www.braunability.com/abilityvoice/2011/03/rachelle-friedman-and-her-new-ride

FEBRUARY 2011

• Saturday, February 26, 2011 9:05 PM, EST

What a week!!

Isn't the house insanely awesome! There were so many more renovations that weren't shown on the today show reveal. I was so amazed as you could tell! It has been so amazing being able to just go all over my house, do my makeup in the bathroom, shower, pick out my own clothes, and have a room that chris and I can call our own! I even have this system called connect 4 and it is soooo cool. I can control the tv, play music through rhapsody, control the lights and the temperature! There are even built in speakers on the wall! The closet is super cool too! Sooo huge! The laundry is right there so i can do the laundry, turn right around and put everything away. I did the laundry for the first time yesterday. I cant tell you how good that felt. They even added some ECU spirit in my garage! You can see all of the renovations on an NBC show called George to the Rescue! It doesn't usually air in the NC area but it will on April 2nd! It will be a 1 hr segment on my home! I'll find out more as it gets closer so I can let you know an exact time and the areas that will be able to see it.

There are so many people to thank! We will be listing specific thank yous shortly once we get the list. I don't want to leave anyone out! I do want to throw a few house parties. One for all of those who helped, my seniors of course, and one for my neighbors! I can't wait! If there's anyone reading this who knows how I could organize a neighborhood event, let me know! You can post or email me at rachelle3109@aol.com.

This ride is wild and not over!

• Sunday, February 20, 2011 7:31 PM, EST

Sidewinders place in the top 4 in Atlanta and move on to sectionals in.....VA BEACH. Come out and watch

VIRGINIA BEACH FIELD HOUSE
2157 Landstown Road Virginia Beach, VA 23456 (757) 427-3955
www.beachfieldhouse.com

March 11, 12 and 13. Wooooo!

• Monday, February 14, 2011 11:03 AM, EST

Please watch Rachelle's second, up-close-personal interview on the Today Show, February 22, 2011.

• Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:23 PM, EST

Hey everybody! I've been having a lot of nerve pain lately and it's really been hard to keep positive, but so many great things have been happening that I've been able to keep well distracted. The mornings are the worst but it seems like lately it's been happening even in the afternoon. Maybe I'll get brave and try Lyrica to see if that helps.

Friday night me and my friends all met up and went to the Cory Smith concert. Back when I was in rehab my mom's friend contacted his manager and let him know that I was a huge fan of Cory. He was inspired by my story and said that he would arrange for us to come to one of his shows once I was up to it. Well, when I heard he was coming to Raleigh I jumped on the opportunity. There were 9 of us total that got to go w/ backstage access and all. That Braunabilty van from Van Products was so helpful that night since there were so many of us. Chris was able to get me in and out real quick and we were able to hold me, Chris and three of our friends with all our stuff. When we arrived one of his road managers, Brian, escorted us through the crowd to a hangout room back stage where we were able to meet Cory Smith and hang out and get photos shortly before he went on stage. He was a great guy, very genuine and nice, as I had suspected. We discussed things like my story and what he's been working on lately as far as his music. We had a great time that night. The concert was awesome and I had a blast hanging out with my friends and family. Thank you so much Cory, Marty and Brian!!

• Tuesday, February 8, 2011 1:02 PM, EST

Good news everyone!

Braun Ability and Van Products have so graciously given me a conversion van to use until I am able to get my own! It's so awesome! All I have to do is roll in using the fold out ramp and lock in! No more of my mom slide boarding me in and out and no more piggy backing required by chris? Well, unless I need to go upstairs!

The van is a 2008 Toyota Sienna ramp van xt. Pictures to come!

Chris had no idea about the van and was very surprised! We
called him outside to do his usual piggy back transfer and there we were in a new decked out van! Unfortunately mom forgot
to put it in park and we kept hitting the ramp button and it
wouldn't fold out! We figured it out quickly though. Haha. Well chris loved it and was outside for a good 30 minutes playing around with all of the cool gadgets! My family likes it because you can make the temperature different for the passenger and driver. Finally I can put it as high as I want with no one complaining! Heated seats, doors controlled by the touch of a button, and an awesome sound system are all some cool features. We are all loving this thing!

Thanks to Van Products and Braun Ability for making our lives sooooo much easier! More space and it's obviously easier on everyones back!

• Sunday, February 6, 2011 11:12 AM, EST

So much has again happened since the last update! For starters I will again be on the today show for an update! They will be taping me in my home on Thursday February 10th. The day it is aired has not been confirmed but I will let everyone know as soon as I find out!

A few weeks ago I was photographed in my home for the cosmo magazine story! They paid for me to get extensions in my hair and they looked so amazing! I will be in the April issue out on stands in mid march.

This Friday I will be going to the Corey smith concert! My moms friend got in touch with his manager and told him how I was a big fan. They gave me a free ticket and free ticket for all of my friends to one of his concerts! Well he is in Raleigh this Friday and I'm super excited! He's not a huge name but his music is so great. You can check him out at http://www.coreysmith.com/home.cfm

As far as therapy goes, I am continuing occupational therapy for a few more weeks to practice putting on shoes and pants. My therapist also made me a splint to help straighten my left fingers a little bit. I will soon be getting into their workout program which is really just like having a gym membership. I'll be pumping iron like the average Joe but I will be able to pull up to a workout machine in my wheelchair.

There are still some other things brewing that aren't definite but I will keep you updated.

JANUARY 2011

• Thursday, January 6, 2011 10:33 PM, EST

Hey everyone!! This is rachelle! So many things have happened since the last update. Well the Raleigh tournament was so much fun. I had one of my best games yet against Philly and I have no idea what got into me! A few days after the tournament I went over to my friends house for dinner and some Christmas light sightseeing in benson, nc. He is one of my teammates from rugby and a good source for answers when I have a question related to our injury. I also got to see some of the home modifications that he has. While there, I got to see some puppies that they were trying to give away. They are half yellow lab and blue tick hound. Well they put an adorable caramel colored boy and we just took to each other like crazy. I had been thinking about it for a long while so that peedee could have a playmate in his new backyard. Sooo, I took him!! His name is Roger (after jolly Roger of course). Peedee is playful with him but very territorial. Roger seems super smart already asking to go outside to go to the bathroom. I think the 2 will be good friends soon enough! Well my brother graciously watch Roger over Christmas break while we headed for Ohio! Flying was again very interesting but not too bad. Chris had to piggy back me up and down stairs and ramps to get in and out. We made it safely and met up with chriss family and peedee! We had a wonderful Christmas with his family and chris got to relax a little. We flew back home in time to spend new years eve with some awesome friends! We went to city limits And I wore an adorable dress that a company sent me for free along with some other amazing clothes and accessories. They are www.lulus.com and they are so great. They literally gave me a free shopping spree! I have a few updates but I'm going to wait until it's all for sure. I'm definitely going to be features in cosmopolitain magazine in their april issue out on stands mid march! Well I think I've covered most of it! We are all in the car as I'm typing on my new iPad headed to Jacksonville fl for a cool 10 team tournament. I will let everyone know how it goes! I hope everyone had an amazing holiday and thank you so much for your support! Let's just say I'm sooooo happy it's 2011!

DECEMBER 2010

• Thursday, December 23, 2010 10:59 PM, EST

Rach and Chris are off to Ohio in the early morning with one eye open to spend christmas with Chris's family they are extra excited to see them.

Rachelle finally recieved her new wheel chair yaaaaaaaaaaY

I will get her website updated tomorrow

Everyone Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS

•  
• Friday, December 17, 2010 11:17 AM, EST

packing up and heading to virginia beach to spend time with family and friends,,,,, and the SUBWAY FUNDRAISER TOMORROW

SUBWAY , 109 Gainsborough Square. suite 1 . Chesapeake , virginia, off battlefield blvd. from 11-4 not only will rachelle be there but there is good food, bake sale , raffle,, subway man and also santa will be there.

Hope to see you guys at subway !!!!

• Tuesday, December 14, 2010 11:49 AM, EST

an exiciting new update will be on Rachelle's web page either later today or tomorrow. We have lots to share with you.

but i also wanted to give a heads up about the subway fundraiser that will be held in chesapeake virginia this saturday, decemeber 18th from 11-4 . Not only will there be great food, raffle and a bake sale but Rachelle and Chris will be in town and would love to have you come out and visit with them.

Subway 1009 Gainsborough Square, suite 1 Ches, Va.
its off battlefield blvd close to chesapeake general hospital

Keep checking www.rachellefriedman.com for more updates

STAY WARM its cold outside

• Tuesday, December 7, 2010 6:05 PM, EST

hi everyone

just incase anyone missed it,, Rachelle has a brand new website that was donated to her,,, www.rachellefriedman.com

there you will find her blog/journal along with a guest book. we are going to be updating there

The rugby tournament is this weekend and she is hoping to see you there. The schedule is posted on her blog/journal on her web site. If you have any questions, you can always give us a call 757 553 1526 ( carol)

Hope to see you this weekend,, !!!!

ps they do need baked goods ( easy to hold , cookies, brownies) this will be given to the players along with their lunches

• Sunday, December 5, 2010 11:04 PM, EST

hi hope everyone had a good weekend... Some people have expressed that they are having a hard time getting to the website for the coffee,,, So i am going to post it again ,, to the right of the webpage it will have a column click on buy now, chose the type and blend of coffee you would like,,, Her product code is rachelle that will insure that the coffee you buy does go to her account.

Thank you all so much for supporting her coffee fundraiser
www.allstatecoffee.com

We will continue to update her progress on her blog at www.Rachellefriedman.com please , look for her there

NOVEMBER 2010

• Tuesday, November 30, 2010 6:17 PM, EST

Hi everyone.

Jeff Ulrich owner of All State Coffee has contacted Rachelle and offered her his coffee for a fundraiser, Rachelle was able to help design the logo and really enjoyed talking with him And enjoyed working on the logo.

Here is the link to purchase Rachelles Pirates Cove Coffee http://www.allstatecoffee.com/charity.html

Rachelle will return back to therapy on Thursday. She is sitting up in bed so much faster lately she will be working on how to get her legs off the bed , She tried on her own but we quickly realized there may be a big. Thump in her very near future so we decided to ask the therapist to help us figure that one out. Rachelle has loved reading the guest book entries and appreciates everyones support. We hope everyone is having a good week,

• Monday, November 29, 2010 5:06 PM, EST

Rachelle spoke at ECU last Friday in a few of the recreational therapy classes and visited some of her professors that she had. She spoke with them about what it’s like to be in therapy and answered any questions that they had. She loved being back at ECU. She was also interviewed on Pirate Radio. on saturday she spoke at the ECU Adapted Recreation and Wellness Day

Sunday Rachelle and Chris left with Shauna, our field reporter , who is an amazing person. She helped make this weekend in NY incredibly memorable . Rachelle went on her first airplane ride since the accident and did very well and she did manage to get the TSA pat down.

When they arrived in New York their driver was waiting for them and took them to the hotel the Juremiah Essex house. A great hotel across from central park. Sunday night , Rachelle, Chris , her dad and brother headed out to go shopping.

Monday morning, was an early morning , we all had to be up at 5:30 to make it to the Today Show and was interviewed by Merideth who was very warm and welcoming to us. Rachelle and Chris also got to see Bruno Marx sing during the Today Show.

After the show, we went back to the hotel to regroup and then headed to ground zero and visited the 911 memorial building.

On Tuesday, before they left New York, they visited the place where John Lennon was shot and strawberry field ( after all, she is a beatles fan) . There was a man there playing the guitar and playing John Lennon songs

Rachelle has had a week I am sure she will never forget and a wonderful experience.

Rachelle, Chris and their families would like to thank everyone who made her experiences so wonderful.

Hln/CNN
Raleigh news channel 11
Greenville Nc NBC
Pirate radio
abcnews.com
The Today show ( lexi, Shauna, Meredith and the entire staff)
Inside Edition (it was great meeting you and hope you were able to get and enjoy your bbq)
Jesse and Laura Friedman Buzzard for working so hard and making her website.
Suite Paws for taking such great care of Peedee

Juremiah Essex House
Jamal for Chris’ haircut who works at Hair styling by Joseph in NY, NY. Those of you in NY check him out.

And of course, everyone who has sent their love, prayers and support since last May. We appreciate all of you.


The schedule for the rugby tournament dec 11 & 12 th has not been posted yet, however, they do need volunteers if anyone is interested in coming out and watching Rachelle play.

• Monday, November 29, 2010 2:01 PM, EST

hey everyone ,

I really would like to go on the Ellen show to talk about heallth care and the challenges of being a quadraplegic , which really hasn't been touched upon. I want people to understand the real needs and i want to talk more about rugby!!

Here is the web address you can go to, to help me get on the show.

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/show/respond/?PlugID=10

Thanks!

Rachelle

• Saturday, November 27, 2010 2:37 PM, EST

Hi, Everyone:

Rachelle had a wonderful Thanksgiving with her family. She would like to thank everyone for the ongoing support. We will update again in the next few days. Thank you again!

• Thursday, November 25, 2010 2:32 PM, EST

happy thanksgiving!

-from rachelle

 

• Sunday, November 21, 2010 9:29 PM, EST

Hi, everyone:

Rachelle will be continuing to post her updates and blog on her new website. Please visit: RachelleFriedman.com

Thank you for the continued support!

• Friday, November 19, 2010 7:17 AM, EST

Hi,, everyone!!

Rachelle is going to ECU this morning and speaking with two classes and participating in the Adaptive sports and wellness day tomorrow. She will also be giving a speach to some of the attendees.

Rachelle has been very busy these past few days having interviews with the raleigh news channel 11 ,/local&id=7794965

abcnews.com

We were planning on stopping by the senior center after thanksgiving.

Her family and Chris' family are planning a Thanksgiving dinner at her house this year. It will be their first thanksgiving in their home.
But of course, we will update before then.



if you would like to make a DONATIONS MADE TO RACHELLE make checks payable to
Rachelle friedman special needs trust
PO box 1943
Norfolk virginia 23501

Or to PayPal.com
Click on the third tab and enter Rachelle's email
Rachelle's email is Rachelle3109@aol.com

• Thursday, November 18, 2010 10:35 AM, EST

We want to thank everyone for the donations made to caringbridge to support this wonderful web site
\
to make addition donations to caring bridge just click on the tribute link.

if you would like to make a DONATIONS MADE TO RACHELLE make checks payable to
Rachelle friedman special needs trust
PO box 1943
Norfolk virginia 23501

Or to PayPal.com
Click on the third tab and enter Rachelle's email
Rachelle's email is Rachelle3109@aol.com

• Thursday, November 18, 2010 12:41 AM, EST

wow,,,, Rachelle and her family appreciates the overwhelming support , thoughts and prayers everyone has given her.

The raleigh channel 11 news came to visit Rachelle, Chris and the rugby team during pratice this evening, It also aired this evening we are sorry we didnt realize that in time to post it on caringbridge. We hope that the video will be put on their website Chris and Rach were adorable.

She has been contacted by a few other news channels and we will let you know when they air.

Rachelle will be headed back to Greenville this weekend to ECU to talk to several classes on Friday and to speak during adaptive sports day on Saturday. Her rugby team will also be there to partipate in adaptive sports day.

To all of Rachelle's old and new supporters we do appreciate you all so much

• Tuesday, November 16, 2010 3:02 PM, EST

the zip code has been changed and is now correct. Hope everyone is having a great day We love you guys!!! And everyone mark your calendars for the Raleigh rugby game on December 12th and 13th. We hope to see a lot of you there so we can root for Rachelle and the Sidewinders

• Monday, November 15, 2010 1:36 PM, EST

well.. yet another uneventful weekend for Rachelle.. JUst kidding. ; )

She started the weekend off by going to Lake Gaston on Thursday to drop Peedee off with his parents, visited with them a bit before they continued on to Va beach where they went to Shore Break to watch ECU win (sooo sorry they missed you kathy and David ) it was by minutes,, ugh.

Friday morning Rachelle and Chris spoke with Joe Flanagan who did a story about Rachelle and Chris which aired friday evening.

After the interview, Rachelle and her posse' ( which included Chris, kasie , Aaron, Joan and mom and to meet her friend Brikeda there) ) we all headed up North to get ready for the BEAST OF THE EAST rugby tournament that was held in NJ.

Rachelle played great and actually had a lot of playing time this tournament. she had her cheering section along with her. Chris and Aaron helped the team out when they blew a tire or needed rolling back over when the wheel chairs flipped them over. Her team played 3 games on Saturday and one game on sunday. The Raleigh Sidewinders won all games except to the Virginia beach team ,, drats drats drats , darn the Virginia beach team.

Rach is resting up from her weekend today,, sleeping on the couch and lounging around.


I also want to thank everyone for the continued support. Any additional donations can be made to the same address in the blue under the health care facility. However, i think the zip code is still wrong and we need to figure out how to change that. we would appreciate any ideas or help with fund raising. The cost of a spinal cord injury is amazing and its unbelievable what the insurance doesnt cover. Some of the every day functioning needed supplies that rachelle needs is not covered by insurance. And with her having to pay for cobra out of pocket and getting her bathroom adapted for her it will be close to depleteing the wonderful efforts everyone has made ( and we so do appreciate everything )

So far she has been denied medicade but we were told if we could show some unpaid medical bills she should be able to get approved which will be great,, she will be able to get more therapy which will end the end of this november and not start up again until january insurance will then give her 20 visits for the year. Medicaidwill also pay for the every day items that she needs to function also. Soo,, we are keeping our fingers crossed and I am very hopeful she will get it even though she was told she really didnt need it.

Our spirits are still good and we are learning so much. As the surfer who was injured surfing and started a life rolls on program supported by the Dana and Christopher Reeves foundation,,, Says life rolls on..
and we are rollin' on

We hope to eery one soon or at least next month at the Raleigh Rugby tournament.

• Thursday, November 11, 2010 3:10 PM, EST

Rachelle's therapy has moved over to wakemed hospital and this was her first week in the new place. She still has the same therapist they just moved therapy over to wake med. Where they have a work out room and an indoor park with trees. ponds , ramp and even a car. The indoor ramp works out great its indoor and you dont have to worry about traffic. During therapy she used weights, practiced going up and down the ramp and slide boarding into the drivers side of the car. ( she liked being behind the wheel and cant wait to be able to drive next year)

Rachelle is getting so much stronger. she sits up in bed a little bit quicker each morning. And she continues to work on her every day living self needs that she has.

One afternoon Aaron and I decided to stand her up,,, Aaron picked her up under her arms and held her while i held her hips,,, of course she couldnt put any weight on her legs and she looked more like a balarena doing paletes but we were eye to eye and that was really cool. She just looked at me and said hi. Of course , i had to do what every mom would do and kiss her. One of the things that we would like to get her after the house is remodled if we can is a stand up machine... she would use it to to stand herself up to help get the blood flow back into her legs and would also help with keeping her muscles in her legs. In the meantime I dont think Aaron minds lifting her up now and then. The second time we did it she did get a little dizzy so we had to lay her back down.

We took a day and went back to Pitt memorial so she could see her therapist and some of the nurses she had and while we were there she spoke to the redoaks middle schooler who got hurt while playing football. She was giving him tips and invited him and his family to come to adapted sports day next weekend. she spend a couple of hours talking to the him and his family.

At rugby she someone brought her another loaner chair that is supposed to fit her better she will get to try it out this weekend in philly during the tournament there.

We will be leaving for philly after we speak with joe flanagan one of the news reporters in va beach. he wants to do a story on her and how well she is doing. We will post the story on here on Monday if we are able to. And of course, while she is in va beach she will be watching the ECU foot ball game at shore breakers.

Everyone have a great weekend and thanks for your continued support : )

• Monday, November 1, 2010 9:34 PM, EDT

On Friday, Rachelle went to the senior center in Raleigh to attend the Halloween party and surprise her seniors. She had the opportunity to see everyone and hang out. Later on that day, Rach's friend, Kasie came down to visit her.

On Saturday, Rach and the crew woke up early and went to rugby practice. Kasie saw Rach play rugby for the first time. After practice, everyone went to one of the local sports bar to watch the ECU football game. ECU ended up loosing and Rach was not happy. Following the game, the crew went back home and prepared for Halloween. Chris dressed up as a fisherman, Kasie went as a vampire and Rach dressed as a leopard. They all went out and didn't get home till real late (3:30 AM to be exact). Rach felt well that night and was not in any pain, so she enjoyed partying with friends.

Sunday, after everyone woke up, Rach's mom made omelets from eggs that came from Casey's (Chris's friend) farm. Sunday was a relaxing day, until it was time for trick or treating. Rach's dad and Jeremiah came down to trick or treat. Jeremiah had a great time trick or treating. Aaron decorated the house very well, in fact it was the best decorated house in the neighborhood. He also carved the gigantic, scary pumpkin. Based on the amount of candy that Chris and Rach handed out, they had about 500 trick or treaters (wow).

Today, Rach participated in therapy and she put on one of her shoes by herself for the first time. Great Job!