Kris's Status

A message from Linda Hughes Malyj

2007-06-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

My memories of the Cello family span more than 50 years from the time
my family moved to K Street in Davis, around the corner from my first
baby-sitting customers...the Cello kids. Our parents were all best
friends and Kris, the oldest, was only three years younger than me so
we were more friends than anything. One night at a Cello-hosted party
Kris, Phil and I were in the back yard and we were trying out smoking
techniques. Bob Cello came out and caught us and told me I should know
better, and then made Kris and Phil smoke until they were green. Kris
never said uncle, but he told me later he hated smoking after that.

In junior high and high school Kris was enough behind me that I didn't
see much of him except when our families got together for barbeques and
such. I knew he was a fine athlete because my dad gave accounts of his
football accomplishments, and he loved to play tennis doubles with
Kris, Phil, he and Bob. Kris was very competitive, but didn't have the
temper that Phil did, so his racquets stayed in better shape.

Sometimes when his mom and my mom were visiting I'd hear that Kris had
a serious relationship going with a girl named Kathy. There was both
relief and concern on the adult's part...the first because Kathy was
such a terrific girl and the second because they were so mutually
smitten. Later when Kris and Kathy broke up for awhile there was
resignation and immense regret. Their reunion was welcomed by all the
family, and their marriage celebrated as a sure sign that Kris was on
the right life track....an insight that turned out to be entirely
accurate.

During college and their Alaska years I mostly heard about Kris and
Kathy from family. When they came back, Irene was thrilled to have them
home and well employed. Of course, Bob thought Kris should use his
college education for something besides the construction business. It
was only much later that he finally understood the tremendous success
that Kris achieved through the application of his talents and his
remarkable character. Several times before he died Bob commented to me
that he should have understood what Kris was doing sooner but that he'd
been too focused on academia to "get it". He was very proud, and he
was also tremendously pleased that Kris was such a terrific dad and
generous man. Of course, Kris was both self-made and a combination of
his parents. Irene was leggy, tall and artistic with a gentle, graceful
way that drew people to her. Bob looked more like a bandy legged
street fighter than an eminent professor. He was musically talented
and was intense, stubborn, brilliant, and crusty on the outside. Kris
had all the drive and talent, and he showed his gentle side
easily...much like his mom.

My husband and I would see Kris and Kathy casually from time to time
when Ryan and Michael were kids, and they were always so tremendously
proud of those boys. Later, as Ryan was approaching college graduation
Kris and Kathy asked me to talk to him about internship and career
opportunities, which were my professional focus, and I was pleased to
have the chance. That brought Kris and Kathy and Wasyl and I into more
regular contact and we rediscovered how much we enjoyed one another. I
was astounded to hear (with considerable prodding on my part) what Kris
was actually doing in his construction business - his work was
certainly far beyond that of anyone I knew. There is no doubt in my
mind that he and his partner were at the top of California's
construction business, though he'd never say that.

During the dinners we shared over the last decade plus, Kris talked
often about the importance of his family and how much he valued his
marriage. We talked about how lucky both of us were to have married
true partners and shared a life rich in intimate friendship. Once Kris
commented that he didn't understand why for some people it was hard to
say I love you....something he said to Kathy every day. A little wine
helped the conversation flow. They had plenty of difficulties with the
many responsibilities and hard work they shared, but they also knew how
to have fun - something that Kris could really throw himself into. I
know he also liked to take a ride on his motorcycle to enjoy the
countryside and appreciate the wind in his face. He was a lover of
nature as well as friends. And Kathy was his greatest support as well
as the love of his life. Kris could easily show his emotions and
sometimes his eyes would tear with the pleasure he took in his world in
spite of the tremendous back pain he endured quietly through many years.

In my experience Kris was one of the exceptional special people who
live beyond the limits of ordinariness while always seeming like a
regular guy. Kathy and his boys were clearly a gift in his view, and
worth every determined step he took. His generosity came naturally
along with his philosophical perspectives. He was a rare one in the
very best sense and I will miss him.

Linda Hughes Malyj

My Friend Kris

2007-05-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

Even as I start to write this I feel the emotion welling up. It's bittersweet. Bitter because I have lost my oldest friend, my closest friend growing up in Davis, and sweet because I now get to follow these feelings to their source - a place in my heart that will be with me forever. Therein lies a treasure trove of memories of growing up with Kris and his family.

I was four when I met Kris Cello, whose family lived half a block from us in east Davis. My earliest memory of this red headed befreckled kid was a kind or brotherly love at first sight, a connection of the heart that was immediate and deep. Here come the tears. Kris and I, his brother Phil and my brother Phil became like the four musketeers. We gave each other nicknames, formed innumerable clubs - the Ginkers, the daredevils club with its rites of passage like having to hula hoop naked in the street while a car was coming, even a smokers club which really pushed the envelope of daring-do for 9 year olds, until Bob Cello busted us. Our two families became like one and no Christmas was complete without a feast with the Cellos.

Kids always had a habit of asking who your best friend was. For me, the reply required no contemplation, it was Kris. We were as close as brothers. Even in high school when I was a shy kid and he was in the popular crowd, we were tight. In the late 60's we had some grand adventures altering our brain chemistry together, singing the Beatles white album, comiserating over Nixon and the war. We saw a lot less of each other in later years but the love and friendship never faded. I always sought out he and Kathy on my trips to visit my folks in Davis and I got to see his beautiful family grow. We were there to support each other when each of our parents passed on.

I went to see Kris in the hospital several weeks ago, touched his hand, told him I loved him and bid my quiet goodbye. I was able to savor the memories of him all the way back to L.A. His heart of gold spread its light to many more souls than me. I was blessed to be his friend, and I will carry that blessing with me all my days.

Brian Hughes

Kris Cello Obituary 5.20.07

2007-05-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

On May 15^th, 2007 Kris Cello passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Kris was injured 10 months ago while on an annual “Kids & Dads” camping trip where he fell and sustained a traumatic brain injury.

Kris Cello was born on May 11^th 1948 in Ithaca, NY where his father was studying at Cornell University. In 1951, Kris moved with his parents and brother Phil to Davis, CA.

Kris attended elementary school, Jr. High and High School in Davis. When Kris was in 7^th grade he attended an international school in Vienna, Austria while his father was on sabbatical.

Kris met his future wife Kathy in 8^th grade, and they later started dating. Kris played football and tennis while at Jr. High, High School and College.

After high school, he attended UC Davis where he graduated in 1971 with a Bio Psychology degree. Kris and Kathy got married in 1970. A year later they moved to Alaska where Kris did construction and plumbing work and Kathy taught elementary school. After a few years Kris and Kathy moved back to Davis. Kris went back to work in the field of construction, and Kathy continued to teach elementary school.

In 1976, Kris and Kathy welcomed their first child, Ryan into the world. Soon after, they bought their first house on Miller Drive in Davis. In 1979, they welcomed their 2^nd child, Michael into the world. In 1983, Kris and the family moved into the house Kris had grown up in on Cornell Drive in Davis.

At around the same time, Kris went to work for a construction company in Santa Rosa, where he met his future business partner Bill Maudru. In 1987, Kris and Bill started Cello & Maudru Construction Company, in Napa, where Kris would continue to work up until his accident. As Cello & Maudru continued to grow, Kris balanced his professional and personal lives by finding time to spend with Ryan, Michael and Kathy. Kris was Ryan’s baseball coach and helped for many years with Michael’s soccer team. Summers were spent in Tahoe, hiking, fishing and playing music at the family cabin and winters in the snow, skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. He was also an avid reader, enjoyed fly finishing and loved playing and listening to music.

In 1994 the family moved to North Davis and Ryan went to UC Santa Barbara. Three years later Michael started at Cal Poly where he studied Construction Management & Business Administration. After graduating, Michael started working at Cello & Maudru where he was able to work side by side with Kris and experience his passion for building. During this time, Kris and Kathy began to travel more. They loved to take weekend trips to Pacific Grove and also enjoyed trips to Hawaii and Canada.

Prior to his injury, Kathy had just retired, and Kris was close to retirement. In May, before the accident, Michael had proposed to his college sweetheart Lesley in San Francisco. In July, Ryan had moved back to Davis to start his new family with Shelly and Jonah while working as a pharmacist at the UCD Medical Center. Kris was very happy and excited to see everyone’s lives moving forward.

Kris leaves his wife Kathy Cello, his sons Ryan Cello and Michael Cello, his sister Susanne Harkness, his brothers Steve Cello and Phil Cello, his nieces Stephanie Cello, Samantha Cello, Sally Cello, Christine Ragasa, Angie Carter, his nephews, Ian Clark, Brian Clark, Scott Clark, Phillip Cello Jr., David Cello, and his brother-in-law Bill Harkness.

The family would like to thank everyone for their support and strength throughout this difficult time. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 31^st 2007 at the Davis Community Church at 11:00 AM.

To honor Kris after his accident, his sister Susanne started training to run the New York City Marathon in the fall of 2007 as a medical research fund-raising entrant. If you would like to make a donation to her sponsor, you can either send a check made out to

TGL Foundation and send to GoodSage, 854 Laurel Street, San Carlos, CA 94070; or by credit card: Visit www.active.com/donate/tglingnycmarathon07/runningforKris

If you have any memories of Kris you would like to share, please feel free to post them at http://cellofamily.blogspot.com/

Big Brother 5.19.07

2007-05-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

Big Brother

Kris was my big brother. He was the oldest of four children followed by Phil, 18 months younger, then me, 6 years younger, and finally Steve, 10 years younger. His given name was Robert Christopher Cello named after his Dad Robert, but the name Robert didn’t stick very long, and he became Kris with a K. Already he was forming his own identity and becoming an independent thinker. Our parents, Bob and Irene, moved from New York to Davis, California with Kris and Phil in tow in 1951. They set up house and lived here for a short time before moving to Santa Rosa for a year. In 1953 they moved back to Davis and Kris lived here for almost the entire time of his life, except for a couple of years in Alaska in the 70’s. Our household was pretty typical of the time growing up in Davis. Dad was a professor at the UC Davis Veterinary Clinic. Mom stayed home and raised the four kids. We lived in East Davis on Hunt Way. Kris and Phil played with the Carlson boys, the Hughes boys, Janet and Linda Hughes. Those friendships span more than a half of century. In 1959 we moved to West Davis and soon our family was off to Vienna, Austria for a year’s sabbatical. Kris and Phil entered the American International School. Kris, with his red hair and good looks, was instantly popular. In the summer of 1961 we were back in Davis and Kris was entering 8^th grade. Bam, Kris met Kathy Kirk and his world was knocked upside down. They have been together almost nonstop ever since. Kris met the Kirks. Kathy met the Cellos. Nick and Mary loved him from the beginning, including him on family adventures, Kris learned to water ski and drive the family ski boat. He was growing up fast. Kathy met the Cellos, she had to learn how to take the constant teasing that my dad would dish out, a sure sign that she was accepted into the Cello family. As they entered high school they were going steady. Kris played JV and senior football, where he was a valued player. He worked during the summers for Hunts Cannery and weekends and after school for Wingers department store and at 16 he started working for Don Gale Construction. He was a good worker and saved his money, and probably because of Kathy’s good influence stayed on a pretty straight course during those years. My memories of those years were tagging along to the drive-in, going to the A&W for root beer, riding on the back of his Honda 50. Then there were the proms and school dances. I’m pretty sure Kris and Kathy attended every dance, and their junior year they were voted King and Queen of the Junior Prom. To a ten year-old girl in more innocent times I was star struck. They looked so grown up and glamorous. Mom hosted a sit down dinner before the prom. Mike and Jackie, Harry and Gayle. All of them seemed so dashing and grown up! After Kris graduated from high school, he attended UCD where he eventually majored in psychology. He lived at home that first year, played on the UCD football team and continued to work in construction. In 1968 Mom and dad took another sabbatical to Vienna, this time with only Steve and I in tow. Kris stayed at 1002 Cornell Drive and rented it with some buddies. I’m not sure exactly what happened that year, lets just say it looked like he and his roommates had a pretty good time. He and Kathy broke up sometime in there, but reconciled after about a year or so. Soon after they were planning a wedding. They were married on August 8^th, 1970 in a back yard ceremony at a friend’s house out in Willowbank. Their next two years were spent in Davis finishing up school, Kris at UCD, Kathy at Sac State. Soon after they moved to Alaska, where Kris decided to try his hand at plumbing and construction, he put in grueling hours but loved the pay. Kathy taught pre-school and Kindergarten. The winters were hard and Kathy missed her family and friends, so after a couple of years Kathy moved back to Davis and Kris followed shortly thereafter. They rented a house over on Colgate Drive and Kris went back to working for Don Gale Construction. He was a very hard worker, always giving it his most. In 1977 Ryan was born, what a cute baby he was, their family was beginning. That same year he and Kathy bought their first house on Miller Drive. In 1980 Michael arrived with a bang, two months premature, but healthy and a fighter. He had red hair just like his Dad. Kris juggled his time between work and home. Kathy continued her education and teaching part time in Vacaville. In 1983 they purchased the house that we had grown up in on Cornell Drive. By this time Kris had started working for a construction company in Santa Rosa, commuting back a forth every day. It wasn’t long after that that he and one of his work mates, Bill, decided to start their own company. Cello & Maudru was established in 1987. My parents offered to help out with some start up capital, but Kris said no. He had saved and invested. Cello & Maudru started getting choice jobs, and developed a reputation for excellent craftsmanship. Kris’s dedication and hard work were paying off. Kris and Kathy eventually moved to North Davis and a year or so later I bought 1002 Cornell Drive. As part of the deal Kris renovated it and transformed it into something I could call my own, going above and beyond the original plans. That was his nature always wanting to do it right. As time went on Cello & Maudru continued to prosper and grow. Kris did his best to balance work and home, by this time Ryan was attending UC Santa Barbara, Michael was finishing up high school and would soon be off to Cal Poly. Unfortunately all of his hard work started to take its toll on Kris’s body. Too many years of hard labor, too much time spent sitting in his car commuting between the office, job sites, and home. His body started to protest. A ruptured disc, living with constant back pain, he spent many years in excruciating pain, but not many knew it to look at him. He still continued to work. Not quite as much physical labor, but still at the site or place he needed to be to make sure the job was being done to the standard that Cello & Maudru had grown their reputation on. All during this time Kris also played. Winter ski vacations at Kirkwood, snowboarding with the kids, summer vacations at the cabin up at Lake Tahoe. He loved to accumulate toys, a ski boat, snowmobiles, cars, motorcycles, even his last purchase of an ATV so he could go on the camping trip that fateful weekend last July. As the boys grew and left home for college Kris and Kathy traveled to Hawaii numerous times, Kris liked to golf, Kathy was happy to ride along in the golf cart. She just treasured the time they spent together. Kris also loved music and from the time he started working he began buying 45’s and albums. While Kris worked and played Kathy kept things going at home. When Kathy’s dad fell ill, Kris took on the added responsibilities of caregiver, so he could spend his final months close to them. He also managed to find the time to care for our Dad during his illness spending every 3^rd night with him for almost a year. He would have done the same for many. Kris was about family and I know he loved Kathy and the boys more than anyone or anything else on earth. He was very happy and proud of Michael and Ryan and looking forward to many family events that were on the horizon. Michael and Leslie were starting to plan their wedding and Ryan had just moved back to Davis and along with Shelley and Jonah were starting to set up their own household. I have only touched the surface of Kris. The best way that I can describe Kris, is heart, he had a huge heart. It was apparent in everything he did. Sometimes that heart could be bruised, sometimes be too quick to trust, too easily taken advantage of, but it never stopped loving. Kris was a good man, with a lot of life left to live when he was injured, and I know he would be overwhelmed by the amount of support and kindness that so many people have shown to his family over the last ten months.

Thank you,

Susanne

Kris Cello 5/11/1948 - 5/15/2007

2007-05-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

We want to let you all know that Kris passed away last night. He was surrounded by family and friends and went very peacefully. We want to thank all of you for your support and love you have shown for our family through this unfortunate ordeal. As plans develop, we will be sure to keep you all posted.

The Cello Family

Update 3.4.07

2007-03-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

Hello friends,

We know it has been a while since we updated the blog, but unfortunately there has been no improvement in Kris's condition. A few weeks ago, we met with the doctors at Sutter Sub-acute about the long term prognosis for Kris. They conveyed to us that due to the extent of the injuries Kris sustained in his fall, the likelihood of any recovery is less than 1%. Since hearing this news, we have been spending more time thinking about what Kris would want in this situation. This has been difficult news to deal with. The support we continue to receive during this difficult time is incredible. Thank you again, and we will keep you updated if there are any changes to report.

The Cello Family

Kris's Status 1/3/07

2007-01-03T17:25:00.000-08:00

Hello,
Happy New Year! Just wanted to give a quick update on Kris. He is still at the Sutter Subacute facility in Sacramento on the 5th floor in room 5217. The address is Sutter General Hospital
2801 L Street Sacramento, CA 95816. Here is a link to the hospital. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2801+L+Street,+Sacramento,+CA+95816
There are no changes to report in Kris's condition but the care he has been getting at sutter subacute has been top notch.
My mom is still at the hospital everyday and wanted to thank everyone for their continued support.

12/12/06 Update

2006-12-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

We just want to let you know Kris was moved to Sacramento today. When we visited him this afternoon at Sutter General he was resting peacefully. My mom is back in her house and her kittys are happy to see her. We want to thank all of you for all the love and support you provided our family while Kris was in Marin. We hope you are all doing well.
The Cello Family

12-7 Update

2006-12-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Hello,
As many of you may have heard, Kris was transfered back to Marin general close to 2 weeks ago after he was found to have blood clots in both of his lungs. They were able to treat him and he was getting ready to be transfered to Sacramento straight from Marin General this week, but unfortunately he developed pneumonia on monday. Kris is now on antibiotics to treat the pneumonia, but he can not be transfered until he is cleared clinically. We are hoping that will be sometime next week. We will be sure to keep you updated.

The Cello Family

11-25-06 Update

2006-11-25T14:27:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Happy Holidays.
Sorry about the delay in getting the blog updated.
Kris was  moved back to Kentfield last Friday
after having the shunt placed successfully.
The swelling is visibly reduced and the doctors report
the shunt is functioning properly. So far, there are no changes
in Kris's status. He is still having sleep-wake cycles,
with part of his day having his eyes open, but still there
is no interaction with the outside world.His doctors tell us
they want to keep him at Kentfield for a few weeks so the
surgeon who placed the shunt can adjust it if the need arises.
The plan is to still have him transferred to Sutter
Sub-acute hospital in Sacramento once he is cleared to be
discharged from Kentfield.Thanks again for all your
support and compassion. It has been something
that we will always remember.

The Cello Family

Update 11.11.06

2006-11-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

Friends and family,
The surgery went ahead as scheduled yesterday and Kris is in ICU at Marin General. We spoke with the neurosurgeon afterwards and the operation for placing the shunt went well. They drilled a small hole in the right side of his skull to place the shunt and made two incisions, one in his neck and one in his abdomen, to thread a tube to his stomach.

However, after the surgery in the recovery room, Kris did have a complication in one of his lungs known as a spontaneous pneumothorax. This is a sudden collection of air or gas in the chest that causes the lung to collapse. Luckily the surgeon was in the recovery room with Kris and quickly placed a tube in his lung to inflate it. It is unclear why this happened but it could be due to a past lung infection.

It looks like Kris will be in Kentfield for at least two weeks to adjust the shunt and monitor for progress.

Once again thank you for all the support!

The Cello Family

Update 11.09.06

2006-11-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately Kris’s surgery was postponed again until Friday. He is having the surgery at Marin General Hospital and they seem to have a shortage of beds in ICU.

Again, we will keep you posted on his recovery.

The Cello Family

Update 11.07.08

2006-11-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

Looks like Kris’s surgery will happen Wednesday 11.08.06 in the afternoon. We will keep you posted on his recovery.

The Cello Family

Update 11.01.06

2006-11-01T08:19:00.000-08:00

Hello,

We wanted to let you know Kris’s surgery was postponed. Unfortunately the doctor discovered an infection yesterday and they cannot operate. He will be on antibiotics for a week and at the earliest will have the surgery next Wednesday. We will post an update as soon as we get the surgery re-scheduled.

Thanks for all the support!

The Cello Family

10/29/06 Update

2006-10-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

Hello ,

Wanted to pass on a quick update of Kris. He is still in Kentfield in Marin. He is basically in the same state he has been in for the last 3 months, which is eyes open during the day but no response or participation with the outside world. He has sleep wake cycles but unfortunately during the wake cycles, he does not communicate with us. Kris had a CT scan last week that showed he has Posttraumatic Hydrocephalus http://www.emedicine.com/pmr/topic113.htm which is a build up of CSF fluid in the brain. He is scheduled to have a shunt put in surgically on Wednesday to divert the CSF and will be in Marin General hospital for 3 days. His latest EEG showed the subclinical seizures were being controlled with the recent increase in his seizure medication, but he did have one grand mal seizure last week while sitting up in his wheelchair. Last night, he had his first shower in 3 months, which we all imagine must of felt great.

Once he has recouped from the surgery, he will be transferred to Sutter General Subacute Hospital in downtown Sacramento. We are looking forward to having him closer to home.

We will be sure to update the blog soon after the surgery to let you know how it went. Thanks for the continued support and good thoughts.

The Cello Family

Update10.4.06

2006-10-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Family & Friends,

Once again it has been some time since the blog has been updated. Kris is still in Marin at the Kentfield Rehab Hospital. While he has had some minor improvements, overall his condition remains unchanged. He is receiving rehabilitation therapy 3-4 hours a day, but not yet responding to commands.

The doctors have determined from an EEG (electroencephalogram) test that Kris is having “sub-clinical seizures". They are originating from the area of his brain damaged in the fall and are not visible, but occurring continuously. The first agents used to control them have proven unsuccessful and the doctor has told us these types of seizures can take a while to get under control. We are hoping that once we get the seizures adequately treated, Kris will have a better chance of responding.

We want to thank all of you for your support and kindness over these last 2 months. It has been greatly appreciated and will not be forgotten.

Thanks,

Ryan, Michael & Kathy

Update 9.15.06

2006-09-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

Friends & Family,

I know everyone must be eager for an update. Kris is doing a little bit better and has made some small improvements over the last 10 days. He continues to open his eyes more throughout the day and seems to recognize some voices.

We met with Kris’s doctor yesterday and she answered many questions for our family. She explained the overall goals for Kris & timeframe for those goals. She also went over the latest CAT scans and confirmed there were areas of the brain that were damaged in the accident, but until he wakes up there is no way of telling how severe or what areas have been affected. She also described the progression Kris has made in the first 3 weeks and progress he still needs to make in the next five weeks to continue rehabilitation at Kentfield.

Up until this week, the doctors felt Kris was in a vegetative state. Upon an examination this week, the doctor saw signs he was progressing to what the she called a “localized” state. This is where the patient may not follow or understand commands, but show signs they comprehend something is going on around them, such as moving their head to follow a voice. For Kris to make a meaningful recovery he needs to get to a point where he can follow commands and actively participate in his rehab. Localizing is a critical step. The doctor also described how much and what type of stimulation he needs. She emphasized we need to give him specific types of stimulation & ensure he gets as much sleep as possible. When he is awake, it is important he hears familiar voices but sleep is just as important for his recovery.

Overall, we felt positive after the meeting with the doctor and it seems Kris is moving in the right direction. She clarified a lot of questions for us and helped us understand the overall plan.

Again, thank you for all your support and positive thoughts.
The Cello Family

Update 9.4.06

2006-09-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hello,

We are through our first week into the stay at Kentfield and Kris is doing good overall. He was more a little more active Monday and Tuesday, but an antibiotic he was taking caused a small seizure Tuesday afternoon. He was stabilized and the doctor discontinued the med, but his energy level seemed low until about Friday. He started his physical therapy Monday and has been sitting up in a chair for a couple hours a day. He continues to open his eyes multiple times throughout the day.

We all know how much a music lover Kris is and started playing music for him through an ipod. We also have been introducing familiar scents for him to smell such as sweet orange and peppermint. He seems to respond to both with eye flutters and small movements.

Kris and our Family continue to have a great out-pouring of support. We appreciate the steady stream of visitors and positive thoughts.

Thanks and more to come.

The Cello Family

Update 8.27.06

2006-08-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
I wanted to get a quick update out that the transfer to Kentfield went very smooth. It was originally going to happen Thursday, but was reschedule for Friday. Kris was flown by a medically equipped jet to Novato and then picked up by an ambulance. He was handed off to the Kentfield staff about 1:00 Friday.

Kris is stable and still in a coma. He is also fighting a few infections which we were told is all part of spending time in the hospital. The weekend was fairly quiet but he is starting his physical therapy Monday morning.

Kathy also made the move to Kentfield. We found a great 1 bedroom spot in San Rafael just a few minutes from the hospital. The house is very nice and the setting is a welcome change from Reno.

We are all very happy to have Kris closer to home. We expect great things from Kentfield!

Again, thank you for all the support

The Cello Family

Update 8.23.06

2006-08-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Friends & Family… The past week has been fairly quite for Kris. He has remained in about the same condition. His breathing did improve, and he is now off the ventilator breathing on his own. His response to stimulus is about the same and the swelling in his brain has continued to subside.

In the last week, our family has been focusing our energy on moving to Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital in Kentfield CA. We just found out tonight Kris was accepted to the hospital and will be transferred as early as tomorrow. The new hospital performed a lengthy evaluation of his case and felt he was a good candidate for their program. Kentfield offers long-term acute care and specializes in brain injury rehabilitation.

We have great things about this hospital and are very excited for him to be closer to home. If you would like to take a look at the facility, here is a link to there website. http://www.kentfieldrehab.com/

More details to come after the move and again thank you for all the support!

The Cello Family

Update 8.15.06

2006-08-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hello All – I wanted to pass on a quick update from the hospital. Kris went in for a quick & successful surgery this morning to get his feeding tube installed. He had previously had a tube in his nose and looks much more comfortable.

He is starting to open his eyes a little more and has been able to keep them open for about 15-30 seconds a few times today. He is not responding to verbal commands, but seems to be more active. He has also started to receive physical therapy.

We are not sure about a transfer date, but have started looking at places in the Sacramento & Bay area for acute care.

Thanks for all the support!

Michael & Family

The full story on Kris's accident (written by Ryan Cello)

2006-08-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to get the facts out to everyone on how my dad ended up in Reno in a coma….

My Dad & I were camping near Downieville, CA on a trip we have been going on every summer for the last 10 years known as Kids and Dads. This year, there were 11 of us on the trip and we set out from Bassets, CA around 11:00 AM Thursday July 27. It takes about 1-1/2 hour in a 4x4 vehicle, followed by a 30-minute hike down a steep canyon to get to the campsite.

To help carry the large items down the canyon, my Dad purchased an ATV the week prior to the trip. This would lead to be a timely purchase. After making several trips down the canyon from the trucks, we set up camp, had dinner and got ready for our nightly sauna. After the sauna, we all met around the “campfire” (halogen light these days) for 2-3 hours of music, singing and stories. As we were wrapping up for the night, my dad walked to the edge of the river near camp to relieve himself. As he was standing there he shifted his weight to his left leg, which unfortunately he had sprained a week prior. His leg buckled underneath him and he fell forward head first, landing 1-2 feet away from the river embankment. As far as we can tell he fell 6-8 feet hitting his head on the left side on one of the rocks below.

I was sitting at the “fire” and witnessed the accident. I immediately went down the embankment to see if my dad was ok. When I got there he was unconscious and was bleeding from a gash on the left side of his head. He regained consciousness after 1-2 minutes, but was very confused about where he was and what had happened. Dave Whitmire and myself lifted my dad up from the embankment and placed him in a chair near his tent. Luckily we had a doctor with us, Lloyd Smith, who applied a bandage to his wound. At this time my dad was still conscious but was trying to remove the bandage due to the pain he was experiencing. He lost conscious about 15 minutes after we got him up and into the chair.

At this time, we knew his wounds were serious and sent Bob and Brendan Johnson to activate the Emergency Medical System (EMS). Unfortunately, where we were camping we were out of cell range and the Johnson’s had to hike 25 minutes and then drive 1 hour to activate the EMS system. During this time, Lloyd, myself, Dave Whitmire, Jim Carlson and Jim Douglas were with my dad trying to get him to wake up and monitoring his vital signs. We covered him with a sleeping bag and rubbed him to keep him warm and stimulated. Due to the severity of his injury, the lack of resources available to us at our camp site and the worry of losing his airway we did not feel it was safe or even feasible to move him until the EMS personnel arrived.

The injury happened around 11:00 PM and the EMS personnel arrived around 3:30 AM. I don't think I have ever been so happy to see lights coming down a hiking trail in the middle of the night. The first 2 EMS personnel to arrive were 2 volunteer paramedics who I can not thank enough or praise enough for their outstanding handling of this difficult situation. They got oxygen started on my dad and with the help of Lloyd got IV fluids running. It was at this point that 2 firefighters from Sierra City arrived with a backboard.

We loaded my dad onto the backboard and used the ATV to drive him to the trucks. To get him up the hill on the ATV we needed 3 people on each side of the board to stabilize it. I drove and the 2 firefighters stabilized the front rack to prevent the 4-wheeler from flipping over while we were going up the trail. As we set out, the pace was very slow and the process of inching our way up the rocky steep hill was grueling for everyone involved. We had to stop frequently to assess my dads vitals and for everyone to catch their breath. After a long hour we were at the cars.

Once at the cars the paramedics intubated my dad’s airway to ensure it remained open. We then loaded my dad into the back of his suburban with the 2 paramedics and drove 30 minutes to a nearby meadow where the helicopter was waiting.

Once there, my dad was evaluated by 2 nurses and then loaded onto the helicopter. The helicopter lifted off at 5:05 and headed to Washoe Medical Center in Reno, NV. It was a huge relief to know he would be at a hospital soon. My dad arrived at the ER around 5:30 and an CAT scan was taken. It was clear he needed surgery right away to relieve the pressure from a subdural hematoma that had formed. At 7:00 AM the neurosurgeon performed a craniotomy to relieve the pressure in his skull. After surgery, he was brought to the trauma ICU where he has remained.

In the days that followed my dad required medication to keep his ICP (intracranial pressure) down due to the swelling of his brain. After the first line medication stopped working, the neurosurgeon, Dr. Vaca, decided to put my dad into a medically induced coma with a heavy barbiturate. This was considered a last ditch effort to reduce the swelling. For 2 days it seemed like the medication was reducing the swelling and my dads ICP looked good. After a sudden spike on Saturday night, a MD covering for Dr. Vaca decided to do a brain flow study to evaluate if there was any blood reaching my dads brain. The MD was worried that my dad had herniated his brain stem when his ICP shot up. The brain flow study appeared to show no blood flow reaching his brain and it was at this time (last weekend) that the doctors and nurses started to tell us that he was brain dead and there was very little hope. At this point we changed his code status to “do not resuscitate” (DNR) and started to talk to the donor people about organ donation as per his wishes.

On Monday (August 7th), we met with the donor network and signed all the papers to ok organ donation once my dad was proclaimed deceased. The barbiturate was stopped on Saturday night, after the doctors thought he had herniated his brain stem. At this point we were told the barbiturate would take up to 7 days to be cleared from his body and the doctors could not proclaim him brain dead until this occurred. As the medication slowly began to clear from his body my dad started to cough and exhibit symptoms that were not consistent with brain death. Even after this, the trauma MD came in the room and assured my mom, brother and uncles that these signs did not mean anything and that my dad was definitely brain dead. One hour after this, Dr. Vaca, the head neurosurgeon came into the room and told us that the brain flow study was flawed and that my dad was defiantly not brain dead. In fact, he let us know that the CAT scan from the day prior looked much improved from his previous scan.

After our initial shock, anger, confusion and relief, we were all overjoyed to have our hope back that my dad has a shot to recover from this traumatic injury.

As of today, my dad is still in a coma, but the barbiturates are now completely cleared from his system and he is starting to exhibit signs that his brain is slowly starting to heal including responding to painful stimulus on all extremities, coughing and his eyes are starting to open every so slightly.

We want to thank all of you for you love and support and we will be updating the website as any new developments occur.

Ryan & the Cello Family

Update 8.10.06

2006-08-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

As most of you heard, a neurosurgeon on call for the weekend made a huge mistake, and pronounced my dad brain dead. His primary neurosurgeon corrected the prognosis, and actually showed us the CAT scans confirming his brain was still alive. Unfortunately we went thought an emotional roller coaster the last few days, but the news was relieving.

They took another CAT scan yesterday & his brain looked about the same as Monday. The neurosurgeon believes he is beyond any additional swelling and removed the instrument in his brain used to monitor his cranial pressure. The doctor also removed his neck brace and plan to take out the breathing tube in his mouth and install a breathing device in his throat.

The heavy meds are out of his system and he is reacting to pain stimulus again. Over all he looks good, but there is no indication when he will wake-up. The CAT scan shows he did sustain a stroke most likely from the head injury (it could of also caused him to fall, but we can not be 100% sure) that damaged parts of his occipital lobe (sight). We will not know how much damage occurred until he wakes up.

These are small steps, but in the right direction. Thank you for your support

Michael, Ryan, Kathy & Kris

Mis-Information...but good news

2006-08-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to thank all of you for your support through this hard time. We are on an emotional roller coaster here. We just got news from our main neurosurgeon that the test that was done this last weekend to diagnose brain death was inappropriately ordered and interpretted. As of today after reading a new CAT scan yesterday, there was no brain death and actually the brain looks improved from the previous scan. So that leaves us back where we were last week which is my dad still is in a coma, but his intracranial pressure has stabilized and it is back to the waiting for some sort of recovery or having him wake up. We want to thank you all for your support and will be sure to continue to update you on any changes. Today is my parents 36th wedding anniversary.

Ryan, Michael and Kathy