Dealing with a new reality
The Greco's of Hilltown are finding "a new normal" as they cope with the paralysis of their husband and father, who fell 28 feet from a ladder.
Two months after a 28-foot fall that left him permanently paralyzed from the chest down, Guy Greco of Hilltown is already cracking jokes.
He flips his eyelids inside out to shock the staff at Magee Rehabilitation in Center City Philadelphia where he's been since mid-November.
When talking about the woman who found him and called 911 after his fall, he quips: "She yelled at me for lying down on the job."
His family isn't surprised that he has retained his jovial nature despite his life-changing accident.
"He definitely has (a good sense of humor)," said his wife of 18 years, Sue.
Guy is matter-of-fact about the details of his accident. The UPS driver was at the top of an extension ladder power washing a building. The window trim he was gripping for stability gave way, and he fell off the ladder. He landed on his back, crushing several vertebrae and severing his spinal cord.
He was flown to Temple University Hospital, where he stayed "flat on his back, not moving" for two weeks, according to his sister-in-law Karen Piotrowicz.
Doctors fused several of his vertebrae, so he would be able to sit up and support himself. He was then transferred to Magee, which specializes in rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries.
He had some setbacks with blood clots and infections, Piotrowicz said, but since Thanksgiving he's been in a wheelchair completing his physical therapy.
"It's been really good for his spirits," she added.
Guy's wife and three daughters - Katie, 17, Ally, 15, and Emily, 12 - visit him several times a week, and other family members try to stop by on the days they cannot. On Christmas Eve, the Grecos loaded presents into bags and piled on the train to the city so they could exchange gifts as they always do on Dec. 24.
"We call it our new normal," said Sue of the routines they are establishing and the complicated reality that greets them every day. "We never asked why (this happened). You can only focus on the future."
There's a lot to figure out. The Grecos must renovate their home to make it handicapped-accessible. Guy will need special equipment once he's home. The medical bills will keep coming in after he's maxed out his insurance. And there are mounds of paperwork and thickets of red tape to cut through before disability kicks in.
"There's no book that you can read that tells you what you can expect," Karen said.
What has kept the Grecos going is the knowledge that they're not alone in this struggle. Friends, family, co-workers and even acquaintances have pulled together to help.
"I was overwhelmed," said Guy, recalling how people have donated their time, money and services.
But Piotrowicz isn't surprised by the flood of altruism. It's just karma. Guy and Sue - her brother-in-law and sister - have always been active in the community. Both coached volleyball for St. Agnes Sacred Heart School in Sellersville. Sue was the president of a Catholic Youth Organization and a Girl Scout troop leader.
"They did so much good," she said.
Now the Grecos find themselves on the receiving end of charity, large and small:
A friend volunteered to plow their drive when it snows.
Another showed up at their door with a Christmas tree.
New Jersey-based Miles Technologies raised thousands of dollars last month for its Step Toward Hope charity, which aids people suffering from paralysis. Some of those funds will be donated to the Grecos.
Moser Contracting, Lott Builders and Brill Landscaping are donating their services to help renovate the Grecos' home: building a wheelchair ramp outside and converting the living room into a bedroom and bathroom for Guy.
Construction begins this week and should be complete by February, when Guy is scheduled to be released from Magee, Karen said.
"They're trying to be positive," she said. "And they can because they've had so much help."
Theresa Hegel can be reached at 215-538-6381 or thegel@phillyBurbs.com.
