TRIPPED UP Underwood earns its first trip to the state baseball tourament by defeating Lenox 2-1 in eight innings in substate play Tuesday night. See more in SPORTS, page 7A. >>
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2014
HOMECOMING for BARNETTS
Editor’s note:
This is the second of a two-part series about the stroke and recovery of Orient-Macksburg graduate Daniel Barnett, his wife Ann and their twin sons Jason and Clinton. By JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA associate editor jwaddingham@crestonnews.com
D
aniel Barnett and his wife Ann started their relationship as high school sweethearts. They met in their youth group at First Baptist Church in Creston. Daniel, 29, was a 2004 OrientMacksburg graduate, cross country runner and could be found in the weight room most afternoons training for the shot put and discus for track and field. Ann, 28, graduated from Creston High School in 2004. They were married in 2008 and eventually moved south to Bethany, Mo., when Daniel started work as a Missouri State Trooper. Ann found a job with South Hampton as a kindergarten teacher. The couple was expecting for the first time — twin boys Jason and Clinton — when their world was turned upside down after Daniel suffered a stroke from a blood clot around 4:30 a.m. Jan. 6. “Daniel isn’t a wordy person,” said his mother Deloris Barnett. “He hasn’t expressed a lot, but we can see he really appreciates and loves Ann deeply and Ann has definitely leaned on the Lord for strength.” Daniel’s right side and speech were hindered after a second blood clot caused bleeding and inflammation of his brain. He spent almost two months in intensive care, hospital rooms and rehab before being allowed to return home with his wife and new baby boys Feb. 24. But getting the clearance to return home was not the final hurdle in the Barnett family’s journey as they work together to balance therapy sessions and raise Jason and Clinton.
Returning home
Megan Turk, a physical therapist at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, said Daniel’s rehab process started while he was still sedated and recovering from the second blood clot. “The first day Dan was awake I
By BAILEY POOLMAN
CNA staff reporter bpoolman@crestonnews.com
what to expect,” Turk said. “We were able to help him in both capacities (rehab and being a father) so he could still be the dad he wanted to.” The quartet moved home Feb. 24. Deloris and Ann’s mother Susan Walker helped with the transition of helping their children be first-time parents. “I feel like it was a blessing that we could be available as much as we have,” Deloris said. “We have had time to spend with the boys and we have been there to help Daniel and Ann with the transition of being back home.” But trying to establish a schedule and keep track of who was visiting, when therapy was and most importantly what the twins needed both Daniel and Ann described as chaos. “What was frustrating was it felt like the house had a revolving door on it,” Ann said. “We had people in to do home therapy, I was trying to take care of the babies, plus do exercises with Daniel and then you have two wonderful, well-meaning moms
It’s the time of year again when Creston is host to another local festival. McKinley Park Festival is scheduled for Saturday, and is filled with events of all kinds. Instead of having a movie in the park as has been done in years past, there will be a fireworks show at dusk. The fireworks show is not a new event, just one being brought back. “The talent contest is always fun, along with parents and grandparents fishing with the kids,” said Rich Paulsen, Creston News Advertiser publisher and volunteer for Creston Parks and Recreation Department. “We are doing fireworks again this year, and that is ■ The 10th always a big hit with everyannual one.” Other events include a McKinley Park fishing competition, hog Festival this roast and auction. Sponsors for the 10th year includes a annual festival are Central fishing contest, Iowa Amusement, Creshog roast, skateton Park and Recreation Department, Creston Pub- board competilishing Company, First Na- tion and firetional Bank, High Lakes works show at Outdoor Alliance, Iowa State Savings Bank and dusk. Tyler Insurance. Money raised during the festival will go to renovations for McKinley Park, such as dredging the lake sometime in the future, according to Paulsen. Events A skateboarding competition will kick off the day’s events at 3:30 p.m. A free fishing day for kids starts at 4 p.m., with signup from 3:15 to 4 p.m. The fishing lasts until 5:30 p.m., and participants will receive a meal and prizes. There will be a hog roast at 4 p.m. Meals are $5 and last until the food is gone. “(A great part is) the families taking advantage of a wonderful park,” Paulsen said. “It is an inexpensive day at the park, no cost for any of the events except the hog roast.” A raffle and auction start at 6:30 p.m. The raffle will be for a big screen television or two processed half hogs.
Please see BARNETT, Page 2
Please see FESTIVAL, Page 2
Contributed photo
Above, Daniel Barnett’s hand fully extends with the help of a springloaded device to help retrain his muscles after a stroke Jan. 6. Daniel has speech, occupational and physical therapy sessions.
was able to move him and have him actively participate,” Turk said. “We went from laying to sitting and working on his balance there to standing and taking a couple of steps.” Soon Daniel was back to walking with assistance and started to regain some of the strength and feeling on his right side. In addition to his occupational and physical therapy, Daniel had speech therapy to help him sort out words, work on his memory with projects similar to the game Taboo and learn how to write left handed. “I was right handed, but I am left handed now,” Daniel said. “I didn’t struggle with eating (left handed), but doing the writing has been the hardest.” Ann was induced into labor in Kansas City Feb. 21 in the same hospital Daniel was staying. During that first weekend, his therapist moved the therapy session to Ann’s room so Daniel could practice holding the boys and doing daily tasks like feeding or changing a diaper. “We joked with him all the time because no first-time dad knows
Koltyn Moeller, 16, of Boone competes in the roping competition at the rodeo Tuesday evening at the Union County Fair in Afton. Moeller, in his third year of competitive roping, has participated in every Iowa Rodeo Cowboys Association (IRCA) event this year.
THURSDAY WEATHER
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show rabbit Tuesday evening at the Union County Fair in Afton. Right, Tyler Waddingham with Douglas Boosters exhibits the reserve best in show rabbit. This year’s show included more than 40 rabbits.
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Volume 131 No. 37
2014
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