More Alert Today

Ryan has been sedated for the past few days and resting peacefully. The doctors have emphasized that increasing the sedatives was not a set back - he continued to heal, just under quieter circumstances. They started reducing the dosages of his medications last night and he is becoming more alert. During our visit today, he was opening his eyes and making eye contact with us once again. While we don't know what he is processing or thinking about when we speak to him, he is clearly aware of our presence and following our movements. He is very responsive to his parents, which is really sweet to watch. Ryan still gets agitated/excited easily but it seems that he's able to control his reactions a little better. He was able to calm himself down without his blood pressure and breathing rate getting too high during our visit.

It's going to be a while before the doctors can do detailed assessments on his head injuries. For now, we need to wait and hope that he continues to become more alert every day. Please keep the prayers coming!

Slowing things down

Over the past two days, Ryan has been getting agitated/excited when stimulated. When his body reacts, his blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate all spike. To avoid any complications that can occur when his vitals spike, the doctors are temporarily sedating Ryan. The doctors think his body's reaction is natural and just part of the recovery process as he starts reconnecting the dots. The doctors are hopeful that with time, Ryan will be able to manage his body's reaction and he can continue getting better. We expect things to stay somewhat status quo while he is sedated.

If you're in town tonight, we'll be meeting at Ryan's around 6:00-6:30 with his folks to eat and watch some of the Hornets/Lakers. Feel free to stop by.

friends right before graduation from Tulane!

Great Visit Tonight

Ryan is becoming more alert. He was only on pain medication when we saw him at the 1 o'clock and 8 o'clock visit. His complexion is rosy and he is starting to breathe almost completely on his own with very little ventilator assistance. His eyes are consistently open during visiting hours when he's in the company of his parents and friends. While he has been opening his eyes off and on for a few days, he was able to focus on us and make strong eye contact for the first time this visit. You can tell that it is very exhausting for him to focus for too long, but he is really trying. It's such a great feeling to talk to Ryan and get the sense that he can hear and see you.

The nurses have had his feet propped up since he's been in the hospital with foam "booties." They finally took them off today and Ryan crossed his ankles on his own. This was great news as it's the first coordinated movement he's done. With his ankles crossed, it looks like he's just laying back and chillin.

The doctors have also indicated that his incremental improvements over the past few days are in line with their expectations. All encouraging news and overall great progress.

Good times at Gold Mine

Not much to update this evening. Ryan is becoming consistently more alert. Although he's not responding to commands yet, he will open his eyes when he hears or feels something. The doctors say this is a good sign and the first step of many towards recovery.

Good Easter Weekend

Ryan is still progressing well and showing many encouraging signs. He opened his eyes for the first time yesterday. He was able to track with his eyes, which is a very positive sign. We think he's trying to respond in very subtle ways to simple commands. He also blinks or makes small movements when his parents and friends speak to him or something catches his attention.

Doctors performed the tracheotomy and inserted the feeding tube into his stomach this morning, so he was pretty sedated for this evening's visit. Both procedures went well. The two procedures not only help to reduce the risk of complications, they also make Ryan look like himself. He no longer has any tubes going in or out of his head or mouth. We are hopeful that tomorrow he will be a little more alert than today.

We still don't have a timeline as to when he's going to be fully awake. The doctors and nurses are taking things very slowly. Everyone is really pleased with the improvements he's showing, and we're confident that he'll be more responsive soon.