Ryan Is A One-Percenter

Ninety-nine percent of all patients on the neurological floor at Eden Medical Center leave dead or disabled. One percent leave alive and able.

A Foreshock

The cerebral angiogram showed he had suffered a small brain bleed which had stopped. Wonderful news. However, the doctor had earlier noted that sometimes such bleeds are like a foreshock that precedes a big earthquake. 

The Eden the medical team did a great job managing Ryan's pain. That would change after he was transported at 1 a.m. to Stanford University Hospital--a teaching hospital housed in an aging and dirty building that offered poor treatment. Because the Stanford doctors failed to address his pain he arrived with level three pain and left 15-hours later with level seven pain. After we arrived at his home, later in the day, the pain intensified. While he pled for relief I drove him back to the E.R. at the Eden Medical Center.

The Big Earthquake?

On the way my concern was that the "big earthquake" had hit causing this horrific headache. Fortunately, as I stepped out of his room I bumped into his physician, Dr. Peter Adamczyk.

"I saw Ryan is back at the hospital," he said.

"This is his room," I noted as I opened the door.

He's Improving

Once inside he viewed the most recent MRI and said, "He's improving. See here," he said as he pointed at the monitor. "The pool is much smaller."

"And what about the possibility of the "big earthquake?"

"Not a chance," he said. "His brain looks good. He'll battle headaches for awhile but will fully recover."

Th medical team hooked him up to an IV and an hour later his pain subsided and he was given the meds needed to keep it under control.

A Thanksgiving I'll Never Forget

Ryan and his two children celebrated Thanksgiving with us last month. A Thanksgiving I'll never forget.

We thank God our son is alive and well. We thank God our two grandchildren, Elijah and Sitara, have a healthy father. We thank God Ryan's two brothers, David and Paul, have a healthy brother.

Our Faith Has Prepared Us

When we first heard Ryan could die, or worse, I sat with Cindy and shared from my heart: "Our faith has prepared us for this and God will sustain us. We don't know if Ryan will live, die, or be disabled. But one thing we do know, whatever the outcome, God is good.

Job stated this truth beautifully: "The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. May the name of the LORD be blessed!" (Job 1:21 NET)

Thanks for your prayers. God heard you and answered.

NOTE: I intended to post this blog last week but I had some technical problems.